Joey is Six

Six fingers? Six years old? Can it be? Yes, it is true. Josephine Lisette is SIX! For Joey's sixth "purse-day" she wanted to make purses with her friends and eat Boston Creme Pie. And so we did just that. Plus doughnuts on a string; great fun.

Decorating Purses :::: No hands!

The "loot" :::::: Sign from school

The paper Joey is holding is the teacher's notes to the kids on what will happen that day in kindergarten. Joey got to bring it home on her birthday and it reads: "Happy Birthday Josephine. Today is October 1, 2010. We will make applesauce today. We will go to P.E. today." Joey reports that the applesauce was fun, but not too tasty. She was really excited, too, because hers was the first birthday of the class so far. She felt like everyone at school knew it was her birthday. Her teacher made a big deal of it. Line leader, seat up front for storytime, helper to pass out snacks, all the good stuff!

Later we went shopping with the gift card from GrandDad and GrandMa (thank you!) and Joey picked out a FurReal Bear Cub that makes noises and snores when it sleeps! She named it Savannah.

At six, Joey can ride a two wheeler (to school, even) and write her full name. She is still reluctant to get out of the van or out of the house to head to school in the morning, but, her teacher reports that she is happy and involved while she is there. Joey says she is a "popular" girl and she has lots of friends. She can set the table, put all her clothes away and change diapers, although non e of those activities are really what she wants to do. Joey loves to dance, sing and be outside. She is funny without even trying and has quite the imagination. We all love you, Joey!

Maryland

I have an amazing sister in law. Her name is Tina, but, since that's my name, we call her Abbie. She is feisty and sweet, all mixed in the perfect proportion. This picture with her and my brother, Eric, was taken while they were enjoying a Caribbean resort after one of Eric's many, many deployments. Army life might not have been her choice, but, she makes it work because Eric IS her choice. They act like newlyweds, still.

So when Eric was about to turn 40 I was asking her what outrageous idea she had. I knew it would be big. It was. She said, Beans, I am flying you and Sydney (pictures later, Eric's daughter, who lives in New Hampshire) to Maryland to surprise Eric - you'll be here for four days, okay? I told her I could be packed and at the airport in less than an hour!

For four days I was in Maryland. I met Eric at the airport, spent the next two days with our parents and other brother, David, at our folks house. We relaxed and chatted and chatted. It was great. And thanks, Ma, for the scrapple for breakfast - fanTAStic!!

The next two days were a different kind of great - the saltier kind. We went down to the shore, where we all grew up, and Eric had his birthday bash with Abbie's side of the family, and I had some down time with the ocean. Ahh. I missed it.

Some photo highlights:

I think I had crabs with almost every meal - steamed, crab cakes, crab balls, crab dip, crab imperial, ahhhh, yum! ::::::: Me with Ma and Dad, September 2010

Eric's Kids: Sydney (18), Tyler (15) and Gavin (9)

Eric with an Ocean City staple - Thrasher's Fries.

Me in the Atlantic and the Kites on the beach.

It was raining and misty, so the pictures aren't good.

Thank you , Abbie and Eric - I had an amazing trip. Oh, and Eric, Happy Birthday, by the way!

Eric, Sydney, Me, David, Ma and Dad: September 2010

Family

This picture of our family was taken about nine months ago, just before our youngest turned two. I'm awful about family pictures. Photos of the kids - plenty of those - portraits with us all, though, I'm not so diligent.

I am posting this one today because I love it, but also because lately I have been surrounded by people with marital problems, relationship problems, family problems. We are far from perfect. Not every moment at our house or in our lives is complete bliss, but, we are a family. We are sealed together forever. We will work together, play together and learn together. I am grateful every day to a loving Father in Heaven who allows me to fix mistakes, grow as His daughter, and be my own person. In a world that seems to be full of contention and discord, I am secure in the knowledge that my family can be forever.

Success!

Josephine just loves her mother. She shows me every morning when I TRY to take her to school. She won't just jump out of the van and skip merrily to class. No. I have to walk in the building with her, deposit her to her classroom, where her patient and understanding teacher then peels her away from me so that I might escape. Some of her older sisters went through a phase like this, but, not to this extreme or for this long.

The first help in this situation of cutting the apron strings was a friend from church. "E" is in kindergarten at Josephine's school, though not in the same class. Her family lives not far from us. So all last week, Josephine (and Charlotte) were able to ride to class with "E" and her Mom. The first day, Josephine refused to get into their van, but, the second day, she hopped right in and didn't look back. "E" walks home in the afternoons with our little ladies, Charlie and Joey, so that helps, too.

And then, after about a week of riding with "E" in the mornings, Joey announces that she is ready to ride her bike. Charlotte was thrilled, since she has patiently been waiting for her little sister to brave the bike ride. One step at a time, I suppose. Go, Josephine, go!

Mojo 155

Mojo Monday had to wait until Tuesday this week - Labor Day picnics trump cards, sorry! (No pun intended...)

First the sketch from Mojo Monday and my entry. Yes, it's a Mother's Day card. Hey, you can never be too early for your Mom, right?

Date Night

We have five kids. Five kids can get all piled together pretty easily. It's important, but, not always easy, to single them each out for a little time away from the pack. That's what happened this weekend, though it was all by happy accident.

Rachel had a get-together for the youth in our ward. Samantha had an invitation to go four wheeling with her friend at the lake. Charlotte was invited to a friend's house to watch the Camp Rock II premiere with more than a half dozen other friends.

What about Josephine and Jay? We made it a date night. Ice cream and playing at the park. All smiles!

On The Road to Recovery ....

James has been "down" since January of this year with a back injury and the resulting treatments, physical therapies and surgery. It's been a hard year. Last week, though, he had his follow up with the surgeon and got great news - his vertebrae are fused! James can now get off of the couch he has occupied for the last seven months and join us in living life.

James and his exercise partner, Jay Michael.

On the down side, I had to iron a shirt for church for him for the first time in seven months; I haven't missed ironing....

Now he'll have seven weeks of physical therapy and exercise then, after another doctor's visit - back to work! Wow. He will back to his old basketball playing, rough-housing with the kiddos self before long.