Gimme A "B": Children and childhood memories

These letter pictures are from Happy Birthday sign the family made for our Grandma's 60th Birthday. So fun, I love the backward "h" on Caleb.

I was needing something crafty to do, I had a wreath and some scraps so put them together. If you're looking for lots of scraps of nice material go to your local Wedding Dress shop and ask for their scraps or trimmings.

I'm not sure what day this is from, it is old, I think it might have been one of our Monday Jammie Days. The kids were reading and little Caleb fell asleep.

These days are busy and tiring. I am doing well, I was put on temporary berets because of far too many contractions. I am doing better now, trying to take it easy, I took myself off of berets after about a day...well I did 3ish, it's really hard! We have been eating out way too often for our health and our budget, cooking is just not my strong point these days, and food that is cooked by other people always tastes better. I am supposed to be making dinner right about now, but I really just don't feel up to it. If I had something to eat maybe I would, maybe we'll go out and get something...;0)

Alan's calling keeps him pretty busy so we don't get to see him much, the children are so used to us eating without him, that when he is here it's a shock and they are all too eager to say goodbye, not because they want him to leave, it's just what they are used to. He was walking out to the garage and Ellie said, "bye Daddy!" He replied, "I'll be right back, Im just going to the garage." To which she said, "Okay, love you, have a good day!"

Our children seem to be going stir crazy, I'm not sure why. We often leave the house, at least one a day we go somewhere, but if it doesn't last all day they seem to think it wasn't fun. It's frustrating, Alan and I realized that we have spoiled children. It is all due to my "mommy guilt" if they are not happy all the time, with something to do I feel as if I am failing them. Being 33 weeks pregnant takes a tole on your body though, well mine at least, and I can't do as much. It seems that if I tell them to go play they have no idea what I am talking about and they always just end up fighting and screaming and then I lose it and we leave the house.

This will just who you what an amazing mother I am, it was nap time and ALL of us were going to take naps, we ALL needed one after the morning we had had. After about an hour of listening to the older children play and scream and NOT sleep I got out of bed, told them to go outside and play, and I would let them back in when I was done napping. After my "nap" I went out to get the children and there at the foot of the backdoor was a nice pile of Poo.......human poo.......Ellie poo. She was naked bum drawing with calk and Calvy was sitting very bored like in a lawn chair. The first thing I said was, "I'm so sorry!" I had visions of the poor Jewish people in camps who were forced to poo on themselves, and thought, "Holy crap, I am the worst mother ever." Ellie says, "I pooped in my panties." She looked a little scared, as if I were going to reprimand her, if she only knew all the things that were going through my mind, I felt so guilty. I washed her up, and I put a movie on for them to make up for my...whateverness.

I am anxious for the season change, I usually fully joy summer and never want it to end, but I find myself anxiously awaiting Fall, and all that comes with it. I LOVE Halloween, and cannot wait to decorate and make costumes. I love the smells the feelings, Fall brings back SO many memories of being a kid. When the weather changes I think on playing on our pink carpet in the family room while my mom makes something on the stove, like ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper, or baked chicken breasts seasoned with Lawry's Salt. the television would be on playing Full House and all of us children would be laying on the floor playing, waiting for Daddy to come home and, dinner. I love those memories, they make me want to walk back to those times and cherish them more. To be able to go back and enjoy all those fun stormy days again, where we would go out run around in the rain, and sit in the gutters as if it were our own personal pool or stream. I love the memories I have of getting off of the school bus and walking home to see the garage door open and my Daddy working on his table saw. I'd run up screaming Daddy, to which he would give me a bid kiss and hug calling me dolly. I'd drop my backpack and play in the sawdust or on the saw horses. I learned later on in life that my Dad would never get any work done with us out there, not because we were in the way and bugging him, but because he couldn't stop looking on with love as we played. That is a Daddy, everyone should have a Daddy growing up. On other nights when Daddy got home late he would sit on the floor as we untied his boots and tried and tried to pull them off, he'd end up having to loosen them for us, and we'd stand up boot in hand and pull, till the boot slipped off and we fell to the floor laughing. We would then take off his sweaty socks, and.....yes we did do this, pick out all the lint between his toes. He was such a wonderful Daddy, he loved our attention, he would let us paint or color his toenails, not caring if the guys at work might see, he would take his shirt off and lie on the floor on his stomach as we would color on his back with colored pencils or crayons. That is a Daddy.

I love Halloween, is it any wonder? My family loved Halloween growing up, my Mommy had made us the most beautiful costumes and would decorate the house with the funnest of Halloween decor. Holidays, no matter what Holiday it was, was fabulous. I remember setting out the 3 white wooden ghost for Halloween, and the painted black cat. I always wanted to be a princess and my momma would make me the most beautiful. I LOVE Halloween!

Life is good. Looking back on old pictures or memories it makes me realize what a great childhood I had, with all the traveling and seeing new places and trying new things, I realize how much I need to be doing that for my children. My mother did it for me I can do it for them. She traveled all by herself with 5 young children all the way to Idaho to visit her sister for the summer, I can drive a few hours with my kids to visit my sister in Indiana. Life is too short to worry about what curtains match with what paint, or is the laundry done, or is the house spotless. I need to make my kids go outside and explore like I did as a kid. It makes me realize how badly I want to live near family, even if that does mean moving to AZ. ;0) I love seeing the pictures of late night talks or games with Grandma and aunts and uncles gathered around the table. No TV, no video games, just us, talking and enjoying ourselves. Family is SO important, we will be coming home for Christmas, we will make it happen. I love family, I love life and I make a pact today...with YOU, that I will be a better mother, I will plan a small trip for my family and I will take more pictures.

Every child should be able to sleep on their parents floor if they have a bad dream. :)

3D glasses!

Isn't my mother so beautiful! I LOVE this picture.

Every child should own a wagon and every little girl should own jellies.

This is us in our own private stream. I love rainy days even still. I even remember taking that straw and drinking the water. haha!

This is my handsome Daddy and my brother Jakey and Mattie I think.

This is me a Kiki, our little kitty. Ellie is just like me when I was a kid, she loves cats. I can't stand cats now because they poop in our garden and it stinks. BUT I think we will have to make a sacrifice for her, because look how happy I am!

Every child should have a trampoline too.

Oh Jacob, you look amazingly cool. ;0) I see a lot of Jellie in you. First day of school, I still remember that lunch box and outfit, even down to the shoes.

Look at those arms on my Daddy.

Oh my favorite pastime. Look how awesome that coffin looks, my parents alway went all out and made our house so fun on Halloween. Gosh I can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Look at my poor mommy, don;t all we moms feel the same. Hahaha! I love my Mommy, she is an amazing woman full of love.

This is how kids should play, be happy and step away from the TV or video game. I love this picture, especially cute little Mattie in the background.

Check out uncle Sam and his awesome shorts! If I had legs like that I'd show them off too. ;0) Swim parties with the family. I love it. You can even see my wonderful Grandma on the left, her curly brown hair. I didn't think a picture could hurt, but this one does a little. I love you Grandma.