Another Birthday in our family today!! 3 years and 2 days after his older brother, my second son was born!
It’s going to be a year of exciting firsts, as he enters high school, gets a learners permit, & all the other things that come along with that!!
Today I am taking him and 4 of his friends out on the town! PRAY FOR ME!! :)
Pray for him as he grows up this year! Such an impressionable age! Praying!!!!!
Pam
A new carnival! Sponsored by the Rigg’s Family! I missed out last week, since we were on vacation. Last week we were to introduce ourselves. So, I’ll do that before I get to the photo part!
I am Pam. Mom of 6 great kids! Making my way through this life, trying to live out life for Jesus. Making lots of mistakes. Dealing with lots of stuff. Keeping it as real as I can. (see my profile for more!!)
I’ll narrow my favorite photo down to one from this past week at the lake… now to choose just one… EEK!
Sigh… why is that my first response when I sit down to type? Well? Not sure where to start? Maybe that is it.
We got back Saturday afternoon from our week at the lake. I have tons of pictures that need to be edited. It was an interesting week. Not very warm weather. Semi-relaxing. Semi-stressful. Semi-no-so-much-fun-to-be-stuck-in-the-house-with-all-those-kids fun.
We played tons of games. Mostly one game. A new one to us. The Settlers of Catan
We did run away to the outlet malls that are close by a couple of times. That was fun. One afternoon Lana, Kiahna, & I made a Meijer run. Lana asked me what we were looking for again? I told her, NOTHING, we are just killing time until we have to go back to the cottage!!!
We had 3 nice days. 4 cool days. At least it didn’t rain too much, and even though the water cooled down, and the weather was too cool to be out without sweatshirts, the kids did get out behind the boats tubing and knee boarding, riding the “oops” tube, and the “hot dog tube”.
There is a person on that tube. A big person. The scariest moment of the week was when 3 little boys, Lucas, Sammy & Brandon were riding on that tube. And the wind was stronger and the waves were bigger, and suddenly Lucas & Brandon were knocked off & Sammy was thrown up in the air. High. Allison saw it happen, and yelled. & we scrambled to get another boat out there to help. Thankfully, Sammy was only very scared (along with Jeremy who was driving the boat) and didn’t want to get on the tube again. Wow, God must have had angel’s catching him.
Lots of fishing went on in the cloudy weather too. Enough to have a big fish fry. Now, I don’t like fish, but everyone else was super excited. I kept asking them if they would not try to catch a chicken next time they were out! No sale.
There are an overwhelming amount of pictures I want to show you! Imagine if it had been nice weather all the days! I’ll leave you with this smilebox I threw together!
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| Make a Smilebox slideshow |
Pam
Happy 18th birthday to my oldest!
All I can say is… wow… where did the time go?
Pam
AHHHHHH!!!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!! My oldest baby boy is turning 18 this weekend!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! How did this happen?????
Not sure where the 2nd part of my post disappeared to! I wrote it once, I promise!! Here is your chance to join me in capturing your own moments & sharing them with us all! If you have never played & need to read the YOUR GONNA MISS THIS guidelines here.
Pam
Head over to Tim's to watch more vlogemos!!
Pam
Today I’ll finish off the rest of the list for you!!
The Scott Household asked…How did you start the "ball rolling" towards adoption? You may have answered this already somewhere else and I will try to go back tomorrow and look around some more...
If you HAVE already answered this, here's another question:
Why did you start blogging and has it changed your life? If so, how?
And another one:
What's with all the mud on your kids? I love it! :) Okay, I probably wouldn't like it so much if I were in your shoes and honestly, I don't like it on my own shoes...if I'm in barefeet however...
That whole “ball rolling towards adoption” question is loaded! We started out in foster care. Did that for while, put our home study & name in with quite a few agencies, had our hearts broken & finally adopted. How’s that for a whirlwind in a nutshell!
Why I started blogging… well. I started reading one blog. Liked it. Decided that I wanted this kind of creative outlet & attachment to the outside world. Plus, I hoped that my testimony would encourage someone else. And it would give meaning to having endured it all.
About the mud. No comment. :)
Amy B @ Our Daily Blessing...Life asked… Okay my question..how did you pick your beautiful bog background..I LOVE it.
I saw a link on mommaof4wife2r @ A Thorn Among Roses blog, to Blogalicious Designs. I saw that they had some pre-made designs they offered at that time for a discounted price (for custom designs) I really liked this one. I love flowers, and the colors! I asked them about it and they were wonderful to work with! So if you want a custom blog design, may I recommend Blogalicious Designs!
Holly @ One Day at a Time asked…When do you find the time to blog?
