remembering last saturday ...

just thought I'd finish up with some more pics from our Silly Band Saturday. I never want to forget that day. Our house is full of silly bands now, literally - they're everywhere. I couldn't be more happy to pick each one up, I think forever more when I see a silly band bracelet - I'll think of two little boys, up in heaven, celebrating forever with Jesus!

we were so happy to be able to get a chapel here on base,
since the weather was predicted to be quite yucky!

ha ha - she really was happy!

this little stinker got tired of sitting in the group for pics ...
I kid you not, all the kids were AMAZING.
AMAZING.
at one point we were just sitting there, waiting for our
last guests who had arrived and were getting situated, and
those kids were awesome. only mine got up,
and he wouldn't sit back down.
I decided to let it go.
our buddy took the group shots for us, so
glad my friend brought him along (her hubby)!
so, while Liam was being stubborn,
between group shots, he caught these:

be still my heart. I could stare at pics of my
babies forever. i just love these!

pretty baby ...

well, it's been about two weeks now that we've been battling this virus. from cold symptoms (me, now) to a horrible sounding cough (the big kid's coughs are finally going away, Liam's got it now, and Zoey is still trying to get over it) ... oh, and let's not forget to mention both Jericho (saturday) and Zoey (sunday) battling a little tummy bug. i think the worst is behind us and i keep praying for better weather and better health. the kids being a little out of sorts though, as I'm sure you can guess, doesn't keep the camera off for long! yesterday I had some fun snapping shots of Zoey is one of her favorite places (NOT! she wants to be free) and it was kinda fun ... no, it was super fun!

she kept trying to get me - or the camera, actually!

big fat puffy "heart" this pic!

I can actually hear her saying "oh yah" or "you wanna piece uh me"!
LOL

I actually caught it!
I almost couldn't believe it, this is one of my
favorite new "faces of Zoey" ... with all this teething
she's prone to contort her little lips in all
sorts of funny and adorable ways!

yep, trying again to get the camera

everything goes in the mouth ...
EVERYTHING.

ahem. she really likes my camera!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that smile - pretty baby!

a week ago ...

was a "sick day" for Jericho, remember - the cough! here's a few more pics I got that day!

yah - he's a little crazy!

doesn't his sad face just rip your heart out?
attention hollywood agents - this is a face to
grip your audience - lol!

thankfully he got over it quick enough!
(bubba had hit him, I think)

he can do mad too - ha ha!
I kind of "got" him to do this, after I called
him my baby and he angrily told me "I'm a big boy" ...
his angry little face was so darn cute that I
attempted to get it in a pic!

the many faces of Zoey ...

this one is pretty silly!
I think she was refusing to take a bite actually!oh yes, bring on the pout.

that cracks me up!
she has all sorts of funny little faces
now with the teething!

all I can say is:
"these are spirit fingers"!

quotes of the week ...

I told Liam I would give him "a little bit of tea" and his reply was, "I want a big bit"!

I introduced the kids (well, the three oldest) to pop rocks! I liked Liam's description: "it tickles"! they all liked them - we had fun eating our popping candy!





btw - you may notice that most of these quotes/stories revolve around Liam. I hope everyone understands that there's a very good reason for this: I'm with him every day, all day long. Much like so many of the photos are of Zoey, because - again - I'm with her every day all day long and she's still too little to run away from the camera! I truly, with all of my heart, wish that I could spend every day, all day long, with all of my children. right now, that just isn't possible. and no, I don't have some exponential amount of patience, quite the contrary (I've really been trying to always stop and pray when I feel overwhelmed lately) ... neither am I saying that my children aren't, let's just say "challenging". often. a handful. often. super duper crazy and even sometimes hyper, refuse to listen or obey - whichever fits - and in fact tell me flat out "NO". often. it's not because it would be "easy" that I wish I could have that at home, at least most of the time all day long. it's because I love them and miss them. it's because I feel like God is preparing me to deal with a great challenge, and right now - I feel like that challenge is reaching my children's hearts. it's because I want more time with them, even selfishly, to get to know them each deeper and to enjoy their presence. it's because, I just am feeling very drawn to my children and very led to spend much more time with them. I hope I can. whatever the future holds, I pray I will spend my time more wisely with my family.

she's hot ... then she's cold ...

ok - not literally. these pics were taken last week, and let's just say cutting five teeth at once isn't fun. for her any of us! five teeth. at once. have I mentioned that before? on top of that she had had a fever the previous night and was coughing a bit and had a touch of a runny nose this morning. all in all, the day was better than her week had been! she ate pretty well. she napped well (including the falling asleep part, I only rocked her about ten minutes and she was out). she fell asleep good for daddy - again, no fighting it! I don't try to take too many pics of my kids in their unhappier of moments, but I do have some part of me that feels it's important to capture it all. or at least a glimpse of it "all"! so, here's some not so happy, ok, and almost happy pics of little miss Zoey!