The Fab Four

NEWSFLASH

2011-03-16T15:57:00.000-05:00

I SUCK at this whole blogging thing. I read blogs where the blogger has a new post every single day. Mommy-bloggers. BUSY Mommy-bloggers. BUSY Mommies-of-five or six-bloggers.

I mean, seriously, why can't I get my act together and post something every now and then? I enjoy doing it...writing my thoughts out. Talking about my kids...even if no one is listening.

That's the great thing about blogging. You can talk about your kids all day....and not worry if someone is going to die of boredom while you are sitting there face-to-face telling them how cute it is when Jacob tries to say his "r's" or his "l's" and they come out like "w's". Or how Benjamin was having a conversation with Louis the other day and, out of the blue, he asked Louis if what he had just said was an idiom. I mean to tell you...I didn't even know my second grader knew what the word idiom was. I don't...I mean, I did...at some point in time. But when all you talk about is how poop is suppose to go in the potty or fingers that just came out of our nose should not be placed in our mouth or how it's not appropriate to leave the bathroom buck-naked and walk through the kitchen to ask for a towel, it's hard to remember what components it takes to form a correct grammatical sentence (like a subject and a verb), much less these other grammatical terms that I swear I don't remember learning until jr. high or high school.

I mean, my kids say and do the darndest things. And I'll think, "That was so stinkin' funny....I need to write that down." But do I? Nope. And so exactly 24 minutes later, when I am asking them for the 53rd time since they have been home from school if they will please stop bothering each other, I have completely forgotten the cute, funny thing they said or did. And, therefore, I have no blogging material.

But I'm determined to do better. I mean, afterall, the whole reason I started this blog was so I could remember all their Benjamin-isms, Madilyn-isms, Jacob-isms, and Noah-isms. So, let the blogging begin....

I Have Survived...

2011-01-11T13:34:00.000-06:00

...Christmas festivities, parties, celebrations, travels, shopping, baking, wrapping, rehearsals, performances, and fun with four kids.

...The stress that my husband places on himself and feels from about the 1st of November to the end of Christmas.

...The first of four birthdays, four months in a row.

...A husband who's so sick he spends six days in bed and loses 20 lb. in one week.

...A couple of sick kids who decided the week we were travelling would be the perfect time to get sick.

....A week with all our cousins...My grandparents (my dad's mom and dad) have 20 great grandkids (with #21 on the way) and the oldest one just turned 8 in November.

...Two weeks with the kids bickering, playing, inquiring, helping, arguing, tattling, crafting, laughing, writing, reading, fighting, and being in my hair....and loved it!

...The first week-and-a-half of 2011!

Christmas with a Two-Year Old

2011-01-08T22:25:00.000-06:00

My Favorite Time of Year

2010-12-14T09:37:00.000-06:00

I just LOVE this time of year...from the beginning of November through the middle of January. I love fall and winter weather. I love fall and winter clothes. I love the atmosphere. I love the extra time with family. I love the excitement of my kids. And I really love doing extra special things with and for my kids during this time.

While at church on Sunday, someone told me about this website called "Portable North Pole". You can customize messages for your kids from Santa. You can include pictures, special info about your child, etc. And then Santa will put together a video and send an email to your child so they can watch his video to them. It is absolutely the coolest thing.

So I put together one for each of my oldest three kids and they got to watch them on Sunday evening...and yesterday evening...and they've already asked if they can watch them again tonight. They were absolutely amazed that Santa would take time out of his busy schedule to make and send them a video. It was too cute. The look on Jacob's face when Santa told him that he knew that Jacob was trying to stop sucking his thumb (one of the personalizations I got to make), but he knew that Jacob could try even harder...well, it was priceless.

How fun it is to be able to do things like this and see the look on your kids' faces! While we teach our kids that Christmas is NOT about Santa, it's NOT about getting, and it's NOT about toys, we still savor these moments as much as possible....for I know that these moments are fleeting.

The two older ones do understand that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus. In fact, Madilyn's teacher told me that there was a little boy in their class the other day that was telling the class that Christmas is about Santa and Madilyn's "older sister" personality came out and told him "Uh-uh. Christmas is about Jesus!". By George....They're getting it!!!!!!! And it makes this Momma's heart swell with pride.

Like I said...I LOVE this time of year. I pray that we can all slow down and enjoy each and every moment we have....to enjoy our kids, to enjoy family and friends, but, even more importantly, to prepare for the celebration of our Savior's birth.

Two!!

2010-12-07T09:59:00.000-06:00

Noah turned two last week. And I am currently working on some sort of contraption I can put my kids in so time slows down. I'll let you know how that goes...

We celebrated after dinner with a little party. Just Mommy, Daddy, "B" (Noah's name for Benjamin), "Waliwyn" (Madilyn in 'Noah-speak'), Jacob (the only sibling's name he can pronounce clearly), and, of course, the Birthday Boy.

It was fun to watch the older kids get so excited about Noah getting excited. They just think he is hysterical...and enjoy his two year old antics.

When we go to Lubbock for Christmas, we will have a bigger celebration with grandparents, cousins, and aunts and uncles. But it was so nice to have just a relaxing and fun celebration....just the 6 of us.

After taking Noah to the doctor yesterday for his two year check-up, I have discovered why none of the other boys' hand-me-downs fit Noah as well as they did Benjamin and Jacob when they were two. Noah only weighs a pound less than his 4 1/2 year old brother does. YIKES! You can tell by looking at Noah that he is a big two year old. Jacob was a big two year old. But Noah is in the 80th percentile for his height and his weight. None of our other three have ever been even in the 50th percentile. I think Jacob might have hit right around the 50th percentile for his weight when he was around two, but it was after he turned two that he really started to get taller and slim up a bit. We'll see if Noah does the same.

We are so thankful for our not-so-little two year old. He is such a fun-loving, pretty easy-going (if you can call a two year old easy-going), sibling-admiring, cuddly, always-on-the go kid. I am so blessed to be his mommy.

In the Thick of It

2010-10-04T19:59:00.000-05:00

And so, we are in the middle of it....

Middle of school. Middle of soccer season. Middle of dance classes. Middle of softball season. Middle of Bible studies. Middle of Kid's Club (our weekly kid's after-school program). Middle of Life.

And while Life is not slowing down for us anytime soon...I am enjoying watching my kids do the things they enjoy.

All three older kids are doing great in school...at least I think they are. We have parent/teacher conferences next week, so I guess we'll find out for sure...

Benjamin gets better and better at soccer every season and seem to enjoy it more and more. I love that him and Lou get that time together as Lou helps coach his team.

Madilyn absolutely loves dance classes. And this year we have allowed her to add another class to her repertoire. Not only is she taking ballet, she is taking tap, as well. Now when we get to her 3 1/2 hour dance recital in May, we'll actually care about 2 of the 45 dances instead of just one.

And Jacob has started his first season of soccer. I had forgotten in the three short years since Benjamin's first season, how uncoordinated and uninterested four year olds are in soccer. Sometimes you just hope a butterfly doesn't fly in front of your child during a game, because chasing that butterfly becomes way more important than dribbling the ball down the field. But, overall, he's doing pretty good. Suprisingly, his first game has been his best game yet. The rest of his team spent the entire game refusing to go out on the field or crying while on the field...but not our Jacob. He got out there and played hard in 100 degree heat. He even scored a goal that very first game! He's way more agressive than Benjamin ever was...so if we can get him to the point where he actually cares to kick the ball, we might have a soccer player on our hands.

And then there's Noah. Who is obviously not involved in any activities, unless you count Moppets while Mommy goes to MOPS. But he sure does make a cute cheerleader for his older siblings. And this kid is a pro at sitting in his stroller. There's not many 2 year olds who are content to sit for hours at a time while watching older brothers and an older sister participate in all the fun stuff. But Noah is excellent at it. Makes life much easier, too!

Lou is teaching two Bible studies this fall and playing on our church's softball team. He helps coach Benjamin's soccer team, as well. On top of his "everyday normals", these keep him pretty busy.

As for me, I'm doing MOPS again this year (but not on leadership), enjoying a Bible study that Benjamin's former first grade teacher is leading, involved in EVERYTHING my kids are doing, enjoying having only Noah at home but missing my other kids while they're at school, can't seem to catch up on laundry to save my life, looking forward to having Noah potty-trained sometime before this school year is over (that's my goal anyway...we'll see if it actually happens), and am excited it's finally Fall...my favorite time of year!

School started and we hit the ground running. We are definitely in the thick of it.

"Labor" Day

2010-09-06T21:36:00.000-05:00

Noah and Daddy actually "labored" on Labor Day. While Benjamin and Madilyn enjoyed a weekend with Aunt Rachel and Jacob enjoyed a weekend with Nana and Papa, we decided to get some yardwork done. Well, I say "we". I pretty much told Lou it needed to be done, and he, being the kind husband that he is, agreed and took it upon himself to get it done while I was trying to get some stuff done around the house.

While mowing the yard, Lou decided he needed help from a 21 month old. So he picked the cutest one EVER...

and they finished up the yard together.

And, of course, they had to stop and pose for pictures for Mommy.

And cheer on Daddy on as he works hard.

And help Daddy pick up sticks in the yard so they won't run over them with the lawn mower.

And my very favorite picture of the day was this one with Noah getting his Guns Up. The picture turned out blurry, but I couldn't resist the cuteness of Noah showing us what he learned the previous day during the Tech/SMU game.

The Dreaded Day

2010-08-28T19:02:00.000-05:00

Well, it finally happened. You know....the day you always dread as a mom. The day you hope will never come. The day you know will make you cry. But you know that it's inevitable. It's bound to happen....sooner or later. And for me, this day came on Tuesday after eating lunch with the kids.

I was saying my goodbyes...hugs and kisses all around. I bent down to hug my 2nd grader...in which, he did return the hug. But, when I turned to kiss him....he all the sudden became too cool to kiss his mom in front of his friends. Just like that. His desire to appear "cool" in front of all the other 7 year olds sitting at his table overtook his desire to kiss the person who gave him life....who walked around for TWO WEEKS having constant contractions and dilated to 4 cm. The person who would give up her life for him. His coolness was much more important. His independence was much higher on his list of priorities.

So I guess this is now how it will be. Hugs, but no kisses (well, at least not in front of his friends).

Please, God, please....let me hold on to their innocence just a little bit longer.

5 Days and Counting....

2010-08-17T21:03:00.000-05:00

I distinctly remember posting something on my Facebook page at the end of May or beginning of June something about how I was so ready for my kids to be home for the summer. Let's just say....I'm officially past that point. Like, a month past that point. I'm ready for them to go back....and they're ready to be back. So come on Monday!!!! You can NOT get here soon enough.

