yep

I had no title for this blog as it is nothing in particular. I see that since I last wrote there have been more than 1,000 hits on my blog and am wondering what was so great about my blog. So maybe I need to update a little. I just hope people aren't downloading pictures of my kids and using them for bad things.
Here is a picture of my kids on a bike ride with me. When we started out the kids got in single file formation and naturally got in order of their birth. I thought it was pretty funny and had to capture it.


Another here is of the 3 youngest sitting in the doctors office waiting to get shots. They are still smiling so you know the nurse hasn't come in with the shots yet. I had to hold one girl down while she got shots.


The other here is of the youngest 3 on a walk to our friends house. There were some leaves down and it was beautiful out.


So there, you're officially updated!

Recap

School has started and we now are saying goodbye to summer and having 6 kids home all day and the constant mess that accompanies it. I feel like I am actually making headway in my house instead of just trying to keep up, for the first time in 3 months. It feels oh, so good!
First off, we built a new chicken coop and our chickens are laying eggs. We have 8 laying and today we 7 eggs. I think that's the most in 1 day ever. As soon as the other 11 chickens start laying in 2 months we want to start selling the eggs. For now we just give them to some of our elder ("older") neighbors.


Our first egg!

We went to the Crapo (long A sound) family reunion. We walked on stilts, played a fun game of kickball, went to the park, and rode horses again. On the way home our Durango broke down on the way home and my brother and his friend, Nick, came and rescued us and took us back to Spokane. Here's also a picture of Abby and Sammie with my big sister, Pam.


My brother, Joe, in the picture above was the trash talker and made it hilarious! Here's my big brother, Ed, with his daughter on his shoulders. It was so much fun to play with all my siblings and have fun and see how great they all were with the kids too. Good times!!

Here's my brother, Paul, pushing his new step-daughter, Molly, to 3rd base.


Here's cousin Shane helping Abby on the stilts. Mom and Verlan came up with some great stuff for the kids to do and some fun crafts.
One more I have to share is my nephew Nicolas wanted so badly to smile for his picture so despite his mom rubbing sunscreen all over him he got it.



They were manually cranking the truck up onto the flatbed. It was tough but they got it.
We also went through a bug storm on the way back to Spokane! Yuck!

I went to girls camp too. I had a good time but didn't take any pictures. We were so busy there and had such a great time. It's not just a spiritual high for the girls!

Now I leave you with a final thought from Maggie.....

How Can We Sleep While the Beds Are Burning?

For those that recognize this title it is a line from a song by Midnight Oil and I found it very appropriate for this post.

Last night around 9pm Dominic came running down the stairs yelling, "the chicken coop is on fire!" Ryan immediately zoomed out of the house, unplugged the extension cord that had the heating lamp plugged into it from the chicken coop, got the hose and was running with it to the chicken coop by the time I was outside. He is such a quick thinker. The chicken coop was in a roaring blaze! It was scarey! It took a few minutes but we got the blaze out and no chickens were harmed. We had already replaced chickens from a raccoon attack too. We were relieved the chickens were OK. It wasn't until after the fire was put out that we realized how bad it could have been. The coop is by our fence, also made of wood, and by some trees and the flames went to the tree branches above it. But the fire stayed to only the chicken coop.

The heating lamp for the smaller, younger chickens was strung up and we believe it fell and heated the cedar shavings and started on fire.

Seth came running from the bathtub to see the action so he came out in his towel but he's said I can't post pictures of him on here. He posed really good and everything in his towel! Dominic said as he was in his room getting ready for bed he had a prompting to look out the window at the chicken coop and saw it on fire. Thank goodness for the promptings of the spirit and for children who can recognize those promptings!!

I didn't get a picture of it on fire but here's some of the aftermath. So needless to say, I have lots to get ready this week for girls camp next week, 3 dresses to sew and now a chicken coop I get to help rebuild. We'll have to start all over on it. We have already thought of some different things we'd like to do with the new coop too so hopefully it'll all be good.

Here's a shot of the nests and the doors to them where they lay their eggs. Inside the nest on the left there is a golf ball. We put it in there so the chickens know where to lay. It's a common practice I'm told.


Here's Ryan hosing off the coop. You can see some of the damage to the inside.


Here's a shot of our neighbors RV carport. At the very bottom of the picture is the chicken coop and on his carport you can see the black soot mark from the fire. The flames were that high. Luckily the flames didn't get to the tree too.



Some of the damage in daylight.


Here's the culprit light. We'll have to get a new one.


