The Rollins Family

Our First Egg!!!

2009-08-13T14:34:00.002-04:00

Our hens were about this same size when we got them 20 weeks ago.

One second after this photo was taken, the egg LEAPED out of Nolan's hands and splattered onto my bedroom floor. Even though the egg is small, it had a nice big yolk inside.

As far as I know, the hens aren't supposed to be laying for two more weeks, so a tiny egg is a big deal at this point. I found this tiny gem out by my clothesline.

This is also an exciting day for us because we have lost so many hens. We started with 8 hens and bought an adult rooster shortly thereafter. Then we bought 5 more 24-hour-old hens and 5 more roosters (the roosters came free with a bag of feed, so we said "why not?" and raised them to butcher). Because of a hawk and the neighbors' four dogs and two of the hen babies growing up to be roosters, we are down to 2 hens. We're hoping that we will get 2 eggs per day, and that's two more homegrown healthy eggs per day than we were getting before. We are blessed.

This little egg, even though it was splattered before any of us could enjoy it, has given me motivation to raise another batch of chicks. So bring on the heat lamp and the constant cleaning of the cage and the fear that Ruby will squeeze, I mean, love them to death. Instead of taking another risk of accidentally getting males even though I paid extra for females the first time around, I'll be ordering my babies online. They are guaranteed to be gender specific.

Ruby's First Sentence

2009-06-23T08:56:00.002-04:00

"Let's Go!!!!!"

It's a sentence that totally fits her personality. She's always on the move and ready to go anywhere at any time. As soon as she walks out the door, she says "Let's go!" and heads straight for the blackberry bushes. She grabs the branches and pulls off the berries shoving them in her mouth before I can even get to her. She's completely unphased by the thorns. I don't know how she grabs a branch without crying in pain, but her love for the blackberries is more important.

Gettin' Big

2009-06-18T12:03:00.002-04:00

I was folding laundry when Nolan asked me if I would put a hanger in his shirt to give him wings.

Ruby loves her blankie!

Feeding herself with a spoon for the first time. Ice Cream!

Happy Birthday, Lily!!!

2009-05-06T13:04:00.003-04:00

Lily likes her bike so much that she brought it inside and wiped it down.

The cake got messed up in the car, but she still liked it.

She had no idea that she was getting a bike, even though she had asked for one.

Daddy surprised her when he brought up the bike.

Everyone had a great time at Lily's party in the park. The kids (and some grown-ups) mostly just played on the playground. I love that the parents of my kids' friends are all my friends, so I always have a nice, relaxed time, too. The rain held off until we got home, but it was a little windy.

Lily had her check-up today and weighed in at 35 pounds and is 3'7". She is in great health except that she did not pass the hearing test. The doctor noticed a slight redness in her ear and she did complain of an earache on Sunday (probably due to the wind at the party), so she is going to take an antibiotic and go back for another hearing test in 2 weeks. This is only the second time in her 5 years of life that she has had to take antibiotics. She will also be eating plenty of homemade yogurt with lots of good bacteria to complement the antibiotic.

She thinks she's big stuff now. She loves being 5. She has also asked me what new jobs around the house she can have so I'll be sure not to let her down on that one!

Our First Drama Presentation

2009-04-19T17:12:00.003-04:00

Or homeschool drama class acted out the Beatrix Potter stories of Peter Rabbit and Tom Kitten.

The whole crew of Peter Rabbit and Tom Kitten.

Mama Rabbit, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-Tail and Peter. Lily is Cotton-Tail.

Emily is the Narrator for both plays.

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-19T16:38:00.002-04:00

Nolan would shake the eggs and put them back if they didn't rattle.

Ruby caught on pretty quick for her first egg hunt.

Ruby with her helper. She thinks Papa exists just for her.

Yummy marshmallows inside!

They had a great time at the grandparents' church. Papa & Grandma set up and serve donuts and coffee between services and let all the kids help them. They had to break for a photo shoot.

Coloring Eggs With Grandma

2009-04-19T16:10:00.004-04:00

Concentrating. This was Nolan's first time coloring eggs.

We Have Chicks!!!

2009-03-31T19:48:00.004-04:00

Even the dog looks after the "babies".

Emily's homemade car won 2nd place for best design at AWANA last week.

Lily can't keep her hands off of them.

The kids have been wanting to have chicks ever since their Aunt Maddie got chicks last year. I wanted chickens as part of my effort to buy all of our food locally, and at home is as local as you can get. I like to know exactly what is in my food, and these days you can never be too careful about what you're feeding your family.

The kids love the chicks. They are getting bigger every day. They have to live in the house under a heat lamp for one month so the girls get to look after their "babies" all the time. After dinner all of the kids go out to the yard and hunt for bugs to feed to the chicks who then fight like crazy over it.

So, now we are a family of 2 parents, 5 kids, 1 dog, 1 fish and 8 chicks all living inside the house for now. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with everyone and still maintain my household.

Another Nolan Funny

2009-03-02T22:21:00.003-05:00

Nolan says funny things every day, but I forget that I don't remember them if I don't write it down immediately. Tonight we were eating dinner and Emily was talking about a partiular Bible verse that she had memorized. Nolan thought he should remind us of what a big guy he is like this;

Nolan: "I have a lot of verses in my Sunday School class."

(Paul & I are the teachers of Nolan's class every 4 weeks so we know what goes on in the 2 & 3 year old class)

Me: "Oh, really? Like what?

Nolan (with enthusiasm): Snacks!

Walking Ruby

2009-02-23T19:33:00.003-05:00

We were moving the pails of wheat from the kitchen to another room when we noticed that Ruby was taking a couple of steps between the pails. We pretty much tricked her into walking. It's so sad that our baby is growing up, but I know that she loves doing big kid things.

Lily Is Learning

2009-02-12T15:40:00.003-05:00

Today was the second time she has practiced writing letters. She's amazing, if I do say so myself. I got this dry-erase board at a homeschool resale shop for $1.50. She was interested because it is different and I like that it doesn't use up a ream of paper on print-outs.

Up until about a month ago, Lily did not care in the least about ABC'c or 123's. Every time that I broke out the flash cards, I would get a slouchy "I don't know" from her even on the letters she did know. So I decided it was time to go high-tech and let her use the computer. Now she asks me every day to go to www.starfall.com to do her schoolwork. She even wants to do it at night before bed. And the best part is that it doesn't cost a thing. It has inspired her to do more things like writing now that she's confident in what the letters are. I think it's that she associates the letters with colors and the cute little songs and games instead of it just being a symbol that makes a sound. That means I will most likely be purchasing the Math-U-See program at the homeschool conference this year. I am so proud of her!

Happy Birthday, Ruby!!!

2009-02-12T15:12:00.004-05:00

Ruby's favorite things to play with are in the kitchen. She wants to pull everything out by herself.

All of the bottom cabinets are "Ruby safe" items: tupperware, collanders, cookie trays, bundt pans. My kitchen floor is usually a mine field of dishes, but I love it.

She loves the Happy Birthday song and thinks it's for her every time.

She really hams it up with her crown on. She knows she's cute.

Isn't she adorable!?

