Elijah

Our big and middle kids sometimes get overlooked 

here on my blog or facebook because I don't take as many pictures of them.

I'm trying to do better with the middle kids--

my bigger ones do NOT like me to take their picture!

Elijah was given this great hat by one of our grown up friends at Awana.

He was absolutely thrilled because it looks like one Indiana Jones would wear.

His first thought was, "I can't wait to show Nathaniel!"

 Elijah turned 8 this month.

See?

He is growing so tall.

I also see so many other ways that he is growing.

I've spent a lot of time just observing him with the others,

noticing he's not so "little" anymore.

It's one of those proud-but-just-a-little-sad-about-how-quickly-time-passes 

kind of feelings.

I think we have a word for that in the English language--nostalgia.

Elijah enjoys playing cars, drawing pictures, playing spies,

writing special notes, hunting, reading books, and playing outside.

(Their first snow creations of this winter)

Elijah has a special spot in his heart for Baby Cece,

asking often if he can be the one who gets to hold her.

He is quite a deep thinker

and comes with difficult questions

or keen observations.

His quick wit makes conversation delightful.

Snow Baby

Winter came and stayed a little earlier than usual

for our neck of the woods.

My kids have not complained--

they look forward to winter.

Sledding, snowmen, sledding, snow angels, sledding, snowball fights, 

and sledding!!

Elizabeth was excited to go out and play, too.

The snow was especially swirly on the day I took these

and kept blowing in her eyes.

"Snow in mine eyes, Mama!"

She likes to lick the snow off of her gloves

and knows the rule about colored snow. ;)

The Boy Can Cook

It's important to me that my sons learn how to cook--

not just for themselves, but for a group.

Besides the obvious macaroni & cheese, ramen noodles, chicken nuggets, and frozen pizza,

the boys are branching out to being able to prepare more "real" food.

Christopher's specialty:

chocolate chip pancakes!

Wordless Wednesday::Baby

Graduation

Wasn't that funny?

That one time?

When I said I'd post pictures of Nathaniel's graduation?

Hahahaha!

Back in JUNE?

I'm the only one laughing?

And it's the fake "heh, heh" kind of laugh?

And I should quit ending all these sentences with question marks?

Done.

So our oldest son graduated from our homeschool

this spring.

We hosted an open house at our church in June to celebrate.

My super amazing friend Monica made the cakes.

One "silly" 

(Nathaniel loves Batman movies.)

And one "serious".

I was busy with food and hostessing

so I asked Linnea to "take a bunch of pictures throughout the afternoon."

She said, "Of what?"

I told her, "Of people, of Nathaniel, of the grandparents, the guests,

just...random pictures of the day."

We decorated the tables with pictures of Nathaniel

The pictures I asked Linnea to take?

These are it.

I have no picture of our oldest son with us, his parents.

No photo of our whole family.

No grandparents.

I shouldn't say these are it.

I also have about four selfies of Linnea and Abram.

note to self:  you get what you pay for.

Last Football Game

Christopher and Andrew participated in football this year for the first time.

They practiced two nights a week

and had games on Saturday mornings,

4 in September and 2 in October.

I made it to every game in September

but as you may recall

Cece was born on the first Friday night in October

and I just wasn't up to attending a football game the next morning.

I know what you're thinking--

some Amazon warrior princess would have been,

but I don't think her kids play organized sports so your point is moot.

As I was saying.

The last football games for their season

were on the home field and it was a lovely morning.

A little chilly, but the sun was shining and my parents were along to

help me with the little people watch the boys play.

(Who am I kidding?  It was both.)

Ivy, Elijah, and Ruby were more interested in the dirt pile behind the bleachers 

so they played with another boy there.

This is Linnea's super-good friend Amy who had slept over at our house the night before.

She's Elizabeth's super-good friend, too.

Bipper-Man!

#29

Abram 

Bipper has a bit of strut when he wears a uniform.

Christopher's game was first

so Andrew had time to hang out with us.

I'm not really sure how my baby boy

grew to have the build of a linebacker but,

well, it happened.  (#44)

Football games are long.

And can get boring if 

a) you don't understand the game

b) you have no interest in understanding the game

c) you're cold

d) you're Ruby or Ivy

e) just a and b

f) only d

g) all or most of the above

h) I never was good at multiple choice

Bipper's totally into the 

"make a funny face" picture.

Totally.

Oh look--there's my dad.

(upper left)

Elijah really hopes he gets to play next year!

Good thing she keeps her nose clean.

My dad used that figure of speech all the time when we were growing up.

Here, I mean it figuratively and literally.

Abram doesn't keep his nose clean,

figuratively nor literally,

but he's in the blurry background so it's not as obvious.

A happy, happy, guy.

I'm excited to see what next year's season holds for these boys!

In a Pinch

Baby sister's pink paci

will suffice when you're desperate

and yours is lost.

Ivy's Family

Turns out Ivy was the only Cubbie at Awana whose family picture required an additional page of construction paper and some over-lapping of people.

Baby Girl

cherished

carried

cuddled

changed

sung to

talked to

danced for

adored

loved

The Award

 The award for

Cheekiest Smile

goes to........

 my boy Abram!

Sleep