For our eight year anniversary we hired two sitters (teen sisters at a rate of $14/hr total) to come and keep all six kids.  We went to a Mexican restaurant and then went grocery shopping together.   Eating out when I have to avoid all traces of milk and eggs (due to baby's bad reactions thru nursing) is a challenge.  I was able to eat chips and salsa, tacos without cheese, and after interrogating the waiter about the sopapilla frying process, a sopapilla minus the whipped cream and butterscotch.  I don't think we've gone grocery shopping together without children for several years.  Strolling the aisles of the local Publix without even one child with us made us feel like newlyweds again.  (LOL)  On the way home we listened to Norah Jones singing "Come Away With Me."  Great song, great idea...we really should get out more often!

One of my favorite things to do is watch a good movie.  Even having to get up and nurse a baby at 12a, 1a, or 3a wasn't so bad when I had a great movie to watch (most found on Netflix).  Thankfully the baby is now 3 months old and sleeping 9-10 hours each night!

Some movies I love to watch over and over and over (many are hard-to-find British films):

Pride and Prejudice (almost every version is good--my fave is the A&E with Colin Firth)

Sense and Sensibility (with Emma Thompson)

North and South (by Elizabeth Gaskell)

Wives and Daughters (by Elizabeth Gaskell)

He Knew He Was Right

Berkely Square

Victoria and Albert

Remains of the Day

Howard's End

The Winslow Boy

Gods and Generals (we named one son after Stonewall Jackson!)

The Patriot

Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea

Shining Through (an "old" movie with Liam Neeson)

_____________________________________________

And some I have recently enjoyed but not yet sure if they'll make the list of movies watched over and over and over....

I am David

Cinderella Man

I've heard other moms say that in order to find time to pray and save their sanity on crazy days they lock themselves in the bathroom for a few minutes (sometimes with the children banging on the door and screaming).  I've done that, too.  But what I normally do is DRIVE! 

I load up all six kids, strap them down in their carseats in our 15 passenger van, and we hit the road!  The kids love the change of scenery and I often stop by a fast food drive-thru.  At home, I usually eat breakfast and lunch standing up as I muti-task through mealtime but when we are in the van I actually get to sit to eat and drink (while driving). 

Today was definitely a "Drive-thru Day."  While I was nursing my newborn, my 1 1/2 year old was playing in her crib.  When I went to get her I found that she had taken her diaper off and THEN (how can I say this nicely?) "had a toileting disaster" in the crib.  As I was cleaning her and her room up, my three year old was needing major assistance at the toilet.  After cleaning him up, I found that the newborn's diaper had not contained his mess and it was all over his clothes.  Added to all of this, one bathroom toilet had to be plunged as it was about to overflow.  The other children were screaming and throwing toys (at each other?) downstairs.  It was now 12:30, naps are normally at 1:00 and I had not even begun to prepare lunch.  If it had been a Monday I probably would have been in tears.  As it was Friday and my mind was already completely lost, I got hysterical.  And I mean hysterically LAUGHING.  I was cracking up as I was cleaning everyone and everything in sight.

As soon as the house and children were sanitized we loaded up and headed for the drive-thru.  I ordered the food and took a deep breath, ready to enjoy a few minutes of peace and a nice chicken sandwich.  It wasn't until I had driven away that I discovered they had forgotten to give me my favorite honey barbeque mustard.  So I ate a dry chargrilled chicken sandwich, picked up burgers for the kids, and managed to survive the afternoon. 

And then . . . alas!  The little ones were yelling again but this time it was the most lovely of phrases:

 "Daddy's Home!  Daddy's Home!"

Hello, Honey.  And how was your day?

 ;oP

Our sixth baby just arrived last week via emergency c-section. The other kids all have a stomach bug and dad is taking care of all of them plus the house as I take care of the baby and attempt to rest.

Hope to be back to blogging soon!

Moms4psalms

Baby number six is a BOY!  That means there will be four boys and two girls in our household.  Baby (we keep names a surprise until the birth, but each child has at least one biblical name) is due at the end of January '07.  The sono picture is a profile shot with his hand on his chin--we suspect he is contemplating God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. 

;o),

Moms4Psalms

My favorite wedding photographer has started posting a "photo of the day" on her blog.  You can access it daily by clicking on my sidebar link or by subscribing on her blog.  Today's entry is hilarious.  Check it out:

http://blog.kristastonegallery.com/2006/07/06/yeah-right-whatever.aspx

BTW:  If you know someone getting married please tell them to check out her website at www.kristastonegallery.com.  For both the quality and price it would be worth it to pay this fellow homeschooling mama's travel expenses to be your wedding photographer!

1.  . Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line four.  "George would let the bunny hop away, and then he would run after it and get it back."  Curious George Flies a Kite

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch?   my two year old son
  

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV? 
  "The Winslow Boy" DVD from Netflix.  I HIGHLY recommend it! 

4. Without looking, guess what time it is. 
    12:15pm

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? 
    12:41pm

11. When did you last laugh? 
  Watching a clip of Jay Leno in the Walmart check-out line. 

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in? 
     Bookshelves line the walls but no pictures are up yet--and we've been here four months already!

13. Seen anything weird lately? Chewed and spewed vitamins my two year old got into yesterday.

14. What do you think of this quiz? 
   I think it's interesting but my son doesn't!

15. What is the last film or video you saw? 
    "The Lake House" on a Moms Getaway with friends. 

Here's a contest for the quickest eye . . .

I just made three MAJOR changes to my blog.  The first person to post a comment stating the three most recent MAJOR changes to my blog will win a full size bottle of Mary Kay Oil-Free eye makeup remover (retail $14)!

Look closely . . . there is a reason I am doing this!

:o),

Moms4Psalms