Another busy weekend

Rob loaded up the garage debree and took it to the dump, all 6000 lbs of it. Then went over to Lowes and picked up 3360 lbs of concrete. Poor guy has done his share of lifting. I am glad though that he will be getting a new garage. If anyone deserves it it is him. He is ALWAYS doing things for others.

The weather is slowly warming up, although it has been a mild season this year and we are getting TONS of rain. I enjoyed a lovely afternoon nap on Sat. The girls where napping, the boys were playing quietly on their room and I laid there listening to the rain fall and feeling the cold air from the air conditioner blowing on me, it was so peaceful. In my complete comfort, I thought of all the people in this world who may have never had one day of comfort in their whole lives. How truly blessed I am!!

Another 8 weeks of school begins tomorrow. It will be a lite eight weeks with emphasis on the basics; reading, spelling & math facts.

Everyone have a blessed week ahead. Walking through each day with grace, wisdom, kindness and love!

It has been a busy weekend. We had our garage fall in, almost taking out 4 people with it, two of which were my children. Thankfully no one was hurt! There were two different times that people almost got squished. When it fell the first time two of Robs friends were standing under it and my oldest two boys. They heard it coming down and ran out. The second time they were trying to get the other side to fall so that it would be completely on the ground and Rob got his head stuck under some wood so that he could not back up just as it was coming down, but the structure paused during the fall for a split second long enough for him to get out.


This is how it fell, on one side. This picture is after Rob had removed all the siding and was beginning to tear it apart. Yikes! So how did this happen? They were remodeling it and a guy helping Rob, cut the wrong rafter and down it came. So we are just going to start from scratch.

On the sunnier side of things, my Eve turns 2 today! My sweet precious one. It has been such a joy to be a mommy to you. You have taught me that girls and boys ARE totally different creatures. You have given me permission to wear pink, and I wear it alot now. I love your sweet dainty voice and how you walk around holding your babies. I love how you help with everything, whether I wanted help or not. You bring a brightness to our home, and we love you!

Happy Birthday

My Little Rose

I cant imagine how time could be so unkind! Minutes turn into hours and hours into days. Days become weeks and the next thing you know four months have past. My sweet Ava Rose you are growing so quickly. So beautifully! You brighten up every room with your sweet smile, never leaving a smile unreturned. I am so glad that God chose me to be your mommy! You have been a blessing and I love you very much. So as much as I hate to say it, keep growing my precious little one. Alas I look forward to watching you become the young lady I know you will be.

A Day at the Farm

We spent the day at Rehoboth Ranch. This is our local farm that we purchase our grass fed meats from. They have a beautiful 300 plus acre ranch here in Greenville. The children were able to see the goat milking process and get a hand in there to try it themselves. The chicken processing facility was available, for all to learn the ins and outs of processing. They had the local honey bee farmer with his bees and lots of yummy raw honey. (My favorite)

The best part of the whole day was the hay ride around the farm. The owners Mr & Mrs Hutchins and their 12 children showed us around their farm to see the animals and answered many questions. Yet, the best part was the scenery. I could have gotten lost in those rolling hills, covered in all colors of wildflowers, with butterflies dancing to and fro. I feel absolutely perfect when I am out under those trees feeling the cool breeze of the spring day on my face. So, this is Heaven on Earth!

It was a nice weekend. We, and when I say we, I mean Rob accomplished so much around the house. Mainly outside. We (Rob) finished laying the brick for the back porch, and many other outside jobs that needed to be done. We also received an almost new Bowflex that we set up and played with. I really like it. It takes up an entire room, but looks like it will be easy to use.

The weather has been beautiful here, so we are spending much time outside. Rob took the oldest boys fishing on Saturday and they all caught fish. Fun, Fun, Fun! I remember how much fun I had as a child going fishing with my dad. Don't tell anyone, but I love to take Devon to the pond so that I can toss a few lines in myself ;-)

I love seeing the pictures of folks whose blogs I read. It is great to put a face with a name (and life) Isn't it funny how we can read the daily goings on of someone and get to know them very well, yet not know what they look like. There's one or two pictures of me somewhere in the archives. Here is one from this morning, my son was playing around with my digital camera.

