Birth Control

Today my friend Kim called and asked if I would mind watching her twins while she went to the chiropractor. I've always wanted twins (who doesn't). So I thought this would give me a chance to "try them out". Let me tell you it wasn't pretty.
This is me with 2 screaming 5 month olds, a jealous 1 year old, and a crying 3 yr old. I promise this was the best form of birth control ever.

Labour Day Weekend

We spent this Labour Day in HillSpring, one of my favorite places in the world! As usual, we had a lot of fun together with my family on the farm.

Here's Tracie being a good mom/aunt and reading the little kids a bedtime story.

One of the reasons I wanted to go down there was to make chokecherry syrup. I love that stuff, but don't really love making it. My mom helped me pick the berries, and then I made the syrup. I cant wait to eat it!

My mom has a great garden this year, and its a good thing too, I'm sure that we used up more of her produce than she wanted. She had lots of help with the picking.

Spencer, is very proud of his beans. If only he was as excited when it came time to eat them. Notice the wooden spoon in the cupboard. My mom was getting very frustrated with Nixon getting into the cupboards/water cooler.

Here's Matt teaching chase to use the shop equipment. This may or may not be a Christmas present in the making...

Matt saddled up Scotty, and the kids all went for a ride. Marlie loved it!

Great Gma and Gpa came out for a visit. I absolutely love my grandma, and I'm so sad that I cant see her more often. Kash was really excited to see her.

Of course my mom had new kittens. (There are always new kittens on the farm.) The kids spent a long time trying to catch them, and finally were successful!

The kids were looking for something to do on Saturday, so they decided to have a sword fight. We weren't sure about it, but they had a blast! Here's Chase and Briggs. Sword fighting is one of their favorite things to do, actually any kind of fighting is their favorite thing to do!

Here they all are with their swords, ready for a good fight.

Then we thought it would be fun to go to the "Waterfall". The waterfall is where we use to go with our cousins (the waterwolves). I think it is more fun to go there now than it was when I was a kid. Our kids had a blast there. Here's Marlie and Summer looking cute as ever.

Gma looks a little crazy here.

It was a chilly day, but that didn't stop these boys from getting wet, and as soon as one kid gets wet they all do.

Even Nixon loved the water.

All in all it was a really fun weekend. I'm so happy that we have such a beautiful place to go and visit. I love watching my kids play with their cousins, and love that they all have so much fun together.

Good-Bye Summer

This morning i looked out the window and this is what i saw. Not the back of my neighbours yards, or the light post. THE TREE. Look at the leaves. Some of them are turning orange. You know what that means. Summers almost over.


Today I take the kids to school to drop off their supplies and meet their teachers. Then Tuesday is their first official day of school! I defiantly have mixed feelings about this. Usually when my kids are all home, I go a bit crazy. Because really, with my 5 kids crammed into our house it is pure chaos. But this summer has been really fun. We have been gone so much and having so much fun together that it has just flown by. So today I'm going to write my list of things pros and cons of school starting.

Reasons I'm excited to have school start:

1. Routines!! call me crazy but I love them! I love getting up, getting the kids off to school, and being productive during the morning. Mornings are when I work best.

2. Having school start means that fall is coming. I love fall. I love the color changes, and the cool days! Fall is my favorite season.

3. Putting the shorts away and pulling out the jeans. Don't get me wrong, i love shorts, but when i pull out my "warm" clothes, I feel like i have a whole new wardrobe!

4. Lessons start again. I have mixed feelings on lessons. I hate the driving to and from, but I love having my kids learn and try new things. This year Kadie is doing voice and piano, and Chase is going to try Karate.

5. Spencer starts pre-school. He has been SOO excited to start school! He probably asks me 5 times a day when his school starts. So at least to have him start, he will stop pestering me with "when do I get to go to school mom?"

Reasons I don't want school to start:

1. No more sleeping in. I know i just said that I love getting a good start to the day, but who doesn't love sleeping in, and being lazy?

2. No more hot days. I don't like it when its too hot, but i love having a tan, and playing in the water, and jumping on the tramp...

3. No more fun days like this:
(Matt, Chase, Briggs, Steve, and Mike)

4. No more Calaway Park trips

5. No more swimming at the cabin.

6. No more family walks to the library. (And yes Kadie is reading her last book while we walk.)

7. No more having Kadie and Chase home to play with the other kids. Marlie, Spenc, and Nixon absolutely love Kadie and Chase, so i think they will be a bit lost when they are gone all day.

I really have mixed feelings about this. I'm excited for school to start, but I'm definitely going to miss the summer!