Ethan's pink pigs...

Hey Ethan - I checked on your pigs :)

Since we will be seeing Ethan and his family at DisneyLand in about 5 weeks - I wanted to remind everyone what we were doing during their visit last year.


We worked on a song for Grandpa John Wilson's 90th birthday.
Edited, directed and musical accompaniment by Darren.

The big girls (Aunt Priscila, mom, Katy and Hannah) all went to the American Girl Store for Katy's 10th birthday.




Then Grand Poopa took all the cousins to Chuck E. Cheese for Katy's birthday.

That's 11 cousins - oldest to youngest ...


and 3 pregnant mommies.


There was a huge snow storm...it took Aunt Priscila and the boys HOURS to get home.
Sorry Ceep, we didn't know. It was warm and sunny again within a few days.

Darren and the kids made snowman John.


And some of the saddest basketball, ever. It's our 2nd day with the hoop, there's snow everywhere and the ball is flat. We've gotten much better.



One day at the park - we almost had to call 911. Katy got stuck in the baby swing and 2 pregnant mommies had a hard time getting her out. I didn't get that one on film,
but I did catch them running (and falling).





We celebrated a traditional pagan holiday with the DeHarts (that was 12 adults and 12 kids)

Here's a big secret ... One time, the mommies skipped church to get Starbucks. Maybe two times.
Here's the Daddies have a musical moment together...





We had lots of lazy days together, too.

Playing on the wii ...


hanging out in the cabinets...
watching cable tv...
buying stuff off Craigslist...Gabe and Emily practicing...

And the Mommies and Daddies were able to secure a sitter so we could have a play date, too.

Can't wait to see you guys next month!
Let's not forget our cameras :)

Passwords

I have been pondering about all the various websites I use that require a username and password - banking, credit cards, blogs, facebook, homeschool sites, webkinz, etc.

Do I really need a different username and password for each site? I can see the importance for a different password for my financial sites...but the others?

So I'm working on a new password: something I can remember, that's easy to type, with at least 6 letters and numbers. I need a word that I like that can easily trade out a "O" for the number 0 or an "I" for the number 1... 5 could work for an "S", 3 for an "E"....hum... let's look at some options:

J3nn1f3r
P3t3rs3n
5l33py
c0ff33
laundry
eat1n9
fac3b00k
drp3pp3r

Well, in writing this little article, I figured one out... but I can't tell ya. You should NEVER, EVER, EVER give your password out. what3v3r...

Losing your pants

Once upon a time, there was a fair maiden who found herself in a quandary: after her most recent pregnancy she vowed to never wear maternity pants again.

But in doing so she cursed herself to only one pair of non-maternity pants given to her by a kind princess. She wore that pair everywhere: parties, luncheons, gardening, church, balls, galas, cooking, cleaning, even bathing the children.

A nearby Duke and Duchess noticed she ALWAYS wore these jeans and took pity on the fair maiden, purchasing 2 new pair for her: blue and black. The maiden was overjoyed that she had received such gifts from the beloved Duke. But the old favorite jeans stayed in rotation, for she could not throw them out.

Days turned into months, and the maiden finally began to realize her favorite jeans were coming to the end of their days. At each wearing, she'd hope they would make it through the wash one more time.

All things must come to an end...and so the fair maiden gently put them on one more time. A small thread bare patch had appeared in the middle of her thigh.

The maiden had a choice, to move the jeans to the "work" pile and wear them for cleaning and gardening, or she could release them to their destiny. If she kept them, she would inevitably end up wearing them out in public to the store or to pick up kids...and that simply could not happen.

Giving them up would release the beloved jeans to be free of this current life's encumbrances and move on to a more restful place. No more striving, working, washing, rubbing, being spit up on, wiped on, thrown around with all the other dirty laundry - instead, they might have a chance for adventure, to explore wherever the garbage truck took them.

