Merry Christmas!!!!!

Welcome to Bethlehem Gultch

Well, Christmas is past and we have had so many wonderful things to do. However, the most fun we have had this season is watching H and K perform in the homeschool choir Christmas production. They both had solos and were GREAT!!!!! I am a proud momma of my little songbirds. Dont they look so cute? They both played cowgirls and enjoyed dressing the part they wore their gitup for a few days after the first production. I cant wait until the spring musical!

Christmas at Nana's and Pepa's

Wow! What a fun time we all had. This was our first long stay at Nana's since Little O was born. We had a blast.

Have you ever met an angel on earth? I have! In fact I've met 2. Grandmother and Granddaddy are two of the sweetest and most loving people I know. They are always there to give sweet hugs and always seem to be so free with their uplifting spirits. Merry Christmas Grandmother and Granddaddy!!!

Here are Scooters bros family. Arent they just the cutest? The girls love to see them when we are on vacation. Not to mention Little O loves to try and pull the babies hair. They look so cute together looking at each others babyness.

And here is Scooters sis with her two love bugs. Her daughter looks just like her as a little girl and her son took on his daddy's look but his momma's sweetness. I could just kiss him until he giggles.

And last but not least Nana and Pepa. Or as they like to refer to themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Claus. I dont remember what was so funny but it sure makes for a great picture. Thanks for entertaining our troops for our extended stay. We had a great time. Merry Christmas!!!!

A Tribute to Abe

Ok...I do not profess to be an animal lover, I have a smell phobia against them, and my children seem to be allergic to the dander they produce. However, today I realized how much I owe to this wonderful dog, Abraham. As of yesterday afternoon Abe has not been doing so well. Big Papa put Abe in the back of the truck for the kids and me to take him to the vet this morning. After an examination the vet thinks that Abes kidneys and liver are failing. We had to leave him there for the night and I walked out with 5 distraught little girls. I feel hypocritical for the emotions I am feeling myself. In fact I am having to fight back tears even writing this post. I have this massive lump in my throat, and am praying that no one calls and hears my emotion over a dog. The fact of the matter is that this massive warrior has always placed himself as the protector of our family through two deployments and way too many schools and trainings to even count. His bark has kept many salesmen at their distance and has scared off many stray wild animals. His loyalty to our family is honorable.

I Love a Man in Uniform

Big Papa.....thats his name when he is dressed like a man protecting the world. However at home he is my Scooter Boo. Either way he's the sexiest man I know. Look at that face, so chiseled with combat poise. You would never know he could be melted by six little faces at home. I love this man!

Baby Talk

Ok, my baby boy is talking (ok, babbling), but it is soooo cute!!!!!! Am I a little offended that he chose to say dada first? Nah, I just love to hear how excited he gets to hear his own voice. Man, I could just eat him up!!!

My Men

What is Thanksgiving without watching the Macy's Day Parade with the girls in the morning and Football in the afternoon? And whats football without Scooter and Mini-Scooter watching it together. Heres a picture of the two of them enjoying the Lions vs. Packers. Aint they cute?

We Are Thankful For All Our Children

We had all the kids eating at one table on Thanksgiving. My parents bought this beautiful square countertop table and it fits all 15 grandchildren minus Little O. As I stood there looking at that table full of beautiful kids I realized what treasures we have all been given. From the teeny tiniest to the tippy tallest I am truly thankful for each child that has been brought into this family.

My Little Cinderellas

One day before Thanksgiving, the girls and I took a trip to the local laundromat. The change machine wouldnt take a $20 bill so the girls and I searched all our purses, all our pockets, under the car seats in the big burban, and we raided H's kitten fund. In the end we found $17 and were able to wash and dry 10 loads of clothes. These little girls are amazing when it comes to efficiency in laundry duties. I think they just love the baskets on wheels that you use to move wet clothes to the dryer. Whatever, it works when I need that mountain of clothes to disappear fast.

Poor Little O.... it was just to much commotion for this little guy. I think the hum of the washers and dryers put him to sleep. Next year we'll put him on laundry duty too. Ha Ha!!!! Doesnt he look massive in that tiny carseat?

Two Little Monkeys

Monkey see....

Monkey do......
....did this scare me? Are you kidding me? This is the same kid who I just did a post on falling off the counter. She terrifies me with her dare devil ways.

Sweet Images

Does this not look like the most sweet picture? I love the look of sunlight against a black background; almost angellic. Perfect light to capture sweet babies in.

