Adventure of a different sort...

Last night was fun. Fun in the "I'm smiling, but let's not do that again for a few weeks" kinda fun.

We went to the Old Country Buffet with the kids. All 6 of them. The oldest and most mature of the bunch being 8yrs old (as of this month). Becca and I were vastly out numbered, sometimes out smarted, and probably out of our minds!

Imagine the scene:

* 2 big dessert buffets
* 2 ice cream dispensers and all the colorful toppings you can think of
* Drink selections from soda to chocolate milk
* 6 buffet tables filled with foods ranging from hot dogs and mac&cheese to roast turkey and BBQ flat iron steak

Now add young kids encouraged to get up and choose their own food, go back for seconds, thirds, fourths... did I mention the dessert tables the kids have to walk past every time they get up?

I think we had the attention of everyone in that place. I didn't notice any dirty looks, just looks of bewilderment, puzzlement, some finger pointing, some admiration, and plenty of just chuckling and smiling.

Yes, there were spills. Yes, there was jello and cookies dropped on the floor. yes, the jello and cookies were snuck onto siblings plates to be eaten by the unknowing victim. Yes, I had to hunt down kids sneaking over to the dessert buffets. Yes I had to keep hands from grabbing any and everything. Yes, Halle decided, at the top of her very loud and demanding lungs that it was time for her to eat too - just as we settled in for our first course...

Yes, it was an adventure of a different sort. :)

(edit to add that we all went to the Spaghetti Factory a week or 2 before and it was much easier since the kids didn't have an excuse to get up and down so much...)

Pictures of a fall morning

Here are some images of a favorite spot of mine. You have to walk about a 1/2 mile through a farmers feild (yes, he allows fisherman access!) to a nice secluded spot that just happens to hold some nice fish from time to time. But if you forget to look around on the way in (the old cliche - "stop and smell the roses"), you'll miss half the reason you are out there to begin with...

More on fishing....

Some people just don't 'get' fishing. They picture a fat guy with a mullet sitting in a lawn chair next to a cooler of beer, with a freeway on one side and a polluted, trash covered, duck poop laden pond on the other. Then he sits there for hours on end drinking beer and staring at his little red and white bobber wondering if his little worm is still there.

But there is so much more to fishing than you or even I can imagine. It's a unique experience for each individual.

Fishing is an active sport in my view. Sure, I'll sit back and relax at times, usually when fishing with others. But when I'm on my own, it's a completely different experience. I'm exploring new places, white water rafting to get from spot to spot, hiking down hazardous fisherman's 'trails', enjoying the wildlife, breathing fresh air, pushing and challenging myself each time out.

There's quite a science and 'geeky' side to it too. Entomology (study of bugs) is essential if you are a fly fisherman like me. A well rounded understanding of the environment and various ecosystems is also critical to success. To be consistently productive (catching fish) you have to know what to use, when, where, and under what conditions. Sometimes the challenge is just finding the fish. Other times you've found them, but you have to figure out what they are feeding on.

There there are those nice quiet mornings where I'm just enjoying the quiet solitude of my favorite river, wondering in God's glorious creation, taking it all in, getting lost in the rhythm of my fly casting as I work my way down a run - only to have my rod nearly ripped from my fingers by a powerful salmon or steelhead that is instantly jumping and flipping as my heart skips a few beats and the adrenaline rush kicks in.

But you're still saying "I don't get it". That's fine. I'll just post a few pics over the next few days and maybe you'll come around. If nothing else, you'll lose that image of "fat mullet guy in lawn chair" when you next think of fishing... ;)

I love this pic of Ethan. This was on a secluded local pond a few years ago - the summer we moved to Monroe. If Becca will let me pollute her blog with more fishing related pics, I thought I'd post some of my favorites and talk a little about fishing. I'm just testing out my ability to post pics at this point...

From truck to bike...

It's was with great sadness that I sold my beloved truck just over a week ago :(

Well, I'm not so sad about the 12mpg, insurance, and maintenance costs...

Besides a serious dent in my fishing time (more on that later), I'm actually pretty excited to be "Truck-less in Monroe" for a few months (probably through the summer even). I'm pretty sure I won't be banned from Monroe for not having a truck, but that is still undetermined...

