on cloud 8

When I first started this blog, I tried to think of a cute, clever name for it, and eventually came up with 'on cloud 8'.

For two reasons.

First, because our lives are not perfect. We're usually hanging out on cloud 8 instead of cloud 9.
Sometimes cloud 7 or 4 or 2, but usually cloud 8. And we like it here.

Second, although I liked to pretend that I was waffling about having a sixth baby, I really knew I would. I would get that feeling that someone was missing all the time. Like when I'd be leaving somewhere with all the kids & counting heads in the back of the Suburban, & it would feel like I didn't have everyone. Weird, I know. But it happened alot.

That doesn't happen anymore.

Probably because every seat in the Suburban is full!

So now we're a party of 8.

And we are truly on cloud 8, and loving it!

This little guy, I would have to say, out of all my boys, is the most enamored of his baby sister.

He's the first one to run to her & love on her when she fusses. And gets very distressed when she cries. He's so good with her & it is just the sweetest thing to watch.

I've been pleasantly surprised at how helpful the older kids have been with Caroline. I think I might even miss them when it's time to go back to school!

My, how they've grown!........part 1

So I thought it would be fun to recreate some old pictures to see how much these knuckleheads have grown. And we laughed our heads off. I want to do more.
But looking at them now, it kind of makes me sad that they've grown so much! And it went so fast!
I took these probably 6 months ago & am now just blogging them. They can't even fit in to some of the stuff they're wearing in these anymore!

Doesn't it go by in a blink?!!

Is this a bad sign?

Both of our wedding rings are broken.

Just broke all the way through one day.

It happened a while ago, but we're just now getting them fixed.

I'm trying to decide how sentimental I am. Whether I want to fix mine or get a new setting.

Hmmmmm.......

Mmmmmmmm

Don't you want some of our mashed potatoes?

drama queen

Our little Caroline seems to be a bit dramatic.

Everything she does is exaggerated.

She doesn't just burp, she belches.

She doesn't just cry, she screeches.

When she's asleep, it's like she's comatose.

And when she's awake, she's very alert & wants to be walked around so she can look at things.

And she has such great expressions. I could look at her all day!

adjusting

It was a little rough for this guy right after Caroline was born.
I mistakenly thought it wouldn't be a big deal with Gus being a big 4-year-old and able to communicate well & everything.
I was wrong.
He's been King of our Castle for 4 long years with Mom at his beck & call for his every whim & desire, and then one day, with much celebration, he's ousted from his throne by a new little princess!
Tough times!
He retaliated by being a royal pain, mostly to me. Saying mean things to me, which he never does. But luckily, has always been sweet to our little princess.
Now that the novelty has worn off, he's back to being his delightful self, though more grown up now.
He's taken to his new role as 'one of the big boys'.
He's definitely not a baby anymore.
But he'll always be my baby boy.

Big princess & little princess.
Marlee is loving having a little sister at last.

kittyfest

There's still time to get one of these for your own! But they're going fast!

OK, not really. No takers yet.

But you never know.....they could be all gone tomorrow.

(Although that would most likely happen if I let Brian take over this situation.....something about plastic bags & rocks)

I realized the other day that having nine cats qualifies me as a Crazy Cat Lady.

At this rate I'll look like this soon.....

You know what I'm saying?

I used to work with a Crazy Cat Lady who's name was Kitty, of course. She lived alone with about 30 cats, wore shirts with pictures of cats on them, and every Friday she brought homemade cookies to share with the staff that always had cat hair in them. For real. Every Friday we were all not hungry or on a diet.

I've seen my future & it's not pretty. Please help me!

I just can't bear the thought of dropping them off at the Humane Society to probably be put to sleep.

I might have to take Jill's suggestion and sell them in front of the grocery store like Girl Scout Cookies.

Or maybe just secretly dump them at the Garn's house.

But for right now my kids looooove them.
Gus is constantly out back playing with them.
And they are so dang cute!
And I have to admit, I love them too.

Happy Father's Day, honey!

Thanks for being Dad.

I sure do love being Mom.

I love you!

Don't you want one of these?

You know you do!

We have seven to choose from.

Please?



Look how cute they are!

And they come from such a loving home.

I mean, just look at how loved they are.


And so tolerant of constant molestation!


Please help!


They're absolutely free & I'm happy to deliver.

Last week.....

.......we blessed Caroline in church.
It was a beautiful blessing & I was so glad she didn't cry during it.


Gus discovered the freedom of Floaties.

Mars & some friends got really bored.

Caroline, or 'Toots', as we call her, turned 3 weeks old & added more chunk to those cheeks.

And she started sleeping 4 hours staight at night!.......

........my little angel!

