Happy Birthday Tasha!!

We seemingly celebrated Tasha's birthday all week! She received her camera earlier this month, and has eaten her birthday cake twice. Well, not cake...Tasha's all time favorite is iced brownies:) Last night we had cake and fun! Hard to believe she's 14!!

THUMP day:)

This morning my older kids all had THUMP (youth group meets at Hardees for breakfast). Last week Sarah promised Seth and Tori (the only two who do not get to go) that they would make their own THUMP. So this morning they climbed in Sarah pathfinder to head to McDonald's. Their "idea" was to call their breakfast tradition "McDump". I am not even going to comment on that! Except if you hear my kids say it? You just have to know that they were trying to rhyme with THUMP and it just didn't end well:)


Seth and Tori had so much fun their said the only way they could have a better day was if it was their birthday! I am so thankful for Sarah. She just made their week. Perhaps the funniest part was Seth telling Sarah, " its fun being a kid... I wish mom could be a kid." :)

This is also Western or Nerd day at the high school. Rosie choose to not participate but Mercedez went western and John went nerdy:)



Seth was so excited to take his poster to school today. I love kids who love school!!

Ryan's first game....

Ryan had his first game of the season last night. A HUGE win 31-0!! What a neat way to start the season. Ryan was on top of the world:)

Demands of Severe Behavioral Issues

The demands of having a child with severe behavioral problems can really take it's toll. I know, we have three. All three in out of home placements. There are days like today when I am overwhelmed by the sheer weight of my responsibility to them. Don't get me wrong. I love being a mom. I love spending time with my children. Tonight I have one son with football practice, one son with a football game, one daughter who is cheering at an out of town game and the whole Hardin County High School invited to my home for a bond fire which is part of homecoming week. The "getting people where they need to be" and the sheer organizing is not so tough. I love that my kids are active, I love watching them as they enjoy themselves. It is part of life I love dearly!

This weekend John will be part of the Homecoming festivities. It's his Senior year, he and Jacob will be all grown and gone before I know it! On Friday there will be the homecoming parade through town that the boys get to be part of and I get to watch. This weekend is the Fall Retreat at church. All my Junior and Senior High kids are going and I need to help. I want to go...I love the fellowship of neat ladies and dear friends. It's the fun stuff that parents ENJOY. Well, we enjoy and then need a vacation following:)

Sam's counselor is wanting a two night pass this weekend. They are building up days and want me to come. Sam actually wanted to know why I couldn't do three days. I am very sad to say that I do not want to miss all the important events in my families lives to go see Sam. I don't. In tears today I told Scott that it's really terrible of me. I have invested hours and hours and hours of time to Sam. He makes no progress. He is not being successful. It's always the same thing...Sam wants more and more. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He had rather me not bring brothers or sisters, he doesn't like them and he doesn't want to share the attention. For me, he hates the very thing, the very people I love the most.

In order to be home this weekend I will be traveling Monday-Wednesday of next week to have an off campus visit. I will spend money that makes me cringe, I will spend time appeasing a child while missing important events for my children. I will miss parent/teacher conference, I will miss two football games and a soccer game. I will not be here to help with homework, cook meals or take kids to practices unrelated to the games. It makes me so resentful. I suppose at this point in life I thought we might have found a cure. I thought we might have seem change in behavior. I thought/hoped/dreamed/desired another outcome. Instead, we are still fighting the same old issues. Not Sam's fault is the fact that about every three months he gets a new counselor. No consistency. No one to hold him accountable. No past. So we begin anew. We start over. Sam starts over. A new person to manipulate until they figure out Sam. I start over, I have to retell all the same stories and I feel guilty when I am not excited over the newness of it all. It's hard to be. It's especially hard to be excited when I know that this treatment is short-term.

I told Scott today that this is my only 2 night visit. I will not be doing anymore. I just have to refuse, I have children who need me at home. If they have to send him home, so be it. I am tired and I am nearing my finished point. And I think perhaps the camel that breaks this is the fact that I do not have just one Sam...I have three boys who each are demanding of my time. I receive calls every single night from at least one of these guys. I really have to work to keep my head where it needs to be with them.

