Happiness is something you create in your mind, Not something you search for but can't seem to find. Not something that's purchased with silver or gold, Not something that force can capture and hold. It's waking up and beginning each day By counting your blessings and kneeling to pray. It's giving up thoughts that breed discontent And accepting what comes as a gift heaven sent. It's giving up wishing for things you have not And making the most of whatever you got. It's knowing that life is determined and planned And God holds the world in the palm of his hand. And it's by completing what God gives you to do That you find contentment and happiness too. Helen Steiner Rice

Stiches

So today I received the dreaded phone call from school..."you're son hit his head and I think he needs stitches". ummm my brain was trying to piece together how I was going to get that done. I didn't really want to drive out to Yarrow to get him, even though the sectary told me it was bleeding alot so I told her to "just put lots of band aids on, and I'll take a look at it when he gets home". Yea, won worst mommy award for that one. Once off the phone I realized that it was going to be me and five kids in the emergency as Gerard had a home visit again and would not be able to take Timothy after work. So I meet the bus at a bus stop close to the hospital and went to check out the new emergency addition that has been added. It was high time to see it anyway. lol. The school ended up taping it together.He is soooo not impressed, the doctor said he needed to have stitches. He was trying to so brave, but ended up having tears, and he became my little boy again and sat on my lap. And of course Niessa and Sharleen started crying to too because big brother needed stitches. It ended up being a good learning experience for them, they watched the stitches going in and could tell that Timothy felt no pain. He thought it was going to be so bad, but it went remarkably well. He was talking to the Doctor and asked if he had started stitching and he was already half way done. He ended up "sporting" four new blue stitches. The doctor was amazing, so calm and just talked Timothy through the whole thing. What movies he liked and on and on.

It went OK with all of us at the hospital, Gerard came when it was all done,(of course, smile) and I was feeding Breanne in the waiting room. And then the crazies started as we were behind schedule for the evening. Thankfully leftovers were planned for dinner (funny how that was) so there was no time wasted with cooking, just heat up and run. And run is what we had to do to get Gerard out of the door on time. I gotta love my man, after a really busy day at work, a couple min rest in the emergency waiting room, then he was right there in the "trenches" with me serving dinner, dishes, getting the kids to read there books and all the other bedtime things. And then out the door still doing his tie up....

Oma

I finally got out to Langley to let Breanne meet her great Oma. Yup, bad granddaughter for taking so long, I could list all the excuses why it took so long to drive out there, but there boring and my theory is better late then never.

So it was good to see Oma again and spend some time with her. She now has 20 great grandchildren. I am beat red b/c I am cooking hot, wow, I can't believe how hot it it is in there. And of course there is the constant white patch of spit up on my shoulder. Some how I always miss some of the eruptions and they catch me.

It is so nice to have some helpers, and they really do help. Here Niessa is holding Breanne for me a "job" that she never says no too. And Breanne is just so relaxed and content being held by her big sister. Gerard was suppose to be getting ready to go out for a meeting and this is what I find him doing, having a chit chat with his littlest one. So let this be proof that it is not my fault that he always late for his meetings...he says she's more important...and I tend to agree.

It's a Girl

Darryl and Malanie were blessed with another baby girl. We were all so excited for them, especially mommy as Aunt Melanie was 12 days over due and really wanted the baby out.

The girls enjoying another special gift from God. Congratulations Darryl and Melanie, may God give you everything you need to raise her to know Him.

ballerina #4

So the long anticipated day finally arrived. The girls have been wanting me to put Breanne in this outfit ever since Aunt Theresa gave it to us.

And it is just the cutest little outfit. Now she has her own little dress up out fit too.

...complete with little ballerina shoes.

Wacky Hair Day

Friday was wacky hair day at the kids school. I could of been more creative with the girls hair but they wanted the same thing, and I don't discuss wacky hair styles before seven in the morning, so they got the same thing.

Timothy loved the rainbow in his hair. I had just cut his hair and somehow it ended up in a buzz cut as the look as I was trying to go for didn't work out,(oops!!) so he couldn't have all little elastics in his hair which is what he wanted. Thankfully he was happy with this look. Good thing this only happens once a year as it sure takes more time in the morning.

