whatever

i cleaned out 6 pumpkins this afternoon.
lauren wants some credit too…
she did cut three open and clean half of her own.
then the phone rang and she was gone. 🙂
after dinner they each made their own design.
annie wanted a scary face with mad eye “bwows”.

scott had the most original idea
but needed a grown up’s brain to figure out how to do it.

i thought sean’s looked a little like him…with the teeth.
he did it all completely on his own.

i still have mine but haven’t had time to carve it yet.
i am going to go with the big cursive D scraped in…not carved.

baby london is home.
3 lb. 14 oz. and already home.
9 days old.
i finally held her.
precious.
just absolutely perfect.
i made craig feel her head…to feel the tinyness.
oh it’s going to be much with this new sweet baby so close by.

we got sean laughing pretty hard at his new voice.
with no front teeth he can’t say his S’s.
it’s the cutest thing.

FYI…i am working on the blog design…stay with me.

treats from aunt sherri in the mail…
teeny tiny pumpkin bottles of bubbles.

fully stocked bathroom…
we were completely out.

sock monkeys at the antique store

lovely photo taken by scott

four magazines in the mail in one day

mini pumpkins on the mantel in the sunshine

dirty scale…

annie pushing 3 babies in 2 strollers clipped together.

and seriously…what is happier than a huge box of crayons on your floor?

so i guess i am messy.

that’s no secret to anyone who knows me.
but you have to make a mess to create what is in you…i think.
and messes are fun.
just ask my kids.

a few new layouts…

and for a totally different subject…
sean lost one front tooth.
he made $1.73 in change from dad’s coin jar.
the other one is so wobbly…barely hanging on.
i had craig try to pull it out this morning.
they had picture retakes today.
don’t you think toothless kids are the cutest?
but instead he will be half toothless and one crooked wobbly tooth.
maybe he will smirk instead of cheesey grin.

and now i am off to see that tiny sweet baby.

so this is our chart.
i am not very organized…but i am visual.
these were the chores that when i asked for help they would all scatter…
except talby. (“can i help? can i help?!!”)
it hangs across my view from the cooktop…easy to see whose name to shout.
but now it’s assigned…and surprisingly
they do it.
with little or no complaint.

if possible they can choose what dinner we make.
and then they help prepare it…
even shaping meatballs!
it’s been fun for all of us (i think)

i would say that the after dinner part is what we need to work on the most.
there is still a bit of disappearance when it’s your night to clear or wipe off
but now they get called back in instead of me giving a big
“nobody ever helps me” SIGH and then doing it myself
and being mad about it all night.

talby and sean also empty the dishwasher every day.
annie helps when she wants to.
and then lauren and scott switch off loading the dishwasher each time.
(we have lost several glasses & plates in this process but it’s a small price to pay)
they also clean the bathrooms on saturdays.
clean their rooms.
and change the pets’ habitats.

what do your kids do?
what more should my kids be doing?
do your kids do laundry?
how much?
folding, putting away, actually loading and unloading?
i am curious on your thoughts.

my phone rang at 3:12 AM last Friday night.
my neighbor.
her water broke…4 weeks early.
i got dressed & slipped down the street to stay with their kids.
so exciting.
we waited to hear….and waited….and waited.
finally i got the call at 10:30 PM (i think?)
baby london was here.
she was only 3 lb. 10 oz.
but she is healthy…doing great.
today i got to see her.
she was so precious, tiny and beautiful in every way.
she is God’s gift.
congrats jen and russ.
i look forward to watching her grow.
it won’t be long before she is running around
in a princess costume up and down the block with the rest of them.

she is the tiniest baby i have ever seen.
just so sweet.

and then 2 days later my friend Kim had her baby benjamin.
he was 7 lb. 9 oz.
he was so content…and lovely.
i couldn’t hold either baby because i have a cough.
it was killing me.
i was having serious baby fever in that hospital.

Kim i thought you looked wonderful.
i was thrilled to see you so happy this morning.
benjamin is going to bring so much joy to your family.
he is so adorable…and I WILL be holding him all of bible study.
i know i will have to fight to get him though.
i can’t wait.

i see alex in this face?
what do you think kim?