Sam's counselor assures me that Sam cannot be successful in a public school setting. Sam cannot be successful in a home environment. Yet the day is quickly approaching when he will likely have to do both. We have no resource to meet his needs. I would like to say there are no resources but that is not true....I spent an hour and a half on the phone last week with a Doctor at a Private Residential setting outside of Chattanooga. He would happily accept Sam. Sam's issues are NO BIG DEAL. He will keep him until he graduates from high school and they do post graduate follow-up. Sounds just perfect. If I had the $3,100 needed EACH MONTH to put him there I would be fine. Although like all places I would be required to visit and spend 4 weekends a year in Parenting Classes. When I break down my time per child even the best alternative for Sam is way over taxing.

It's just days like this that I am sad/mad/horribly angry that there are not laws to PUNISH parents who literally destroy their children's lives. Somewhere these boys have parents who are living life, abet likely a crappy one in my opinion, it is one with no responsibility for their actions. That is not good enough for me!

Camo and Tacky day:)

It's Homecoming week at the High School and the days have themes...today is Camo or tacky day. I think the picture likely speaks for itself what my children chose.

Horse Creek Small Groups:)

Tonight we had our very first small group church at Horse Creek. My children would move there and live forever...lol...me too:) It's beautiful. We sat outside and had our devotional. Our combined groups included about 60 people.

The kids played football and played with babies and visited with friends and I visited with friends too:) Just about perfect!





And we played in the creek....making me most loved for almost the entire 20 minutes drive home:) Right up until the "shower and go to bed" words left my mouth! I was quickly restored to my "oh mom!" place.....it was fun while it lasted...haha...for all of us:)

Good Neighbors

You know sometimes I do feel bad that I do not stop and take the time to encourage every talent or love my children have. But I am often reminded of my dad talking about growing up and how hard he had to work to have the things he wanted (and those things were clothes and necessities). He worked so very hard to put himself through college. His parents sold their cows to send his older brother to college and had nothing to help my dad. I listen to those stories and I feel bad for my father. Yet I have have heard him say, time and time again, that he really feels he was successful because he had to work to be. He had to work to go to college and it meant so much to him. He worked to move up through the paper industry sometimes taking jobs that didn't seem to be a ring up the ladder, yet they all collectively built his future. I listen to him and I see the man he is today and it really helps me at moments of frustration over the understanding that I do not have a cape and I am not a super hero! I'm just me. But, I do know that if someone really wants something in life they will work for it...they will earn it!

I say all that to preface Scott's story tonight....

Our neighbors are great golfers. The both love golf. One is a teacher at the high school and perhaps now or in the past was a golf coach (I am pretty sure that's right?). Either way today they were working with a big golf tournament that Scott was at when they told Scott a story they found a little unbelievable...

Micheal plays golf in the backyard, well he hits the ball around with a club Stuart gave him. Apparently the neighbors talked to him in the field (their house backs up to our field) and found out that he just had one ball. They told Scott they could not believe that he would play with only one ball! So they gave him a little bucket of balls. Today they talked to Scott about encouraging him to play golf.

Scott and I laughed a little as Scott told me, "You play with only one ball if you only have one ball." Micheal has never complained or asked for more. I think he was happy to have one. Now he has many. I doubt that Scott or I can encourage him to play harder than he was already playing:) True, anyone who chases one ball around loves to play.

I am somewhat reminded of my dad. If I handed all my kids all the newest "tools" of every sport I don't think they would find near the enjoyment as they do "finding" them on their own. Certainly Michael found golf through watching and older brother and deciding to check it out himself. No matter the inspiration, Michael now has plenty of balls to hit around. Thank you neighbors:)

quadratic equation

Negative B, Negative B, Plus or Minus Square Root, Plus or Minus Square Root,B Squared Minus 4AC, B Squared Minus 4AC.. OVER 2A OVER 2A... That's how much you mean to me..

A few weeks ago Caleb sent this on facebook to one of his favorite people, his high school math teacher, mentor and fellow Christian Lonnie Miller. When he sent it I smiled thinking Caleb was being silly. I did actually ask Scott if he though it meant anything and Scott didn't think so. I figured it was just Caleb being silly.

Today Jim's sermon was on singing. He talked about how things stick with us that are learned in song. As I was walking to the van Lonnie and his sweet (I really do mean sweet) wife Debbie stopped me. Lonnie said Jim's sermon reminded him of Caleb. The words above? They are the quadratic equation, in song, that Caleb learned as a Freshman in high school in Mr Miller's Algebra class. Five years ago!!

