Twelve years ago, God gave Steve and me the most wonderful gift--a healthy baby boy. 

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Here are a couple of horrifying pictures of how huge I was at the end of my pregnancy:

Getting ready to meet Eli

Here's Daddy with his baby boy

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And here's Eli's first official portrait--Look at that face!

This next picture is Eli in his "going home" outfit.  A friend had given us this adorable outfit, thinking that we'd have a normal sized baby.  Well, Eli came out at a whopping 10 lbs. 1 oz., and I practically had to shoehorn him into these clothes!  Getting the picture was tough--the hat kept popping off of him because it was too small!

Here are a couple of shots of one tired mama & her precious boy (note: these are pictures of a pre-Lasik me!)

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Here is the birth announcement that we sent out.  I'm including it here because I bought those announcements BEFORE we knew if Eli was a healthy baby (you can read the story of our daughter, Abigail, who passed away in 1995 here).  It was a real "Peter stepping out of the boat" moment of faith for me, since we didn't know if Eli was okay or not.

Here he was at 3 months old---how my current skinny boy came from this little chunk of love, I'll never know!

Happy 12th birthday, Eli!  We love you so much!

Every year, my friend, Amy, hosts a fantastic Harvest Party at her home.  Okay, so it's a glorified playdate, but we usually have fabulous weather, the moms get to visit, and the kids have a wonderful time.

We had to run to the bank and Wal-Mart (okay, we drove) before the party, so we arrived around noontime.  It's always such a fun time of reconnecting with moms & friends that we haven't seen in a while.  This is at least our 4th year attending, and it's so fun to see how big the kids are getting.

Amy's daughter, Avanell, has chickens--they're always a big hit with the kids.  Only one child fell into the pond, and for once, it wasn't one of mine!  Our friend, Lisa, made up a great scavenger hunt for the kids (e.g., find someone who likes lemons, find someone who has been to Texas), so they were all running around getting to know one another!

We finally left around 4pm.  I stopped at home, and then ran to the new grocery store that just opened today. They gave Maddie a balloon flower, and gave me a (clearly inferior, non-Pampered Chef) spatula.  I picked up ice cream and the ingredients for shepherd's pie, which the birthday boy has requested for lunch tomorrow.

Once home, we ran around cleaning like nuts, since I had a team member coming over after dinner.  Thank God he didn't stay long.  I'm just too tired to entertain anyone.  The kids are going to bed in 15 minutes.  Steve leaves for work in just under 2 hours.  I can't wait to get into jammies.  I need to make Eli's birthday cake--this year we're trying a new recipe, a "Snickerdoodle Cake".  And a new episode of "Life" on NBC is on at 10pm--I hope I can stay awake!

I can't believe that tomorrow Eli will be 12.  Today he said to me, "Tonight I'll give you your last 11 year old hug!", and I almost started crying.  What a precious gift from God he is.

Do devotions with the kids

Go to the bank--deposit check, take out $ to pay the babysitter for the last two nights

Run to Wal-Mart--we need milk, candles for Eli's birthday cake, and a snack to take to the Harvest Party (no time to bake this morning!)

Harvest Party!  Starts at 11am--we'll probably be home around 4:30pm

Make dinner

Meeting @ 6:30pm with Pampered Chef team member to help them get going with their business again.

Do laundry, dishes & clean house for Eli's birthday party.

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I've already made my bed, tidied up my room & vacuumed it, exercised, showered, dressed and paid bills.  Another long day at the Towne House has begun!

Tomorrow is day 36 of our school year.  I am exhausted.    We had another crazy week.  Monday was a regular school day, but my mom stopped by for a visit, so that broke the day up a bit.  I had a chiropractor appointment.  We also saw some of our hs friends at the park near our home, always a nice surprise.

Tuesday we walked with Sue & the kids, Eli had an orthodontist appointment (he's doing great with his braces & doesn't need to use the elastics at all anymore), we ran some errands, and went to another friends' home to plan for the weekly co-op meeting.  Eli failed his spelling test, and we have yet to re-study the words and take the test again.  Sigh.

