Time goes by and things stay the same....................

I love time passing and dislike it at the same time. We all want, and pray, that our tough times will pass quickly, and that our times of wonderful will last forever. How would we become the person the Lord intends us to be without the hard times and the wonderful? We have to have one to appreciate the other, don't we? I love that this picture reminds me of how much has happened in between. I hope that I am a much better, loving, stronger, version of me than I was at the first taking of this picture. My girls are bigger, stronger willed, and more 'them' than they have ever been. And yet, they share that binky while sleeping just the same. They would have an all out war over that binky when they were not completely exhausted but when tired and worn out, when worn down they love one another and share. Are we not like that? I want to be that person without being worn down and tired, when I am full of fire and ready to head out. That person that gets up in the morning and says, "What are we going to do today?", I call my Mom on days like that. We are morning people, don't ask us at night to do anything. I want to tuck in at night, I want to put kids in the tub, read books, pray, and go to bed. You catch me the next morning at the 0'dark-thirty and I am ready to do anything! Throw it at me, let's go.
We should be that person that has their light on ALL of the time. Not just in the 'morning' but also at 'night'. I want to be that person, the Lord asks me to be that person.
So, time goes by and things stay the same, we share, we love, we stress, we fight, we forgive, and we love. We all do it, and we should not stay the same, we should grow from it. We should become better~

Easter Egg Hunt...............

The boys went with Dad on a boy trip so I was left with the girls to hunt Easter eggs at the school. We dolled up and posed for a few pictures before we left~

Molly is 4..............

Oh Tater, you are getting to be a big girl. You are a sweet girl with a sweet heart. I don't like to see you cry but the color of green that comes out in those big eyes when you do is totally yours. You have grown up so much over this last year. You still are your Daddy's girl, I think he ranks pretty high up there! God must have known that Dad needed all these girls! You and Maggie are learning to let Tallis be a part of your play and, for the most part, have been pretty patient with her. You are our softy with feelings that are easily hurt and easily mended, hugs fix everything Dad says! You have moved to the top of the bunk bed, that truly makes you the big sister! You change everyday and I love seeing more of you becoming you. You will be our Tater for your whole life and we love you so much~Love Mom

Tallis is 2.............

Well, Miss Full of It is two years old officially! You seemed to breeze through being a baby so quickly, always ahead of yourself. Tallis you are smart and funny and have such a special spot in your big family. YOU ARE TALLIS ROSE GREEN, and that is a mouthful for a two year old! You have been intent on calling everyone their full name, Sawyer George, Sidon Craig, Maggie Shay, Molly Tate, Bo Thomas, Lindsay 'Shell', Brian Charles. I asked you what Daddy's name was and you said, with a pause,"Daddy Handsome Green", I like it I think we will make it stick! When we ask you how old you are you will say "Three and a half" and if we say "No" you just keep getting older so I guess we will quit asking so that you will slow down! I love your dark curls and your stormy eyes and that you look like Grandma Jeanette, I think that would have pleased Grandpa Earl. You are busy, and by busy I mean doing things like putting Maggie's diary keys into to the outlet in the hallway. You came running into the living room with two black marks up your thumbnails and saying, 'It burned!'. You are number five and the first child we have put outlet covers on for! We love you and your bigger than life personality, I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for you~Love Mom

A trip to the coast...........

It is what we all need every once in a while. An 'out', a trip, an adventure. I think we ALL truly needed to have this vacation and it was such a blessing. We loaded the suburban and the van and headed out with six kids and the one on the way. Bo rode with us so the little kids made a rotation through Grandma and Papa's van. Have I mentioned that vacations need to be taken in two cars, keeps the peace much better!! Tallis came up with a 'knock-knock' joke on the way. Tallis, "Knock, Knock." Bo, "Who's there?", Tallis, "I just stepped in animal poooooo!!"
We heard this joke at LEAST a thousand times on the way to and from the beach! We stopped at Lori and Greg's on the way and had dinner and it made me realize how I wished we lived so much closer. It was a blessing to let the kids play and eat and laugh and enjoy each others company 'in person'.
The house had a hot tub and I had promised the girls we would have our turn so out we headed into the cold night. I was sitting with Molly and Maggie just taking in some of that almost one on one time and I heard some scurrying from up above on the porch. The girls gave me a worried look and I have to admit that I was a litte worried myself! I looked up and here comes a huge raccoon climbing down the railing, mind you this railing runs right next to the hot tub! He keeps leaning over the water with curiosity and I can just picture him jumping right in. We shooed him but he was not to be shooed and I then realized that he had brought along a few of his friends. It was as if they heard the top come off the hot tub and were gathering for a party! Our hot tub session was cut a little short but we had some funny stories to take upstairs to the others and the raccoons made an appearance on the porch for everybody to see!
The last night at the house we had a fish fry, the plan was to be able to go out on a boat and catch our dinner but the weather didn't permit that. We went to Safeway instead and bought some fillets from the seafood counter and you know, they were fantastic! Craig, Bo, and Sidon did there thing with Oysters and Bo bought crab for all to share, it was a feast indeed!