Amy Butler fabric giveaway...

An Amy Butler fabric giveaway at Philigry this week... while you're over there, take a minute to enjoy the soothing color palette of her decor and projects...I always do!

Seven year olds know how the world works...

David: "Mommy, know what? I can do whatever I want because I'm the housekeeper." Me: "When someone hires a housekeeper, do you know what the housekeeper's job is? They have to keep the house clean." (...thinking...) David: "Mommy, you're the housekeeper and I'm the house-man who doesn't have to do any work." Quite.

David's seventh birthday...in Florida

Florida fun

Our trip to Florida was wonderful -- somewhat chaotic due to the nature of the logistics involved in coordinating a large group of people and the boatloads of food required to feed everyone :), but pretty peaceful, considering -- and so nice to all be together.

We got to watch Matthew and Caleb play (and win!) a league basketball gameA day at Alexander SpringsOur family always creates some kind of excitement wherever we go...this was Indian wrestling on a playground balance beam.There were lots of ping-pong tournaments (which Bruce dominated while he was there!)

Fun at Matanzas BeachThe whole crew, including Krystle's parents and younger sister

Family picture outtakes

I used to think that taking a group photo would get easier the older my kids got. Silly me! :)

Piratey field trip

Today our whole family went on a field trip to the Center for Puppetry Arts, where it was "pirate weekend" and they encouraged kids to come in pirate get-up...a perfect opportunity for my two, who love to dress up anytime, anywhere! We saw the magnificently-done puppet show "The Little Pirate Mermaid" and then enjoyed some fun activities like a treasure hunt, a "pirate name generator" (our kids were dubbed "Snifflin' David the Copperpot" & "Pirate Abigail the Jealous"), and a create-a-puppet workshop. We finished off our outing with a picnic lunch in the lovely shaded yard of the Puppetry Center and then headed on home. (I took a quick posting break today because Bruce is taking a short nap and then we're all headed outside to till the garden and mow the lawn!)

The blog is on hold right now...

Just a quick post to let you all know that I know I'm behind on blogging...I owe the rest of David's birthday pics, as well as all of our Florida pics...but between my surgery, the ensuing illness w/ the kidney infection, our Florida vacation, and ongoing homeschooling, as well as a sick daughter right now and the months of April/May being heavily scheduled with medical appointments...I am very, very behind on everything... housework, paperwork, and a bunch of miscellaneous things, etc. I am trying to take things one task at a time until I catch up on everything...or at least until I catch up as much as I ever do. :) In the meantime, the blog is on the back burner. My sincerest apologies to those of you who rely on the blog especially for glimpses of the kids...I don't like to deprive you...and I will do my best to at least throw a random picture on here and there until I'm back to regular posting.

And to all of you whose emails, phone calls, and other communications I haven't yet answered... please bear with me. I'll get there eventually. It just may not be until June 1st. :)

See? A random picture already. :) This is in Florida with Aunt Krystle (right) and her younger sister Jackie (left).

Sick girl!

Abigail has been fighting some nasty allergies the last couple of weeks, but the cough just kept getting worse and she obviously wasn't feeling well, so we decided to get her checked yesterday to make sure it was still just allergies...well, it wasn't! She now has a sinus infection and the infection has affected her lungs, so she ended up having a breathing treatment at the doctor's office and is home with antibiotics and an inhaler now. Poor baby!

David's seventh birthday cake

Every year, when it's time for the kids to choose their birthday cake theme, I start naming their current interests until one of my ideas catches their fancy. Considering David's keen interest in science, and specifically in our study of birds, this year, I listed that idea...and David loved it. So his birthday cake was a bird's nest...

David's seventh birthday...in Georgia

David had two birthday celebrations this year: an early one in Florida with all of my family (pictures to follow as I have time this week!), and one at home with us on his birthday proper. Since David's birthday was on Sunday this year (which isn't conducive to a party), his cousin Will got to come over Saturday to spend the night, go to church with us, and share in David's celebration and playtime Sunday afternoon. Here are pictures from our celebration...

David's birthday dinner -- he chose hot dogs and macaroni salad!Cake time!

Opening gifts...The grand finale...a new bike! He got his first two-wheeler for his fifth birthday...and he's done a LOT of growing since then, so it was time for the next-size bike.

My big seven year old boy on his new bike!