I'm about ten days late in posting birthday pictures, but that's the way it goes sometimes. At her check-up she weighed in at 17 pounds, 9 ounces and 30.5 inches. Long and lean, just like all of her brothers & sisters. She has two teeth on the bottom and two teeth on the top and is so happy to be able to eat whatever the big kids eat. She says: Mama, Dada, bye, ball and yesterday she said "baby" to her dolly. She is our most affectionate child. She is independent and loves to explore, but checks in every couple of minutes to give me a hug. I love my little princess.

2009-01-13T16:45:00.005-05:00

Lily got stuck upside-down. I had to take a picture before helping her down.

Ruby loves being outside.

We've been enjoying some nice weather for January lately during the daytime. Nighttime is quite cold, though. Our family is trying to conserve energy (selfishly to save money) by consolidating our unused space of the house. The back half of the house is drastically colder so we're just not using it for now. We closed off the vents to the homeschool room, back bathroom, and the two bedrooms in the back, and we put up some heavy quilts in the doorway leading to these rooms. Where does everyone sleep? There are still two bedrooms that have heat: the master bedroom and the baby's room. Paul and I sleep in our room and all the kids sleep in the baby's room. we moved the girls' bunkbed into the baby's room and three of the kids sleep in that, and Ruby still in her crib. Adam prefers being cold so he will sleep in his own cold room by his own choice. The kids can still play in their bedrooms. If they are cold, they can put on a jacket. They would rather be outside than play in their rooms any day. So, we'll find out when the electric bill comes if it has made any difference. Even if it doesn't reduce our bill, we will know that our family could live happily ever after in an itty bitty house if we needed to. Personally, I think the kids like being all together. We have a pioneer spirit. Bring on the one room cabin and put ten kids in the loft!

Very Important

2009-01-09T16:21:00.002-05:00

As a family with five children, most of you can imagine that buying second-hand clothing is very important to our household. Our right to continue to do so is being taken away. A law making it illegal to buy or sell used children's clothing is due to take effect February 10. That's just a few weeks away!

Please take a moment to contact those in Congress who can stop this craziness. http://www.rallycongress.com/make-second-hand-kids-clothes-legal-/1471/save-kid-s-clothing-resale-consignment-thrift-stores-from-closing/

This link will explain everything and help all of you to send an automatic email to your Congressperson.

Worship Leader

2009-01-08T13:59:00.002-05:00

Sorry it's sideways.

2009-01-08T11:16:00.004-05:00

Nolan got ahold of my camera.

Ruby fell asleep while playing in her crib.

2008-12-30T09:03:00.003-05:00

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-29T15:29:00.003-05:00

Ruby is very passionate about cinnamon rolls.

Nolan had a good time, but only wanted one turn.

We took a nice long walk in the woods.

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-29T15:09:00.002-05:00

Nolan played with his Bat Mobile all day.

Lily really likes playing Pixos.

Emily bought a Paper Recycling Factory with her money from Great Grandma and Papa Lewie

Ruby ia so excited about her first laptop!
Now maybe she'll leave mommy's laptop alone.

Ruby modeling the sweater pants that I made for her.

I took apart one of Emily's old sweaters, sewed the arms together for the legs, and sewed the turtleneck to the top to make a yoga-style waistband.

Soft, comfy and warm.

Emotionally Overwhelmed.....in a good way

2008-12-19T12:46:00.003-05:00

I don't know if it's the sleep deprivation or what, but Christmas is really getting to my heart this year. I've never gotten into the "holiday spirit" too much, whether it be materialistic giving or reflection of Christ's birth any more or less than I do on the other 364 days of the year. Furthermore, I generally don't cry very much.

Suddenly I find myself overwhelmed with emotion with every song singing of our sweet Savior's birth. Tears flow with my heart bursting in my chest if I even think about what rejoicing in Heaven was going on that night when Emanuel was born. I watch my son playing with the dog and imagine to myself God's Son laughing like that when he was three.

I was just reading the newsletter from our homeschool group, and at the bottom was Luke 2:11

"For there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Needless to say, I lost it. So I wanted to share this emotional overload with all of you who read this. For I know that you are the ones who love me; my dear friends, my family, the ones who have known my hardened heart and have prayed for my babies. I love all of you and I am so thankful for each and every one of you. Our bond of love and sisterhood is through our Christ Jesus who came to us on Earth and is preparing a place for us in Heaven with Him.

Merry Christmas

Family Update

2008-12-17T15:14:00.003-05:00

I've been in a sleepless daze the last 4 months, hence the very few posts recently. Ruby has been teething since September, so she's only slept through the night once since then. There's two teeth coming through at the same time. I've tried just letting her cry it out, but that wakes up the other kids and then it's even harder to get some rest. I'm also wanting her to be quiet so that Paul doesn't wake up. He's been working 18 hour days lately, plus weekends, so I've been trying to help him out as much as possible. Sometimes during the day I just sit there and watch the kids play. I love to just watch them play together and listen to them pretend. I also don't have pictures to post because I can't remember to buy batteries for my camera.

I took Nolan to the doctor today for his 3 year check-up. He weighed in at 27.5 lbs. and 39 inches tall. That puts him statistically in the 10% for his weight and 90% for height. Tall and skinny! That's how all my kids are, but Nolan even more so.

2008-12-11T13:47:00.001-05:00

Family Photos

2008-12-11T13:25:00.002-05:00

Lily thought she was stepping into a puddle, but it turned out to be a deep part of the pond.

Happy Birthday, Nolan!!!

2008-11-26T10:53:00.003-05:00

This morning, as Nolan was helping me make his birthday cake, we had the following conversation:

Me: "What do you want to eat for dinner since it's your birthday?"

Nolan: "My birthday cake." (I'm guessing he thought he was going to eat it as soon as it was done baking)

Me: "No, what do you want for dinner tonight when Daddy comes home?"

Nolan: "Left-over birthday cake."

Patience is not something acquired upon the third birthday.

Making Playdough

2008-11-21T13:19:00.003-05:00

Ruby is pulling up to everything and is so pround of herself.

Today the little ones made playdough. They had just as much fun making it as they did playing with it when it was done. My camera batteries died, so I didn't get a picture of the end result.

This is the recipe we used:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup salt

1/4 cup water

Mix flour and salt, then add water. Add food coloring. Knead. I had to add a little extra water.

This recipe was a little stiff, but I had all of the ingerdients. I always like new recipies so please share if you have any.

Lily and Nolan wanted to type their names

2008-11-14T16:01:00.004-05:00

LILY JEAN ROLLINS

nolan rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

That looks like the perfect example of a two-year-old's attention span: good one minute, hyper the next, and off to something else.

Ruby

2008-11-10T09:26:00.003-05:00

Weekend Fun - The Toccoa Harvest Festival

2008-11-01T21:14:00.003-04:00

Adam climbing the wall.

Nolan was mesmerized by the racecars.

Petting zoo

Nolan liked the cars.

Mommy's little man.

Weekend Fun

2008-11-01T20:29:00.003-04:00

Nolan feeding Ruby his yogurt. He loves being a big brother.

The kids watching the CNC cut out shelves for their bedrooms. Lily always has to strike a pose.

Hanging out around the campfire.

Latest Pictures

2008-10-24T12:23:00.005-04:00

Thanks for my cool new jacket, Papa Denny! I love it!