I'm so glad Lonnie took the time to tell me about the song....I love hearing those kind of things about my kiddos:)

2nd place for JOHN!!!

John ran in the River Run 5K today. He placed 2nd in his division! I am so very proud of him:) It was not something he would have "just done" but his Biology teacher told the class they all had to keep 9 week exercise journal or run in a 5k. John's words were "I'd rather die one day than everyday for 9 weeks!" lol...I am so proud:) Although, joking aside, I am very proud!! GREAT effort John!!

A different kind of bearing....

Stuart and Doug were both home today. Stuart arrived earlier than Doug and wore the boys out playing football. Then the guys sat around watching the Tennessee game:) I love those visits home!!

This morning Seth had football practice. He LOVES football. He's good at football. Talk about bearing fruit? He is the fruit of 12 brothers, he is the creation of non-couch potato's at the Smotherman house:) He's tough.




I have posted all these "rough" pictures but the one that touches me most? This one...this is why Seth really loves football with brothers. Big brothers listen, they care, they make plans and they carry them through....big brothers really are incredible:)

Promises...

Scott planted pair trees about 4 years ago. We have mowed around them, protected them and waited on them. After about the third year we decided they might be non-bearing pear trees. Until this year. This is our 2010 "crop". I wouldn't allow anyone to eat them until I took this picture and then I made them leave one for dad:) Pretty neat to have one finally bear fruit!

Fiesta Time for the 3rd grade:)

Seth's class, well the whole 3rd grade had a "Fiesta" yesterday. Seth's teacher is one of the most involved teachers my children have ever had! I mean that in the BEST way, she truly does things to encourage thought in her kids. I love it!! The fiesta was a huge feast!!

In the wrong place!

So very concerned with this world!! I have decided there is a LARGE part of America, of the world that places it's concern in the wrong place! Time and place-- time and place-- time and place....There is a TIME for plastic surgery. I think perhaps first of Nie. I think of my friend Carrie's beautiful daughter Mercy. who just wants to look like other little girls. There are times that surgery, plastic or not, is nesscessary. It is obvious. It is needed. A must. And there are times it just isn't. How do we in this world today teach our daughters (and truthfully our sons too) to be happy with who they are? How do we teach them to love themselves? How do we show them everyday that they are special and beautiful?!

Did you know I heard of a bride who made her friend sign a contract to loose weight or she could not be in the brides wedding? Who does that? Seriously? Someone whose value is in the wrong place!! It is sad to me that someone would actually consider thier friends and the value of them based of outward appearances. But, I know it happens, often. It is one of the "worldly" things we will always deal with.

My children are all beautiful. I know it's true. I know because they are each created in the image of our Lord. They, through Jesus Christ, are made perfect.
I know the answer to the questions above are Jesus. I know when we are in His word we cannot be without understanding of the good things in life. When we allow His love to enfold us we are never alone in this world again. When our children share with others their concerns, pain, struggles, dreams and joy...I beleive they begin to see that they are not alone. The struggles of this life are not directed at ONE person. Truthfully, we ALL share struggles. I want my children to have that....to know that....to understand that...to write the Lord's words on thier hearts so they are never without faith, and especially never without value!

In this world I want my children to LOVE WHO they are! I want them to understand the blessings they are to the world. I want my children to be the kind who give back. It is in giving that they will be made strong. It is in putting others before themself that they learn true service. It is those things that put this world on it's hinges and set my children on the course of Heaven.

All in a 24 hours

I love catching pictures like the one above. Sweet Lita watering in the backyard. This time of year is so nice, although the mornings are getting darker and it is a sure sign that Fall is quickly approaching.

I have had a full 24 hours. Aside from the normal stuff, there's been several personal time demanding, although understandable, requests.

One, a lady I have known trough facebook (through friends who know her) asked about adoption. I had to set aside my slight frustration as the comment "I want a mega family too". I have a large family, larger than most, but I have never regarded my family as "mega" or referred to us in that way. This is my family. Each child special, each unique and none ever added to achieve a "goal". That said, I overlooked the terminology issue and cut to the chase. I spent a while answering questions and giving advice. I sent her this profile and laughed (truly LAUGHED) when she asked if I was considering them or if she could send her homestuday. I told her I was DONE! But assured her they were for her and she submitted her application. I am ever so glad there are families that will look at those children and not gasp, faint or scream. They do need a mother and a father, they need a family. I hope all goes well.


