Friends at the farm

Tim is hopefully going to be going bow hunting this year with a friend. They wanted to check out the farm to see if there might be good deer hunting there and what a better way to do that then to take the families camping there?

Our families have been friends for years. They have 4 kids mostly the same ages as ours so most of them have a same aged kid to play with. Elijah and their oldest boy Bryce are good friends. Levi and their youngest boy Ty are good friends. Even the girls have a good time together. On top of that, Tim and Chris are very much alike...our families just do well together and once the kids heard of the trip, there was little other conversation to be had. We were only staying over night one night but we went full on. We borrowed another friend's camper for the girls to stay in and the boys all stayed in a tent. Nine kids, 4 adults and 2 dogs (coincidentally they got a puppy the same day we did) on the farm. It has never seen such activity. The girls couldn't manage to get to sleep they were so excited.
Micah didn't like the idea of going to bed at all, but eventually everyone drifted off to sleep...and FROZE. It turned so blasted cold overnight that I was awake every hour worried about the girls who were uncovered in their shorts and t-shirt jammies. Poor Micah was huddled many times with her arm underneath her body to keep warm. Don't they know that if they'd just be still while they sleep they'd actually stay under the covers?!? Silly kids!

Breakfast was most unusual for us. Donuts and Poptarts together with blueberries. We are usually a cereal, oatmeal, biscuits and gravy, pancake family. I don't know that I have ever purchased Poptarts. Needless to say, my kids loved it!

This is Levi with Ty. They are best friends. They are brothers from other mothers. They look and act so much alike that I have, on quickly glancing, mixed the two of them up.

The daddies brought guns for the older boys to shoot. They all four went out to the west side of town and set up a mini shooting range. The boys loved it. I don't know about Bryce, but this was Elijah's first time firing a real gun.

While the guys were shooting, Eva and I were entertaining 7 kids and the 2 fighting dogs. There was no rest for the weary, but apparently that wasn't as exhausting as shooting guns because both of the daddies petered out when they got back.

This is Ty with Cooper. Cooper and Kevin are both puppies that needed to figure out who was in charge the whole time, so they fought and growled and did typical puppy "getting to know and dominate you" behavior, but Eva didn't like it so much. It sounded like some pretty mean stuff so it was not allowed to continue. The only members of the Svoboda/Carr household that do not get along are the animals. In time, Eva, they will love each other. I hope.

So much fighting wore this puppy out too! He slept under the camping chairs most of the time. He hadn't been in our family long enough for an outing like this to come so soon. He did well, but should have been in doors still. Oh well, at least a coyote didn't get him.

Kids will always find a way to entertain themselves. Here they made a pile of sleeping bags inside the tent and took turns running and jumping through the window into the pile. Apparently it was a blast!

We always go on walks while at the farm because the property is so beautiful but this time the path to the creek was overgrown with brush and we couldn't go there. That was too bad because we were all (with the exception of the dads who probably couldn't have cared less) looking forward to getting in the creek. Ty took a little spill here and hand to be rescued by his daddy. It was actually funny because when he fell, he disappeared into the beans. Yes, I laugh at the calamity and injury of small children.

With the exception of Micah who was in the house sleeping, this is the camping crew on our way back from our walk. It was hot outside (very much unlike the night before) and we didn't find the creek so the kids weren't the happiest about being in nature but all in all we really had a good time. I can't wait to go camping together again and I hope the big boys are successful in their hunting efforts. It was sure worth the campout!

Bar-B-Q

One day while emailing Kelly about something...not too sure what it was right now...I decided to have the Olsen/Heavner clan over to our house for a cookout. We basically only see each other for holidays anymore and I miss seeing everyone more, so what better way to say hey and enjoy one another than over a nice table of food!??!



Ruthie and Dave had a tall order that morning before coming out. They are days away from closing on their first house. The house is 2 years old, I think, but was bank owned and the bank was doing the major repairs on it. This particular day they were allowed in the house to remove the old carpet and do some cleaning up before the new carpet was put in, so I got a picture of the home owners-to-be, proudly standing in front of their house. I can't wait until they close and we can start painting and get them moved in! I am very excited for them. I think Ruthie thinks I'm weird for being so excited for them. I dunno.