Ruby is trying to stand up now. Paul was playing with her in the floor and she used him as something to pull herself up.

Ignore that slouchy woman in the background. I have no idea who she is.

Good Gifts

2008-10-17T09:01:00.002-04:00

Our family has really been blessed by the effort we have made to eating well. I love baking all of our own bread, muffins and cookies from flour that I have milled myself and sweetening it all with honey. Cutting out artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners for my family feels good. Cookies for breakfast is normal around our house because the cookies here are healthier than most of the breakfast foods for sale.

This morning I was handing Nolan his muffin and I said, "I love giving you good things" (truly good, not just good tasting) and I realized that if I love giving good things to my children, how much more our Heavenly Father LOVES to give good things to His children. Not just material blessings in His good timing, but truly good things like the Fruit of the Spirit. He is holding these truly good and perfect gifts for us, we just have to accept them.

She Said "Mama" First!

2008-10-14T16:21:00.003-04:00

Ruby has been saying, "Mama Mama" for four days now and it is so sweet. At first she was only saying it when she cried for me to get her out of her crib, so I thought it was a fluke. Yesterday and today she will look at me and say it over and over so I know it's for real. All of the other kids said "Dada" first and then called for me shortly after, but Ruby is my little sweetie.

Lily showed me that she can climb up onto the counter without any help or using a chair. She is growing up fast.

Happy Birthday, Emily!!!

2008-09-26T14:52:00.003-04:00

My baby turns nine years old today! We went to an Italian restaurant where the waiter sang to her in Italian. Her growing up is bittersweet for me.

I love you, Emily!

2008-09-26T14:50:00.000-04:00

Log Cabin Village

2008-09-26T14:36:00.003-04:00

Today we went to the Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth. The weather is beautiful and it was a great day to tour the restored cabins. All of the cabins are from the surrounding counties. We got a few demonstrations and I think Emily would have loved to stayed all day.
Candle Making

Weaving Loom

Our favorite part was dressing up

I had to get in on it, too.

Impromptu Vacation

2008-09-22T21:18:00.003-04:00

Our first stop was an overnight stay with our friends in Alabama. Tonya is so wonderful to open up her home to us. We had such a good time. Nine kids in a house and they were all so good.

We went to the park.

Lily and Lyra

Ruby's first time on the grass. Too bad it was Alabama grass.

Field Trip to the Firestation

2008-08-29T13:01:00.002-04:00

Our homeschool group took a field trip to the Toccoa Fire Department. We learned about smoke detectors, got to see where they sleep in the fire station and, best of all, we got to get inside the fire truck!

The firefighter gave a demonstration of how he puts on his gear.

More Firestation Pictures

2008-08-29T12:49:00.001-04:00

Such well mannered children

UT vs. UGA

2008-08-25T13:10:00.001-04:00

I Absolutely LOVE My Husband

2008-08-16T15:12:00.003-04:00

I have battled so much with keeping the toys in order in Nolan and Ruby's room. I bought these really cool bins at Ikea for a dollar each, but then I was tripping over them all the time. My wonderful hubby built this storage unit around the bins I already had and I am so excited that there is finally a place for everything!

He also built some for the older girls' room, but I need to go buy more bins. I'm always looking for an excuse to go to Ikea.

Nolan wanted to be pictured with his toys.

I was helping Emily with her schoolwork when I looked over and saw Princess Lily "teaching" Ruby.

Ruby thought something was so funny.

Back to School

2008-08-11T10:32:00.004-04:00

It's back to the books after a nice weekend away. I am trying to make an effort to be very organized and prepared as I am teaching Emily and Lily simultaneously for the first time. Lily is just doing preschool work and Nolan just working with puzzles and coloring, but I need to make myself take it more seriously because next year I will be accountable for teaching Lily kindergarten.

As for our weekend away, it was wonderful! It was relaxing and nice to go into it without any plans or expectations. We went to Greenville, South Carolina which is only 75 miles away. Neither of us felt like driving far, especially since we weren't sure we were going to be able to go until a few hours before we left. Paul had also had surgery earlier in the week so we knew we just wanted to relax.

We pretty much did nothing, but had a great time. We stayed at a very nice hotel and just walked around the downtown area. The weather was great and we just talked and enjoyed each other's company. Ruby was a great baby the whole time. She loves watching people and loved getting all of the attention to herself. We took a trolley ride in the afternoon and just stayed in our hotel room Saturday night to watch a movie and ordered a whole wheat pizza.

Greenville is one of the cleanest cities I have ever been to and it might just be a little closer for us than Atlanta so I think we will be visiting there more often. We have been there several times to their zoo, but now I know that they have a Children's Museum, a Children's Theater and so many neat places to take the kids. The Children's Theater will be presenting 'Annie' next month just in time for Emily's birthday.

We really did have a wonderfully relaxing time.

Times of Refreshing

2008-08-01T16:33:00.004-04:00

It's amazing how having something to look forward to can change your whole attitude.

Yesterday I had a nice afternoon with just the baby because the big kids spent time with Grandma Judy and Aunt Stephanie. It was very nice, but by the time I had lunch with Paul and ran three errands, the time was over and we all met up for dinner. The girls stayed at grandma's for the night and we took Nolan and Ruby home with us.

This morning I was very surprised to find myself not excited to see grandma's car pull into the driveway. I absolutely LOVE staying home with my kids and I cherish the time we spend together homeschooling, so why did I not want them back? It's because I rarely get any kind of break. I found myself putting them in front of a movie while I sliced up a ton of peaches to freeze. I usually always have them along side me while I work. When it was time for them to eat lunch I was frustrated at even having to feed them. What was my problem? I started trying to remember when was the last time Paul and I had any marriage time.

Marriage time is a term that was used by a couple leading a marriage seminar called "The Marriage Course" that we went to a few years ago. I highly recommend the Marriage Course if you find a church offering it. They said that every married couple needs to meet for lunch or coffee once a week, a real date once a month, and a weekend trip at LEAST once a year. If your kids are old enough to leave, they suggest week long alone vacations.

So I was thinking about our marriage time. We have had a few dates. We had a very nice date about 6 weeks ago (with Ruby in tow), but overnight stuff has been a long time. It has been over two years since we had a weekend away and that was taking Nolan with us because he was a baby. It's been over three years since we had a whole weekend away without any kids and that was the only time we've had a weekend alone in our entire marriage! When I realized this I felt like I was going to hyperventilate and the walls were closing in.

I immediately sent Paul a text message that said "Need a weekend vacation. Marriage Time Requested". I still felt anxiety-ridden and had not heard back from him so I didn't know if he had even read it. About an hour later I was about ready to hide from the kids when I got a text from Paul that said "Next weekend confirmed". YAY!!

Instantly I was happy with the kids and fixing their hair. I could breathe again! I still have no idea where we are going or who is watching the kids (I'm assuming grandma and grandpa), but I feel refreshed and uplifted just thinking about a whole weekend off! We will take Ruby with us since she's still so young, but she's so good that it's like she's hardly there. If I really felt like I needed to justify taking a weekend vacation, we do have our anniversary this month and Paul's birthday.

