HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY GRACE !!!!!

It is hard to believe Grace is 5 years old already!!! She came home to us when she was just a tiny little two year old.

Happy birthday Grace!!

Here are some photo highlights of our sweet girl's day.

Grace ready to open her gifts.



The audience silent by anticipation...."What will Grace get this year?" they all wonder.






Alan testing out Grace's new pink baseball glove.



For all those who wonder how my two oldest girls get along this picture shows a lot!

Elena wears her title as the oldest who happens also to be 15, well...like the oldest who happens also to be 15 (if you know what I mean). Elena and Joyce banter back and forth about who knows what most of the time. It gets kind of tiresome, if you ask me. Oh yes, I forget a mom shouldn't divulge this type of info in such a public setting about her teens. Oops. Forget I typed that!Anyway, it looks like this time Joyce has the upper hand in teasing Elena. This doesn't happen very often!

Waseca's Inside-Out FCA Day Camp

This is the last of the FCA camp fun for the kids for the summer. I have some pretty sad kids around here.

Elena and Grant help out as Huddle leaders as well as other jobs. They really enjoyed their time.

Alan,Cyrus,Joyce,and Nolan attended as campers. They had a lot of fun as well. I know they will all be looking forward to next summer!

Elena took pictures today of some of the kids in her Huddle. Everyone looks like they had a very fun time Great pictures Elena!

A Little Chat With Lily

I did not like that it came down to this but I just had to. It is the part of parenting I like the least. You see there have been things disappearing around here. Oh, nothing of real importance...a noodle here,a piece of fuzz there...but still...a mom has to address these issues.

So I sat her down,my little Lily. I thought a good book would put her more at ease.



When I first brought up the subject she pretended that I was talking to someone else.



When she realised that I was a little brighter than I look,she looked around for someone else to blame...



and found someone.



I pushed a little more. "Where my little Lily have you been hiding your stolen goods", I ask. Silence was Lily's response.



Breaking through the thick silence came a little whistling noise.It was ever so quiet. Why, it is Lily's nose that is whistling. After a little closer look,what do I find. Oh, my missing noodle and a little fuzz.


Author's note : This is a work of fiction with a little truth mixed in. Last week I rescued two macaroni and cheese noodles from Lily's nose and yesterday I pulled a few rather good sized pieces a fuzz from that same little cute as a button nose. The things we mothers do...

A Few Gems

I found a few more 'gems' to list on my Etsy supply shop.

Mary Engelbreit's Mother Goose Vol 3 fabric book panel has been very hard to come by but after much searching I found a few.



Now, I just think the Bambi fabric book panel is the best find ever! I was so pleased.




What else is up around here? Elena and Grant are back helping with Waseca's FCA three-day day camp. ,Alan,Joyce,Cyrus,and Nolan are attending as campers. They are all having a great time! Elena will be taking pictures tomorrow which is the last day of camp. I will post some highlights tomorrow.

Jeff worked Monday and Tuesday until late so it is sure good to have him home this evening. Life picks up around here when dad is home.

Another Bag Done

It has been a slow few weeks with projects but I was able to squeeze in the making of another bag late this evening. Pretty cute!

The Infamous Lily Pout

It's been one of those days around here today.

_

A Quick Sunday Hi!

Josh and his Morning Glories in full Sunday bloom



Joel and his friend the bear taking a gallop around the living room with Hoofer.

Random Things

*Sigh* I just was not able to get any projects done today. I was very much looking forward to getting a little done. Oh well. I usually do not have anything taxing that I need to make. It is all just for fun anyway. Now that the kids are in bed (most of them anyway) I will start (actually finish up ) something small. That will satisfy me.

I should be very thankful that my presence is very much in demand by so many.I think the kids who occupy my attention are the two oldest and the two youngest. Elena and Grant really enjoy just sitting around and chatting with me. I'm lucky that my teens enjoy me that much! As for Joel and Lily...Well, that is a given for young tykes and their mom.


I wanted to give a BIG Thank YOU to Traci and Laura for your thoughtful kindness!!!
Grace will really love the doll. Laura, your soaps and earrings are just SO pretty!You are a very talented young lady. THANK YOU both VERY MUCH!!!!!!






Here is Josh's garden this year. Not much grew but he is very pleased that his Morning Glory seeds "actually grew into plants".



As you all know by now I love most all fabric but tend to be drawn especially to fabric book panels. I do not know why. I usually do not even make the books. If I see a neat book panel,I buy it and then list it on one of my Etsy shops.Now there are some odd book panels I will not bother buying at all. I saw three like that at Walmart today. I actually passed them up. Why? The fabric did not feel very nice,or the content, or images were a little goofy. I did run across some VERY cool almost vintage fabric book panels from 1996 (ok pretty far from vintage) this past week that I had not seen before. Very neat! I like finds like this!

It Seems To Always Be About Lily!

I bet the majority of my blog family photos consists of Lily pictures. Jeff was out today snapping pictures of Lily playing while the bigger kids get ready to start their paper routes. That baby is just too darn cute!

Just for the record. I had no say in some of the outfits you are about to see. This was a 'dad' day.

Naomi,Lily,and Joel. Joyce is in the background.



Of course,Lids going solo. The way she likes the best. Most of us just hinder her from her agenda.



Joyce,Lily and Joel.



Lily and Joel in the wagon. In the background: Naomi,Josh,Grace,and Cyrus. Do you think you can guess how many bikes are in our garage in this picture? A lot!

FCA Camp Thursday Highlights

Elena did not video the HeavenWord Handlers performance at the Owattona FCA day camp this past Wednesday BUT she did take the camera Thursday which was the last day of the camp so we have some fun pictures of the camp attenders.

This was Owattona's first year hosting a FCA day camp. I heard there were around 25 kids attending the camp. Thirteen children made personal decisions to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior at the camp! Elena and Grant thought it was so neat to be involved as camp leaders. This next week it is Waseca's turn to host a FCA day camp. Elena and Grant will once again help as leaders.Alan,Cyrus,Joyce,and Nolan will attend as day campers. They are all pretty exited.