A Baker's Dozen: Daily Life in a Large Family

Joy!

Is there any other word to describe these photos?

These photos are imperfect in so many ways: lacking in composition, full of motion blur,  and missed focus.

 

But perfect in every way that matters: capturing the moment, the bliss, the happiness. My children, playing in fall leaves. A tradition that has surely been around since God created the world.

 

I wanted to follow up on a few of the comments left on my blog. 

Lou: A couple of times you've mentioned my children's stylish clothing. I had to go back and look at my blot to see exactly what it is they're wearing in the photos! To answer you question, they all dress themselves. If we are going to church, or to some event, I need to evaluate their choices, but almost never select the clothing for them to wear. I have a couple of great sources of hand-me-downs. My friend Delia and sister-in-law Michelle keep my three little boys well supplied with stylish clothing. Avi is dressed by my friend Stephanie. Avi's clothes then go to Isobel or Ruby. Oh, and Ruby's mom supplies me with clothes for Tucker. It works quite nicely. Isobel's mom provides lots of clothes for Adalia and Keziah. 

 

To Brandy: I download the songs from itunes. They have children's music as well as audio books for children. We downloaded several Dr. Suess books for Mordecai when he got his tonsils and adenoids out.

Another suggestion: Lyrical Life Science. If you homeschool, you must buy these. The music is so catchy and pleasing, I'm embarrassed to admit that I have put these CDs in just because I enjoyed the music!

I appreciate all of the ideas and suggestions for  cleaning. Each child has a list of "morning work" they do with their partners. They have all the main daily jobs: clean playroom, vacuum, dishes, etc. It's the deep cleaning I struggle with....

Mary: As far as decorations for the Historical Harvest Party, it was the regular fall theme: leaves, fall colors, etc. I suggest hopping over to the other blogs and looking at their pictures.

I'm off to start my day. All five little ones are up and ready for action!

ETA: To answer Jo's question, would I actually make the children change clothes if they looked awful? If we were going to the library? No. To church? Yes. To the grocery store? No. To grandma's house to play? No. Out to dinner with grandma? Yes. 90% of the time I wouldn't mind or make them change...but there a are a few situations where I feel like is called for...

So Thankful

Please note: I am experiencing technical diffiuculties and Typepad is cutting off some of my photos. Please bear with me until I get it figured out.

For the life I live. Raising my children will my hardworking husband. Yesterday the children and I spent all 

day at the beach with friends. We laughed and joked and splashed and  talked. It started out as a day with 

Carolynn and her children, but over the course of the day Jess, Syndi and Tami all joined us. Syndi brought 

coffee, Jess brought her twin baby boys, and Tami brought Mordecai's best friend.

 Thank you Chuck, for your hard work for our family.

Enoch (9) seems to have a natural talent for digging up these live geoducts. 

Carolynn's son, Aaron, spent hours snorkeling. It was a big eerie to see him floating face down on the surface of the water.

Tucker (3) and Ian (5) building sandcastles.

Boaz, 15

A little shrimp-thingy Judah found.

It was a perfect day. Cool by the water, sun shining, great friends and happy children. Exactly the way summer was meant to be.

Been Crazy-Busy

Getting ready for this. Remember Solid Rock Family Camp last year? Well, Hilary and I (and a few friends) decided to attempt it again this year. We had several moms volunteer to help this year (last year we had no idea what we were doing...so we did everything ourselves). We've even had a "parent meeting" (ooh, that sounds so...official) and yesterday we got together to make these T-shirts (using freezer paper stencils). Last year we had colored bandanas to differentiate the teams and made tie-dye shirts. This year we decided to get everyone colored T-shirts (much easier to see what team everyone is on). We stenciled the back, and plan to let the children decorate the front with fabric paint at camp.

Our basic schedule is staying the same, with a few adjustments. Our children are counting down the days. And we moms? Well, we're bracing ourselves for two long memory filled days.

Author's note: Yes, that was our bed, Jo...Didn't you see this post? Plenty of room for extra bodies. It's actually a queen sized futon. Our room wouldn't accommodate a bed any bigger than that. And Laura and Sarah? Be sure to call when you have your babies, I'd love to do newborn photos for you (for the best photos, I need to be there within 10 days, the earlier the better).

Narnia at Last

Enoch, 9

Friday was our big Narnia party. And in keeping with the spirit of the books, I surprised my children with the party (after all, you never know when you'll be called to Narnia!) My children knew the party was happening, but didn't know when...and didn't know it was to be a surprise. 

Have you ever tried to surprise your children with a party you needed their help with? It was no easy task. They kept asking when the party would be, and I kept giving vague answers like, "well, we can't have the party until we're ready". Meanwhile, I had contacted their friends' parents, inviting them and explaining it was a surprise.

