Chop It Off

Every now and then I get the urge to do something drastic....well that happened last night. I just couldn't take it anymore. So I just went down to the hair salon and got my hair chopped off. I really like it. Plus I am much better at handling short hair than long hair. Corey was not too thrilled. He has this eternal image of me with long flowing locks that blow in the wind.

Corey had to get in a shot looking his sexiest for our photo shoot.

And here she is.......

http://www.radley.net/Photography then click on the Kory Esquibel button.

Here is the link for our family photos in the process. He has done a few and more will be posted later. The password is KoryJane and it is case sensitive so make sure you use a capital K and J.

Pumpkin Patch

Could I possibly say how much I love fall enough? What is not to like about it. The changing colors of the leaves, all the wonderful holidays, and the brisk air that just seems to smell that much better. I am kinda bummed to not be around my family this year. We had some really great traditions going on, but I know I can keep up with them and we can still have a great time in our own little family. We went with the ladies from my church to Reynolds Farm Pumpkin Patch. It was great!! For four bucks a person we got to ride out into the pumpkin patch and pick whatever pumpkin we wanted. Lexie went right for the green one, but I went with the traditional orange.




Ever since we have been here, poor Lexie has felt picked on because she couldn't go to school and the boys seem to do all these fun and exciting things at school. Well today was her day, and did we make a day of it. Her sense of fashion is somewhat crazy, but I chalk it up to iCarly...thanks Nick.

After we got back, they had this really cool playground there. Lots of stuff for the kids to do. Of course there were kids by the bus load there from the schools, so it was jammed packed, but we still had tons of fun. Lexie loved this slide. How creative can you get? Made it to look like a Caterpillar. She stood in line the most for this one.



The farm was located on a pretty big hill surrounded by trees which were changing colors. I just sat there and was in a trance with how beautiful it was. There was just a bunch of farms, and the houses were really old. It made me feel like I had traveled back in time. This picture really doesn't do it justice. I really need a nice camera. Oh but never mind we had to spend that 600 bucks on registering the car.

It really was so much fun, I am excited that we have lots of things going on for the next couple of weeks. It keeps me busy and it also gives me great opportunities with the camera.

Life really is good.

When Hailey Smiles

I can't believe 8 months have already come and gone. I remember really vividly how Hailey was born, the excitement and of course I was eager to hold that soft cuddly newborn. That was the worst epidural I had ever had, and it was a good thing she was my last. Since I swore I would never have one again because of it. Now she is moving and grooving and causing disaster wherever she crawls. I have to say I love this part about kids. They are too young to argue and they just look so dang cute when they want you to hold them and love them all the time. Corey and I are both big softies lately. Nothing Hailey does is wrong. I think we have both gotten really lax as we have gotten more kids.

I love Hailey's sweet personality. Always quick to smile, it doesn't take much to get her going. And the best part, is anyone can get her to. Strangers in the store love her because she just smiles and coos with anyone willing to give her attention. She will follow me everywhere, and I have to admit her excitement at seeing me just makes my heart melt. It almost seems like she just can't wait for me to hold her again. There is also the fact that the three older kids adore her and want to help her with everything. She has been wonderful and I can't think of a better baby to end our child bearing days.

Getting into her sister's toys....that mess is all her.

Helping mom with the dishes, at least she tries to help.

Whispers on the Wind

I guess growing up I never ever thought that five kids was a lot. We didn't seem packed in when at home. I never sensed my mom going crazy with all of us at the store. I really didn't give it a second thought. If we lived in UT or ID we would seem like a small family or average. Even in OK I never got too many stares. Oh but I wish you could see me here in MD.

Usually I go grocery shopping when the boys are in school. Even with the two girls I get comments like "Man you have your hands full." In my mind I am thinking they have no idea. Well this week with the kids out of school it just so happens that I had to go grocery shopping with all four. I forget as I wheel that basket around with kids hanging all over it that this is not normal for this area. And boy do I get the looks. There are many kinds of looks. Curiosity, bewilderment, understanding, confusion and my favorite is the horror look. Walking into the store behind a young couple with one little baby in the basket, the woman looks back at me looks at her husband and makes a comment about can you imagine having that many kids? His answer is a laugh and no. I have to admit my kids do fairly well weaving in and out of the crowded aisles. I do tend to spend more money when I have the boys. My basket seems to grow items I don't notice till check out and by then I am just about ready to do anything to just get my stuff and go.

