Last week, I needed to find a picture of Indigo. I don’t even remember why. But as I was looking, I came across pictures of Indigo and Jade as princesses.   I came across pictures from 2009:     I came across pictures from 2010:   I came across pictures from 2011:    And I came [...]

One of the best parts about having a large family, is that there are multiple opportunities throughout each and every day to help other people.   For some of my children, helping others is second nature.  For some of them, it’s something that they’re happy to do once you draw their attention to the fact [...]

My Emery is twelve today!!            Emery and Fletcher fighting to see who can stand taller (they’re the same height):  Emery taller than Colter:          We had to explain to him how a woodburning kit works:  Some of his siblings got him The Muppet Movie: He also got [...]

With homeschooling eight children and running a business, I’m on the computer a lot.  Really, a lot.  Sometimes too much. Because we have slow internet, I admit that I have also been known to work on two laptops, side by side at the same time.  OK, I admit to doing that a lot. I’m not [...]

My brother recently got stationed at Wright Patterson Airforce base near Dayton, Ohio.  While we were there visiting him last Fall, we made a trip to the museum located at the base.  We had so many of us going, that we had to take several vehicles.  To my daughters’ enthusiasm and delight, we got to [...]

Our first baby was a little girl – Brett. Then we had five boys in a row, which was fine with Jim and me. But not Brett.  With the birth of each of them, she would cry because none of them was the little sister she longed for.  Until 2006, when Indigo was born.  Finally, Brett [...]

It has been one month. One month since the tornadoes came. One month since our friends lost their house, but kept their faith in God. One month since another friend lost her legs, but kept her children. One month. It’s amazing what a month can bring. It has brought people across the country together, as [...]

Recently, we changed the sleeping arrangements around here. I have the old boy’s room, (which still smells funny from 7 years of boys living in it).  The little girls are still in the purple room, and all the boys are upstairs. Ginger and Gypsy have decided that my room is now the best room in [...]

Two days ago, I recorded a podcast about the importance of sleep.  I’ve been paying extra attention to make sure that I follow my own advice by getting to bed early and getting quality sleep so I can have a great day. So… Last night I turned the lights off at 9:00, lit some candles, [...]

The story of how too much milk led to a funny shopping incident… In 2005, I got dairy goats because I wanted to be able to feed my family healthy, raw milk.  We had never tasted goat milk before, but we quickly fell in love with it and began consuming it in great quantities. When [...]

A couple of weeks ago I had a television interview in Indianapolis.  I had two segments on the show.  After my first interview, the hosts interviewed ex-Celtic’s basketball player, Walter McCarty. He was REALLY tall… OK – and I’m REALLY short! (And very glad that Jim isn’t 6’11″!)

Sometimes I want to ask Mom for something, and I know if she says no, the little kids will be upset.  So I just spell it out to her so they don’t understand. But now there is a problem… Fletcher, Greyden, and Indigo can all spell now! And even though Hewitt and Jade can’t spell, [...]