Hezekiah, 5

Chuck and I spent Thursday night getting things ready for the party. I had sewn felt banners (medieval style) and he hung those around our dining room. Earlier that day Chuck had cut out wooden shields and Boaz sanded them, so Chuck spent the evening attaching handles. We blew up dozens of balloons and attached them to plywood for a game the next day.

Hezekiah was the first one up Friday morning and he peered with wonder around our dining room (which was also covered with Narnia themed posters my children had made). 

"I think I know why those are up" he said.

"Why?"

"Because the Narnia party is today!"

I told him to keep it a secret, and he did.  At 7 AM sharp (our wake up time) I blew our  conch shell (yes the same one that caused stitches the day before- Judah washed the blood off of it). We had already agreed that it would play the part of Susan's horn during the party (Caspian blows it and calls Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy to Narnia). The children were a bit baffled, but understood as soon as they saw the dining room.

I don't have a whole lot of photos, since I was busy hosting the party. In summary, we watched Narnia, played a few games, ate lunch, then watched Prince Caspian.

Hilary made up little laminated cards with names of characters from the books and one letter of the alphabet.  Her husband Brian went way down to the back of our property and fastened them to trees. After the first movie, the children were divided into two teams (boys and girls) and  had to find the cards, find the letter attached, then decode a secret message. Some of the cards had the names of good characters,and some of enemies. The cards with the names of enemies had no letters, they were just to throw the children off the trail.

After that, everyone had a chance to shoot Susan's bow and arrow at candy filled balloons. Judah did a great job supervising this and helping the younger children. I love this shot of Hezekiah, with the princesses watching him in the background.

Tilly holding N.

Also during the afternoon all boys painted the shields Chuck and Boaz made and the girls made beaded necklaces.

Adalia, 13

All in all, a wonderful fun filled day.

Fourteen Years

Photo by Tilly ( I think...I really just found it on my computer, but she's usually the one with the camera in her hand). 

Chuck and I celebrated our fourteen year anniversary while my computer was on hiatus. Okay, we didn't really celebrate, since our two babysitters (mom and mum) were gone...but we passed our fourteen year mark. Besides, we celebrated the event last month on our night away.

Don't take this photo to be a  reflection on the current state of our marriage...Chuck must have discussing his business (see his excavator in the foreground) and I was clearly freezing. A normal day for us.

Fourteen years, three adoptions, eight births. We've lived in two countries, three states, six homes. Had two arguments (okay, maybe three...)  Chuck has learned to drink coffee and enjoy guacamole. I've learned to cook and eat hamburgers. Our children have had seven sets of stitches and one broken bone. Chuck's had surgery and I had my wisdom teeth removed. Chuck has his own business and I homeschool or children. 

Things seem to be working out pretty well so far...

Yesterday...

...all my troubles seemed so faraway...

Okay, not really, but I'm never one to pass up a Beatles reference when I see one.

And speaking of the Beatles, I went to Mass for the first time yesterday. Not because I'm converting to Catholicism, but because I was asked to photograph a baptism.  The baby being baptized was one of the newborns I shot earlier this year. I really enjoyed the service, the music and the message. And I loved the opportunity to photograph such an important moment in this family's life.

And what exactly does all this have to do with the Beatles? Well, during the mass the priest said, "...take the Beatles...I really like the Beatles" then went on to tell a story about the Beatles to illustrate his point. And like I said, I'm not one to pass up a Beatles reference when it presents itself.

After the Mass, we headed over to the park to join in the family's celebration. We arrived at 2 and stayed until 7! I guess you could say we were enjoying ourselves.

With out further ado, I present, The Baker's Dozen Goes to the Park:

Enoch (9) spent his time grilling burgers with the men.

Mordecai (6) spent his time playing with the big boys. Capture the flag, soccer. We were so amazed at his ability to play conflict-free with the big boys.

Avi (3) loved the swings. Most of the time she was swinging on a regular swing. She has the  whole pumping thing down, and was able to get herself going as high as Enoch. You go, girl!

Hezekiah (5)

Five Little Kittens

Joined our family this morning. Adalia, Keziah, Tilly, Enoch and I got to witness several of them coming into the world. I must admit, I was a bit jealous watching how easily she birthed her offspring. In less than two hours she had given birth to five squirmy, mewing babies, and seemed no worse for the wear.

The blessed event took place right on Adalia's bed. Much to her delight and Tilly's relief (she was harboring a secret dread that Royal would do her duties on her bed).

Royal seemed none to impressed with her litter to begin with, but seems to be doing better. I suppose first time motherhood is an adjustment for us all.

Anyone looking for a new pet?

Above Rubies

Here we are, seven ladies, three babies, and a whole lot of luggage, headed out for two days and nights of meals we didn't cook, dishes we can leave (right on the table) and encouragement to be the mothers and wives God intended for us. Oh and cup after cup of strong, hot, coffee.

