Grandma's Hat!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

3 Dudes in a tub!

10 Things...

We started this post trying to come up with 10 things Elaine's looking forward to now that she's ten. She only came up with one.

So, we changed directions and asked her siblings, "What do you love about Elaine?" This is what they came up with...

1. I love to kiss Elaine on the cheek. ~ Aaron








2. Annie loves when Elaine reads to her at night when they are together in their bedroom. ~ Annie

3. Elaine loves shoes ! ~ Jonny

4. I love that mom tells Elaine to hug me. ~ Aaron

5. Eliane plays school with me. ~ Jonny








6. Elaine tries to climb up the tree. ~ Aaron

7. Annie loves that Elaine sleeps with her...Annie does not like it when Elaine is gone. ~ Annie







8. Elaine plays games with us. ~ Aaron

9. Elaine is kind to us...if she likes us. ~ Aaron
(That one made me laugh...so true, so true.)

10. Elaine loves to go sledding with Jonny and me. ~ Aaron







I love Elaine's creativity...playing, drawing, ideas, activities, gifts...
I love that she is becoming a beautiful young lady.








I love that she loves to spend time with and just be with me.
I love to watch her sing and dance.










I love that she loves her friends and family.
I love that she will try new foods.







I love that that she doesn't worry about what she is wearing...yet. She just says, whatever you pick is fine.
I love that she loves to give gifts and would give everything she has.
I love when she finally "gets" things and understands them.




I love the fact that we are entering a new part of life. It scares me to have a pre-teen, but I am excited for this stage. ~ Mom

Elaine, you are loved so much. Happy 10th Birthday, Sweetie!

Love, Mom, Aaron, Jonny and Annie

For the Grandmas . . . .

And all the other people we love . . . .

Look who is seven months old today!

He is such big stuff now and wowed his nurses by showing off how he can sit up. He still absolutely refuses to roll over . . . Laying down and playing is soooo last week. Everyone is very impressed. Especially Carson.

He officially weighs 13 lbs. 4 oz. - still a peanut!

The mo-hawk - is from his mom's side of the family. (Pun totally intended.)

 

 So here's to little hugs and big slobbery kisses . . . .

"It's Cute!"

Yesterday, even this afternoon, Annie's hair resembled this...





Tonight, it's this...





Let's recap.










Before.................................................................After.




This artist was very proud of his work...





This one on the other hand was scared out of his mind...





This brave stinker was very excited about her new do...

"It's cute, Mom! It's Cute!!"

What Can Happen in 5 Minutes...

5 Minutes! That's all it was.


Okay...Maybe 10, but that's it!!


And this is what I found...as I saw it.




The drawers...







The floor...







My phone...







The wall...







The shelf...







The chair...







The culprits...

Grandparents are "those"

Let me set the stage...

We were at school this morning playing in the gym with Aaron's class, something we do often.

When it was time to go, all of the kids lined up and Jonny and Annie came over too.

I gave Jonny his coat and said, "Come on Jonny, let's go!

Grandma and Grandpa are coming over today and we need to get some things done."

Jonny, with much excitement,

arms in the air says,

"YES! I like those!!"

Just know you're loved Grandma and Grandpa.

Jonny's First Date

Well, it's official, Jonny had his first date.




It started off a little slow. I think he was slightly distracted at first...

what with the water table...

and this really cool horse.

But once they got in the car...





Jonny had a plan.

(much to his date's mother's chagrin)

All in all...





I think they had a good time!

(Jonny and Sid)

Carra . . .

From the back of the van . . .


"Hey, Mom!"

"Yes?"

I turn to look.



"Hey, Mom, guess what I just learned . . . "



The suspense . . .




"You don't have to chew Jell-O!"

The things they say . . .

I was watching a friend's kids this weekend.

At the end of the day, I instructed the kids to clean up all the messes in the various rooms. Once they got the hang of it, I sent them to the basement to clean up one last mess.

The three boys (ages 4, 5, and 7) stood in the basement debating, arguing, and somewhat discussing the best way to tackle the job.

Sounds like they are ready for the real working world.

I was coming down the stairs to retrieve something and overheard their bantering. I stepped in and instructed one boy to pick up the trucks, the other to pick up the dishes, and the other to pick up the dress-up clothes. They looked at me with amazement like I had solved world peace (which at that moment in my day - I felt I had) and got to work.

As I was heading back up the stairs, I over heard one child say to the others . . .

"Wow, I had no idea your mom was a genius!"

Hey, I am just saying.

Then he stops and says, "Wait! She's a mom - duh! Of course, she's a genius!"

Needless to say, that kid is hanging around my kids a lot in the near future.

The things they say . . .

We have been a bit busy lately . . . but that doesn't mean the kids haven't been talking . . .

1. Owen -

He came to me all excited about the fact that Jesus has died on the cross for his sins. It began a discussion about what sin is. I went on to explain that it is when we do bad things that don't honor God.

Owen - now the expert - continued the conversation to clarify that point . . .

"Yeah, it was a sin when I yelled at you and threw a fit. And it was a sin when you yelled at me for yelling at you . . ."

How quickly they learn . . .

2. Carra -

"Mom, I need a new light bulb in my lamp because it isn't very bright. I need one with more squats."

3. Owen -

Owen named his stuffed dog Bitsy.

Cute.

