Historic Facial Hair...

4 year old son: "Look Mom, Abrahan Lincoln."

Extreem Recycling

Remember these recycling bins?

My son got them for his birthday because he felt we should be greener...

Just curious... What do you recycle?

A Good Hair Day!

Poor girl, she got my hair. I've been trying to convince her that she's better off with short hair, but she's not buying it. She wants long hair like her sister and cousin.
But they both have thick hair. So since I'm the kind of mom who's not above bribing her kids...

I promised some fun new hair clips and that was all it took...

It's...so...much...better!!!!

Back to School

Here are some pictures of the first day of school in years gone buy...

I don't have them all.

My oldest boys 1st day of K5 is in one of 6 or 7 shoe boxes full of pictures.

Now I'm not lazy, but I just didn't want to try and find them b/c the pictures are, of coarse, not organized...

This is 06... Stripped dress girl: K5 and red shirt boy: 1st grade
This is 07... Pink outfit girl: 1st grade and tan shirt boy 2nd grade.

The pictures of 08 are in a disposable camera in one of the end table drawers in the living room...

Yet undeveloped...

OK maybe I am lazy. Or maybe just forgetful. Or maybe I just have other things that crowd out things like remembering to take the camera to Walmart...But that is for another post.

This is 09... this year!! Purple shirt girl: 1st grade, pink shirt girl: 3rd grade and blue shirt boy: 4th grade.

Red shirt boy isn't in school yet. One more year at home with me.

Oh how they grow... {sniff, sniff}

"WHAT"

She just told her dad she'd rather be a Sooners fan than a Longhorns fan...

My 1st Homework Assignment

Below is an assignment I was given by my 1st graders teacher.

They go to school and yet I get the homework.

Anyway, I had to tell about our girl to give the teacher (who, by the way, was our oldest daughters 1st grade teacher and we LOVE her!!) a little better idea of who she will be teaching this year.
______________________________________


Our daughter is the crazy, melodramatic, fun girl who is caught smack in the middle of our 5 kids. She is so much fun and always (I mean always) has energy. She is a mess, figuratively and literally. I can’t seem to understand how one girls pig tails can get that askew in the span of one school day. She’s a great help to me at home. She loves to clean anything with a wipe. She also loves to cook, and is standing at the ready, with her apron on at most meal times. She loves to play with her baby sister and can often be found in the crib with her reading to her or showing her how a toy works. She has earned the title of “The Informer” here at home and you may call her that too by the end of the year. She just wants everyone to be aware of all the goings on…even if they are sitting right there in the same room. We believe she may have a future in news broadcasting but it’s still early in her academic career. She is often a doubter of her own abilities. I don’t know where it stems from, but we are all, older brother and sister included, working on encouraging her. She is a smart girl and if we can channel some of that energy and build her confidence I have no doubt that she will do great. My prayer is that she will be a joy to you in your room just as she is to us here at home.

Working the Parents...

8 year old daughter: Mom, can I get my ears pierced?

Me: When you're 10. {I made that age up a few years ago to buy me some time.}

8 year old daughter: Does Dad know?

Me: Yes (said while hiding my smiling face)

8 year old daughter: (disappointed sounding) Awww.

Because my children never work their parents to see if the "united front" might be cracked...NEVER!!!

Brotherly Love

There is one little boy who is going to be very sad...
Why?

This summer has been a dirty faced, sweaty little children, slip-n-sliding summer. Filled with bugs, sand, freeze pops and all things hot and sticky. But those days are coming to an end. And I feel sad for my little 4 year old.

Big Brother is going back to school next week.

Now I will love the time I get with just him.

But he loves his big brother...

Does he love me?

Ya, maybe a little.

But Big brother...

Like I said, I'm going to have one sad, lonely little boy who asks all day. "Is it time to pick them up yet?" and carries around his other best friend.

Sweet Thumb...

Oh the thumb suckers thumb
May look wrinkled and wet
And withered and white as snow
But the taste of a thumb
Is the sweetest taste yet
As only we thumb-suckers know.


~ Shel Silverstein ~

She's growing up...

She's a good sister...
Cleaning all of their room when little sister won't help.

She's a good story teller...
I'm considering a blog all her own.

She's starting to get picky about her appearance...
But not too much.
She still loves her dolls...
Sleeps with the one she got as a baby to this day.

She still needs my help...
Sometimes...

She's still that little girl...

Who cries when she's too tired. But she's growing into a lovely young lady.

Happy Birthday...

