I thought for sure I'd have time to update my blog over Thanksgiving, but I guess not :) We weren't terribly busy or even traveling, but the time to sit and update sort of flew over my head.

So our big news is that we are having a BOY!!! We are just delighted, even though we would have bee equally delighted with a girl. It's just nice that now it will be even, three boys, three girls. Jonah was BEYOND excited...jumping up and down and yelling in the ultrasound room and everything! Priceless! The girls are excited too...I don't think they really cared much to begin with! Liam Joshua is the name we've chosen. My brother Josh is extremely happy with our choice of middle name, surprise, surprise. We've gotten our first batch of baby boy blue clothes (thanks Aunt Robin!!!) and are anxious to meet our little Liam.

Thanksgiving was good. My grandparents from New York were here which was fun, we haven't had a holiday with them for as long as I can remember! The table was packed with people and food. It was a blessed day! We got to spend some time with Matt's family as well a few days after Thanksgiving and that was great fun too. Christmas is quickly approaching and I'm in awe of our calendar as the days fill up with concerts, parties, and visits. I'm giddy with excitement over my sister's visit in a few weeks. I'll be posting prego pics of the two of us side by side!! I'm sure she'll be bigger than me.... :) Lots to look forward to this season. And I don't even mind that we don't have snow!!!

I won't bother apologizing for my lack of blogging. Life is moving on, some days faster than others, truth be told. It's hard to imagine that Thanksgiving is a week from tomorrow and that in 6 days we'll know what we are having. Most people think we're having a boy, but we'll see next week. I'm anxious to put a gender to this baby and therefore, a name. We have names picked out but we'll reveal those next week when we know for sure who this is. I'm feeling pretty well, I'm starting to show in earnest now. I've felt the first small stirrings down there and Matt felt him moving for the first time last night. I'm starting to get excited about having a new little one!

This week is insanely busy here. Friday night I am going to see New Moon with my mom. Just writing that sentence makes me laugh out loud. She scoffed at Twilight for the longest time and is now obsessed with Edward (not too tough!) So we will join the throngs of women who will flock on opening night to see the next chapter. *happy sigh* Then I leave early Saturday morning for an all day shopping trip with my ladies group from church. We're headed to Grand Rapids to shop all day. I'm so excited about it! Then, Sunday afternoon, the Waltons are headed to Lansing to see The Christmas Carol in the IMAX. So a very full weekend. But exciting!

Other exciting news, my sister is coming home! We weren't sure that we would get to see her at all before she wasn't allowed to fly. But they found some time to come and that means we get to have a baby shower! I'm so thrilled to celebrate with her on the birth of her first baby. It's so cool when your siblings get to experience the thrill of pregnancy and becoming parents. I have big plans for the shower and can't wait to just sit and talk with her in the same room!! The only downside about this pregnancy is that I won't be able to travel to see her and the baby till much later. We are due only weeks apart from each other. :( But hopefully we'll be able to be together soon after that so I can meet my nephew!

Well I need to make shopping lists for Thanksgiving and get something productive done today :)

So it looks like weekly blogging will be the best I can do for now :) After all, my life just isn't that exciting!

Football is finally over. Jonah's team finished their season on Saturday with a big 19-0 win! It was a chilly day so I'm relieved to be done sitting outside for two hours every Saturday. Also, looking at this week with NO practices on three evenings is exciting! Family time is back. Of course, tomorrow night is my first night with my Daisy scouts. I'm excited to meet them and get our troop going. I'm hoping to be a good leader, I guess time will tell.

Pregnancy is plodding along. April seems like an eternity away. But I am relieved to be past 12 weeks and I have my energy back. Well, mostly. I am trying to catch up to life that was put on hold. I'm still looking for the girl's many pairs of socks...I think the mice have eaten them all!!

Events coming up in our household.....Thomas starts preschool in two weeks. I am nervous for this transition for him...I'm really praying it goes well. He seems excited about it, but I'm not really sure he knows that it means me leaving him there!!! Here's hoping it is awesome for him. A shopping day with a really great friend....our church is taking a group of ladies to Great Lakes Crossing for a Christmas shopping trip in November and my good friend is coming as well!!! A whole day with grownups! Of course we are in full swing for Halloween as well. We have some interesting choices this year....Jonah is going as a mobster, complete with a pin striped suit, red carnation and spats on his shoes! Molli is a ninja...don't ask, I have NO idea! Emma and Sydney are going as poodles. I am making these costumes..cross your fingers!! Thomas is a dragon, an adorable dragon at that. So quite the crew....I'm already cringing at the amount of candy that I know will come home that night....

Matt is home on vacation this week and I'm finding it very hard to get things done when he is here....I just want to hang out. But alas, there is work to be done. (I'm even trying to convince him to do a small painting project this week!!)

What a crazy, fun-filled weekend we had! Friday morning, the only thing that got me out of bed to get the kids to school was knowing that I could sleep in on Saturday morning. NOT! I had to be up, dressed nicely and driving to Kalamazoo by 8 AM. UGH. Why,you ask? Well.....I went to a meeting at the girl's school to sign Emma up for Brownies. There were 6 little kindergarten girls there who all wanted to be Daisies, but alas there was no leader for a Daisy troop. I couldn't' stand the looks on their little faces when their parents were telling them that they would have to wait to be girl scouts. So I stepped up to the plate and volunteered to be the troop leader. I naively thought it would just be this simple little thing, NOT!!! Tons of paperwork, reference forms, training sessions...oh my. But, as of noon on Saturday, I am a certified Daisy troop leader! Now all the fun stuff starts, calling parents, setting up our meeting times and planning meetings. I think I get off pretty easy though, because at age 5, pretty much anything you do, they think is awesome! I'll keep you posted on that!

So that was Saturday morning. I rushed back from Kalamazoo to make it in time for Jonah's football game which they won!!! Go Tigercats! It was a gorgeous day to sit and watch football. And Jonah is so handsome in his uniform!!



After the game, we came home and packed up a few things and took off for an impromptu overnight in Howell. Sunday was Matt's grandma's 90th birthday party so we went a little early for some family fun. My kids think there is NOTHING cooler than sleeping in a hotel. So we swam and laughed and ate and swam. It was so fun.

Then, Sunday afternoon we headed to celebrate with Great Grandma. Besides being ungodly hot in the nursing home, we had a great time! The kids caught up with cousins and second cousins and we got to have cake. Doesn't get any better than that.




Getting everyone up and moving this morning was a bit of a challenge, but the big kids are gone and Thomas just asked if we could stay in our pajamas today. Of course we can :)

I've been a VERY bad blogger. But there is a reason...one that I am now able to share :)




Yes, indeed we are having a baby. Yes, this is number 6. Yes, we are excited. Yes, the kids are beyond excited. No, we are not crazy. Well....yet anyway :)

I had a miscarriage in May and, after that happened, Matt and I decided that we were done. He made phone calls to the "man doctor" and everything. And then, lo and behold, this little one appeared. Ok, he didn't just appear, and yes, Grandma, we DO know how this works :) I have been beyond exhausted which is one reason for my failure to blog. And we wanted to keep it to ourselves, selfishly, for a little while. But we decided that we would like to share the news with you all. We are 12.5 weeks along...and as you can see in the ultrasound pic, this little one is a gymnast! The kids are excited, the girls are praying for a girl, while Jonah has informed us that, if it is a girl, he is putting himself up for adoption. :) I'm starting to pull out of the "too tired to even get dressed" phase so there will be more updates and news. But, just writing this has left me needing a nap...zzzzzzz......

My blog has been silent for a few weeks. I didn't blog for fear that my awfulness would come out. I have been awful these last few weeks. It has been a tough time for us as a family as well. Despite our best efforts, we were driving each other mad. And I found myself losing my patience so quickly and just being a yucky mom. So that is why there have been no words here.

But today, a fresh wind blew and not a moment too soon, the big bus came and the kids are off to school. My four oldest are in school all day this year. It will be odd, I must admit, to have just one home. It's been a LONG time since I was home with just one child all year! The kids were EXCITED about school, even Jonah which confirms the disastrous-ness of the last few weeks! So here they are, on their first morning....







Doesn't Sydney look happy??? She was so excited to go to school with the big kids, in the morning. And,even though I have been praying for this day, I got misty eyed as they left, knowing that another year of their young lives has come.

I'm sad to report that I have not been a good blogger lately. The summer is DRAGGING on....I can hardly believe we still have 13 days till school starts. The kids are at each other's throats despite my best attempts at creative things to do. I find myself lethargic and tired. UGH. ROUTINE WHERE ARE YOU????

To make matters worse, I turn 30 on Friday. I guess it's not really a big deal, I've waited my whole life to be thirty. I was somehow convinced that once I hit that magical age, I'd feel like a grown up. I'm not sure that is going to happen. One bright spot amidst this darkness has been my birthday gift from my husband.....

I am delighted with my new Blackberry. I've spent HOURS playing with it, only after the children are in bed of course. I'm in love with texting on the keyboard and having access to everything when I am away from home. I'm just giddy over it, isn't that silly?

So all in all, life goes one....very slowly, but it is going on. Just wanted you all to know :)