Well, if it was about having time I wouldn’t do it. I choose to do it. I do it for me. I do it for fun! I do it to avoid the piles of laundry and the mound of dishes! I don’t have time! I make it!
Amy @ The Fullness of Life asked… Question--if you could only eat one thing every day what would it be?
Wow, wouldn't that be boring to have to eat the same thing day in and day out. Like the children of Israel in the wilderness! If coffee is a food, I’d choose it. If it is not a food, I’d choose, pasta!
last one peoples….
Sarah @ Flying Kites asked…How do you find time to do devotions? I struggle with 1 kid - can't imagine 6!
Get up before they do. That’s the magic formula!
Hope you all enjoyed that! If you have more questions go ahead and leave them in the comment box and I’ll answer them in 6 months or so!! :)
Love you all!!
Pam
Remember back in March? When I had my first year blogoversary? And one of the ways to win was to enter a question for me into the comment box? Remember that? Remember that I never answered the questions? I remember. I saved them… so here we go…
Pam D @ Life by the Creek asked… And for a question.. "How do you feel about the name Pam? Do you love it? Hate it? Inquiring minds want to know.. especially those of us who are NAMED Pam!" hee hee....
I guess I don’t really think too much about it anymore! I remember as a child thinking it was boring and wishing my name was Tabitha or Veronica (you know like on Bewitched & from the Archie comic books!) I like the name Pamela better, and detested my sister’s calling me “Pammy”, which they did when I was little. I have one uncle that called me Pammy and still gets away with it to this day! And fyi, My middle name, is Rae (same name as the uncle who gets away with calling me that and my grandpa)
Kelly @ My dot on His Line asked…. what's your daily routine like? You may have done, "A Day in the Life of Pam" before I came onboard, but I'd be interested!
Hectic. Chaotic. Busy. Never the same. Um… kind of hard. I like to get up early, before the kids. I like to drink coffee, read my Bible, Journal, pray. There is hardly ever enough time for that. Durning the school year, then we would be getting up and ready to leave for school. After the big kids leave, I would drive Jadon and Kiahna to preschool. Next year, only Kiahna, and Jadon will go with James, (tear). It varies by the day what I would do while they were at preschool. Walmart, volunteering at school, come home, run other errands. Then pick them up, come home. Get some lunch, do some laundry, read some blogs, read some books to the kids, clean the kitchen, make some beds, (exciting stuff). After the kids would get home from school, there would be homework, dinner, car pools, games… always something to keep us very busy. Bed by 8 pm for the younger 4, while the oldest 2 pretty much fall asleep when they want. Their room is in the basement away from the other kids so they have a little more freedom. Rinse, Wash, Repeat.
Gayle @ The White House asked… I may have missed this somewhere along the line, but do you work out of the home at a job or work from home or have support of another means? I just can't imagine a full-time job and the kids activities.
Being a single parent to six kids is a full time job for sure. For some reason God has put me in an amazing church who supports us financially in this season. It boggles my mind. He is so amazing!! I was offered a very part time job last weekend that I am considering taking. Praying about it. I love being a mom to these kids and am so thankful that I get to be here with them. (okay, most of the time, sometimes I want to run away from home)
Mimi @ He & Me + 3 asked…What is your favorite activity to do with all of your children at the same time? Bedtime does not count. LOL I know how far apart they are in age, so it must be pretty tough to find activities that they all enjoy at the same time, but can you tell me that favorite one.
It is a challenge. Many times I split them into 2 or 3 groups to do things with them. But, I guess this week we are having right now at the lake is what comes to mind. We all enjoy being there together for sure!
Bonnie @ Where did all this come from? asked…Do you ever feel like a hamster on a wheel when trying to keep your house clean? just kidding...I know i feel this way so I'd thought I'd ask.
But seriously...Leah intrigues me...she seems more grown up than her 12 years...and she is female like her mother so she will process things differently then the boys and of course Kiahna. Does she worry about you, is she a mother hen to the others or is she in her own preteen world right now?
To your first question. YES!! EVERY DAY!! Especially when it comes to dishes, laundry, & picking up clothing and shoes! Makes me want to say, “Where did all this come from!?” haha!
To your second question… way getting into those preteen years. It’s getting more intense by the day… I miss my sweet little girl. She’s becoming more and more selective about how and when she will be helpful. And she tends to like to ignore me until I explode. I don’t know if she “worries” about me. She probably sees me as a tower of strength that has no feelings and will always be there. (sounds like me with my mom, EEK!!)
