Absolutely no excuses this time....I simply lost the desire to blog over the summer. Having everyone home and trying to adjust to Matt's new work schedule was just about all I could handle. Plus, we found out that we are expecting again (yes, that makes 7 now!) so trying to stay awake for any period of time was difficult! We had a really great summer, up until the last few weeks when the kids hit melt down, I'm- desperate- for- a- schedule- mode. But now everyone is back into school and we are enjoying the semi-normalness!

We are just finishing up a ten day stretch of Matt being gone. He, my Dad and brothers go up and hike Isle Royale every year. This year they had to go late due to Matt's work schedule. It has gone pretty well, the single parent thing. But I am super tired and I just didn't realize how wonderful it is to just have another set of grown up hands around! I'm looking forward to his return!!

I'm busy this fall as I have taken on directing a fairly good sized production at our church. We're going to do, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". It's a great show and I'm thrilled to be doing it!! It certainly has gotten my creative juices flowing. I will be the size of a small country by the time we perform it, as I'm due in January, but as long as I can waddle around still, we'll be good! Plus, I'm assistant coaching our church's JBQ (Junior Bible Quizzing) team. I LOVE quizzing and my two oldest girls are doing it....we're having a blast.

So there's a quick glimpse into us lately....I'll try and keep this as up to date as I can!

Ok, I suck as a blogger. :) Honestly, it's so much easier to blurt something out on FB in .05 seconds than to sit and gather my thoughts to print here. I have things to say....is it worth the time? The short answer is yes. I have found peace, resolution, and a place to speak here. And that is worth carrying on.

There are too many minute details from the last part of my life to share, plus it would be incredibly boring :) So care if I start from fresh? :)

I am currently extremely frustrated. I am trying to figure out why people make certain decisions. I know that, ultimately, everyone is responsible for their own choices. But what do you do when people you love are making STUPID decisions?? Decisions that affect so many more people than just themselves, and yet they cannot see that. I don't know whether to say something or to just watch and see what happens....what would YOU do????

Summer countdown is on, the kids have 9 days of school left. I am anxious for the freedom and yet dreading the lack of routine. I am desperately trying to find a reward/consequence system to implement this summer....does anyone have one that has worked???

Holy cow, I can hardly believe it's been almost two months since I have blogged. I completely blame Facebook. And Twitter. And the feeling that nobody really cares what I write here. I must get rid of that thought because I care what I write here. Period.

I won't bore you with ALL that has happened since December. We had a great holiday season and pushed into the new year with excitement and expectation for a great year. We snuck away to Grand Rapids for a few days of vacation, complete with staying in a hotel (the most exciting thing for my kids!), swimming, rollerskating and Chuck E Cheese. It was a fun time away and we loved it.

We have had an addition to our family. No, I have not gotten pregnant :) But we do have a baby...puppy that is!


This is Chester. I picked his name. I got it from the movie, "The Kid". He has a dog named Chester - "The world's greatest dog!" Plus it's for Chester Cheetah which is appropriate for our Frito Lay family!! And it goes nicely with Chunky which is our other dog's name. He is the sweetest thing and has fit in very nicely. He is potty training very well and is getting used to being in his crate. I really do like him :)

alright well must get my day going, but am hoping to be here more often!!!