I would love to put it in the profile section of my blog, but apparently I am no longer aloud to change anything on my page in the layout section. Links are outdated, and others I would love to add, but beta blogger isn't letting me. Yes, if I knew anything about HTML I could fix it myself, but I don't. So I am either going to have to move my blog or get BlueBird Blogs to create me a knew one. I really wish it would just fix itself, so that I would not have to do either. Or I guess I could get an HTML book and learn how to get it done myself. Sigh!

Edited Later: Yep I figured out how to get my picture on my sidebar, and The Father is so good, because what I wanted to happen happened. My blog problem just fixed itself...YAY!

Oh where for art thou customer service?

It has been an ever increasing thorn in my side to go places and get such poor customer service. Do you remember the days of old when the customer was always right, no matter the cause. If it meant a loss to the establishment, they took it. After all it is our money we are spending right?

Perhaps we are so dependant on those establishments that we have to put up with the lack therein?

Today I went to the post office to simply drop off a package that was already stamped and ready to go. I sent my oldest in to stand in line and hand the package to the attendant to be mailed. My son comes out about 5 minute later with package in hand saying that he was told there was not enough postage. So I take the package in myself and stand in line, hand the box to the post office employee and say "My son was told there was not enough postage on this?....I weighed it at home and checked postage online and was given this amount due" He weighs it looks at the box and starts to try and count the 6, 39 cent stamps. Finally he pulls out his "chart" which I guess tells him how much 6, 39 cent stamps amounts to. Then says "oh, well I guess there is enough"
Grrrr, I say inside my head and quickly walk out to my waiting children.

This experience has left me thirsty so I decide to treat myself to a drink at Sonic. I tell the glowing sign that I want the Hot Fudge Shake (what, this doesn't technically count as a drink? Its in a cup!) We wait and out comes my shake, but its missing the whip cream and crumpled up oreos on top? Gasp! "Hello, big glowing sign....this seems to be missing the goodies on top!" Oh the sign says, we will correct the problem and send out another shake. Sigh, finally someone standing behind my dh hard earned $2.36....................................

..........................................................10 minutes later I drive away in disgust having been forgotten about, with a shake that has been measured and found wanting.

Just an update

I am slowly getting back into the swing of things around here. Its amazing how behind the house and other responsibilities can get when you are down for a week. I can move around now, so its time to play catch up.

I can eat semi solid foods now, which is exciting! I lost 6 pounds last week, just from eating jello and pudding LOL.

The chickens are doing well, except the ones Maverick has eaten, so far that's three. He gets smart sometimes and talks Franklin (the 160 lb mastiff) into helping him push the cage around. He really must talk him into it, because Franky otherwise ignores the chickens. Devon got into the cage the other day and the chicks swarmed him, it was really funny. He reminded me of those pigeon people you see in the movies. While I was taking this picture Devon said "look mom I'm a chick magnet" what is great is he probably heard that on TV somewhere and really thought they were talking about chickens. I love how naive my boys are.

Things and Stuff

Well I made it through the dentist appointment. That had to be one of the most serial experiences of my life. I wont go into details but having your tooth pulled from your head is, well, strange. The dentist told me that I had the longest roots going into the strongest jaw bones he had ever seen in his dental career. So needless to say it was not real easy to get them out.

I didn't eat for two days due to the pain and bleeding, so by the third day I was starving. My neighbor saved my life with jello and chicken broth. ;-) The bleeding finally stopped today but if I let my ibuprofen ware of I feel like I have been hit in the face.

So as I am finally feeling like a human again today then.....I stand up from sitting on the floor with Eve while holding Ava and I hear a snapping sound in my back and pains shoot down my legs. Yep I had wrenched my back and re-pinched an old tail bone injury. So I am walking around like an old woman today. Uggg! I just want to feel better!