Back to slicing peaches for me. I really did get a ton. I bought a lot of the bruised ones from the farmer's market for super cheap. I will have a fully stocked freezer of peaches, blueberries, squash, whole chickens, beef and buffalo.

More Horse Camp Pictures

2008-07-23T12:06:00.004-04:00

We're still around and everyone is doing quite well. I've just been experiencing computer difficulties so I haven't had the desire to post lately. Sometimes it takes a couple of days just to load the pictures and somedays the keyboard doesn't even work. We just bought two new computers for the shop, so I'm expecting I will get Paul's old computer (it's only 1 year old, way newer than mine).

Here are some pictures that I've been trying to upload for a week.

Grooming

Emily with her friend Emily.

She's getting quite heavy.

Science Project

2008-07-09T15:43:00.003-04:00

Today Emily made a model of an animal cell.

Putting the cytoplasm (jello) into the cell membrane (ziploc bag).

Putting in the nucleus (grape)

and the mitochondria (raisins).

The Animal Cell Model. It is missing vacuoles. I thought that air soft pellets or beebees would be perfect, but we couldn't find any laying around today. I'm always griping about them being in the floor all over the house. Now when I needed them, I couldn't find any. Oh well. We'll find something tiny and round around here somewhere. We will probably use beads and pretend that they don't have the hole in them.

Nolan squishing the cell almost to the point of bursting. We're hiding it in the fridge to show Daddy when he gets home.

Today was our 180th day of school so we are ready to take a break. I'm planning on doing a 6-week-on and 2-week-off schedule once we start up again in August. We both need a break to look forward to after a few weeks.

It's Horse Camp Time Again

2008-07-09T15:22:00.002-04:00

Emily is so excited to be working with the same horse as last year.

Check out the red boots!

The girls think it is so funny to give toy food to Ruby since she puts everything in her mouth.

Nolan got some new cars shoes today and he just HAD to keep them on while he took a nap. He just got new shoes in May, but has already outgrown them.

Baby Love

2008-07-06T17:21:00.002-04:00

Busy, Busy, Busy...

2008-06-26T15:35:00.007-04:00

Emily and Lily were in music camp last week. Somehow, the girls switched personalities during their performance Friday night. Lily just stood there like a shy little mouse and did not sing a word, whereas Emily sang boldly and danced around more than any other kid.

Being goofy in the car.

Lily found a pretty rock and Nolan had to get in on the picture to show his new haircut. Six months ago he screamed if I even said the word "haircut". Now he climbs up onto my bathroom counter and begs me for one.

Our new machine was delivered yesterday. This piece of equipment is a pretty big deal for us. If you would like to see a video of what it does, check it out on YouTube and search for Thermwood CNC Cabinetshop

If woodworking equipment doesn't excite you and you don't want to watch the video, rejoice with us anyway!

Something I never thought I would have to say...

2008-06-23T19:27:00.002-04:00

DON'T LICK THE BABY.

I have caught myself saying this twice to Nolan. It just seems strange that I would hear those words coming out of my mouth.

Field Trip!

2008-06-20T09:26:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we took a field trip to the Granite Museum in Elberton, GA. It is the "Granite Capitol of the World". One-third of all monumental granite comes from this small town.

This is a granite statue of the state of Georgia. The kids are pointing to the town of Elberton.

This is a carved granite statue of a lion with a fish tail.

Emily with the controversial statue of "Dutchy". This statue was pulled down and burried face down because it was a yankee soldier. He was later exhumed an lies in the museum. I think that's a good compromise, not shamefully burried nor displayed in the town square. Notice Lily's finger is in his ear. I hope she's not making political protests at the age of four.

They gave the kids free samples of granite as a souvineir. Emily took this picture.

2008-06-18T17:37:00.001-04:00

2008-06-18T17:12:00.003-04:00

Lily and I made yogurt popsicles today. These tupperware popsicle molds were the same ones my grandma and I made popsicles with.

Field Trip!

2008-06-13T09:15:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the Pine View Academy took an impromptu field trip to the local cannery. We needed to go pick up some of the meat that we had slaughtered and store in their freezer locker, but coincidentally, the unit that Emily is currently studying in Social Studies is called 'Visiting a Cannery and a Granite Quarry'. Luckily we also live 45 minutes away from the granite capitol of the world, so we'll be going there next week.

They showed us all kinds of huge cookers and equipment where anyone can bring their fruits, veggies or meat and cook it there and can it themselves. I would love to go to a local orchard and get the bruised fruit to make my own applesauce and canned peaches, but I just don't think it will be possible to cook and can at their facility with a four-month-old baby. The tour was going well until they opened the door to the hanging room. Right in front was a huge, headless pig hanging by it's hind legs. Nolan started shaking and couldn't breathe so I quickly ducked out with him and Lily.

I think my clock must finally be winding down. I just realized that I went to go see my friend Jennifer's new baby the other day (congrats Jennifer!) and I didn't hold the baby. Usually I make my friends meals just so that I CAN hold their baby. Very strange.

Cute As A Bug

2008-06-11T10:38:00.003-04:00

So Far, So Good

2008-06-05T21:51:00.004-04:00

It's been five days without Paul here and we seem to be doing pretty well. He's been out of town for a week before, but not since we've had four little ones. I've been focused on having a positive outlook and stayed busy and that has helped tremendously. I like this excerpt from a book that I'm reading and wanted to share it:
The subconscious mind does not recognize good or bad any more than the soil recognizes the difference in the seed planted. Whatever seed you plant in the soil is the one that grows. In the same way, whatever thoughts you put into your subconscious determine what you become. You sow words and thoughts. You will reap what you sow.

I have made a conscious effort to steer my mind away from thoughts that this week would be so hard and it has really paid off. I have also adopted a zero tolerance policy and have been disciplining on the first offense. Why am I not always doing these things??!!

Our only issue is that the kids don't sleep well when Paul is not home. Only one more night though. I did get a nice break today, too. Our babysitter, who used to watch the kids when I worked one day a week for Paul, wanted to watch the kids today because she is leaving this weekend for the whole summer. I took the baby and we went to the outlet mall. I didn't realize all the stores that were there before! I'm always so in-and-out when I have all the kids with me. I got a $70 pair of shoes for $17 and a $110 sheet set for $40. I really needed the sheets and I'm hoping that they will last a long time since they are 400 thread count combed cotton. Very nice.

So, Paul will come home tomorrow night, be here for a week and then gone again for a week. (Don't tell him, but I think I can keep the house cleaner when he's not around. I don't know why. Maybe it's all the positive thoughts.)

Ruby's Rubies

2008-06-03T14:50:00.002-04:00

I had Ruby's ears pierced today. I had to get rubies, of course, even though they are not her birthstone. She did pretty well. I don't think she cried for more than one minute. She was ready for a nap anyway. I like having them done while the gilrs are still babies. They are the cleanest they will ever be because I'm cleaning them all the time.

A Dress for Ruby

2008-05-29T13:36:00.006-04:00

I made this dress for Ruby today. I'm pretty proud of myself considering I could barely turn a sewing machine on a year ago. I found the fabric in a remnants bin at the store so it only cost 52 cents. She has plenty of clothes, but when I saw this fabric, I couldn't resist.

