my kids.

I seem to talk a lot about Jacob. I suppose that's because he does the most right now. We took some pictures today to put on his "Wild About Me" board that is due tomorrow. I love photographing him. He likes it too. He likes to look handsome and would like to wear this particular outfit everyday. He is settling for Sundays.

Evann is my glamorous tomboy. She loves to wear skirts and hates having her hair done for very long. Today is the first time that she was interested in taking pictures. I think she did good in this one. I think her daddy will love it!





Isaac is my comedy relief, well, most days. This day is not any different. He started feeling sick earlier in the day. He had been stuffing his mouth with his fingers and complaining about pain. He couldn't show me where just that it hurt. He had asked for a band-aid but I said I'm sorry son, I cannot put a banda-id in your mouth, it won't stick. I let it go because what can I do without evidence of pain? I went to the back room for some reason and when I returned to the kitchen he met me with a band-aid stretched across his lips as you see pictured. I laughed at this and thought, if there's a will, there's a way. He spent the next 2 hours with that band-aid over his lips except for the time he (through a muffled voice) asked me how he could get a drink because he was really thirsty. I simply say, move the band-aid from your lips. He nodded and ran off. Peeled the band-aid off but promptly replaced it once he was done. When asked if it he felt better he gave a nod with such conviction it nearly toppled him over. He is a sweet, sweet boy. Oh man, can he cause a ruckus in this house. He is my biggest instigator and I wouldn't change anything about him.

Ruben may turn out to be my little piano player. He loves to pound away whenever I am practicing. Really, you can find him at any point of the day tapping away. I like that. He won't walk for whatever the reason. He is standing on his own but he calls it quits there. There is not much to say about him right now.

Jake is stuck in Newport News. We miss him when he's gone. His sacrifice does not go unnoticed. I truly appreciate the life he's given me and our kids. We have so much to be thankful for.

The kids have been unattended for 20 minutes now. DANGER DANGER DANGER! They are not too quite so the mess won't be flour coating the floor...let's see what surprise lies ahead... night night!

that's it?

It is half way through January and I finally took down Christmas yesterday. I sit here happy knowing the daunting task of taking down a half decorated tree and 3 snowflakes is over. Yes, you read that right. That's all it was. I hardly decorated at all which is why I think it was so easy this time to leave it up for so long. At any rate, it is over and my house needs real life in it. That's the sad part (for me) about Christmas being over--the colors are so pretty during the holidays and when it's over I've got brown, green, and cream. Yeah. So lively. I think a few live plants, maybe a ficus tree. Something. I need life. Maybe I need A life. I dunno, you be the judge.

Jacob did lose his tooth while in California. The tooth fairy left him $5. Not sure if it was excessive but whatever. He promptly spent his lot on hot wheels and then asked if we could do it again the next day. He's doing well in school. Not straight A's but close 5 A's and a B for the last 3 six week periods. I'm good with that. I think he's going to play baseball this spring. Let's hope my nerves can handle it. It's tough to teach him things about baseball when his dad is showing him stuff about football. I think he's getting confused.

The rest of the kids have been suffering with one illness after another. Today everyone seems healthy. There isn't much more to say at the moment. Ruben is killing me with his curiosity. He has to fiddle with everything in my personal space. It's freaking me out. SO that's it. I give in to the little one and will leave you all to your own devices.

Late.