The chicks are two less. We built a chicken tractor and the weather has been nice enough that they can spend the days outside in it. Apparently Maverick knows how to coax them out and then proceeds to play with them, a little to hard.

Rob my hubby turns 37 this weekend, so we are having a cook out. I need to get the house in order and finish up a few things. I haven't planted anything in the garden yet, I need to get to that soon as well.

That about covers the goings on around here. Ava is fussy today so I am off to hold her some more.

My Baby Boy

Today, 4 years ago my precious Elijah Bryce was born. You have been unique while holding your own records in many categories of the Stucker clan. Your first record holding event was held on this very day in the year 2003. You came into this world in a big hurry. After about 30 minutes of my first contraction I was holding you in my arms. Needless to say you hold the title "fastest baby" You are the only delivery that your daddy ever missed and he was so upset that you didn't wait for him to get home! You also hold the record for "biggest baby" at a whopping 9 lbs, 22 inches. Must have been that fresh, clean mountain air. I was told that Babbie's in high altitudes are smaller....I think we proved that theory wrong. You are our only CO baby although we have made a solemn pact to never tell you you aren't a Texan. :-)

You also are my last son in a long line of sons. Oh how I just knew you were a girl...but you weren't. You were my precious 5th son. There is much about you that is precious to me. Your big brown eyes and sweet smile. Your kisses and cuddles. I love you very much my sweet little boy!

Blue Bonnets yet again

So the Blue Bonnets are in full bloom right now, and I thought I would head on over and do our yearly pics in them. It seems after reviewing the ones I took, someone was having issues with the sun (I'll give you seven guesses;-) Yes, these are all the pics I took, and no, none of them are worth printing and mailing out to family. Perhaps I will feel like doing it again later on today. Uggh! The trick to good bluebonnet pictures and the thing that tips me over the edge during these sessions is getting the children into the center of the bluebonnets without crushing them. This takes a strong arm as I toss each child in. The good news is I stopped at Braums on the way home and got myself a Brownie Fudge Sundae...I should be feeling better in just a few bites.

A busy week

With spring and all its beauty brings work. We woke early today. Finished chores and school by 10:00am and went to work. The oldest two boys headed over to the neighbors yard to mow, it is about a half acre and they get it done in around two hours, switching off as they get tired. It really is neat to watch their team work. If one is on a hill and is having a hard time pushing the mower up, the other will run over and help get it to the top.

Seth my 3rd oldest and I along with all the little ones headed out to our backyard to turn over the dirt for the garden. The rains have made it much easier to turn the sod over which made me super thankful. Our plot this year will be about 20x8. Last year we did raised container gardening but I did not have good luck with that. I think it might be too hot here for that. We still have alot of prep work to get the garden ready to plant, but hopefully we will be ready by this weekend.

The chicks will arrive Monday. I cant wait! So we also need to get the chicken tractor finished, that will be pretty easy.

I have blueberry bushes to plant along our fence line in a section of the yard that is going to be our berry garden, with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and whatever other berries I can get in there.

We also hope to get a few fruit trees in this spring. Lots to do!

Donna asked what pattern I use for the jumpers. I actually have taken ideas from about 3 different patterns and put them together to make what I wanted, which was basically a dress with no uncovered seams. In other words all the seams are enclosed in the bodice. But here are a few that you can use and are two of the ones that I pulled together to make my jumper.

See and Sew 4488

New Look 6850

Basic jumper patterns are a dime a dozen, so just look through your local fabric shop and you'll find something you like. I realized after sewing for a few months and buying way to many patterns that they are alot alike. You have your bodice, lining and your skirt. Then you just have to tweak it to make it what you want.

A Beautiful Day!

Today the weather was as good as it gets. Absolutely wonderful. We went to the park and played. I took a ton of pictures...and am sharing just a few. I hope you had as peaceful a Saturday as I did!!

