Ryan Flings Food Storeage

Eric, the kids and I were in the garage trying to go through boxes and move food storeage to our downstairs cement room. Ryan was twirling a food storeage container with his feet while lying on his back and then it bust open everywhere. It was all over him!!! It was pretty funny!! I let him play with it for awhile and took tons of pictures. What that guy will do for a bath!

No bed again!

Here London is again! Asleep on the kitchen floor! What am I going to do?

New Glasses Again!

We had to buy Brooklyn glasses again! She lost her pair over summer and we couldn't find them when school started. She had to go to school the first day without glasses and after school we went to go get her some glasses at Lens Crafters so she would have them for school the next day. I love these glasses!!!! They are super cute and PINK!!!!

Spin-the-bottle FHE

We had a fun family home evening on Monday. Earlier in the day I was reading a book to Autumn and it talked about spin the bottle. She asked what that meant. I told her that it was when you spin the bottle and then tell a secret. However, I didn't want to focus on the secret telling so I told her that we could plan "spin the bottle" for FHE and we would do it differently. So ... we talked about gratitude and being thankful for things and then played spin the bottle. When the bottle was pointing at you everyone took a turn saying something they loved about that person. We had tons of fun and the kids loved having compliments from Mom/Dad and brothers and sisters. Another twist: Spin the bottle and the person who the bottle is pointing at says something they are thankful for.

London's ToeNails

I finished painting London's nails on Sunday morning after she started the job. I was on the computer and started smelling nail polish and knew no one was up except London. She had the top off and was painting her little piggies! Thank goodness I was able to help her finish the job.

Autumn's boyfriend

Autumn has been in Kindergarten for 1 1/2 weeks today and she just announced at lunch that she has a boyfriend! Yikes!! What am I going to do?

Garden Tomatoes

Look at our tomatoes out of the garden! We have tons and they are just starting to get ripe. So we decided to have BLT's (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomatoe) sandwiches. What better way to eat tomatoes!

This was too cute! We just asked her to get ready for prayer and she did!

Brooklyn loves tomatoes!

Noah eating a BLT sandwich!

Can't see the tomato but doesn't the bacon look good!

I meant to get a picture of Eric and forgot and tried to get a picture of Ryan eating bacon and he was too fast. Autumn boycotted the sandwich but LOVED the bacon. No vegetarians at this house!

Kindergarten Shots!

One week ago Autumn had her Kindergarten check up. There was some confusion and we couldn't find her shot records so we had to request these from Alabama but then we did find them at our current Dr.'s office. They let her start school anyways and she had gone 2 days without the records but they really wanted them asap. I wasn't going to give her all the shots twice. Oh well ... we found them ... all in a day of my life. Just another run-of-the-mill crisis!!!

She needed two shots and she did awesome. She didn't even cry! The nurse gave her a hint to help it not hurt as much -- breathe out in puffs fast (lamaze for shots). Interesting... it must have worked. No tears at all! Good job, Autumn.

Pizza for Breakfast?

I have to say I was pretty awesome this morning. I helped the kids do homework 3 out of 4, checked homework, made a pretty cool breakfast and got everyone to their buses on time. All this without swearing and minimal yelling. Noah was complaining about not wanting cereal, toast, yogurt etc. What am I going to feed this kid? I had a revelation. Pizza for breakfast! What kid wouldn't love that? I had some English muffins in the fridge that the kids hate so ... I talked it up and put pizza sauce on each half of the English muffin and then covered it with cheese. I had never done this before but heard of it. I put it in the microwave too long the first time but found that 30 seconds for 2 halves is about right. Noah and Ryan both ate 3 halves. Autumn was interested but a little too nervous. I will have to find a substitute for English muffins for Brooklyn because of allergies and London wasn't interested. Anyways, I am real proud of myself for a sorta nutritous and fun breakfast. I just want to know how many Mom's make their kids pizza for breakfast!

First Day of School For Four!

The first day of school, August 19 2009, was one week ago today. It has taken me this long to post first day pictures. It has been a crazy week! For some reason I am alot more stressed with 4 kids in school and only 1 at home than I was with 5 at home? I guess I need to adjust to the new schedule and get organized. Any pointers? Anyways, here are fabulous first day pictures:


Brooklyn 9 years, Autumn 5 years

Brooklyn loves pink! She is nervous but excited too! She has lost her glasses over summer so we will be going to Lens Crafters to get a new pair AGAIN! Any guesses on what color her new glasses are?

Autumn is so pumped for Kindergarten. I think she will have tons of fun! She was a little disappointed she doesn't get to bring lunch. Only half day kindergarten at our school.

Noah is really excited! He found out that one his friends from church, Gabe, is going to go to Flint Lake too! He is already planning what they will do at recess and they plan to eat together at lunch.

Noah 7 years and Ryan 10 years

Ryan was excited for school. He takes the bus and loves it!

This picture is a little blurry because I had to take it mega fast. They had already gone out to the van and I realized I hadn't taken a picture of all of my four school kids together! So, I made them come back in and get one group picture. As a result...