My friend Jessica is in town, and I was able to go to her sister's house to visit them both, but I didn't get home until after 11pm!

Wednesday was a morning at home, and then we went to homeschool bowling in Johnston.  It was a free "check out the program day"--the league will start next week.  I think the kids are really going to enjoy it.  The program will only run through the 3rd week of December.  I bowled with them yesterday, and OH MY GOSH, am I sore.  I'm a half-way decent bowler (it was duckpin), and I told Steve that the employee helping with the kids told me that I should be on a league.  Steve said that she probably tells that to everyone in an attempt to drum up business.

Patience was kind of frustrated, because she wasn't instantly a bowling pro.  I told her that she would only improve with practice.  Unfortunately, she doesn't really live up to her name, and was pretty put out at her low score, until she finally knocked down some pins.  Now she's okay with going every week.

Here's Maddie, taking her turn.

Wednesday night I went to a Stampin' Up party.  Fun, but some of the ladies started discussing politics, and that just always makes me feel uncomfortable.  Oh well, tis the season.  Again, I wasn't home until after 11pm.

Today was co-op, and then TA-DA, Eli got a hair cut.  Here are the before & after shots:

Before

AFTER

The girl did a great job.  I've got one handsome kid here.

After the haircut, we ran to AC Moore, to use my 55% off coupon.  I got a knitting book for the  girls, and a tool that rounds the corners of pictures for scrapbooking (I have no idea what it is called!).

Then we stopped at Barnes & Noble--I told the kids that for every 10 Paces they finish for school, they could have $6 to spend at B&N.  Patience did an excellent job cleaning out the car  & living room yesterday, so I gave her an extra $4.  So we had to stop in so that she could get her American Girl Card Making kit.

Here's an issue for you all to solve.  When you have different expectations for your children (one finds school work much easier than their sibling, so while I expect them to work hard and to the best of their ability, I don't expect the child who struggles more to accomplish as much, capice?), how do you handle how to reward them?  Child A can easily accomplish the goal of finishing 10 books & earning $ at B&N.  Child B is struggling, and way behind on trying to reach this goal.  I feel that I should adjust the goal, to make it more fair.  But Child B threw a fit, because it "wasn't fair" that Child A has already earned this reward.  I don't want to reward the fit, but due to such a big gap in their respective abilities, it would be fair to lower the amount of books that Child B has to do in order to earn the reward.  What would you do?

We stopped at home, and Patience got ready for gymnastics.  I let Eli & Maddie stay home--we're all tired from this crazy week.  While Patience was in gymnastics, I filled the car with gas ($3.22/gal), went to Michael's craft store with a 40% off coupon--I got Maddie some Crayola Model Magic for Christmas--SHHH!  I also picked up a Christmas ornament with Maddie's name on it, but after I left Michael's, I couldn't find it?  So then I stopped at Jo Ann's with my other 40% off coupon, and found  a Gooseberry Patch recipe organizer that I've been eyeing.  I was so excited to get it at a discount.

After I left Jo Ann's, I found the ornament IN MY POCKET.  Yes, I am a hardened criminal who inadvertently shoplifts.  BACK I went to Michael's, to pay for the ornament.  Which, in the long run, worked to my advantage, because for every transaction, Michael's is giving out 50% off coupons to use next week!  So I got two!  Sweet!

Then is was back to the Y to pick up Patience, then we picked up the babysitter, raced home, and I was out the door by 5:55pm to go to my show.  I was home by 9:30, but yes, here I am, still wasting time online. 

Tomorrow I have to go to the bank, and we have a Harvest Party to attend--should be wicked fun.  (Yes, I'm from RI, and "wicked" means "really, really, really".)

Then Saturday is the big day--ELI'S BIRTHDAY!  If I have time, I'm going to try to scan some of his baby pictures.  In the mean time, enjoy these pics of him as a toddler--possibly the cutest little boy ever.

