Grand Fun!!!

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You know we always enjoy those grandchildren of ours!

Just to be clear, we enjoy David and Kayla toooooo!!!!

I should take more photos of those two, ha, ha!

We have so many fun days with our grands.

I grabbed the boys one afternoon in May for a sleepover with their besties!

Clyde’s facial expressions in pretty much every photo I have ever taken of him is certainly a good memory too.

He cracks me up!


Please notice the eagle at my feet in this photo – Clyde asked me to watch it for him.

The things I never want to forget!


Kayla sent me this photo of River dead asleep right after he had returned home from our fun sleep over!

I figured that my job as their NaiNai had been successful!!


Addie was in charge of the whole clan one day so that David and Kayla could have time away before Saige’s arrival.

Oh my goodness, I LOVE typing that baby girl’s name!!

They went to Costco in Madison that day and stocked up on ALL the things – good grief, where did they learn their date ideas from??

Guilty as charged!

I did make them promise to do something a “little more date-like” too – and they did have a wonderful lunch out!

I bet Kayla had a notebook and planner with her, just saying!

We sure enjoyed those kiddos while they were gone.


When Saige came into the world, Addie and I helped with the other kiddos during Kayla’s labor.

Seeing Saige’s arrival through her siblings eyes was the best thing ever!!


The day that Saige was born, I brought all the kiddos back to our home for the day.

I had two friends come and help me that day – which is one of the sweetest memories I will have!

There were A LOT of emotions for the kiddos during that time, as you can imagine, and having my friends at the house with me was truly such a gift!

It kept the kiddos distracted and busy.

One friend helped with lunch too.


When the wheels started coming off the bus in the late afternoon, I had everyone rest, except for myself because I had more important things to do!

Coffee and chocolate for me, a nap for some littles.


Did you all know that when Kayla was a teenager she and I used to verbalize our dreams about this season of life?

The things that we dreamed about are exactly what the Lord has allowed!

Dreams do come true!!

God has been SO very kind!

It is so wonderful having them so close by and being able to be a part of daily life with them.

Such a GIFT!!

I have plans to be over helping Kayla tomorrow as it will be David’s first day back to work since Saigey girl arrived!

I CAN’T WAIT!!

Sweet grands, NaiNai LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Memorial Day Weekend Camp Out!!

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Memorial Day weekend my guys did NOT have to work on Saturday OR Monday.

That meant we needed to have some family time and some FUN!!

I planned a camp out, and then asked David and Kayla if I could steal the boys for it!

Dreams do come true!!

It all started after church on Sunday afternoon when we started to set up, prep for dinner and breakfast around the fire, and play outside!


Pretty soon it was time to drag those kiddos out of that pool and have dinner around the fire!

It was fun cooking our sausage and hot dogs – and we had beans, chips, and watermelon too.

Of course there were smores for dessert!!


Somehow we squeezed nine bodies and two dogs in that tent, ha, ha!!

IT WAS HILARIOUS!!!

Things great memories are made of, right?

We managed to get to sleep around 10:30 p.m.

I cannot say that everyone slept all night long, but we did pretty good!!

This first photo is my early morning sky view at 4:30 a.m.


Next up was breakfast around the fire.

Filling bellies is my full time job!!!

Addie Mae made some amazing cinnamon rolls to go along with the eggs, bacon and sausage.

We forgot to put out the fruit we had prepared – ooops!!

I had made a smoothie, though, to tide over the tummies while we cooked breakfast!


The kiddos played and swam all morning long before we had a late lunch (also outside!)

After lunch I ran Clyde and River home and then we cleaned up everything to get ready for the work week ahead.

What a beautiful weekend we had weather wise!!!


We are already talking about camping out again!!

It was SO MUCH FUN!!

We laughed so much and just enjoyed ALL being together!!

It was not lost on me that day, however, why the guys were off work.

A time to reflect and remember those (and their families) who have sacrificed SO much and gone through unimaginable things just so we can live the way we do.

Just one day a year to honor them is not enough.

I hope that you all had a great weekend – the kick off to SUMMER!!!

Happy Memorial Day!!

Our Garden

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I cannot even believe it is time to garden!!

Summer is HERE!!!

The week before Saige was born, Kayla and I and all the children hopped in her bus and went to the greenhouse together.

It was a very fun and purposeful outing!!

We got all of the plants that we wanted for our gardens that day.


We still have strawberries in our one garden bed from last year, and we had our chives come back beautifully.

Besides getting our garden plants that day with Kayla, Tate and I planned and ordered seeds and 75 more strawberry plants from Johnny’s Seed.

So exciting!!

We planted our garden this year on May 20th – which is something I like to know from year to year.

We moved our square foot garden to the other bed this year, and filled the side where it used to be with strawberry plants.

We are not growing cut flowers this year, unless I decide to put them somewhere else.

I made a quick sketch in a notebook that day to plan it all out, and we just went for it!!


Our strawberries arrived on May 22nd, and we planted those this past weekend.

We also already had to replace all of our marigolds, and some sweet little bunnies are eating all of our cilantro and kale – drats!!


I cannot wait to take more photos in just a couple of weeks when, Lord willing, this garden is flourishing!!

I will say that I have had moments when I think of the japanese beetles from last year with dread – hoping they do not come back.

What are the chances of that though, really??

Sigh.

Here’s hoping!!!

This year I am LOVING being outside more than ever!!

I am not sure why!!

Even Blake told me when we have been outside working on things in the yard that I just look so happy and like I am having so much fun!

I am!!

SEE – I am really a Florida girl at heart – warm weather is MY THING!!!

Stay tuned to see how our little garden does this year!

I hope you are getting outside in the summer weather too – it is SO good for you!!

Mother’s Day!!

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If you have been here awhile, you already know what I answered when Addie Mae asked me, “What would you like for Mother’s Day?”

It’s ALWAYS everyone together and CHEESECAKE!!

Emphasis on the cheesecake, just kidding!

Well, that is what happened and I HAD THE BEST DAY!!!

Of course there were thoughtful gifts too!

Sweet kiddos of mine!!

Please read Eliza’s card carefully – she brought tears to my eyes and cracked me up all with the same card!!!


We went to church after all that gift opening, and as I looked down the row I couldn’t help but get my phone out and take a photo.

WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF THEM ALL!!


Kay’s came over for lunch and brought flowers and chocolate – I love her SO much!!!

We enjoyed a huge lunch and that cheesecake and spent the whole day together!!

It was WONDERFUL and I hardly ever think to take photos when we are all together anymore!!


Pretty soon the house was quiet and it was Blake, Tate and Eliza and myself – a new normal for Sunday evenings while the rest of the “at home” kiddos play volleyball.

The four of us played games, and then had some chunky monkey and watched a show – the perfect end to a wonderful day!!!


Did you know I was voted “MOST LIKE MOM” my senior year of High School?

I am pretty sure that wasn’t a compliment back then, ha, ha!!

ALL I ever wanted for my future though was to be married and to be a mom.

Just LOOK how God answered the desires of my heart before I even knew to pray for them!!

It wasn’t an easy road to our seven children, but I am SO grateful for that journey and how it has shaped me over the years.

If you are a mom, I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!!!

If you are longing to be a mom, missing your mom, or have other hurts associated with this holiday – my heart is with you.

MOTHER’S DAY 2023 – YOU WERE AWESOME!!

THANKS KIDDOS!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

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