The children's museum....

Matthias and Grace (driving the fire truck)
Josiah and Emily (building)
Leighton and AJ (unlimited banging on the keyboard and clicking of the mouse....something they can't do at home!)
AJ and Gehrig (she just had a tortilla taken from her...so she doesn't look happy, but she really did have fun)
At DQ after spending a couple hours playing.

We've made it a habit of going to Sebring to go to their children's museum at least once a month or so, mostly with friends from the library. We went yesterday and had a great time. It was the first time in a while that I've gone with all 5 of my kids. They all have fun, but the big kids can definitely play for longer than the babies (and AJ)...so it makes for a hard dynamic when the big ones want to stay and play longer and the little ones are melting down. Just another balance I need to figure out in my search for loving all of my children well. :)

So, the funny part of the trip..... we loaded up the kids in the car (plus our friend Emily) to make the 35 minute drive over and after going 20 minutes Kylie informs me that she has forgotten her shoes! She had socks on her feet and had forgotten to put her shoes on!! I couldn't believe it. We ended up stopping by a store (my friend who was following us stayed in the parking lot with her car and mine) and I ran in to get the least expensive pair of shoes that i could find. I'm a little surprised, actually, that that hasn't happened before...and in the midst of the inconvenience I was very amused.

Our latest Japan update: We are trying to figure out all the details, but are definitely planning on visiting Japan in September for a vision trip. We haven't bought plane tickets yet, and we're not positive if it'll be just Tom and I or if the twins will come with us. Honestly, I can't imagine being away from the babies for a week...but it really might be the best thing. We have really good friends who are planning on flying down to be with our kids while we're gone (which is a total answer to prayer). We're also going to be gone over Kylie's birthday, which she has (for good reason) been upset about. I know that she'll be okay, though. Anyways, that's the latest. We'll continue to keep you updated! Thanks for checking in. :)

stuffed animal's names

My kids have always loved playing with stuffed animals....especially little tiny stuffed animals...mcdonald happy meal toy types of stuffed animals. They make clothes for them out of construction paper, string beads for necklace's for them and find all sorts of ways to dress them up and play with them. As a tribute to Kylie and Josiah....I have decided to show the blog world these very important animals and their fun names. :)

These are Kylie's friends. On the back row are her webkinz...Spot (really, Spot the Tird...she mispelled third when she typed his name into webkinz world and they won't let her change it), Karrie, and Chistina (once again she mispelled christina and so the elephant is stuck with chistina). The front row is Oma (short for Omaha...which was her name on her tag...omaha, NE), fluffington is on her back, Hasbro (name on the tag again), poofie, martha, and jewels. :)
Josiah's guys....back row webkinz: blacky, jet, sparky and front row: the twins (no names), sparkly, and spot.

I know that a post dedicated to my children's stuffed animals isn't all that interesting for most of you, but if you only knew how much time they spent with these little guys you would know how significant these toys are in the lives of my two big kids....and as a result-in my life as well. We're going to the children's museum tomorrow, so maybe I'll have more interesting pictures next time.
Have I mentioned that I've found a way to turn my blog into a book? I started editing it a while back and need to work on it a little more...this website basically downloaded my blog into book form and I can change the sizes of pictures and layout of words....I'm very excited to do this b/c I think it'll be a really neat thing for the kids to be able to look back on (since my scrapbooking days are few and far between). Very exciting stuff.

McD's with the Quillen's

This is how we started off our first semester in seminary....two kids each. :) Now, we've got our 5 and sweet baby stephanie makes 6 for our dear friends!

They were going to come down and visit us last weekend, but b/c of our stomach bug it didn't work out. So, we planned on meeting them on their last day in Orlando...but sadly the twins have had fevers so Tom stayed home with them and I drove the big kids up. We met at the supposed largest McD playland in the country....very unimpressive...instead of a huge playland it was much more chuck-e-cheese-ish with video games and such. It was nice to see the Quillen's, albeit too short. It's always fun seeing friend's kids getting older and growing up!

Leighton-kissy face

They love sitting at tables (like "big kids") and eating their snack. Here we are at the library.
Leighton loves to kiss anyone...especially her brother.
Now she's a little worried b/c she can't get her puppy out from brother's big head. We call the puppy "tinky"... which is AJ's way of saying 'stinky'...which is what the puppy is b/c of all of Leighton's drool that soaks into it.
It was another cute kiss, but my timing was off.
kissing big sister :) that's probably why we all got the stomach bug that Leighton started in our house....all the kissing that goes around here...it's a total germ-fest!

