It's a 4 Ring Circus!

cuties

I love this little muffin so much, it hurts.

 

And some more cute little muffins hang out around here . . .

rainbows, dahling, rainbows

{my little Kool-Aid faced monkey with her rainbow-painted fingernails}

Didn't have the best week ever, but we're still hangin in.  We are making some progress with Delaney's anxiety issues, but not hearing anything new about the school issues.  I'm waiting to hear some more from her teacher before I decide whether to leave her in the K12 program or not.  Sadie needed to have some bloodwork done this week before her routine checks coming up.  It took us four tries on three different days (first two couldn't get the right authorizations at the closest lab, went to a different lab, then couldn't get her veins to cooperate on the 3rd try -- but got a hole in each arm, then let's just say she wasn't much in the mood on the 4th try, but at least we got the blood they needed!).  Mind you this is in the midst of various other doctor appointments for Delaney, and our "regular" crazy routine.  I think that about sums up what I'm willing to put out on the internet.  ;-)

Lucky for us one of our longtime homeschool friends is having us over to celebrate a birthday this afternoon, and we will all R E L A X !!  I think I'm finally figuring out how to take some of this in stride, but it has been an exhausting couple of months.  Yeah for Friday!

the ups and the downs

This has been one of those busy seasons of life for our family.  I haven't really been sure exactly what I wanted to write about it, either.  Delaney has been having some profound struggles and we have been working as a family to figure out solutions, being stretched all along the way.  I think I am getting better at not completely shutting other people out as I hunker down through a difficult patch, which I guess is an improvement!  There have been some great things happening along with the hard things, too.  Ava and Sadie continually surprise me with their eagerness and capability when it comes to their schoolwork.  Josh has been enjoying his start into Boy Scouts.  All of the girls are thorougly enjoying their time at dance class.

Another interesting tidbit is that we are awaiting news about a home we are trying to buy as a short sale.  Still in the neighborhood but already has most of the upgrades we were wanting to do to this house, so it would save us a lot of labor.  It is on a much better lot, so that would be nice, too.  We probably won't find out if we get it for another two months or so.

I am really looking forward to General Conference this weekend.  I was reading an address from the last one that was timely for me.  "We cannot and we must not lose focus on the things that matter most."  I think that Heavenly Father gives me that test over and over.  Maybe I'll pass it one of these days.  ;-)

when it rains, it pours!

I know, I KNOW, I haven't been on here much in awhile.  So many adventures, so little time to write about them all.  I think I may try to schedule Fridays as a good day for blog updates.

Little Miss Sadie lost her first tooth last week.  Lucky girl, the Tooth Fairy brought her $3 since it was her first and it was so cute and all.  :-)

When your area has been in a severe drought as long as ours has, you get a bit excited about rain.

After the week I've had, this makes my heart SING!

Daddy is workin' late tonight, so the girls and I are going to make cookies and watch HSM 2.  Josh is on his own, unless I decide I can't stand HSM and challenge him to some Wii time instead!

monkey see, . . .

It has been fun having baby cousins the same ages.  (Logan was born first, Ava 4 weeks later, and Rhett 3 weeks from that.)  If you watch them, a lot of times they will do the same kind of things at exactly the same time.  Here's an example that I noticed when editing some pics of the kids playing in La Nan's yard.

Crazy kids.

are words even necessary?

Isn't it nice of Aunt Nan to let the kids play in some of her old make-up??

cutie cousins

Devin & La Nan blessed their new baby on Sunday.  Had to take pictures afterward!

Girlies vs. Boys!

back to the regularly scheduled program soon...

We've had family in town for my nephew's baby blessing -- lots of fun.  Got some great pictures at La Nan's house today and just had to put one up before bed tonight!  Aren't these two gorgeous?

[ahem -- just to clarify that I'm not tooting my own horn, GAG -- I meant aren't my SIL & niece gorgeous??]

Can't figure out if I like it better in B&W or with a little color, what do ya think?

cousins came over

Ok, I found a USB cord, I downloaded some pictures, and I even took a few today.  It's comin' back to me.

Here's a few I took of La Nan's kids -- cute baby, huh?  We'll have to do again when the light is better.

Sadie baby

Awwwwww.

Kodak Gallery is making me either delete my old pictures or buy something from them (cheapskates!), so I'm going through old pics and found this one.

Man, that kid had some wild hair!