Here's both sides of the coop. One was burned and the other hadn't yet caught fire.


Our chickens safe and sound.

Sammie too!

I was determined to get Sammie's picture before I go pick up the other kids' photos from Costco today and yesterday it rained all day and just wasn't good for a picture. So this morning we went out and took her pictures on the neighbor's rock again (thanks Delpha). Here's a few.

Maggie wanted in too. She remembered to put her hand on her face like last time. She loves her picture being taken.


Abby came out too and got in on the action. Nice morning hair Abby. This is what really curly hair looks like without water and product applied. I love her hair when it's done, she already doesn't like the curls.

Photo Shoot

Today I took pictures of Lillian for her baptism invitations and the kids wanted in on the action. So here are a few samples of our fun photo shoot. Small note: Sammie didn't want her photo taken so she is not in any of these.

Here are a few of Lillian



Abby


Maggie


Dominic



Seth





fun shots!

Summer Nights

Last night we pitched the tent up in the backyard and 5 of my 6 kids slept out there. It was so nice. They were having fun and I didn't have kids getting out of bed every 5 minutes to ask questions like "When is it going to be morning time?" or to go potty. I didn't know what to do with myself. I think we may keep it up all summer! I know the boys will want to sleep out there a lot.

Summer is Here!

Today is the first official day of summer and I hope the whole summer won't be like today. I love having all the kids here but Lillian and Seth had friends spend the night last night and today it's just been chaotic. 8 kids all under the age 0f 12 in the house.
Ryan and I enjoy our quiet evenings together after the kids go to bed but now they're getting a little older we feel obligated to let them stay up a little later. Ryan's also working Mon-Fri so he's got to be in bed earlier every night so it means less time for just us. Any suggestions on this? I want to let the kids have the fun of staying up later but also want time with just my husband. Our only way of watching shows is downstairs on Netflix on the XBox too so it's not like we can hole up in our bedroom. Also, if you have any suggestions of fun activities to do with the kids my ears are open!

Sunny Days and Sunshine

The weather has been so mild here this supposed "spring" if you want to call it that. But we did have a nice sunny and warm day a week ago and my kids chose to go outside and play. I love when they play all together. They get along so great when they want to. My neighbor even came outside to watch them play. I live in a neighborhood with older and mostly retired people and they enjoy the kids and their noise. We were really worried about that when we first moved in but this neighborhood is the best place we could have ever picked to live! So anyways, here's a few pictures of my adorable kids playing outside and swinging each other. I remember days like this with my older siblings and those are such precious memories!

Lillian Swinging Maggie

Dominic swinging Sammie

This is my favorite. Dominic is trying to swing Seth around. He did it too!

The kids tired and dizzy but smiling!!

Gonna Make It!

For all who have seen The Three Amigos with Chevy Chase, Steve Martin & Martin Short, please recall if you will when Steve Martin was in the cell with chains on trying to reach for the lever to loosen the chains and with each step he kept saying "gonna make it". That is me right now. Ryan is out of the country and I get to pick him up tomorrow and with each hour I say "Gonna Make It!" It gives me such hope! I have to tell you that I have been absolutely miserable without my husband this week. When he went on the high adventure with the young men this last August it wasn't this hard on me. Last night I had a good cry and today was feeling a lot better. So Kudos to you Carol for letting your husband go for months at a time. I don't envy you one bit. You can come to my place anytime when Kevin is away for work. I just bought Ticket to ride and Carcassonne is coming in the mail.

Germany

Ryan left for Dresden, Germany today. They sent him there on work to look at a tool for the clean room, see if it's what they need and want. They might send him to Korea next month too. He's only going to be gone for a few days but I'm excited he gets to go. He'll be home thurs. afternoon then off to Spokane. Meanwhile here at home the kids have been sick, it changes from kid to kid, but so far Seth and Lil haven't gotten it, keep your fingers crossed. They were at school last week while Dominic was home sick. We leave Thursday for Paul's wedding! I am so excited! I need to finish the girls dresses! I hope I last these 4 days without Ryan. Keep me in your prayers. I so would not have been a good army wife.

Snow Day

Today was a snow day from school. I love these days more than Saturdays. Saturdays are chore days but snow days are play days. The kids all go outside and play and Mom gets a little peace and quiet. Not for long periods of time mind you. Today is about having fun, warm fires, hot cocoa, and enjoying being together. I think that's why I like the snow so much. So here's a few pics of the kids ready to play.
The boys are going out to have an air soft war. It'll be interesting to see how long it lasts in this cold.