- – -

there are spoon marks in the ice cream tonight. how’s that for ending the day – not only do i not run, i sit and eat ice cream out of the carton at night.

: )

tonight was book club night.

yes, i’m in a book club. it sounds so adult-ish, doesn’t it : )

it’s a book about romance & homeschooling ….quite the combo, huh?  the guy at the oil change place last week tried starting a conversation over what i was reading – i tried all sorts of creative ways to redirect that conversation …. like ‘yes, please refill my washer fluid’ & ‘i sure will tell my husband there’s a crack in that hose’

much easier conversations tonight over it

i was in bed at 9:20 last night & when chad woke up at 12:45 i thought surely it must be like 5am, it felt like i’d been asleep that long.

and here it is 11:40 and i’m still up …. with less than half of what was accomplished last night accomplished tonight.

caesar salad spilt all over the floor tonight after dinner.  molly & ben were ‘cleaning’ the kitchen. technically the lettus is off the ground, but the oily dressing is still there.

there is sidewalk chalk all over the laundry room. the last box of the summer …. note to self: buy more boxes next year when they go on sale …. we will use them & when we run out we’ll have more instead going back for more & finding halloween candy in it’s aisle.

funny story – jack was crazy overreacting about not getting his pants snapped before school & declared he just wouldn’t be wearing any pants at aLL …. for the whoLe day!

i seriously laughed.

and then he did too. 

maybe you would’ve had to have been here : )

i’m now wondering if my trade off of post vs shower was a good idea …..

bed calls.

let’s be like Jesus tomorrow.

- – -

 

 

- – -

chad is on the move. right now he is desperately trying to get into my lap while i’m sitting here on the living room floor.

he’s not very happy with his lack of progress. we’re alone tonight, him & i. i’m mulling ideas around in my head of what we could do ….

throw out the dead flowers in the vase on the shelf ….
pick up the living room ….
delete 86 emails …..
fix rex lunch for tomorrow ….
sit here and post ….
clean the kitchen …..
make a lot of phone calls …
find the top of my desk ….
take the nail polish off my toes ….
give chady a bath …..

- – - –

today we went to a funeral –

i have to say i really do like funerals when you’re there to celebrate the life of a godly saint. where there is hope & assurance. and through tears there are smiles because you know the story doesn’t end there …. and the heritage & tradition that surrounds these events here is beauty to behold.

i also got the oil changed & the car smogged … but we didn’t document that.

- – -

i’m looking through pictures here wondering which ones to post. there is no order to them, not really any major stories behind them

like this one …. we’re just by the pool.

and then ben left & jack got kissed.

…. i know, the rest of you are speaking of your crisp fall mornings & we’re still having 96 degree afternoon weather.

so we’re still running the a/c & dreaming of wearing coats. i saw a porch with pumpkins set out on it ….. i’m excited for fall.

- – -

then there’s this series of pictures – they’d go best with the video that shows ‘the wedding’ but it’s still on my phone.

they put on this wedding the other day, using moms old clothes she’s kept from her prom days all the way to our old kid clothes.

we were ‘allowed’ to take pictures after the ceremony –

- – -

 

it was so beautifully hilarious, we laughed till we cried …. except my mom, she just cried – ‘grandma, why does your voice sound like that??’ ‘oh grandma just loves weddings.’

- – -

so, what’s next …. i don’t know about you but when i watch slideshows at funeral receptions i always sit there thinking i should take more pictures!! …. pictures of me & rex, pictures of the kids, pictures of life …

this was a picture i took for a little facebook group photo contest that i never entered ….. one of the categories was titled connection & i liked them all lined up.

i made them promise to not run me over –

- – -

in case you were wondering, he’s seven months old already. where’s a picture with that written on it you ask?

i don’t have one.

all i’ve got are these from 8/28/12 –

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

and then his sister friend swooped in and rescued him from what she thought was a dangerous situation – good save, doll, good save.