The cool thing is that I now ride my bike to catch my vanpool everyday (less than 2 miles) and will have my bike at work to ride during lunch breaks. I can REALLY use the exercise! So I save $$$ AND get in better shape (vanpool is free through work). What's not to like? Well, 20 degree mornings, snow, slush, rain, wind, riding in the dark with no bike lane - to name a few...

So to keep me motivated, I bought myself a nice quality mountain bike at REI. I've had other bikes in the past that I really just dreaded riding. They were too small, or just uncomfortable after more than a few minutes. This bike fits me well and rides amazingly well. And you have to try pretty hard to beat REI's customer service and warranty. Are you convinced yet? I had to use these excuses on Becca when she saw the price tag... oh, and the promise of 6 pack abs while not dropping a dime on a cheesy gym membership ;)

A few more January pictures...

Aidan and Ryland's family birthday party!

Grandma Sharon and T~Bella share a giggle...
I can't believe my baby is 5 years old!
We were so glad Ed and Jan could come.

Grandpa Rick and team up for a game of "Apples".

Our 8 month old JOYS!!!

(everything is still going well/as expected for the adoption

which will still probably not be until March or April)

FUN in the SNOW! Good memories...

T~Bella didn't stop giggling, even after she

was frozen and soaking wet!
No! I have the camera!
Had to get him back for that!
Chad prepares to attack a certain 4 year old and the 4 year old retaliates!

Our January...

January has been a wonderful, busy month. A true blessing has been how healthy we've been this January! Just one little cold.

We had the Bezanson's over on New Year's Eve and we stayed up late watching Nanny McPhee. Graci and T~Bella had so much fun together and we enjoyed the company. A new year, how exciting! Then Aidan turned 8 on the 10th. What a delightful young man he has become. He's so tall all of the sudden too! Nearly up to my shoulder!!! His birthday party was simple and sweet. After Ethan's expensive party in Oct we decided that was not us, and 'production' parties were a thing of the past. I love to make a big deal of birthdays but am striving to spend less, stress less, and put more emphasis on the birthday child's special place in our lives, and on the plan God has for their life.

It's been a busy three weeks though because even though the parties were smaller and more simple, we had three of them in three weeks. Aidan's 'friend party', then a 'family party' for both Aidan and Ryland, and then yesterday was Ryland's 'friend party'. We were able to have Dylan back for the night two weeks ago, as well as last night.

Chad even let me go out with girlfriends last night and he put 5 kids to bed; I put the twins down before I left but he was still in charge of 7 kids for the night. And 5 of them only have 3 years between them. Anyway here are pictures from the last few weeks...

T~Bella always sleeps with Shiloh. And Shiloh loves it too.

A few little rascals in footed jammies.Halle is nearly crawling! She's such a joy. Nearly 19.5 lbs now!

Dress up time for T~Bella & Ryland in Mom's closet.

Some girly time; but do I really want to encourage this!?

The girls...
And the whole crew...
Some snow! Finally!
My 4 boys on Aidan's 8th bday

He was thrilled with his Optimus Prime mask
Princess Hope, has 4 teeth now, and an even sweeter smile than before!

She is 17.5 lbs now, rolling both ways, and clapping her hands!

Ry loves reading to Hope. ("Cuddle")

Chad's thoughts for the day...

Becca and I have both read over this section of scripture recently with the boys. You should see their eyes light up with understanding when we talk about the girls we've taken in and how living out our faith that way applies here:

Matthew 25
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

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A few verses for those wondering about the popular TV preachers who into the whole "Prosperity Gospel" - face it, it just isn't supposed to be all roses, mansions, luxury cars, and rolex watches.... And no, the Jesus who was born in a manger and died essentially homeless and alone on the cross (remember that even Peter abondoned him at this point) was not a rich man...

This is Paul speaking:
1Cr 4:11
To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;
1Cr 4:12
and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
1Cr 4:13
when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, {even} until now.

Why we've been so busy...

Last Christmas, 3 boys and full lives.

This Christmas... 3 boys, 3 girls.
Double the fullness, double the joy and double the dishes means not so much computer time. I really love to take note of the funny things the kids say, the important events and share with friends and family what is going on in our lives. So I am going to try to post more often! I'll be back tomorrow with a neat Aidan-T~Bella story and pictures of Aidan's 8th birthday party and our girly night with T~Bella, Dylan and I. Here are a few of my favorite Christmas pictures ...