- family photo time -

here's some of the best ones that we chose - everyone had a great time [yes, you did too dustin!] - it should be that you can click on the pictures & they'll enlarge & you can see faces a bit better - hope you enjoy 'em!

- what i'm thankful for -

yesterday morning [wednesday], mom came over about 9am & we began cooking - our menu for thanksgiving was: turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, baked beans, rolls, deviled eggs, olives, macaroni & cheese, pumpkin pies & soda pop to drink - mom's a great cook & we so wanted to have thanksgiving at our house this year for several reasons 1] we just moved in 2] we've plenty of room & 3] we've double ovens so it'd save so much time in the kitchen

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karleigh breaking bread for the dressing

ruby breaking bread for the dressing

kiara breaking bread for the dressing

mom dicing up things for the dressing

mom & i as we're preparing food for the masses

[i'm the enormous one on the left & mom's the short shrimp 'o beside me]

mom, stirrin' her pot!

after school yesterday, dad brought madisyn over & she & mom both stayed all night - it was so fun, we ordered pizza's, stayed up way too late watching movies & munchin' on goodies, etc.

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we got up this morning & began again, working more on the food, getting the house straightened up, etc. - the girls were soooooooo excited as they found out their cousins were coming over [papa kyle, angela & all their kids!] - everything was well on it's way to being done & then people started showing up - dad & dustin were the first to arrive & about 5 minutes later, they were poking fun at us for not having everything done & on the table when they walked in - dad even mentioned something about giving up on us & going to mcd's for lunch!

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dad, getting caught sneaking bites of sweet potatoes before it was time to eat

brit then brought out some pink glasses that made everything look like a rainbow when you put them on & somehow, dad & i are the only ones that got caught with them on

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dad, trying to look cool in pink glasses

me, looking way cool in my pink glasses...not just tryin' to

kyle & angela soon arrived & that's really when the fun began [right guys!] - we ate until we couldn't eat anymore - we then played 'taboo' for like 4 games straight - it was girls [angela, mom & me] against the guys [dustin, spike & kyle] - just for the record, the girls whipped the butts of the guys all 4 games, but tried not to make them feel bad
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dad, right after getting up from the table as the rest of the group's playing games...shhhh

spike, dustin, me, kyle & angela all standing around chatting dustin chatting on the phone

madisyn goofing around

maddie & karleigh [tell me these 2 aren't up to something]

brit following in her mom's footsteps & snapping pictures every chance she gets [you go girl!]

spike & dustin [gotta love this picture!]

dustin & me

katharine, looking so pretty ahniér, after a day full of fun, food, friends, being held, poopin', eating on demand,

burping loud & everyone clapping, napping, etc.

[ahhh, life's good!]

i'm thankful for so many things [too many to name here, i'm sure], but wanted to share just a few of them with all of you

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dad: i'm thankful my dad was alright with mom & madisyn coming to spend the night with us - for him being in a great mood today & for staying a long time [he's usually one that leaves a gathering rather 'early'

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mom: i'm thankful my mom [rachael ray] agreed to let us have thanksgiving at our house this year & for her coming over to help out - for her being willing to come over & spend the night, so we could get a good start on everything way ahead of time & also for her help in teaching me what in the world i needed to do, to prepare a wonderful meal for my family

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madisyn: i'm thankful for madisyn just being here - last year we were soooo hoping she's make it for thanksgiving & she didn't, but this year she's here & seemed to have a great time - i'm thankful that she enjoys spending time with us, being a wonderful friend to brit, putting up with dustin since they're both living in the same house & believe me, i know how much he teases!! - for her loving all 4 of our little ones & showing patience to them, even when they don't always deserve it

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kyle & angela: i'm thankful that you're our absolute best friends in the entire world - we trust you completely & am so thankful that god brought us together many years ago - i love it that getting together with you for the holidays isn't just a 'lets invite them' anymore, but more of a tradition now that we'll forever look forward to [so don't ever stop coming!!] - for loving our kids as if they were your own & for seeing them all for who they are

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katharine: i'm thankful for the young lady that you've turned into - when our families get together, ruby, karleigh & maddie seem to hang out together as does noah & kiara, but you usually are tight with brit & believe me, she really enjoys that time with you even though there's an age difference - she's told me so many times how mature she thinks you act & how she doesn't see you as a little girl - when she heard you all were coming, she let madisyn know you'd be hanging out with them & that was fine by her as well - thank you for being a friend to all my kids & a great role model to the little ones

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noah: thanks for being the 'big brother' to all my little girls - you're always there to help them when they need you & you're very glad to do it too - thank you for being there for kiara when it's time to eat as eating with you is something she soooo enjoys!