Now, the past three years, I've cried on the first day of school. When Benjamin started Pre-K....when he started Kindergarten...and when Madilyn started Pre-K. Well, Madilyn starts Kindergarten this year and Jacob starts Pre-K. And, of course, Benjamin starts 2nd grade (his last year at the Elementary school....unless they decide to move 3rd grade to the Elementary School...which is a possibility). And, I have to say....I'm not sad. Well, I guess there is a LITTLE sadness that comes over me every now and then....but then they all start fighting over the piece of string they found on the floor, and my sadness suddenly disappears and is no more.

I hate to say this....but I'm actually quite happy. Noah will be the only one at home. I haven't ever just had one at home with me....EVER. When Benjamin was a baby and the only child, I worked full-time while Lou and I both were going to Seminary. So he stayed with Daddy part-time and went to daycare part-time. This only having one kid at home with me is going to be a new experience. And one I am VERY much looking forward to.

Does anyone realize how quickly I will be able to run errands? How I will be able to fix lunch in about 2.5 seconds instead of 25 minutes? How quiet my afternoon will be since the one I have at home still takes 3-4 hour naps....EVERYDAY?

Whatever will I do with my time? Maybe the boxes of pictures I have, or the flash drive full of digital pictures I have, will actually get put in a scrapbook. Or maybe, just maybe, Lou and I can have lunch dates.

The possibilities are endless.....

Sorry, I got distracted for about 5 minutes dreaming up all the possibilities. Anyways, only 5 more days until a new "normal" settles upon my days. And after a busy, but fun, summer, I can hardly wait to spend my days with my favorite 20 month old on this planet.

Only 5 more days.....

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Ten Years

2010-07-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

Alot can happen in 10 years! Here's what the past ten years has looked like for us Ellerbrooks:

We started on this adventure called, "marriage"; moved ourselves and all of our belongings to a place where we had never even visited before that was 1200+ miles away from home and family; we both started graduate school at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY; we got pregnant with our first baby; we had to move to a different apartment so we would have room for said baby; we studied, wrote papers, and read more pages week to week than I had read my entire life; Benjamin was born; we continued with school; we moved AGAIN b/c free housing became available; our Benjamin grew by leaps and bounds before our very eyes; we became pregnant with our second baby; we crammed a ton of hours into two semesters so we could move back "home"; Madilyn was born...with some health issues; we stressed, dealt with, and conquered health issues...or so we thought; we almost lost Madilyn during a hospital stay for one of these health issues; she bounced back quickly; we finished our last semester; Lou received a call for his first appointment; he graduated from seminary; we moved to Amherst, TX; Lou started his job as a pastor; we found out we were pregnant with our third baby; I cried for weeks; after the shock wears off and we get use to the idea, we get excited about this third baby; I continue with my last class online; I finish this class; Lou's ministry continues; I graduate; Benjamin and Madilyn adjust to the move and new location very well; Jacob is born; we continue to be busy with church and kids; Benjamin starts Preschool and then Pre-K; we get another call....to move to Clyde; Benjamin, Madilyn, and Jacob continue to fill our hearts with much joy and laughter; we find out we're pregnant with our fourth baby; I cry...again...for weeks; we get excited about new baby; we move to Clyde; Lou starts his ministry there; Benjamin starts Kindergarten; I continue to enjoy getting to stay home with the kids; Noah is born; we have a couple of brief health complications with him that puts him back in the hospital when he's only a few days old; he recovers quickly; we continue ministry in Clyde; Soccer, Gymnastics, School, MOPS, and Church fill our time; Benjamin starts 1st grade; Madilyn starts Pre-K; Soccer, Ballet, School, MOPS, and Church fill our time; I get to enjoy Jacob and Noah by themselves; Benjamin asks Jesus into his heart (one of the most precious moments I have had as a mom so far); school lets out for the summer; we enjoy our first vacation as a family of 6; and we are now preparing for Benjamin, Madilyn, AND Jacob to be in school this coming year...meaning I will only have ONE kid at home; I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that 3 out of 4 of our kids will be in school. This past year, Benjamin turned 7, Madilyn turned 5, Jacob turned 4, and Noah turned 1.

And, now, today, we celebrate 10 years as a family. It's been a tough ride at times...but it's been a fun one. I look forward to what the next 10 years will hold with my five favorite people in this world.

Celebrating Daddy

2010-07-12T19:48:00.000-05:00

Today, I am celebrating! Lou made it home safe and sound from his 9 day jaunt to Wyoming. Single-momming it for those 9 days was extremely exhausting. One adult...four kids. I was outnumbered, to say the least. And while Benjamin did spend six of those days in Lubbock with Nana and Papa, I did have an extra kid during the day since I keep another girl, who is Benjamin's age, while her parents work.

I had been dreading these 9 days for months! And I mean MONTHS!!!! Lou has travelled many times before, but this was the longest he has been away. So when he left at 6 a.m. last Saturday morning, I started counting down the hours. Some days went by very quickly, while others seemed to drag. But, we made it! Daddy made it home...Mommy survived the "masses" alone.

I do have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself. The house was cleaned, yard was mowed, dinner cooked EVERY single night (and not just chicken nuggets or fish sticks...but we're talking healthy cooking here), kitchen sink managed to stay dish-free, kids were fed, bathed, and clothed everyday, laundry was.....well, at least, some of it got done. And I did it all by myself. I did my best to keep the kids entertained...we went out to breakfast one morning, went to a friend's house to have dinner with some friends, went to Movie Night at the church, went to the movies one morning, went to Story Hour at the Library, went to McDonald's to play with some friends one evening, and, of course, visited Sonic for a Raspberry Tea a couple of times in there, too. We, also, had a trip to the swimming pool planned and a picnic lunch at the park planned, but the weather caused us to cancel those plans. But that's ok...we still managed to have fun. And, best of all....we all SURVIVED! I didn't kill any kids (although I did put Jacob out on the back porch...in the rain...a few times for arguing with me) and my kids didn't suffer too bad from my lack of patience and my sheer exhaustion.

And after all is said and done, and Lou made it home safely, I just have one thing to say.....Thank you, Jesus, for a husband who does all he does to help out around here!!! Not only does he work hard at work, he works hard at home. And, this Mommy, is so grateful for all he does. Because he is so very missed when he is gone.

I can remember my dad travelling some when I was growing up. And I know it was often stressful for my mom when he was gone. I remember one time in particular, he got back in town one evening as we were eating our weekly dinner at church before youth and Bible study started. So he just met us at the church. I remember him walking in and giving us all hugs and kisses and my mom crying. When asked why she was crying, she replied with something like, "I am NOT cut out to do this all by myself." I know exactly what she meant. Four kids are hard to handle day in and day out with NO break (might have been a little easier if it had been during school time). And trying to manage the household on top of handling kids. So needless to say, we felt it was important to celebrate Daddy coming home.

So Benjamin and Madilyn took it upon themselves to make Daddy "Welcome Home, Daddy" banners and hang them in a couple of doorways in the house. They, also, wanted to bake him a cake. So they helped me make Daddy a strawberry cake. All day they kept talking about our "celebration".

And celebrate, we did!!!!! I am so very glad to have Benjamin home (he was greatly missed, too!) and so very glad to have Lou home. Our family seems "whole" again. We are soaking up as much of Daddy as we can and are so glad he had a good time on his trip, but are even more glad he's back with us!

A Look Into Our Trip to the Fort Worth Zoo

2010-06-30T23:21:00.001-05:00

Animals, Animals, and More Animals

2010-06-27T02:09:00.000-05:00

***WARNING: THIS IS A LOOOOOONNNNGGGG POST. BLEEDING RETINAS ARE A POSSIBILITY SO PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION***

Let me tell you, it's a good thing my kids like animals, well at least from a distance. Because we spent a lot of time while on our vacation talking about them, looking at them, reading about them, pointing at them, feeding them, smelling them, eating amonst them, trying to keep them from eating our hands off, and even having them attempt to join us in our air-conditioned vehicle. It was quite an adventure....our first "real" vacation as a family of six. And we had a blast!

We left on Monday (well, I should say "a" Monday, because it has been almost two weeks now). Got to my sister, Rachel's house in Fort Worth, and started our week out by going to downtown Fort Worth. We ate lunch down there and then proceeded to take our kids to what has become a very special place to Lou and I, The Fort Worth Water Gardens. Now to most, it may just seem like a bunch of water fountains, shallow pools, and waterfalls. But to us, it's where many special memories have been made as a couple. So we thought it would be fun to take the kids and share with them. They absolutely loved it! It was so hot, we almost melted...but it was worth it to see their excitement as our memories there have now expanded to ones we can share as a family. Lou, also, had the opportunity to share a bit of his unwavering and never-ending compassion to a homeless man we encountered. You can read his story here.

After spending much of the afternoon in the hot sun, we ended the day at Rachel's pool and with some awesome fajitas.

Tuesday, which had to be mine and Madilyn's favorite day, was spent at a waterpark. We were really nervous about how the two of "US" were going to handle the four of "THEM". Of course, Rachel, Jeremy, and Pacey (my 2-yr old niece) came with us. But I was SHOCKED at how easy the kids were to keep track of. I was just positive that Noah was going to be running all over the place and we were going to be taking turns chasing him. But, as it turns out, Noah is terrified of the water. And while he wasn't screaming when we got him in it, you couldn't have pried his hands from around my neck with the jaws of life. He hung on for dear life. So as long as he was holding on and could put his head on mine or Lou's shoulder, he was ok. He didn't want to walk around the kiddie pools....didn't want to slide. Just wanted Mommy or Daddy.

As for the other three, Benjamin was the only one tall enough to ride a couple of the slides (besides the ones in the kid area), so him and I were able to sneak away a couple of times to do that. The rest of the day we spent at the kiddie pools with all the water slides they could do, the wave pool, or the lazy river. Benjamin and Madilyn were even able to be life-jacket-free for everything but the wave pool (even though they can't swim yet). Finally, about 45 minutes before we left, Noah started walking around in the water and even splashing!!! He spent over 6 hours attached to one of us and 45 minutes actually playing. Before we knew it, it was 5 pm and we decided to head back to Rachel's for pizza, baths, and bedtime.

Wednesday was spent at the zoo...which is always fun. Jacob and Noah hadn't been to the Fort Worth Zoo yet, so it was a fun "first" for the two of them. It was extremely hot and humid (no surprise)...and I couldn't help but wish I was back at the waterpark almost the entire time we were at the zoo. Of course, Benjamin was in heaven. He loves anything animal, especially Wild Cats. And a "first" for him was getting to see cheetahs "in real life".

After a few hours of looking at all the animals (and trust me, Benjamin would not let us skip a single one) and our picnic lunch, we headed to Josh and Dianna's (my cousin and his wife, who happens to be one of my closest friends) house for the remaining two days. It was so fun to let our kids play...they're always so excited to see their cousins. In fact, when we asked Jacob before leaving on our vacation what part he was looking forward to the most, he would answer "Going to Brady's house." Maybe we should have just dropped him off there on Monday.

Thursday ended up being full of shopping and we even managed to get some relaxing in there, as well. Lou got his first IKEA experience (which he LOVED)....as well as his first Grapevine Mills experience. It's a good thing I didn't take him to the American Girl store, too, like I had originally planned. I think he might have been so overwhelmed, we might have had to call for some sort of intervention. But he's a great sport, and really is not one of those husbands who can't stand to shop and you have to drag along. He's pretty patient and even got to enjoy shopping for his own Father's Day gifts (new shorts, slacks, and a couple of shorts). We ended Thursday at Rainforest Cafe...a "first" for all of us Ellerbrooks. While the food was definitely lacking, the atmosphere was NOT. The kids, of course, LOVED it!!! I had forgotten my camera and tried to take some on my IPhone but it was so dark in there they didn't turn out.

On Friday, we got up, said our goodbyes to the Palmers, and headed to our last destination before heading home. We took the kids to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose. This ended up being the boys' favorite thing we did. It's a "drive-thru" safari where you get to experience, feed, pet, and come in very close contact with all sorts of wildlife (mainly wildlife you'd find in Africa). The trail is about 9.5 miles long and it took us about 4 hours to go through with a lunch break half-way through at the Cafe that is up on a hill overlooking the Wildlife Reserve. It was so incredible. We definitely can't wait to go back!

Are your retinas bleeding, yet? Sorry....you can't say I didn't warn ya, though. I know there is a lot in this post, but I use this blog to help document things the kids say or do or things we do as a family...for my sake. So I wanted to make sure I got it all down before I forgot something. I have many pictures from the zoo and Fossil Rim that I promise to post soon. But seeing as it is 2 a.m. and I am suppose to teach Sunday School for our Elementary kids in the morning, I better get some sleep. I promise to get pictures posted ASAP, though.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2010-06-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

Conversation with my 4 year old after watching a documentary on Big Cats in Africa:

Me: Jacob, are you my lion cub?

J: No.

Me: Are you my tiger cub?

J: No.

Me: Are you my cheetah cub?

J: No, Mommy. I'm human.

Me: Oh, I see. So you're my leopard cub, right?

J: Nooooooo........I'm your Ja-CUB.

Where does he come up with this stuff?!!!?

I Took His Hand and Followed

2010-05-21T21:52:00.000-05:00

So I have only 6 1/2 more days left with just Jacob and Noah before school is out for the summer. Then, in the Fall, my sweet Jacob will join the older two in going to school everyday. Am I excited? Absolutely. Am I anticipating only having one at home? You bet. Am I sad that my time with Jacob at home with me is almost over? Incredibly!!! Time goes by way too fast...doesn't it?

I found this poem the other day and I LOVE it. Wanted to share it with you.

I Took His Hand and Followed

(Author Unknown)

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I,

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky.

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood;

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill,

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.

What a good reminder to me to soak up every minute with my kids. And if my house is deshevelled and something goes without being cleaned....who cares? (Well, besides me.) Because when all is said and done, when my kids are grown adults, is it more important for people to say, "my what a clean house she kept!"....or "what wonderful, caring, God-loving, Jesus-following children she raised!"?

Can I have both? Most of the time, yes! But instead of getting so uptight that laundry has piled up (AGAIN!) or the dishes didn't get done or putting my kids off because I just can't stand the sticky floor, I hope I can be the kind of mother that takes time to go on adventures with her kids and enjoys every minute I have with them.

Ballet Debut

2010-05-17T13:20:00.000-05:00

Well, we survived our first dance recital. It was sooooo long!!! But really alot of fun. Madilyn's class was the third to dance...out of 45 dances. Yes, you read that right....45 dances. She was a beautiful ballerina. Even though she had a little bit of stage fright and at times just stood there...she still did great! At her age, you just hope they get on stage and make some sort of attempt. Which she did. So we were pleased!

For those of you who have never taken dance or have never had the pleasure of getting yourself or your daughter ready for a dance recital, let me just tell you it is quite an ordeal! Their hair had to be back in a bun....and not just any, ole bun. It had to be pulled back very tightly. With lots of gel to keep "flyaways" smoothed down. And you want to make sure the bun is flat to their head and not sticking out too much. Fortunately, my good friend, Laura, is a pro at this and gave me some good tips. So Madilyn had about 30 hair pins to hold her bun in and about 15 bobby pins to secure the hair net around the bun. Yes! I said hair net. Like a lunch lady hair net. It was also asked that the girls have hair nets around their bun (not their head, like lunch-ladies do) to help keep stray hairs down. So after we got the bun secure with hair pins, I had to wrap the hair net around the bun several times and then secure it with bobby pins. Needless to say....this all took some time! Probably more time than it should have since I'm such a perfectionist.

Then there was the make-up. She had to have blue eye shadow, pink blush, dark pink lipstick, and black eye liner. Much more make-up than any 5 year old should wear. But it was fun getting her all dolled up for her special event. And she absolutely LOVED it. All of the girls looked so cute! And so grown up!

We had to go through this process twice! For the dress rehearsal Friday evening and again for the recital Saturday afternoon. And let me just say....I sure am glad I only have 1 girl to get ready for stuff like this. When we found out I was pregnant with Noah, I cannot tell you how bad I wanted another girl. You know...to even things out. But, even though I still get a little nostalgic about all of the adorable little girl clothes that will never get used again by one of my kids, I am quite content only having one girl.

So, here's pics of our adorable ballerina:

(She is third from the left in this last photo.)

What a fun experience this was for both of us! She loved it so much, she wants to take ballet AND tap next year. We'll see how much she likes it...but I'm looking forward to these next years and seeing how her interests and loves form and take shape.

I am One Blessed Momma!

2010-05-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

My Little Man

2010-05-06T11:31:00.001-05:00

He's so lovable...and we're cherishing every fleeting baby moment. Because they ARE fleeting. A couple of weeks ago, we said "bye, bye" to the pacifier. His smile is constantly changing more and more into a little boy smile, as opposed to the toothless baby grin, with every new tooth that comes in. He's running around the house, chasing his older brothers and sister. We're getting ready to make the transition from high chair to booster chair. See, fleeting baby moments. And I have a feeling that before too long, we will be kissing the morning nap goodbye.

I love that he's started running up to us and hugging our legs. He still loves to cuddle and rock before bed.

While still not talking much, besides the occasional "dada", "mama", "bye, bye", and "hi", he can roar when you ask him what a dinosaur says (the in-house resident dinosaur expert, a.k.a. his oldest brother, is so proud!). He loves to play pat-a-cake. Always enjoys a never-ending game of peek-a-boo. Can "shake it" on cue (and I must say that this is the cutest thing EVER). Likes to nod his head yes and shake his head no. His favorite toy is a Little Tykes laptop that Jacob got for Christmas a couple of years ago. But his favorite thing to do is eat. And while there's not much he doesn't like, fruit is definitely his favorite.

Out of the older three kids, he definitely favors Madilyn the most. He has his sister's fine hair (hence the wild-man hair that he constantly sports). So far he seems to be a little more laid back than the other two boys (which isn't saying a whole lot...he's still quite active)...like his sister was. They have the same eyes. The same face-shape. Same nose and mouth. He's just a boy-version of Madilyn all around.

We have very few "baby" months left. And I am so glad that once school starts back in August, and all three of the older ones will be in school, that it will just be him and I at home. How exciting...to only have one at home! To get to have one-on-one time with my baby. And I plan on cherishing every moment. Because before I know it....HE will be going off to school, too.

My (Almost) Irish Twins

2010-05-02T17:53:00.001-05:00

Only 14 months apart. Both are middle children. Sandwiched between the Firstborn and the Baby. They fight like cats and dogs...but they are inseparable. Especially lately. Jacob loves to play in Madilyn's room. Madilyn loves to have Jacob playing in her room. And for the past week, he has asked to sleep in Madilyn's room every night.

He takes his role as little brother very seriously. He annoys her...on purpose. He knows how to push her buttons...and loves to push them. He does not discriminate against her...for to him, she is just another "brother" to wrestle with.

And, she takes her role as big sister very seriously. She loves on him, as any caring big sister would do. And she bosses him around, as any caring big sister would do. But he takes it, as any good little brother would do. And when he gets tired of it, he lets her know by telling her that "she is not his boss, God is the boss". And with that, they start fighting. Then, before you know it, they're laughing and playing together again. It's a cycle that repeats itself several times a day.

There's an interesting dynamic between these two. An interesting relationship that we can see forming. She's your typical big sister...and he's your typical little brother. And together, they're quite a team. It's fun to watch their "brother/sister" relationship form into a deep, life-long friendship. And I can't wait to see how it develops as they get older.

Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails

2010-04-27T09:53:00.001-05:00

Here's a poem a found the other day (author is unknown):

Little Boys

Little boys come in all shapes and sizes,

Shy and adventurous, full of surprises,

With misshapen halos and mischievous grins,

Small dirty faces, and sweet, sticky chins.

They'll keep you so busy, and yet all the while

Nothing can brighten the world like their smile.

And no greater treasure has brought homes more joy

Than a curious, active, and lovable boy!

Now I know that this poem is pretty stereotypical of boys....but for my boys, it's not just a stereotype. It's true! Especially for my Jacob.

This kid cracks me up. He keeps me on my toes...day in and day out. He tests my patience...every single day. He knows what buttons to push....and doesn't hesitate to push them. He's not afraid of anything, really (except maybe the occasional dog). This kid is 100%, certifiable, undeniably ALL boy. ALL BOY!!!!

He throws caution to the wind. Leaps before he looks. Speaks before he thinks.

