A Year in the Life of a Big Family-July 23

A few weeks ago the three youngest girls all bought baby dolls at Target. It was a double win because they were on clearance. This baby wets her diapers when she's fed with the bottle that came with her. The girls have been wanting to go buy more disposable diapers, but I  nixed that idea. I told them the night before that we could make some diapers out of fabric we had. I used the disposable doll diaper they had for a template and then I drew each of them their own pattern so they could all trace and cut their own. What started out as making disposable diapers turned into a day long event with the girls making matching clothes for them and their babies. You may wonder why I was free with my fabric. I didn't pay for it and they were scraps that someone was giving away a few years ago.

                   They're at it again today so we'll see what creations they come up with. Added bonus: They're learning how to use cloth diapers using pins the old fashioned way.

A Year in the Life of a Big Family-Weeks 5-10

Well I have failed miserably at keeping up my daily if not weekly posts. I guess being the mom of a large family means life is happening and no time to sit. So we'll catch up with the last six weeks. Here goes!

                                                 Here's Jaidyn meeting her great-grandpa.

The boys ended school in early June so they've had more free time than the girls have at this point. They went to work with their dad for about a month earning money for camp by painting a mini-storage building. If they weren't doing that they had other jobs that people needed them to do. My boys are good hard workers and others recognize that. It helps that I am a drill sergeant. train them well.

We were able to go to a few graduation parties, birthday parties, and bridal showers to celebrate with friends. We love to get together with our friends especially if we don't have to do the work. (Wait, did I just say that out loud?)

The girls still had school until June 20. I went on a field trip with Abi's class to the aquarium at Legoland. They were there to dissect a squid. I was proud of my girl for staying the course and dissecting hers. Some of the kids quit because they were getting grossed out which was ridiculous. (From my observation in the world kids now a days are really soft. They get grossed out easily when it's real science. They can't run to save their lives. They're lazy!-off my soapbox)

Addis was able to go to Disneyland with her 8th grade class. She earned some awards at the school's award assembly. Later that week we all attended Addis's 8th grade promotion with a full sit down dinner at the Barona Golf Course Conference Center. She looked beautiful as always, and knowing what she has accomplished academically over the last six years years she has been in the USA makes it all the sweeter.

Joel and Abi went to Mexico with the youth group from church. Every year the junior high students go down with our youth leaders and Pastor Phil. It gives them a chance to play with the kids at the migrant worker's camp, and be stretched out of their comfort zone. Riding in the back of our fifteen passenger van will stretch anyone.

We have a new pastor at our church. He comes to us from Texas. We've been busy with meetings, a dinner, and listening on Sunday mornings as he spoke. We voted him in a few weeks ago and we all love him and his beautiful family. We look forward to many wonderful years ahead with them.

We were able to go to the fair courtesy of the San Diego Burn Institute and the San Diego Fair. We were invited since Meskerem is involved with the burn center. We had a really fun day. I took the younger girls to kiddie land while the older teens went off by themselves. The first hour we get the park to ourselves. SCORE!!!! and all the rides were free! SCORE!! After lunch we all met up by accident and the older kids each took a little sister with them. It was heartwarming to see my seventeen year old son take his eight year old sister-willingly to go ride some rides, and likewise with the other brothers.

After that as if that weren't enough we met up with our youth group at the beach for an evening of beachtime. The older kids like to go play soccer on the grass while the younger kids play in the sand and moms/dad sit and talk. Since we have a teen driver we were able to leave and take the younger girls home while the older teens stayed for devotional and group time.

I met my sister-in-law for lunch which is not something I do. I'm just not a go out to lunch with women or let's grab coffee kind of a person. I do life with my kids or my husband. We had fun catching up since we live on opposite sides of our county. Our husbands are brothers and they work together, but we never see each other.

After that I met up with Steve and we went to the fair to see Huey Lewis and the News. We also walked around the boring parts of the fair that I can't do with kids. You know the plant area, the art, the boring stuff.

We had a small birthday party for my grandsons Scott & Stephen who are turning three and one this month. They swam in our above ground pool while the older kids watched the World Cup.

We all went to a wedding of some dear friends who grew up together, and decided they needed to spend the rest of their lives together.  The dance floor was open so this mom got her groove on. Yes, I embarrassed my family, but I did give hope to other moms to get out there and move their groove thing.

Steve and I went on our annual getaway for a few days. Nice and relaxing with lots of food and rest. The week before that we went and saw Jefferson Starship. Nothing to write home about. It was actually one of the worst concerts I've been to. The guitar was too loud and I couldn't hear the singer. She was great I just couldn't hear her.

Our painting has been going well. Our living room is done. We're working on our dining room now. I painted our oak bookcases WHITE and the walls behind them WHITE. I LOVE IT!!! Nice clean look. I'm downsizing on the pictures on the wall and knick-knacks. We've put up new blinds. I have HATED our horizontal blinds and now we have vertical blinds. YAY!!!! We live on four acres of dirt and those dog gone mini blinds were ALWAYS dirty. When we have parties I always lifted them up so no one could see the dirt. Now no worries! We're fine tuning the painting. We still have edges around corners and where the walls/ceilings meet. I've learned how to grout, pull baseboard off, and some other handy stuff. Steve bought me a little sander for the baseboards and door jams.

Now that we're caught up are you tired? Oh! I forgot! Jesse, Sage and the baby have been staying with us until he gets his start date back in Baltimore. My sister is staying with us for a few weeks or so. We have a full house and never quite know who is here and who isn't. ;-)