Joshy

Our Joshy baby is the sweetest.  We love him so much.  He is our wanderer.  He will wander around outside for hours and wouldn't have it any other way.  He is a monstrous eater and loves his naps and bedtime.  he loves his binkie and loves archie our dog.  He is a mamas boy but will go to dad just as happily.  He is so expressive in his facial expressions its as if he can completely communicate with it.  He is such a blessing and addition to our family.  We are so grateful he is ours.

Calvin

Oh Calvin Jesse!  We love you so much!  He is our more serious man but he is so quick to give hugs to the ones he loves.  He is so so cute and passionate about life.  He is so sweet as long as no one takes his toys.  He cries more than my other kids but mostly because he is determined to figure out how to work this new body of his and new world and gets frustrated when he doesn't succeed.  We love him so much and learn so much from him.

Harrison

This is the funniest man on the planet.  He has made toddlerhood be such a breeze and so fun.  He loves hallie and looks up to her and appeases her every wish.  He says the greatest things and does the greatest things.  We love him so much.  He is so easy going and accepting of anything.  He is going to school this year but will be in hallies class and he wouldn't have it any other way.  He is such an affectionate little man that loves being with his family and feels safe and secure that way.  We love our Harry Man!

Hallie Boo

This beautiful Hallie princess of ours is the greatest.  She is so darling and is such a mother to her baby brothers.  She is so caring and also possessive of her stuff. She is picky about food but doesn't need to tell anyone about it.  She just won't eat it and move on to the next thing.  She rarely complains about anything and is so social.  She picks up on pop culture like no one else and loves all the popular songs and has perfected lip singing as long as no one is looking.  She loves dance more than anything and loves performing on stage.  She has enriched our lives so much with her sweet special spirit.  We love her so much.

Colin bug

I love my Colin so dearly.  I would definitely say he is our raddest child.  This one loves everything about everything that is cool from four wheelers to skateboards and he can do it all.  He loves playing playing playing all day and hates chores.  He is such an awesome friend to everyone and everyone always wants to play with him because he is so fun.  He pesters hallie all the time and follows jack all the time.  He will do anything for a treat.  He is also a leader.  He leads the pack of friends he has with amazingly cool ideas and activities. We love him so much and are so lucky to have this coolest boy as our son.

Lucy girl

We love this Lucy girl so much!  She is absolutely incredible.  She is so good and sweet and hillarious! She is so loving and fun to all of her siblings all the time.  She is such a hard worker and such a good friend to all.  She wants to choose the right in everything she does.  She is dancing this year but her personality is perfectly content to just be home doing whatever everyone else is doing and being perfectly content.

Jack

Jack is going to be 12 in less than 2 months.  I can't believe it.  I love this boy so much.  He is so amazing!  He is so mature and has such an amazing mind and spirit.  He is so strong and righteous.  He makes friends so easily and everyone at school just loves him.  He is a leader.  He has really started to like drama and par-core.  He is going to take a hip hop class in the fall too.

Sporadic afternoon at the park

So yesterday I went to pick up Jack and Lucy around 1:30 from their schools.  Lucy had early day and Jack stayed an extra hour for an elective science class.  We then were driving in a weird neighborhood trying to get to our new house to look at it longingly as we wait til we can move in.  There was a big fun looking park the kids asked to play at and we had nothing going on and it was a beautiful day so I said yes.  There was two K9 police officers there training their dog.  This was an incredibly smart and talented dog.  Hallie was asleep in the car so I rolled all the windows down and put a blanket out on the grass for Calvin to roll around on.  He is starting to move like crazy.  I will be chasing him around his whole life I know it.  Anyway, I swear I have the best kids on the planet.  They make up the most incredible games and play so well together.  They help their younger siblings without one bit of annoyance.  They cheer each other on when they do something well.  They may have a tiny argument or two where they quickly complain for a sec and get back on with playing.  Yesterday I think there was only one between Jack and Lucy where they each quickly pushed each other then moved on.  They knew they didn't want to waste time fighting on this perfect day.  I didn't realize it at the time but the joy I was feeling so strong was the spirit telling me that I was doing okay as a mom.

Then a wind kicked up and this park was surrounded by these giant trees that have small white round leaves that blow off.  The size of a dime.  So it looked like it was snowing and snowing hard with leaves.  The kids got so excited and Jack was just jumping for joy and trying to crab as many as he could.  They all were running all around laughing and screaming.  Our entire blanket was covered with them including me and Calvey.  It was so fun to see them loving this.  The gravel parking lot was covered with them and they were blowing along the ground and looked like shimmering...something.  The sound they made was an awesome sound.  Just then a bus of handicapped people came to let them walk around the park to get exercise.  Jack didn't even notice them and I just loved when I came to realize we were now surrounded by 10 celestial beings at this glorious occasion.  Hallie woke up and I went to get her so she could join the fun.  Only then realizing that while she was nestled snuggly on this perfect day while all the windows were open our car had filled up with the leaves as well.  This car that Josh had just detailed the entire inside to make it shine and sparkle.  I knew he wouldn't be happy but I would not let a temporal thing like that ruin my afternoon.   No I waited til that night at dinner time when rain cancelled a park birthday party night and I realized I had to make dinner.  haha!

Jackman

So... About jack.  I had a parent teacher conference for him today.  This is the perfect teacher for him and we are devistated to leave.  This teacher had a hard time doing his conference because she is so sad to see him go.  She said he brightens her day every day.  He is honest and truthful.  He is kind and good.  And best of all he is funny and creative.  I agree with all of that!  He is so so good.  He is a crazy loud boy that makes up all the great games to engage the kids.  He is a great helper and a great dancer.  He makes pancakes for the kids sometimes.  He loves when you give him he reigns and let him figure things out or have the responsibility for something. 

I love this guy so much and love having him be the leader of our family.  He is the best example we could ask for.

Lucy girl

Oh what to say about my sweetest lu lu. I would be lost without her.  She brightens up our day every day.  She is so so nice, easy going, happy, caring, loving, helpful, responsible, and darling.  I took time out of the chaos and took her shopping the other day and she was in hog heaven.  She kept saying, "thanks mom for taking me here!" She never asks for anything.  She just loves every one of her siblings.  She loves school and everyone there.  Everyone knows her and hugs her all day.  She is super affectionate to everyone.  She will take Calvin all the time and rock him.  She can change his diaper and put him to sleep.  Sometimes I'll ask if she wants to do something like get Harrison food and she will say, "no, but I will!" She is my best helper and friend.  She loves art and is a great creator.  I don't know what I would do without her.  She's the best.