Playing any kind of ball is his passion. As long as he has someone to play with (preferably his older brother), he could stay outside all day...with no need to come in whatsoever. He loves cars. Has energy that knows no bounds. Spends hours playing with animals. Has discovered his newfound passion of building with blocks. Thinks it's funny to hide in places where it takes Mommy 30 minutes of panic and sheer terror to find him. Doesn't hesitate to leave the house and walk to the church (which is just down the alley from the house...but NOT ok for a four year old to do by himself in this day and age) by himself without letting Mommy know where he's going. Engages in all sorts of sword fights with anyone and everyone who battles back (and sometimes even if they don't). Enjoys wrestling with Daddy or Papa or any other man who can tolerate his punches and kicks in totally inappropriate places.

And with all of those "manly, boyish" traits and passions, he also has a softer side. He loves to have his back and his tummy rubbed. Is inseparable from his "duckie"...a blanket he has loved since he was a few months old. Still sucks his thumb....we're working on this, but not having very much luck....however, he usually only does it when he is tired or upset. He is fascinated with rubbing Mommy's feet (and you'll hear no complaints from Mommy). Insists that Daddy always says "bye" and gives hugs and kisses before going to work (and should Daddy forget, Jacob is not easily consolable).

The things he says are absolutely hysterical. Things you wouldn't expect a four year old to say....but he never ceases to surprise us. He's stubborn, hard-headed, defiant, frustrating, king of time-outs, boundary-testing...loving, lovable, caring, sensitive all at the same time.

He is our Jacob and adds such spice and humor to each and every day. This fun-loving, carefree 4 year old is so different from the other three...but we wouldn't have it any other way. We're so grateful this "surprise" that God blessed us with four years ago is ours and that we get to experience his four year old personality everyday.

Sugar and Spice

2010-04-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

What in the world would we do without all her girliness? Amazingly, among this brood of masculinity, she adds quite a touch of feminity. Ok...so it's more like a big ole dollup of feminity. Because this chick is GIRLY!!! And, in turn, has made her momma a bit more girly. She's a lover of bows, all things sparkly, princesses, ballerinas, pink and purple EVERYTHING, foo-foo dresses, dresses in general, make-up, manicures and pedicures, and everything else "girlish". She loves her brothers and loves to love ON her brothers (much to their chagrin). She takes her big sister role very seriously and makes sure her brothers know she's the one in charge. It's amazing that she can convince two of her brothers to conform to her will with just a few sweet words and with a swift batting of her eyelashes (her poor, poor husband....).

And with all her girliness, comes a very sweet heart. She loves to love on others. Loves to help anyone who is willing to let her. Loves to talk (oh. my. gosh. does this girl love to talk?!!?). Is definitely the most social of all our children, at least at this point. Has a certain flair for drama (which I'm certain she did not inherit from me, because I am in no way, shape, or form dramatic....AT ALL). Ahem! Moving on.....She loves to sing (and can actually sing on key pretty well). Loves to create stuff. And has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Our five year old adds such joy to our family...and we are so incredibly proud that she could beat her brothers in a burping contest...hands down! Aaaaahhhh...I guess she has to let her brothers rub off on her somehow.

What an awesome gift God has given us in her. So proud to be her Mommy and thankful I have at least one person on my side in this house of abundant masculinity.

Sleeping in the Nude

2010-04-21T23:13:00.001-05:00

Went in to get Noah from his nap and this is what I found...

My Firstborn

2010-04-20T22:58:00.000-05:00

This boy is so much like me. He's a first-born and definitely lives up to first-born stereotypes. He's got a "Type-A" personality. He's a people pleaser (more specifically, he's an authority pleaser). He doesn't like to disappoint his daddy or me. Loves to read. Is Bossy. Isn't phased by "fitting in" with his peers. Is comfortable with who he is. Likes school. Loves his teacher. Willing to lead, but more comfortable in the background. And I can just go on and on.

I love that he's 7 years old and still comes and crawls in my lap. It tickles me pink that he still holds my hand when we are walking around a store. When he cries, he comes to Mommy for comfort and understanding. It thrills me that he runs up to me everyday after school and gives me a great big hug. He still gives me kisses in front of his friends.

But I can't help but think....how much longer of this do I have? By no means, do I expect (or even want) him to be crawling into my lap when he's 30 years old. I mean, afterall, I'm not Marie Barone (for those "Everybody Loves Raymond" fans). But it is so great that he feels comfortable enough to do those things still. I love those moments and am cherishing each and every one of them....for they may not last for very much longer. *sniff, sniff*

Jacob's 4th Birthday

2010-04-08T10:22:00.001-05:00

Jacob is four....I just can't believe it. I know I say that everytime one of the kids turns another year older, but with every birthday it seems time just goes by faster and faster. This year, we had his birthday on Easter weekend since my entire family was here. Three sisters, three brother-in-laws, two parents, two grandparents, three nephews, three nieces, and, of course, the six Ellerbrooks. In case you were wondering, that's 22 people we had at my house...and all but two of them spent the night...at my house.

We started the day at the zoo. Ate lunch at Rosa's (mmmmmm!). Had an Easter egg hunt in the backyard after "naptime"--ever tried to get 10 kids to nap/rest at the same time when they are super excited to see each other?...didn't really work. Ate hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner. Then had some yummy cake and ice cream to celebrate our four year old. All in all...it was a great birthday. And although Jacob does NOT like to be photographed (and he sure doesn't like to be sung to), I did manage to snap a couple of shots of him with his cake.

And here's some from the zoo and Easter egg hunt.....

Sacrificial Blessings

2010-03-29T22:20:00.000-05:00

Ever just have one of those weeks where you're in a bad mood? There's no reason...it's just the way it is.

My poor husband....he deals with my moodiness better than anyone else ever could. He's so patient, although he does have his breaking point when it comes to dealing with a bad mood that lasts more than a couple of days.

Well, this bad mood has been very persistent. Can't seem to break out of it for some reason. And it's so frustrating because there is no real reason for it. My husband didn't forget to do the dishes. He didn't NOT put his clothes up. He didn't bring home a boat-load of crap from work and leave it on the dining room table all weekend, while failing to pick up a single thing to actually work on. His dirty underwear managed to find its way to the hamper. And, yes, these are all things that we have argued about in the past (as if you couldn't tell)....but not this past week. He is so very helpful and does way more than his fair share around the house.

It's not my kids. They haven't left a trail of toys around the house for days and days. They haven't been excessively whiney. They haven't argued anymore than normal. Their rooms haven't looked like tornadoes ripped through them. And, yet again, these are constant battles we have with them....but it hasn't been more than usual this past week. They've helped put away their laundry. They have been very compliant about picking up the playroom and their bedrooms without much "but I...." or "aaawwww, Mom".

So why the bad mood? And, why, oh why, will it not go away?

My bad mood really has nothing real meaningful to do with the rest of the post, but continue reading if you want to know what has finally snapped me out of it.....

God has really been bringing the word, "blessings", to my heart lately. And I haven't really been sure why. Yes, I know we are so incredible blessed. In more ways than I could ever list here....but here's a start: We're all healthy (yes we deal with the occasional bout of vomit, ear infections, strep throat, or Lou's persistent stomach issues), but in the grand scheme of things, we have absolutely nothing to complain about and we're so grateful for our health each and everyday. Our families are awesome...my parents and grandparents especially would, and have, dropped anything and everything to come to our aid whenever we need them. We couldn't ask for better friends. They, also, rearrange their lives to accomodate us when we need them to....and we have great friends who are there to listen as we ride this rollercoaster called "ministry". And I could go on and on and on. But you get the gist.

So, as the word "blessing" keeps coming to mind recently, I am especially mindful of the two incredible ways we have experienced someone blessing us in just the last few weeks. First of all, there is someone who is anonymously making an occasional payment towards our student loans. And I'm not talking about a couple of dollars here and a couple of dollars there. I'm talking about $1000 every 5 or 6 months. Can I just say WOW?!!? That someone would do this for us is just amazing. And, second, just today, my hair stylist called and said that someone has paid for me to get my hair cut and colored. I don't know who it is...they wished to remain anonymous...but can I just say WOW?!!? Does this person know that getting my hair done is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world?

Oh how I wish I knew who these anonymous blessers are so I could thank them....although there really aren't words to do justice to how truly appreciative I (we) really am (are). Money is tight, I won't lie....but it's tight for almost everyone I know. What a sacrifice to bless someone with such wonderful gifts!

God uses people to bless us. He uses their kind words, their acts of service, their random acts of kindness, their hugs...and I could go on and on...to bless His children. We don't deserve it....but He does it despite our feeble attempts to live our life according to His Call.

Back to my bad mood: Recently, like I said, it has been hard to snap out of. Part of it could be pure exhaustion (but who's not tired?). Could be I just haven't felt great for almost two weeks (but who's not dealing with allergies right now?). Could be a bad case of the "i-don't-wannas" (but who doesn't get those occasionally?). Could be who knows? But I do know this....God, despite my half-hearted attempt to be the wife my husband needs or the mother my children need lately, is constantly using people to bless me. How humbling is that? Seems silly and somewhat trivial that someone paying for me to get my hair cut and colored is just the thing I need to snap me out of this "funk", but I truly believe that God knows our personalities so well, that He knows my love for getting my hair done, that He would use this "gift" to bless me in such a way that I feel a bit refreshed....a bit renewed.

Here's something that hit me today as I was recalling how these couple of people have blessed us lately: Our blessing, our being blessed by someone or something, is someone else's sacrifice.

And that, folks, is what has snapped me out of my "funk". As we are in the middle of Holy Week, and are approaching Easter, may we remember that Christ has blessed us with the Ultimate Gift...and how truly Blessed we are because of this Gift. Because of his sacrifice, because he chose to lay down his life for me, for you, and for every single human being that ever has, or ever will, lived, we have been blessed beyond all measures. Our blessing is the eternal life we will have with God. We have the Hope of Easter quickly approaching....may my children know by my actions, by my mood, by my words this Hope and may their actions, moods, and words reflect this Hope for all their days! May our actions, moods, and words bless others so they may experience the true sacrificial blessing that Jesus has bestowed on any and all who choose to accept it. And may others see the Hope of Christ's resurrection in each one of us and may they experience this Hope despite us (bad moods and all).

Evil Forces

2010-03-24T23:03:00.000-05:00

Conversation Lou had with Madilyn tonight:

Madilyn: Guess what, Daddy?

Lou: What, Honey?

Madilyn: The devil doesn't kill bad guys because cause he is part of their evil forces.

(Lou chuckles)

Madilyn: No, Daddy....I mean, he is in charge of their evil forces.

Three Down.....One to Go!!!

