day in the life

well nobody else seems to be making lunch!




...any tips on cooking turtle?







When we go on home school trips the next day we talk about what we saw and I choose-
Alexander stop pushing me
-I choose what I liked best-
Alexander! Mommy Alexander's touching the train
-and I made a play dough train like the one we-
Alexander! I'm trying to talk!
-the one we played on and mommy-
MOMMY ALEXANDERS MAKING ME FORGET WHAT I'M SAYING-
-mommy found a picture of the real one we actually played on-
and....
and....
mommy, I want to go play with Alexander.

sometimes we find ourselves an afternoon with daddy

and sometimes we find ourselves dressed like daddy


mommy thinks she's so funny!

really mommy, you haven't let us pull these out for months and months and months
and when we finally get you to play with us


this is the best you've got?







ahh, now that's what I'm talking about


when the tids go to bed

the big tid and mommy really get to play!






the last of the Hallowe'en candy
(mommy's so happy)

bones!
who wants candy bones!

oh wait.











sometimes when daddy's at work
we need to take matters into our own hands

this,
is what happens when
Benjamin wants take one screw and re sink it in a hole to fix a ramp
that daddy built
that Benjamin drives on
that mommy lets in the kitchen
that Alexander steps on
and
that Tafrin broke

reflections sugar high

WHAT? we get to go for a walk with our family and get TANDY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

has Christmas come early?

our neighbours open their doors

we put effort into visiting those near and far

everybody's jolly and giving

there is little pressure to perform

and the generosity is focused on the children.

this is what we call Halloween?

hmmmm.

that is something to think about.

(who cares mommy, we get TANDY!!!!!)

-we get to be with family
Uncle Cameron will you carry this?
Auntie Wendy will you walk with me?
Uncle Cameron will you carry me....and this?

-we get to dress up in silliness

Alexander was the most fantastic duck, he chose his costume idea in February....

mommy went to Nana for advice

"how do I make Alexander a duck?"

"I made Auntie Manta one once, here's how"

Voila!  

2nd generation animal lover.  

(Alexander, if you turn out like your Auntie Manta, 

I will be overjoyed!)

-we get to have our children see that strangers can be very nice people too

Katherine gently told Uncle Cameron half way through that he could put her down at the door and step back, she's got this situation well under control.

Yes, you may carry me to the next house

Yes, you may help me up the step

Yes, you may hand me my pumpkin bucket

and 

Yes, you may stand over there and pick me up when I'm ready.

-we get to work with our children

Benjamin what do you want to be for Halloween

"a train. I want to be a train every year"

Ok, let's make you a train

"I already have it drawn out mommy"

Benjamin, the best thing about Halloween costumes, is that you can always change your mind

"no mommy it has to be like this"

(glue glue glue, throw it away)

what about this?

"that's a good idea"

(cut too big, cut too small, break scissors, lose tape, glue hands together)

how about this then?

"that's a good idea"

(try again, re glue, re tape, call in expert help)

"DADDY!"

so Benjamin, what have we learnt about costumes?

"its a good thing for you that we can always change our mind"

There are bad parts of Halloween, maybe more so then in any other festival

the good parts however, we were given in full.

So thankful for family 

For family who love us and get along with us

a great breath of fresh air

as we can feel the rush of Christmas beginning the blow in...

T.A.B.A.K.

p.s

every pencil, crayon and marker drawing on 

Benjamin's costume was done by him

He was able to drive the train with 

a popsicle stick through the bottom

daddy built the tunnel with old wire brackets 

from our old bathroom lights

After Katherine saw what her brothers were doing, 

besides ringing the doorbell she took the lead

and

Alexander named his costume George Washington, 

after our neighbours white duck

WDM

Dear big folk


My brothers took a field trip to the Western Development Museum where I had the opportunity to let loose and see the sights myself

whilst keeping my brothers in check that is!

I taught them the correct way to play
checkers

you step on all of them

just like this

and this is an old fire truck

Benjamin you go here and pull the wagon

and I would ride in the basket with the rope

while Alexander....

you would run ahead and yell

"weee ooooo - weee ooooo"

Benjamin took us for a very nice train ride
while Alexander and I waved hello to all the people way down below.

It was a great time except for this crazy mommy holding my ankle the whole journey while I kept looking out the window.

crazy mommy

Seeing as the horses were busy,
we thought we'd get a head start on winter by plowing some fields.

