Too many children?

"How can you have too many children? That's like saying there are too
many flowers"
~Mother Teresa

3 months...and rolling!!

Shylie turned 3 months today! I can't believe how quick these months have gone by. She is such a sweetie and we all adore her. She loves to smile and has the best dimples. She rolled over yesterday afternoon for the first time but we didn't catch it on camera. Tonight she did it again and we caught it! Both times we got to excited and our cheering scared her.

Happy 3 month birthday "Smiley" Shylie! (who's not so smiley in this video!)

(Turn music off in sidebar to hear video)

More Lolly lovin'

We just can't keep Lolly away from Shylie. She just adores her and from Shylie's big dimples as she watches Lolly, I think the feeling is mutual!

(turn the music off in the sidebar to hear the video)

God says they're gifts

People look at my children and smile,
"Don't you know where they come from?", they say.
I say, "Yes, they're from heaven,
if there's one or eleven,
I'll receive them, 'cause they're heaven's best.
And if God says they're gifts, then I'm blessed."

Children are gifts from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb's His reward.
Some say that they're trouble,
then I've asked for double.
How could I refuse heaven's best?
'cause if God says they're gifts, then I'm blessed.

If God says He'll meet all our needs,
why is it so hard to believe?
If He sends more than two, He'll provide for them too,
or else He'd not give them to me.
The world may not understand,
but I'd rather be part of God's plan.
It may take lots of faith,
but He gives the grace,
as I place everything in His hands.
By His power, He'll help me to stand.

Though times may have changed,
His Word's still the same.
So in His wisdom and strength I will rest.
'Cause if God says they're gifts, then I'm blessed.
Yes, if God says they're gifts, then I'm blessed.
Either he is Lord of all or not Lord at all!

Girly girl hair do

Poppet and Lolly found some of the girls rollers sitting out on their bathroom counter and decided that they wanted to be "girly girls" and have rollers in their hair.

Poppet ended up wanting hers out but Lolly wanted to leave hers. Here's the end results!


Oh, my!!

Who let the dogs out?

On Wednesday Shelbie was walking the dogs and Ella (Shyloh's little A.D.D dog) decided to run in front of Shelbie. The result was Shelbie being tripped by the leash, doing a belly flop on the road and ending up with a broken elbow. Fortunately it isn't a bad break, elbows can be pretty yucky to break. She is in a splint cast until Tuesday and then they will x-ray again after some of the swelling and fluid has gone down. It looks like they will put a regular cast on then.

We thought about suing the owner of the dog,but Shelbie was gracious enough to not do that and instead make the owner help wash her hair for the next few weeks! She is sad that she can't hold Shylie for a while and I am sad that she won't be able to be my "right arm" for a while, my right arm is broken! This will give Shaylah a great chance to shine and rise to the occasion and I am confident that she will!

Her new arm! She still has her sweet smile!

Her cat has figured out a way to snuggle in and be close. Anyone who knows Megan can understand this!

A mixed up mindset

The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing.
In our culture we apply for a curse and reject a blessing.
Something is wrong with this picture."
~Doug Phillips

How to change Shylie's diaper

Unbutton outfit and onesie


Prepare diaper...open it up


Pull up clothes, make sure they are all out of the way


Slide diaper under baby


Carefully unfold wipey


Wipe baby's bottom...thank goodness it is only pee! Whew!


Fold up dirty diaper


Fasten diaper (Great job!)


Smile for the camera!


Just had to give Shylie a little hug and pose for a picture!


Redress Shylie


What a great big sister!

Anticipation

On Saturday we get to see Papa and Nana! The anticipation is almost to much for us! We saw Nana in July, but haven't seen Papa for a year. They live in Texas and we are all praying and hoping that a job change will be in the near future and they will be able to move back to California.
Papa and Nana are actually my uncle and aunt. My real dad died when I was only three and Jerry (a.k.a Papa) is my dad's twin brother. Jerry is the one who gave me away at my wedding, he was the one that I couldn't wait to see after I had my first two miscarriages (back to back miscarriages), he gives the best bear hugs, and he is a blast to play 21 with, except for the fact that he will wipe out your piggy bank. We are all going to be standing in line for some bear hugs from him. I really don't think I could love him anymore than if he was my real daddy. He is absolutely an amazing man! Okay, I am very biased here!
Chris (a.k.a. Nana) is just as incredible. She is such an awesome Nana to our children. She is an amazing cook and knows so much about natural health. I am so thankful for her turning me on to natural ways to care for my children's health. She is one of the most organized women I know. She never misses a birthday or anniversary. The kids are all looking forward to some great cuddle time with Nana. She is more than an aunt to me, more like a second mom. I just love her to pieces.
They moved out of California when Shelbie was just a baby. I miss being able to go over and see them whenever we want. We are praying that they end up in California really soon. Until then we look forward to seeing them when we can...like this weekend. They will only be in town for a couple of days so we will try to savor each minute with them until the next time. We are all counting down the days...hours...minutes! It feels like Christmas all over again!