Where Do I Find Encouragement

I find encouragement in the knowledge that my husband loves me...even when I am unlovable.

I am encouraged by the prayers of my children.

I find encouragement in Hebrews 11 and the Saints who've gone before.

I am encouraged by music.

I am encouraged as I see God at work all around me.

What encourages you? Head on over to a new site and maybe you'll be (in)couraged!

Two Headed Gerber Daisy

Is this common???

I know nothing about plants so I can't answer that...

But I can tell you that my kids thought it was fantastic.

And a great example of Gods beautiful creation.

Going Green...sortof

We're not that green here at our house.
We re-use some things but that's about it.
But my oldest has been bugging me for a while now to start recycling.
Yes you heard me right...we don't recycle.
Or at least didn't until recently.
Its not required in our state.
No excuse, just a fact and...
yet another reason for state pride.
*An adulterous Governor...
*The second lowest standardised test scores in the nation and...
We don't HAVE to recycle.
But I found these bins on clearance at a toy store...
so I thought it must be a sign...

He was so proud and excited to get started...

We managed to fill them up pretty quickly...

seriously...I don't even like to think about our carbon footprint.

Then it was off to one of the recycling centers here in town...
He was so excited and wanted to toss it all himself.

So it's official...

TeamBabetz has now gone green...well at least green-er.

And the way I see it is One small step for TeamBabetz...One giant leap for a greener planet.

School: Part 3... Praying, a little differently

I've had this post in draft for a while...
Convictions run deep in education philosophies. And sometimes encouragement can be hard to find. I love to be encouraged, and I like to be different...so...
I think it goes without saying that we need to be praying for our children, so I'd like to look at prayer in a little different light...
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"So do you home school?" comes in a close second only to...

"Are they all yours?"

I find that interesting.

And even more interesting is the reaction I get when I tell people that we send our kids to public school.

Some are instantly relieve as though the thought of 5 kids underfoot all day would be such an inconvenience. And what a relief it must be to send them away for part of the day so I can have some "me time".

The other is just as insulting to me...

The raised eyebrow and the long sing-songie "Ahhhhhhhhhh". You know what I mean?!? Disapproval, but not quiet sure how to respond so... that's it.

I am not here to discuss the merits of one form of education over another. If that is what you are looking for I am sure there are plenty of blogs out there where you can find it.

I would like to suggest another approach for responding to those who have a differing education philosophy than yours.

Are you ready.....

Ask them how you can pray for them. What are their struggles? What are their triumphs?

But I don't like to be general. There are lots of questions that come to mind for my homeschooling mom friends...

Are they happy with their curriculum? Do they find teaching certain subjects difficult? How do they manage to make everything fit in a day? Do they make lesson plans ahead of time, or week to week? What do they do with the little ones when the older kids doing school? Are they involved in a co-op?

Or:

For the public school mom...I know these are areas that I have asked friends to pray for me and my children...

Issues with one of my child's teachers. Struggling through a certain subject. Being a light to unsaved friends or teachers at school. I struggle with fear. Or finding ways to get involved in my child's school while still having 2 kids at home. Managing to fit homework...chores...reading...and Bible time in the few short hours after school while giving my kids a break too.

The list goes on and on...

And let's not forget the parents out there who's kids go to private schools. My husband and his 4 sisters were all in a private christian school at the same time. There is a lot of scarifies that goes along with that...and these days I'm sure tough choices are being made. What are some ways we can encourage those families?

Birds of a feather tend to flock together and so it's easy for me to gravitate towards moms who face the same struggles as I do. And there is a lot of passion about education, especially in Christian circles and it's easy to want to stick with what we know. But the next time you ask someone where their kids go to school...

Maybe take some time to find out why? And ask how you can be an encouragement to them...

And then pray for them.

It works for me!!!

If you want to know how I do my school supply shopping you can head over here.

And if you want to see how I manage all the paperwork that goes along with school you can find it here.

And don't forget to head over to We Are THAT Family for WFMW to find a long list of helpful back to school tip and tricks to help get us through this busy time!!

100 Things About Me...if you're interested.

In honor of Erin's 100th blog post....Yipee!!!!

Here are 100 things about me. Don't get too excited...

Me...
1. I am the middle of 3 sisters. We are all spread out...it makes me sad.
2. I grew up in a suburb of a the Twin Cities...MN.
3. I went to both Christian and public schools.
4. My 3rd grade teacher threw a desk across the room...christian school
5. I believe b/c of #5 I always hated school.
6. I won a blue ribbon in a poetry contest in 1st grade.
7. I had the chicken pox when I was 6.
8. I had a skin graft on my left hand when I was 7.
9. I was a cheerleader all through high school.
10. I cheered on the ice for hockey games.
11. I did not have my drivers license until I was 18.
12. I have very blue eyes.
13. I am left handed.
14. I have LOTS of cavities.
15. I ware glasses.
16 I went to summer camp when I was 5 but got sent home after throwing up on the camp director...I told my mom I was sick.
17. I went back to that same summer camp every summer until I was a senior in high school. I loved it.
18. I loved to play in the snow as a child...
19. I hate to be cold now.

Me & and life with my guy...
20. My husband and I were at the same college at the same time but didn't know each other.
21. I never graduated from college.
22. I lived on my own for almost 7 years before I met my husband.
23. He asked me to marry him on our 2nd date...I said yes.
24. We were married in our church...which was an old grocery store...romantic I know.
25. I wore my moms wedding dress.
26. We never discussed how many kids we were going to have.
27. We were married almost 2 years when I got pregnant with our first.
28. I was a month shy of 30 when I had my first baby.
29. I was almost 38 when we had our 5th.
30. I had high blood pressure issued with the last 3 babies.
31. I was hospitalized for 3 weeks with my last baby.
32. I can not have any more children.
33. My oldest child makes me feel very unprepared to be a mother.
34. My youngest makes me feel too old to be a mother.
35. I worked for a brokerage firm before we had kids.
36. I remember the day the DOW went above 10,000 the first time.
37. I see my kids in colors...green, pink, purple, red, yellow.
38. My husband and I have been married for 11 years.
39. I get to stay home with my kids.
40. I live in a 1200 square foot house...with 6 other people.
41. #40 is why we have no pets!
42. Our first Christmas together, the tree stayed up till Valentines Day...I lost the standoff and dragged the tree to the street myself. Lesson Learned.
43. I don't nag.
44. I love...LOVE being married and having a family.


Random...
45. I love coffee.
46. I don't like tea...hot or cold...sweet or otherwise.
47. I recently reconnected with my best friend from high school...I miss her very much.
48. I taught myself to crochet.
49. I am in a Christmas Ornament exchange every year. It's a highlight in my year!
50. I listen to Christmas music off and on all year long.
51. I wish I was more organized.
52. I get migraines.
53. I love my flip flops.
54. If you went into my attic you might sign me up for one of those "hoarder" shows. It's bad.
55. I hate Halloween.
56. I love Dorris Day movies.
57. My kitchen is red
58. I love jewelry
59. I don't wear jewelry except for my wedding band and maybe some earrings.

Convictions...Opinions
60. I am a child of God...saved by grace!
61. I don't like to hear women put their husbands down in public.
62. I am very careful about what I watch on TV
63. I flip magazines in the checkout line if the women are immodest.
64. Our children go to public school.
65. I am my children's primary educator.
66. I think that women should be each others biggest cheerleaders not each others biggest critics.
67. We don't parent according to culture, even popular Christian culture.
68. We supplement History and Bible in our kids education.
69. I believe children should be taught corporate worship.

Things I do...
70. I volunteer at the kids school and love it.
71. I paint my toenails red every summer.
72. I clip coupons.
73. I love to watch football with my husband
74. I will always have shoes of some kind on my feet.
75, I sing...I love to sing.

Things I don't do...
76. I don't go to movies...if I'm going to get out of my house without my kids...I am not going to spend money to sit in a dark room for 2 hours and watch someone elses fake life. Just sayin.
77. I do not paint my toenails during the winter.
78. I don't play video games.
79. I don't play an instrument.
80. I don't like to argue.

Things that just are...
81. I think my house is cozy in the winter and I tend to like it more then.
82. We are a one car family.
83. We've never bought a new couch...and probably won't until the children are gone.
84. I love the Olympics
85. I am a Conservative
86. I am not what would be considered a co-sleeper...but I believe you do what it takes to get through those first few weeks with a newborn.
87. I bottle fed all my children
88. I had 2 NICU babies
89. I just got a new Bible...it's an ESV

Things to work on...
90. We are working toward being debt free.
91. I would like to be a better eater...I'm a little picky.
92. Speaking my mind.
93. Organization.
94. Getting to bed early.
95. Reading more...I don't read enough.
96. Structure
97. Listening...not hearing...Listening!!!
98. Using a quieter tone. OK...OK...not yelling.
99. Blogging more consistently.
100. Doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with my God. Micah 6:8