NEWS FLASH- READ ALL ABOUT IT!

#5

Due

September

2009

We have made announcements to immediate family, so now it is safe to let it all out and tell the world... and it feels Great!

With each child we have tried to come up with a creative way to tell our families. Here's what we have done, add your stories too!

Molly: We lived out of town, so when we came home for Thanksgiving we brought an "early Christmas gift" we wrapped a Christmas tree ornament and on the ornament was the announcement. It was fun to watch the expressions as the gift was opened.

Lolo: We found out when we were living in Hawaii and we weren't planning on being home for quite some time. So we got a tshirt for Molly and on it was written..."I'm gonna be a big sister" We then took a picture of the three of us in our Hawaiian hammock and sent it on email, calling each family as we sent them. Remember this was when digital cameras and sending on emails was still pretty new, so it was really cool! It was fun to make the phone call and hear the reactions!

Annie: We brought pumpkins to the grandparents houses with the kids' names on them and a little "baby" pumpkin with a number 3 on it. We put them on the front porch for everyone to see. The neat thing was that when the pumpkin was rotten my FIL threw it in his backyard and the following summer soon after Annie was born, pumpkins were growing in his yard...they started taking over his garden!

Dels: We had the whole family over for Hubby's Birthday. I hid an extra gift in the pile and as he was opening his gifts, he pulled out a back scratcher and after commenting on it's usefullness laid it out on the table. Everyone looked at it and saw the writting..."We got the itch...Baby #4 due in September!" Then the uproars!

Baby #5: Last night while we were at a family party, we pulled out a bottle of nonalcoholic wine. We had printed off our own wine labels that read, "Cheers to all the little ones!" Then another row with all the cousin's initials, ours being MLAD5... everyone caught on quickly! On the reverse side was another label with the cousin's name and the due date...just in case they didn't catch onto the front side. For my side of the family, the label read..." Cheers to the little ones! Baby #5 due in September" we told my parents that we brought them a bottle of wine for their wine party they happen to be attending tonight.

And there you have it, all of our announcements!

Please feel free to add your own stories,

who knows maybe we steal one for next time...wink wink!

Dels First Time in the Snow

Does this remind you of the Christmas Movie? The little boy who can't put his arms down?

We had one night without the freezing wind. Hubby was outside clearing the driveway, the older two kids were building a snow fort. Annie was driving me crazy so I bundled her up and sent her outside too. Then it was just me and a crying Dels. I think she was crying out of boredom, nobody to entertain her but boring ole Mom- How early they learn! So I bundled myself up and then little Dels and she could hardly stand! She tried walking, her legs spread apart in a very wide stance and she actually managed to take a few steps. Out we go into the frozen tundra. Up the driveway, down the driveway, turn, twirl, zig zag. Annie yelling, "Faster Mom, Faster!" Molly grabs the other sled and pulls Lolo around and around... then we race! Wow, no matter what I never win! Then Hubby goes up on the roof to clear it off and I yell out to the kids, "Look, it's Santa!" "MooooM, that's not Santa, duh it's just Dad!" As if- she sure told me! In all of the chaos of racing, snow flying, giggles and cheers- I was warm! My heart was melting as fast as the snowflakes that drifted onto Dels eyelash. Watching her blink them away, I had a moment of pure happiness, complete thankfullness and simple joy for my big family...

Then we went inside and I was left with the cold wet mound of snow pants, boots, hats, mittens, coats, scarfs and the snap back to the reality of my life with a big family! Hot chocolate made, pajamas on, books read, all heads on pillows and life is good! We are Blessed!