Friday night Nigel got to the Temple for the first time. Josh took our kids minus Asher who didn’t feel well. I stayed home with Giddy and Winnie. Nigel thought it was neat!
We are parents of 9 children 21 to 6. We have 4 boys and 5 girls! Josh is an ER doctor in a very small town in the heart of America....Courtney "stays at home" and homeschools and manages our busy and growing household! We live far from family, so we blog for them....
Tristan served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is currently a student at BYU-I studying finance. He and Alessandra will be married in the Nauvoo Temple in Dec 2023. She is also a student at BYU=I with plans to work in ultrasound.
BONUS CHILD
Khaelia Age 21
Khaelia lived on and off with us throughout high school. She got her CNA license and is pursuing further education at Kirkwood.
#2
Melina and Chrislin
Melin and Chris were married in the hilly Temple August 2023. They are currently students at BYU-I. Melina is studying to be a therapist and Chris has his sights on being a guidance counselor.
#3
Ciomara age 19
My name is Ciomara (See-oh-mar-uh) Jean. I am studying Elementary ED-music education at BYU-I. enjoy playing piano, organ, violin, percussion, and riding my horse in my free time. My favorite singer is Harry Styles:) I teach piano and horse riding.
#4
Asher age 17
My Name is Asher Vincent.
I love to play basketball, football, golf, and fish.
When I grow up i want to be a Chef in Europe or a
Neurosurgeon.
My favorite color is red and I like to watch tv.
I am a Senior.
#5
Delaney age 16
My name is Delaney Faye. I love to read and do crafts. My favorite sport is bowling and I also love tap. I am a Cheerleader and play post on the JV basketball team. Another hobby I like is swimming. I am a Sophomore this year.
#6
Laurel age 14
My name is Laurel Anne, but I go by Laurie most times. I'm in 8th grade. My favorite subject is Math. I love to play with my brothers and sisters. My favorite book is
''The True Story Of Rumpelstiltskin.'' I love to play American girl dolls with my sister. I'm number 6 in my family.
#7
Nigel age 12
My name is Nigel Lewis. I am in 7th grade. My favorite animal is any kind of reptile. My favorite color is green and orange. My favorite thing to do build things. I love to play soccer. I want to be an architect when I grow up.
#8
Gideon age 10
My name is Gideon Joshua. I am in 5th grade. My favorite color is blue and pick. I like to watch tv and draw. When I grow up I want to be an author.
#9
Winnifred age 8
My name is Winnifred Mary-Noel. I am in 2nd grade. My birthday is on Christmas! Most of the time, I go by Winnie. I love school! I also love Princesses, Pinkalicious, I SPY books, and dress-up!
1/1/17 First Bath, belly button fell off
1/15/17 baby blessing
1/18/17 smiling in her sleep (for at least a week)
1/28/17 smiled at little brothers, smiled BIG for Daddy, smiled while nursing at Mommy. tried to coo at Mommy when she nursed. sleeps a good 5 hours at night. hates anything on her head. still cannot get her to take a pacifier, but somewhat likes the elephant one
2/20 11 pounds, 5 oz. put her on relfux meds because we are super fussy at night, gassy and not sleeping at all.
First visit to the chiropractor here in town (grandpa adjusted her at 6 weeks when he came for her baby blessing).
3/7 seeing the chiroprator regularly. Loves her brothers and sisters. likes to stare at the baby in the mirror. loves to be moving constantly.
4/2 loves the bath. trying to coo at everyone. pretty much outgrown 0-3 months and newborn cloth diapers. Had her first cold this past few weeks and hated her nose being sniffly when trying to nurse. Still doesn't like to sleep at night and wants to be on the boob almost the entire time! Can coo and blow some bubbles.
4/25/17 eating cereal mixed with white grape juice
4/30/17 laughs out loud, squeals!, reaches for toys and puts everything in her mouth! Will not suck a pacifier or a bottle.