The maiden grabbed the tiny hole and pulled, forever sealing their fate (she has never liked ripped pants, even in high school). The ripping saddened her heart at the passing of all the memories they had shared, yet brought joy at the future before her. There must be more pants out there and more memories to make.

Thank you to the sweet princess and the kind Duke and Duchess who are with this maiden on her journey.

Epilogue:
Secretly the maiden had known that these favorite pants wouldn't last forever, even if her heart refused to believe. Behold, the winter has passed, and spring is here...so she spent a little time on ebay looking for capris.

She found just the right ones, and won the auction. 4 capris, coming right up. In fact, the day before the ripping, the capris arrived...but alas, there were not 4 capris.

Actually, it was one capri and 3 long pants - to replace the one I lost. Cast your jeans upon the water, for after many days they will return to you, wagging their tails behind them.

Jesus knows what I need - even if it's pants.

You mean, live like mortals?

How many times have you pondered the paradox of a Holy
Living God coming to into space and time as a tiny baby?
Why would he do that? How could that have been the "best"
plan they could come up with?

I heard something in Sleeping Beauty the other day
that gave me a glimpse into eternity and something
more to ponder.



Merryweather:
 But what won't she expect, she knows everything.

Fauna:
   Oh but she doesn't dear. Maleficent doesn't know
anything about love, or kindness, or the joy of
helping earnest. You know, sometimes I don't think
she's really very happy.

Flora:
 [getting excited] That's it, of course! It's the
only thing she can't understand, and won't expect.
[to herself] oh, oh, now, now ... We have to plan it
carefully, let's see, woodcutters cottage, yes, yes,
the abandoned one, of course the King and Queen will
object, but when we explain it's the only way ...


As the fairies start to contemplate what it would mean
to take care of a baby, one of them says "at least
we'll still have our magic."


Flora:
 Oh, no, no, no, no, no magic! I'll take those wands
right now. Oh, better get rid of those wings, too.

Merryweather:
 You mean, live like mortals? For sixteen years?
[Flora removes Merryweather's wings] Now, we don't know
how. We've never done anything without magic.

Flora:
 And that's why Maleficent will never suspect.




Now, this is a bit of a stretch, but if I change a few
words - do you see what I see?


Merryweather:
But what won't (he) expect, (he) knows everything.

Fauna:
   Oh but (he) doesn't dear. (Satan) doesn't know
anything about love, or kindness, or the joy of
helping earnest. You know,sometimes I don't think
(he's) really very happy.

Flora:
That's it, of course! It's the only thing (he)
    can't understand, and won't expect.

Merryweather:
 You mean, live like mortals? For (33) years?
Now, we don't know how. We've never done(this before).

Flora:
 And that's why (Satan) will never suspect.


Did you catch that?

Jesus came to earth for 33 years -
fully God and yet fully man,
to live like the mortals because He loves us.




Notice any other similarities?

A birthday primer

With as many birthdays that I have to plan each year, I have come to some conclusions that I'd like to share with you...

1. You get ONE birthday party ON your birthday. IF your birthday falls on a weekend, your birthday might involve a bit more friends, food, fun than if it falls on a weekday. But you have the assurance that it will be on a different day next year.

Let's say Betty Sue's birthday is on a Thursday. But she's having the big party with her friends on Saturday. Does she get cake and presents on her Thursday birthday? Do you buy more cake and presents for her Saturday party? I know it's her party, but my experience says Betty Sue is going to feel a little let down on her birthday...

So for my sanity and everyone else's joy - you get ONE birthday party ON your birthday. At some point I might have to amend this for Emily and Becca, but we aren't there yet.

2. My special day really revolves around food. So we get special breakfast, lunch and dinner...with special birthday plates (and cups) at every meal. I eat out all 3 meals on my birthday - that's part of my present to me. The kids want special birthday dessert at every meal. :)

IF someone wants to come have a special birthday lunch or dinner with you on another day, that's just special and not considered to have been a planned party (thank you Grandma and Poopa).

