handsful

We woke up to this today…

And, this showed up today…

Coincidence?  I

think not.

In order…probably.

A few weeks ago, Lainey had braces put on.  At age 7.  Which, by the way, means I now have 4 kids IN braces right now.  Sheesh.

Lainey, because she was born with a cleft palate, will need lots of dental and orthodontic work.  LOTS.  And, it starts now.  She’s had 4 surgeries in her lifetime, 3 with us.  Her next one, to correct her gumline cleft, will be her biggest, and I’m told her hardest.  They will take bone from her hip and use it to fill in the bone that’s missing in her gumline.  Before that can happen, her palate needs to have an expander put in (weird, huh?  She had two surgeries to CLOSE her palate, now we’re trying to make it wider??).  And, before she can have the expander put in, she has one tooth that needs straightening (the expander needs that tooth to attach to), hence the braces.

Are you lost yet?  She’s done great with her braces, hardly any complaining at all.  I’m amazed, really.  But, I shouldn’t be.  She’s always handled medical stuff with ease.

Then, it was time for the NC State Fair.

Dylan’s footlong is becoming a fair tradition…

happy girl!

For the first time ever, I think, we left our nice camera at home, so all of these are off our phones.  I just decided I didn’t want to have to lug it around the whole time…I kinda wish I had better pics, but I did enjoy the freedom of less to carry that day.

October FLEW by for us.  I mean, I don’t have a clue where it went!  I guess that happens when you’re calendar days are all full.

We did finally find time to go pick out pumpkins as a family.  With the big kids getting older and busier themselves, it’s harder to find those stretches of time where we can ALL do things as a family without either missing some or having extras.

We’ve gotta do better at making that a priority.

taken before we saw the “don’t climb the tree” sign…oops

A few short days later, it was time for Trick or Treating.

Next post will be pics of all that fun…

Did ya’ll think I totally forgot we had a blog?

About 2 weeks ago, we hosted a birthday bash here for Marley, Payton, and Ethan and their friends.  I was going to blog about that…and, then remembered that I failed to blog pics from Lainey and Dylan’s party with THEIR friends a couple of weeks before that.

So, we’re going back in time a bit.

There’s a cool place in Charlotte called Bounce U, with lots of indoor bounce houses, slides, and climbing walls.  Perfect place for a bday party with 6 and 7 year olds!

This was a big hit…the kids climbed through layers of fabric straps (kinda like webs) inside this very tall structure, and then slid down a slide.  Out of all the kids there, Lainey, Dylan (prosthetic leg) and their friend Anna (born with spina bifida) were the only ones to make it to the top…several times!  So impressed with their “never give up” attitude!  (that’s Dylan at the top in the pic)

The cupcakes were Batman theme (the kids choice), so this was just right for the party :)

Marley joined in the fun, too!

Make a wish!

Batman mask…loved it!

Thanking her friends for her presents…

Everyone agreed, it was a fabulous place to “party” for your birthday!

Approximately two weeks later…the trips finally found a date where they WEREN’T busy, and we had their birthday party.

They started the evening with a neighborhood scavenger hunt…oddly enough, no pics of that.  They were divided into 3 teams with about 6 kids on each (Marley, Payton, and Ethan as a captain on each).  We drove them to a near-by neighborhood with a list of things they had to either find and bring back OR take a picture of on their phone.  They experienced some very friendly neighbors (all three teams came back with a t-shirt) and some very unfriendly ones (a couple of doors slammed in their faces).  In the end, EJ’s team won.

Once back home, they scarfed down 6 pizzas (the kitchen looked like this, or worse, the whole night) and then it was time for the game Marley planned…

We put out sheets to cover the floor, paired everyone up guy/girl (a couple of girls paired up because several guys said “no way” to this game), and broke out the make-up and blindfolds.

Girls blindfolded, guys endure the agony…

This next part we’ll call…”the guys revenge”

After filling a trashcan full of make-up stained baby wipes, it was time for…Cake!  As usual, EJ wanted a cookies and cream ice cream cake, Marley wanted a vanilla with buttercream frosting (that her and her friends made that day), and Payton wanted a warm apple dessert.   They requested a “group” bday song this year :)

M’s cake close-up…tie dye!

Anyone up for charades?