The twins....

Leighton is always so serious....Matthias has this new scrunched up nose smile whenever he is happy. He looks so much bigger than her in the picture...it doesn't help that he's sitting more forward than she is. Sometimes it's hard for me to remember that they're twins b/c they are nothing alike and I've always had a stereotype that twins are similar.

we got a new camera!

Here are the pictures i took on the way home from getting it! I'm sure I'll have more pictures to post this week. :)

a fun old pic....

I thought those of you who are not on facebook would appreciate seeing my current profile picture. I think it was my kindergarten pic, but I'm not positive. Anyways, my camera would cost 150 bucks to fix which we've decided not to pay for b/c we can get a better camera for that price than the one we had....although I am terribly sad to lose it, it was such a good one. So, I'm camera shopping and dying around the house when something cute comes up and I can't take a picture of it. I did get some video of Matthias trying to put Leighton's shoe on her foot a couple days ago...they were both cracking up at his attempts.

So, we've almost all had this stomach bug that Leighton had last sunday. Matthias seems to be the only one who has missed it...I hope that continues to be the case. I was hoping to have pictures of our visit with the Quillen's (who were supposed to spend a night in town with us this weekend) but b/c of our sick family it didn't work out (sad). Their 6 kids and our 5 would've been a fun chaotic picture to post...although I don't have a camera, so it wouldn't have happened anyways! :(

We're looking at a vision trip to Japan in September. Got passports for Tom and I and the babies...(that's a story in itself)...and just need to solidify dates and details.

We finished swim lessons last week....by the end of the week AJ was jumping in and swimming the 10 or so feet to the lifeguard. She could jump off the diving board and swim to the side! Josey was loving diving down in the deep end to retreive the rings that were being tossed down...and he and Kylie both were swimming laps (with a little difficulty, but they were making it across).

Anyways, that's us. thanks for checking in!! I'm a little lost without pictures.... hopefully we'll be back to normal in the next week or so.

i broke my camera.

Here's a shot of Matthias....I cut his hair recently, so he doesn't look quite as shaggy. :)

I dropped my camera at VBS last week. I am really bummed about it and there have been several things that have happened at home that I have reached for my camera only to remember that I don't have it anymore. I sent it to Nikon and they're going to tell me how much it'll cost them to fix it. If it's too much I guess I'll just wait for birthday money to buy a new one. Anyways, I don't know what this blog is going to look like while I'm camera-less....but, I guess we'll see! such a bummer.

Leighton was throwing up this morning. I'm really praying that it stays with her....although it seems highly unlikely that no one else in our family will get it. Stomach bugs are my most dreaded virus...I've been Lysol wiping down every knob and switch I can. :) headed for bed.....thanks for checking in!

AJ turned 4!!!

AJ's birthday was the first day of VBS last week....I felt a little bad b/c we spent the whole day at the church, our AC was out, so we weren't spending anytime at home...it was crazy, but we were able to have pizza and cake with some kids who stayed after VBS for a while to celebrate with us. Ashley Joy has been such a joy to our family....as many of you know we felt like we might've been finished with 3 kids and then decided that since Kylie and Josiah as so close in age that we wanted to have 1 more to be a buddy for AJ. We all know how that turned out! :) But....of all of our children, AJ has the sweetest and best personality to be the one in the middle. She loves being a big kid (she really didn't like being the youngest child before the babies came along) and gets along well with K and J (although she and J have their moments)...and she loves being a big sister and plays with the twins just as well as she does with the big kids. This year has been filled with Tom and I finding so much joy in AJ's sweet spirit, the way she runs/skips/jumps everywhere she goes, her cute little raspy voice and how she doesn't say her s's (I till want some pite...I still want some sprite), her love for her babies...matthias was always "her" baby...but now she calls leighton her baby, too. I am sooo thankful for our big 4 year old little girl....how blessed are we to have her as a part of our family.

VBS 2008!!!

It's been VBS week here for us...we're doing "Power Lab" which has been a lot of fun for the kids (and the adults). Tom is playing the role of 3 station leaders, so it's been a little insane for him (I'm just running around taking pictures which I enjoy, but am not interacting with the kids as much as I'd like to)....it's a bit of a mix that tomorrow is the last day....sad that it's done, but a little relieved that we made it to the end of the week. :) The babies have had babysitters all week long in the morning, so they're definitely ready to have life return to "normal".
AJ's preschool group...the "squeaky beakers"
Josiah's crew
Kylie's crew (somehow ended up to be 5 rising 3rd grade girls)
A shot of the fun diet coke + mint mentos experiment.

