RIP CITY

Friday November 27th . . . Grandpa Ricky & Grandma Kris were not going to be picking Darla & Elijah up until 4pm but the kids were up & dressed in their Blazer gear by 8:30am. It was one looooooong day of waiting for these to basketball fans!

Grandparents Day

Tuesday November 24th . . . they traveled over the river & thru the woods to grandchildrens house.


We love you Grandma Vickie & Grandpa Bob!!!!

Random Recollections 1

Something new lately is Elijah coming home with love notes from all sorts of girls, and stories about how so&so wont quit chasing him on recess when he just wants to play basketball, etc. Big sister Darla has been trying to run interference for him. Oh the drama! So today Elijah's on the phone w/ his friend "joe" who offered Elijah advice to make this problem go away:
"Joe": Elijah I have a trick to make the girls not like you. Ive tried it & it really really works good! Ive done it. This trick works!
Elijah: Really? What is the trick? (his face is happy & serious with big curious eyes)
"joe": I just started coloring really really bad.
Elijah: Are you serious? They leave you alone because you color bad?
"joe": Yes the girls dont like me anymore now.
Elijah: That's awesome!

Darla was wearing a bracelet made out of linking paperclips. Weird. Totally forgot about that till I saw it on her wrist. I did the same thing as a child. Then she was singing this song to the exact same tune as "Im a barbie girl - in a barbie world - Im fantastic . . . " Well all thru-out the day Alan kept slipping up singing the new version. And then when he would catch himself jokingly hollar "Darla!!!!" And she would laugh & say "Told ya! It gets stuck in your head, doesnt it pa?"

Darla & I finish having this deep discussion about mother-daughter relationships (another future post) & I realize "Wow Darla, your 9! Half your childhood is over?" (I seriously realized it as Im saying it.) Double check my math, ya 18 you are considered an adult I explain. Darla & I both sit stunned a bit. I get a teary eye & explain "Boy I better start teaching you more things, like how to cook!" and chuckle. Darla's face gets really serious & glossy eyed.... I semi-panic, oh no, maybe that was not parenting 101 of me to say to her?! ..... And I ask her "Honey what is wrong?" . . .
Darla: "I dont want to grow up! (pause) It will be too stressful with 4 kids!"
I remind her at 18 what her life options could be etc., & no at 18 its not "Poof-out of the house & suprise 4 kids waiting for you in your new home!" Once she understood... she was laughing & wanted me to tell papa the funny thing she said.

By the way I hope I never forget the way Elijah says "Peanut butter & jelly" (emphasis on the extreme pronounciation of the word jelly). When he was younger he always called it peanut butter jelly and sandwich.

Darla called catsup K-PATCH for years . . . . and lovingly referred to her big brother as Pay-Pay. Nowadays its Payt, unless she's upset or dissapointed its Pay-TUN!!!

Will add Random Recollections 2 for our book end children Payton & Nolan soon.

Our kids have Grandparents in 4 States!

The two sets in Oregon are joining our kids this Tuesday November 24th for the Annual Grandparents Day. An extra special treat beyond the breakfast & fun will be watching their grandson Elijah play a lead role as "The King" in the Thanksgiving Play! The Director for the play explained it requires a very brave child to play the role & the kids voted for Elijah. It is hilarious watching him rehearse his lines . . . he tries to talk so mean & bossy to all the pilgrims but as his mama I clearly see his dimples sneaking out in his cheeks & that little giggling smirk. Hope to find a way to record the production.

GRANDPARENTS & GRANDCHILDREN
Grandparents and grandchildren,
Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past,
With the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part.

In The Stands...... Sit Darla's Fans!

Go Darla!!! Team Razmatazz!!!

Poor Grandpa Ricky was still recuperating from being sick with the flu but what a sport they were to make the drive out to support their grandDarla!

The 3 amigos above (friend Tanner & our Elijah & Nolan) sit semi-patiently thru the girls game . . . dying for those 20 second timeouts to go shoot a quick hoop. Half time they go wild!

Elijah's Eye

If you can believe it . . . this is actually a gummy eyeball; a candy; something you eat. Given to him by his teacher as a funny prize. Funny it was & gross!

Made To Worship

This past weekend our family enjoyed attending a multi-church choir performance "Made To Worship". Our Darla was selected to sing the solo of the title song, and her papa was also a part of the choir & enjoyed singing a solo as well.
Grandpa Ricky & Grandma Kris joined us Friday night, and it even snowed! Saturday night Grandpa Bob & Grandma Vickie made the long drive & joined us. After the show we got to enjoy several hours of fellowship with our friends Jeremy, Debbie, Keith, Kimi . . . . and the combined 13 kids we all share also enjoyed themselves. Not one of us missed church the next morning either. Bonus!

In Remembrance. . .

. . . of the 4,729 U.S. troops who have given their life for the war in Iraq thus far. Please God bring the rest home to us safe! Thank you to all service men & women who sign up to pay the ultimate sacrifice so we all can enjoy our freedoms & safety. Happy Veterans Day!