Papa and Nana last year with the girls

A reset button

Shyloh says that something strange happens to me every New Years day. She says I am a normal person one day and then I lose it the next. I start cleaning and throwing stuff out. My motto is always Simplify, Simplify! If it makes my life harder or doesn't enhance it then I don't need it!
I don't get caught up in the whole New Years resolution mindset but I do love to have certain new (or old ones revisited)goals to aim for. My sister in law says the new year is kind of like a reset button. I love that! It just feels fresh.
I always have the kids make a list of three goals for the new year...a personal goal, a spiritual goal, and a school goal. It is good to have a vision to aim for.
(Where there is no vision, the people perish Prov. 29:18)
I always like to make some goals for me too. Some are continuing goals...striving to be the kind of wife that blesses my husband, being a good mama... some are new goals depending on what season of life I am in. One of my goals this year is to slow down and really truly enjoy my children. I am down to 9 months with having Shyloh still be at home and I know that she will be married and gone in the blink of an eye. I also have a new little one that is already 2 1/2 months old. As much as I love the Christmas season I feel it robbed me a bit of Shylie's first couple of months because of the busyness that comes with the season.
I am going to strive to major on the majors and minor on the minors, to play, read, and hang out with my kiddos. Many things can wait, but my children are growing up. I am going to be praying daily to see my husband and children through the eyes of the Lord and to do only the things that He wants me to do. Many things may be "good" but I don't want to settle on the good, but rather on the "best".
I am also going to strive towards knowing the heart of my Lord much better. My prayer this year is from Psalm 73: 25,28b
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I need to be at His feet daily and seek Him for wisdom. I want to know Him better and better. I want to be able to hear His voice above all the other voices around me. I pray my life is a sweet fragrence to Him.
2009 is going to be a year of good things! I look forward to every day with God, my husband, and my children.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Jeff funny

Shyloh will occasionally posts "funnies" about some of her siblings. Well, tonight I have a funny about Jeff.
Jeff has been gone for a couple of days on an inner city mission trip through our church. He got back today and headed over so we could all get our "Jeff fix". Okay, actually Shyloh is the only one who needed the Jeff fix, (alright, Lolly did too!) but we were all looking forward to seeing him.
He was hanging out holding Shylie (he loves babies) and commented that her back felt wet. A minute or so later he pulls her blanket down to look and see why her back was wet. To his horror (and his face definitely showed horror!) she had a "blow out". Now all mama's know what a blow out is and actually most daddy's do also, and if you are not a mom or dad but have younger siblings then you know too. Jeff had NO clue and was grossed out and also very concerned. "Is that normal?", he asked. "Do they do that often?", was also asked.
He very carefully handed her back to me and then inspected his shirt for any leaking evidence of her blow out. He then watched very closely, commenting on the smell, (while holding the collar of his shirt over his nose) as I stripped her down and cleaned her up. He was concerned that her neck was okay as I had to really lift her little legs high to clean her up good, he asked how often she gets a bath, (I'm assuming he wanted to make sure she really ends up clean from this), and when she was all changed and clean he didn't ask for her back. Hmmm, I wonder why?

Holiday happenings

On Christmas Eve we went to the service at church and then went to my inlaws. We have always done gifts with them on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning Jeff showed up early in his pj's, Shyloh must have prepped him on the "proper" attire for Christmas morning at the Ney home! Duane read the Christmas story and the kids all said their assigned verse then we opened gifts. All the guys (Jeff included!) got blue Converse and the girls got pink. Later on in the day my brother, sister in law, and some of her family (We've adopted her family! We just love them to pieces!) came over. We spent the day eating, relaxing, and playing games. Poppet and Lolly waiting to open gifts at Grandpa's and Grandma's




So who's cuter wearing the crown?

Duane and Jeff putting the boys game table together

On New Year's Eve our sweet friends, the Kee's, came over and spent the evening with us. The kids played lots of games and there was lots of laughing. We did lots of grazing on all the snacks we had and enjoyed some fun fellowship. They have a little guy named Fisher and he turned 1 on New Years day so we were the first to be able to say happy birthday to him

Shyloh sneaking in a nap with Shylie so she could stay awake later on that night.

What sweet little faces!

Enjoying playing games!

On New Year's day my brother Micah and his wife Lynette came over. The girls and I made tamales that day. We ate, drank coffee, and played games. We bought the dvd game, Family Feud, and had lots of fun beating them at it! (Lynette really needs to learn to lose more graciously!!) It was a fun evening, at least it was in the winners circle. heehee ;o)

Mmm! Good food and good fellowship!

Shall we say that this was NOT the winners circle! (a.k.a. the losing team)Wow, and they're still smiling! What good sports they were!