Missing her sissy

Sutton left to go back to college Sunday morning after four weeks at home. Her baby sister, familiar the past month with impromptu big sister tickles and snuggles, continues to go to the bottom of the stairs and cry out, "DUDDEN! DUDDEN!," hoping biggest sister will come bounding down to play.

Her toddler-sized disappointment is massive and palpable.

While a poor substitute, Mommy will have to do until Spring Break.

The silence was deafening

Last night...

Sutton (19): Had just arrived back at college in Virginia.

Reagan (13): Went to youth group then spent the night with a friend.

Keaton (11): Was spending her second night with a friend. (Hi Shelley and Emily!)

Hayden (7) and Landon (5): Both played with friends all afternoon and then conspired with one of the friends to talk their parents into letting the boys have their first ever sleep-over.

Peyton (20 mo) was an only child for the night.

It was quiet.

It was really quiet.

It was too quiet.

I promised him his own blog post...

...for a dry Pull-Up this morning! This little guy is too proud.

Recycling: I'm not too proud

When you have a large family you have to be creative when it comes to clothing all the little bodies. As tempting as it is to visit the mall and the unique boutiques so prevalent in our area, it's just not gonna happen here. When I saw these pictures of Peyton this morning looking oh so cute while playing in the recycling bin, I couldn't help but take inventory of her clothing.

Coat: hand-me-down from a friend. Dress and turtleneck: consignment store treasures.

















Boots: hand-me-down from Dayden, my sister's little girl. Tights: Target (okay, those were new).

















The clothes aren't brand new but I save money and the kids look decent.

















I'm okay with that.

Admitting it is the fist step

Hayden (7): "Landon, you've got a problem."

Landon (5): "Huh?"

Hayden: "You've got a GAS problem."

Landon (proudly): "Yes I do!"

A little busy lately

I've been posting strong for 2 1/2 years. I'm pretty good at multi-tasking so I usually find time to post between feedings, chores, diapers, and errands...all the usual mommy stuff. This little girl, though, she's keeping me hopping, and I'm not getting to the computer as much for several reasons.

Exhibit A: Wipes and chocolate milk.














Exhibit B: Maxi pads (the entire bag)













Exhibit C: Mommy's mascara








Yeah, my blog posts might be few and far between for a while.

The list

The DEAN'S List!

Padded pockets

Each morning when I iron little boy pants, I always await the surprise contents of the bumpy pockets I press. Most mornings it's rocks, dozens of little shiny momentos plucked carefully throughout his day. Some days it's old band aides or crumpled and washed used tissues. But on special days, like this morning, I get tickled by the pure randomness of Landon's little treasures.












A squished gum wrapper, an Elvis Insiders pin and card (?), and the pièce de résistance: a plastic cockroach.

Must have been a banner day.

And she can cook too!

Sutton and I have bypassed the sickness, thank goodness. I played nursemaid to little girl all day yesterday and eventually took her to the doctor to check her for dehydration (she was fine; it was the rotavirus). And because she is one completely awesome daughter, Sutton went to the grocery store to get the ingredients and then she cooked for us. She made tortilla soup, queso, sweet tea, and chocolate chip cookies. And then she went to work before dinner time leaving everything perfectly set up for everyone else to have a nice meal.

I really should rent her out.

Sticky Sicky kisses

Baby girl is sick, sick, sick. Did I mention sick? Nothing is staying down or in when you consider the diarrhea accompanying the vomiting. It truly breaks my heart to watch her cry and wretch as she begs me to hold her; another small example of the agony of motherhood.

But she is really enjoying her biggest sister being home from college. Lots of tickling.












Wrestling.















And slobbery kisses.












My next post will undoubtedly be about big sister's sickness and my own (I feel it coming. *bleck*). But baby kisses, sick or not...totally worth it.

I feel pretty

Well, most of the time.

















And he...














He makes me feel loved.

Bogus Bubba

Which one doesn't belong?















Yeah, I thought so, you little Bubba impostor.




Nice shoe, by the way.

1000th post

Funny how it worked out, New Year's Day is the same day as my 1000th post. Perfect timing. I wish the rest of my life would fall into place so easily.

I was inspired this morning by one of the devotionals I have emailed to me each day. The author encouraged: rather than making grand resolutions that fade in a few weeks, we should focus on small, yet important changes in our lives.

Little changes... conscious little choices that push your walk with God in one direction or another. Little choices to let God in or to hold Him at a distance. Little choices of attitude; little choices of purity in thoughts or choices of entertainment. Little choices. Invite Him into them. You will be amazed at the results.

Hmm.

In reading the passage I recognized that I have over the years been doing that very thing in my parenting and in my relationship with my spouse. Implementing big changes tends to overwhelm my children so I know I need to make small adjustments to their schedules, chores, requirements so as not to confound them and upset the proverbial apple cart. My husband too, no fan of unnecessary grand alterations, must be dealt with in subtleties.

So it makes sense that I need to do the same in my own life. Choose daily to let God be a part of the little choices. In my parenting. In my marriage. In the nuances of my life. In my silly little blog that tens of people read every day. As my little changes produce big changes, and as He creates what is right and good in this heart of mine.

I'll write post 1001 tomorrow, a thousand posts gone but thousands more possible. Like the small changes, small choices ahead in the New Year that I now face with freshness and anticipation because He is holding my hand.

Drive-by blogging

I'm so late posting because tonight consisted of:

Making soup, bread, salad, and brownies for friends who just had a baby .

Delivering the meal to their home which forced me to touch and sniff a newborn (totally worth it).

Making homemade pizza for our family (Eh, it was okay; they liked it though).

Making and putting together a breakfast casserole for tomorrow morning (a recipe you SO need because yummy doesn't even come close to describing it).


Diney's Breakfast Casserole

4 slices bread, torn
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6 eggs
2 cups milk (beat eggs & milk together)
1 lb sausage or links (cut up) browned & drained
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Place bread in greased casserole dish (9x13). Spoon sausage over bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Add salt, mustard and pepper to egg and milk mixture. Pour over cheese.
Prepare night before, cover and refrigerate.

Bake 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. Serves 10 - 12


Seriously, try this recipe, my family loves it.

An old stand-by

When the Wii gets worn out, the board games get boring, and the DS's have to be recharged, my kids do what children have done for ages: they play hide and seek. And while the older siblings are old pros, baby girl does her best just to keep up.

"I just don't get it!"

















"Like this?"

















Watching Keaton's every move.

















"You can't hide upstairs!"

















"Everybody wait! I have to pick my nose."

















"I'll count with you, Rea."

















"Oh well, hugging's easier."

It shouldn't all be high-tech

While our children were blessed beyond words with some wonderful gadgets for Christmas, Santa also saw fit to leave some old faithful, tried and true board games. Surprisingly, the kids couldn't get the games opened fast enough and literally hours have been spent each night learning and relearning these perennial games of our youth.

Unfortunately, a certain toddler girl is convinced she's old enough to play too.

She'll find the weakest link in the family (usually dad), scale his chair and clamber effortlessly onto the table. She immediately pirates the prettiest game pieces for herself and "plays" with her siblings.

The problem is, she doesn't take direction well,













Insists on creating her own rules,












Is quite the sore "winner,"

















and quickly alienates all parties involved.












So Peyton and mommy have spent a lot of time locked away in our bedroom performing damage control playing. She's not thrilled to be missing all of the excitement at the kitchen table (we can hear the cheering and jeering), but playing chase and mommy/baby tickle-wrestling where I steal copious amounts of kisses and neck sugars has been a more than suitable replacement.

Who wants fancy gizmos and board games when you can have that?

Not one to sit and watch

While everyone else has been busy Wii-ing non-stop, Peyton has made sure she has stayed very, very busy.

She's played her popper game.

















She's walked her baby.

















She's ridden her caterpillar and picked her nose.

















She's cooked in her kitchen.

















Taste-tested

















And served her guests.













She's even texted all her girlfriends.

















Then there was that whole wear-a-kitchen-drawer-on-your-face experiment...


















But I think that's out of her system now.

Things are really hoppin' around here

Especially Peyton in her new little trampoline.

She jumps this way.

















She bounces that way.

















"Who's there?"



We're hoping she wears herself out enough that she might someday sleep.

I can dream, right?