Rainbows

Well, It has been a busy few weeks. Mike and I went on a weekend away. (Yes that means without the kids!) We went to the west coast of MI, namely to Holland, and had a great time. Holland is a beautiful town. It was nice to sleep in, read without interruption, swim in the beautiful pool at our hotel. We even went jet-skiing. Mike had never been and he really wanted to. We even walked the farmers market (we didn't buy anything cause it would have spoiled before we could eat it all). Our neighbor Annie watched the kids and they had a great time. She took them to her cottage and they went boating and tubing!

I went on retreat last weekend. On the way there, it was raining... a sun shower. I saw a rainbow! I can't remember the last time I saw one! It heightened my already uplifted mood. It reminds me of God's promise! It has been a great summer... only a few weeks left, and I know it is going to be a great year... even if it is a little crazy with #6 coming shortly (20 days till my due date!)!

The Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa

EmmaLee on the train ride.

Watching the hippo at the zoo. It swims up right next to the glass and is always a favorite with the kids.

Dimitri got so exhausted he fell asleep in his stroller. That NEVER happens! He usually needs to sleep in his crib or he won't sleep! He loved his day! I think he is going to be an animal lover like Papa!

Cora

Helen is getting to be such a big beautiful girl! I love this shot of her!

Silly Susan! She has such a nice smile!

Dima loved Grandpa! When Grandma and Grandpa were visiting he followed Grandpa around like a shadow, well until Papa came home from work, then he was Papa's boy once again! Of course he has always prefered to hang with boys and men!
I have been having trouble for some reason getting my zoo pictures on my blog as well as on facebook. That is why it took me so long to get these on here. Here is one of all 5 kids together at the zoo waiting for a ride on the train.

Come back soon!

I have a lot more to put on so check out the site again in a week!

Our carpenter!

When Mike was working on a few household projects, Dima found his battery powered screwdriver. He loved it! He played with it for at least 20 minutes, (which is a loooong time for him. It would be 4 hours in adult time, or maybe a whole day!)

A visit with the Grieshaber's

The kids all had fun... getting dirty! We stuck the hose on them!

Stuck!

How did he do this? I think he did it on purpose. He seemed to think it was funny! Stuck between the screen and the door! Don't worry he did get out, easily!

June pictures

Here are some picture from June. Dimitri is wearing someone else's clothes. Can you guess who's?

Our little dancer! Or arm raiser?

New Territory

I am about to embark on a new experience. Working. Not that I have never worked before, but I am taking on a real job! Mike's sister has been working for him as "Office Manager" for his business "Top Shelf Reconditioning" for the last 2 years. (since he bought the business) She told him a while ago (Or so) that she would be done working by the end of the summer. I have been wanting to be more involved in Mike's business for a while now, so I suggested myself as her replacement. It was a long and tedious application and interview process...

OK. There was really no process. If Mike doesn't know me after 10 years of marriage, then we are doomed to failure! (and for the record he knows me pretty darn well. I can't hide much if anything from him. I think he almost knows me better than I know myself, but not quite...) So after making the decision to "hire" me (which actually took a while to decide) I am about done with training and next week I go at it all by myself!

Now I will get to experience being a "working" mom. Although I will work from home and only be working about 10 hours a week. I am going to have to learn to balance everything...work, household chores, kids. Pray for this change in our lives. I really believe it will be a positive thing, but it will be hard for a while when the new baby comes. I am very excited about it and hoping that I will do a good job and not slack off too much... My boss, well, I don't want to get him mad!

Our crew

Here is a picture that was taken at Mike's sister's wedding in early June of our family. It will be outdated of course in a few months, but it is our most current picture.

Growing Pains

So, there are 50 days till my due date! 8 weeks! I am feeling the great urge to get things done... known to many as nesting. I have 3 meals in the freezer, organized the clothes in the basement,
plus I've been working on getting the office in better order, since I fully take over as "Office Manager next week! Life is very full right now, and most days I would say it is very good. Mike is working hard and keeping busy. I have to work to remind myself that this is a good thing, since he is not around as much these days. It came at the expense of him letting his employees go too. I am feeling hopeful towards the future though. I think Mike will be able to hire "D" back by the end of the year or in the beginning of next.

I am looking forward to being able to help Mike out with his business. I have been wanting to since we bought the business. I am praying life doesn't get to stressful as I try to be it all. Especially with the new baby coming so soon. I have been laughing at myself and at the excitement I have been feeling!

And... my Helen is gone. OK, she will be back on Saturday, but for now she is at camp... having a blast I am sure. She didn't look sad at all to be left there. She just went, excited, and didn't look back. I am glad she has grown so much to be able to go so happily. She is not the shy girl she was 4 or 5 years ago. She has grown into a girl I am very proud of.

Yes, I am happy for her... but I am sad for me. Not super sad, but almost with a tear in my eye.

So, there is much more to do... Here is my list:
Make as many freezer meals as I can (making 2 tonight while we eat chicken nuggets!)
Call the woman I want to be my Coach in Labor (need to make sure she is willing)
Make plans for the kiddos for while I am in labor and in the hospital
Back to school shopping... clothes, backpacks and supplies
Finish organizing the office
Unpack baby clothes and wash them all
Do some deeper cleaning that I never get to and will not get to until this baby gets to be 6m to 1 year.

