i was on my own this weekend…..with all the kids.
craig was away with guys from our church.
at a lake? in missouri? or arkansas?
mostly golfing i think.
i was happy for him to get a break.
really….i was.
i know how badly i need them….so i was happy for him.
if i can keep my attitude in check then a few days on my own holding down the fort is ok.
i took pictures of saturdays good stuff.
i did sleep in.
the benefit of bigger kids….they let you sleep because they don't need things like diaper changes or bottles.
they can turn on the tv and computer by themselves.
they make their own breakfast.
so i get to sleep.
and they let me get ready in peace for almost an hour!
that rocked.
i snapped a shot that i decided to use as my new profile pic…i have been so happy with that mirror in the kitchen.
most of the kids finished their chores and it was almost noon.
scott was already gone at his basketball practice.
we dropped off sean at his friend's house.
lauren was still asleep.
the little girls and i went to the nursery.
annie was dressed for a birthday party.
she had come into my room and said "don't i look fancy for the party?" it was boy party! :)
my ginormous geranium was my passenger on the way home….
sparkling lemonade….
bloom bag from the pleated poppy!!!
we dropped annie off at the birthday party (forgot the gift!)
talby and i grabbed groceries at the walmarts.
and a cute swim suit cover up for her.
(and a gift for the party)
then came home and her friend came over.
my dinner.
dinner for everyone else was make-your-own. (aka: cereal or chicken nuggets)
sean came home.
scott was back.
lauren and her friend came home.
annie came home.
and two more friends showed up.
lauren announced to the 8 of us that she is making a campfire.
(time for me to join the group instead of listening to everything from the kitchen windows…fire is involved)
they did it….very well in fact.
the light was almost gone…..that is the museum that we live next door to behind lauren.
we made smores with reeses.
the marshmallows MAY have had ants in the bag….but we were desperate…..
people in other countries eat ants right?
it's protein.
right???
expert fire makers.
we have them to thank for our nice end to the day.
it was great….for real.
i wrangled in two for baths.
one started her laundry.
i got the three youngest to bed.
the two older watched a movie.
and i crashed.
it was a good day.
i have flowers to plant.
the house is a wreck.
and half the groceries i got are already gone.
i guess that is what happens when 10 kids are in your house in one day….
and it's fine.
perfectly fine.
Joseph - pleased to meet your blog…
COME VISIT ME…OK…thank you very much
Karen Gerstenberger - I love…
…your haircut…your new blog header…Sonic…Annie’s outfit…the fact that you went with the campfire…the flexibility that you live with…the fact that your sweetie went on a church trip on his own…your blog…your honesty…your faith…your family.
Kimberly - Sometimes that level of chaos is so awesome 🙂
Anne-Marie from CT - I want to be adopted into your family! Your house looks full of love, laughter, fun, and just plain crazy-kid stuff. 🙂
Btw~Your haircut is fantastic!!! So stinkin’cute. luv, luv, luv it!!
Kate - I love this post. It sounds like a wonderful happy weekend of Mom and kids. It just made me smile.
And yes, people eat ants.
Gina - Love this post! You make the ordinary stuff sound great on your blog-things I wouldn’t normally think about blogging but they are so real I keep reading…. and we are alot alike 🙂 when we had our 1st kid, 5 kids (although my youngest is 11 yr step-daughter and my 2 oldest girls already left the nest), photography, scrapbooking, treasure hunting, I even used to sew (a LONG time ago) although I gave my machine to GOODWILL when we moved 6 months ago! I love the new pic – and the mirror in the kitchen! I’ve been hunting at garage sales for cool frames to paint awesome bright colors for my home and for designer framing for my customers…. I hope we get to meet in person one day 🙂
Wendi - My mother in law eats ants. She bought me some ant eggs to eat one time. Kinda sweet 🙂 I went to a bridal shower next door to you over Christmas… it was fancy yet cozy. Sounds like a great yet full day!
Aimee - Wow, that day gave me chills. Perfection. I can’t wait until we establish nearby friend relationships like that.
And you hit the nail on the head about one of the best parts of kids getting older. I LOVE that they can take care of themselves in the morning. Love, loooooooooove it!!!!!
Kat - Sounds like a great Saturday. (always good to hear what others do on their weekends. I always feel with 4 young kids like I spend lots of time doing washing, feeding kids and more of the same iykwim?)
Sounds like you juggled it all well!
It’s nice to see Lauren hanging at home with the family and wanting to make a campfire to share.