Not only has it been VBS week, but our AC was out from last Saturday to Wednesday (had to replace the entire unit), and as I was walking around taking pictures this week I dropped my digital camera (and it stopped working). Anyways, that's what we've been up to lately! The 3 older kids have week 2 of their swimming lessons next week, so we'll be headed to the public pool every morning next week. I can't believe that the kids start school in 5 weeks!!!

Today's playdate!

I have met the majority of my good playdate friends at storytime here in town. We went to see Ronald McDonald doing magic tricks yesterday afternoon and he reminded us about Wacky Wednesdays (49 cent hamburgers and 59 cent cheeseburgers). Anyways, we decided to set up lunch/playdate...I put some fries in the oven and we picked up some burgers and the kids ate and then played together while the mother's talked.

The big kids played Star Wars Monopoly....

The medium kids played my little ponies, and other girly things...

And the unpictured little kids took naps! :) It was a fun day...nice to add a few more kids to the already chaotic household. The adult conversation is much needed and a welcome change. I am blessed to have such good friends.

And we are finally home...

We arrived home to a special package from a friend (bluegrass simpsons music) and then another package later in the week....fresh hand picked berries from the same friends! I was going to try the berries, but the smell was too overpowering. It was definitely the thought that counts! (Thanks Jen and Todd)

After getting back at 6:30am on friday morning...we spent the weekend somewhat recovering and headed into swim lessons on monday morning. The tough part was that we were coming into week 2 of a two week session. So, after really not swimming since last summer, the big kids got to class and were told to swim a lap. It's been a tough week for Kylie and Josiah...swimming laps and learning to breath and stroke together...but all very worth it. AJ has really enjoyed her class....she got dropped into the deep end (fully clothed) today as part of the class...to make sure she knew how to swim up and grab the side. Josey did a feet first dive here.

AJ and Kylie happened to go off the diving boards at the same time.

We pulled out Kylie's old princess castle she had gotten years ago and all five kids piled in and had a blast. Should've pulled it out earlier if I knew how much they'd be entertained!

Catch up Part 2....

Tom and I have been talking for a little while about what might be in our future. Our position here in Wauchula lasts for one more year from now (I cannot believe we've been here for a year already!). Something that we began praying about (starting in March) is the possibility of overseas missions. We took a trip to Atlanta where MTW (Mission To the World) our denomination's sending agency is located. They held a vision retreat for people who are thinking about missions...it was a sweet time of hearing from missionaries from all parts of the world and meeting other people who are praying through going overseas. We are specifically thinking through going to Japan. Less than 1/2 of 1% of Japan is Christian...and it is the 2nd largest unreached nation. Please pray with and for us as we look towards our future in ministry!

On the way down to Atlanta we had the blessing of spending the night with the Sanders....sweet friends and old neighbors from seminary...here are pictures of me with the Sanders girls....

Sweet Lizzie....
and my friend, Jen


We really enjoyed the grass in Virginia. Florida grass is not very soft and the yard is full of fire ant mounds, so walking barefoot in the grass is not an option down here. The babies (for the most part) enjoyed the green grass. And last is a picture of the kids with grandma....she graciously watched all 5 kids for us for the 4 nights that we were gone to Atlanta. I called her on sunday and she proceeded to tell me that Leighton threw up in the car on the way to the airport (she was dropping someone off there) and Matthias threw up on the way home from the airport. I felt horrible for her, but glad that I wasn't there. :) I know that she was exhausted by the time we got back. Thank you Rose Marie....it was a blessing to know that everyone was well cared for.

Catch up time Part 1

I have been way behind in blogging. The month of June was full of crazy travelling, so now that we're home it's nice to be able to start our summer. We pretty much left town when school got out and were gone for just about 3 weeks! Here's part 1 of what we did......

Uncle Dave (Aunt Julie and the boys) were up at my parents house for several days when we were there, so the cousins got to spend a good bit of time together playing....

A-kong took us all putt-putting....
We always need to get a picture of A-Kong and A-ma with all the kids...
We spend a day at a really fun playground with my friend, Julie, and her kids. (fun fact-Julie and I attended elementary, middle, high school and college together) (Josey wasn't so happy in this pic, too many girls)
The girls and Julie's baby (Tyler)
Our time in NoVA was really nice. A little busy, but for some reason i usually keep my life relatively busy....otherwise I get bored. :) Anyways, this is part 1....our trip to Atlanta comes next...I'll write more about that in the next couple of days (maybe tonight if I get a chance!).