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maddie: thank you for being a 'partner in crime' with karleigh - if she's gonna get in trouble, she'd much rather do it with you than anyone! - not that you all get in trouble, but when looking into both your eyes...trouble's not far off! - you're a sweet little girl

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spike: thanks for giving our kids a great father & me a great husband - you're a wonderful person that i'm so glad they can look up to - you've blessed me with the ability to mother 6 great kids & without you, it wouldn't be - i'm thankful for the person you are & how you conduct yourself - i'm thankful you're honest & trustworthy - i'm thankful you love me & asked me to marry you many years ago & for being my best friend...i love you

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dustin: thank you for being who you are & even when times are tough, you're not one that blames others, but instead takes the responsibility on your shoulders & goes with it - than you for being a wonderful son & big brother to all your sisters - thank you for loving me & for making me proud of you

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brit: thank you for all the help you are here at home & for being a good friend - thank you for pitching in when & where you can & for going with the flow [that's a good trait for this home!] - i'm thankful to be your mother & for being able to see you grow into the person you are today

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kiara: thank you for your smiles & carefree attitude - thank you for continuing to try, even when you're having an 'off' day - thank you for loving me 'around the world' & for letting me kiss you in my favorite place [on the bridge of your nose]

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ruby: thank you for teaching me patience & for having a quick wit about you - thank you for teaching me what it means to see the world through eyes & not only ears - thank you for being a great helper when needed & for 'leading' your sisters

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karleigh: thank you for your sense of humor & for having a smile on your family all the time - thank you for always wanting to give hugs & kisses & for being the first one of all our kids to 'make things right' when you've done wrong - thank you for having spunk & knowing when to use it

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ahniér: thank you for being a wonderful baby that handles chaos - thank you for the personality you have & for that infectious smile - thank you for being an easy baby that sleeps well

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birth parents: thank you to all my kids' birth parents that made the decision to allow me to parent your child - for giving me the opportunity to share in their lives, when circumstances didn't allow you to do so

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god: thank you for all you've given me, because without you, i'd not even be here - thank you for family, friends, health, home, wealth, etc.

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note: just for the record, the taboo game that was played 4 times between the girls & the guys was won totally by the guys - we lost all 4 games as they were so good [not that we were bad, just that they were good] - we'll get them next time though!

- well, it happened... -

ruby flipped me the finger! - this', along with cursing, smoking, drinking, etc. is something that's not tolerated in this family - it goes so far as our kids would think 'shut up' & 'fart' are curse words since we say things like 'quiet please' & 'toot'

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anyhow, ruby came home yesterday afternoon from school with a bit of snip to her attitude - it wasn't a 'hateful' snip, but snip none the less - everything she did, was with a smirk & a roll of the eyes [you get the picture, a teenage attitude!] - anyway, she was helping brit with something & when the job was all but finished, she was then right in the way, so brit asked her to move over [nope, didn't work], so i said, "ruby, scoot over please? - it was then that she crawled over across the hallway, layed on the floor & said, "mommy... [flip!]" only didn't say flip, but instead, did it!

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although i was shocked to see it, i wasn't shocked it happened as her bus driver mentioned about a week or better ago that a mentally challenged girl that's in about first grade that rides ruby's bus has started doing this very thing - he'd separated she & ruby for other behavior issues, but he was assuming ruby had already been 'schooled' on this & he was warning us

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we've not seen/heard anything more until yesterday & like angela said, "gosh, she even used it at the right [wrong] time too!"