Kristin S - Seriously, your random posts are my fave. I think I’m sick of saying this every time you post random! But it is true. So there.
julia - soooo, who’s Lauren’s “friend”?
Risa - This made me smile! SO. MUCH.
casey - your pictures made me happy;0. love smores, love the giant glasses, love your snapshot of your self in that awesome mirror! Great captures!
danielle - love the smores with reeses…campfire is in order for me and my man after the boys are in bed friday night.
karen - Great profile pic! looked like such a nice weekend.
i want to be in a greenhouse right now!
Here in Toronto…spring has barely sprung.
off to get some left over chocolate from Easter and scoop up some peanut butter 🙂
Laura Phelps - i love a house full of kids
and i love lauren in these pictures
love that she started a fire
the good kind 🙂
Su@The Intentional Home - I am sure you have heard the quote:
If your children spend
most of their time
in other people’s houses,
you’re lucky;
if they all congregate
at your house,
you’re blessed.
You are indeed blessed. . .10 kids!!
jennie - sounds like a picture perfect day. how nice that it’s in print, to be remembered forever.
Jessica Johnson - mac + great lash = all you need in life. my make-up bag looks identical.
regina - i LOVE how real you are!!!!
Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - chocolate+peanut butter = PERFECTION! Love it!
se7en - Oh fun!!! You have such a great attitude – love it!!!
Sarah@this farm family's life - sounds like a fabulous weekend! I am so jealous that you all are in shorts…it is still cold here.
happygirl - Such a fun Saturday. Love the new profile pic. and, I’ll eat s’mores if they have Reeses AND ants. Not just ants.
Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - Where do I start? Profile pic…LOVE, Craig away…sad, you took care of the whole family by yourself…awesome, S’mores with Reese’s…sounds like a plan, out of groceries already…sounds like my house 🙂
Danielle - Sounds lovely! I love your bag from the pleated poppy, might have to get one for myself, it’s almost Mother’s Day so I can justify it, right?:) I miss Sonic:( We don’t have one close, literally like an hour and a half away. So when my husband is on that side of town he goes to Sonic and buys me two bags of the crushed ice so I can make believe for awhile. I might need to buy some styrofoam cups to get the full effect. Have a great day!
Amanda - Phew! I’m so glad that things went so well (or they didn’t and you just chose to not tell us about that)!
Reeses smores sound wonderful.
Samantha - Maybe Lake of the Ozarks? Heck I wouldn’t know living in Missouri just a little over a month. Just know from what my grandparents told me that the place they are staying at the Ozarks has a golf course lol.
Jennifer S. - These are the days that I am looking forward to…my kids and all their friends in and out all day long. I love having a house full of people all the time and the kids and their friends are going to be apart of that.
sara @ it's good to be queen - s’mores with reeces?! i. die.
Diana - Part of my ancestry is in that museum next door to you. Such a great heritage. Yeah, I cannot lie, I’m proud of that. 🙂
Flowers so pretty. Gardening… my #1 interest. Too bad winter interferes. LOL!
Alicia @ La Famille - what a nice saturday. and how sweet of you to let your hubby have a break while you took over. i think it’s harder for moms sometimes because we’re with the kids all the time, so we think we’re the only ones in need of a break…at least that’s how i feel 🙂 (most of the time) you’re a sweet mama!
Julia - Sounds like an awesomely exhausting day. I have two little ones (2 1/2 and 4 months) and I not-so-secretly hope when they get bigger, that our house will be the ‘hub’ of kid activity.
Molly - Talby is so cool!!
Cindy B - So fun! Last night I was supposed to go to the movies with my book club, but my 12 year son said, “You’re not coming to my game, Mom?” So I changed my plans because those days will be gone too soon. My 16 year old has her friends over for lunch every day and I am always running out of food too! That’s what Costco and Walmart are for!
You’re looking skinny must be Jillian at work!
Cindy
Cindy - This all sounds so good! Love the smores photos! Makes me long for summer nights. Can’t wait for our frosts to be done. For good. I want to head to the nursery for plants! Thank you for this post. It lifted my spirits and reminded me that groceries that are just purchased and so quickly gone means that there is a house full of loved ones around me.
Jes - That brings me back to summer nights being a kid (except we never had reese’s smores!) Your kids are all so beautiful and unique 🙂
And I am very interested in that Museum next door (wonder what sort of treasures are inside), and how cool that would be for a neighbor!
shelly - What a blessed weekend—for everyone around!!!
I want that..to be the friend hangout (and maybe the museum behind you–loks gorg!)