- – -

• regan at the kids pe class – a walk downtown – a late night online search
• 4th day of 4th grade – jack w/ hatchets & swords – harvest
• soccer, soccer & more soccer
• i like the view from my desk – he was happy – on her way out to run
• chad on the move – thinking she’s fancy stuff – grandparents day 2012
• waiting outside the wrong restaurant – milkshakes to celebrate the 1st week of school – more school : )

- – - 

i thought i’d join in & make it more of a girl picture than it already was …. keeping my eyes opened would’ve helped.

keeping regan in my lap would’ve also helped ….

keeping her still … another good idea ….

and now her eyes are closed ….

as good as it gets : )

- – -

it’s a lot later now than when i first started this.
i counted, i did 4 of the things off that list at the top.
i’m yawning big enough to make my eyes water & tears to roll down my cheeks.
we’ve been a little busier lately. we’re finding our groove with the kids being in school. i have less free time during the days but i want to remember all this ….

all this life that is being lived right before my eyes – it really is an honor to be a part of it.

- – -

i can’t decide if i will dedicate this entire post to amie or  if i will add everything else in that’s happened the last couple of weeks along with it.

i don’t think i’ve ever dedicated an entire post to any one person, so already that is making me nervous : )

i’m sitting out in the school room – hello saturday & here i am out here. it’s a bit hot. ancient egypt & multiplication posters are blowing slightly in the breeze from the fan. every so often you can’t see the first row of trees out the back window – hello harvest dust in the valley.

i’m trying to be ok with going to church with the suburban looking like it does. like. a clean car somehow earns you more points …. not.

i hear the kids outside. they’ve collected this massive amount of colored twine from hay that’s fed to the cows. the girls have braided it & turned it into hair like rapunzel, the boys have tied up swords, hatchets & sticks and then tied those around themselves.

i helped jack earlier untangle himself …. he already had red marks around his neck. ‘dude, lets not choke ourselves, ok!’

ok mom.

alright then : )

well i was just going to tell you something …. but it had nothing to do with anything …..

i know, like that has ever stopped me.

maybe another time.

so it’s looking like this is not going to be all about amie. i did go through and find all the pictures of her from while she was here, except these –

oh wait ….. we are posting these, too. ben took them, she was eating i guess …. and maybe didn’t want to be photographed right at that second.

but she’s a good sport.

so here’s my tribute  …. to amie ~

six years ago she came home from a youth conference …. (as a leader, not a youth. she still gets asked what she’s going to ‘do after she graduates’ – we laugh every time)

anyway she came home and said she was leaving. there was this great ministry opportunity back east & she thought it’d be a good idea.

it was.

for her …. and we were just left to miss her.

the 12 week short term program turned into her being asked to stay on for the next 12 weeks, which turned into her meeting people, which turned into her moving to another state …., to her actually packing up her everything here & driving her car all the way to there.

for good.

she’s got an ohio drivers license & says cook out instead of bbq now.

but we still love her. in fact i think she’s nearly reached legend status among the kids & she does an amazing job of living up to it.

she first left right after benny was born & from him on all the kids have know auntie amie to be one of the greatest.

she comes back for christmeses, maybe a birthday here or there & parts of the summer usually.

we texts & send pictures of outfit options from bathroom mirrors to iphones, she reminds me when i haven’t posted in awhile & she sends links to ohio real estate for sale with offers of free babysitting if we’d move.

she’s been to places like cambodia & israel, canada & haiti …. plus the beaches of california and she still likes ohio.

besides missing her like crazy at times … and maybe wishing she was around for ridiculous let’s-rearrange-and-paint-the-living-room projects ….

we’re really glad she’s there.

it’s always good to be where God wants you to be.

  

- – -

so you’re going to have to excuse the sudden shift in emotions …..

i’m not out alone in the school room – i’m inside – it’s after dinner, it’s loud, i have weeks old colored polish on my nails that is chipping and frankly looks trampy.

sailor & jack are cleaning the kitchen. the little girls are in the tub. rex is being a hero. and chad just pulled the top rack of the dishwasher out & off, it was full of clean dishes. (he was in his little jumper, in case you’re trying to figure out how he did that : )

so, the nostalgic amie feelings are being swept away like the popcorn jacks sweeping up on the floor.