Emily started Multiplication this week. Once again, she's a natural. I tried to make the focus on the concept of multiplication, not just memorizing the Times Tables. She picked it up easily because she understood the reasoning for it. We also started Creation Science this week.

Lily is learning about letters and their sounds. I found a website for preschoolers where I can just print out the coloring pages for things like "B is for Bible" and "C is for Cross". Then when she is finished coloring them, we will tape them to the wall.

Nolan destroys things while all this is going on. I have a full time job getting him to clean up his messes and keeping him from waking the baby. He is starting to sing songs so it is very cute.

We will need some prayer if you think about us this upcoming month. Paul will be out of town for two weeks to train for a piece of equipment that we are buying. He will drive to Indiana and back twice. My kids are great, but I will be seriously outnumbered for a week at a time. I will definitely need a spa day after this

Emily's Art

2008-05-28T14:21:00.002-04:00

Ceilidh Kids

2008-05-27T11:50:00.003-04:00

"Ceilidh", pronounced "Kaylee", is the Gaelic word for gathering of friends and like minded folks for a festive time.

Paul has always sang Irish songs with the kids from the time Adam was a baby. They sing them in the car, at bedtime, all the time. Yesterday I had Adam hold Ruby while I was working in the kitchen. I heard all the kids singing to her and had to sneak up on them to get this one. You can barely see all five of them, but I had to sneak because the big ones would have been mortified if they had known I was taping. I might have an Irish quintet on my hands.

Our Trip to Texas

2008-05-21T09:53:00.002-04:00

Our first adventure was to the Dinosaur Valley State Park. It had rained quite a bit for a few days before we got there so the dinosaur footprints in the river were not visible. We were going to tour the Creation Evidence Museum also, but it was closed for remodeling.

It was too hot to take the little ones hiking, so after a few pics with the dinos, we went up the street to Dino World.

The rare picture of me since I'm ususally the one with the camera.

We had a lot of fun with this head statue

They had an area to dig for fossils. The kids had a great time of it.

Lily's Texas Birthday Party

2008-05-21T09:37:00.003-04:00

My beautiful baby with my beautiful cousin.

Getting cooled off.

Ruby Elizabeth with Aunt Elizabeth

Catching the pet chickens

Our Day at the Fort Worth Zoo

2008-05-20T20:21:00.003-04:00

Feeding the birds. This is one of our favorites at this zoo.

On the kimoto dragon statue. My little sister was with us. Isn't she pretty?

The reptile house is another favorite.

Ruby pretty much slept the whole time.

More Texas Pics

2008-05-20T20:08:00.003-04:00

Great-Grandma with her girls

My Papa with his two Rubys
Ruby Elizabeth and Augusta Ruby

Nolan doesn't care that it's a pink Barbie Jeep as long as he gets to drive it.

On our way back to Georgia, we stopped at a rest area to have a picnic lunch. I have always loved these derrick picnic tables. You probably have to be from Texas to really appreciate them.

Lily's Party

2008-05-04T14:05:00.001-04:00

We were headed to the park yesterday to have Lily's birthday party when it started raining. The closer we drove to the park, the faster the rain fell. I was trying not to panic. Paul, who was following me, called and said to call everyone and just tell them to go to the Bowling alley near the park. He was definitely my knight in shining armor at that moment. And I'm thankful for my wonderful father-in-law because he took all the pictures. I was scatter-brained and forgot. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it and Lily was very passionate about her new love of bowling. To view the slide show, just click on the link below:
Snapfish:Photo:Shared

Happy Birthday to Lily!!!!!!!!!!

2008-05-02T09:39:00.002-04:00

My Sweet Lily turns 4 today. She and I spent her Birthday Eve in the Emergency Room. When Paul got home last night, Emily, Lily and Nolan were playing tickle with him on our bed. Somehow Lily's elbow got hyperextended. I put an ice pack on it, gave her some motrin and she seemed to be sleepy, but okay. I went to the store to buy food for her party and when I got back at 9:30, she was moaning in her sleep. I got her up to make her go to the bathroom and she started crying again and couldn't move her arm. So we went to the ER (with Ruby in tow). When asked how bad her pain was she pointed to the frowny face that had an 8 under it. The X-rays came back fine so the nurse said that Lily had what was called Nursemaid's Elbow. It's where the ligaments get hooked around the end of the bone in a wierd way. The only way to fix it is to manually move them back. So the nurse grabbed Lily's arm and manipulated it until we heard a "click". This was with much screaming from Lily, but two minutes later she sat up on the bed and pushed herself up with both arms withour even a wince. They put her arm in a sling and sent us home all in about an hour. This morning she picked up a 3 liter jug of water so I know she's fine. I'm taking the picture of her with her sling on for posterity's sake.

Procrastination Paid Off This Time

2008-04-30T11:37:00.002-04:00

I was afraid we waited too long to get our garden started, but it turned out to be a good thing, because the temperature got down into the 30's last night. These pictures are from yesterday.

Yes, Emily is tilling and Lily is skipping with a shovel. Living on the edge.

Lily is digging for worms. Her favorite!

Getting big!

Honey Strawberry Preserves

2008-04-28T16:17:00.002-04:00

Today we made Strawberry Preserves sweetened with honey.
Cutting the berries

Adding the pectin
Sealing the lids

We were able to do it all while Nolan and Ruby were taking naps.
It is a little too sweet for my taste, so I'm going to try making the next batch from just berries without any added sweetness. I have some great little helpers.

Ask and ye shall receive

2008-04-25T17:56:00.003-04:00

This morning while I was praying, I asked God to show me something I could do for my husband to let him know that I love him. Not an hour later I was loading the kids up for a short trip to the bank when my phone rang. Paul said that he needed me to go down to one of our suppliers (114 miles away)to pick up something that he forgot to order. He also needed some door samples to be dropped off to a designer for a house that he is building the cabinets for. I started to sqwak about how difficult it would be with four kids or that I don't like meeting with designer people, but I remembered my prayer for today and just said, "Sure, hon. I'd love to help." I never did ask why he couldn't just do it himself.

We got to have a nice lunch out, and the designer was really nice and I had a good time chatting with her. On the way back we stopped by the mall to pick up the kids' portraits that I had done a few weeks ago. I also found some clothing items on sale for Emily and myself. Popping in to the mall might not be a big deal for everyone, but when the mall is an hour away it's a special treat.

Then when we got home, Paul's mom brought over 16 pounds of fresh strawberries! I was just getting blessed all around for wanting to help. (We won't bring up the part about the children having a breakdown in the mall and my name being called from the escalator during the chaos. It happened to be a friend from church see me with four crying kids, but I had not lost my temper during all this so I felt good about myself. She has six kids so I took it as a joke when she said I was crazy for bringing my kids to the mall.) It was a very good day.

Daddy's Girls

2008-04-21T14:19:00.003-04:00

You can tell it's the end of the weekend because they're hyped up and he's exhausted

Lily put her baby with my baby

Hanging Ruby's diapers on the clothesline. I think they enjoy doing laundry as much as I do. Maybe we could start a laundry service when they get a little older.

Nolan calls this our "pick-quick" for picnic

This is how she takes her naps, propped up on a pillow on my bed. She still sleeps all night in her swing. Anybody need a used crib? I'm not sure if she'll ever sleep in it.

I really love staying home with my kids. They change so much every day that I would hate to miss a minute of it.

2008-04-08T16:30:00.003-04:00

Today Nolan counted:
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14, 14, 17, 18, 19"

Thank you, Papa Lewie and Great Grandma for my new outfit! It's Daddy's favorite.

Shameless Plug

2008-04-05T08:52:00.002-04:00

Check out some of the new pictures Paul has posted of his recent cabinet jobs. They are so beautiful! The link is in my sidebar.

They Grow Up Way Too Fast

2008-04-02T15:26:00.004-04:00

Ruby is two months old today! Time is really going by too quickly. She weighed in at her check-up today at 10 pounds, 1 ounce. That's right about where all the other Rollins kids were at two months. She is still the smiley-est baby on Earth and still sleeping great and eating well. Her only high maintenance area is the sensitive skin, but I'm getting pretty used to the cloth diapers now that we got the fancy ones. She also has to have all her clothes and diapers washed in special detergent and she has to be washed in special organic baby shampoo. It's so sweet buying all her special toiletries for her.

Nolan got his first T-ball set this weekend. He nailed it on the first try. The weather was horrible, so we took it to the shop and played indoors. He loves it as much as he loves football, soccer, watching motorcycle racing and all the other 100% boy things to do. He told me that he loves me because I play football with him and I wear football shirts like he does.

Adam turned 12 on Monday. That makes me feel not so young anymore so I'll just leave it at that. Also, Emily called me "Mom" yesterday instead of Mommy. It was like a knife through the heart hearing my little baby call me "Mom" like she's growing up or something. I also realized today that Lily will be 4 in one month. Agh.

This weekend we will all be going to the UGA scrimmage football game. Our family really likes college football. We figured that this game would probably be our only chance to go since the tickets are only 5 bucks for adults and 3 bucks for kids. There's no way we could afford to all go to a regular game. Nolan has already picked out which football he is going to take with him to throw in the parking lot before the game. I wish they has a pee-wee league for two year olds!

Easter Pictures

2008-03-24T16:07:00.003-04:00

Our first family photo with all seven of us. We're a pretty handsome bunch.
Flower Baby
The Rollins Men
They played a little football
Emily was having a very photogenic day. Aren't they beauitful!

Lonely Friday Night

2008-03-21T22:28:00.002-04:00

It's only lonely because it's been so long since I've been alone that I don't know what to do. I'm sure there's a long list of things I've been wanting to do if I had a minute or two, but now I can't think of anything.

Emily is at a slumber party (which I already crashed on my way to Wal-Mart), Lily and Nolan are at Papa and Grandma's house for a sleepover, and Paul and Adam are camping out at our shop property. Ruby is with me, but she sleeps so much that I'm pretty much alone. We stopped by the shop after our trip to Wal-Mart to check out the campfire and Ruby loved it even though she's only six weeks old. She was cooing and smiling. She's going to be a camper for sure.

I think I'll catch up on some reading and go to sleep. Surely that was on my list. I might like being alone.

Super Reader

2008-03-14T15:19:00.003-04:00

Yes, the sunglasses are upside-down
He wanted to show all of you his car book

Ruby's Bottom Is On The Mend

2008-03-13T10:10:00.005-04:00

Thank You Aunt Faye for my beautiful quilt!

For all of you who are curious, Ruby's extreme diaper rash is healing up. She had an allergic reaction to disposable diapers. Keeping her in the cloth diapers helped, but she is always so wet. I have ordered some really neat cloth diapers that have a waterproof outer-layer and wick the moisture away from her skin. www.bumgenius.com (product placement) I think this will be what we need to get it all the way healed up. Plus, it will be a little easier for me. We just have to wait until they get shipped here which should be Monday. I have also been using Eden Salve from the bulk herb store thanks to Jennifer for reminding me of it. I oftentimes need my friends to tell me what I already know because I get too wrapped up in my problem to figure out the solution.

Other than that, we are just getting ready to start schoolwork again. Emily finished 2nd grade the day before I went to the hospital to have Ruby, so we've been taking our summer break. This week has been full of placement tests. She did quite well so we will be starting mid-way through 3rd grade in math and language arts. There was so much of it that she just figured out for herself. No one taught her how to multiply, she just knew it. She gets very disinterested if she's not learning something new each day, so there's no use wasting time on review work if we don't have to and boring her which will just frustrate me. We will start Bible and Social Studies at the beginning of third grade and we will wait to buy the Science curriculum at the Homeschool conference. I really want to get the Answers In Genesis stuff for science. Paul and I are interested in learning from it, too. For handwriting, I'm having her write the verses she memorizes for AWANA, so she practices both at the same time. She also taught herself cursive just by looking at the letters and I just had to show her how to hook some of them together. Nolan and Lily are just busy with painting, play dough, cutting with scissors, rhyming and letter recognition. Lily told me she wants to read so I better hop on it while she is interested.

We are also trying to plan our next trip to Texas. I like to take each baby by the time they are 12 weeks old to get them used to traveling. It's great that I finally have a baby that doesn't mind sleeping in a car seat. My others were all tummy babies and acted like the car seat had needles in it. Mother's Day is what we are planning for. Paul needs some time off, too. We're headed outside now to take advantage of the beautiful weather.

Lily the Laundry Girl and Sleepy Ruby

2008-03-07T10:45:00.002-05:00

It is so nice to have good helpers. It's Lily's job to sort the dirty clothes, put them in the washer and she and Nolan both switch them from the washer to the dryer. All I have to do is put in the detergent and fold the clothes when they're done (and supervise, of course). She can even reach up and start the dryer. Notice she's holding her babies while she gets her housework done.
The other day Lily said "Mommy, can I hold the baby after you get done milking her?"
I set Ruby down for just a minute on my bed while I went to wash a load of diapers (I do those myself) and came back to find her sleeping. She could sleep anywhere. All those smiles she was giving me must have tuckered her out.
Nolan wanted me to take a picture of him in his favorite pajamas.

They Grow Up Way Too Fast

2008-03-03T09:06:00.002-05:00

Ruby turns 4 weeks old today. Yesterday she rolled herself over. I was taking pictures of her on her tummy and she pushed up on her knee and rolled over. I was so hoping I could just enjoy this one being little, but she's already growing at lightspeed.
I am now doing something that I never thought I would do. CLOTH DIAPERING. I didn't really set out to do this (hello, I'm already doing laundry for SEVEN people), but it looks like we're going to for now. She has had a terrible diaper rash and I believe that it is caused by the chemicals in the disposable diapers. I tried every all-natural thing I could thnk of to get rid of the rash, but it just got worse. Not even coconut oil could kill it. So we're going completely all-natural and it seems to be helping. I'm having some problems though and ending up with everything all wet including myself. I thought I knew everything by the fourth time around, but now I'm learning something new.
Well, we're off to the shop for a Saturday Shop Day. The kids really do enjoy sweeping up sawdust and making a mess of it and sweeping it up again.

Piano Player

2008-02-28T12:21:00.002-05:00

Emily started piano lessons yesterday. She's a natural. Last night she showed off to Paul how much she had learned. I think he is pretty excited about it because he taught her some more songs (all of them from the '80's). I didn't know I was married to Richard Marx.
This is a typical outfit for Nolan.
Sweet Sisters

Sleepy Smiles

2008-02-26T15:52:00.003-05:00

This is her sleepy milk-drunk face.

She really is the best baby ever. Last night she slept from 11 pm to 7:45 am at only 23 days old. She eats well and is my first baby to gain weight right from the start. She smiles all the time and sleeps right through all the noise of the rest of the kids.

Emily starts piano lessons tomorrow.

Getting back to real life

2008-02-25T16:14:00.003-05:00

I have been taking it pretty easy for the last few weeks. My mom was here to cook, clean and raise the big kids for two weeks while I got to kick back and just take care of myself and my new baby. Last week I was blessed with a weeks worth of meals from my wonderful friends. I have realized, after not cooking for three weeks, that I enjoy cooking for my family, but I DESPISE trying to figure out what to cook each night. I also know from past experience that Paul doesn't like to be asked what he wants. He has to make so my decisions all day that he doesn't want to decide on food. I think we would both rather not eat than decide, but somebody has to. I told Emily today that it is now her job to plan out the meals for each week. I will have veto power over the menu. Then I can make out the shopping list and go from there. She is really excited about her new responsibility.

Today started real life. At least I got to ease back into it. I just have to stay organized and it's not too bad. The chaos starts when I sit down to feed the baby, but if I make sure everyone's juice cups are filled and I stay in the living room where I'm not closed off from them, it's pretty ok. The little ones are also getting used to the idea that they need to be patient and wait until I'm done nursing or changing the baby. Usually by the time I'm done, they have forgotten whatever it was that they so desperately needed at the moment. Emily is such a great help that it's hard for me not to take advantage and have her doing everything. It is very nice to have a kid big enough to hold the baby for a long time while I get things done, too. She could sit and hold the baby all day if I let her.

I just found my organic gardening book so I'm going to take a moment to start planning our garden for this year. Pray for Rain! My garden was a disaster last year because we were on strict water restrictions. This year I'll get up and water it in the middle of the night if I have to.

Everybody Loves Ruby

2008-02-20T10:07:00.004-05:00

Paul asked Nolan, "Whose baby is that?"

Nolan said, "MINES".

He even wants to change her diaper.

Our Last First Bath

2008-02-14T20:04:00.002-05:00

These were from a few days ago, but I haven't been able to find my camera. Paul and I had a chance to give Ruby her first bath at home together. I'm really trying to cherish every moment knowing that Ruby is our last baby.

Baby Love

2008-02-11T15:04:00.001-05:00

Nolan is in as much love with Ruby as everybody else is. He can't walk by her without giving her kisses. He's also the first one to run to her swing as soon as she cries. I just have to keep a close eye on him so he doesn't help too much and try to pick her up by himself.

Papa Ralph is in love, too!

The Best Baby Ever!

2008-02-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

At only four days old, Ruby is turning out to be a really great baby. Last night she went to sleep at 10:40 pm (I was konked out by 10:41) at did not wake up to eat until 3:30 am. That's five hours of sleep at only four days old! She didn't go back to sleep until 5:30 but then I got a couple more hours of sleep after that. So, down for 5, up for 2 and down for 4.
We have also discovered that she loves to sleep either on Paul's chest or in the swing. Not even with it on, just in the swing. That's fine with me as long as she sleeps.
The big kids are at the Georgia Aquarium today with Grandma and Papa, so Ruby and I have a relaxing day to ourselves. I don't know how I could manage without my mom here to help. Occasionally, Nolan will not let anyone help him or change him but me, but that's pretty understandable. My ankels are so swollen that there's no definition between my calves and my feet, so I need to go put them back up.

P.S. She was born on Saturday, since I forgot to say that before.

Ruby Is Here!

2008-02-03T17:47:00.000-05:00

Ruby Elizabeth Rollins
6 pounds, 4 ounces
19 inches
Blonde and beautiful
Mommy and baby are both recovering well. No complications this time for me. I feel great! The kids all love her so much and they're glad I'm back home, even though it's grandma taking care of them while I relax.

We're Home

2008-02-03T16:09:00.001-05:00

She already knows what Daddy's chest is for. He loves taking naps with his babies.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

2008-01-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Still waiting for a baby to be born. I'm perfectly fine with not going through the whole labor thing and all that pain yet, but Paul and the kids are on the edge of their seats with excitement. Nolan lifts up my shirt daily and yells, "Come out baby!"

I don't think it will be much more than a few days until she's born. The due date is in 10 days, but the other kids were all about 5 days early. The past couple of days I have been eating constantly and I've lost 4 pounds. So I figure I'm either about to give birth soon or I'm going into hibernation. Did you know that bears give birth while they are hibernating? They sleep through the whole thing. Obviously Eve's sin does not effect bears.

If I were going to place a bet, I would put my money on this upcoming Sunday or Wednesday. Wednesday is my birthday and it's also my Aunt Linda's and my Great-Grandma's birthdays (and President Reagan's). I also think Sunday because my girls were both born on Sunday. I told Paul, "You know she's going to be born right in the middle of the SuperBowl."and he said "That's fine.......She'll understand." He got a big punch in the chest for that one. I voted early yesterday just in case I couldn't make it down there for Super Tuesday. Go RP!

Hopefully my next post will include pictures of little Ruby.

Preg Pics

2008-01-23T08:49:00.000-05:00

Emily took this picture
Lily had to take a picture, too

Yesterday I realized that I did not have a single picture of me being pregnant this time around, so I grabbed a friend while we were at our Bible study and had her take a picture. Only 2 weeks and 3 days left until the due date so I might as well get the picture now while I'm still pregnant. I really have enjoyed this pregnancy and am a little sad to see it ending. Paul is more excited about the big day than I am, but all that will kick in for me once she's really here. For now I'm just going to continue loving being pregnant and feeling beautiful and round for a reason. The only problem is that I have not been sleeping well lately, so any prayer for sleep is appreciated.

Emily starts science club today. She is way beyond excited. It is bittersweet for me. I'm am so glad that she is getting to do something that she enjoys and that there is a homeschooling mom in our town that wants to teach it, because doing experiments and cleaning them up with two little ones and being so tired is not what I want to do right now. The downside for me is that it is from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. That's NAP TIME! I cherish nap time. Not only for a catnap for myself, but because my kids so need it. Children who sleep better during the day, sleep better at night. Lily and Nolan both go down for nap PROMPTLY at 1pm every day and sleep until 4pm so this will be a little bit of a strain. But, it's only once a week and we will manage through it. They will just have to take their naps two hours late. They do stay up later on Wednesday nights for AWANA, so of all days, this is probably the best one to get a late nap on. I'm sure it will be worth it all for the enjoyment Emily will get out of Science Club.

What a guy

2008-01-21T12:43:00.000-05:00

Even though I have never allowed the kids to eat in any other room besides the kitchen, Nolan must have some sort of male instinct that propels him to eat on the couch. I usually let the little ones watch about 30 minutes of t.v. before they take their naps, but I left the room for just a second to help Emily with fractions. Nolan went and got his pizza that he didn't eat at lunch off the table and had to eat it while he lounged. The strangest part is that I let him get away with it. At least he remembered to get his napkin. I'm a sucker for my boy.