Off to the Fall Festivals

What do you get when you have 4 fairy princesses, 1 indian, 1cowgirl, and 1 little lion cub? 1 kid too many!!! And a wonderful night of Fall Festivals. We now have too much candy and little girls dreaming of going to the big Carnival next year: free carnival rides, free food, lots of fun....heck even I'm excited about next year.

Children Stay Off the Counter!!!!!

This is D. D decided to climb on the couter in our kitchen and then proceeded to take a dive off backwards landing on her back and head. This is her begging to go to sleep. However, after a good dose of cheddar whales and cool juice....

....she was back to her smiley self. Now I just have to be on constant watch for signs of concussion. One more thing added to my list today. Needless to say, I dont think Miss Priss will be back on my counter any time soon.

When It Rains....

.....and the natives are standing on their heads....

....pull out the playdough and watch what amazing creations they make. This is a little Guamese (H's word) girl praying for the rain to stop. We also had three cars with complete families, a couch with a mommy cat and a baby kitten, and the smallest playdough baby in the world. I wish the camera would have done a better job at capturing them all but this was the only displayable picture. My camera makes tiny things blurry. Well I'm going to get back to yet another rainy day.

Monkey Boy

Auntie J gave Little O the cutest monkey ever and boy does he love it! He kisses it and tries to eat its face off. When the monkey falls off the edge of his exersaucer, he actually tries to lean over and find it. He doesnt miss the other toys that take a dive, only monkey. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Little "O" is On a Diet

We tried to tell Little O that we didnt think he was fat, but he says he's heard all the chunky remarks behind his back. He has now put himself on a diet and will only drink diet pepsi. Not really, but doesnt he look just like his mommy in this shot? He does love the contrast of red, white, and blue on the can and attacks me everytime I am drinking mine.

Rainy Days

Ok, so it has been raining off and on for the past 4 days. Do you know what that does to a family that homeschools and spends a majority of their breaks outside? Let me give you a hint....go smell your dog when it is wet. Children seem to acquire the same scent when allowed to play in the misty, wet weather. Now pretend for a moment that I dont have a smell phobia, however when you take the smell of wet dog and multiply that times 5, it could send even the sanest person over the edge. Not to mention that I have to be side by side with them as they read me a book that seems to be a million pages long because the smell is so overwhelming. Needless to say the girls are in the bath at this moment washing the stinch off so we can finish our schooling with the sweet smell of soap. Am I taking this a little too far? Maybe, but dont judge me until you have walked a moment in my shoes which I never take off my feet due to the fear of stepping on something yucky like a piece of wet cereal or a piece of melted cold ice or orange juice that was spilled this morning and no one seemed to see the need to clean the area with a wet cloth. So now every step I take makes a sticking noise but all that is something I will leave for another ranting post.

To My Scooter Boo!

There is really no special occasion for this letter, but I am just overwhelmed with my love for you today. Although I have loving thoughts of you everyday, today just seems more intense. I think of all the things we have come through. We started out alone and grew stronger pullling off of each other instead of family and friends. I truly believe that God set us apart from our comfort to make us who we are as a couple today. Every so often He will put us in a situation that makes us remember how much we need each other and not so much everyone else. I guess these weeks while you are in training is a reminder to me how much I need you. You know I am not a needy person nor do I ever want to be, however when you are not here I feel misplaced. Does that sound weak? Who knows...maybe deep down I really am. All I know is that when you are not here something is off. I truly miss you! Now go ace those tests, run like the wind, and come home as soon as you can. I love you!!

Jenni Leigh

"Happy 7th B-Bear"

Look at our little Indian Princess......what a sweet beauty she has become. She seems to be maturing much faster than I wanted but she feels the urge to be like her big sisters. There are days I forget that she is still little. What a sweet innocence she seems to have. She is in love with her family and loves to be reminded how much she is loved. Look at that face doesnt it just beam with sweetness. Sweeter than sugar or in our case Nutra Sweet.
What a great party we had with the cousins. Lots of sugar and plenty of fun.
Memaw and Pepaw were there too. Memaw made B's favorite meal (spagetti)! Its the simple things in life that make times more enjoyable. I must say Memaw makes a mouth watering sauce! Um Um Good!!!!
Ummm......cake!!!! Happy Birthday B-Bear!!!!!