It was around this time (midnight or so?) that I was fading fast…Randy always takes the “night shift” with these late nights, so I bid everyone goodnight.  The kids split up into two groups…one watched a movie, while the other went down to the Shop and had an impromptu dance party.  In the morning, I was up early(ish) and put out a quick breakfast for everyone cause most of us were due to be extras at a movie set at 10am.  :)

So, with July gone, the 5 birthdays are over and done with.  The next family birthday will be Jack, the top dog around here.  He’ll be 11 in September…or 77, however you wanna look at it.

July is basically birthday-palooza around here…Lainey and Dylan share a birthday on July 4th, and Marley, Payton, and Ethan share theirs on July 7th.

Let’s start with Lainey and Dylan

Present time…

Lainey had made her wishes known…she wanted a new game system.

Dylan was a puzzle, but knowing how much he loves watching Lainey play her old one, we got him one of his own.  Thank goodness for finding pre-owned game systems!

As you can see, they were a hit.

The rest of the 4th was spent getting ready to have our friends over for dessert and fireworks.

Before the pyromania began, Lainey and Dylan had some wishing to do…

Sugar cookie cake, decorated by Marley (with the assistance of me to write their names)

And, then it was boom time.

It sounded like a war zone all around us.  Guess that’s what happens when you live in the country…lots of land, means more room for fireworks.

And, what’s July 4th without sparklers?  Boring, I say.

Lainey and Dylan think it’s extra cool that their birthday is on an American holiday…

I mean, how many people can have a guaranteed firework display every year on their birthday?

God bless America…and, happy birthday to my Independence day babies.

It’s been raining here a lot lately.  It finally cleared up today, thankfully….but, we had a few solid days of rain and more rain.

I hope my garden didn’t “drown”.

One afternoon last week, the littles were tired of being cooped up.

They didn’t know I was watching them from the kitchen door.

No thunder and lightning means  playing in the rain is a-ok.

They were soaked through.

Oops.  They see me.

That can only mean one thing.  They’ll turn into hams for the camera.

See, I was right.

Then, Lainey decides to up the ante on the water fun…

They continued this for a while, dumping or throwing water on each other while giggling hysterically.

Chilled to the bone, they were done and in their warm, dry PJ’s.

Playing in the pouring rain?

Why not?

Heh. Heh.

Our 6 kids are involved in a program called Acrofitness.  It combines floor acrobatics (and/or dancing) with fitness moves.

Hence, the name.

There are a variety of classes, and all of the kids have found the one that really fits their interests.

Abbey takes hip-hop…Marley is in advanced tumbling (since she’s had years of gymnastics in FL)…Payton and Ethan take a Free Running class (also called Parkour; google that one)…Lainey and Dylan take beginning tumbling.

Last night, Acro had their Fitness Festival.  A recital of sorts, where all the classes did a special routine to show what they’ve learned during the last year.  Combining all of the individual classes with all of the teams (those are audition-based that do about 40 shows during the year at various events), we watched 45 routines.  Abbey’s group was #19, the littles were #26.

The boys and Marley opted out…which was fine, since you’ve gotta purchase the event attire and it ain’t cheap.

The littles being goofy, while we waited for Abbey to get ready to go.

These aren’t great pics, but it’s the best we could do given all the heads in front of us.

Loved their routine…their instructor, Heather, is so good (she’s the dark haired gal in the white suit in the first pic)

Lainey and Dylan both did great…and D loved being in front of that many people.  Ham.

They’re on the right end.

L and D with their fav coach, Mr. Joey.  He’s SO good with them and they adore him.

All the kids will enjoy their summer break, but we’ll all be back at Acro again next year.  Three nights per week.  Flipping, jumping, and dancing.

Can it be?

FIVE years?  When I look back at the baby pics, I can believe it.

Now, she’s 6, but wishing she was 16.  Must be the influence of all the teenagers at our house.

“Now, a silly one, mama!”

“Can Dylan be in the picture with me?” Of course, babe.

“And Jack?”  Sure…

Jack is such a lick-headed dog!

Showing off her headstand skills….she can stand there forever.

Our tradition is to give each child a book on their Gotcha Day anniversary…one that shows what that child loves or is “into” at that age. Or, maybe an adoption-themed book appropriate for them.  This year, Lainey is ga-ga for Sofia the First and she was SO hoping that would be her book.

We didn’t disappoint.

Love you, girl!  Happy Forever Family Day…we’re so thankful that God meant you for us.