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when she did it, i was on her like no body's business & drug her into her bedroom where she thought she was gonna die - i asked where she'd seen it [she told me] & i explained how we do not use that flip at all...here or anywhere & she agreed that was a good idea [she was just glad she was going to granted permission to live a bit longer]

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so, i've now been flipped off by a child of mine that's only 5...ugh

- frustration...such a big word -

frustration doesn't even begin to say how i feel right now - going back a bit... right before we closed on our house, we began looking for a contractor to do some work for us between closing & moving in - we wanted some more cabinets hung [above toilets], a stained glass window inserted in a wall & a couple french doors hung - not making light of the fact that it was going to be a job, but that's what a contractor does...right? - well, we'd gotten prices for a few in the area & narrowed it down to one we'd chosen [due to affordability & time he could get the job done in] - we had him set up & he was ready to go - we then found out from a family member of a guy 'robert' that had a company that went to their church that really needed the work - spike went ahead & called him & robert agreed that yes, he did need/want the job, but it took him a long time to get back to us on the price [he'd originally priced in not only the contracting work, but also the painting of the house too & we wanted only the contracting price as we already had a painter lined up]
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finally, he got the figures back to us & he was the same price as the contractor that we'd already decided on, so due to robert being a family friend, a christian man & us wanting to help him out, we hired him [oh, how i wish i could take that decision back!]
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robert & co. [what's what i call them as he brought to 'helpers' named jeffrey & michael with him] showed up to begin & they had 1 week to finish [they knew this before they got the job] before our painters & then movers would be showing up - they began planning on how they'd do whatever it was they were preparing to do - that's fine, but they planed forever & i thought they'd never get started - about the time they did get started, they'd stop & say, "well, we're gonna break for lunch now" or something like that & they'd not done anything up to that point!
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they took the entire week & didn't get hardly anything done! - then, when it was time for the painters to come in [little mexican crew of about 1 million workers that work very quickly & efficiently], robert & co. weren't finished & got very mad [making comments about how the painters were rushing them, etc.] - the painters worked circles around robert & co., making them madder by the minute - the painters were finished & robert & co. were still where they were before the painters showed up - the painters couldn't finish what they had to do until robert & co. were done, due to the them having to paint around the french doors, etc., so after robert & co. got the french doors finally hung, the painters came back to finish their job, but we'd to pay a bit more for having the painters come back extra day [which i think robert & co. should've had to pay
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well, robert & co. were supposed to only be here for 1 week, but they took 2 & still weren't done - robert had ordered the wrong cabinet for in brit's bathroom [which we didn't make him change out as he'd already painted it & we knew he couldn't return it...thus saving him $$], he then forgot to order the bathroom cabinets for above the other 2 toilets & he also had to come back to hang/insert the stained glass window in spike's office wall
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we've been in our house 4 week & it was 2 weeks prior to that, that robert & co. began this work, so he's been at this for 6 weeks [what he agreed would only take him 1 week to complete!] - they were supposed to come last weekend one day & we got a call the morning of, saying robert had an unexpected surgery & couldn't come [don't know why jeffrey & michael couldn't come, but...], so they were rescheduling it for today [saturday] - we've been preparing for the to finally be done as of today & i couldn't have been happier
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i got up this morning & was getting the girls up, so we could all be dressed & presentable for when robert & co. showed up - after waking all the girls up [brit loved that!], i find out that robert & co. called & they're not coming today!!! - michael woke up sick, so none of them are coming!!! - i'm not kidding this' such a joke now - they're not doing anything they said they'd do - something that was supposed to take 1 week has gone into 6 weeks & they're still not done! - i'd not recommend them to anyone!! - they're nice guys, but they're not interested in working at all - they're slow & ½ the time, don't even show up!
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spike thinks i'm being too hard on them, but i sure don't know anyone else that would put up with what we're putting up with & not think what i'm thinking...this' ridiculous! - it's cost us more money in not only paying the painters more for them having to come back an extra day, but also robert & co. were to remove all their trash before they left & didn't - we couldn't leave it here as it filled our garage, so spike & my dad had to remove it [which was a lot of work] & it cost $80 to do so
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if you can't tell, i'm beyond frustrated, but at least now i know why robert & co. were begging so, for the job saying how much they needed work, etc...it's because they don't keep working & so no one wants to hire them!!!
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i'll get off my soapbox now - thanks for listening

- pacifiers, etc...needing suggestions -

just curious for suggestions - ahniér's now 10 weeks [where's the time gone?] & we can't get her attached to anything specific - she took to her thumb for a few days right after birth, but then stopped - we then tried her on about 4 different kinds of pacifiers & found 1 that she seemed to like & have been using it [the ugly big green ones that they give you in the hospitals that look like a bottle nipple...pictured above & no, that's not ahniér], but now she's not wanting it either - she'll accept it when you first put it in her mouth, she'll take a few sucks off of it, then secretly pushes it out the corner of her mouth UGH - we've went back to her thumb [which's what we'd prefer as our other girls are thumb suckers & that's something they've always got with them & can't loose!] - the closest she comes to taking her thumb is that she'll get her entire fist in her mouth & suck on it, but can't seem to find just the thumb - she'll then get discouraged & cry - dustin was a paci baby, brit sucked her bottom lip & kiara, ruby & karleigh were all thumb babies, so this' all new to us

