Gimp

Last night I had to go out to the garage to get something, and since I wasn't wearing shoes, I ran out on my tiptoes to avoid getting my socks too dirty.  Well, wouldn't you know it, being the graceful woman I am, I tripped on one of the kids' rainboots and came down HARD on my foot.  After saying some choice words and sitting there on the concrete for a few minutes, I got up, got what I needed and went back in the house.  Limping around, I made dinner, bathed the kids, did a lesson and treasure hunt for Family Night, and finally got everyone to bed.  When I finally slowed down enough to notice how bad my foot hurt, I took a bunch of ibuprofen, put some ice on it, and laid down to elevate it, thinking it would feel better in the morning.   

But, no.  I woke up this morning to find that my entire big toe and half of my foot was black and purple and swollen to about twice normal size.  I got into the doctor this morning and sure, enough, my big toe is broken.   Apparently there is not much you can do for a broken toe except not bend it and use some pain killers.  Oh, and the doctor said the most important thing I can do is to stay off of it for the first week or so.  Yeah, right!  I laughed when he said that.  

So anyway, I am just really annoyed at myself for doing something so stupid.  I know I should be glad it wasn't worse, but it's just so darned INCONVENIENT!  

Grace and Liam's School Program

Misc. Photos

Liam's Field Trip

Every year the Ferndale High FFA hosts a kindergarten field trip day.  Students take the kids around and show them all kinds of cool stuff:  the welding shop, farm animals, the greenhouse,and the fish hatchery.   I got to chaperone and we had a fun time.  (Do all FFAs do that many cool things?  If so, I really missed out in high school!)

Learning about welding (as soon as they put these on, about five boys, including Liam, said "Luke, I am your father....").

Feeding the fish at the hatchery

Learning about banana trees

Holding a two week old bunny at the petting zoo

GRAINNE

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT GRACE

She is a great example to her parents and little brothers.

She is very fun-loving and silly.

She is a great, loyal friend and a natural leader.  Other kids are drawn to her because she is so confident, outgoing, and sure of herself.  

She is also very kind-hearted, compassionate, and perceptive to other's moods and feelings.

She has a great smile and the happiest eyes ever!

She sings at the top of her lungs when she showers.

She is very musically inclined.  She has a beautiful singing voice and is talented at piano.

She is endearingly quirky.  She wears her socks inside out because the insides are too "stringy." 

Grace is very intelligent.  Garreth has taught her how to play chess and she picked it up very quickly.  (I still haven't!)   She asks us questions that boggle our minds sometimes.

She is a great student and well-liked by teachers.

She laughs like a maniac while watching "America's Funniest Videos."

She is very creative and thinks of the most clever, fun things to do.  She is always taking charge and coming up with new games to play with her brothers.

She loves animals and is very nurturing.

She has gorgeous hair.

She started talking in full sentences at 14 months old and has been saying funny things ever since.  One of my favorites (she was about 5 at the time):  At church, her Primary teacher asked the class, "What are some things that the Spirit tells you to do?"  and Grace quickly replied, "The Spirit tells ME to recycle!"

She is very reliable and responsible.  (These were words always used to describe me when I was a kid and I hated it.  Now I can see the value of having these characteristics.)  When I ask Grace to do something, I know it will get done.  She is beyond her years in so many ways.

Grace is just GOOD.  She is fun, crazy, smart, beautiful, kind, and good at everything she does.  She made a mother out of me and changed my life forever.  She is one amazing girl.

LIAM OG O'FLYNN

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LIAM

He has the greatest, most infectious laugh.

He is a hard worker.  Every morning when he gets out his chore list, he gets right to it and gets everything done quickly.  He loves to cross things off his list.  (I have NO idea where he gets that from!!)

He is a picky dresser.  He has very specific taste in clothes and is quite stylish.  Once we were watching something on TV and an old man came out dressed in shorts, black socks, and sandals. Liam was shocked and said, "Mom, you CAN'T wear socks with sandals!"  I swear we never told him this - it's like he instinctively just knows!  (One of his biggest tantrums ever happened when he was three years old and I made him wear denim overalls to get his picture taken.  He cried and kept screaming, "Overalls are NOT cool!  Overalls are NOT cool!")

He is a total sweetheart and he loves his mama.  He frequently makes up songs about me.  The latest went something like this:  "I love my mom, she is so lovely.  I love my mom, she is so nice. I love my mom."  How sweet is that?

He is a lunatic and will try anything.  He will jump off anything, including the high dive, and usually does tricks in the air while jumping.  The child has no fear.

He loves to wrestle and be tickled and be thrown onto the beanbag.

