Wow. A whole year? I did not realize how much time had gone by since I had written anything.

Sometimes people will ask why I haven't written.

It mostly comes down to:

-Children old enough to google and find their mom's blog. As much as I love a funny story, not if it makes my kids uncomfortable :)

-Busy. Five kids=busy. I thought when they were older, they were more independent...but not yet. So some days, I drive kids to school, pick up, multiple practices, all while trying to have dinner on the table when everyone shows up because otherwise, they will just fill up on cereal and cheese-its.

-Privacy. Whether it's my own thoughts I can't quite put into words, or something hard going on that I don't need the world to process with me, this has not been the place to write.

I miss writing, sharing-mostly, I miss re-reading it years later.

Hopefully one day I will look back and give myself grace that there just wasn't much to say. That parenting kids who are 11,11,12,14, and 14 just takes up so many brain cells, there isn't much left over at the end of the day.

We did have a fun summer. It included: football camp for J, volleyball camp for A, Camp Raybird for all, trips with my parents for most the kids to Detroit, a week of family camp and a family trip to Virginia Beach and Washington DC. Plus of older kids-they travel SO well and even did a 14 hour day :)

This coming year will include even more travel-K and I are headed to CO, T,H and I to DC, a trip to India for K and I have the privilege of touring Israel with my dad.

Kids are busy this year with lots of activities-B is boxing, J playing football and the clarinet, A is playing volleyball and the french horn, T is doing Science Olympiad and robotics and playing the trumpet. And last but not least is H, playing the tuba and running Cross Country. I am sure they will all run track in the spring, which makes my life a little easier.

Everyone is taller and older-B and H have passed me in height (which isn't saying much), while T and A are right behind. J will one of these days :)

This is our last year for a while with most of our kids in the small school. B is doing schooling at home, which is a long blog post in itself. T&H will pick a High School this winter to prepare for next year. How can it be that TWO of my babies are headed to High School next year?!?

Below are some favorite pictures from this year-hopefully I can become more regular in sharing here again!

       
                                              

We also celebrated that B and J have been part of our family for TEN YEARS!!!!