3. Streamers... We used to hang them all over the ceilings but have settled into hanging them from the doorways (like beads in the 70's). We hang them on your bedroom doorway, the kitchen doorway, the living room doorway, maybe the bathroom doorway.

The kitchen ones hang a little shorter - chest high - because you will be carrying food in and out of that one. But your bedroom ones need to be knee high or lower. You want to make sure and hang them on the outside of the doorway, so you can still close the door when you need a little privacy. This year I even hung them on the side of Katy's loft bed...

The rule is that no one is supposed to tear them down on your birthday - but the next day they are no longer protected. However, I don't want to see Claire eating them! So pick up what you tear down.

4. The singing. We sing to you first thing in the morning, at all the meals and again with any desserts or presents.

We sing the traditional Happy Birthday to You song with lots of cha, cha, chas at the end. Did you know it's copyrighted? That's why lots of restaurants sing some other song. (Thank you Darren.)

We also sing the birthday song from Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses:
Today it is your birthday and we sing to let you know,
that you will be queen(king) for the day,
whatever you say goes.

We sing because we love you and we sing to let you know,
(Then the bad aunt comes in and we don't know the rest of the song, so we sing the first verse again)
that you will be queen(king) for the day,
whatever you say goes.

Jacob usually gets up first every morning. On his birthday last year, when he got up first (45 minutes before anyone else) he sad on the couch and cried. No one sang him the birthday song when he got up. Won't make that mistake this year. I'll make sure to wake his butt up when I nurse Claire and sing him the birthday song!

5. Any presents or cards you receive in the mail must be saved until your birthday (thanks Aunt Mel, Grandma and Poppa, Aunt Kelly and Uncle Joe Bob) - unless it says perishable or open right away!

We tend to open them at breakfast... but if it's a school day, we make them wait for the parental or sibling presents until after school. What good is a present if you don't really have time to play with it but have to go to school and think about it? Better to just be in suspense all day and not be sure what it is yet. The waiting is hard for the receiver but fun for the givers.

6. I think you should have to wear a piece of birthday flair on your special day... a birthday pin or hat or shirt. We haven't been consistent in this area...but we're going to work on it.

I think birthdays are great. Everyone should have one. :)

swimsuit crisis of '09 update

Since my last post, Katy got an invite to a birthday party, this Saturday, at the natatorium (indoor swimming pool). Which would require a swimsuit that we didn't have.

Now, I no longer have the time to consider the best suit for her and order it - noooo, we have to find one that fits, ASAP!

Well, we did. The first store we went to had a cute chocolaty brown with teal trim one piece (with a skirt). She tried on others for me, but that was the first one she saw and that was the one she wanted - and it fit the best. Thank you Lord.

So my dilemma about swimshirts is really not an issue with her suit. I could get her one, but it will mess up the whole look ...and that will really suck when she has to go potty. Take off your wet shirt and then pull down your one piece.

The pool party is indoors, so I don't have to worry about skin cancer this week.

Swimsuit crisis of '09

1. Emily and Becca and Amanda do not need tan lines. Daddy and I are the only ones who might get to see them anyway.
2. They don't need skin cancer on any of the places I miss while applying sunscreen.
3. If I don't want them to pee in the pool, then a wet one piece is a cruel joke in the bathroom.
4. So swimshirts with spf it is. Bought all 3 at Target.
   
5. Amanda's bottoms look like boy shorts - but Emily and Becca have the traditional panty bikini. Who decided panties were the best look for swimsuits? With all the retro going on, you'd think there would be more boy short swimsuits for everyone!
6. Is modesty really an issue for my 6 year olds? I do want them to be able to swim and go down the slides.
7. And here's the biggie... If my girls are wearing swimshirts, don't all those same reasons that I chose for them to wear a swimshirt apply to the mommy? Doesn't the mommy set a good example by following the same beliefs she is thrusting upon her children?