Danielle is 3

Happy Birthday to Danielle!!

The long awaited day finally arrived, her birthday

The girls waiting for the birthday guests to arrive. The simple, easy to make cupcakes. (butterflies in case you can't tell)

Getting ready to open presents with one of her friends.

It was a pretty quiet party, two families called in sick, was one out town, one mom was working and another mom couldn't make it, but thankfully the last two families there kids could come, so it was kinda like a big kid birthday for them.

I can't believe that she is three already. (I know moms say that ALL the time, but is is so true) I am so thankful that God has given her to us, to raise, and pray that we will be blessed with many more years with her.

Hard at "work" with a bunch of friends that were over.

Don't go walking across my garden in the dark...you just might loose a leg...down a big hole. And there was two of these deep holes. I really gota get my kids to put there energy into something else. It takes alot of energy to dig deep holes like that. Like may be washing my windows.

Both of them is school shoes...of course.

My mud hole of a patio.

I don't expect any grass to grow...any time....soon....and it only got worse.

the muddy shoes... hey those are my shoes, who wore them out here and left them. grrrr

ummm...Mrs. A were should I wash my hands?

I really like these pictures. Just simple creative, muddy play. I think this was right up there with Disney Land for these boys. I don't think they would have the patience to wait in line for hours, and here there is something to do all the time.

Timothy said the water ran for hours. (doesn't always have a real concept of time)When they play nicely outside I tend not to notice things, like the water running.

That box is our old compost bin that is now a trap, to catch girls of course. Inside of the box is another big hole...boys!! They didn't tell me what they were going to do with the girls once they got them in the hole.

See the water fall, complete with rocks. How cool is that.

I really enjoyed seeing Timothy have so much fun, and what they could come up with, but Gerard was right when he said " tomorrow you are not going to like the mud any more. And he was right (I wish I could put the he was right part in really, really small letters) as the next day I was DONE, with all of it, and so was Gerard, he said all we needed was some beater, broken down cars in our back yard and that would complete the "look" we were going for. With shanty town, mud every were and two weeks of spring break toys all over the place it was clean-up time. So we got a load fresh, wet, stinky, fly buzzing manure to fill in the garden, ( our neighbours LOVE us) and Gerard sunk up to calves a couple times as he misjudged were the trenches were, he was so not impressed, at pulling his leg out of the stinky stuff or at me laughing. Sometimes I just can't help but laugh.

Good thing I took lots of pictures so Timothy can remember what a nice mom he has, as Gerard said never again.

Spring Break

Can't you just feel spring...it's in the air. All the girls in there pretty skirts. We met up with a bunch of friends at the park at the last minute. The kids never get bored with there friends around.

The girls playing out side in the hammock enjoying the dry weather. These two are playing together so good, and have so much fun together.

And this is the shanty town that Timothy put together during Spring Break. It took him alot of time which is good as it gives him something to do ie. stay out of mom and his sisters way. They did all have alot of fun playing in it together. This is only the beginning of what my back yard looked like. You have know idea, more pictures to come. I don't like all the "mess" but he loves nailing and tieing it all together, and in some way he learns by doing things like this, so I allow it to happen.

And the Library called to say that Sharleen won a book. She was very excited.

Ohhh she is such a little doll...

such a little keeper...that little grin of hers...and her chubby little cheeks, Gerard says there like soft rubber, I wonder how many kisses she gets in a day? Tons and tons...

We all LOVE her so much. I am so thankful for such an incredible blessing. And even better is she is becoming an easier baby. She will now sit in her bouncy chair or even the exersaucer and be happy, as not needing to be held every second some weeks ago. She is sleeping during the day by herself which is nice so I can get things done. She still spits up TONS, I am getting her wighted this coming week so will know if she is gaining enough, she seems to be growing.

Band

Band or Noise?...it's hard to say. You can imagine how LOUD this is... no wonder we have hearing problems in this family. But it is really neat to see all the kids playing together, making music. I especially love it when they sing all the Christin songs that they learn at school together.

Yup, those are skipping ropes that they are using for there microphones.

Niessa even got dressed up for the show. She gets dressed up for everything.

The upcoming rock star.