Oh geez! It has been a busy month!  One of the major reasons I have not been on here to update is that Jeff is now working from home full time.  So he is on the computer all the time!!  And the phone.  We will be getting a second phone line soon.  The phone rings non stop all week.  But busy is good and Jeff is making lots of money.  It is nice to see him so successful in something he loves.  It makes it easier for us to dream about things we will do and own.  the plan right now is to buy all of our neighboring houses so that the kids can live there when they get married and they won’t have to leave us! LOL

I skipped spring swim lessons.  I thought it might be too cold and I could not see spending the money just to hear the kids complain it was too cold to swim.  That is what happened last year.  Sure enough I’ve talked to a couple people that said in spite of the pool being heated it was still cold for the little kids when they got out.

We studied China several weeks ago.  I made egg rolls and we read lots of books.  My kids are so smart!!  I read these books and then go back and quiz them.  It is amazing how much they learn just by being read the same book every night!  We are still reading the American Girl books and the kids love those as well!  This week we are studying Africa and Europe.  I rented some movies about Mt. Everest, Africa and Germany.  It has been great to hear them telling me things that they saw.  They are learning so much.

We went to my Uncle Jim’s wedding the 6th of April.  He married a Filipino woman that he talked to on the internet for 2 years.  Her name is Jochel and she has a daughter names Suzanne.  they are both very nice and the kids played together great!  Jochel sits at home all day kinda bored.  I feel bad for her.  We planned to get together but it has been hard to co-ordinate schedules.  Once she can drive I hope she takes the opportunity to come visit us often. 

We attended an Easter Egg hunt at my Nana’s house the Saturday before Easter Sunday.  That was very nice.  They made baskets for all the kids and we ate breakfast.  The kids had a great time.  I think they are planning more stuff.  Everyone knows that Jochel had an active social life in the Philippines and also her family was there.  We will see if there are more family get-togethers to come.

I took two daycare kids last Wednesday.  It seems to be the perfect situation.  I had interviewed many people but their children were either too young or one lady whined about having to leave her kids the whole hour she was here.  I am not ready to listen to that every morning.  This lady Barbra is pretty laid back.  Turns out she has a thyroid issue as well.  Actually a pituitary issue but it was interesting to meet another hypothyroid person.  I’m beginning to wonder if everyone doesn’t have some sort of thyroid problem!  You know, when you are learning about something it seems you can diagnose everyone with the same thing.  Anyways, her kids are well behaved and so far we have not had any problems.  I don’t think we will.

Well, Jillie is growing and growing.  I ask Jenna all the time “Do you remember when Jill was little?”  I can’t wait until she can crawl!!  And then she will walk and then she will talk.  And oh how fun to have another one like June around!!  Not that she is not great right now, just a little high needs! LOL  I am loving the looks I get with six kids in tow!!  With Jill in the sling it draws even more attention.  Just last night we were at Wal-Mart and an older couple stopped to watch the kids watching a fake pond Wal-Mart had set up.  They asked me twice if the kids were all mine and if some were daycare kids.  After I assured them they were all mine the woman said “but you are not old enough to have that many kids.”  And I said “Oh yes I am.”  And she said “You can’t be, what are you 23?”  I laughed and said I’m older than that.  She says “You can’t be over 25.”  And I tell her 28. LOL  The man comments on how well behaved the kids are but says he’ll check back with me in 5 years.  Implying that I may not be enjoying myself then.  And I say “I may have 5 more by then.”  He just laughed.  Last week Dori and I went to lunch with all the kids.  We had two people come up and ask us if we were running a school.  One lady counted the kids and asked which one of us had 4 and which had 5.  Dori says “I have three and she has 6!”  The lady was shocked and I made a comment about it being fun.  Then she said something about wait until they are all teenagers.  And I assured her that I was looking forward to it!  I then told Dori “They can try but nobody can convince me that I am not having a good time and I will continue to have a good time.”

Junie is still my silly kid.  She comes up with the funniest things.  I was pinning something together and June came over to touch it.  I told her that she better be careful because it is sharp.  She says “Mom, I do like Sharpie.”  She knows what a Sharpie marker is, she loves for me to write her name on her things with it.  The Sharpie is her friend.  So I say “No, it is a pin, not a marker and it will poke you.”  She says “Mom, I do like Penny!”  I just cracked up.  She insists on being called Junie Bug and when I sign her in at church she makes sure I tell them she is Junie Bug.  She checks when I write her name to see the Bug. 

Jessica has her ups and downs.  I really have to give her a lot of attention to keep her love bank full so she doesn’t turn into Stupid Kid.  But she is kind about it, she never fails to tell me if she needs more attention.  After she spends some time in the corner for her behavior I take time to fill her back up.  I am almost done painting the little toddler bed that Jeff made 18 months ago.  I am going to put June and Jessica together and paint Butterflies on the walls and bed and comforters.  Jessica is having quite an eye opening experience about how the world works now that we have an extra girl here.  It was very common for Jessica to tell me she has no one to play with.  Junie refuses to play with her because she is just pesty.  She can be bossy and tricky so Junie chooses to play with the older kids.  When Mary came I assumed she would play with Jessie.  Mary is 3yo.  But it only took several hours and I had Mary playing with Junie and refusing Jessie.  It has been so sweet to watch Junie with Mary but also heartbreaking to see Jessie being rebuffed.  When will she learn?  I have been coaching her.  Letting her know why Mary refuses to play with her and what she can do differently.

Jacob has been great.  He is forever asking questions.  I think he will be a book worm like Jenna once he can read.  I can foresee Jenna and Jacob reading books and sharing what they have read in their continual discovery of their world.  As it is Jenna is forever showing the other kids things that she just learned.  Jenna even quizzes the other kids on stuff that we have just learned in school. 

John had a bad week.  We have had numerous problems lately with lying and stealing.  Luckily he is not a very good liar.  But it results in long periods of unhappiness for him until he decides to come clean.  I am hoping to find more time to give him attention letting him help me with meals, etc and he might straighten up.  I don’t have him completely figured out yet.  He seems like such a pleaser but I can’t tell what his motives are when he misbehaves.  I can’t tell if he just isn’t thinking or if he is malicious. 

Jenna has been too fun lately.  She is getting too big and I am enjoying being able to share some fun things with her like sewing and cooking.  I am looking forward to the next several years.  It only gets better from here.  She helps so much with Jillian and Jill adores her.  I can imagine when she is married and has her own kids hanging out with her here at this house and how joyous it will be!!  I am looking forward to every stage with the kids.  Each time is just so fun!!

I love playing card games every night and reading books out loud before bed.  I love reconnecting with them right before we hit the sack.  It is getting hot and summer swim lessons are coming up.  I can not wait to do that again this year!

Btw, Kayla will be staying with her aunt.

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