5/15/17 takes a Joovy boob bottle! Has eaten some applesauce and banana (and ice cream!). had appt today and weight 14 pounds (30%) and was 26 1/4 inches long! (95th %). She is tall and skinny!
6/19/17 rolls back to front and front to back, tables "ma-ma!", can scoot herself around by lifting her butt up while on her back and propelling forward. Eats 2 meals a day but really would like 3! Loves fruit and most veggies. Can feed herself a biter biscuit.
7/24/17 6 month check up but really 7 months. 15.25 pounds, 27 inches. dropped off on weight a bit but is super active. loves to babble: mama, dada, scream, wave hi!, wiggle and roll everywhere. Can almost get to sitting from laying down. loves to lay on belly in the bathtub and swim.
9/1/17 can sit, get to sitting, pull to stand and crawl all within the week! 16 pounds!
9/25/17 17 pounds and 30 inches!
10/15/17 babbling, putting everything in mouth, standing for a few seconds on own. has cut two teeth on bottom in last two weeks.
10/29/17 cruising on furniture, walks behind push chair, says hi and claps all of time
11/5/17 2 steps on own!!!
12/3/17 walking! babbling! GROWLING!
12/26/17 19 lb 3.5 oz, 31 inches! climbs up and DOWN stairs
02/18/18 cut top left incisor, had her first flu ;o(
03/04/18 says "stop!" and "no", shakes her head yes, and makes an "0" with her mouth when she is delighted or surprised
4/4/18 15 months, 22 pounds 9.6 oz, 2'7.5", says shoes, tristan, mara, gideon, up, bye, thank you, loves to repeat..... busy and in to everything. can take her clothes off.
9/9/18 20 months. has a HUGE vocabulary. can repeat everything you say. Is very polite always says thank you. Loves to scream, ASHER! hates nursery. destroys books, pees in potty.
9/8/19 I don't use the potty but I sleep in a big girl bed. I finally let my patsy (pacifier) go and only have a buddy now.
10/27/19 We are FINALLY potty-trained. we had a few accidents this week, but we are wearing big girl panties all the time. Thank goodness! Its been along 6 months of potty-training because she wanted to do it and then didn't!!!!
09/27/20 First day of preschool!
2/1/2024
*Winnie tells Mommy that the baby that was in her tummy before Winnie and died was a girl baby and her name was Minnie. She laughs hysterically that their names rhyme. Except she doesn't know that her great great grandma and great great great grandma were Minnie and Winnie!!!!!
Host Child #1
A age 18
A came to stay with us when he was 13 years old. He comes from Ukraine. Russian is his primary language. He loves soccer. He loves anything citrus, orange juice and oranges. He really like hamburgers and french fries and ramen noodles. He will eat ranch, sour cream and mayo on anything. He is not a big eat during the day, but is ravenous in the evenings. He likes to sleep in, is very active during the day and wants to stay up late. He loves video games and is a great friend to other kids at his orphanage/school as well as his host siblings. He is patient and kind to younger kids. He looks up to Tristan and will do whatever Tristan is doing. He would excel at Parkour as he is constantly jumping and climbing on things. he is a great swimmer and enjoyed the waterpark, trampoline parks and giant playgrounds. He LOVES the animals, especially cats but I worry he may be allergic as he coughs a bit after playing with them/at night. We really enjoyed having A in our home, and he fit right in and was comfortable with us within the week.
