Some Happenings

We're all in shock that June is dwindling---it seems like our summer is flying by! I've noticed a couple of things that I wanted to share.

The first thing is, if you give one of your children the chore of doing all the dishes, it is amazing how often the family ends up eating on paper plates. Also, how said child tries to make everyone use the same cup for the day and thinks it is OK to eat spaghetti on paper plates.

Likewise, if you give another child laundry duty, they will all of a sudden have a uniform that is worn every day, which by the end of the week could almost stand by itself.

Just a couple interesting observation!

In other news, Bill and I have a new "wild hair" (a term fondly adopted from Aunt Carla). We decided to try and clean up the east side of the house near the deck and put a coat of new paint on it. Thinking our house is white so we should get white paint, we quickly discovered how many different shades of white there are and how "unwhite" and in need of paint our house really is. So, instead of painting part of the barn over the 4th of July weekend, we will be painting more of the house.

Here's the during---

and the after. The painted sections look so clean and fresh! Now to get rid of the spot on the door that Chuckie has scratched. We'll have to add that to our list. Sometimes I think we're crazy, other times I know it!

Finally, just to share a phrase (YEAH!!) Nate said last week. He said, "Momma get stroller, and Nate get in stroller." WOW! You can't imagine what music this is to our ears. He is saying lots more "I" statements and continues to progress. Thank you Lord!

Here are a couple shots of Nate---celebrating his birthday at Grandma and Papa's. He's really into birthdays now!

Ellie is actually spying his presents and figuring out how to get over to them and open them all up before Nate gets a chance. Here's one she got to first---

Papa and Nate looked at Nate's cards many times. Papa was so patient, and Nate had such fun with him.

We went to the zoo and Joe, Nate and Jack Peter found a turtle to climb on.

And here is how Ellie has been spending the lazy days of summer.
Bill and the older three went strawberry picking early this morning. The berries are beautiful and delicious---red all the way through and SO sweet! We will freeze them to enjoy throughout the year. We will probably take at least two more trips. Our stash of frozen strawberries last year was gone by October---we had them in the freezer in the barn, and the kids had lots of sweet snacks while biking last summer.

Hope you're enjoying the terrific summer weather!

Happy Birthday Nate!

Nate is 4 years old today! We've had a fun day with a trip to the Children's Museum and a dash into the library. Nate had a fun day, sampling frosting and cupcakes! One of the cupcakes had quite a large hole in the middle when I found it!

There is nothing better than licking all the frosting off all the cupcakes on your 4th birthday!

We are so thankful for the progress Nate is making in his speech and communicating! This week he has said to me "Nate take a break" (after getting brain freeze from too much ice cream), and a number of I statements---I get out, I get off, I go potty. He is imitating all we say, and we are thrilled to see how far he's come in the last six months!

Nate is so full of life and loves to try and keep up with the older three. He and Ellie are pretty much inseparable when awake---they are true buddies! Nate loves to read, loves his Cars cars, loves anything to do with animals, and lately has a strong love for Chuckie. Chuckie tolerates him for a short time, unless of course food is involved. One of his favorite pastimes is wrestling with Dad---

He loves his cousins, especially Jack Peter. Watch out for these two boys as they get older---I have a feeling we might have some broken bones!

Nate is our "Hat Man". He will make a hat out of almost anything---we've seen him wearing face masks, deflated balls, and Ellie's doll's hats. Here is a sample of his "headwear":

You just never know when you might need to go from wearing a dust mask as a hat to an actual dust mask. Nate follows the Boy Scout motto, Be Prepared.

Nothing wrong with wearing sister's hat---


A good ol' baseball cap---


And Nate's all time favorite, his black cowboy hat. This hat has been through it all, including a rain storm! You can tell it is well loved by its shape.

He's worn it to the park

speech therapy, shopping, the library and church.

Nathan means "God has given" , and we feel that the name fits him perfectly. He has been such a wonderful addition to our family and brings such joy to our home. Nate's laugh is infectious, and his smile melts your heart! God has truly given us a gift in Natey!

Happy Birthday Natey!

Happy Birthday Joe!

Joe-Joe Binks is 9! How can that be?!? I can't believe that it was nine years ago that we brought Joey home from the hospital---on a beautiful spring day with the apple blossoms filling the air with a wonderful scent.

Nine years of laughs, jokes, many doorframes climbed, some stitches, lots of daredevil moves.

I wonder how many different things you've created in nine years Joe? How many cool Lego creations? You definitely are our boy who likes to make things.

You, Jenny and Jack have so much fun together--our 3 Musketeers!

Or is that you, Cooper and Jack?!?

We're amazed at how many pictures you have drawn. You continue to surprise all of us with your ability to draw. We're still trying to figure out who you inherited that from.

You are such a great big brother to Nate and Ellie! If anyone can make them laugh, you definitely can. You have done a wonderful job working with Nate and helping him to talk more, and Ellie loves to goof off with you.

I just had to include this cute picture of our little "fisherman"! Look at how white your hair was!Happy 9th Birthday Joe! We love you very much and are so excited to see the many way God has gifted you! You are a very special part of our family!

We have a Teen in the house!

Jenny turns 13 today! How quickly thirteen years have gone!

She loves being a Tomboy---

with long hair and long nails! Those things don't slow her down at all!

Jenny can often be found with Jack and Joe outside---riding their bikes, playing in the clubhouse, swimming, climbing trees, and saving animals from the cats. She's the only one who's had a chipmunk run out of one of the cat's mouth, up her shirt and onto her head! Yikes! Many little critters can thank Jenny for their lives!



She also loves her chickens. Jenny enjoys riding horses and was hoping for a donkey this year. Unfortunately, they were all sold out!

Our thirteen years with Jenny have been filled with so many wonderful things! She has amazed us with her incredible imagination since she was very little playing with "her guys" to now with her writing ability. She keeps the two little guys busy playing with all of her animals and can make up some awesome stories for Nate and Ellie!

Jenny's love for reading amazes us (and the librarians!). If I give her a book for school that should last for at least two weeks, she usually has it finished within two days (sometimes reading until the wee hours---like mother, like daughter!).

Over the years, we've found Jenny reading in many interesting spots. Here are a sample of some of them:

Jenny was thrilled when we found out that Ellie was a girl. Now little Ellie is thrilled with Jenny. Ellie absolutely adores her big sister, and I will often hear her calling for Jenny---"Jenny, where are you?" She definitely has a love of kids, as many of her little Cubbies from church would agree.

We are so blessed to have Jenny as our daughter and are thrilled to see the young gal she is becoming! God has given her such an amazing imagination and ability to express herself. He has also blessed her with a great sense of who she is in Him.

Happy 13th Jenny! We love you so very much!

March Madness

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste adversitty, prosperity would not be so welcome. Anne Bradstreet

So, we're all ready for the snow to melt and the temperature to increase. The kids have had a wonderful winter of playing in the snow and are now ready to play in "The Pond" that shows up for a day or two every spring.

We've had so much snow this winter that the kids were able to climb up snow mounds right onto the pig shed roof. One day they took their reading books out and finished their reading on the roof! The 2008 winter will be one that they remember!

Here's Jack jumping out of the Clubhouse window---the snow piles have been awesome for them to land in!

And here's our Fearless Leader having some fun with the Eau Claire guys!