2010-03-12T22:03:00.000-06:00

We now have only one child in diapers for the first time since Noah was born. And, what's even more exciting than that, is there is the finality that once Noah is potty-trained, we will buy diapers no more. Actually, we've been buying diapers non-stop for over 7 years. SEVEN YEARS, people!!!! Without a break. About half of that time we've had at least two in diapers at the same time...AND there was even a short period of time where we had 3 in diapers at once (well, two in diapers and one in pull-ups). Anyone want to add that up for me? If you do, please don't tell me the total amount....I might start to feel a little nauseated, dizzy, or light-headed.

For about two weeks now, Jacob has worn only big-boy underwear. We said adios to the Pull-ups forever! I got tired of him pooping in them...tired of him being too lazy to get to the bathroom to pee, so he'd pee in the pull-up....and most importantly, tired of buying them. He's been in pull-ups for a year and a half. So we said goodbye to those over-priced, but extremely convenient, disposable underpants, and said hello to 24/7 big boy underwear. And, let me tell you, I've never been more proud. He's done FANTASTIC!!!! He's only had one night-time accident, no naptime accidents, and only a handful of daytime accidents.

And just in the nick of time. He turns 4 years old in about 16 days. For months, I've been so worried he's going to be going to Pre-K in diapers. But, if you know Jacob, you know he has to do things on his own time and in his own way. We have been working on the potty-training for about a year and a half....never have I been more frustrated as a mom. But he, eventually, came through.

Now, we just have Noah in diapers...but with very little cost. See, about a month and a half ago, I decided to switch to cloth diapers. Not sure I'd like them or if I'd even stick with it, I started out with a starter package....came with 5 diapers, 10 washable liners, and two rolls of biodegradable liners. After the first day, I was hooked! I LOVE it. It's not an awful lot of extra work (yes, I do have to wash a load of diapers every day or two) but it saves us a TON!!!! I had quite a few disposables left, so we do use those for church on Sundays or for MOPs....but the rest of the time we use cloth.

So, while we do still have one in diapers, for the first time in 7 years, I am not taking a trip to Sams at least once a month to buy a big ole box of Pampers. In time, my bank account is really going to thank me.

How Did We Get Here?

2010-02-27T21:26:00.000-06:00

I really can't believe we're here....on this day....celebrating our oldest child's....7th Birthday. It really seems just like yesterday that he was born. How did we get here...seven years later....in just a blink of an eye? For those who might not know him, here's our Benjamin in just a few words: smart, kind, gentle-hearted, particular (also read as anal), organized, concerned, former dinosaur-lover turned animal-lover, consistent, rule-following, momma loving, daddy admiring, first-born beautiful son.

Benjamin's birthday is February 7th (I know, I know....I'm a couple of weeks late getting pics up). Here are some pictures from his birthday celebration:

One of the Joys of Living in West Texas

2010-02-23T23:22:00.002-06:00

From sunny and bright...

To cold and dreary...

In 2 days. Don't you just LOVE West Texas?!!?

When the Cats are Away....

2010-02-17T22:33:00.002-06:00

Jacob is our strong-willed, stubborn child...but you'd never know that when he's by himself. When the older two are at school and Noah is asleep, Jacob is quite content to be by himself...playing, sitting, coloring, exploring, jausting, eating, just being. He stays in the playroom (usually without having to be asked--unlike the older two) and he just plays. I love it. He's so entertaining to watch and to listen to. And he takes full advantage of having the playroom to himself. Here he is playing with pirates and knights...

Such a fun boy! And, believe me, he is ALL boy!!!!

Discerning God's Call

2010-02-15T11:48:00.000-06:00

Lou and I got back on Friday evening from a 6 day trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas. We attended a training for church leaders. It was a really good conference, but a very emotionally draining one. We are trying to discern God's call for our ministry and our family. He is opening up some doors for us that we are praying about. The conference that we attended helped to clarify SOME things, but also "muddied" some others. It will be interesting to see what God has for us in the future...praying that we will hear Him clearly.

Anyways, while at the conference, we got to spend time with two couples who are also in minstry. One of the couples we already knew pretty well and we enjoy spending time with. The other couple, Lou knew, but I had never met. But you never would have guessed it. We had a blast! I haven't laughed that much in a very long time. And it's so great to be able to talk with people who know exactly what you go through as a pastoral family.

It was also nice to get a much needed break from the kids. Lou and I hadn't been able to get away (not even for one night), just the two of us, since November 2007. It was so great!!!! But, I missed my kids after 24 hours. Funny how that works! The Saturday before we left I was so ready to get away...24 hours later, I was missing them like crazy. 24 hours after we get back home and back to reality, I'm ready for another break. What is up with that?!!? But I was so glad to see them and get loved on by 4 of the best kids ever!!!

Such a fun week! Now if only we could see the direction God would have us go in ministry...He's definitely teaching me patience.

Sweet, Sweet Boy!

2010-01-26T15:31:00.002-06:00

I can NOT believe our baby is already almost 14 months old. He is the sweetest baby...laughs alot, tries to run after his brothers and sister, loves on everyone and definitely gets loved on, just started playing pat-a-cake, waves bye-bye and hi ALL the time, gives hi-fives, takes two AWESOME naps a day, has a very healthy appetite (can almost put his oldest brother to shame...and for those of you who have ever seen Benjamin eat, you know that's quite an accomplishment for a 1 year old), has an old-man mullet going on with his hair (but mommy is not ready to do the first haircut thing yet), likes to explore in kitchen cabinets, and especially loves his mommy and daddy (who are quite fond of their little blessing). What joy he brings to our family!

Enjoying Spring-like Weather

2010-01-23T11:42:00.002-06:00

A Vacation from Our Vacation

2010-01-09T01:05:00.000-06:00

Ever heard people say, "I need a vacation from my vacation." Well, that's exactly where I'm at right now. Being away for a week was fantastic. It was a welcomed break from our daily grind. We have been home from our Christmas "vacation" for a week now, and I'm still trying to recover.

We came home last Friday after being gone for a week and I was sick with a sore throat. And I don't mean just any ole sore throat. I mean I could not eat, drink, or swallow without crying because it not only hurt my throat, but also my ear. So we went straight to the doctor when we got into town, but with it being New Year's Day, they closed early so I had to wait until Saturday. After going on Saturday, getting a couple of prescriptions filled, running errands that needed to be run since we had been out of town for a week and I had children to feed, we finally got home and I spent the next two days in bed and this entire past week trying to recover. There are still suitcases in our room with clean clothes in them to put away. There's piles of laundry that have gone untouched all week laying on my bedroom floor. I cleaned the house before we left for our trip, but after a week of Mommy being under the weather and Daddy being busy catching up on work, you can imagine how badly it needs to be cleaned now.

All of that to say, I am way behind on getting things down around here and I have lots of pictures to download onto the computer and then upload to this blog from the few weeks leading up to Christmas.

But that will have to wait...first on my priority list: I still have to take my Christmas decorations down. What's that? It's already January 9th, you say!!!

Don't remind me. But, you see, Lou and I have this "deal". I like to put the decorations up right after Thanksgiving and then take them down sometime during the week between Christmas and New Years. Drives Lou crazy!!!! He really can't stand that! Since Christmas really doesn't "start" until December 25th and lasts through Epiphany, January 6th (hence the song 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'), he likes for the Christmas decorations to be up until then...which drives me crazy! So, we compromise....I get to put them up right after Thanksgiving, if we leave them up until January 6th.

Now that you know that, you understand that I'm really not "that far behind" in taking the decorations down. Only 3 days. So you can guess what I'm going to be spending my Saturday doing. Lou was so kind to bring all the storage boxes in from the shed...now I just have to get a major dose of motivation and get my Christmas stuff put away so I can clean this house, unpack from our trip, and do some laundry. Like I said, I already need a vacation. Or maybe I just need a maid.

Bowling

2009-11-25T14:00:00.004-06:00

We took the kids to a friend's birthday party today and they got to go bowling. For Madilyn and Jacob, it was their first time. Benjamin had been a couple of times when he was younger while we lived in Kentucky, but, of course, he doesn't remember. Here's some pics of the fun they had:

What a fun time! It was hysterical watching them pick up the balls...we couldn't find any that weighed less than 10 lb, but they didn't want any help. They did pretty good...better than Mommy and Daddy did, anyways. Thanks for inviting us, Dayton! We hope you had a great 6th birthday!

Need Your Opinion...

2009-11-20T15:54:00.007-06:00

I just tried my hand at creating my own blog layout. I had been using pre-created ones from The Cutest Blog on the Block, but decided to try making my own. I even did the banner at the top of this page. What do ya think? There's still some things I need to tweek, but I'd say it's not too shabby for being my first attempt.

End of an Era...

2009-11-08T01:06:00.003-06:00

About a year ago, I went to a "paint-your-own" pottery shop here in Abilene and painted my first-ever ceramic platter. For those of you who have been to my house since then, you might have seen it up on my fireplace mantle. It has "The Ellerbrook Family" written in the middle of the platter...with each of our names written around the edge. And, if I do say so myself, it looks pretty darn good for my first time.

But, ever since I made that platter, I've always had this "secret" fear that I might accidentally get pregnant, again, even though we hadn't planned on having more kids...which, if you know our history, you know that's not an unreasonable fear (do I need to remind anyone that both 3 & 4 were ~~not planned~~ surprise blessings from God?). Then, if I did get pregnant, I would have to paint a new platter (the first one took me over 15 hours and going to the pottery place 4 times to finish...which is not an easy feat with small children at home).

Well, it's the end of an era for us Ellerbrooks. As of this past Thursday, our family has been firmly established as a family of 6. This "baby-factory" is closed, assuming the procedure Lou had done is effective at preventing what it's suppose to prevent (more Ellerbrook children). While Lou is recovering from this, apparently, very traumatic procedure (probably wouldn't be quite so traumatic if a stomach bug that has been passed around in our family hadn't been so lovingly shared with Daddy), I have been having mixed emotions about the whole ordeal. Do I really want more kids? No, but then again, maybe...sometimes. Does Lou want more kids? Heck, no. So there you have it, folks.

I get to enjoy my platter just the way it is...with 6 names. I finally get to shop for coordinating Christmas stockings without the worry of trying to find one or two more (or however many subsequent children we had) two or three years down the road. I can start sorting through baby and kid's clothes and giving them away/selling them after Noah outgrows the boys' clothes and Madilyn outgrows the girl's clothes (my garage and storage shed are going to thank me!!). I get to throw away all my yucky, extremely-worn maternity clothes (seriously, if I had to look at those for one more pregnancy, I really think I was going to scream). And, most importantly, I can enjoy all of these milestones that my four kids are reaching, able to fully appreciate them because I know that they pass by way too quickly and they will not be babies for long.