So we pulled and pulled

and pulled

then Alexander forgot about it and left to find some horses.

so B and I  did too.

that crazy mommy tagged along behind.  keep up mama!

found them!

they were very polite.  They told us under no circumstances were they going to pull the grader, but if we were interested, they would take us for a wagon ride around the building including splashing through a little puddle or two.

we accepted and climbed aboard.

Benjamin loved the puddle.

Alexander loved seeing the shoes on the horses
all the way up to the bridle in their mouths

He pet all the pretend horses inside

then pretended I was a horse.

This made Benjamin laugh

so I did what any girl in my situation would do

I locked them in jail.

 all in all a very fine day at the museum

we only saw about a third of the sights

we'd love to go again

(hint hint crazy mommy following behind us)

much love to you all

Katherine

and maybe check and see if Benjamin is still in the Big Bert exhibit

all for one

 Last weekend our family all piled into one house, sometimes one house sometimes another, but generally as many as possible under one roof

to celebrate and honour a decision both lifetime and daily

of striving to show Katherine Rose
the unwavering, persevering, patient and leading love of Jesus.


This little family felt this Divine embrace having family so near,
making an effort to be together

to share together
to commune and wash dishes together

The littlest people were all so good!
The sharing
the laughing
the running
the vroom-ing
the tickling
the chasing
the wondering
the hugging

the older joining the younger
the younger watching the older
the older watching out for the younger

The hopes of raising all the little ones in the way everlasting
The hopes of the parent making that plain and visible every day
in marriage
in being a mom
in being a dad
in being a mom to a mom
and a dad to a dad

 This family of five is so blessed to have such yearning hearts a text away
a phone call close
a babysitter in the same room
...
uncles as friends
aunties as hilarious climbers of hay bales
(or at least attempting)

and as this family at ladybug farms reflects

we praise God for such a family to be a part of

a family of chaos

perhaps,

a family of sacrifice

definitely

a family of prayer

absolutely

a family of nuts

that too!

but a family of love

through and through

and through.

So as we strive to raise our children along the path already 

worn down by a few

and yet not visible to all

we are thankful for 

the prayers

for our first

for the man 

we see him 

quickly growing 

into

and for the love

for our second

for the boy

he has always 

been

the sparkle

and sense of

humour ever apparent

in his travels

and for the hope of our third

that as she watches her family

yearning to communicate her desires

running a tad behind and yet so ahead of those before

laughing

squealing

embracing

open arms to boppa

phone calls all for nana

special special days with meamme

and hugs for only aunties and uncles 

and no one else thank you very much

that she will see the Grace that brought her to us in the first place

and the love marked so plain on the faces of her whole family today 

and tomorrow

and tomorrow there after.

thank you dear family

your everyday to us 

is a gift.

 

kids and quacks

Alexander is brave
-"dese ducks not scareee!"
he chases them all over the coop, finally petting them near the hole of water.

Alexander is brave
-"dese dikins not scareee!"
he chases the chickens as well, hoping one will slow down for a scoop.

We CANNOT go get the mail without a stop at our neighbours to feed the bunnies, pet the ducks, chase the chickens, rock in the hammock, and bounce on the "amboreen"

and he is not alone in his vote.

Katherine is crazy
One and a half and jumping with two feet already leaving the ground
Katherine is crazy
One and a half and learning how to lay down on the "up up up" so Alexander can bounce her

We CANNOT stop at our neighbours with out "up up up" and there is no "awdone!" to hear, she would bounce all day.
Not so with nap time "awdone" or meal times "awdone" or road trips "awdone, awdone, awdone"

Benjamin is old
Plugging vacuums in, changing batteries, getting the milk out of the fridge, spit able toothpaste
Benjamin is old
His five year old mind shines through in his remonstrating Alexander "Ah-lex-zan-der! Put that down"  and his guiding Katherine "come this way little sweetie"

We CANNOT do something one way and then expect to do it differently the second time!  He is hard worker, dependable, trust worthy and spunky.  "Benjamin what happened to that hanger?"
"it's a long story mommy"

...

a fantastic life it is.

thankful for time together

Nothing says Happy Thanksgiving like a picture of a turkey!

and this turkey was having a grand time with nieces and nephews

sons and daughter

brothers and sisters

mother and wife

all together for a weekend of thanksgiving

of talks and walks to the park

big kids and little kids

ladybugs and ladders

eating and playing

up the slide

and down

a time to catch up

to share difficulties

to share hockey games

to share dreams and prayers

to celebrate upcoming new babies

and growing so fast babies

and of course

to share in some pumpkin pie.