We didn't get started until around 5ish which was perfect. Josh fell in love (as much as he could) with Kevin. We missed Kelly that day. :-( She was working in her parents Antique store. We were also missing Suzanna, uncle Mike, Joel, Jessie and Nathan, uncle Bob and John Paul. I think that was it. I wish I would have gotten pictures of everyone. Grandpa was dressed to the nines as he just came from a wedding, but I think he was rather comfortable that way.

Micah somehow was enamored by Joanna. During prayer Micah just watched her and then walked up to her afterwards and just stood there like "Pick me up already, huh." And there she sat.

The kids enjoyed some beanbag game, though we adults (Joanna excluded) never got around to it because we were talking too much. Maybe next time I won't allow good fellowship in order to play my games.
I'm not too sure what happened to Micah here, but she was NOT a happy camper. I'm sure some major injustice just happened to her and she is simply too beside herself for words and cannot speak. Or something like that. D-R-A-M-A-!-!-!

I meant to ask Jack how much cloning costs. James is adorable and I bet will make a perfectly precocious big brother!!! So I guess Micah is a lot like me in that she loves food. Lucky to all of you who don't just love food, but I do. I am constantly learning how that should translate into behavior, but she is just a baby. She wants it all and will beg, steal, borrow and be cute to get it. Poppy was her latest victim of a "walk-by-"cute"ing. Now she's off to find her next victim.

While Micah was stuffing her cute face, auntie Ruthie was instigating some cuteness of her own. These little monkeys were trying to hone their skills like auntie, but she has many years of "cuteness" under her belt!

We had a great visit with everyone and I certainly hope to be doing this at someone else's house in the near future. Until then, and if I can remember, I will be doing this more often. Do you think every month is too much??? See you all next time!

***Live Update***

So I failed to mention that today is Micah Joy's 2nd birthday. It's also Uncle John Paul's birthday, but he's off celebrating all week, so I'm just writing about Micah Joy. We got her pictures taken yesterday and boy was she acting as "2" as she possibly could. They are terrible pictures. Now I will have proof of her attitude displayed on my great room wall for the next year. Somehow I remember Levi doing that. Then there was Eden who would smile wonderfully for her pictures but cried her eyes out inbetween each shot. Not Micah. She was just pushing the envelop the whole time. Then I swatted her and that was it. I should have just stopped and went home but then I'd have to do it all over again. I think I will gladly take the retarded pictures and have it to show her one day when it least benefits her!!! We love you sweetheart, you and your attitude!

Dog gone it

Well everyone...we did it! (Remember I am updating in chronological order so events currently discussed have already happened...I'm just making it more interesting to you, the reader.) Anyways, we took the plunge and got a dog. We looked and searched and scoured the area and finally found one that we think will be the best addition to our family. Here he is:

As best we know, his mom was Shih-tsu Terrier mix and his dad was chihuahua mixed with something, but from his tail I'd say pug or chow or what's that other bigger dog...I don't know, but we love him and his name is Kevin. We wanted to get him as the finale to our Texas trip, and while we were there we saw Up and in honor of our trip to Texas and that movie, he got his lovely name. No copycats out there now. LOL!

Birthday Bash

It is always my intent to get up to date with these posts and then to routinely schedule time to keep it that way but I suppose the tasks that are set before me are many and the laborers are few, ya know? At any rate, it is on my wish list of things to accomplish regularly. Then again, I would have to say that Tim has his own list of things that he'd like to see accomplished regularly and I don't believe this blog is at the top of his list though I can't imagine why.

It was time for Levi's birthday, or half birthday celebration once again, and since we were in Texas for Eden's birthday, we decided to have a joint party. It seemed easier since people were busy doing whatever it was they were doing that kept them from coming on the days I wanted parties, so combo party it was.
This young man was just too excited for his own good and was a bit goofy because of it, but it was his day, so who really cares?

Does he look happy to have this game or what? This is the silent "YESSSSSSSS!!!!!" look. Can we say "Hello Mr dramatic"?

Are those "rock and roll" fingers I see???

I've written before that Levi loves to write notes to me and Tim, so my mom, knowing Levi like she does, bought him some 3x5 cards, a case to put them in and pencils that fit. He now has his own non-girly stationary set. Way to go mema!!!

I do believe he loved his gifts!!! Eden got this CD player from grandma and grandpa and though she only has one CD to play in it, she loves this very much.