It may be the end of one era for us....but the beginning of an exciting, new one. One that we will get to journey on together...just the six of us.

New Family Pics

2009-10-08T09:32:00.011-05:00

For those of you who don't Facebook, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures that our good friend and photographer, Jamie, took of us about a month ago. Some of these were taken at the zoo in Abilene. Some of them were taken at Hardin-Simmons University. And we even got some good ones at Rosa's, after dinner with Robert, Jamie, and Maddie Jane. Don't look to close, though, because you'll see food on the kids' shirts. Well, except for Jacob. We made him take his shirt off (yes, he was sitting in Rosa's shirtless). What can I say? I didn't really wanted the cheese nachos he ate for dinner to make the pictures.

My lovely husband bought me Photoshop when we got our new computer and I have been playing around on it, lately, trying to learn the program. Here are some black and white pictures that Jamie took that I edited. All of our kids have gorgeous blue eyes, so I wanted to make them "pop" in these black and white pics.

These last three I edited to make them look old fashioned.

This last one is my very favorite that Jamie took. So sweet!!!

Just wish there was some way we could have gotten Noah in there. Oh well! He wasn't very cooperative that day anyway. It was getting close to bedtime and the kid LOVES to sleep (his favorite activity right after eating).

Would Someone Please Stop This Boy?

2009-09-10T23:08:00.008-05:00

You see this boy? So cute, such a "baby", still.

And he should be...he's only 9 months old.

So why in the world has he already been doing this....

AND this....

for over two months?

And can somebody please stop him before I turn around and he's asking for the keys to the car?

Ok, so this last picture deserves an explanation...the kids were playing dress-up and didn't want Noah to feel left out...so he got what little part of a costume he would let me put on him before he was "off" doing what all crawlers like to do...you know, crawl. And for those of you wondering...he's a pirate, not a thug.

Our Comedian

2009-09-10T22:48:00.005-05:00

This boy right here, our 3 year old, is quite the comedian.

Stubborn, yes. Hard-headed, absolutely. Whiney, you bet. But he is HYSTERICAL. Case in point...

Let me just preface this dialogue between Jacob and I by saying two things: 1) When the kids are fighting with one another and they come tattle...if there is no blood or no broken bones, I will often say, "I don't want to hear it...you guys go work it out," and 2) Lou and I are pretty sarcastic people, for those of you who didn't know that...so when one of us asks the other to do something, let's say like, "Would you please run out to the car and grab my purse?" or "Can you please go grab me a towel?", etc....the other one will often, jokingly, respond with, "Seriously?!!?" So now that you have a little background info, here's how the conversation went:

Mommy: Jacob, you really need to finish your dinner. If you don't eat, you'll go to bed hungry. Mommy is NOT going to cook anything else for dinner. This is what we're having, so please eat. (This is about the 50th time I've tried to convince him to eat what was on his plate...mind you).

Jacob: Mommy, I don't want to hear it....SEWIOUSWY! (That would be Jacob-talk for Seriously)

Ok, now tell me how I'm suppose to "discipline" him for talking back when he's so darn cute (and believe me, we are firm believers in our children respecting and obeying us). But, shoot, that was so darn funny!

First Day of School

2009-09-10T22:11:00.009-05:00

Ok, I know....I'm a little behind on the postings. Here's pics of Benjamin's and Madilyn's first day of school:

Our First Grader

Our Pre-Kindergartner

Love This Girl!!

2009-09-09T22:16:00.004-05:00

Couldn't resist posting this pic...isn't she just beautiful? Of course, I'm not biased or anything.

Pictureless Update

2009-08-17T23:10:00.002-05:00

I promise....I will post pictures soon. But, for now, wanted to give a "quick" update (yeah, right...like there is such a thing with a family of 6). We have one week of "summer" left...which I can NOT believe. It seems like just yesterday that I was picking Benjamin up on his last day of kindergarten and thinking, "What are we going to do this summer to keep this inquisitive, energetic, inquiring little boy from being bored out of his mind and keep his love for learning growing?" And now, two months later, I'm thinking "What in the world did we do this summer to keep this inquisitive....?"

Well, we certainly were not bored!! Each of the three older kids took swim lessons (Benjamin even got to take them twice, taking private lessons for two weeks and class lessons for two weeks). We saw some movies, went to story hour every Thursday at the Clyde Public Library. Spent a total of about 25 days in Lubbock (not all at once, but, still, that's a LOT of time in L-town!). Benjamin got to spend even more time than that there since he got to spend an entire week-and-a-half there by himself with Nana and Papa and Mom-mu and Grandad. We were able to see some great friends from Amherst and catch up. We got to celebrate my grandparent's 60th Wedding Anniversary, celebrate the birth of two new cousins (Welcome Hallie and Lucas!), and celebrate the dedication of the new Fellowship Hall at our church that my husband has been working countless hours on (he's such a trooper). We celebrated Lou's 31st birthday, my 32nd birthday, and our 9th Wedding Anniversary. And, probably one of the most exciting things is Jacob has started making some progress in being potty-trained (baby steps but, hey, these baby steps are getting us one step closer to having one more kid out of diapers/pull-ups and more money in our bank account). He has definitely not been in any kind of hurry...and we still have a ways to go before we can declare him "potty-trained", but it looks like he may NOT be starting kindergarten in a couple of years in a diaper afterall.

And one week from today, we will be celebrating two of the kids going to school! Benjamin will be starting 1st grade and Madilyn will be going to Pre-K. Jacob will be king of the crib (well, except for his little brother who, with each passing month and reached milestone, will definitely be trying to dethrone the current "reigning" king). Our family will definitely be adjusting to these new "normals".

Our family has also struggled with health issues this summer. Our little Noah has had ear infections since January. He had 9 or 10 infections (I lost count) before he had ear tubes put in just a little over a month ago. Poor thing has lived in pain for most of his life. I don't remember having ear infections as a kid, but not long after Benjamin had his 1st set of tubes put in (back in Nov. of 2003), I had an ear infection. It was MISERABLE! I can NOT imagine living with that pain for months. But now he seems to be pain-free! And enjoying life like every 8 month old should. He's been crawling and pulling up for over a month. And he is quick...the little booger can crawl in circles around the house before I can even manage to fix breakfast for the kids (and when I say fix breakfast, I mean pour a bowl of cereal for each of the three older ones and mix baby cereal for Noah).

And then there's the health issues of my "biggest kid"...that would be Lou for those of you who were thinking I was talking about Benjamin. He has had issues of fainting, light-headedness, dizziness, nauseousness, etc. After a few days of this, he finally let me take him to the doctor only for them to tell him they didn't know what was causing this. But while there, they did find that he has some swelling in his colon. So he gets to experience his first colonoscopy this Friday. Hopefully all will come back normal and we can breathe a little bit easier.

Fall is definitely closing in on us...not only with the start of school just around the corner, but with a calendar full of activites. Madilyn started ballet tonight and sometime in the next couple of weeks Benjamin will be starting his fourth season of soccer--this season, he moves up to the next age group. MOPS will start in a couple of weeks, as well, and I will try to juggle Monday MOPS meetings for me and MOPPETS for the kids and weekly playdates, as well as being on the leadership team. Church activities/Bible studies will start soon. Lou's calendar will soon fill with nightly meetings occurring 3 or 4 times a week (an indication that charge conference is just around the corner). Softball started back up tonight and will occupy his Monday nights for the next few months.

May the start of Fall commence...then, maybe I can take a vacation from my summer vacation.

Breaking the Silence...

2009-07-28T09:37:00.002-05:00

I know it's been over three months since I've posted anything. Sorry...I've got to be better. The kids and I leave for Lubbock tomorrow while Lou is in Chicago at a conference on Developing Congregations. When we get back, I promise to post some pictures of the kids and an update on what's been going on in our crazy house.

But, for now, I'm breaking the three months of silence (at least from my blog) by asking you to please pray for Stellan McKinney and his mom, Jennifer, and his dad, Israel (along with his three siblings). To read his story, go to his mom's blog (whom I've been following for over a year now). This precious baby is truly a miracle, but is not doing well right now at all. As a mom, who has experienced the fear, the questions, the horror of not knowing for sure if your baby is going to pull through, I know, to a degree, what it's like to watch your baby fight for his/her life and not be able to do a darn thing about it. You, our dear friends and family, were there to lift us up in prayer and carry us through that difficult couple of weeks with Madilyn (only a TINY fraction of what the McKinney family has gone through). Please, please pray for him and his family as they are going through this trying and difficult time. They desperately need our prayers. Thanks, friends!!

Easter 2009

2009-04-14T00:55:00.006-05:00

Easter was alot of fun this year. Benjamin and Madilyn are really starting to understand what it is all about--the real reason we celebrate Easter. We had Nana and Papa here--as well as Aunt Rachel, Uncle Jeremy, Cousin Pacey, Aunt Abigail, Uncle Alex, Cousin Blake, and Cousin Jadyn.

Jacob did not mess around when it came to finding eggs--he was on a mission.

Madilyn is searching....

Benjamin is looking for eggs that are actually "hidden"...we told him to save the ones on the ground in plain sight for the little kids, and he did. He actually did a good job of helping them fill their baskets, too.Nana with Noah.
Here's the kids after they found all the eggs.

I was not able to get all four kids in one picture. Noah was napping while I took the older three kid's picture. So he got his own picture.

Smiling for Aunt Rachel.

Random Pics

2009-04-14T00:39:00.003-05:00

The kids were in our bed one morning watching cartoons while Daddy made pancakes.

Catching Benjamin and Madilyn in a sweet moment with Noah. What a sweet big brother and big sister!! I'm sure Noah wishes they would stay out of his face.
Madilyn and Jacob were suppose to be in bed (their own beds), instead we catch Jacob in Madilyn's bed and Madilyn is reading a book to him...it was too cute!! So cute, in fact, it was hard to discipline Jacob for getting out of his bed.

Jacob was at church with Lou watching the construction trucks work as they build our fellowship hall...and he had to play with his excavator (or, as he says, 'ecabator') as he watched the "real" thing.

Jacob Turns 3!!