Zane had his first Swim Meet & was not too happy about his 5th place ribbon (which he's hiding behind his back).....but made a quick recovery when we mentioned going to Sonic.

Our peaches are now ripe & we need to eat them before the birds do.

We were also glad to have Jake back from Scout camp (more on that later),

and Marlee started Volleyball camp,

and Jake & Max had their first Water Polo match,

and our bedroom TV died, so we had to get a new one,

and the kids decided it's OK to have ice cream cones for breakfast when Mom's still asleep,

and I've been constantly buried in laundry, what with baby stuff & beach towels,

Oh.......

and I ran over my brand new stroller.

Yeah for summer!

Summer vacation is in full swing around here.

It's ......

RedBox movie renting,

3 times a day swimming,

icecream schnarfing,

constant friends coming & going,

up late staying,

AC cranking,

endless video game playing,

kids fighting,

Sonic slush eating,

my house a constant disaster staying,

......summer-time fun!

Mars says goodbye to junior high

And I don't think she's one bit sad about it.

I just can't believe she'll be in high school already! And the same one I went to. The one that feels like I just graduated from myself!

I was the 9th grade Photographer this year, and the 8th grade Photographer the year before that. So that meant I was in charge of putting together a slideshow movie for these 9th graders' graduation. The timing of which was not so great for me, having a baby in May & all that.
Luckily, several months ago I realized I could put Marlee to work for me. I'd let her take my old camera to school to take pictures for this slideshow, so I didn't have to. And she did a fabulous job, I must say!

I love this one she took of herself while waiting for her ride.
I love it. It's so junior high.


And here's a little collage of some of her work that went into the slideshow.......

I wish I knew how to put the whole slideshow on here. We think it turned out great.

Mars pretty much did the whole thing. Learned how to pan in & out on pictures, spliced together about 10 different songs. I was so proud.

And SO glad I didn't have to do it all myself!

one week old

Well, we made it through the end-of-the-school-year concerts & programs & parties.
Then got Mars off to Girl's Camp and Jake off to Scout Camp, which was no small feat.
And now my goal each day is to piece together enough sleep between swim team, summer preschool, and water polo to make up for the sleepless night before.


My little angel still has her days & nights very mixed up. Most of the day her eyes are pretty much glued shut.
When her eyes are open (in the middle of the night), I can see that they look more & more like daddy's eyes, which I love!

So. In. Love.

Irresponsible pet parents....

.....is what we are.

Another litter of kittens. Seven of them.

Yes, I know we need to get her spayed, the little tramp. It's just that I've had other things on my mind lately.

Does she look a little out of it? A little glassy-eyed?

I feel your pain, Snickers. I feel your pain.

Junior High here he comes!

Jake had his 6th grade graduation, or 'promotion' as they called it.

It was a nice little program, with a slideshow of all the students' Kindergarten, and then current pictures, speeches, and awards given out. Jake was one of a handful of kids who got a 'Big Improvement' award, or something about 'overcoming obstacles of some kind during the school year'. I can't remember how they put it. And we were like, "Whaa??" What's that about? Those kind of "awards" go to the kids that have a parent in jail, or kicked their smoking-pot-behind-the-portables habit, or something like that. Brian & I just looked at each other. Not clapping. We're still trying to figure out what obstacles he overcame. Maybe they found out about his compulsion to slip homework assignments behind the piano or under the couch, thinking that they would just 'go away'. Or.....I know I haven't been the most attentive mom this school year with the pregnancy & everything, but I didn't think I was that bad. We're a little perplexed........

(Notice how Jake's surrounded by girls)

But I was surprised that the whole event made me a little sad. In a bittersweet way. These kids were all so excited to be done with elementary school & moving on to 'so much cooler' junior high. And I wanted to scream at them, "Wait! You'll never have it this good again! You'll never have recess ever again. You'll never have your own desk with a cute nametag & pencil cup on it ever again. You'll never get to pick out prizes for reading books ever again. You'll never have a school library with beanbags & stuffed animals in it ever again.

They have no idea what's ahead of them. And I guess that's a good thing. So wonderfully naive.

Not that junior high is so horrible. But there certainly aren't any beanbags there.

Things We've Learned So Far About Caroline......

She......

likes to tuck her little thumbs into her fists

looks the most like Gus or Marlee so far

has a birthmark on her hip

is ticklish

is not a fan of being swaddled

loves to be wide awake at 4 AM

makes lots of little noises......our favorite being the billy goat noises

loves to stretch out

has furry little ears & shoulders

gets greasy hair after its' "petted" a few hundred times

is this Grandma's last grandchild

smells so yummy I can hardly stand it!

..........and is quite popular at home and around the neighborhood.