Baby Fun

This little guy has been fighting quite the cold.  Many nights up and many hours praying for his health.  He's better now but there were moments when we wondered...

Fun Family...Fun Times!

We waited for the snow to melt and then it started raining and was supposed to rain for the next week or so.  Sunday afternoon was looking up so thought we would give taking a few photos a try.  I had a blast walking around with these people and hearing the conversations... the family dynamics are great and their love for each other and the Lord is very evident.  Thanks guys, I hope you enjoy them, if not I'd love to go out again.

Perfect Evening!!

WE had the most relaxing, put together, fun, and exciting evening the other night.  Nate came home from work not feeling too exhausted (seems like since the baby the evenings are us just being tired and making it through until the kids go to bed...).  Anyways, dinner was ready and I had spent the day making the house cleanER than usual, picked up, kids bathed, school accomplished that day, drawers organized, fire in the fireplace, and when Nate walked in the door it was 'quiet' (as possible with all of us wanting to talk at the same time)...  Things were peaceful.  

We then started a new game during dinner that has a two fold purpose.  One is to help us with our manners, and the other is to keep the noise and appearance of chaos down a bit.  IT WORKED LIKE A MIRACLE.  The children loved it, ate all their dinner, all had great attitudes and nothing got spilled.  

We started with three rules on the white board and we will add one each week.  Each one of us receives 5 pennies.  If you break one of the 'rules'/manners then the one that sees it happen gets one of your pennies.  However, they have to have their mouth empty to say anything and they are required to ask you sweetly, "Nate, I saw you chewing with your mouth open, may I Please have a penny?".

Nate and I picked the ones that 'bothered' us the 

most and we are working our way around Emily Posts 'book' of manners.  

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After dinner we cleaned up.  Because of the fun 'game' that Nate has started with them in the evenings they 'fight' over who gets to do the dishes and such.  It's just great.  Nate and I sat on the couch while the kids did the dishes cleaned and wiped the table, and started the dishwasher.  

We also have a tradition that my parents did with us all growing up and we are now passing along to our children and that is ADVENT.  They get to light the candles, blow them out, sing songs about the coming of Christ, and learn the meanings and scriptures of each candle and what it represents...  

It was then time for bed.  Nate and the TraeMan fell asleep on the couch and I made some coffee to make it smell fun in the house (we don't drink it:).   I grabbed a few shots of the boys and set up a Christmas movie then fell asleep by candle light with Christmas music.  

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I say all this not to just tell you about the Perfect Evening for our family.  I share this with you because all this could have been done and the PEACE would not have been there had Nate and I not been in fellowship with each other.  This last year we have learned some amazing things about communication.  A little more about listening, not just listening, but truly hearing what the other person has to say and caring about them and making that known to them....  

We have been inspired by many older couples that one is never too old to learn, to be a learner.  I hope we never stop growing, learning, loving...

When you first get married you think you know what love is, what love feels like.  When in all actuality we have not even touched the tip of the iceberg of love...True LOVE.  After 8 years of knowing someone, living every day (or most days:) with someone....  Lets just say we have married our best friend, both Nate and I feel that way and are so grateful to God...  however we know we are still learning to love each other daily.

Well, I lost my thought so I'll end now by saying We sure pray you ALL have a great holiday season, going over the reason for this time of year, this holiday, CHRISTmas...

Robyn

Dizziness and Delight

This is what you get when the kids are moving, the camera is moving, you are moving and all trying to take a photo, and all is happening at the same speed as Darbi's face which is in focus, is sharp...   It sure makes me dizzy to look at and it's fun at the same time.

While out and about I felt like praising the Lord for His provision, His love, and His greatness.  Nate and I have been listening to a series of sermons by John Piper on 'the pleasures of God'.  Each one builds some on the other (and I'm listening to them out of order, oh well:).  The first one we listened too was about the pleasures of God in ALL that He does.  He delights in us, He delights in me.....  in me?  Yes, 

(Amazingly, I asked the kids to hold hands and show me what they thought it looked like to PRAISE GOD.  The above photo is what they came up with.  How precious...)

This sermon #1 we listened too just before the baby was born.  You know the thoughts that creep in that say, 'you are going to have to wait an extra 2 or more weeks for labor.  You're going to take forever to have this baby when it does happen.  And after all that there is going to be something wrong...'  However fleeting...  those thoughts are still there at times.  

God saw fit to show me of His delight in us, His creation out of the abundance of His fullness and complete fellowship with the Trinity.  

1.  The baby was 2 weeks early

2.  He was a boy (even though we knew that already)

3.  The labor was relaxing (for labor anyways)

4.  He was on the smaller side (under 7 lbs.)

5.  He was very healthy

6  He sleeps well and has his nights and days figured out at day one.

7.  My recovery went smooth and pretty quickly

And many more things that God has done for us just to show us (our family, Nate and I) how much He loves us and not only that, but how much He Delights in us.  He gave us sooooo many of the desires of our hearts, things I didn't even pray about or verbalize to anyone.  God knew and wanted to show me on a very practical (Robyn) level of His love for His people, His love for me, His love for family, His love....