Laurel @ Im Ghana Adopt asked… I think you have 3 or 4 sisters. Do they all live in the area? Do they help with your kids, also? Do you spend time with the WHOLE family very often, throughout the year? How many grandkids to your parents have?
By now you probably already know most of these answers! I have 3 sisters. I am the oldest, then Lana, Sally, & Allison. We are all within 5 1/2 years in age. We do all live in the same area. Same as my parents. Probably within a 5 or 6 mile radius. Lana & I do more together and watch each other’s kids more. Sally & Allison do the same. Kind of worked out that way especially after I became a single parent. Lana was a single parent too. We all rely on Mom to help us out a lot. We do spend time with the whole family a lot. Like this week at the lake! We meet for birthdays and holidays and just for fun sometimes! 20 grandchildren as of 2 weeks ago!!
mommaof4wife2r @ A Thorn Among Roses asked… if you were stranded on a desert island and were allowed any 5 things, what would they be...then, of course...why those 5? and do you think me or my blog would make the list? ha!
oops, I mean… she asked nothing. Sheesh. Hard one, make me think… 5 things. I am sure I would think of you often “D”! Ha ha! but I don't think you’ll make the list… 5 that isn’t even enough to take all my kids!! Just how long am I stranded there?? A week? A week… I would take a good long book, a buffet table of food, coffee, a comfortable chair, and a pillow!
Come back soon to hear the rest of the answers!!!
Pam
Hey everyone! As you already know I am with my family this week at the lake! But no fear of missing me to much! I have a few posts written in advance (like this one!) to keep the blog hopping!! Check back the next couple days when I have something I’d be willing to guess you all thought I forgot all about, to share with you!
If you know about Twitter you know you can follow along on our vacation there! You are welcome to come and stalk follow along! :) See the left sidebar for the recent posts if you don’t have twitter, and click on the bottom link below the last showing twitter post to read more. 140 characters at a time!
Last week as we were packing to leave, there was no shortage of dullness! James’ car overheated, and ended up being junked. So, I was driving him in to work at 6:30 (IN THE SUMMER, I know, gasp!) and picking him up again at 5.
I wasn’t in a real hurry to find something new for him. I was a little annoyed at his attitude. But, God had a different plan. He blessed us with a car that was close by, exactly the right color and make we needed. AND $3000 below blue book value!! We are feeling very blessed, and James is feeling very poor. Although he loves his new 1999 Nissan Altima! (I'll post a picture one day)
Lucas broke a toe. Zach left a set of dumb bells laying on the basement floor. Jadon threw something at Lucas. Lucas got up to chase him down. Lucas’ toes meet dumb bells. Dumb bells win.
I took him in to have it x-rayed. Because his foot was swelled and blue. Had to make sure it wasn’t his foot! It is not his foot! (Praise the Lord!) He is in some pain, but I can tell already (Saturday morning) that it is better. He isn’t using James’ crutches anymore! He’ll be limited by the pain on what he can do behind the boat this week though. Bummer.
Our lack of routine & packing is making us all a little wacky! More arguing than I’d like to endure!! But, we will make it! And we will all come home next weekend relaxed and tanned! With lots of memories & pictures!
Have a great week! fyi, i think the only internet access I will have this week is from my cell phone, so yeah… it will be a vacation for sure!
Pam
As I got to type this 40th edition, (40 weeks! have you joined me yet!!!) I hear Jadon fighting with Leah upstairs… I have a zillion things to do to get ready for vacation, and the neighbor's just called to invite us swimming… I’d rather be swimming and talking to friends while we watch our children play than packing… or listening to kids argue while packing… uhg…
Maybe we will swim for a while later today…
We are packing for our family’s annual trip to the lake. We will travel to northern Indiana, not even 2 hours away, and spend the week together here…
There are three separate units, the lower one will be my sister Sally & her families cottage this year. There is The upper cottage where my family, my parents, & Lana’s family will stay, and the basement cottage of the big house where my sister Allison and her family will stay!
They will all be there…
With the addition of her…
And he won’t have to sleep in the laundry room by himself anymore… (Ben, not Jadon)
There will be a lot of this…
this…
this…
as much of this as Grandpa can do…
this…
this…
Some of this…
this will happen, but I will be asleep…
and of course lot and lots of this…
It’s hard to imagine the day will come when we won’t do this anymore. I don’t know if I have ever really thought about it. One day, of course, there will be way too many of us to stay together in one place and we may have to continue these traditions with me as the grandparent and my kids with their families. Weird thought.
Because, many years ago we used to go to the lake with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, & cousins…one day we will all really miss this.
Please join me in this carnival. If you are new you can read the YOUR GONNA MISS THIS guidelines here. Have a great weekend!
