Starting back up again

Well as most of you know I am a current student at SCSU with my graduation date of December 2014. I am currently in an art class for elementary teachers and it has inspired me to start writing again. Looking back at my last post I can see that the followers of our family blog have missed quite a few events. One being the birth of our sixth child, Brynn. Well I am far to busy to give any more details today but check back for more to come.

It's the new year....for us mom's

For a mother the start of a new year is not January 1st, it is the start of a new school year. We spend the summer much the same as a herding cattle dog, once the cattle are all herded (into a classroom) we can finally sit back and rest. I am a little sad that summer has come to a close but really I find peace in the fact that although I promised that I would work with my children all summer on facts, reading and, preparing for next year, I have failed! I need my children in school in order to maintain sanity in this home. I love them all dearly but with each passing year, I'm not gonna lie, life gets a little easier.
With that all said and out on the table.....I would like to present the year of 2012-2013...
Owen and Elliot are off to daycare for 2 days a week so I can wrap up the 2nd half of my college education.
Avril will be attending Big Woods Elementary as a 1st grader
Isaac is the bigwig in Big Woods as a 4th grader
Hannah is in the top half of middle school as a 7th grader, who constantly talks about being an 8th grader next year. (Hellllllooooo Hannah lets get started in 7th grade 1st)
and Joe will be continuing his career in IT security.

All I have to say is Oofta lets get it started!!
Happy "New Year"!

11 weeks and we have a GIGGLE:)

Today baby Elliot has given his mommy his first giggle! What's better then the first giggle is the absolutely ridiculous faces or weird words that a parent will do/say in order to get that first giggle. I am so glad there isn't a camera around her to record how stupid I look. So parents  (or whoever has decided to be near a baby) pay attention to what your morph into when talking to a baby--even Owen has a new -found voice. I'm sure you're HILARIOUS!

I think I'll enjoy this gardening stuff

First I should apologize to my Dad for making fun of his walking aimlessly around his yard all day. I now understand why. It's a great feeling to roam around checking on the various growth of your hard work. So here is an update on my back yard garden. I think I've become a crazy mad women;) Eventually Joe will have nothing left to mow.

Blueberries in Bloom

Hand Build Flower Boxes

Yep, I built that with my own 2 hands. It's fully covered thanks to the birds eating my leaves!

 

Cantaloupe

Wee-little carrots

Watermelon

Owen's peas are going crazy

Joe found a deal on some Topsy-turvys and they are going very well. They are growing Oregano, Tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, dill, parsley and baby tomatoes

Hanging Cucumbers

Lots-o-tomatoes

I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY YARD

Summer is in full swing

Somehow when I talk, I don't listen to myself. After Elliot was born I said, "Let's take the summer off." Well that hasn't exactly happened and somehow we are finding our days full and our nights gone. I guess we are not busy with the normal sports, other than baseball. I found that I was one to three years late on doctor appointments and with school sports starting in the fall these appointments can no longer be tossed aside. I guess I don't quite understand what the point of a doctor appointment is if your child is well and growing at a good pace but boy do you get a guilt trip when you make that appointment stating they haven't seen a doctor in three years. Oops and oh well! So with that and Avril in swim lessons and trying to keep the kids busy enough to keep their hands off each other we are pretty busy. I have also been trying to cram in all my "put aside for a rainy day" to do list before I start school again, NEXT MONDAY. So until something super exciting happens again, I'm off to sleep. Tomorrow is another day;) Here are some of my favorite recent pics of the fam.

It's been 2 years are you still interested in the VanHooriks Zoo

It's 12:02 a.m. and yep, i've decided, with some encouragement from Joe, to blog once again. I'm not going to do this because I feel we have thousands of faithful followers but because I find it to be rather therapeutic to get all my deep down feelings out and about. I love my live and absolutely loving sharing it with others.
Tonight we decided to drop in on some wonderful friends and it really made me appreciate the people we have surrounded ourselves with. It's awfully nice to be welcomed into peoples homes at the spur of the moment without a blink of the eye. At Christmas this year we got a book called Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly and so far it's pointed out the importance of being the "Best version of yourself as you can be" and i'm happy to report that I have surrounded myself with people that can completely help me to be Just That!
It's true that a good friend will be there no matter what the circumstance, the time apart or the changes that life often puts into your lap. I am extremely glad that we have those very people RIGHT HERE.

I'm happy to be a mother

As I get a bit older I have started to embrace motherhood with a different perspective. That is to take each day one day at a time and not to bother with the small stuff. This is not to say that I have "super" days everyday, but if I don't worry as much then I don't get so uptight. "Yes" the dishes will get done at some point today and "no" my house is not always a disaster but, if you come over and it seems a bit disheveled then you may assume that I am in one of my I don't care moments:)Today is Mother's Day and I am so thankful for my children, my husband but most of all my mother and those other mothers that have helped and inspired me thought out the years. My mom inspires me more now than ever and I don't know where I would be without her kind words of encouragement each and everyday. I know I don't say it often enough but "I love you mom and I would be a mess with out you."

Happy Mothers Day to all the mom's in my life and everywhere.