When we were in Texas we went to this store called Sam Moon and it had all sorts of stuff from purses and luggage to jewelry and it had Eden's name written all over it. While we were there Eden fell in love with this hat so mema bought it when Eden wasn't looking. Sneaky, meems. Now she looks like a boy band groupie...only cuter!Eden had 2 "coveted" items on her birthday list and she never forgot either one of them. Somehow mema was the one to buy them both. The first and apparently lesser of the two was a piggy bank. She was thrilled to see this come out of one of the bags. Unfortunately, for reasons only known to her, she threw away the stopper and now the money falls straight through to the dresser. Interesting. The second, and most wanted item that she has been wanting forever and always asked for whenever we went garage saling was an umbrella. You wouldn't believe how few choices there are for umbrellas around here but we did find one, and since she probably isn't going to use it anyways, it didn't matter that it was made for toddler midgets. She was delighted.

What combo party would we be having without a split cake? I made a pink and white checkerboard cake with split frosting. I couldn't do half Superman's "S" and half princess, so pink and blue it was. Too bad it looked more like a baby shower cake for twins or something. Oh well, the kids didn't care, they got to blow off their own candles and eat their own color appropriate cake. It was all good.

When the time came for baths and bedtime, Eden was all about giving good hugs goodnight.

All Levi cared to do was hug on Toby. This is one boy who needs a dog!!!

Micah looked ready for bed with daddy's socks on and Levi's new Star Wars t-shirt on. It was rather cute looking on her.

All in all the kids had a great night filled with a lot of love from their family, as you can see. Thank you everyone! They love you too.

Is it possible???

Can it really be? Do I really have 2 posts in a single day? Well lest any of you think I have acquired new hours to my day I will just tell you that I am completely ignoring my children. We just got back from the gym, I smell like a locker room, I am eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (I know, I know, I just went to the gym for an hour of gruelling aerobics so I could eat not one, but two bowls of sugary cereal that daddy bought knowing full well that we don't buy sugar cereal but he got it because it was less sugar that Raisin Bran and therefore was doing good by the kids).
The older boys are playing Legos in my closet, Titus is trying to get beyond the locked door that keeps him away from said boys and their Legos and the girls are upstairs probably playing the tons of Polly Pockets that we came home from Texas with. It's nice having young cousins who have way too many toys and grow out of them to consequently give them to my kids! We had so many Polly Pockets that we supplied our house, my mom's house and Eden's friend Abby, and they all still had more than any one girl needs.
While they are busy running rampant I will try and post another entry and eventually get through the month and a half that I am behind. Seriously you all, you must manage time better, think faster, clean sooner and visit with your hubbies earlier than me to have time to keep up with those blogs out there...either that or you never watch TV. That's the only thing I can think of. It's frustrating not keeping up but when..? I'm losing my mommy of the year status as I type. What? You didn't know that was my title?
Ok, so this next post is from July 4th weekend...forever ago, but important nonetheless.

Tim bought a bunch of fireworks and once we got the kids ready for bed, we went outside to light them up. They were so excited, as you can imagine!

I thought it was funny how Titus nearly jumped out of his skin here.Just before it started getting dark, I took a picture of the smoky haze across the front of the yard. It looked more like a morning fog or the opening scene for a Twilight Zone or something. Once it finally did get dark we got to really see some pretty colors, but the kids didn't care either way! They were thrilled to be lighting fires and not getting in trouble for it.
Lots and lots of smoke.
Makes for neat pictures, or at least I think so.

So the main reason for going to the farm so quickly after getting back from Texas was to go to Tim's grandparent's house to be at church on that Sunday to see his granddad become a member of their church. This was a weekend to remember as Tim's granddad had to become a christian before joining the church, something many of us have been praying about and talking to him about for years. All in God's timing, right!?!
Rarely do we catch good glimpses of granddad smiling and so I really like this picture. The pastor brought them in front of the church to pray with them and explain all that had happened in the weeks leading up to this day.

This was so cute. One of the deacons had just taken prayer requests or praises and then started to pray for them. If you can hear me, I am just trying to get her to close her eyes for prayer...the looks on her face are, to this proud mama, adorable and priceless as she tries to close her eyes.

If you look carefully you will see what finally dawned on me to be a funnel cloud. This is the first I have ever seen and it was taken on the way home from the farm. Way cool. Nothing like Dorothy's, but cool for us 'Bodas.