My kids loves to create things. I love to direct them and make it mine. I have had to learn to step back and let them be. Luckily by the time you have four kids, you can not take over all their creating anyway. Yesterday we ran errands to gather some items we needed to finish costumes. Over time all our Halloween/Fall decorations have been lost and/or damaged. Add in that over the last four years I have either been pregnant or had a young child on Halloween and the fact that I am not a fan of the holiday......it was not something that had been a priority. As we were out and about at crafting stores, we gathered some items to make some new decor. I have found that I enjoy having things the kids make and that come out seasonally. As it brings back memories. I know one day, these are the things I will cherish most. Today dawned a cool, dreary day. So we sat to craft. Here are the fruits of our labor. Spider hands: Emmaline on the left, Elodie on the right. More spider hands, the

Sigh. In what is the last push to work on the house and possibly meet with a realtor to see if we can actually list this the house, I am worn. Painting just about everything that stands still takes some time and some elbow grease. As well as the little things: making sure all light bulbs are working, hanging light fixtures, cleaning cabinets and walls, the list goes on. As a result of trying to mark things off the list, I have found a sense of pride in our home. For sure it has its own issues, and we are too far from work for the man of the house, but in painting and cleaning there is a bit of renewed sense of what drew us to this house all those years ago. I know that when the sign does go up (Lord willing by the end of this calendar year), it will be bittersweet. And I know that when it does actually sell (Lord willing without sitting on the market for a loooooong time), it will be cause me to catch my breath. All my babies came home to this house. It has been home. For over a

My baby girl has completed one trip around the sun. Currently, she can dance. And talk. And she will take a few steps at a time. She is a joy and a blessing. She is also a little bit of trouble. I am in disbelief that an entire year has flown by. (And Emmaline was kind enough to point out that Xander is using the potty and Elodie is walking, we have no more babies. ) My dolly, Mama has delighted in your presence. At times in the last year, you were the bright spot in dreary days. You have been a blessing not only to me, but to your siblings as well. With your blond hairs and your baby blue eyes, you light up a room. Your personality shines through already and I can see how....shall we say.....determined you are going to be in life. My little princess, you are indeed the baby. You wear the title well. I am thankful each day that you chose us as your family. Thank you. I will love you forever and you will always be my baby. Your Mama

One day I blinked. I took a moment to pause. I took a moment to rest. I took a moment to breathe. I took time for granted. And when I looked up, my babies were no longer babies. I will no longer think there will always be tomorrow. Now, I will savor in the day. No matter the behavior. No matter the mess. No matter the attitudes. No matter the crying or whining. No matter the fighting. I have been a mom for a full decade now. And I would not change a moment of it for the world.

Wow, I think this blog had grown cobwebs. I am not sure if anyone out there in cyber land is reading, but ask me if I care. Where have I been? Clearly, not here. The last year and a half have been a whirlwind of emotions. Mostly rough, sad, upsetting. The birth of Elodie was the bright spot in a time of very dark moments. I would like to think we are coming to a close on all of that. Though I will say the ache of losing my Gramma, I fear, is something that will never go away completely. The goings on here have been numerous. Yet the more things change, the more they stay the same. We are a family of six now. We have settled into being labeled a big family. We have grown accustomed to the looks and the comments of, "You must have your hands full!" and "You do not what causes that, don't you?" If I had a dime..... Life is moving along. We are not only busy with, well, all the kids, but with working on the house in hopes of getting the thing listed. Ah, y

....and listen to a story of a phenomenal woman that I had the honor of knowing. My Gramma, Oleta Marie Herndon, went to rock babies in heaven this week. I know this is what she is doing. Because it is what she did while we had her here on earth with us. This woman, My Gramma, is the one who knew how to love unconditionally. She never seemed to judge. She loved her family fiercely. And boy did she love to rock babies and sing to them. I spent a good deal of time with Gramma growing up. She was always up for playing games. Watching me run and swing in the yard. And rocking me and singing softly to me in her chair. I am sure we all process grief differently. I am sure we all look back with possibly a few regrets and with memories that stick out to us. I am sure this is unique to each person. I regret that I did not get over to see Gramma much in recent years. I always thought there was tomorrow. Even once we knew she was sick with Alzheimer's, I always thought there was