Host Child #2
K age 11
K came to us at 7.5 years. She spent the summer after COVID quarantine swimming and playing and having fun with 8 siblings (Tristan was in Guatemala)! She loves the water! She loves rollercoasters and always wants to ride up front. She loves hard candies like Tic Tacs and lifesavers. She doesn't enjoy cold drinks or cold foods, except for Coca-Cola. She loves to play on the iPad. She loves Momma, and other women, but is anxious around men. She did come to like Josh and got excited when he arrived home, but it took almost the whole 8 weeks. She fought like any other 7 year old and can hold her own and typical of this age, she likes to tattle. Her and Asher did not get along but what kid likes an older brother when they tease and laugh at you? I would say by the end she tolerated him. No one activity keeps her attention for too long except swimming. At home she enjoys barbies, dress up and dolls. She played with the kitchen too and made meals for us. She is super willing to try 1 bite of any new foods and finds often that she actually likes them! For example, she was hesitant to eat a corn dog but now its her favorite and she can devour 2-3 in one sitting! She is all girl and really enjoy wearing skirts or dresses. She gives lovely hugs and wants Mom to approve and praise her all the time. In the beginning she could say Hi in English, but after a few weeks she understood almost everything we said. She even started speaking a bit in English, although when she is upset or excited she babbles along in Russian like I can understand! She told us she has 2 younger brothers but they don't live at her orphanage and she doesn't know their names. Overall, a happy child, very willing and obedient, a few tantrums but nothing extreme and we really enjoyed making her part of our family for the summer of 2021!
1+1=1
1+1=2
1+1=3
1+1=4
1+1=5
1+1=6
1+1=7
1+1=8
1+1=9
Kids Say the Darndest Things....
Winter 2004
*Daddy tried to put Mel's coat on and she says, "Don't touch me!" (First sentence ever, we swear!)
5/05
*Tristan (while holding his hands in his lap, with fingers pointed out), "These are my boys! (referring to his make-believe friends, Hemet and Berber Dick. I thought Mom (Stubz) was gonna bust a gut!)
2/07
*Melina to Dacia, "Stop smelling my penis!"
*Melina in her sleep, "Don't take my pop tart!"
4/07
*I put the kid leash on Mara so she could walk along next to the stroller without wondering off and she says, "I NOT DACIA!"
3/09
*Melina, "how come that lady has pointy ears?" Mara, "she did not eat her green beans!" Mel, "I am never gonna eat green beans cuz I want pointy ears!"
*Tristan "I am going to be a vegetarian when I grow up so I can help animals!" (I suppose you can help them by not eating them! :o)
*Daddy to Dacia "Lay down or I will split you in two!" then Mara said, "Then we can have 2 Dacias!"
*Mara, "Please pass the cheeps" (she meant peaches)
*A song came on the radio talking about Haley's Comet. Josh asked Tristan, "Do you know what a comet is?" Tristan said, "Sure. Just how fat are you?" (Nice try but we asked for a comet not comment!)
*Daddy says, "I love Mommy." Melina says, "Yeah, they love each other so much, I can't stand it!"
4/09
* Melina, " The Easter Bunny lives with Santa Claus." Mom, "Oh Really?" Mel, "Yes because the elves make the toys and how else would the Bunny get the toys to bring to us for Easter?" (I see that I am teaching an important life lesson--the Bunny unfortunately brings toys to our house too :o)
5/09
* Melina, "Sometimes I dream with my eyes open. It is easy. First you stare at something and then you look into your head!"
6/09
*We are having a discussion of where Melina came from and she says, "the ballet part, that came from you Mommy!" as she twirls out of the room!
*Bedtime and Asher is throwing a fit in his room. Tristan yells, "Mommy, Daddy! Come quick! Asher is having a hurricane!"
9/09
*While getting sandwiches at the gas station, Melina says, "I know why it called Kum and Go. Cuz you come in and then you go out! HA!" Sometimes she just cracks herself up!
*Melina is rushing to get her stuffed animal for the car and she says to me, "I need it so I can be pumpkin-pied (occupied!)" *Tristan, "Mom can I take my Legos to college?" Mom, "Um, of course." Tristan, "Cool! Then I can take a day off and just play Legos!"
10/09
*Tristan, "I am so glad people invented food so that we don't have to eat vegetables!" (while he was drinking a pop :o)
12/09
*Tristan, "When I grow up, I am going to name one of my girls Bailey and one of my boys David McCoy."
12/27/09
*Asher poops in the potty and looks at it and says, "I poop airplane!" Sure enough, it did look like an airplane!
2/10
* Tristan, "I have a good imagination. I pretend like my baboo talks to me, and my stuffed animals too."