: )

but! we still have pictures so, here we go ….

this was that nail painting party we had –

at the beach –

 

it was a small slice of old birthday beach times …. minus a whole ‘lotta people.

- – -

and now all the non-amie beach pictures -

- – -

 
i know that was a lot of pictures.
welcome to the end.
it’s saturday night …. the day has been saved.
bed time for the rodgers’ under age 10.
and there’s a wet baby that just got out of the tub needing some love & lotion.

- – -

and you, i love you ~

some things i like ….
little boys who randomly declare they’re going outside to ‘fyo (throw) darts’
little girls who still run on tip toes, even while playing soccer.
little babies who like loves.

this is also a little something i like –

i don’t know why its sideways …. its not long, so your neck shouldn’t hurt too bad : )

- – -

i’m telling myself i should hurry up & go to bed.

before midnight!

it’s one of my self imposed rules. rex tells me things like you’re an adult, you can do what you want.

but i was up working on some school things & wanted to remember parts of today – like how i said parts : )

is it legal to have two first day of school days in the same school year? we did.

this first day included cut-off shorts & hair that didn’t get combed, berry smoothie still on lips & a baby that just wanted to attack our sign. it also included an arm raised that said yay! we’re excited.

that was one of the good parts : )

still going for the sign –

jack said today went great.

score.

ben was all i’ve got this & helped molly with math.

sailor willing sacrificed after lunch free time to keep working on her paper.

regan wanted to be apart of everything.

i did not sleep in.
we started perfectly on time.
we read 9 whole chapters of the next boxcar children book …. ’til i could not stay awake any longer.
which is why i shouldn’t be up so late.

- – -

i admit i lay my expectations in the gutter on the first day, so any ounce of positive is a victory worth celebrating. it can only get better ….. and with the these were the good parts of today – the 2nd first day of school was a great success.
and the bonus -  sailor said dinner was good …. and dinner had alot of green things : )
it’s also before midnight!

it’s ok if you think i never take real pictures anymore –
it’s not true, but it’s ok if you think that : )

what can i say though ….
well i can’t say anything.

i will point out a few things –
1. amie & i are in the same picture (smile)
2. i liked this, it’s from rex’s phone
3. sailor ~
4. my parents got new phones – this was their ‘we got new phone & figured out how to take a picture of ourselves’ picture
5. regs at breakfast
6. a girl sleepover
7. and i quote ‘i tired of going poopies’
8. chad’s little friend – his mommy is one of the best
9. it was a late night, the middle row was sacked out

10. grammy & chad
11. she wanted to carry amie’s purse
12. what the boys did at the cousins wedding
13 & 14. baby feeding. my favorite part, the way she crossed her leg …. think she’s seen that once or twice? maybe … probably …. yes
15. molly ~
16. coloring with auntie amie
17. the beach!
18. regan’s 1st real hair cut trim – i have the foil with the little bits of blonde saved …
19. amie reading her welcome back cards at the airport
20. chad doesn’t get cold at the beach = chad is happy at the beach
21. sister friends

22, 23, 24 – a whole row of chady  …. ’cause he’s that beautiful (& ’cause grandma has a new phone & ’cause auntie amie is stocking up on her own phone pictures)

25 – me&him ….

- – -

real pictures sometime this week …. after all tomorrow’s the 1st day of school.

 

i’m not sure my fingers can keep up to type fast enough for the thoughts busting out of my brain tonight. i’m not sure if it’s even a good idea to try : )

but here i am.

so i have this thing with multitasking. do you? i’ve realized it lately …. how i can’t hardly just do one thing. 
i’m pumping gas & i have to open every door and collect trash
i can’t just have the dryer running – the washer has to also.
or the dishwasher must run while the flowerbeds are being watered.
i can feed the baby & surf facebook & pinterest at the same time …. (side note – i finally just joined & i apologize to those of you following me …. i’m already pretty boring in my pinning)
back to multitasking …..
print school papers, nope we can talk on the phone & fold laundry too.
send a text while the water gets hot ….
even things that could really easily stand alone get combined, like changing a diaper & solving a 4 year olds life crisis.