Kim - um, s’mores with reeses? i just died.
it is a good thing i don’t have easy access to a fire pit right now… 🙂
katie Phillips - Thank you for making me smile today! 🙂 I love all of this…it makes the inside of my ears warm and fuzzy! (that is a good thing!)
Kacey - So that’s what life with 5 kids is like – busy busy busy! And I think my two boys wear me out…
Honestly, it sounded lovely to me. Lots of kids around and a happy house. I love it when you document your days!
Kacey
P.S. Love the new profile pic!
Amy - We are going camping at East Lake this weekend and I CAN’T forget to pack the smores!!
Lisa - I love a house full of my kids and their friends! So fun. Loved that you ate marshmallows with ants! hahaha I would totally just flick them off and go for it! The heat of the fire would kill any germs right?! 😉
Ashlyn - I am with you on the sleep. If I can sleep in on the weekend, I am much happier and ready to drive everyone to & fro!
Love your pleated poppy and what is better than a Sonic drink?
xo
Courtney Walsh - wait. what? S’mores with REESES? Are you KIDDING? I have never even considered that but now I won’t rest till we try them!
And the sleeping in part made me hate you a little. But only for a fleeting second. 🙂
Also, your bag from pleated poppy?? LOVE.
Your hair? Love.
Fancy Annie? Love.
🙂
kristy - I’d like you to know, the only thing I heard in this post was “when the kids are older, you get sleep”. Thank you for giving me hope!!!!!! 🙂 And can I live next door to you?
Georgia - My mum has 3 kids, me being one of them, and quite regulary when i go over there ,y 17yr old brother has about 6 mates round all playing xbox in his tiny bedroom, and my sister will have 3 mates round sitting watching a dvd in the lounge.
My mum is so laid back, her motto is as long as you have fun, and your safe thats all that matters 🙂
(even if she is re-stocking the fridge and cleaning for days afterwards… hehe)
Holly - I recognize your saturday! It sounds similar to mine! We live right in front of the ball fields in our town so we always have kids coming over…..and eating of course!
Charlene @ Adventures In Mommy Land - LOL, can’t believe you guys ate ants (maybe?) I would’ve freaked out!
My kids used to let me sleep in like that too, but now the two youngest boys fight every morning until I wake up and separate them….then I can’t fall back asleep…totally sucks!
Looks like everyone survived and had fun!
Gemma @ Musings of a gem - Sounds like a fab day…I am in love with campfires and s’mores at the moment. It’s part of my summer rital!
Gemma x
valerie - Love your Blog! The pictures in this post are getting me hungry for summer. I have the same thing, flats and flats of flowers just waiting to get some love.
sara@augustfields - megan….you look FABULOUS in that picture! i can not wait to start planting flowers…we have to wait a few more weeks….
i loved your video too 🙂 i did my first video a couple of weeks ago…
hope you have more days like this ahead!
BriBedell - Sounds like a good day to me! I often wonder now how my parents could afford to feed us 6 kids and all our friends….CRAZY!!!
Heather - Mmmmmm. What was your dinner?
MaryLea @ pink and green mama - Sound perfect and I would say that by toasting/roasting the marshmallows those ants didn’t stand a chance! Love the new profile pic and your cute hair-do!! Inspired by your daughter’s haircut last week I think I’ve convinced “C” to let me chop hers off into a short bob again for this summer.
xoxo MaryLea
Ana M - do simple and mundane things are always the best…specially with family…thanks for sharing these moments…
Cathy - what is your yummy looking lunch?
Catherine - I love hearing how similar our times can be! I only have 3 but ages range 17, 12,and 7. 2 boys and a baby girl. Our summers are like that, kids coming and going and just a good time. Don’t you love having kids that are so self sufficient!?
april - Love the new profile pic….sooo cute!
xoxo
Sugar Mama - I loved this entire post, but what caught my attention the most was “half the groceries are already gone….” That has been my life lately with older boys and their friends over at the house. I spent $400 at Costco less than 2 weeks ago and almost ALL of the food is gone!
Life is good. And I like that their friends hang out at our house. And I love that my kids have good friends.
(but do they HAVE to eat all of the food? can’t they bring some from their own home to share?)
ashley jensen - Smores with Reeses???? That sounds awesome. Now I will just have to remember to do that the next time we go camping! I noticed that your tree stump seats and picnic table is paineted with bright colors too!
Molly Pearce - Sounds like a super fun weekend!!! I will have to try smores with Reeses’, thats my hubs favorite candy 🙂
~Molly P
Melanie - Sounds like a great weekend:)