Our minister called wanting me to talk with an adoptive mom and then potentially talk to her 21 year old (the "adopted" child) about her problems. I made that call and set that up. As I talked with this mom she talked about regret that she had not adopted more than one child. While she had birth children, she had found the adoption tough and it left her feeling somewhat unsuccessful. Perhaps another might have done well? I thought of families....birth or adopted....that do not have balance with their children. There is just no guarantees in this life, but we do have promises. It reminded me of our study of the book of John (the brother of Jesus). If ever there was a success story I think it would be John. He grew up with Jesus Christ yet did not believe until late (perhaps right before or after the crucifixion). He had what I would imagine is the perfect environment to be a successful Christain yet did not show initiative until he was older. The same is true of our children. There is ALWAYS hope that they can be saved, that they can turn and be faithful. Circumstances impact each persons life and I hope for my children who struggle, I hope that they find that perspective, they find that hope ....that they find the worth and the treasure of Jesus Christ (just like John!).

Then I had a call about us teaching/mentoring/fostering two girls whose parents are Chinese and they need English skills, desperately. Scott and I sat last night for over an hour with a translator working through the detail. SLOW...it will be slow and it might not work. I was reminded that while I cannot imagine the young child needing to actually live with us, the parents feel that if she had to speak she would learn. I see that. HUGE undertaking. Sarah is going to be tutoring the older daughter (who is 20) and helping the younger daughter with homework. We will try three days next week...see how it goes. This is a massive undertaking, before even considering we sat down with all 10 of the younger children (and Sarah) and talked at length about what it would entail. They all agreed, we actually excited. Sarah, lol..being Sarah, made them all sign a contract because she said, "The day will come when you don't want to anymore..." No one believed that could happen. I talked with Scott late last night and in truth our younger children have never "fostered" and it will be a positive experience. Perhaps...time will tell.

I talked with Chelsea for a long time yesterday (I LOVE that I can do that!). I whined (and I do that sometimes too) that I feel a little bad that I never seek out the "lost", I rarely "look for" those who need us...but when they call me on the phone, when they seek and find me? I feel such a sense of responsibility. I am careful about what I agree to do...I have to be, there's just one me. But, it is a seriously quandary. We studied last night in Bible class about our example (in 1Peter chapter 2) and how to go about our lives. This world is NOT my home, but it is well traveled in this life of mine. The paths are worn and the doors that open and close are constant. My prayer is that my path never becomes so weary that I refuse to answer a door!

running in circles?

If I start out again with how crazy I am I think everyone might start believing me:) I am not crazy, not really, I am very very busy. Yesterday morning started with me in Jackson at 8:15 for a root canal. That should not be nice, but ya know, it was. I sat quietly in a comfy chair with my kindle (thank you Caleb) and relaxed. I couldn't go anywhere...just sit. I had blocked off half the day "in case" I needed it. The whole thing was pain free, imagine that?! It was. It was nice. I listened to Mercy Me on the way the Jackson in the car. If my kids are with me we don't listen to much music and they would not likely want to listen with me. I jump back and might play my favorite song THREE times. I'm old and I forget just how much I love them:)

I stopped at Duck's Pottery on my way back and talked the Chelsea as I shopped for her Fiesta ware:) Almost like having her along....well, almost like having a blind Chelsea along since I had to describe everything. I finally just told her we would have to come together...sometime!

I texted Stuart to see if he'd like to have lunch, but he didn't text back for two hours and I was already home. Maybe next time?

I watched Jacob wax his sidekick. Sad so very sad that his two sisters, Tasha and Tori, wrote on it when it was muddy. They did not realize that mud contains rock and those rocks scratched into the paint of his Sidekick. It was not their intent to harm the vehicle, just to be funny, some things don't turn out like you want them too. That didn't. Jacob, bless his heart, will make such a awesome dad someday! He just shook his head and said, "Well, they just need to know to not do that again." Feeling bad I even offered to help if he ever painted it. Jacob gave me his Jacob look and said, "I'm not painting it". A little bit of his dad in him:)

I picked up kids, we all signed Carlton's birthday card and John got it to the post office (tomorrow Carlton will be 16). We had homework, and dinner and football and soccer and yards to mow and Senior High Devo. Sadly I missed the PTO meeting...just not enough of me.

