Life in the Shire...established 1994

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 

The day started in the dark (which lightened up nicely) for S this morning, heading out with his Dad for a group.

It ended, blessedly, with a fine Irish stew and Guinness Stout.

 

Sorry for no updates!

A much-anticipated operating system upgrade has taken place on the PC, and it is taking a little bit of time to get all of the files and programs up and running. We've been extra busy this week with lots of work and community service, too. Yay! The "Busy Season" is here!

Ffffffffffreezing

So much for global warming. It is hours from March, and our high today was 47 degrees. Some of us would like to see a little warming. Others are making the best of it.

L after watching the rain fall outside.

Yes, this was today. A has insisted on wearing her bathing suit for the last two days and feels like a popsicle. It won't stop her from having a tea party with hedgehog and turtle. :o)

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go

This has been a really busy week as well as a reasonably sick week. :o(  In the middle of everything, someone has been sick every day. When it was K's turn, A laid out a picnic to make her feel better. Unfortunately, A was down the next day.

Now that everyone is better, there is work to be done! I asked A to open the dishwasher since it had finished it's cycle to keep it from beeping while L was sleeping. I turned around a moment later to see her emptying the dishwasher.

A moment after that, K came to help.

 

What a great team!

E and his Dad spent the afternoon at a Magic game before heading out for work this evening. It was a close game; everyone was standing, and it was unusually loud.

Concern. "Are the refs even watching this game?!"

Elation; Rashard made a 3pt shot!

And after a hard day's work. :o)

Surely, he can drive now

Despite the fact that he is only turning 12 today, he actually has been driving for a while - in golf carts. E is a hard worker, and he enjoys it. He is more motivated than many of the cart guys at the golf courses he and his Dad serve, so it's no wonder that E is a favorite among the golf pros and meeting planners. Well, we love him, too. He is funny, sincere, committed, loving, and always ready to lend a hand. He has had such a great year full of fantastic experiences, and it is a joy to watch him grow into a faith-filled young man.

Happy Birthday, E! We love you!

Happy St. Valentine's Day

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

~ William Shakespeare, Sonnet 116

She is five already?!?!

Five years ago, our fourth sweet little someone was getting ready to make her debut. We were all so looking forward to the arrival of a new baby, but we were thrown completely off when she decided to come almost six weeks early. With gratitude, we welcomed a 6lb preemie who has proven to be a firecracker ever since. K is perceptive, sensitive, smart, and incredibly mature for her age. It is so hard to remember that she is as young as she is!

Happy Birthday, K! We love you!

Our first beautiful girl...

...is celebrating her 9th birthday today! It is so exciting to see the changes in her personality and interests. She is in a special spot in our family being among the older kids (who happen to be boys) but also being the big sister to so many little girls. She has so many talents and is growing into a beautiful, generous, and kind young lady. Happy Birthday, honey! We love you!

Em at her birthday Magic game

Surrounded by sisters and blowing out the candle on her special-request, blue-frosted cake.

The epic battle of our time

This may appear to be a mess of LEGOs and Bionicles, but it really is a giant battle. It is also what happens when one brother goes out of town and the brother left at home with Mom and 4 sisters has some free time on his hands. The room was hysterical before, and I meant to get in there for a shot of all of the Bionicles standing sentry around the room. Unfortunately, I only made it in for the aftermath.

The hardcore football fan

E was the winner of the fantasy football league that he, Sean, and their Dad were in with a bunch of our friends. He is a FANatic and loves his football games (as well as basketball) on TV. So he was helping with this morning's group, and got to meet a former NFL player and actor, Fred Williamson. He was given some Super Bowl XLIV items (duffle bag, umbrella, etc.), and he has just been having a great time.

Fred Williamson and E