Thank you Pepa for setting up the Military Police dog demonstration. We learned a lot about the importance of the dogs in the K-9 unit, and the guys in the unit were so sweet to the girls. They were very informative even with the silliest of questions. Turns out cats cannot train for the K-9 unit (bummer).
After the dog demo, we went over to learn about the planes used by the military. The older girls were very intrigued by the facts they learned about each plane. However, the younger 2 were more interested in rock collecting. They were both 2 lbs heavier by the time we left due to the collections in their pockets. We also seized the moment and took a very nice picture with Nana and Pepa. We had a great day.

The Other Side...

Here are a few of the other cousins on Scooter's side. Mr. Blondie loves to have his picture taken and seems to leave his brothers in the dark. They are all handsome boys and the girls had a wonderful time when we were visiting. Its a shame there is such a driving distance between us.
Isnt she so beautiful? And not big as a minute. She has four months on little O and he seems bigger. She is just a teeny tiny thing. I think her cheeks are the chubbiest thing about her.

15 Kids and a Campfire

On my side of the family there are 15 cousins. Here are the boys....They are way out numbered. So far there is a 5 to 10 ratio. Luckily the girls like adventures just as much as the guys

Here are half the girls ......

....and here are the other half.
Here is little "O" joining in the adventure. We believe in starting the kids young in outdoor fun. Too bad he is too little for beanie weanies and mac and cheese.
When you have 15 kids to feed and need a little memory maker ......try making beanie weanies and mac and cheese over a campfire. Who says kids need modernization to have a good time? Their ages range from 4 months to 14 years and they all enjoyed it the same. Memaw and Pepaw will be the heros in their eyes for months to come. We even sang a little Kumbaya and had hot cocoa. Memories, memories,memories.....

Adventures in the Park

Last week we got together with the our favorite group of little gentlemen and had a wonderful adventure at the park. They all climbed rocks and discovered the effects of no rain on the creek. We had a dry creek bed (bummer) but lots of fun watching our little mountain climbers make it to the top. They all seemed very satisfied with their rock climbing skills. Even little T and D made it.
I love these shots.....8 little adventure seekers dashing off to see what else they can discover.....or was it a bathroom break they were seeking? Either way children just seem to dash from place to place no matter what the occasion.

Happy B-Day "H"

Happy Birthday to "H" !!!!! This is one fun kid to give presents to. Especially when it is something she likes. This year all we needed to remember was kittens and crocodiles and it was a success. 10.... can you believe that? It seems like just yesterday we were in Guam trying to come up with a name that would fit our first born; planning out what she would be like when she grew up. We couldnt have planned for a more perfect baby. She has been such a wonderful beginning to our ever growing family. Everyday I look at her and realize our time with her is growing shorter by the minute. Everytime I blink she seems bigger and more independent. Now we are venturing into preteen years and I am a little nervous. My baby isnt a baby anymore.

For Dr. S....She's the Best

I know I already posted little O's rash but this is for the doctor's sake. This is how he woke up this morning.

Not So Happy on Milk

Poor little O......he was doing so well on the lactose free milk formula, however Saturday he began projectile vomitting and Saturday night he began forming a rash all over his body. Poor baby! I guess he is literally allergic to milk proteins.

The Cat Whisperer

Have you ever seen a child so in love with her cat. H treats Miss Daisy like she is human. I think she even knows how to speak cat. She makes these strange cat like noises and Daisy comes running everytime. She has always had a way with animals from the time she was little. I guess one day she will own a farm and it will be the most productive farm around because she will speak the animals language, and the cows will make abundance of milk and the chickens will give more eggs than needed. Thats my girl!

Hey...watch this...

Here are B and K playing soccer Saturday. After 4 Saturdays trying to convince B to play; she finally got the nerve. She even got a goal ( in her own net, but her coach says a goal is a goal). B is #7 and K is #6.

Happy B-Day Scooter Boo!

What's that?!? Its a cherry pie. Some people like cake on their birthday but the way to my man's heart is through cherry pie, and when you say cherry pie you have to say it in your best southern accent. And yes the girls and I made it from scratch just for our main man. (Little O watched).
Notice the pj attire on the girls? Thats because we celebrated Scooter Boo's birthday at 10:00 last night. Thanks to his work schedule we learn to savor the moments we get even if it is way past bedtime. Even little O managed to keep himself awake for the occasion.
The girls were so excited for present time. They couldnt wait to show their daddy their treasures they had found at the store for him. Whats funny is that he gets a lot of toys from the girls. Either they know how he is truly a kid at heart or they are hoping to join in on the playtime when he opens them. Either way everyone wins.