Here's a couple pictures from the church Christmas party we attended last week. Our good friends, Teri & Dan Garard, are with us in one of them. It was a fun time! I hope I look pregnant and not just fat!

Who needs toys?

How much fun can a diaper box be? I don't know, go ask 5 of my children. They all took turns pushing Eden around in the box. Who needs toys anyway?!? Actually, Jamie (13) got in one of the boxes today and broke it, but they sure had a good time! Here's Eden in a pirate hat (with our Jack Russell, Chipper) and with kleenex, too!

Things that make me happy...

Okay, I am trying to concentrate on thankfulness today. If I don't, then I may have a complete and total meltdown. Here are some things that make me happy:

Boiled peanuts
Giggling babies
taking pictures and making slideshows
Scrapbooking
playing card games
Reeses
A good glass of champagne
Hummingbirds
Going to the movies
Sleep
The Beach
Hugs

Joy Inexpressible '07

Just got back from the Sovereign Grace Ladies' Retreat in Orlando--Joy Inexpressible. Had fun...wish you were there! Very tired now... Will try to blog more this week! I will post a link to the wonderful messages on how to have Joy in Christ when they are up. Smiles! Your hope is in the Lord!

**Update: the messages from Joy Inexpressible are available now. Go here to find them!

Orlando Quick Trip

We went to visit my best friend, Valerie, in Orlando yesterday. It was a last minute thing. She has 5 children and I have 6. There were 3 additional friends over to make a house full of 14 children. (10 in the pool!) I made a little video of our little trip. I can't get it to post to Blogger, so you have to go here to see it!

A kid again...

Max has a blast skating for the 1st time!
Nancy takes a break to feed Eden...interesting!
Celeste with one of her best friends, Brandon

What fun last night! Our church rented out the local skating rink and I took 5 of the kids. (Dan had a baseball game and Stu was coaching.) I wasn't planning on skating and neither was Max, but we both had a real good time! I posted a few pictures. This was Max's first time and he was like a kamikaze skater--falling forward through space. I'm a little sore today, but not too much worse for wear.

Also, I took Celeste in to take the College Placement Test today. I about had an anxiety attack when I left her at the testing center on the campus to move the car. She's SO grown up now. Praise God, she's so smart, she passed into all college courses. We will hear in late May whether she's been accepted into the Dual Enrollment program. Thus starts a new phase in our lives here.

Around home

Everyone seems to be doing better today, except Tommy's eyes are quite something. He seems to have a bad cold. If his eyes don't look better by Thursday, then it's off to see Dr. Kathy. The kids were hanging out watching Thomas the Tank Engine with Dad this evening. Check out that tan/sunburn Stuart has. It's from driving the Porsche Boxter that is being raffled for charity. Enjoy the cute picture! Oh, also, for some reason, my boys were enjoying wearing empty kleenex boxes on their heads this afternoon!

In which we see a few butterflies...

Wow, we've been busy bees this week. First of all, I got a large portion of my hair cut off on Wednesday! I wanted to have "fun" hair, so one of the sweet young ladies from church (who's a hair stylist) cut my hair. Above should be a picture of me with baby Eden. Second, Max's 6th birthday was on the 1st, so we took him to the butterfly garden at UF (again). We got some wonderful pictures and enjoyed ourselves. Third, on Friday I got to work-out with a friend and go to a scrapbook crop. I joined a local place that is similar to a Curves and even though I hate to exercise it's not too bad. I'm more interested in the results! Today we visited with Stu's parents while he had an open house. (He has another one tomorrow.) Also, I finally opened my Nutrimill. WOOT! That thing is awesome. My old Ktec grinder can't hold a candle to it. I LOVE IT! I made banana bread tonight. I am making homemade pancakes in the morning again...with fresh ground flour. Have a super Sunday!

Best Friends and Babies

On Sunday we drove to Orlando to visit our friends, Heath and Valerie. We hadn't seen them since last August and we were anxious to get our babies together. Val and I were both pregnant with our fourth children at the same time. I was present for the birth of her fourth child, Becky. She was there when I hadmy fourth and fifth children, Max and Tommy. I missed her this last time because she had a 5 week old. It's so nice to have friends that have a big family--they have 5 and we have 6 children! Valerie is like a sister to me and I really value her friendship. We talk almost every day. We love you guys!

ABC's of Me

A - Available/Single: Not available, thank you very much!
B - Best Friend: Val and my hubby, Stuart
C - Cake or Pie: Vanilla cake with vanilla icing
D - Drink of Choice: water
E - Essential item you use everyday: Make-up AND diaper wipes!
F - Favorite color: soft shades of green
G - Gummy bears or Worms: Bears
H - Hometown: Sarasota, FL
I - Indulgence: anything for scrapbooking
J - January or February: I pick June because my birthday is that month!
K - Kids: 6 children...4 boys and 2 girls ages 15 down to 3 months
L - Life is incomplete without: Jesus!
M - Marriage Date: December 6th, 1997
N - Number of siblings: 2 brothers--1 older and 1 younger (I share a bday w/ the younger one)
O - Oranges or Apples: Apples always!
P - Phobias/Fear: night diving/being alone
Q - Favorite Quote: Isaiah 40:31
R - Reason to Smile: Jesus and my family
S - Season: Summer
T - Tag: Huh?!?
U - Unknown fact about myself: my daughter says I laugh to myself under my breath a lot
V - Vegetable you don't like: lima beans
W - Worst habit: biting my nails
X - X-ray: left ankle....teeth when I get to go to the dentist
Y - Your favorite food: Italian and Seafood
Z - Zodiac: Gemini, but it's all bunk