handsful

Will I EVER catch up posting about our Christmas??  After this post, I should be about there…I know you’ll all be relieved. 

First stop, Granma and Granpa’s house. 

Granpa’s a goof. 

With Great Nana, my grandmother.  She’ll be 89 this year :)

Next, we headed to Nana and Paw Paw’s house…

Presents there had a nighttime theme :)

Apparently someone told Lainey to laugh. 

The kids with Memaw, Randy’s grandmother.  She’ll be 90 this year :)

And, finally, the last grandparents house.  Gram and Pa-Paul. 

The boys and some of their cousins…would you trust these boys at the dessert table unsupervised?

Abbey and her cousin Samara cheesing for the camera.   

11 of the 17 people there.  And, that only includes our family of 7, Randy’s brother’s family of 8, and grandparents. 

Payton and cousin Caleb…he goes to college this year.  Gracious, I’m getting old. 

Our last big get-together was seeing Randy’s mom’s family.  We were able to see Randy’s aunts and cousins, some we haven’t seen in years.  It was loud…tons of kids, and a whole table full of teens this year.  Did I mention I feel old?

Gram and her boys. 

See?  Lots of kids. 

Marley with her cousin Anna Grace, enjoying the evening. 

Other than our Christmas celebrations with all the grands, we had time to see old friends (Hi, Debra!) and just relax and spend time with family.  Our kids loved their time with cousins, but never seem to get enough.  We had a wonderful visit!

You wait ON the stairs, until the all clear is given to go into the family room.  It’s the Christmas morning rule. 

First thing, stockings.  Here they are, reacting to the Brian Regan tickets we got for his show in January.  Yes, they were THAT surprised.  If you don’t know who Brian Regan is, check out youtube.  He’s hillarious. 

Then comes a gourmet breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls.  Nope.  The kids demand the rolls in the can every year…at least it’s quick and easy! 

Presents…

Favorite presents were R’s camera lens, my Shape Up tennis shoes, A’s cell phone, M’s Ipod, P’s drum set, E’s electric guitar, and L’s Little People Noah’s ark set.  The rest of the day was spent playing, resting, packing (for our trip to NC the NEXT day), and eating.  A great day. 

Our trip to NC post coming up next…

Part 1

Christmas Eve…

On the way to Christmas Eve service at church.  Not in the mood to smile!

Thaaaaat’s better…

The annual Christmas cookie making project.  Same recipe we’ve used since I was a little girl, but now I make them instead of my mother.  Same cookie press that my mom received as a wedding shower present 45+ years ago (works better than any “modern” one I’ve ever wasted money on). 

Two eager helpers, ready to mix! 

Mama, I have a teaspoon!!

can’t help but lick the beaters. 

we’ve never been harmed by raw cookie dough, I see no reason to stop this practice.  Call me a rebel. 

Hey, who is this?  Abbey skipped all the messy mixing and just jumped in for the fun stuff. 

Let’s pause for a cookie making tip!  I cover all of my surfaces with beach towels.  After we’re done, all the loose dough bits and sprinkles get shaken out into the yard.  Easy peasy clean up, and I’m sure the birds love that Christmas treat!   

Marley chose camels…surprise that she’d choose an animal shape, huh?

Time to sprinkle the cookies…

Abbey, one of our more creative kiddos, takes her time with each cookie. 

The first of 12 dozen cookies done, Lainey wants a sample. 

She (and the rest of us cookie monsters) approve whole-heartedly.  Now, to make sure we don’t eat them all before our trip to NC.  My mom is eagerly waiting for some :)

Thanksgiving. 

Our Thankful Tree was full of blessings that we were thankful for…

We cooked. 

A lot.

While others of us snuggled and read books. 

We posed for pictures. 

And, posed some more. 

We watched a tug-of-war with a wishbone. 

We laughed.

We smiled a lot. 

And, we ate even more.  No pictures of the feast…too busy eating. 

Some of us finished our dinner with a chocolate pilgrim hat cookie.  Messy, but good. 

Thanks, Granma and Granpa, for sharing Thanksgiving with us!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  May you feel thankful for all that God has provided this year!

First dress up time…L to R, werewolf boy, flashy three-year-old (no costume needed), punk rock girl, Ms. Waldo, and mohawk boy.  On their way to a friend’s party last week. 

Last night…L to R Napoleon Dynamite, punk rock girl, Philip Rivers, Jaquar football player (the kid’s friend, Nate), werewolf boy, and a little pink fairy.  Right before they all headed out for candy! 