I had to chase the bus down two stops past ours to get the kids on the bus. The bus driver even let me run get my camera out of the van and come back to get a picture of them getting on the bus. Not a great picture because of the shadow but a fun story of a crazy mommy chasing a bus on the 1st day of school. The kids still laugh about it!

I brought Ryan to school on the first day so I could talk to the teacher. Here he is by his locker at school.

Ryan is excited to see his teacher and pulls up his notebook just as I snap the picture! Aghhhh!

Here is Autumn after kindergarten. She was happy before she saw me and then started crying. That's why she doesn't look too happy in this picture. Why was she crying? I picked her up instead of letting her take the bus home!!!! What a horrible mommy! LOL! I cannot figure this girl out ... oh ... wait a minute ... she's a girl. No wonder! Even mom's can't figure girls out!

It was kinda weird that I had only London (23 months) home but I liked it. I missed my kiddo's and was really excited when they got home and I got to hear about their day.

Professional Sleeper

London can sleep anywhere ... except her bed! We packed up her crib because she never sleeps in it. We have a mattress she can sleep on because we gave away our toddler bed before she was born. We should buy her a bed but she won't sleep in it! She is a professional couch, kitchen floor, living room floor, rocking horse, hammock swing, coffee table, highchair sleeper. Oh well, I guess on the up side if you ever come to visit you will have a bed! In a few years she will probably be joining Autumn in the hallway on the floor. Beds are over-rated! Who needs them?

Night Before School Nerves!

Last week, on August 18, 2009, Brooklyn, Noah and Autumn went to Flint Lake Elementary to meet their teachers for the upcoming year. Tonight is the night before school starts. They are excited but nervous too! Eric had a meeting so I took the three middle kids to the school and my AWESOME friend Brandi watched Ryan and London for an hour or so until Eric could pick them up. We had a great time meeting all the new teachers and I think it will be a great year for everyone!

Ready or not -- here we come!

Autumn's Kindergarten teacher - Mrs. Biggs. She taught Noah the second half of kindergarten the year we moved here. She is really good and we were so excited for Autumn to have her for Autumn's teacher.

Noah's 2nd grade teacher - Mrs. Douthett. She seems really fun and we heard she likes smiley faces!

Brooklyn's 3rd grade teacher - Mrs. Hoffman. She is really energetic! Brooklyn and I both are nervous for 3rd grade! Brooklyn kept whispering to me during the presentation that she didn't know if she could do 3rd grade and I was thinking I didn't know if I could do it either. I am pretty scared to help Brooklyn in 3rd grade ... I may have a Master's degree but 3rd grade might be beyond my reach. Eric may have to head the homework detail this year!

After they met their teachers, I took a picture of them on the bench outside their school. They are all smiles and I think they are excited for a new year! Brooklyn has to go to the whole other side of the building so there will be lots of changes for her this year.

Back to the van, after meet the teacher, with mostly empty school supply boxes and "homework" for Mom. Later that night Eric gave everyone a father's blessing for the new school year and London one just because. Ryan has meet the teacher at his school after school starts! LOL! That's fine -- he has the same teacher he had last year.

Good Luck in the new year! We love you!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Beach Bums!

Okay, so here's the deal. We took the kids to St. Joesph, Michigan last week just before school started to go to Silver Beach. They were so excited and we had such a wonderful time. To be honest, it was the best beach trip ever! Why? Autumn did not get lost, Ryan did not "almost" drown, no fighting and a great picnic lunch courtesy of Daddy. I know I am a picture maniac and always take too many pictures but I didn't even put all of them on my blog but some I couldn't not put on my blog so.... I know it's a ton but hopefully you will be able to see why this was such a great day trip! Only one hour away!!! Anyone want to volunteer to watch 5 kids so Eric and I can have a weekend getaway here? It is so quaint and has tons of bed and breakfast places, and a beach and....

Here are some highlights:

Arriving at the beach and ready to get in!

Getting used to the water!

London was pretty scared of the water! She would cry when it touched her feet!

London wasn't too sure about the water even when I was holding her!

Daddy Attack!

Brooklyn had tons of fun and her swimming lessons she had this summer made her alot more confident in the water. Totally worth it!

I love this picture of Ryan!

Ryan decided he was going to attack this flotation device and come HELL or highwater he was going to sit on it in the water. It was so funny! He spent at least 10-15 minutes conquering the float and I took pictures the whole time! This was the highlight of our trip! Totally worth it! Enjoy!

London with Daddy!

Playing with sand. What a life!

Our 5 little beach bums!

Collecting rocks and shells. The kids found rocks for Ryan and then he chose which ones he wanted to save for his rock collection for cub scouts.

Noah really enjoyed looking for rocks!

Ryan's two favorites meet. Sand and water!! He was so excited!

London playing in the sand. She liked to stay on the edge and was really unsure of the water.

We loved how it was so shallow and the kids walked out pretty far with their dad.

Had an awesome picnic lunch with the kids after the beach. What a perfect day!!!!