I am sure there is more that I can't think of. And this is on top of all the other things... laundry, chores, kid watching, etc. that have to happen every day!

60 days!

So, I figured out today that I only have 60 days left until my due date. I am not sure I am ready, especially considering I have never made it till then in all my previous 5 kids! They have all come early and been on the large size of average. (No 6 pounders for me!) I have gotten the ball rolling with making freezer meals this week. My wonderful MOM is not coming out to help this time, so I feel I must be a little more prepared. I made freezer meals last time I was pregnant for the postnatal priod and it was awesome. On top of my mom's wonderful help, all the meals church, family, community members and friends brought me, which ended up being 2 or 3 weeks of meals, the meals in the freezer helped me out for another 3 weeks! the only problem is the foresight that it takes. On top of planning our normal meals, I need to plan the meals I am going to freeze as well. I have goe through stages where meal planning is easy. I am afraid that currently I am not going through such a stage. Oh well, I guess I need to get better at it!

here are some recent picts of Dimitri "helping"!

The little gardner!

Dimitri helped Mike get our garden ready for planting. It was full of almost 2 years of weeds, since I didn't plant anything in it last year! I am hoping for some great produce out of it... if we can keep the animals out.
Dima helped by... throwing dirt in the grass, getting a bit in the way, taking a bite out of a handful of dirt, and getting very dirty! He had a blast! He did help take a few of the weeds out! It was a boy's paradise!

May crowning

The second grade always dresses up in first communion garb to crown Our Lady. The kindergarten to 5th graders attend. EmmaLee was the one who crowned our Lady! I had to take a second picture cause as usually happens, her teacher's hand got in the way the actual time she placed the crown on Mary's head during the actual crowning. We "re did" it later!

Jam session

Dima now loves playing the keyboard! it is one of his favorite things to do! I hope you enjoy the video!

A boy and his.... SHOES?

My son loves... SHOES! It has become his latest obsession! It is hysterical and a little worrisome! Does anyone else have a son who likes shoes. he loves any shoes. His dad's sandals, my shoes, the girls' flip-flops. If it is a shoe and he can put it on his feet, well, he does! He is not very picky at all! Well, EXCEPT...






For the girls' princess dress up "glass slippers" I hate to admit... they are his favorite!
He also is loving the girls' dress up bead necklaces and bracelets! Oh, dear! LOL

He eats like a big kid!

I know this is a normal development, but In April Dima started eating with a spoon. He insists upon it! The next meal he would not eat with out a spoon. He grunted, pointed and whined until we finally figured out that he wanted a spoon! The following day the same procedure happened until he recieved a fork as well as the spoon he already had on his tray! I guess he wants to be one of the big kids too!

EmmaLee's first Communion on Easter!

Susan and Helen sung at Mass on Easter Sunday. Cora wished that she could have too! She may be next year, she will be in Kindergarten after all! Here is Susan with the Little Angels (k & 1st graders), singing in a prelude before mass began. Later on we could not get her to sing. Here she is actually smiling! Helen sung too! I can't find any good picts, but she sung her heart out! She loves to sing! I guess like Mother, Like Daughter! Helen even sing with a little Trio!


Here is the very excited 1st communicant, with Fr. Ed! Emma was beaming with joy all day. She had been waiting for her special day since Helen's last year!

An announcement!

So, I am sure all of you who read this blog already know this. I feel an announcement makes it official, however so I am going to announce it anyway!

This wonderful family is expecting baby # 6 in September! My due date is September 14th! I am now 23 weeks along (I think) and feeling great after being sick from week 6 or 7 till week 17 or 18! We are having a baby! (for all of you who want to ask, "What are you going to have?") It will be a girl or a boy, a great blessing to our already blessed family, and the perfect addition to our family! We are looking forward to meeting this little one, but first I have to get through a, hopefully, not too hot summer!

A dancer's fracture! NO WAY!

So, I know it has been awhile. Being sick from pregnancy and then feeling good and taking pleasure out of keeping my house as clean as I can with 5 kids running around has kept me busy. But now, once again I find myself with time on my hands as I sit here with a fractured metatarsal. (that is one of the bones in my foot.

It is really frustrating to have to sit here all day on the couch. My usual laziness is not here now. I want to be getting my house in order... especially now that school is ending in a week and baby is coming in 3 months! For now I sit here though, until I get the Doctor's ok to do more than I have been, and realistically there is only so much I can do on crutches! I know, because I have tried!

My wonderful husband has helped out a ton. He tries as best as he can to keep the laundry going and to keep the house in somewhat decent order. All this besides working super hard all day and being stressed out running his small business. I feel bad that he is doing my job as well as his, but since there is nothing I can do, I sit here and fold laundry (one chore I can actually do!) and whine to myself about my poor lot in life.

But I am determined to stop! Things are not as bad as they seemed in the past week. Things are getting done and life is somewhat pleasant. I need to learn to spend this time on the couch praying rather than moping. A thing which I am doing better at... at least the not moping part!

I am going to take this time to update the blog. Put some pictures up and get you all up-to date!

Then hopefully tomorrow the Dr. will tell me that I can do more than I have been doing and I can start getting my house in order!