Greetings

Yesterday afternoon was my first day 'out' since the baby was born.  My energy level has been down and frankly there has been enough to do inside the house that I haven't stepped out the doors much at all.  I/we have gone shopping (Costco) which was great fun.  We've been to a few peoples homes for different reasons...  But no playing outside with the kids, no blowing leaves, no jumping on the trampoline, no walks, NOthing outside here on the property at all.  

So, we threw on some scarves, bundled the baby up (as it was maybe 40 degrees outside) and we went for a quick walk, saw a few of the neighbors and just plain had fun looking at the dead salamander, tiny birds that don't fly south for the winter...

Then Nate took me (and Trae) on a date to do a little Christmas shopping, have a quiet dinner of nachos and a calazone, grab a coffee on the way home, then watch a movie too late into the night...  It was such a relaxing time AND we accomplished many things on our list for Christmas.  We just enjoyed each other and Trae was nice a quiet the entire time so we felt 'alone'.  

Because of the baby arriving and me not being up to doing a lot this holiday season yet, we have been at a slow pace.  I guess it's kept us focused on what is important this Christmas...  Christ.

Below is a traditional photo we get when Mom tries to take 6 kids out and make them all look at the camera, they aren't even required to smile, just LOOK AT THE CAMERA without moving.  So, here's to all of you, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Two weeks old!!!

Nate M and Halley took some pictures of me and Trae.  They felt pretty big and did a great job...


They are all crunched up inside it just always surprises me how they don't look like they could fit inside and that some people carry much larger babies than I...
I am just always still amazed at how much hair this little guy has and how dark brown it is.  The others all had dark hair but not nearly this much and it had all fallen out by this old...  The second child out of 16 grandkids on the Copper side of the family who has dark brown hair.

Recent Photos of The KidZ

It's been a while since getting head shots of the kids all in the same day.  Soooo, I thought I would post these recent photos of three days ago of ALL 6 kids.  (man that sounds like quite a few:)  We are all recovering well and enjoying having this little guy in our arms, waking us up at night with squeaking instead of kicking me in the ribs...  We have had MANY people offer to help (and we've taken them up on their offers:), people have brought us meals each evening, friends have spoiled me with special drinks (both hot and cold) to keep me hydrated and 'happy'...  

Below we have in order:  Trae (1 week), Todd (4), Nate (6), Halley (5), Darbi (1 1/2), Andi (3)

GREAT HAIR!!

Nate took the older kids to church and left the babies with me to relax and have tea and snuggle and 'rest' up as I wasn't feeling all that well.  I decided it would be fun to be clean and blow dry our hair so I gave the girls a bath.  As I was getting their snuggly clothes out and ready I hear this "MOM, we washed our hair and we're all done".  "Good job girls!!!!.  Way to gooooooooo". as I walked into the bathroom I spied an empty jar of VASOLINE!!! NNOOOOOOOOOOOO....  But yes, they did 'help' me by washing their entire bodies and hair with vasoline.  How in the WORLD do you get vasoline out of hair????   Below are a few pictures of the girls with their unbrushable hair.  

Darbi Andi

Copper Senior Family Photos

Finally, we were able to co-ordinate our schedules and get some photos for my in-laws.  We had a great time.  I always get nervous with people I know thinking what if they don't turn out and we have to do it over again and I've just wasted their time...  But it went well and they got some shots that will work for what they wanted.

Kaytra and I had more time planned to get some further shots but as we were in this lonely part of town (we were the only ones around) this elderly lady was pushing her walker down the sidewalk all alone.  It was cold and she wasn't wearing much so I asked her how she was doing.  She told us she was lost and trying to find her duplex.  We gave her a coat to wear and noticed on her walker was a number.  We called the number and sure enough she had 'went for a walk' and escaped from a nice care home nearby.  They came and got her....  but my point is that we didn't get to finish Kaytra's photos.  We may try again sometime in the near future.  

 

FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADERS

These are out of order but the first one is Nate catching a pass for a touchdown.  Picture two is the ball coming to him for that catch.  Pictures three and four are just action shots during the game earlier on.  He's really improving and getting better and LOVES it.  Todd and he play in the yard everyday but they like to play tackle, forget the flag stuff:).  

These girls and boys are 1st and 2nd graders and during one of the time outs or halftimes when they are supposed to huddle and the cheerleaders come and do their routines.  One of the little boys says to Nate (who is coaching Nate M's team),"  Um... coach Nate, could we not huddle and just go watch the cheerleaders this time?"  Nate was floored, it has already started.  And he's only SIX years old.  

Below is the Hal with her amazing cheerleading.  She LOVES it too:

Halley is quite the cheerleader.  She loves shakin' those pompoms and cheering for Nate.  Andi is learning too and got her own little pink poms for her birthday so she says the cheers right along with the big girls.

When I can figure out how to get pictures in here without it taking 5 minutes per photo to upload I'll post more.  But for now, this took me ALL morning as I hit a wrong button (not sure which one it was) and deleting everything a couple of times.  

We are all battling a sickness of some sort right now so we are home a lot.  Nate ran to a meeting in Seattle as he just couldn't miss it.  He had been trying to get into all of these gentlemen's schedules for the past 4 months and it will mean some more business if things go well.  His brother is driving him so he could lay down in the back seat and look 'rested' by the time they got there.  Good to get this all over with before Trae gets here.