9 years ago . . . November 8, 2000

Darla Diane was born. A sister to proud big brother Payton, and a loving daughter to beaming mama & papa. She is the sunshine in our lives! Happy Birthday beautiful girl that we love more than any other girl on this planet!

Western Day in 10 short minutes!

10 minutes before school bus arrives - DD bf calls to remind her its "Western Day". Elijah protests - wants to be camo guy, compromised by adding a black bandana to his ensemble. Darla outgrew her cowboy boots this summer ....but I thought we threw together a decent diddy in the 10 minutes.

Happy Basketball - I mean Birthday!!

Today (Nov 1st) is Elijah's 7th birthday & 1 week from today Darla turns 9. To celebrate the two kids agreed on a Basketball theme (thank u Darla) & we held a joint bday party this year. At 2pm the kids started arriving . . . once all 18 were here we started the festivities.

We would like to thank Tierra, Jeremiah, Jack, Samantha, Tanner, Kyra, Keturah, McKenna, Noah, Omar, Caeser, Elayna, Emily, Savannah, Kennedy, Nolan, Darla & Elijah for all being wonderfully behaved & a bundle of joy to spend 3 hours with today! Special thanks to friends Debbie & Jeremy for helping run the party with us. Big brother Payton helped setup the Crombie Court - complete w/ chalk lines etc.,

For pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30892&id=1639255198&l=60b1966000

Halloween 2009

Our tradition. . . . Payton stays & hands out candy to the bazillion trick or treaters in our small neighborhood. . . .only this year so many homes are either vacationers or in the process of being moved out of or moved in . . . . noone had their porch lights on on our side of the loop so we kept our light off as well. Saving kids from having to walk our whole block or two for 1 house w/ candy.

Grandpa Ricky & Grandma Kris came up for our traditional homemade stew & hot from the oven breadsticks for dinner at 5:30.

At 6:30 we headed to "Spook Alley" the shopping center a country block from our home. The kids play carnival games in the outdoor plaza area & win treats. Then beginning at 7pm the fire dept holds the annual costume contest.

1st up was age bracket 4-7 yr olds. So Nolan, our robot, & Elijah, the basketball & hoop, were competing against one another this year. I will be honest I chose not to embellish Nolan's robot costume for fear he would win 1st place again.

Elijah is our only kiddo who has never won. Well the judges announced 3rd place a dragon, 2nd place our Nolan the robot (I held my breath in fear), .... long pause . . . . and 1st place. . . . . Elijah the basketball hoop!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I would feel so bad for our middle son if he walked away in defeat again. So both sons won this year.

Darla was in the older age bracket this year 8-12yr olds. She had fierce competition & I didnt expect her to even place this year. They announced 3rd place an adorable 80's style rocker, 2nd place the old lady costume, & 1st place (my dad gave me a signal like ITS DARLA & I shook my head No it isnt) . . . . 1st place ... the pirate . . . Darla!!! Amazed. I actually had to laugh & smack myself in the forehead. Im sure I looked like a total dork.

Then on to a little trick or treating . . .

the kids each came home from the eve with a total of 54 pieces of candy . . . which will be stretched our for weeks to come.

2009 Harvest Parade @ School

Bet you cant guess which one Elijah Alan is:

If you're still confused. . . . Elijah, the boy who eats, sleeps, breathes basketball is the basketball, & hoop.

Pirate Darla . . . . without her Parrot. . . .

Tale of Teeth

Resting in peace on this purple piece of paper are Elijah's top 4 baby teeth that the Tooth Fairy took away last night . . . .


Elijah had always named them . . . so we documented, lest we forget.

And our handsome man with his big boy teeth growing in:

The Tea Luncheon

The Welches Girls Kimmy, Debbie & I brought with us to the Tea Luncheon at Living Water Fellowship in Gresham (this was when we arrived . . . the girls posing w/ the rear end of our 3 red cars as the back drop):


Darla & her friends Ashlin & Samantha:


DD's (Darla Diane & Tierra who's nickname is also DD):


The girls learning a new song of worship from Kimmy:


The girls enjoying tea with friends & their mamas:


Princess McKenna & Princess Samantha enjoying their tea:


The girls when we were leaving (I took 40 some photos - so had to pick only a few for the blog):


The girls learned about being "Maidens of Virtue" and studied the scripture:
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,
Marvelous are Your works. And that my soul knows very well.
~ Psalm 139:14

Team Razzmatazz : Go Darla!

Darla's very 1st basketball game was last night. We are so proud of the girls!
Their first opponents wore lavender shirts & roasted our girls BUT we learned most of their girls have been playing since 1st grade! Whereas, our team many have never dribbled a ball until 1st practice. This is a 3rd/4th team . . . Darla being 3rd grade.

Darla before the game (but had been practicing, thus the rosey cheeks):


Team Huddle before the game (Darla #3):


The tip off . . . Darla & Tierra both were starters:


Team Huddle after the game:


Darla after her game; exhausted but happy:


Team Photo: