Easter

Life has been good, busy but good busy. This weekend was no exception. Joel and I sat down (actually more I) Saturday morning and made a list of things to get accomplished and he laughed at me and said, "There is no way we're doing all of that today!" I, however, remained full of optimism. We got a lot of it done, but alas, not all of it.

The morning started off with an egg hunt at the park down the street, it lasted all of 3 minutes. The eggs weren't really hidden, just placed all over the baseball outfields and after the countdown the kids ran out and collected as many eggs as they could while parents pushed other kids out of their kids way! It was great! The kids had fun, but it was a little crazy in my opinion. Our kids got some fun things, but the greed of other parents/kids was amazing.

Then in the evening we went to the FBC easter play. They had child care for the younger kids, which was a huge blessing and Josiah and Joshua watched the play with us. It was good for them to get to "see" the story of Jesus. Josiah was very emotionally moved and Josh just wanted to know "why that narrator guy had to talk to much." Maybe 5 was a little young for him to fully grasp the easter story.Sunday we woke up, took baths, explored our easter baskets, ate breakfast and then got dressed and off to church. The boys each got to pick out their easter shirts and were all very proud to wear their clip-on ties. The girls wore dresses mommy made. Rebekah's was a little loose on top, but she was still cute. Then after church we were off to Gram and Papa's house for a large easter dinner. There were Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles and cousins all gathered and more food than a small army could eat, although we tried! It was a good weekend and now it's back to the reality of house -- cleaning, laundry and cooking (it seems this never stops!) Here are some pictures of them before we left for church and they got all messy.Josiah is doing well, he thinks he's a grown up and I'm trying to encourage him to be a kid while he is one. He looking forward to starting baseball in about 2 weeks.Josh with his tie that was a little too short! He's a great kid who loves to read and loves rules.Naomi has been in a dance class this spring and is looking forward to her performance at the end of the month.Nathaniel has a new hobby of tying anything he can. Shoelaces, wires, jump ropes, belts, thread, yarn, I've found it all tied and wound through any holes he can find.Rebekah is a busy one, she loves to eat anything, but especially candy. She can open the refrigerator and likes to sit on the bottom shelf with her feet sticking out munching on cheese or grapes. She's starting to talk and I told Joel the other day, I don't know if I'm ready for 5 kids to be calling out MOM all day long.Samuel was still in bed during the group photo shoot, but once he was up, he wasn't very interested in having his picture taken. He's a good boy and usually really happy with a smile on his face. He is sitting on his own now and eating some "solids" preferring fruits over veggies. No teeth yet, and I'm sure he'll be crawling before I know it.

Hope you all had a blessed weekend celebrating that HE IS RISEN!!

Confessions of a Blog Stalker

So I don't know why exactly, but I wanted to get this "out there".

I am a blog stalker.

My husband teases me about this all the time. I really don't think there is anything wrong with it, being how the creators of the blogs know that their information is out there for all to see. I don't do anything negative with the information, I just find it extremely interesting to read. Oh and I blame all of this on my good friend who lives far away and was having a baby and introduced me to blogland by starting a blog for friends and family to follow her journey :) Before that I didn't really know blogs even existed.

Seriously, if you have a blog, I probably read it. I know there are hundreds of thousands of blogs out there and believe me I don't read them ALL, but I do read a lot of them. I've found blogs through various sources. Some people have told me their blogs, some have links in their e-mail signature, some have been on "blogs of note", some I've found through friends blogs. . .the ways go on and on.

What does all this mean and why must I admit to this? I know I am one of those people who enjoys "people watching" and this is one way to people watch without leaving my kitchen. It's one way I connect with other adults, again without having to leave my kitchen, even if it's only a virtual connection. I know that I have cried through experiences with "complete strangers" I put that in quotes because they don't feel like complete strangers to me. God has used posts to challenge me, to move me to action, to pray.

A lot of good has come from it, but also some bad. I know I have ignored my kids more than once for the sake of finishing reading a blog. If I listed all the blogs I read/check regularly, you may be shocked. Some people I know in real life, some just in blog land. Some inspire me to be a better mother, some have encouraged me in this path of life, some make me feel like less of a mother for not doing what they are doing. Some have challenged the way I see the world and God (in a good Christian kind of way). Some have brought new recipes into our lives.

I feel like blog land for me is kind of the front porch of old. Instead of going out every night and sitting to chat with each other I still hear the stories of the day through cyberspace. I have read blogs on quadruplets, blogs on mothers of many (as many as 16), blogs on homeschooling, blogs on recipes, blogs on adoption, blogs on crafting, blogs on dulas/midwifery, blogs on cancer battles, and blogs on daily life. Each has touched something in me is some way.

So, now I've said it, and I'm putting it out there for everyone to know.