- ahniér pics from today -

ahniér, megan [6] & katie [4]

these 2 young lady's belong to my brother aaron & his wife sharon

they LOVED their new cousin!!

- more new goodies at the house -

- madisyn -

here's madisyn showing off what she got today [ie: coat, scarf, boots & hat] - hope you're warm enough when the snow comes, sis!!also, here's madisyn lovin' on her new baby niece - she's always trying to get ahniér to wake up & 'visit' with her when we're over there, as ahniér usually sleeps right through it, but not today - she was very alert the entire visit [yeah ahniér!!] - i think she's in love, whatcha think?

"so, auntie madisyn, tell me a secret"

- our home -

our mailbox

our home as it is today, with front door painted as well as garage doors painted

brit's shower
our shower
our shower
front door
stairway/carpet

- gummy grins -

ahniér

16 days

isn't she about the most adorable little thing you ever did see? - she's like this all the time - she's starting the get the days/nights thing down a bit better...i think...sometimes...maybe

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she's usually always in a great mood, happy & alert - chaos doesn't seem to bother her [whew!] - being hovered over by toddlers doesn't seem to bother her [whew!] - getting her face 'kissed off' by her nana's alright with her [whew!] - being hauled all over the place in her carseat as we 'taxi' to pick up/drop off all her sisters throughout the day's right up her alley [whew!] - sitting through 'photo shoot' after 'photo shoot' is certainly in her future, she already knows it & guess what...she's fine with it! [whew!]

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what more can i say? - she's such a blessing & i feel so privileged to be her mommy

- timeout around here...what would you do? -

alright, i need help [desperately] from all you more experienced parents out there in blogland

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kiara's always pushed the limits when it came time to lay down [be it naptime or night time] - she tends to get up [a lot] to see what everyone else's doing, to go into her sisters rooms where they're laying [we lay them down all in different spots/beds until they go to sleep & then move them later], to 'visit', etc. - she's not scared at all...she's nosey - it's as if she doesn't think we'll do anything to her or there won't be an consequences for her actions...wrong!

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over the years [she's 6, so she's got many years behind her...hehe], she's gotten spanked, timeouts, things taken from her, privileges removed, earlier bedtimes, etc. - she's seen those that did choose to stay in bed, get rewarded for obeying, etc., but nothing's seemed to stop her

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in the past 2 weeks, she's now got an accomplice...karleigh [age 4] - the 2 of them sound like rats running around upstairs - i truly am at my wits end on what to try - with other children in the home [one of which's just days old], i can't stand over them & monitor that they don't get up - last night we even took ruby & ahniér with us on a 'date' [out to eat & to the park] & so today i was sure they'd stay in bed as they've both talked all day about how they were not getting out of bed, but...they did [get out of bed, that is]

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suggestions please...please!!! [& hurry because this mommy's tired of scolding as they're very good girls, just not paying attention to well these days

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kiara in timeout

karleigh in timeout

- random photos -

ahniér, just hanging out last night

karleigh came home today with this 'bouquet'

she said she received it from eli [as she bats her eyes]

& that she could never, EVER get rid of it

thanks eli!! [as mom rolls her eyes]

carpeting was started yesterday at the house

they have it all in & down & were to be stretching it today...YEAH!

master bathroom flooring's down

trim's all been stained

brit's bathroom sink & lights have been installed

brit's bathroom shower's in

kitchen countertops have been set

well, that's what i have for now, hope you enjoy seeing all these random pictures of things we've captured over the last couple days - more to come [guess you knew that by now!]

- another photographer in the family? -

[some have emailed asking how old ahniér is & as of today,

she's 9 days & already smiling...look at that last photo!]

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i love, love, LOVE to snap pictures, especially of the kids, but it looks as if my camera will be getting an extra workout from now on - here's some pictures that brit & i took today - i took the first 2 & she took the rest - she was sooooooooo glad that she was able to catch ahniér smiling as she'd tried so many times & then finally got it!

- how big's your family? -

this was the question asked to all the 4y olds in karleigh's preschool class today - a parent that was there told me the teacher went around the room, asking all the children to name everyone in their family - well, when they got to karleigh, here was her reply

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"well, i've got daddy-his name's spike

a mommy-her name's lori

my brother dustin-he's big

a boo-her name's brittany, but we don't like her name

kiara-she's brown like me

ruby-she's deaf

karleigh, that's me & i'm 4

& ahnier-she was first in [removed name]'s tummy, but now she's my sister

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& that's all our family!"

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teacher: boy, you sure have a very big family, don't you karleigh?

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karleigh: yeah, our family's big...it's 'bout as big as god's family!

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[sidenote: she & i were talking the other day about all of us being god's children & she made mention of the family that i had children, just like god had children & the conversation went on from there - she must have been thinking that if everyone in the world that loved god was 'his children', then he must have a big family...just like hers *smile*]

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just for the record, we do like brit's name...she [brit] doesn't like it & that's what karleigh was talking about!

- my best friend's havin' a hard time -

alright, this' a very serious post that i've debated on whether to even write it or not - it's not that i want to hurt anyone's feelings...i don't, but as her best friend, i feel it's only right of me to let all of you know what she's been going through

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you see, angela [my best friend], lives in the southern part of the state & they're now on like day #4 of no power - they've been told that it might not be until sunday or after, before they get their electricity restored...UGH

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they've no internet, no phones [due to her cell not working all the time from her house & them not having a wall phone, but instead, a cordless phone] - she's kind of lost without all the conveniences that she's used to - well, i saw her today & had to get a picture of that pitiful looking thing

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she's so miserable with having to go to the laundry mat to do laundry, her mother in laws to shower & crock pots going with kyle to his work so they can eat dinner [which i thought was a very smart idea, that i'd probably not have even thought of myself!]

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here's a picture of the way i saw her today - she's just so down, right now at the thought of having to do this same routine for the next several days - she's starting to let herself go, as you can see, she's letting her house go & from the looks of it, that's not a candy cigarette that she's smokin' there - poor little thing - please email her here & give her some words of encouragement [keep in mind, with not having the internet, she's not going to see this post, so be gentle with her!!]

- pretty in pink -

here's ahniér, asleep in mama's arms when we went for a visit yesterday - we tried & tried to get her awake, but noooooooo, she'd not hear of it! [we sure visited in the middle of the night though!]

- the littlest shepler at 4 days old -

these gorgeous pictures were taken by a friend of mine [rebekah] yesterday while she was visiting - stop over at her blog for a bit & tell her what a great job she did!

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THANKS REBEKAH!!