He sees things that need to be done and often does them without being asked, like cleaning up toys or playing with the baby when he gets fussy.  Tonight Sam was crying because he left Dottie in the van, and without a word Liam got up and went out to get it.  

He is dashingly handsome.

One of his favorite songs is "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure.

He is very tender-hearted.  One day we watched a SpongeBob episode where SpongeBob loses his pet snail, Gary.  I looked over at Liam and saw that he was very teary-eyed and emotional about it.  What a sweetheart!

He is strong and athletic.  He loves to ride bikes, jump rope, swim, play soccer, and his latest, climb trees.  

He calls sneezes "bless yous" and frisbees "hisbees."

He always offers to scratch my back.

Liam is such a fun, sweet, charming, loving little boy who keeps me smiling constantly.   I couldn't ask for a better son!  

SAM JAMMERSON

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT SAM

He loves to help me with laundry and cleaning, but his favorite thing to help with is cooking or baking.  He's the next Emeril.

He is a great sport and fun to take places.  He loves a new adventure!  He is a champion hiker and never complains.

He says "Hustraunt" instead of "Restaurant."

He eats anything.

He is always the first to say "Thanks, Mommy" at mealtimes.

He asks to go take a nap or go to bed when he's tired, and he's a great sleeper.

I love his obsession with Dottie (his blanket), even though there have been times I've cursed that thing.... mostly when we've left her at home or thought we'd lost her somewhere.  But Dottie will always be a part of our family - I can't imagine Sam without her!

Sam is a big time bath-lover! He would love to take a bath three times a day if we'd let him.

He would also love to be read to all day long.  He has many favorite books and loves to hear them over and over and over again.  This week's pick is "A Fish Out of Water."  I love how he memorizes parts of the stories and uses lines from them in everyday life.  The other night at dinner, I asked him if he liked his food and he said, "I like it!  I like that party hat!" (That week's book was "Go Dog Go!")

He has beautiful hands, with very long piano-playing, surgeon fingers.

He is very tall and a bit gangly.  He has an adorable baby giraffe run and he falls down awkwardly at least three times a day.  People are always surprised to hear that he's only two, since he looks like a four year old.  

He is a terrific big brother to Declan.

He idolizes Liam and copies everything he does, good or bad!  I love the way those two wrestle! 

I love Sam's beautiful big brown eyes and his three-inch long eyelashes.  (So unfair!)

He is very brave and daring, a true nutcase.

He loves to be naked.  When we undress him for a bath, he runs away and says, "I HAVE to shake my booty!"

He gives great hugs.

He says, "I love you, Mama" at least five times a day.

He is such a sweet, crazy, loving little boy.  From the day he was placed in my arms, he has taught me so much about myself.  He is an amazing, beautiful child and I am so blessed to be his mom.  

DECO

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT DECLAN

He has the greatest smile ever and all you have to do is look at him to get a huge grin.  Every time we go anywhere, someone tells us what a beautiful smile he has.  He will stare and smile at people until they look at him and talk to him! 

I have had some very happy babies, but he might just be THE happiest.  He is almost always in a good mood.

He loves to dance and drum on anything and he's got great rhythm!

He is very snuggly with me and gives great hugs.  He also will give "Bonks" (a gentle headbutt) on demand and thinks it's hilarious.

He's a very good clapper.

He is so mellow and easy to take places. 

He has the chubbiest, most kissable cheeks.

He is a big Mama's boy.  Even when he's happily playing, he's always watching me out of the corner of his eye, and if I leave the room, he will fuss.

He does a great army crawl.

He loves to sleep in our bed, especially when teething, and he's super cuddly and fun to wake up with.

He is a big talker - he loves to chatter constantly and tell stories.

He LOVES to read books and will sit on my lap reading for a very long time for an 11 month old!  He also loves to read on his own in his own cute language.

He is a food connoisseur and has been since birth.  He won't take a bottle if it's not the perfect temperature and he is pretty selective about what food he'll eat.  He doesn't like most fruits, but loves his veggies.  

With three older siblings, he has already learned how to tease!  He loves to grab Dottie (Sam's VERY special blanket) and laughs like "Come and get it, I dare you!"  If he does something funny or cute that gets a laugh from us, he'll do it again to get another laugh.  What a ham!

He loves to take baths.  If we walk by the bathroom when the bath water is running and don't go in, he freaks out.  He will also stay in the tub for as long as we'll let him. 

He is our little miracle.  We are so incredibly lucky to have him in our family.  He has blessed us in so many ways and he brings so much joy and happiness to our home.