There are lots of options for me... I don't have to wear a swimshirt with spf 50 - I could just throw a Tshirt on over my swimsuit. But I would be wearing it for modesty sake not for the sunburn prevention I really care about. Since modesty isn't my strongpoint, especially if I'm actually walking around in a pair of panties made out of special swimsuit material, then why wear the shirt at all. Plus I'd have to take it off if I was going down any of the slides.

So mom goes out to some websites and considers buying/wearing an spf rashguard shirt... but they are all solid colors. No pattern to hide leaky breasts or sweat or love handles. All the models are skinny. Sure, they say they sell the shirts in XL, but no one wears them on the website.

So I pick a shirt I don't like to go with panties, or possibly some long shorts or even capris made of swimsuit material, but they look like spandex. Again, fat girl in spandex - better or worse than fat girl in bikini? And there will be fatter girls than I in bikinis this summer. So I'll be looking good next to them, in whatever I wear.

What do I want to wear?

I want a high neck tank top with or with out cap sleeves, made with a patterned swimsuit material and solid boy cut shorts this year. That's what I want... now I'm on a mission to find it!

And I'm not even ready to deal with Katy's swimsuit yet.

Katy's day

Over speedbumps untold, in a very large van,
I took 12 girls to an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet,

a trip to the local pet shop to pick out a fish (and hold baby ferrets),

more ice cream than any adult could eat,

picking up trash - unprompted
and more trashand more trash(you've taught them well, Mrs. Pam)

followed by 30+ minutes of tag


and rock climbing

you have the makings of a great eleventh birthday!

Sadly, Neptune the blue Betta, was dead by bedtime.
At least he has a 15 day warranty...we'll try again.

Darla + fish = death.

A Jungle Purim Play

Under the great inspiration of Rebekah Faubion, Janna Dickson and Hannah Pierce - last night's Purim Play was a great success!

Let me introduce some of the "characters"...

Kung-Fu Monkey Guard and Madam Hippa

Jazz Cat Mordecai and Kitty Ester


Mrs. Rebekah and her gang


Queen Ester wore Jacob's Cape
(Thanks Aunt Priscila)


Kung Fu Monkey guards Andy and Jacob


Cats:Hannah, Abby and Rachel
Hippos:Victoria and Katy

Future Zion Kid performers
Emily, Rebecca and Alena


Amanda did NOT like it when everyone "boo"ed Haman.
"Stop making that boo!" Of course, we were in the front row!
But this picture was taken during clean-up...she's all done.

We were all made for such a time as this.

The birthday girl back in 2007

Katy will be able to tell her grandkids that she was alive at the turn of the century...and she remembers good old aught seven. (rock, rock, rock in her rocking chair)


We had a Ft. Worth zoo season pass and we saw all kinds of animals doing... (insert potty talk).



The big kids played on the homeschool soccer league. Of course, the first thing to do after a sweaty soccer game is read a good book :)



For Katy - any time is a good time to read a book.


I remember little Katy walking around on her tiptoes, stepping over Jacob's bulldozer in the hallway, reading out loud. Oh wait, she still does that!


Notice anything around Katy to imply what she was doing before she fell asleep?



And here's one of Katy and her little buddy, Amanda - always loving her and trying to make her laugh. Although this one made us all laugh.


Here we are for Denton's annual parade -
can you guess which holiday?

Poopa and Grandma got us a pass for the waterpark. Daddy Darren taught everyone to hold their breath underwater, even mommy!


We also like to swim in Poopa and Grandma's pool!


We headed off to Nashville for the Call (7/7/07) and Nana and Grandpa Gary's house.
They have GREAT climbing trees.


Then the fall came and it was time for school. Or at least the moving around of furniture that precedes any major move or great idea of Jennifer...


which included Katy and Jacob getting new loft beds with their school desks underneath. Katy can just barely stand up under hers -not anymore! And look how clean it is - not anymore !


Here's an exciting video about one of Katy's "lasts"...




Katy got to go to the local production of the Nutcracker with Daddy and Nana.



And then she was in a production at church. "Scribes, pharisees, somebody talk to me!"



That's my silly goose.