He struts into our room this morning and proclaims, "I have decided to change my dog's name to Mitsy. I don't want his name to sound like a swear word any more." (Use your imagination and say "Bitsy" with a bit of a Owen accent. . . he was changing the /s/ to /ch/.)

My question is -after the shock and giggles - How did he know that was a swear word?

How quickly they learn . . .

Sunday Comics . . .

My favorite part of the Sunday paper was always the Sunday comics . . .

Little did I know that I would grow up . . . give birth . . . and actually get to live the Sunday comics.



On our way to church this morning . . .

I hear Carra sigh and exclaim, "How many more years before Owen can get married?"

Owen happily exclaims, "Seven Yeays."

I ask, "But why, Carra?"

Owen interrupts and informs, "Cuz, it's time for me to get a new famiwy."

He pauses, thinks, then keeps informing, "But I'm not sure which one I want to be . . . a teenager, an air-force guy or a parwent."

And there you have it . . .

Owen is getting married at the age of twelve and will be joining the air-force . . .

I'm a little concerned about the teenager - parent part though . . . I really hope the marriage thing works out . . .

Then . . .

Owen was very excited about what he learned in Sunday School this morning . . .

"We learned about Jesus. He was with a lot of people and they went to the edge of the cliff and they were going to chuck Jesus off, but He just turned around and walked through the crowd and made all the people itch their heads."

Hmmm. I missed that one in His list of miracles . . .


I think the comics are still my favorite . . .

New camera . . .

Hello, strangers,

It has been a while since we've checked in. Sorry about that. I have a list of excuses a mile long . . . assuming you even care. The problem is that I make no promises for the future . . . so I'm saving my really good excuses for later use.

I'll give you a clue though . . . the excuses involve peanut-buttered-butter-sugar-sandwiches and reducing fractions.

One of those usually comes with tears . . . .

I have much about our crazy life that I could post, but I'm going to start with my daughter. We do have four children living in our house, but Owen always seems to steal the show. If you ever meet Owen, you'll understand why. It also explains why we only have four . . . Owen.

Today, though I choose to showcase Mikayla. She's thirteen. She no longer does cute things . . . until the day we gave her a camera for her birthday.

I don't know if I want to call this cute . . . (it is kind of sweet . . . )


But I do call this funny . . .

This is what happens when the kids and their cousins are bored . . . and have a new camera to try out.
Is anyone else concerned about Brice?

Because I really think we should be . . .


Oh, and I'm not the only one wondering what in the world is going on up there . . .



The good news . . . the camera has a video camera too.

Stay tuned . . . I'm sure this is only going to get better.

Another Powers' adventure . . .

There is always someone screaming around here. I don't pay much attention to it.

When the screaming is accompanied by "Oww," it makes me look.

When the screaming is accompanied by "Ow, I hurt myself - and there is blood so it's reawwy, reawwy bad!" (imagine the pitch in the voice getting higher and higher and more desperate with every word as you read that sentence), you now have my full attention.

And it was "reawwy, reawwy" bad.

I also like it when it is cut and dry - yeah, it needs stitches.

We only had our camera phones with us . . . but this time we remembered we could use them.


And I only got lightheaded . . . once . . .



It was all so very traumatic for the poor kid . . .


Here is his "brave" face . . . which magically disappeared when the doctor forgot where he was and started waving the needle around . . .

. . . and when he was crying that it hurt - and he meant his mother squeezing his legs too tightly and not his wrist . . .

Sorry about that, Owen.

Our wonderful nurse Kate distracted him well - because we all know how much he loves to talk. She distracted him a little too well . . .

We are now entering all emergency situations with a release form . . . that they have to sign. It will state something like this . . .

"Please do not hold these parents accountable for anything this child may possibly say while in your presence. If you choose to believe anything he says, you do so at your own risk. Please allow the parents a chance to explain themselves first . . ."

First - he informed everyone that blood tastes like corn on the cob.

Second - he informed everyone that "Liars go to hell."

You should have seen the nurse spin around in her seat. "OWEN! Who told you that?!!!!"

"My brover."

"Oh, he was just trying to scare you . . ."

Whew.

Then there was some comment to the tissue and muscles in our body being "meat" which lead him to ask if people ever eat dead people. Logical train of thought. Morbid thought, but logical.

It got the nurse's attention again.

The first thing the doctor asked us when he saw it was us needing his help again . . . "Now is he anything like his sister Carra when it comes to pain and stitches?"

There was fear and trepidation in his voice - and she was only 4 at the time he "experienced" her in pain. He hasn't forgotten. She left quite a mark.

So did Owen . . . for very different reasons.

He and Kate left the room giggling and shaking their heads.

When I dreamed of the Powers' family leaving a mark on history . . . this isn't what I had in mind.



And there you have it. Six stitches and a story to tell.

I know what you're thinking . . .

"But how did it happen?"

In Owen's words . . . it will be a running-on-and-on run-on sentence - because that is how he talks . . .

"Well . . . . I was an inja (translated ninja) and I was pretending that I could fly backwards and then stab my sword in the ground and then roll backwards and stand up but when I jumped off the chair I fwiced my hand on Brice's stupid book wight (yes, he said stupid) that he shouldn't leave waying around the wiving woom because it's dangerous."

Yes, because jumping off chairs, flying backwards and rolling on the ground are not at all dangerous - but book lights are.

Consider yourself warned.