Monday, December 26, 2011

Catching up,really...

How can I possibly catch up on the past 6 months or so of our full and busy life?? I admit that I have succumbed to posting pictures on Facebook(I know Aunt Sharon, shame on me!) and because I keep in touch with many via that venue, I have neglected this blog which had become a chronicle of God's faithfulness to us over the years. Now that we have celebrated Christmas and I have a bit of 'down time' from homeschooling, I am feeling motivated to play catch up through pictures....we were just looking at old photos today and commenting about how quickly the kids are growing up...it is bittersweet to see them transforming before our eyes and I am suddenly compelled to get this post done!
I have searched my computer and sadly can not find any pictures from P,C, and L's May birthdays :( P turned 16 and prior to our trip out west, he had his official 6 hours of driving instruction. He now has his permit and has been driving both our vehicles for practice...it is indeed strange to be sitting in the passenger seat!! Another reminder of how quickly they grow up!


I can't believe I never posted a picture last spring of Odesco and L enjoying their 1st season of Little League!! It was fun watching these 2 work together 'for the team'!
Before our big trip out West, Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bill joined us for dinner and baseball...in prior years they came to watch big brother,C play ball...now it's the little guys' turn :)
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In early August we sadly said goodbye to my Aunt Margie...she will forever be in our hearts. What a comfort it is to be able to grieve with hope,knowing her suffering is now over.Because she placed her faith in Jesus, we know she will spend eternity in heaven with Him and as Believers, we also have the blessed hope and promise of seeing her again...

Mimi,Pop-Pop, me, and the 4 youngest kiddos made the trek to Massachusetts for the funeral. We had sweet times with cousins...It was Mercy and Odesco's first time meeting Emma and Grace~

My brother and cousin also had some time together after many years( 17 years or so) of not seeing one another.

It was wonderful to reconnect with my 1st cousins too... We hope to have a reunion with our spouses and all our children on the East Coast in the near future...
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My sweet friend, Kari has been a huge blessing to our family helping me take care of Mercy and Odesco's unique hair needs... on this day, she gave Odesco some team spirit as she crafted a Phillies P in his hair!! It was the only way I could get him to agree to a haircut!!

Thanks, Kari :)
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Later in the month, while the older boys and Daddy were away at youth camp, the younger crew and I took a trip to Mimi and Pop-Pop's where we had loads of fun~

We love their new place and the scenic walks we can take there...

It is so peaceful and beautiful...

And there's nothing like special time with such special people!
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In September, Odesco celebrated his 8th birthday...we finally made it to Mimi's in October ... and after enjoying this homemade Phillies creation, we headed outside.

The fall foliage was just beginning to peak so we took a walk to enjoy God's colorful palette~


...Unfortunately, 'someone' managed to wind up in the mud...too bad we didn't bring any spare clothes...thankfully Mimi's shower, washing machine, and some spare adult sized clean clothes were readily available while we waited for 'someone's' clothes to dry!! This same 'someone' had previously declared,"Wherever I go, trouble is sure to find me!"...this curiously sounds like a classic line from 'someones' favorite series, "Anne of Green Gables"...
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Fall Saturdays at home were spent raking leaves galore...here the kids and our neighbor friend created a 'leaf fort' which stayed intact until it was raked to the curb for removal by the township.

L neck deep in his 'thinking spot' :)

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Our sweet and spicy girl turned 10 on November 9th...Daddy gave her sunflowers...her favorite! We had both sets of grandparents over for a celebration:) How loved she is!!










I will end this post here. As always, I am so very grateful for the loving kindness and sustaining grace of the Lord. He has been so good!