now, the only reason i'm really needing her to attach to something is for this reason...she's a butterball right now due to anytime she wakes up or needs soothing, she thinks it's time to eat! - she's still on an every 2 hour feeding schedule & takes 4 oz each time - she's not physically able to take on any more than 4 oz, so thus the reason it's on an every 2 hour basis - when she eats, she'll then go to sleep after visiting for about 20 minutes, but let's say she only cat-naps for about 15 minutes, she then upon waking up, thinks it's time to eat again!!! - she's to the point now, it's best to let her lay [even when holding her], as when we tip her upright as in a sitting position, she's soooo full, she spills over

hopefully, you'll all see now why we need a soother of some sort & am ready to do anything i can to find something she connects to & STAYS WITH! - BTW, most kids are attached to something by what age? - am i too late since she's already 10 weeks old??

- we've a pool 'in' our house! -

well, today was hair day - got up this morning, gave ahniér her bath, then gave kiara, ruby & karleigh their baths - then i started braiding hair & although it was a simple style, they love it [especially karleigh as she loves hair to hang in her eyes & she's got the longest hair & thinks that's so cool!] - they got to bathe in our bathroom today [they've never done that since we've moved] & kiara says, "oh cool, i didn't know we had a pool inside the house!!" - where's she been since we moved?? - it's a garden bath w/ jets & they call it a pool - it's been there since we moved in... are they just now noticing??

- 2 of our kids & my sister -

well, today after church, brit, ahniér & myself all went to my parents church for a dinner they were having - while there i took a few pics of 2 of our kids [dustin & brit] & also, my sister [madisyn] - hope you enjoy them

- an extremely hard post to write...extremely hard -

i received permission from our son dustin, to post this prior to doing so

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this' something i've written up to give to friends & family about an upcoming open house for dustin - please read it & pray for our family heavily [extremely hard] on december 10 - thinking about what's coming up, causes me to truly think...i can't do this - dustin, i know you're reading this & want you to know that even though you made a horrible judgment call, we'll get through this - it's the hardest thing we've ever had to go through as a family & pray for god to help us through as i know he will - we're there for you in whatever way we can help, but just know that your help comes from the lord & he's the one you'll ultimately have to turn to - we love you more than you know - we're a team

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back in january, dustin & an acquaintance committed an armed robbery here in noblesville - dustin wasn't caught, but told someone he knew what he’d done & it got back to us & i’m the one that turned him in [something i never want to do again!] - it’s been almost a year & on december 10 he’ll be sentenced & is facing up to 11 years in prison - this’ the first time he’s been in trouble with the law, but since he was armed, the judge can sentence him to anything from 6 years probation to 11 years in prison, so we’re not sure what the outcome will be
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he’ll turn 23 on december 4 & we wanted to have an open house for him so friends & family could come over, just to encourage him for what lies ahead, as this might be the last time they’ll see him for a while - this is a come & go type open house, so please stop by when you can [even if it’s for a few minutes] - there’ll be snacks, finger foods & drinks provided, so hope to see a lot of you there!!
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he knows what he did was wrong, but can’t change what he’s facing, so please come & let him know he’s not alone & we’re all there to see him through...because this’ not what his life’s about & it never has been...it’s about what he does with his life from here on out!
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no gifts are necessary, but we’re requesting everyone bring a note of ‘what dustin means to them’ to leave with him, reminding him how loved & appreciated he is
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we want to say, that anything given monetarily, will be going into an account that he’ll draw on while he’s ‘away’ as he’ll have to buy everything he needs while ’in’ [ie: soap, tooth brush, toilet paper, deodorant, etc.], as he can’t take anything with him.
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DATE:
saturday, december 6, 2008
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LOCATION:
11188 giddings place
noblesville, IN 46060
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TIME:
1-4 PM

- our week -

things around here are progressing nicely & we're all but settled in [praise the lord] - thanks for all the cards & emails we've received congratulating us as it was a huge undertaking [but so worth it!] - here's a picture i took yesterday of ahniér & i think it sums up all our feelings [so glad it's over!] - isn't she a cutie!!