Girly Girls

I feel much better now, I sewed Eve a dress yesterday and it was so much fun! I missed it so very much. I have a few more to sew for the girls. I havent tried anything as small as Avas size, but I am going to give it a shot. I dont think my sewing machine will accomodate the small arm holes, but we will just try it and see. The grettest thing about sewing your own clothing is that you get to pick out the cuttest materials.

Sisters till the end!

She is getting so big now! Smiling and laughing at ya. She tries to talk to you with her coos and awws! I love it!

Baby Parts

My precious baby girl is 3 weeks old today. Time just comes and goes like the wind. She has already changed so much from when she was born. The only bad thing about babies is that I just want to sit all day and snuggle and sniff and eat up their precious cheeks. She is sleeping pretty well through the night with little to no bouts of crying. I have been super blessed with all my little ones personalities.

Angel Face

Yummy Fingers

Tasty Toes

Safe and Sound in my Arms!

Thank you all so much for all of your prayers, I could really feel them pulling me through and the timing for everything was perfect...of course!

I called Rob at 1:00 and said that I wanted him to try and leave early from work. He said he would rap things up and be on his way, then I called him 30 minutes later and asked him "when are you leaving?" his response was "right now" good answer, buy that time I was very uncomfortable and wanting my hubby.

I called the midwife at around 1:45 and told her she might want to start heading this way, by this point labor was very obvious...I had no doubts. I tried to get the house picked up and keep my mind busy for the 2 hour wait for Rob.

Rob and the midwife showed up at the same time, about 3:15. When the midwife checked me I was already fully dialated and ready to push. Ava Rose was born at 3:53 pm on January 30th. It was hard as always but totally worth every minute.

She has a full head of black hair and weighed 7.3 lbs, 19 inches long. Perfect in every way!!!


Brand new, about 2 minutes old!



Taken this morning, shes 17 hours old..... Look at all that hair!

Icey Cold

Today we woke up to ice everywhere. Which was great because that meant that Rob stayed home. The boys are having a great time playing outside in the ice, I dont understand that but apparently its great fun!

School is underway and we are almost done for the day. I am a bit closer to being ready for this baby. We pulled out the box of baby girl clothes out of the storage closet. I also found that I have 2 very large totes of baby boy clothes, that Rob tried to get me to give away....not ready for that just yet ;-/

Well, I need to get back to work around here. Just a reminder for those of you who are interested The Arndt Family will be on TLC (The Learning Channel) tonight at 9:00. They have 13 boys and 1 girl. It should be great fun to watch them in action.

Have a Great Day!

Happy New Year Everyone!

May your year be filled with

joy

peace

love

patience

understanding

compassion

blessings

kindness

wisdom

&

Above all else the Holy Spirit

We had a fun evening. The boys wanted to stay up until midnight, so we made a party of it. Complete with pop-corn and sodas and movies. They all fell out one by one. Jordan and I made it to midnight then went to bed. Devon was awake even longer with his dad watching movies. There was no mistaking midnight as all the fireworks and gun shots (gasp) rang out around our house.

This cold bug finally hit me yesterday and I have been trying to rest, which is irritating because I really had alot to get done this weekend. Eve felt so bad yesterday that she just laid in my lap on the couch dosing off and on. I hate them being sick, but I enjoy the cuddling! I'm not feeling much better today either, so I will just continue to rest. ;-/

A Great Surprise

I had some unexpected guests last night....My good friend Ann and her Husband Kevin and their son came by to say hello! I have not seen them in over a year, sense they moved from here to Georgia. Needless to say I was more than excited to see them. They had been in San Antonio visiting relatives and were on their way to Texarkana.

It is so nice to see folks that you miss dearly! I am sure that Ann would not mind me asking you guys to pray for her and her family. They desire another child greatly and have been waiting patiently for over 4 years now for The Lord to bless them. May His blessing flow into their lives!