2009-04-14T00:16:00.004-05:00

What a whirlwind the last 3 years have been!! Our Jacob was a HUGE surprise...Madilyn was only 5 months old when I got pregnant with him. Talk about shock!!! But after weeks of tears, I finally got use to the idea...and, once he got here, I just couldn't imagine life without him. He has definitely been our most "difficult" child--in many ways. He was born with a club foot that required several weeks in a cast that was changed weekly, surgery, and then years in his orthopaedic shoes with brace across the bottom of the shoes to keep his feet in position. He had reflux that caused him to be an extremely fussy baby and in pain everytime he ate for the first 2 1/2 months of his life. He had ear tubes at 11 months. He has been our pickiest eater--still will not eat fruit (except for applesauce). He is the most strong will and defiant child we have. But he is also so loving. He has been a Daddy's boy from the beginning--which is so different than Benjamin. He will come climb up in my lap and stroke my face or play with my hair. He has absolutely no fear--except of dogs--and has one of those "I'll try anything once" attitudes. He is just so precious to us and I am so glad he is "mine".

Anyways, he wanted a pirate party since he is very much into anything pirate--peter pan, Captain Hook, Jack Sparrow.

He didn't like us singing "Happy Birthday". I guess he got embarassed and turned his head away from all of us.But he was all for getting to blow out the candles--he actually tried putting them out with his fingers first--see, no fear!

Cousin Jadyn, Madilyn, Benjamin, Jacob, Cousin Pacey, and Cousin Blake waiting for Jacob to open up presents. They all tried to "help".

Benjamin's Birthday

2009-04-13T23:46:00.004-05:00

Well, Benjamin turned 6 in February. I can NOT believe he is 6 years old! Here are a few pics of him during the first few months of his life (excuse the quality--these were taken before we had a digital camera, so they were scanned in):

Benjamin at 6 weeks.

3 months
9 months

He wanted a dinosaur party (big surprise)--which was fine with me since he had a dinosaur party when he was 4 and that meant I already had the dinosaur cake pan and had made it before.

Brady and Jacob wanted so bad to help him blow out the candles.

Waiting patiently for cake and ice cream.

His dinosaur cake and cupcakes. He got to pick what color mommy made his dinosaur and of course the cake flavor. We had white cake with sprinkles in it and red velvet cupcakes--YUM!!
Our good friends, Randa and Bailey and their 3 kids, and my cousin, Josh, and his wife, Dianna--who I went to college with and became close friends with, and their two kids were able to come to the party. It's always so much fun to get together. Usually, when Dianna is driving from Frisco to Lubbock, she will stop in Abilene and meet Randa and I for lunch at Chick-fil-a. It's always an adventure when we get together with the 9 kids (and 1 on the way) we have between us.

The kids are enjoying their pizza and enjoying each other's company. They were having some deep discussions between Grace, Dayton, and Benjamin--pondering the why's and how's of the universe, while Ella, Brady, and Madilyn try their hardest to keep up and get a word in. It's times like these that I know we'll treasure forever (as well as the naps that were taken soon after).

Random Pics

2009-01-24T00:23:00.003-06:00

Noah is already growing so fast. He's awake quite a bit during the day and he has the sweetest smile. We are cherishing every moment with him because we know our baby will be four years old before we turn around.

This is Jacob's "cute" face. It's the face he makes when he gets in trouble, because it makes Lou and I laugh and makes it hard to get onto Jacob for whatever he's doing. How do they get so smart so young?

Our Princess is Four!

2009-01-24T00:16:00.003-06:00

One of my hobbies is decorating cakes...I do cakes for all the kids' birthdays. I thought this one turned out pretty good considering I was trying to take care of a newborn while decorating.

I can't believe she's four!!! It seems like just yesterday she was Noah's size. We had a family party at home...with Nana, Papa, Mom-mu, Grandad, Aunt Rachel, Uncle Jeremy, cousin Pacey, Aunt Sarah, cousins Reaghan and Ethan, and of course her three brothers and Mommy and Daddy. What a blessing she is to us!

Life with Four Kids

2009-01-24T00:05:00.003-06:00

Madilyn and Benjamin were in our church's kid's pageant at Christmas. Madilyn was a hummingbird and Benjamin was a lamb. Madilyn only had one line and it was with all of the hummingbirds...Benjamin had three lines and did really well at memorizing them and speaking loud enough for everyone to hear and understand him. They are still, a month after the Christmas pageant, walking around the house singing their songs. It was the cutest Christmas program EVER!!

Noah was bundled up to go to the doctor...he looks like the kid on the movie, "A Christmas Story".

The kids are anxiously waiting for Mommy to get ready so we could all go to church. Let me just tell you that getting four kids and myself ready to go to church all by myself (since Lou has to be there so early) is no easy feat. It's a good thing I only have one girl that has to have her hair done. I seriously don't know how my mom did it with four girls.

Introducing Noah Adley Ellerbrook

2009-01-23T23:52:00.003-06:00

Noah Adley Ellerbrook was born on December 2, 2008. He weighed 7 lb, 9 oz and was 19.5 inches long. In the first hour after he was born, his blood sugar dropped. They got it back up within the normal range and we were able to go home from the hospital the next day.

Within 24 hours of being home, he was very jittery again (a sign of low blood sugar)--so we took him to the dr. After testing his blood sugar and jaundice levels, they wanted him back in the hospital. So we spent another 4 days in the hospital trying to get his blood sugar levels up and keeping them up (which happened the first night we were there) and getting his jaundice levels down (which is what took 4 days). While he was back in the hospital, Benjamin got strep throat and proceeded to share it with Lou, Madilyn, and Jacob. I was the only one that did not get it (at least that week). I have never been more overwhelmed in my life--being in the hospital with a sick newborn, having three sick kids who needed their mommy (but mommy couldn't be there because she was at the hospital), and having a sick husband who couldn't be much help because he felt so bad and was trying to keep from giving it to me or the baby. Good thing parents and grandparents came to our rescue!!

The Zoo (and, no, I don't mean our house)

2009-01-23T23:43:00.005-06:00

At the baby shower that the ladies at the church threw for me, the hostesses got our family a membership to the Abilene Zoo. It's a pretty good zoo for being in the size town that it's in. So, in November, we took the kids on a Saturday that was pretty. The kids got to feed a lot of the animals. They had a blast! It was a very special day for us, because it was one of our last Saturdays as a family of five. I will forever cherish this day, also, because it was one of the last that we saw Jacob as a "baby" (even though he's 2 1/2 years old).

October Pics

2009-01-23T23:29:00.003-06:00

Benjamin got to play his second season of soccer this fall. He's not very aggressive, but he enjoys playing.

This picture was taken on Halloween while Benjamin was at school. Jacob did not get to go trick-or-treating or help pass out candy to trick-or-treaters later that day because he was in BIG trouble. The kids went outside to play that afternoon and, after they had been out there about 20 minutes, Lou's administrative assistant called our house and said that Jacob was at the police station. He had gotten out of the backyard, went across the alley, through the church playground, and was standing in the middle of the street ON main street, right in front of the police station. Talk about a scary situation. We were very fortunate someone from the church was downtown trick-or-treating at some of the businesses and knew who Jacob was. Talk about every parent's worse nightmare....

This picture was taken a couple of days before Halloween...it was the night of the Hallelujah Festival that happens in downtown Clyde. The kids actually all wore the exact same costumes they wore last year...Benjamin our dinosaur, Madilyn our princess, and Jacob our pirate (who by the way was wanting somebody to put some candy in his bucket already).

Pics from September

2009-01-23T21:28:00.013-06:00

So, I'm a little behind on my postings...here's some random pictures of the Ellerbrook family from the fall. This one is Jacob being a pirate. He has become obsessed with them. He loves Peter Pan, Hook, Jack Sparrow...anything pirate.

I found the kids attempting to sit on Jacob's lap one day. They were so amused with themselves.

On Friday nights, Benjamin and Madilyn get to have "sleepovers"--which means, they get to each choose a movie to watch, eat popcorn, and sleep in the playroom on their sleeping bags. Now, they each have their own sleeping bag, but we went in one evening and found Madilyn had crawled into Benjamin's with him. She just LOVES her big brother! They have a pretty special relationship (well, at least when they're not yelling at each other). By the way, you may notice that Madilyn is topless--let me just say that the girl has some sort of aversion to pajamas. We put her to bed wearing them, and she wakes up without them--it doesn't matter how cold it is, she takes them off once she's in bed.

Oh, No--It's Already Happening!!!!

2008-10-13T19:58:00.002-05:00

Ok...so Lou and I had the experience of hearing Benjamin say his first curse word on Friday morning while we were getting him ready for school. Mind you, it was not the "worst" one he could have said (as if putting them in "order" from not-so-bad to horrible justifies it coming out of his mouth)...but it is a word that most parents who choose to teach their kids right from wrong (which by the way, are becoming harder and harder to find) would not tolerate. He didn't say it in a context that you would normally say it in...he was just looking around the room and said it. When I asked, "What did you just say, Benjamin?", he looked straight at me and said, "I said, ****, Mommy" with the most innocent look on his face. I asked him if he knew what it meant--he said no. I asked him where he heard it--he said school. Anyways, the conversation went on from there about our choice of words and how some words are not acceptable at all, in any circumstance and that was one of them.

So, afterwards, I was thinking about it and I knew that this scenario would eventually happen. They hear words at school that they've never heard before and don't realize it's not ok to repeat them and it's sure not ok to say them. With him being in kindergarten and kids these days being exposed to this kind of stuff younger and younger, I knew it was bound to happen at some point. BUT, here's my issue....it's not so much that he heard another kid say it, but my issue is that these kids who say stuff like this are more than likely hearing it from home. I can NOT for the life of me understand why grown men and women think it's ok to talk like that around their kids.

My mom and I were in Wal-Mart (which seems to be a breeding ground of frustration for me in more ways than I can list) one evening when this little girl, who couldn't have been older than two, was walking/running way ahead of her parents. So her dad yells out, "Maria (or whatever her name was) get your a** back here right now." Now, how hard would it have been to say "get your rearend/bottom/tushi/fill-in-the blank for whatever you feel is appropriate for children to say and hear"? And we wonder why our kids are coming home from KINDERGARTEN saying words that they've never heard at home.

So, not only are we now trying to do our best to teach our children to make good choices and use appropriate language, but we're having to take up the slack for those parents out there that don't do the same for their kids. Sorry for the ranting post, but some issues should NOT have to be dealt with in kindergarten. I'm thinking, right about now, that there's a lot to be said for keeping your kids in a bubble until they're 30.