3/10
* We are singing "I am a Child of God" at bedtime and Asher belts out, " I am a child of Josh!"
6/1/10
*After opening a dart gun for his birthday, Asher turns to Josh and says, "I'm gonna shoot you in the FACE!"
7/15/10
*Tristan says, "Someday Mel or Mara or Laney could be the first girl President!" Melina says, "No, then you have to work." Tristan, "But, life is about working...." Mara chimes in, "So you can have MONEY!"
8/12/2010
*Tristan, "You know one time at our old house I saw a fox with a hammer. I think I was sight-seeing. Melina, "You mean daydreaming." Tristan, "No, I was definitely sight-seeing."
9/5/10
*During Sharing time they are playing charades and no one can guess what it is. So, the teacher gives a hint: something you do at home (answer: wash dishes). Mel raises her hand and says: "Print money off the computer!"
9/18/2010
* Asher ran away from me and hid at the store. When I found him I grabbed his arm and he yelled, "Don't touch my arm like that! You are gonna break it and then I'll die and you will go to jail!"
*Asher in the drive-thru says to me, "My penis hurts." Me, "why?" Asher, "Cuz I touching it." Me, "Stop touching it." Asher, "But it goes up and down when I do!" (The cashier had a really red face :o)
9/2010
*Mara says during dinner, while watching football, "I love BYU and those Hot Guys (Hawkeyes)!"
10/2010
*Tristan, "I am just not sure that I know what I want to do with my life yet!"
*Melina, "Mom, your legs are so fat, it looks like you are growing the baby in them!"
*Tristan, "who invented football?" Melina, "Jesus did." Tristan, "no, Jesus invented the person who invented football." Melina, "oh."
*Asher, "D is for dog, E is for elephant, F is for friggit! (frog)"
12/2010
*Asher, "is Laurel staying with us?" Mom, "Well, would you like her to stay?" Asher, "I don't want her to go to the orphanage." Mom, "ok, I guess she is staying."
01/2011
*Asher going pee in the potty, "Daddy, Daddy, I have a big penis!" (Yes, that is my boy, obsessed with his manhood!)
02/11
*Asher, "I need to suck in my duck! (gut)"
03/2011
*Melina, "Sometimes I think in my brain that if Jesus wasn't real there would be no reason to be here. And, why would we be here if there was no Jesus? So, there has to be a Jesus because we are here."
*Melina, "If you dog dies while the vet has it, do you still have to pay?"
09/2011
*Melina, "Praise to the man who cacooned with Jehovah!"
Kids say the Darndest Things...part 2
10/1/11 * Melina says "aminal" and Mishamarry" * Melina, "Mommy while you were in NYC, they said we had to do service at Church. You can do service once for your family and twice for your neighbors. I already *serviced* Daddy!"
11/6/11 * Melina, "my hands are really worm." Mom, "W-A-R-M." Melina, "I said worm NOT WORM!"
12/2011 *Melina, "My country Tis of Thee, Sweet land of Liberty, LOVELY I sing! Land where my fathers HIKED!"...
08/2012 *Daddy asks Laurel who the babies are in the nursery. He points to each one and she says who it is (correctly). The he asks, "Who is the cutest baby?" Laurel think for a second and says, "Ummm, ME!" (She is 21 months). * Mommy is putting laurel down for a nap. She says, "Everyone say good night to Laurel!" Laurel says, "Night, ME!"
11/2012 * Mommy says, "Laurel eat your piece of cake, just don't lick off the frosting!" Laurel says, "You eat it! I want a new one!" (she is 24 months and 5 days)
12/2012 * Laurel says to Mommy, "You are the dog and I am the princess." Mommy, "ok" Laurel, "Say RUFF, RUFF!" *Laurel says something. Mommy, "I don't know what you are saying." Laurel, "I know what I am saying!" *Laurel calls BYU, "BYE-YOU "
09/13
*Mommy says, "when God handed out common sense, Tristan forgot to get in line!" To which Laney says, "I got in the rock star line!"
