Long Time, No Blog

Things have been unbelievably busy lately. We are remodeling the house. The kids started school and football. I have started teaching a pre-k class two days a week. And I'm coaching a pee-wee cheer squad. It's been crazy! So I haven't found much time for blogging.

I thought I better add a few lines of life to the blog.

The boys are all enjoying their football season. Here's a picture from Nehemiah's first high school football game. He's the one in the center of the photo who is facing forward and you can't see his jersey number.

Here's Samara, Malachi and Seth at the first flag football game of the season.

School is getting easier for both of the boys. I still hate the schedule though.

I really love Malachi's teacher. She is very good. I can tell she puts a lot of effort into her class.

Malachi brought home a "surprise" for me the other day and placed it in the fridge but told me not to look. So I waited a few hours until he told me it was ok to open the fridge. By that time the surprise was gone. We looked and looked but were unsuccessful. Come to find out a few days later, Malachi's surprise was a flyer about boy scouts. I wondered why he put it in the fridge but discovered the answer when I found another flyer at the school. The flyer had instructions to "Take this home, show your parents and put it on your refridgerator". LOL!!!

Yesterday was Isaiah's homecoming game. Here's a picture of him escorting his cousin Jada across the field during the halftime show.

After the game he was given a goodie bag full of candy. He shared with his siblings of course. He gave Malachi some gum. While Malachi was in the back of the truck chewing his gum, he thought it would be a good idea to take it out of his mouth and stretch it out. Then he thought it would be a cool necklace so he wrapped it around his neck! Poor thing, he couldn't get all that gum off. We stopped by Taco Bueno to grab a bite to eat before going home and he was walking around with his shirt pulled up over his head. He said he didn't want anyone to see his neck. I reassured him and we sat in the back corner. I just love that kid.

Stupidity

Saturday night we were invited to a friend's house for dinner. We decided to bring a couple of wine coolers. Ray and I stopped at the QuikTrip to pick up a drink on the way. I helped Ray carry one of the wine coolers to the register. The employee asked for our I.D.'s and Ray quickly produced his. I didn't have mine so I told the clerk I didn't have it with me. He immediately grabbed the drinks and moved them off the counter while telling us he could not sell to us. I know he was just doing his job but it really pissed me off. I know why the laws are there, but just because I was standing there, Ray could not buy the drinks. Is that crazy or what? I mean, had I waited in the car then he could go ahead and make the purchase. It seems to me that the law is not doing what it is supposed to be doing. If I had thought like a criminal in the first place then I could've just sent my husband in to buy but instead the law prevents someone like me, a 32 year old Christian woman with 5 kids who rarely drinks, from buying a drink.
NOW THAT'S JUST STUPID!

A Little Better

OK, I feel a little better.

Last night Ray could tell that I was pretty stressed out. He suggested that we load up all the kids and go feed the ducks. So we did! It was lovely weather and though we didn't spend a whole lot of time at the park, we were able to spend time together and with nature. That was SO GOOD for my soul!

Now I can face another school day.

SCHOOL!!!

After much debate, we've decided to put the kids in public school this year. I'm not necessarily against public school but I am really grieving in this decision. I love having the kids home with me but I have to admit I am ready for a break. This summer has been pretty stressful. (That's a whole 'nother story.) Anyway, if I was financially able, I would definately home school again. But public school is a free place for them to go, make friends, and learn while Ray and I work...so we will do what we have to do. Yay! I'm working part-time and will be able to drop the kids off at school and pick them up after school!

I pepped the kids up for the school year. The twins are thrilled to be in pre-K. Isaiah and Malachi enjoyed the first two days. Now they are ready to homeschool again.

But today I was very frustrated. The twins go to a pre-k school, Isaiah and Malachi go to an elementary school and Nehemiah goes to high school. The pre-k gets out at 3:10. So does the elementary school. Our family only has one car. Therein lies the problem. So Ray and I decided to pick the twins up first. Yesterday we arrived at 2:40, thinking that would give us plenty of time to get to the front of the line to pick up kids. Boy were we wrong! The line was already wrapped around the school parking lot, out onto the street and backed up several hundred feet onto the adjacent street!!! We could not believe it. We waited for about 15 minutes before deciding to leave this school and pick up the elementary kids first. Then we rushed back to the pre-k, only to find that we were still at the end of a very long line! With more cars behind us! By the time we actually picked up Seth and Samara it was 3:50.

So today, we arrived at the pre-k at 1:50. There was already a line of about 4 cars in front of us. I did some reading while Ray took a nap. All the while thinking that this is a ridiculous situation. It shouldn't take an hour to pick your children up from a local school. Some of the parents tried to park and walk up to the school, but the principal would not release the children. The school rule is that the kids either have to ride the bus or be picked up by car. No child can leave with a parent who is walking. Craziness! And then I overheard the principal saying something to the effect that she could not believe that parents arrived before 2pm to pick up their kids! Well, what do you think they should do? There are about 300 pre-k kids in this school and none of them can be walked home!

Then I come home to find out that Nehemiah's coach is making the football players stay until 8pm tonight to sell fundraiser stuff. They did not tell us that this would be happening. I don't know if Nehemiah knew or not. But the tardy bell at his high school rings at 7:30am. School ends at 2:30 but he stays after school for football practice. So he leaves school at 5:30pm. Then he rushes home for food and begins homework before leaving (on Tues/Thurs) to go to Malachi's football practice, where he is an assistant coach. He has a full plate.

Man, how to people keep up with this public school craziness?

Weekday Riding at Shady Grove

We like to go to Shady Grove during the week because it's not crowded at all. It makes me more comfortable knowing there are not bikes everywhere that could hit one of my precious little ones! On this trip there was only one other group of riders, a father and son! It was perfect! We had someone to talk to and I felt safe letting little riders ride.

Here's Malachi taking Bruce for a ride:


Marcus and Nehemiah, posing between rides:

Isaiah doing donuts:

Children will find things to do even if you don't make any suggestions. While waiting their turn for a ride on the four wheeler, Jada and the twins did this:


Among other things, they picked up litter and threw rocks too. I love to watch them live life to the fullest. It really helps me remember that the best things in life are free.

Fun at Football Practice

While Isaiah, Ashton and Trejan were busy with an official Dolphins Football Practice, Ray started working with Malachi and Tristen on the three-point stance and a blocking drill.

The twins tried to do their own blocking drill but just ended up on the ground.

Soon Koda showed up with his mom and Tori. He's proudly sporting a mohawk haircut!

I haven't seen Tori in so long! She's growing up so fast! I had to get a picture of her.

Here's a group of Dolphin player siblings keeping occupied until practice is over.

Free Stuff on CraigsList

If you've never been to craigslist.com, then you're missing out. We found a free slate pool table that we couldn't resist. It was in decent shape when we got it. But the dang thing was so heavy that we tore it up trying to move it to our house.

So we used the handy, dandy Internet to research how to fix it up. We bought some felt and contact paper for just a few bucks and voila!

Now...if we just had a place to keep it...