I am not crazy, it just appears that I should be:) I talk to crazy people pretty often. I talked to Zack yesterday for a while. He had gotten a critical. Why? He threw a chair at a peer. Why? Because he couldn't find anything smaller to throw. I couldn't be crazy or I wouldn't be able to understand his logic....or maybe it would make more sense?

I would like to think I'm moderate...a little crazy and a little not. The reality of my life is pretty simple...I'm a mom. Just ask anyone of us and they will tell you that crazy just goes hand in hand with the task!

The excitement of life at 15...

Mercedez is loving her life, a very nice thing. She is cheering, which is a "dream" of hers. She's great at it and it certainly suits her personality.


Yesterday she was elected to the Freshman Student Council:) She was so surprised and excited. John (Student Council President) says she will WORK! But, Mercedez isn't afraid to work and I know she will have lots of fun.

This morning her dad took her (and I followed later) to test for her permit. She passed!! In our household she lived up to a big "GIRL" standard...all my girls that have tested have passed the first time. The boy standard is only held by one...John...only one brother passed the first go round. hummm....except I'm not sure about Doug? He'll have to let me know. At any rate....she driving! Kinda:) As we stood in the line waiting for her licence to print the lady gave Mercedez a card with her restrictions on it. Mercedez giggled and was so happy. I told Scott we have never had a child happy over restrictions before. Scott did alter her restrictions slightly by add to the sentence "may drive with a licenced driver over the age of 21 NAMED MOM OR DAD" That's a Smotherman house rule. The first of my little people is driving...wow!

Nina and Pinta'

This afternoon we all loaded up and drove to see the Nina and Pinta', two neat replica's created by the Columbus Foundation. I "made" everyone go....yeah, I know, mean momma:) I heard Jacob telling a friend who asked what he was doing this afternoon, "I'm going to Florence to see a boat". lol:) And we actually saw two!

It is so incredible to believe that 500 years ago men stepped onto boats (and I mean small boats/ships) and crossed the Atlantic. My children are all old enough to be able to remember this day. It was super cool and a great thing to do with your children!

My sister Sandy, her husband Chad, mother-in-law Rhonda and three boys all came to have lunch with us and go too. It was extra special to be able to share it with them too.

On this day....

This morning I woke to have this message from Caleb on my facebook wall:

Is it not weird to think about that on this day 9 years ago.. I was 5 minutes from switching classes in the 5TH GRADE, and we got stopped so that our teachers could explain to us what had happened in New York? And now I am here.. Time flies.

This day is not about war, not in my mind. This day is about people. People who lost their lives, people whose lives will never be the same again, people who live with great loss. This day is about those people. In the days that followed this one those nine years ago many promises where made.

Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.
George W. Bush, September 20, 2001
Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.
George W. Bush, September 20, 2001
Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.
George W. Bush, September 20, 2001

But the sad, and I do mean sad truth is this....EVIL lives in this world. We will never destroy it, we will never see it leave. We will fight. We will fight against the wrongs, against the injustice and we will see success. Our walk, our life must be about doing the right thing...and fighting for our freedom, fighting terrorism is right. Just, as most things in this life, it's always going to be with us. Thankfully we have soldiers who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom. They keep the evil at bay, they make this life and the freedom we enjoy possible. I love this picture taken when Caleb was home on leave:


Uncle Howard (92) who served in Germany and France during WWII and Caleb my neat son who is in Afghanistan. TWO GREAT MEN!!


I read this next article this week and thought it certainly deserved to be read by my children. Sin has a rippling effect and can affect so many! The ripple of 9-11 was and still is so very far reaching!!!

9/11 by the Numbers
Death, destruction, charity, salvation, war, money, real estate, spouses, babies, and other September 11 statistics.

The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.


•Total number killed in attacks (official figure as of 9/5/02): 2,819

•Number of firefighters and paramedics killed: 343

•Number of NYPD officers: 23

•Number of Port Authority police officers: 37

•Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60

•Number of employees who died in Tower One: 1,402

•Number of employees who died in Tower Two: 614

•Number of employees lost at Cantor Fitzgerald: 658

•Number of U.S. troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom: 22

•Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115

•Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1

•Age of the greatest number who died: between 35 and 39

•Bodies found "intact": 289

•Body parts found: 19,858

•Number of families who got no remains: 1,717

•Estimated units of blood donated to the New York Blood Center: 36,000

•Total units of donated blood actually used: 258

•Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609

•Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051

•Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks: 20

•FDNY retirements, January–July 2001: 274

•FDNY retirements, January–July 2002: 661

•Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems by January 2002: 300

•Number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001: 200

•Number of FDNY vehicles destroyed: 98

•Tons of debris removed from site: 1,506,124

•Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99

•Jobs lost in New York owing to the attacks: 146,100

•Days the New York Stock Exchange was closed: 6

•Point drop in the Dow Jones industrial average when the NYSE reopened: 684.81

•Days after 9/11 that the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan: 26

•Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11: 1,714

•Economic loss to New York in month following the attacks: $105 billion

•Estimated cost of cleanup: $600 million

•Total FEMA money spent on the emergency: $970 million

•Estimated amount donated to 9/11 charities: $1.4 billion

•Estimated amount of insurance paid worldwide related to 9/11: $40.2 billion

•Estimated amount of money needed to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $7.5 billion

•Amount of money recently granted by U.S. government to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $4.55 billion

•Estimated amount of money raised for funds dedicated to NYPD and FDNY families: $500 million

•Percentage of total charity money raised going to FDNY and NYPD families: 25

•Average benefit already received by each FDNY and NYPD widow: $1 million

•Percentage increase in law-school applications from 2001 to 2002: 17.9

•Percentage increase in Peace Corps applications from 2001 to 2002: 40

•Percentage increase in CIA applications from 2001 to 2002: 50

•Number of songs Clear Channel Radio considered "inappropriate" to play after 9/11: 150

•Number of mentions of 9/11 at the Oscars: 26

•Apartments in lower Manhattan eligible for asbestos cleanup: 30,000

•Number of apartments whose residents have requested cleanup and testing: 4,110

•Number of Americans who changed their 2001 holiday-travel plans from plane to train or car: 1.4 million

•Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11: 422,000

In reading George Bush quotes I saw this one....

I believe that freedom is the deepest need of every human soul.
George W. Bush, Press Conference, White House, Tuesday, April 13, 2004

It is for that freedom we we fight...for the desire, the need for freedom. It is so OBVIOUS that our country, in spite of the belief of many, was built "One Nation Under God". We fight for the rights of each man and woman to choose, to worship freely and to live lives in His service! The cost is great for that freedom, on this day of all days we should stop and thank God for our country!

Mice?

The difference between imagination and reality? In my imagination I love mice, some of my favorite movie characters are mice: Ratatouille, Gus_Gus in Cinderella, and Rescuers Down Under! In reality? In reality I just bought a bazillion (actually $40) dollars worth of mouse traps (Mouse Trap? Another fun movie in the imaginary world of animation)! In reality those traps might be cheaper than my hospital bills from the impending heart attack I might have:)

We have kept the dog food in the "refrigerator" room for years and never had mouse/mice issues. But....all good things usually come to an end and the lack of mice did at my house. Jacob bought a trash can to keep the food in and I bought mouse traps. Hopefully we will not have this problem much longer!

I can tell you that many many funny stories have occurred and there has been LOTS of laughing. While I used sweet Gus-Gus' pictures I have NO mice that look like him...lol...thank goodness!

ELEVEN!

This morning brought a new day for my Victoria...a birthday and introduction into the TWEEN world (lol...as though I need more!). Today Tori is eleven. I will be adding fun pictures later of her party, but these are from this morning:

Her phone call from Grannie and Pa singing Happy Birthday!


With her brothers:)


My Birthday Girl!


I have always picked my elementary school children up on their birthdays from school. We eat lunch at a place of their choice and have some special time. Jacob joined me and Tori (which is super special to have a big brother too). We all ate for the first time at the Panda Buffet. Tori loved it...although it made Jake and I laugh to hear her talk about how wonderful it was when we looked at her plate. Her plate full of french fries, gummy bears, wieners wrapped in bacon and a big chocolate chip cookie with rainbow candies! Amazing they even have all that there! So, for Tori? It was wonderful!


Sarah tried out her new cupcake cookbook to make Tori "Horse" cupcakes. Sadly we need to make BIG cupcakes next time that can hold the weight of the horsey...but still very very cute!


We celebrated after church with cupcakes. Tori loved her new DS and cute purse to carry it in. She also has some money burning a hole in her proverbial pocket (the actual pocket is mine...for safe keeping!).