A Moment of Bragging

2008-10-07T08:29:00.003-05:00

I just had to take a minute a brag on our Benjamin. He is doing fantastic in kindergarten--in fact, he was student of the month for September. I had my first parent-teacher conference on Friday and his teacher had nothing but good things to say. He's always the one who is listening; he is making friends (always a parent's concern); he is reading some--which most in his class are not. We are just so pleased with how well he is doing in this new town and his new school! We have prayed for this since we found out we were moving--especially since Benjamin is one who does not do well when he is out of his routine and his "normal". He likes things "just so" and we were a little fearful that the move to Clyde and to, not only a new school that does things differently than the one he went to in Pre-K, beginning kindergarten would send him into a "tailspin". But he has adjusted better than we ever could have hoped for and is excited about school each and every day. He is, also, enjoying soccer and only has three more games left this season (hopefully I can remember to take my camera this Saturday to catch him in action--then I'll post some pics).

Of course, Madilyn and Jacob are doing well--when they're not getting on each other's nerves. They, also, have loved it here so far--but we were not as worried about them as we were Benjamin (they "go with the flow" a little better than he does).

We are counting down the weeks until we get to meet the new little Ellerbrook. We only have about 8 more weeks until that day comes (unless he comes sooner).

I will try to get some pics posted of the kids soon.

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-07T08:43:00.002-05:00

Well, Labor Day Weekend was probably our last time to travel before Baby #4 gets here. We got to go to Fort Worth to spend time with Nana and Papa, two of my sisters and their families, and a couple of my cousins and their families.

We had a really good time--eating at the Cheesecake Factory, going to a waterpark, swimming, and just hanging out. Unfortunately, by the time we got home on Monday, Madilyn was feeling horrible--running a fever and a cough that sounded like a seal. She has been sick all week, but the fever is finally gone. Now if we can just get rid of the cough. Benjamin has started with the same stuff...hopefully Lou and Jacob will avoid it.

I took my camera on our trip, but wouldn't you know, I didn't take a single picture. It's kind of hard to take pictures at the waterpark while trying to keep an eye on three kids at all times...especially our fearless, wondering, exploring Jacob. That kid doesn't care if he has floaties or a life jacket on or not, he's going into the water...whether you're there to catch him or not. And then, he tried wondering off a couple of times...including almost being all the way in the wave pool before Nana caught up to him--and here's the scariest part of all, Nana doesn't even know how to swim...so I'm not sure what she would have done if he had been very far in the pool. Fortunately, her short legs go a little faster than Jacob's two year old legs...so she was able to catch him before he got too deep. Besides a couple of scary moments like these, it was a blast. Benjamin was the only one of our kids that had been to a waterpark so far. They all proved to be pretty fearless and enjoyed trying new things. Benjamin was the only one of our kids who was tall enough to ride this slide-thing that was like a water rollercoaster. It had a double intertube that you sat in so he could ride with an adult. He was a little scared to ride it at first, but right after he asked to ride it again. Poor Madilyn, she inherited her mom's short genes so she may be 10 before she reaches the minimum height requirement for some of these rides. Oh well, at least she'll be able to get great deals in the kid's department for many years to come.

First Day of Kindergarten

2008-08-26T19:11:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Benjamin's first day of Kindergarten. He seemed a little nervous (even though he wouldn't admit to it), but we could also tell he was really excited. It was a little nerve-wracking to mom and dad with it being his first day of school in a new school in a new town. But he did GREAT! Of course, he found some dinosaurs in his classroom right away. His teacher is really nice and she is, also, a science-lover. So I think he is going to have a GREAT year.

I, of course, did not want to leave him. One of the ladies from our church came over and watched Madilyn and Jacob so both Lou and I could take Benjamin without any other distractions. If Lou hadn't been there with me, I probably would have still been there when he got out at 3:15. I really wasn't expecting to cry so much. I mean, I knew I would tear up...but, man, once we started to leave the tears just kept on coming. I'm hoping the pregnancy hormones had something to do with it. Oh, who am I kidding, it's just hard letting your "baby" go sometimes. Dropping him off at college ought to be real "fun".

And Baby #4 is a.....

2008-08-21T11:57:00.005-05:00

Well, despite my feeling that baby #4 was a girl, we are having a BOY!!! Holy Cow! I'm still trying to process it. I am stunned! So, this mama, who grew up with three sisters--no brothers, will have 3 boys and 1 girl. What the heck do I do with THREE boys? I'm already up to my eyeballs in dinosaurs, cars, pirates, trains, and soccer balls. This ought to be interesting. I know I'll get use to the idea of having three boys (I'll have to because, ready or not, #3 will be here in a little over 3 months)--but I think I'm just shocked because I REALLY thought it was a girl. Shows what I know.

Benjamin and Madilyn did get to come with us to the ultrasound. Benjamin, especially, thought it was really neat and seemed to enjoy getting to see all of the baby's body parts. When we saw the "boy part", Benjamin said, "It looks like a turtle." The doctor got a big kick out of it. I'm really glad they are old enough to experience this with us. Now if we could only think of a name...

End of Summer

2008-08-19T09:26:00.003-05:00

Well, summer is coming to an end here in the Ellerbrook household. We only have two more trips planned out of town--one this coming weekend to Lubbock and the other one next weekend to Fort Worth. Then, I think we are home for a while (at least I hope). Madilyn's gymnastics class has already started. Fall soccer starts for Benjamin in the next couple of weeks. Our big boy starts Kindergarten in less than a week--therefore, I have been fighting crowds to finish up shopping for clothes, shoes, and school supplies.

While I am excited to get back into a routine, I am also dreading the fact that we can't sleep late anymore. Now when I say sleep "late", I mean 6:45 or 7:00. That's about as "late" as it gets around here before our alarm clock (we also call him "Jacob") goes off. But starting on Monday, we will have to get up around 5:45, at least Mommy will anyways. And while I am really sad that Benjamin is going to school, I know he is super excited about it and ready to be around more kids his age instead of little brother and sister all day.

So, with summer coming to a close around here, we are gearing up for a very busy fall--school, soccer, gymnastics, MOPS group, playdates, Lou being out of town for meetings, church stuff starting back up, oh, and preparing for a new baby. Man, I'm already tired and it hasn't even started yet. Is it too early to be anticipating next summer?

Pictures of the Kids since the Move

2008-07-23T10:11:00.003-05:00

Since we have moved to Clyde, the kids have thoroughly enjoyed having a HUGE backyard to play in. They really like it when the sprinkler system is going and they can get out there and have a plethora of sprinklers to choose from. They also like to fill up buckets with water and dump it on each other. Of course, they usually like to all do this from the same sprinkler--which leads to arguing over whose turn it is. So we've started having to assign each of the kids a sprinkler of their own. Sometimes that's just easier than listening to the arguing, you know? Isn't funny how one minute they can be playing so well together and the very next minute arguing over a sprinkler head in the backyard. Anyways, here's some pictures of them playing outside this past Saturday while Daddy was trying to take the fence down that the previous residents had up to keep their chickens out of the garden.

Pictures of the Kids before the Move

2008-07-23T09:50:00.003-05:00

Here's Benjamin on his last day of Pre-K with his beloved Mrs. Warren. He LOVED his two teachers this last year and we are praying that he has as great an experience in Kindergarten as he did in Pre-K.

Here is Madilyn with "her" Mr. Stanley. There have been times since we've moved that she has asked about our "family" back in Amherst and she refers to them as "hers". Our kids really loved the people there and they loved them. We really enjoyed being a part of that church family and miss them everyday.

A couple of weeks before we moved from Amherst there was a huge thunderstorm that came through and the kids got to get out and splash in the puddles. Benjamin and Madilyn thoroughly enjoyed seeing who could get the other one the wettest.

Jacob was trying to escape Madilyn's big sister way of showing him how to splash in the water.

Here's the kids at Ready, Set, Jump in Lubbock. It's a neat gym where they have lots of fun things for the kids to climb on and jump into and on. Here Benjamin and Madilyn are swinging on the bungee swings.

Here is Jacob just doing his "normal" thing--running around trying to keep up with the "big" kids.

The Ellerbrook Three

2008-07-14T23:44:00.002-05:00

Jacob, Benjamin, and Madilyn are taking time out from annoying each other to humor mom and pose for a picture. This is one of the few moments where they are not fighting, so I thought I better catch it on camera. Benjamin is now 5 years old and will start Kindergarten in about a month. Madilyn is 3 years old, going on 13. And Jacob is 2 years old. There is soon to be a fourth player in this ever growing family. He/she will be here around the first couple of weeks of December.

Lou is the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Clyde, TX and he LOVES it. We have been here for a little over a month now and are really enjoying it.

I continue to enjoy being able to stay at home with the kids. They continue to keep me busy-as well as drive me crazy some days, but I feel so blessed to be able to be home with them while they are this little.

As we continue to download more and more pictures (we are way behind on the downloading), we will post more.

Our First Blog Experience

2008-07-14T22:39:00.000-05:00

Well, I guess it's time we enter into the 21st century and begin a blog for our family. So, here it is. In the near future, we will be posting pictures of the kids. Hope you'll enjoy reading about our wacky life and our wacky kids.

The Fab Four

****NEWSFLASH****

I Have Survived...

Christmas with a Two-Year Old

My Favorite Time of Year

Two!!

In the Thick of It

"Labor" Day

The Dreaded Day

5 Days and Counting....

Ten Years

Celebrating Daddy

A Look Into Our Trip to the Fort Worth Zoo

Animals, Animals, and More Animals

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I Took His Hand and Followed

Ballet Debut

I am One Blessed Momma!

My Little Man

My (Almost) Irish Twins

Snips, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails

Sugar and Spice

Sleeping in the Nude

My Firstborn

Jacob's 4th Birthday

Sacrificial Blessings

Evil Forces

Three Down.....One to Go!!!

How Did We Get Here?

One of the Joys of Living in West Texas

When the Cats are Away....

Discerning God's Call

Sweet, Sweet Boy!

Enjoying Spring-like Weather

A Vacation from Our Vacation

Bowling

Need Your Opinion...

End of an Era...

New Family Pics

Would Someone Please Stop This Boy?

Our Comedian

First Day of School

Love This Girl!!

Pictureless Update

Breaking the Silence...

Easter 2009

Random Pics

Jacob Turns 3!!

Benjamin's Birthday

Random Pics

Our Princess is Four!

Life with Four Kids

Introducing Noah Adley Ellerbrook

The Zoo (and, no, I don't mean our house)

October Pics

Pics from September

Oh, No--It's Already Happening!!!!

A Moment of Bragging

Labor Day Weekend

First Day of Kindergarten

And Baby #4 is a.....

End of Summer

Pictures of the Kids since the Move

Pictures of the Kids before the Move

The Ellerbrook Three

Our First Blog Experience

NEWSFLASH