I love how you can tell where I have been because of the spit up puddles all over the floor. Hailey just seems to spit up a lot in those grocery carts. I do bring a rag, but after so many times it really does no good. I feel so sorry for whoever has to mop the store when I am done. I also had to stand in line for the flu shot at the grocery store. With all four, I also got more snickers than the horror look. The gentleman behind me was very helpful and help me maintain my kids a little bit. Telling them he was going to hold them down and give them a bunch of shots if they didn't be good. The older man in front of me went and got a cart so I didn't have to hold Hailey the whole time. And as you would know, I finally get to the front to just find out in MD kids under 9 can't get flu shots outside of a clinical setting. What??? All this fuss about getting your kids flu shots and you can't even get them done unless you go to the Dr.? I thought that was pretty dumb. So did Gabe, who told the guy with the clipboard just that. Usually I correct him, but I agreed with him so I let it slide.

But for the most part people are very kind and comment on how well behaved my kids are and how well I manage a brood that big in the store. I have learned to choose my battles, and I might annoy people around me but at this point I don't care. As long as I can get my stuff done and get home in one piece I feel like I have made an accomplishment.

Free City Festival

I have met a friend here in Hagerstown and her name is Cynthia. I met her at the YMCA during a class and we hit it off really well. We have been hanging out a lot lately and it makes my weeks a lot more endurable. Her husband works for the government in D.C. so he commutes there ever day. So we are the same in the fact we are home a lone all day long.

She told me about the City fair and that everything was free. Wow free? I didn't really think this was possible. But to our surprise everything was completely free. Except for the food which was cheap even after the fact. But what Corey and I didn't realize is when you say free and you hold it in the downtown section of town...you get some really strange people. I think we felt very out of place there. Plus the smoking was horrible. Everywhere you turned there was someone lighting up and it was making everyone sick.

But we did have lots of fun besides that. We met Cynthia and her two kids there and we hung out and let the kids have fun.

Lexie has always wanted to do pony rides when we go places, but they usually cost a small fortune to ride one. So she finally got her pony ride for free. She loved it. I told Corey she looked like she belonged up on that horse. Give her a cowboy hat and I think she would fit the role perfectly. I told her don't even think about asking Santa for a pony.

Poor Gabe had a loose tooth. He has been complaining that it is bothering him and he won't eat anything that requires biting. So we bought him a hot dog and he refused to eat it. So Corey got physical and pulled his tooth right there. I don't think it was ready yet because the root on this sucker was huge. I think that also explains the big gaping hole where the tooth was. Hopefully he won't purposely loosen a tooth from here on out.

Here is my friend Cynthia, I hate this picture just for the fact I am squinting into the sun. I should have worn glasses like she did.

They local Goodwill provided clothes and the hay and you got to make your own scarecrow to take home. The line was huge but Cynthia was already stuffing one. So we just help her with hers. Here are my kids a plus her two.

I have to admit that Hagerstown does some amazing things for the community free. I think we have something planned every weekend till Halloween. At least it keeps us busy.

Duck Duck Goose

When we moved to MD, we found out that they don't offer a pre-school program through the schools. It is set up like head start here and they take income brackets. So Lexie went from being excited about going to school, to being stuck with mom at home again. She thinks that I need to entertain her all day and she is always saying how bored she is. I know that this is hard for her as well as me. She thinks she can do whatever she wants and can throw a terrible fit over the smallest of things. I used to be really disciplined with the kids, but now I am the softy. I always say they can't do something and then turn around and let them have it anyways. Spanking has gone out the window because really I saw no change in the behavior after one.

So I promised Lexie some time for her to get out and enjoy the day. She loves to be outside and with some construction across the road and no fence she really can't play in our yard anyways. So I took her to the city park here which I fell in love with the first time I saw it. I love going to this place. They have a huge pond and waterways throughout the whole park that are teaming with ducks, geese and even some swans. So I save the ends of our bread to take to the foul. This was our first time feeding them and I can say they were not shy. These big geese which were as tall as Lexie came right up to her and tried to take the bread out of her hand. She was really freaked out. She backed up against the bench and would not move. I have to say they were a little intimidating. I even got a little scared holding Hailey and fending off all the birds.

This is her scared stance against the bench.

Then we went to play on one of the four huge play sets at this park. There was no one there which was sad for Lexie, but great for us to just relax and enjoy the quiet. It was a little chilly today, but the sun was out. Lexie showed me many of her talents. She is not scared to do the daredevil stuff. I attribute that to two older rough brothers. She surprises me sometimes.

Lexie wanted to take a picture, I think she did pretty good.
Lexie taking Hailey down the slide, notice the nice static in Lexie's hair.

She actually did the monkey bars almost the whole way across and then dropped down. It was pretty high up set and I was surprised she went for it.

I know I always tell everyone that Lexie has been tougher than the boys. And in many ways she is. She is stubborn and bossy and will flat out tell me no or I don't want to. I have mastered "The Look" on the boys, but with her it just doesn't work. But she will be the sweetest dearest friend if you spend just a little time with her. She really just wants some attention which was taken when Hailey was born. But I love her confidence and her bright spirit and our family wouldn't be the same without her.