More pics from last night…

We had a FANTASTIC time at the annual Autumn Moon Festival with our FCC (Families with Children from China) group.  This year, we met at the beach and the weather was perfect.  If you want some info on what this festival is all about, do a search on the blog for “Autumn Moon Festival”…I explained it last year.  Call me lazy. 

Our day started with everyone having a picnic.  The extra guy in the picture is Payton and Ethan’s friend Corey.  He was over playing so we brought him along.  The more the merrier and all. 

Next up, games.  There was a craft area (which our kids avoided), egg races, sack races, and Moon Pie race.  I’m wondering what China would think of that last one…how American (and Southern) can you get than Moon Pies??

Daddy helps Lainey with her first sack race.

Now she gets help from big sis!  (Lainey’s burn blister broke open that morning, so her hand is wrapped to protect it)

Having fun!  I’ll be honest, I’m usually not a huge fan of the beach.  Hot sun, sticky sun screen, fair skin, and sand just don’t equal tons of fun.  But, being at the beach in the evening is the BEST. 

This picture makes me see the future…Lainey’s protection squad. 

Lainey and Angel practice a little football.  L isn’t exactly precise, but Angel was very patient with her attempts!

Lainey wanted to stay right at the water’s edge the whole time…she loved it when the water ran over her feet, but held tightly to my hand.  If she had had a bathing suit on, she would have been IN that water. 

As the sun was setting, the whole group came together for a tug of war.  Yes, Randy is right in with those kids.  He was fair, though, and helped each side win a few times!

Lainey wasn’t sure why she was pulling that rope, but she loved doing it!

Taking advantage of a nice back drop :)

We tried to light a beautiful lantern, but the wind was blowing hard and toward land instead of the ocean.  So, we just hung out for the rest of the night, and enjoyed gazing at that autumn moon.  

By the light…

Cough, cough…I love you too, kids!

Father’s Day was spent going to church, then home for a snack, then we headed to the ballpark to watch the Jacksonville Suns minor league baseball game.  The game was compliments of the parents support group from Lainey’s cleft palate team, and they have events designed for their families throughout the year.  All 7 of us were  able to go to the game, and an all-you-can-eat lunch was provided as well.  Not a bad deal for our family! 

Another shot after Randy caught his breath. 

His present.  Brian Regan is our family’s favorite comedian…the kids have heard his routine so often (it’s on dad’s ipod) that they quote him all the time.  I got the shirt online.  Take luck…it’s a really funny routine, you should google it. 

We were a little hesitant about going to a baseball game in 100+ degree weather, but thankfully our seats were high up and covered so we were out of the sun and had a nice breeze.  Otherwise, we would have cooked. 

She enjoyed the unlimited popcorn…

And her baseball mitt lollipop.  Lollipops are now expected at all baseball games, since we always had one for her at EJ’s games. 

Towards the end of the game, the boys took some vacant seats at the front of the balcony.  When we decided to call it a game at the 8th inning (we were thoroughly HOT by then), the boys weren’t happy.  Especially Ethan, he really wanted to stay.  I predict a father/son day trip coming up soon.  

Randy, I probably don’t tell you this enough but you are an AMAZING dad.  When we were dating, both of our families used to kid you about how you would never grow up.  The eternal Peter Pan…actually, they still say that about you.  Thankfully, you still have that quality and I know our kids LOVE that part of you.  You have such fun with them!  But, you also do an incredible job of balancing that side with the structure and discipline that they also need.  Top that with the love and affection that you so freely give them, and you’re THE best dad around.  We’re all blessed to have you.

I sometimes have to shake my head when I think of myself having 5 children.  When Randy and I were dating and talked about having children, we always said “2, maaaaaybe 3″.  Well, it’s obvious how those plans worked out - I’m sure God was smiling as we talked. 

You know the whole joke, when people see you with lots of kids…chuckle-chuckle…”don’t you both KNOW how that happens?”  In our case, that wasn’t…uh…the case.  None of our children were conceived in the traditional way.  It took us years to conceive Abbey, and that was with fertility treatments.  When we were ready to try for #2 (God laughing uncontrollably now), we went down the same path of medical intervention.  Voila, buy 1 get 2 free!  And, when we realized that God was calling us to add a sweet little girl from China to our brood, we listened. 

Our kids didn’t come to us in the standard, text-book, birds and bees way.  But, He blessed us beyond measure and I honestly don’t know why - we certainly don’t deserve it.  But, He is love, mercy, grace, and so much more.  We are grateful. 

I know there are many women out there who wait to be moms.  I remember those Mother’s Days and they were just plain hard.  I couldn’t imagine myself ever having my OWN Mother’s Day.  But, this year is my 12th :)  I pray for those who wait…you aren’t waiting alone.