and on and on.
oh.my.goodness.

i was out tonight … really i was out all day (multitasking, ha!)

school starts soon. i think my kids are missing me for all the prep it’s taking this time around. how crazy is that ….

we home school & yet i haven’t been with my kids much lately.
i drove past a few schools coming home tonight and i thought ‘well that sounds easy – buy a new backpack & just show up’

did you know for the very first time in his entire life chad slept through the night last night? i know …. i’m confident enough in my parenting of babies to say that : )

6 and a half months and he still eats every so many hours all night long. with sailor i would have been mortified ‘ahh! my baby isn’t sleeping through the night by night nine, ahh!’

all the other kids did … except chad. well not at night nine but you know …. wAy before six months.

that was a random bit of news you probably cared nothing about : ) but if this were his baby book, i’d be recording that news!!

what would you like to listen to? on the road by keane? or heartbeat by the fray? two songs tonight with a beat that matches my brain’s thoughts.

i should go running.

i’m pretty sure every other mother on the planet is more organized than i am. and a better cook. and can teach her boys to read & pee in the toilet, not on it.

probably they all have sleeping through the night babies & almost 3 year olds who don’t still have pacifiers.
and make their husbands lunch & always have cute hair.

i forgot to rinse the conditioner out of my hair last night …. result – my freshly washed hair instantly looked greasy today.

and then rex says ‘hey, you’ve got this’ and i start over taking thoughts captive & shift back to be a rockstar mode …

that remembers to start the day with ‘hello Jesus, thank you for being bigger than everything, i’ll think i’ll stick with you today.’

i have not even counted the dove chocolate wrappers that are laying on my side of the bed.

happy anniversary chad&lisa.

guess what – amie is coming.
that.is.exciting.

bonus, my flowerbeds don’t even need to be weeded – so she won’t need to feel pressure to do that for me.
that was a joke : )

i am determined to give my kids 110% percent. maybe it should really be 1,000% of me.  i don’t want one to slip through and only get 97%.

if you knew how many copies on card stock in color i need to make, combined with binders & tab dividers, with page protectors thrown in …. you might buy stock, tonight, in office max.

i’m starting fourth grade soon & i have phrases like predicate adjective in my head.
confession, no i don’t remember what predicate adjectives are.

i need to take a shower, stop eating doves & go to bed. but first …. some pictures –
one of the chocolate wrappers said ‘smiling is free’ – so here is a free smile : )

 
the sister friends were pretty proud of themselves over this : ) it gave me this slight glimpse of what would have been if chad had been a girl like i originally, absolutely had thought he was & our family would have had 4 girls.

i think his look here is begging me to put the camera down & help him restore his manhood. i did, for the record, i did. right after this he was back to the man cave with the brotherhood.

side note #2 – i’ve started calling the boys room the man cave & they are all about it the ownership of that name. ben is generous & says i’m allowed in on occasion. molly tried to duplicate the idea & staring calling her room the girl cave! somehow …. it just didn’t have the same ring to it as the man cave did : )

- – -

possibly one of my very favorite girl pictures to date.

they dressed themselves for a picture the other day …

and they brought out their auntie april dolls.

their expressions were killing me

- – -

we made it to the family wedding in time for family pictures : ) actually we made it before she walked down the aisle … it was helpful for us that it started 45 minutes late!!

- – -

i love it when i find great pictures on my camera … i’m guessing this one was jack.

every good story needs a good clincher to end it – tonight mine is ‘the typing is finished, the fingers are still’

yes? no? good?
: )

- – -
no, not good, i just reread it …. we’ll have to keep working on clinchers.