Reading the sports section with Dad:

Christmas when he was 14 months old (with my sister, Christine)

With the ever-present Pooh (notice the bassinet in the background?  Maddie was on her way!)

And since I just mentioned Maddie--here's a pic of me, 8 months pregnant

 I'm making him a snickerdoodle cake, and the grands are coming by for cake & ice cream.  Sunday there's church, and we're having dinner with friends, and then Awana (which the kids haven't studied for), and Monday we're going to the Scituate Art Festival with my dad.  And then the week starts all over again.  All things I'm looking forward to, but I'm really needing a few days just to be home.  Not sure when that will happen, because it sure ain't happening next week.  We're booked every day for something!

THIS is how we feel about wrestling...need I say more???

Another phrase I never thought I would say, "Dont scratch your brother.  It leaves marks.  Hitting only!"

Conversation at todays soccer game:

Dad, "Jim, buddy I could really use you in a goalie today. Think you could play it for me today?"

Jim, "Sorry Dad, I just gotta run and score a goal."

Dad sporting a confused look, "Okay."

And score he did.  First goal of the game.  Then he was tossed back in at goalie and blocked all their  breakaways. He brought tears to our eyes!  Jim rocks!

BTW I still despise my laptop and its poorly designed cord.

Why would you not believe when your 7 year old jokester of a son?  He is dead serious that there is a squirrel in the car running around.  (Anyone who has ever seen my Honda....would know that is a definite possibility) 

Bugga was in the car, and Jimmy was trying to get us to come and take a look.  Neither Rich nor I believed him, but I grabbed my camera just in case. -Nice mom, 2 year old in the car with a rabid squirrel and I stop to get my camera.-  We walk out front and saw nothing in the car.  Rich approaches from one side and flings open the door.  I was expecting something to come flying out into his face....Then we look in the front seat.  NOpe nothing except the leftover food spread everywhere.  Maybe next time I will get a picture of it in the van. Or maybe I should just keep the van clean???

(Said in the voice of Rocky the Squirrel)

Couldn't resist.

As I continue my stroll down memory lane, courtesy of my new scanner, we happen upon a sunny June day, 1994.  My wedding to a fabulous guy--Steve Towne.  I was up early that morning--our ceremony was scheduled for 9:30am.  Yes, you read that right.  And yes, I was young and stupid. LOL

The photographer arrived as we were primping, and took, oh, about a gazillion pictures.  Some of them even had me in them.  He took a lot of the flower girl.  She was cute, but hello??

Long story short, I was 30 minutes late for the ceremony--Steve practically needed a chair, his knees were getting so weak. Hee hee.  I don't know why he was so worried.  Of course I was going to show up!  I think it's been well established over the last 14 years that I totally got the better end of this deal!

After a lovely ceremony, we headed to the reception, where the photographer took another gazillion pictures.  So many in fact, that we were really behind schedule starting the reception, which was supposed to be a brunch, but in fact didn't start until about 12:30pm (my Uncle David complained loudly that the grape in his fruit salad had turned into a raisin during the wait).

We had a great day.  In hindsight, I'd change a lot about the wedding, but not the guy.  (For the curious, I'd go with a much smaller crowd--we had about 250 guests--and I'd do something a lot more casual!)

Getting ready with my sis

All prettied up

The flower girl, Elizabeth Donnelly.  She's grown and married now!

My sister & I, and my cat, Rusty

All of the gals, and my dad, Roger

Me & Elizabeth

Walking down the aisle!

The vows

Lighting the unity candle

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Towne

I really like this picture

Me & my mom, Diane

Getting to sit down for a minute or so!

The dolls my mom made for us--she is SO talented!

Four generations:  My grandmother, Jeannine Blanchette, me, my mom, and my great-grandmother, Beatrice Poole

The happy couple (toasting with non-alchoholic sparkling juice--I was only 19!)