It must be documented...

...that 'RED' won on their early and freezing cold game on Saturday.

And that this cute little thing scored THREE big goals!

So fun!

framed

Jocelyn's got a CHICKEN!!!

There was also a petting zoo with chickens, kitties, pigs, horses, dogs....

At one point Jocelyn came around the corner like this...

I yelled, 'Jocelyn's got a CHICKEN!'

She was holding it like a baby.

Cutest thing ever.

I panicked a bit cause in my mind a chicken will peck your eyes out if you get too close!

Jen Ven told me not worry...Jocelyn is the 'chicken whisperer!'

Too funny.

pumpkin patch day!!!!

I love pumpkin patch day!

It was pretty chilly and windy but we had a blast.

I wish we had a picture of our caravan of minivan mom's rolling down Hwy 20 this morning.

This was not all of the kids but most...even the specks in the distance.

Tori enjoyed her first trip.

With the exception of her non-fitting hat and that I wouldnt let her go wherever she wanted.

(side note - she is wearing a sweater that Lauren wore in her 1 year pics - oh the memories)

We started by painting pumpkins - the newspaper even showed up to document the event.

Serious concentration.

No school today meant the big kids got to join us too!

Next we moved onto the haymow...I think the kids would have stayed here the whole time.

Hayrack ride next!

Sully was nervous so he found a hand to hold.

Personally I think it was just a clever tactic to sit close to Jen!

Lauren - babysitter extraordinaire.

Poor baby

Why cant I go out and play too?

I'm sure this will be a theme in her life...poor youngest child.

for your viewing pleasure

It has been a week around here...

And my attitude has been the worst.

But the weekend is near so Im forcing myself to forget the week.

And these pictures help.

Tori is cutting some teeth and was struggling to fall asleep last night because of it.

Daddy cannot bear to listen to her cry...so down she came.

And this is what they did.

Look at his face...honestly.

She was ready to go again this am.

She loves cupboards.

She takes everything out...and gets in.

And when I say, 'no'...

she does this.

Tess was playing dress up.

Dr. Ballerina playing Rapunzel - her absolute favorite toy.

I tried to tell her that her scrub hat was actually to go over shoes...she didn't care.

This girl is a SERIOUS eater.

She is the human garbage disposal.

She'll eat anything and mass quantities of it.

She is a lot like Sullivan as a baby...he was like this too.

Seriously dont you just want to reach through your screen and squeeze that face?!

(well maybe clean it first.)

#3458

Random fact #3458 about my dad.

He loved Wilson Phillips.

yep.

I miss making fun of him about that.

on the other side of the list

one thing I will not miss about the baby phase coming to a close in our house:

changing an extremely nasty diaper on the floor boards of

my van in the middle of the wal-mart parking lot.

Torrance's first day in the leaves

Oh. my. heart.

Love this little girl and all her spunky, spitfire cuteness.

LEAVES!

I'm pretty sure there is nothing better than Iowa in the Fall.

The kids worked very hard to make the perfect pile.

(Thanks for doing all the hard work Isaiah!)

Really, this weather and leaves falling from the sky...perfection.

Where's Lauren!?

Daddy was such a good sport!

And how can I not love this picture?

All of them holding hands...smiling!

If you want genuine smiles and giggles on kids...put them in water or leaves.

Works every time!

Love.

Love my kids

Its 8 am and we've already had the quote of the day.

Lauren (exasperated tone):

"AVERY! Soccer is not a fashion show...just get ready!!"

excuse me?!

We walked in the door from church tonight at 8:30.

Jordan greeted us and Tori holds out her arms and says,

'Dada!'

Are you joking girl?

in just 3 short weeks

Torrance is 11 months old.

When the calendar flipped to October it hit me that this was my last month with a baby in my house.

That soon she'd technically be a toddler or something.

I could tell you how I feel about that but I'm sure you can already guess.

She wants to grow up.

She does big things.

She is a dare devil.

Found her here.

Super.

She has discovered that cups are fun.

Also found her here.

Even more super.

She likes to play doll house.

Only her role is 'attack of the giant killer baby'

And no one likes it but her.

But man she finds it funny!

Truly this girl...she lights up my days.

She's my only one I've ever been home with full time from the beginning.

I have an ache in my heart about her becoming 'big'.

But I also know that there are some really fun things coming.

And I love seeing her involved in the mix with her older siblings and I know that will get easier and easier. There are some very fun and very new things on the horizon for us...its just that when you've basically had a baby in your house for 10 years - learning to let that go isn't goign to be easy!

So I'm soaking all of this in while I can.

And taking like 456 pictures this month.

Because I do not want to forget how it felt to stare into this tiny face.

Sullivan-isms

me: 'Sully what would you like for supper tonight?'

Sully: 'chicken'

me: 'what kind of chicken?'

Sully: 'the turkey kind.'

Thanks, that'll help.

While mom is away...

Is it any wonder they love time with daddy?

Another week

Honestly, how do these weeks continue to pass so quickly.

I was lucky to have a girls weekend away these past few days with Melanie & Amy.

It was fun and so good to talk and laugh.

I can admit that I was really in need of a break.

And Im so so happy that I got it!

The sad part was that this trip was supposed to include more friends...but Thursday one of our friends suddenly lost her father-in-law, her husband lost his dad, and their children lost grandpa. Our hearts are broken for them.

And it forces us to think about losing our own dad/father-in-law/grandpa. The shock and grief of that day for us came rushing back and having that fresh scab ripped off hurts so much. We are hurting and praying for our friends and reliving it in our own hearts.

Its just so hard. So very hard.

And then these pictures. For some reason I was in my 2007 folder tonight.

Avery is 2.5 here.

Are you kidding me?

Look at that precious head. And those sweet feet.

I miss that 2.5 year old.

And Lauren is 5 here.

FIVE!

That just isnt right.

Look at that sweetness.

And this is Sully at 1.

Hysterical.

And my word he looks just like Tori!

I miss my tiny boy...he doesn't fit in my lap anymore...he's becoming gangly!

One thing I know...my blessings surround me.

Simply everywhere I look.

Celebrating Livvy!

This week my niece Olivia turns 18.

18. seriously!

You know all the bad things that people say about teenagers?

Well no one would say even one of them about Livvy.

She is sweet, generous, giving, mature, kind and fun...beyond her years.

She loves Jesus.

She is everything I pray that my own girls grow to become.

She is the best example for them to watch.

And oh how they love her...and want to be just like her! yeah!

We gathered at my brother's house this weekend to celebrate her with a Luau themed party.

I remember her being the sweetest and prettiest baby ever.

With tons and tons of dark hair that stood STRAIGHT up.

As she grew she learned tricks.

The 'arnold' was everyone's favorite.

Basically she flexed her muscles as tight as she could - like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Her whole body would shake.

I bet she started this at about 6 months old.

And every once in awhile we can get her to do it again!

We love you Olivia!

And we cant to see what you will do next!

Reading

Jordan and I are (or at least were in less busy seasons of our lives) huge readers.

I cant just sit...Im always reading what is around me. The cereal box, the signs and boring pamphlets in the dr.'s office, yes, the vomit bag on the air plane.

If there are words in front of me Im reading them.

I remember on a couple of occasions growing up my mom even encouraging me to put DOWN my book and go find something social to do.

And I know full well Jordan spent some Friday nights reading in his basement.

Some of our nerdier moments.

I always prayed that my kids would also be huge readers.

Truly, one of my favorite things about parenting is watching my kids learn to read.

I find it miraculous.

That moment when it CLICKS and they get it...really is just the best moment.

Lauren has loved books since birth.

It can be hard to pull her nose out of her latest book.

Over the past 6 months Avery has also been bitten by this bug.

This might be one of my most favorite pictures of her.

Sully is really starting to catch on.

We've been working on sight words and earlier this week after school we were practicing and he started yelling, 'Im getting it mommy! Im reading.'

See, awesome.

And yep, I was in tears.

Love to watch their amazing brains work.

Its such a testament to the awesome way God made us and the detail be gave to how we work.

Tess loves to be read to. And after school she typically is read to by both her older sisters and me. Its about her favorite time of day. But today she came out to the 'homework table' and sat quietly...waited for a pause in the lessons and said, 'Ok. Eveeebodeee, Wisten to me!'

And then proceeded to 'read' us this book.

We were all just cracking up. She made up the story based on the pictures and the parts she remembered from having it read to her.

Precious.

And it appears the littlest one doesn't want to be left behind either.

How deep the Father's love for us.

There are times when the depth, height and strength of God's love for me is more than I can take. Yesterday in church we had a wonderful message about how we boast...about how often even when we are being humble...we brag.

As the message wrapped up I was sitting there thinking...well that left me feeling like scum! (You know its been a good message then, right?!?)

Then we stood to sing the last song. And I was in tears realizing that even when I see myself as scum...He sees me as a great 'treasure'. And His love for me is something I will never understand.

How deep the Father's Love for us,

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the chosen One,

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon that cross,

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom