Kind Reminders...

So often Tasha and her wittiness remind me of Sarah (lol...the Good and the Bad!) While cleaning for EU I saw this on Tasha's wipe board. I had to laugh, it reminded me so very much of THIS ONE which was written long long ago!

Although Tasha was a bit sweeter in talking to herself....she signed her note with "Love Tasha Smotherman".

Yep...definitely ...Two peas in a pod!

Not a normal sight!

I love Sarah and her hat! That is actually a normal sight. But scraping snow? That is not usual! Sarah had to go back to school today. We are still home:) It should be a fun day!

Bringing gifts!

When my biggies come home the biggest gift is truly their time. We are just glad to have them here! Stuart and Hannah have popped in and out this week (so much fun for us!). Last night they called and came...why? To make cookies for the kids.



This kids crowded and several times I had to clear the kitchen....I think this was crowd number three!


They made DOZENS of cookie and this morning only about a dozen remains...for the moment.



Along with those cookies they brought Nanny McPhee. We pulled down the big screen and enjoyed! Love the special time with my kids!!

Sports for every occasion?

I know of people who using fishing analogies, hunting analogies and sports analogies...Sports seem to encompass about all of life (of course there are LOTS of sports to reference!).

We had some friends over the other night and they brought their youngest, Mr Knox. Ryan wanted to hold Knox and Sarah told him, "Ryan, put one hand under his bottom and one on his back, and DON'T let go!!" Ryan did as directed and immediately said, "ohhhh, just like a football!" To which Sarah laughingly replied, "yeah and you better not fumble!"

Sweet pictures! My kiddos sure do love babies:)

SnOw DaYs!!!

Snow Creme:


Snow Men:


Snow shoveling:


and LOTS of fun:)













We love snow days! It's been many many years since we have had this kind of snow! Today has been a great day. Tonight we are snuggled in watching Auburn play Oregon. Sure is nice to be able to have these memories with my kiddos!

These are from around the house.....

My dinner bell, which obviously had not been rung:


The front of the house:



The baseball field:



The swings (the kids loved this one and of course sat in it):




The picnic table, where we intended to get our snow for snow creme until "not me" let Bronte in the little fence and he laid on all that clean white snow!



And in a not so funny picture? This is my mailbox, BEFORE someone ran off the road and hit it!! :(

A smiling face:)

I sure love my daily messages with Caleb. I am ever ever grateful that my neat son takes time to chat with his momma! Today he sent me some pictures:) He's pretty wonderful like that! He is all the way in Afghanistan but every morning(nearly) I wake to a message "Good morning Momma". I am so very thankful for the life of this son.

I am truly blessed with great kids. I am. I sometimes in the midst of yapping I have to stop and acknowledge that. They are kids. My grown kids? Goodness I love those who have grown up to be the lovely Christians!

In my bountiful way, I find that I most of my life is someone else's "squared". I find the joy, sorrow, giggle, fussing, excitement and frustration is decidedly more than the average family. I smiled as I had to cut up all the old medical cards. Do you know how long that took?

I think it took a lot longer than a family with just a couple cards:)

Glad we have those new cards! Sarah has had the flu this week. SO YUCKY. The only child in our family to NOT have her flu shot....perhaps a lesson learned? I am just praying her strand is the same strand the rest of received in our shots! In spite of her sickness, it has been nice to see her face (in between long naps) during the day:)

Sam's headed to School

Sam has been my daytime side-kick and Scott's evening side-kick for a month now. We have been in appeals upon appeals for intervention. Those are all still "open appeals", yet the time has come to stop waiting on intervetnion. I would like to think that once I stop expecting it to happen...it will! But, pessimism is prevailing and hope for that help is dwindling. The time has come to switch directions. We actually are required by law to educate Sam. It's a right he has. I am not going to try to teach Sam at home, I cannot. One, I am not qualified to teach him given his limitations. Two, I (and likely Sam) seriously need a break. Sam is finished with his "honeymoon" phase and seriously moving toward anger at his limitations.

Sadly, Scott and I have spent MONTHS trying to advocate for the APPROPRIATE place for Sam. I feel guilt at placing him in school. I do. No doubt. Why? Because it is not the right place for Sam and he will literally fall apart. If he proves me wrong? I will be overjoyed. But I don't see that happening. Scott and I realize just by being home and certainly by entering school(even in the environment we have prepared for...)....we are setting him up for failure because he is NOT capable of thriving or even maintaining in either place.

That said, this week we had a meeting at school to go over his IEP (eligibly and course study). So..... it begins. I cannot express the prayers that have led us here or the prayers that will continue.