and finally....

her zebra overalls...the butt say's "wild"
love the colors!

School pictures...

yesterday these came home in their folders. So excited and ready to share with everyone.

sad day here...

one last photo...
for over 35 years this house has been a part of my life. I grew up here. Came back to live for a year in my 20's, (with a husband and 3 kids) and since 1989 I have lived a block away. Visiting my parents frequently over the years. In 2000 Linette moved back with her family and bought the home from my dad, and so it continued to be in "our" family. Until today. Today they closed on the house, the movers finished packing and left with their "stuff" heading to their new home. Today I walked thru those rooms for the last time.
right now I just feel an overwhelming sadness.
Today it became someone else's home.

on monday...

when I saw the moving truck parked outside Linette's house, I stopped breathing. Nothing like a reality check. This day seemed so far off at the end of summer. Funny thing about time it sneaks up on you and smacks you with a reality check. For as much as I had convinced myself I was ready for them to move, truly trying to find the positive in all this, ( hey it will give us a place to visit) nothing prepared me for the site of that truck. Or the boxes being packed and loaded. I knew they were leaving but the one thing I didn't see coming was the overwhelming loss I felt when I realized that after the packers were done I would never have the right to walk in the doors of the house again. That finality was a tad overwhelming, certainly wasn't ready for it.

empty rooms...

somehow saying smile as I took the picture seemed rather inappropriate.
this reality just sucks!

and this is...

the bath water after she was cleaned up...lovely blue tint don't you think?

another rosie moment...

this is what a two year old looks like when allowed to have a marker.
(a note her dad was suppose to be watching her....)
not even the pj's were spared.
the sad face is simply because the marker was taken away.
life is so unfair....

Christmas card pictures...

all three older kids were home this weekend so it seemed wise to capture the Christmas card photo. I am resigned to the fact that this will never be an easy undertaking. Honestly I don't know what it is about this photo shoot that brings out the brats in my kids. After several melt downs, including mine....I think I may have stomped off, and used a few choice words when talking to my sister. Seriously it is the worse pictures to take. Naturally it was nap time, why would we make it easy, then there were issues with location, apparently mushy apples are not something to sit in, sigh. Naturally eyes were closed, and someone was almost always looking the other way. There were tears, many tears, Rosie simply had had enough...I think I shed a few. This year there were gawkers...people driving by and sharing comments with us...look at the number in that picture guess I would stare too. It is done...I think I found a picture, I took over 60. I guess finding a usable one is a miracle in and of itself. We are done, until next year. That makes me very very happy! (the bottom photo is the best, I think Rosie pretty much says it all)

even more christmas card pics

after 22 years they cooperate rather well :)
rosie wouldn't stand, it was rather comical watching Cassandra trying to get her stand, the child can add 20 pounds to her weight when she doesn't want to do something.
beckie attempting to convice rosie it isn't as painful as it seems.

and more christmas card photos.

shades

wearing beckie's sunglasses and hamming it up for the camera.

the best part?

sorting thru the candy of course. So much to sort thru, so many choices, and bummer mom has this annoying rule of only being able to eat one piece. No I wasn't too popular tonight, what can I say?

Happy Halloween

Today was the day...the energy level was off the charts. They couldn't wait to go. They had a blast.
they are now finally in bed, except for one....you know which one. She is a rebel, our Rosie is.

carving pumpkins....

Ok, so nothing like leaving it to the last moment, and yes one is missing from the above picture. Yahaira fell asleep at 6:30 and there was no waking her to partake in the activities. Rosie thought it was great fun to dig inside the pumpkin no fear in her. Anthony and Alonso were hesitant until I brought out the spoons. Moses watched from his high chair since currently everything and I mean everything goes into his mouth, not sure how healthy raw pumpkin is. Oh, and as I gathered them all together for a final picture I tuned into the music playing in the background, something Halloween appropriate you may think. alas no, it was Christmas music.....I had been working on a Christmas project and to keep myself in the right state of mind I had popped in a Christmas CD...and so we carved pumpkins by Christmas carol's.

This just makes me....

Smile.

Happy Fall!

I have just a few more to share, really just a few more.