 

- – -

1. possible my favorite phone picture of the year …. jacky bringing back the garbage can early one morning, he’d slept in his shirt from church the night before.
2. ben & he shoes getting ready for pictures.
3. walking out to the car in the costco parking lot.
4. late night olympic watching.
5. chady
6. amity – apparently bows are bigger in texas ; )
7 & 8. chad is molly’s living doll …. she babys him all around the house. i found these on my phone.
9. the candle in my guacamole at harvest moon
10. an olympic day at the park, with our friend ruby being the wheels of the wheelbarrow
11. chad practicing his sitting up skills since they lined up the farm toys for him
12. benny right after he told me a joke.
13. party supply stores have wAy too many choices : )
14. my brother & his worse than awful mustache.
15. the dog ben wanted to adopt.
16. sailor & jacky
17. the cradle moved out of our room ….. & no, he doesn’t sleep in the kitchen.
18. a cereal splurge for me
19. more park games – ben in the sack race.
20. a pinata at a friends birthday party
21. 3 of our kids on the back steps
22. us in the car on the way to a cousins wedding
23. the sister friends at the library
24. reggy ‘reading’ a book to chad

we are unfortunately late to that cousins wedding … every car drives slower, every light is red, every drawbridge is drawn when you’re late!
molly is really hoping we don’t miss the bride walk down the aisle.
i’m wondering why i bothered combing the boys hair before we left.
chad is happy to be talking instead of sleeping.
and rex’s starbucks has kicked in & he’s awake now too
the temp thermometer on the rear view mirror says 104.
happy weekend

- – -

25. the front of a notebook i didn’t buy at the store today & a great reason to blog : )

 

there is too much cake in the house tonight.
back to back birthdays will do that.

benny wanted a dog for his birthday. i actually considered taking them all to the pound & letting him pick one out. last saturday we even pulled into a petsmart parking lot & looked over the german shepherds that were out front waiting to be adopted. we were ‘not a good family fit’ for those dogs. why? you’re wondering …. well apparently the dog must be allowed to live in the house

not even the garage ….
we left.

and do you know what he got instead? a ninja dress up outfit & a new bible.

dude, he was thrilled : )

- – -

i love benny ….
i confess on the day of his birthday to pretty much flipping when he took the hose to the freshly just washed car … but by the time he’d got around to raiding my clothespin collection ’cause he was a ‘hunter & needed bullets’ i’d remembered that he was just a little boy probably growing up too fast.

- – -

classic, yes?

he does better with pictures when he’s got some say in them, so …. the other day i said ‘hey ben why don’t you go find something to wear that looks like a 6 year old & we’ll take your picture’

he was all over that & this is what he picked, complete with the spiffy, gelled comb-over to the opposite side … i said it was perfect & i wasn’t lying : )

he also thought one with jack was a good idea.

- – -

rex & i went out together – we ended up at harvest moon, the greatest little downtown restaurant ever. they brought rex his drink without him ordering it & they asked where chad was … by name! like ‘hey where’s chad tonight?’ they stuck a candle in my guacamole dip & said they’d spare me their version of happy birthday. 

told you …. its a great spot & yes, we might go there fairly regular since they know chad by name : )

- – -

 

happy birthday benny -

and thanks for the pre-post comments …. it was submitted before it was finished : )

i’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to write a birthday post for sailor?? or really why it’s been so hard? i’ve typed & deleted a lot of times.

she’s a crazy amazing kid.
she’s nine now.

- – -

she had a party at grandma’s before her birthday with a few friends – they swam & ate popcorn. the swimming ’cause she loves the pool & the popcorn was in place of cake ’cause she really isn’t a cake kid.

- – -

& later that night ….

she got a new bike : ) the last time she had a new bike she was maybe 1 & we were over eager excited parents that went to toys r us for christmas : ) and bought the great strawberry shortcake training wheel beauty with tassels!! that’s the old bike now whose training wheels bit the dust on molly.

seeing rex bring it in –

ready to try it out

maybe we all had to try it out ….

this was where ben was all done pushing chad : )

cake no, but brownies yes.

- – -

and just yesterday actually, we took some ‘you’re 9!’ pictures. she picked her clothes & did her own hair. she’s beautiful & i’m still in love with her. we’ve had some neat times of growing recently. neat really means hard & good all wrapped together! it’s amazing the honor it is to be her mom.

 

- – -

i’m excited to pray blessings into her life. i’m challenged to know her better, to love her more. i’m begging God for wisdom. i’m looking forward to what He’ll do this year …..

- – -