05/14
* Mara's Mother's Day card, "I love Mommy because she married Daddy and Daddy makes me happy!"
*Asher's Mom's Day card, "I love my Mom because she is my babe."
*Laurel says she has eye-bras
08/15
*Tristan asked Josh if he is getting Mom a breast massage for their anniversary! Hahahahaha!
01/2016
* Nigel says at bedtime, "momma, I want you to snug me in"
* Nigel, "I got out of the bath, you did't get out of the bath, I got out of the bath, so I get to pick the book" (to Mom), " I got out of the bath one time, you didn't get out of the bath one time, I got out of the bath 1 time, so I get to pick the book!" (to Laurel) he means he got out of the bath first, so he gets to pick what book we read for bedtime.
*Whenever you do anything Giddy doesn't like he screams "(s)Top-IT!"
03/16
*Nigel asks Mommy to "snug him in" and kiss him every night
04/16
*Mommy: whose ring is on the floor?
Laurel, "mine. It's the one price Harry gave me. Remember when you said I could marry him? Well I'm pretending that he gave me that ring. So, now I'm a real princess. ok? Mommy?"
07/16
*Laurel in primary, "We get baptized before we got to the Temple because that would just be weird if we got married when we were 8!"
10/16
*took kids to doctor to get their flu shots. The nurse asked everyone their names. Nigel said, "I Nigel." Gideon then said, "I'm BATMAN!" (Gideon 2 1/2)
02/17
* Laurel, "Stop entertaining her! (Winnie) You are entertaining (overwhelming) her and making her cry!!!!"
*Melina, "you know since Obama is gone, we have better food at lunch now, they even put lemonade back on the menu and snack foods back in the vending machines."
06/17
*Grandma Laurie tells Nigel to not dump out any more toys because he already has two buckets out.
Nigel says, "what do you expect Grandma? We are wittle kids!"
08/17
*Tristan is wearing his wife beater in the car on the way home after a church dance. Melina says, "why are you wearing your mommy spanker?!"
10/18
*Daddy asks at morning prayer if anyone needs something that we can all pray for. Nigel raises his hand and says we need to prayer for his life to be better! (He is 6)
12/18
*Winnie says, "Santa coming on my birthday!"
05/19
*Winnie says, "Mommy stop telling me NO!" when I told her we couldn't go play outside because it was nap time.
03/20
* Daddy had to shave his beard for the mask he has to wear due to coronavirus. Winnie says, "Are you my Daddy?" Josh picks her up to show her his face up close and says "Yes!" Winnie says, "then why did you change your head?"
06/20
*Giddy volunteers, "I don't want to be a Mommy because then I would have to have a baby and it would hurt and I would cry." Then later he tells us he doesn't want to be a Daddy either because it hurts to have babies, so I have to explain to him the Daddies don't actually have the babies. But then he says he doesn't want babies because he doesn't like to hear little kids cry (he cries a lot, more than our other kids).
*Winnie tells Tristan she has baby boobies and she doesn't like big boobies and even when she grows up she will have baby boobies.
Kids Say the Darndest Things Part 3
2/1/2023
*Winnie tells Mommy that the baby that was in her tummy before Winnie and died was a girl baby and her name was Minnie. She laughs hysterically that their names rhyme. Except she doesn't know that her great great grandma and great great great grandma were Minnie and Winnie!!!!!
10/2023
*Gideon says he wants 12 kids when he grows up. He is definitely going to name his girl Winter or Autumn and his son Joseph.
*Nigel likes the girl name Alice and Nicholas for a boy.
OUR GREAT DANE
is that a dalmation?
Nov 2006-Feb 2017
My name is Dacia (DOT-CHA) Sue. I was born Nov 2006 in Iowa. I passed away Feb 2017. I had a great life and I loved my kids. They miss me terribly. My favorite things were socks and chew rawhides. I loved to lie around especially on warm sunny days and I could run with the best of them.
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