first snow!

This morning the children saw this:

 ...and with great excitement sorted through the winter clothes bin...

and sat down at breakfast like this:

...and are now like this!

Good thing its our week off school!  :)

5 months!

5 gems

You can imagine how difficult it is to get 5 little ones' eyes and faces all turned one direction and looking pleasant.  I had no idea this was actually a simple feat, compared to getting your 6'8" husband to look the same direction as everyone else!  ONCE AGAIN, this shot would have been a very cute picture if it weren't for your "humor", honey!  (I never know what he's doing until I see the print, 'cause I'm focusing on looking toward the camera).  Hmph.

thanks Pam for snapping these!  :)

about every other morning and every other night,
I feel compelled to take my camera outside and snap some photos
of what we are seeing.
My husband says, "you're a romantic."
I say, "I'm sooo enjoying these amazing sunrises and sunsets God is painting just for me!"
Just can't get enough!
(Can you believe this is the view from our dining room/deck?  Only it's a 180 degree view.
Yes, I do know I am the luckiest lady on earth!!)

5 months!!

The following are a series of snapshots depicting Cubby's 5 month birthday.
When you have seen enough of a couple of blue eyes and some very fat cheeks,
you may choose to quit scrolling.
I'm only posting this many because they are D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S- to me
 (that was Ella's spelling word last week, and she has taught the middle 3 children how to spell it as well, so we are hearing it a lot lately).  And I happen to know that approximately 3 aunties and 1-2 grandmas may enjoy each of them.

This little guy doubled his birth weight by 4 months.
At 5 months, he weighed in at a whopping 18 pounds ~
reaching this milestone months before his siblings,
and a whole pound heavier than Jaci was on her 1st birthday!  :)

Can you spot the baby?!

Before this blessing of a baby was born, I wondered what his nickname would be.  Seems we have one that will stick.  During his first couple of months, he reminded us of a cute little bear cub, so we started calling him "Cub".  Of course there are daily variations spoken in adoration as he becomes chubbier by the day: Chub Cub, FAT cub, Tubby Cubby, Cube, etc.  He's our little cub, so you won't be confused when I refer to him as that.