I couldn't resist this one...

2008-01-19T14:56:00.000-05:00

Raw milk has helped to keep my family healthy, even though we have to cross state lines to get it because it is illegal in the state of Georgia. My children could not consume dairy products, but they drink gallons of raw milk each week. Emily's nebulizer now stays on a top closet shelf and she has not had a breathing treatment for over a year. Funny how something that's so good for us is illegal, but doctors want to put us on drugs that cause more problems that you have to take another drug for that causes another problem, another drug, another problem and so on and so on until we're dead or disabled and dependent on the government to help us buy more drugs. Just one more reason to like this guy.

Painting

2008-01-18T17:31:00.000-05:00

I have found that taping poster board to the back doors is the best way for these little guys to paint. They like to be standing up most of the time and the doors are very easy to clean any drips off of. In fact, Lily gets joy out of wiping things down, so that will be her job when they're done. They are also in the sunlight even though it's a little too cold to play outside.

22 days 'till due date

More Snow

2008-01-17T10:01:00.000-05:00

We had a pretty good snowball fight, but they ganged up on me. The weird thing is that it was easier for me to walk in the snow because of the natural waddle that I've become use to. The kids are warming up now with hot chocolate. The bad part is that Paul is driving to Atlanta in this mess. He has promised to call me periodically to inform me that he has not slid off an overpass. It's 10 am and I'm ready for a nap. Too bad the kids aren't.

SNOW!

2008-01-17T08:09:00.000-05:00

The kids had to leave AWANA early last night because the snow was coming down pretty good. It was already late so the snowball fight was limited to the front porch, but Nolan had the time of his life. Lily was making snowballs barehanded.

Nesting

2008-01-14T19:53:00.000-05:00

I think the whole family is nesting in preparation for the new baby. Every kid has gotten out their own baby book several times this week to show off to all the others. Paul has been getting out every family video for us all to watch together. He hates to take the videos, but he loves to watch them. Yes, that's a pink binky that Nolan has in his mouth. Either he is making sure that it is okay for the new baby out of the kindness of his heart, or he is letting me know that he is still the baby. Either way, it's a very mild reaction to his world about to be changing.

We have also been trying to spend more one-on-one time with the kids. Last night Lily and I went to the Belk clearance sale together in search of post-pregnancy clothes. Emily and I went to the movies to see Enchanted on Christmas day. We had the whole theater to ourselves and the movie was great for both of us. We had such a good time and we really needed that time together, too. Paul has been able to take each kid individually with him to work. They love that. The little two have had to be picked up at lunch to take their naps, but it was well worth it. He's been spending time with Adam in the woods behind the shop playing paintball. Actually, they only have one gun, so it's more of a sniper situation.

In other news, I bought myself a yogurt maker for Christmas and I'm really loving it. The first batch was bad, but I'm starting to get pretty good at it. My investment in it will pay off in a few weeks. The kids were eating yogurt so much that Paul and I were never getting any for ourselves. I estimated that they were eating $2-3 worth of yogurt every day, so since the yogurt maker cost $30 it has already paid for itself in two weeks. It doesn't get much better for you than yogurt made from raw milk sweetened with raw honey and cinnamon.

"Curds (yogurt, butter, cheese) and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good." Isaiah 7:15

DISCLAIMER: Paul says that I am not to refer to garlic tonic as "nasty" for any reason at any time. It is a gift from the Lord and it's health benifits far outweigh any non-pleasant taste.

Nolan The Builder

2008-01-09T18:53:00.000-05:00

He was singing, "No-nan da biwda. Can fix it? Sure we CAN!"

Thank You for the gift card!

2008-01-02T14:03:00.000-05:00

Lily bought a princess tent and backpack with her portion of the gift card from Papa Denny and Grandma Mary
Adam bought a paintball gun set with the gift card along with the cash from Great Grandma and Papa Lewie. Lily bought a stroller for her baby doll and Nolan bought some toy motorcycles and they both have some money left over. Emily is saving her cash.

Thank You for the presents!

2007-12-26T12:29:00.001-05:00

Thank you, Grandma Pat and Papa Norman for the AquaDoodle Mats!

Thanks, Aunt Beth for the cool Oragami set. This is great since we just studied Japan. Lily loves the tea set, too!
Thanks Aunt Deb & Uncle Carl for the hats, mittens, scarf and Nolan's shirt. Everybody loves these!

Ruby Elizabeth Rollins

2007-12-19T10:55:00.000-05:00

I don't know if I just see it because I'm her mother, but I can see a beautiful image of her face. She looks like Emily to me and like Nolan from the side. Her nose is a little smushed, but she has it pressed against the placenta like a pillow. Somehow the ultrasound computer can tell that she is 4 pounds 6 ounces which is average weight for 32 weeks. Growing at a rate of half a pound a week will put her at about 8 pounds at birth. It will be very strange to not have an extra small baby. All of our kids have been around 6 pounds. Ironically, I have gained the least amount of weight this pregnancy and might have my biggest baby yet. I have figured that it's because of eating all-natural foods and the fact that I NEVER sit down!

We had all been arguing about the name until a couple of weeks ago. All the kids are named after a family member in some way and we were even disagreeing about which person to name her after. I had decided I was going to play the "I grew this baby, I get to name it" card, but I kind of felt like Jezebel doing that. So I prayed about it and asked for God to tell us what He wanted us to name her. Later that same week, I saw a good friend that I haven't seen in almost two years and she just said out of the blue, "What about the name Ruby?" I said, "Hey, that's my Grandma's middle name and the due date is her birthday". Luckily, Paul thought the name was great and then it was settled. Her middle name is Elizabeth after my sister.

Only 53 days until the due date! I am excited now, especially since I finally bought a package of newborn diapers and they are so tiny and smell like baby. It is pretty strange to have named her already because we have always waited until the last minute to decide on a name and we usually still aren't sure until we have to fill out the papers to leave the hospital.

Story Time

2007-12-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

We are reading the juvinile version of The Pilgrim's Progress together as a family. It is a story about a man's journey to salvation and the people, obstacles and demons that stand in his way and try to distract him from reaching Christ. All the way he has to carry a huge burden on his back that weighs him down. He learns to go the way that is hard but best. It is a very good protrayal of the battles we must fight and the glorious life that we can receive, but there are also people who do get distracted and complacent and turn back to the easy way. It is perfect for Adam and Emily's age and also a great reminder for us adults. We really desire for our children to understand that they cannot just float through life with salvation based on a one-time prayer and see a life devoted to God as something they can deal with later on. The little ones are a little too young to understand the actual story, but they enjoy the family time together.

Christmas Parade

2007-12-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

Nolan is getting his stance ready to run for the candy

Having fun watching the parade with Daddy and Papa

Emily was in the Christmas parade this weekend on the float for the soccer association, but I don't have a picture of her. She was on the float with about 20 other kids and we were on the opposite side of the street than the way she was facing. I barely saw the back of her head and the only reason why I knew it was her head is because I made her hat. She had a blast!
Nolan was squealing so much when the candy started falling on him. He was in sheer bliss!