Joshua

Joshua is not your ordinary rough and tumble, daring boy. He has always been quiet, laid back, and a little reluctant to try new things. He loves to play outside, but he's also perfectly happy sitting indoors reading books or playing quietly with cars or blocks for long periods of time. I never remember him even attempting to climb things or do any of those wild things that make mothers of boys get gray hairs. :) I'm not saying that he isn't challenging. He requires just as much discipline and training as any other child. But he requires it in a much different way than, say, his little brother (who, by the way, does give me gray hairs!).

I mentioned that Joshua is reluctant to try things, and especially things that seem dangerous to him. Well, one day last week the three older children were playing outside and Abigail came inside in typical Abigail fashion (loud, animated, dramatic, etc!) to tell me that Joshua was riding a bike with no training wheels. I honestly doubted that she was right, but sure enough, he was doing it! I'm very proud of him for figuring it out without prompting or pushing from us, and for keeping at it until he learned!! His bike has training wheels on it, but he used a small girls bike without training wheels. I need to take him to the park or somewhere where he can practice riding in a straight line, but here he is trying to ride in circles in our driveway. Oh, and those are his three little sisters in the peanut gallery. :)




Joshua got to spend some time with Grandpa and Grandma last weekend.

He stacked up some bricks...

Climbed some trees...

And did lots of work outside. He had a great time!

18 Months...

...and a full-time job all by himself! :)


One of Noah's many funny faces :)

Trying to take out the trash

Saying "cheese" for the camera

Grass!

We recently had sod put in our front and back yards. The front had some grass when we moved here, but there wasn't much and it was pretty sad looking. The back yard was completely leaves, pinestraw, and sticks. The children love having a lawn to run around on! Adam and I are really enjoying it too, and he's been gradually planting camellias, gardenias, blueberry bushes, encore roses, and some other pretty things.

"Before" picture of the front yard

"During" picture of the front yard

"After" pictures of the front yard!




"Before" picture of the back yard

"During" picture of the back yard

"After" pictures of the back yard!! The children pooled together some of the money in their piggy banks to buy the table and chairs. They found it on clearance at Lowe's and went back the next day to get it. :)

Six Weeks

Our sweet little Joseph is 6 weeks old already! I don't know how much he weighs now, and he doesn't go back to the doctor for a couple more weeks, but he's still a great eater and is quite a chunk! He started smiling at me this past week. I'm not a very emotional person, but those newborn smiles always make me tear up. :) I have yet to catch one with the camera, but I'll keep trying.

Vacation

We returned on Wednesday from a wonderful vacation up north! The only downside was that Adam was not able to go with us. He had to do a two-week externship at a dental clinic in a small town a few hours from home. Staying home without him did not sound like much fun, and I've been wanting to visit my grandmother and aunt and uncle, so we packed up and headed up to New Jersey and Pennsylvania. My Mom rode up with us, which was lots of fun and a huge help. There's definitely no way I could have done it without her! The thought of me trying to take all six children into a public restroom somewhere along I-95 by myself is quite comical!

We stayed with my aunt and uncle, who are probably the most selfless and thoughtful people that we know. They are wonderful with the children and they're very sensitive to keeping routines and schedules as normal as possible, which I appreciate so much. Aunt Candie wouldn't let me help much in the kitchen, and she even did most of my laundry for me. I felt like a bum, but I'm so grateful for the opportunity to relax!

Abigail, Joseph and Great Grandmom Ruth

Uncle Jim and Aunt Candie took us to a huge petting zoo. Noah loves animals and isn't the least bit afraid of them, so he was in his element!

Trying to get bit by a turtle. :)

Mom and I (and Joseph, of course!) got to go out to lunch and do a little shopping together...something we don't get to do often!

Esther "reading" to Hannah. :)

Four generations!

Joshua was very helpful on the trip with the younger children, and especially Noah.

Abigail swinging with Aunt Candie

Having fun together!

Beans :)

Hannah loved picking clovers

Uncle Jim and Noah

Thank you Uncle Jim and Aunt Candie!!

We stopped in VA on the way home and met Uncle Brian (my brother), Aunt Alyssa, and Andrew at Cracker Barrel for dinner. Here's Andrew practicing for when his baby sister arrives in a couple of months. :)

Still Here

Having six children doesn't leave much time for blogging. :) I'm still here, but I've not had the time nor the inclination to post much of anything since there are newborn snuggles in the house. :) Here are a couple of pictures from when Grandma in Kansas (Adam's mother) came to visit us recently. I hope to be back later this week (or maybe next) with pictures of some exciting work we had done in our yard!

Sweetness