Where exactly were we headed? To an Above Rubies retreat, to listen to Nancy Campbell speak about shepherding our flocks (and in our case, some flocks were bigger than others). Tami and I went last year, and had such a great (and encouraging) time we were determined to have a whole vanful this year. Looks like we met our goal!

Hilary and Carolynn were determined to stop at P.F. Chang's for lunch. 

Oh, did I mention we were all wearing shirts, we stenciled, with phrases about how much we loved our husbands? We had a variety of sayings, including: I love my husband, my husband rocks,  and my husband my hero. 

Little did we know what kind of attention that would garner. In P.F. Changs we had people openly staring  at us, and our waiter a nice, young man with a spattering of tatoos and piercings ask about our shirts.

Him: So, what's up with those shirts?

Me: We love our husbands.

Him: Okay, yeah, but are you with some kind of  church group or something?

Tami explained about the  retreat and he grinned and started telling us about the church he attends. He was obviously impressed with our devotion to our husbands.

Oh, and it was at P.F. Changs, that it suddenly occured to one of the women, that certain  people could take those shirts the wrong way. So let me make it perfectly clear,  we each have our own husbands that we love. We not one of those types of groups.

And speaking of those husbands we love, mine takes the cake. My husband worked late on Thursday night, arriving home about 9:30 (after having driven an hour). He rose at 5 AM the next morning to drive an hour south to finish a job he was working at. He then rushed home (job unfinished) so I could head of to this retreat. And instead of being put out, he had a cinnamon dulce latte and chocolate bar in hand! 

And due to his working late on this job, I wasn't able to go grocery shopping like I intended. Saturday morning Chuck loaded up ten children (the three big boys were at a Boy Scout event) and took them to the library. And shopping. And he cooked a turkey for dinner, and made soup with the leftovers. As my shirt said, my husband rocks.

And this is what we woke up to Sunday morning. Um, remember that first photo of us all standing in the sun? Yeah, we weren't exactly prepared for this. Which explains why on the way to breakfast I slipped and fell. Flat on my backside. But that wasn't the funniest thing that happened this weekend. I just happen to be too good a friend blog about some things.

But Hilary isn't, so go check out her weekend review.

Let's Celebrate

I've had several comments and emails lately from readers wanting to learn more about our frequent celebrations, and parties. Questions about planning and preparation.  

The  truth is, most of our (mine and Hilary's) parties come out of nowhere. Let me share a recent conversation.

Me: We should do another party...maybe one in March?

Hilary: Dr. Suess's birthday is in March.

Me: Hey, that would be fun. Something for the younger kids. We could just do a "birthday party" and say it's for Dr. Suess.

Hilary: I could get the movie, "Horton Hears a Who" from Netflix.

Me: Ooh, we could have cupcakes, and some of those rainbow goldfish. You know, for, "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish".

Hilary: And Swedish fish. They make colored ones.

Me: And let's do it in the afternoon, so we can get school work done first.

And  that is literally all the planning we did. I let my children invite a few friends, and that was that. Hilary and I each made a point to read Dr. Suess books to our children in the days leading up, just like that, a party.

And why do we do this? Throw parties out of nowhere, on  a regular basis? It's not as if I don't have enough birthday parties in my house. I'm a busy mom of 13, and Hilary is a busy mom of two, plus a foster baby, plus other foster children dropping in for a day, or weekend, or week.

We do it to bring delight to our children. Plain and simple. Sometimes our parties are for learning or reinforcing learning (the Penny Pincher Party) and sometimes just for fun. Most party ideas come out of nowhere. An idle conversation. A book read. Weather that is too cold, or too wet. Hilary and I make an effort to delight in our children. We both have plenty of days where it seems enough to make it through with everyone fed and alive. Every mother has those days. But we want our children to know how much we value them, and enjoy their company. And so we put in the extra effort to "have a little fun today". 

And speaking of celebrations, don't forget the first day of spring (read about our celebrations here and here).

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Dr. Seuss's birthday was earlier this week, so Hilary and I decided (because apparently we have nothing better to do) to throw a birthday party in his honor.

Our morning began with (what else?) but

Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast!

Sam, 7

We managed to fit in all the essentials for school before our friends began arriving for our afternoon party.

Tilly read to some of the little ones, while Hilary and I filled snack bags for our main event, the movie Horton Hears a Who.

What's a party without themed snacks? Here we have One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish, animal crackers for If I Ran the Zoo, and malt ball eggs for Horton Hatches an Egg. These are quite a deviation from our normal foods (can you say, red dye?!) but I'm not legalistic...an afternoon of dye and sugar laden snacks isn't going to ruin my children for life, and these things are few and far between. 

After the movie we sang happy birthday to Dr. Seuss and had cupcakes. Then the boys all ran outside to play softball, and the girls scattered about the house.

Ah, another day of finding delight in the little things. And as John Lennon sang in the Beatle's Dig a Pony: 

 "you can celebrate anything you want".