That's a busy kitchen table

Big fun in the "little house"

Pat helped out a buddy today and in return he can home with this.

Pat is now the champion Daddy of the year.

Thanks Ed.

I have mentioned before, we live in a "little house" and in order to take this picture I needed to stand, leaning out into the hallway, to get 1/3 of the living room in the picture.

It gives the term "family togetherness" a whole new meaning.

Thanks again, Ed,

air hockey has proved to be a big hit with all the kids. :-)

Dinner in "the little house"

The impossible photo---and this is with one child at work....

We wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS from the "little house"

Everyone was home for a yummy roast beef dinner tonight, and then it was off to church.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Fun in the "little house"

If it is snowing hard outside and there are 12 people in 900 square feet, (and these views show the whole living room), you can play cards ALL TOGETHER....
or play on a computer-ALL TOGETHER. If you are exceptionally small, you can play together under the foot rest of the couch as one of your big brothers play on the computer.

If you are the mother of this large bunch of children, you take the ones that don't fit in the living room into the kitchen and make these yummy, yummy treats!!

"Illuminating the Clutter"

Cay offered "illumination" today regarding paper clutter. She graciously posted pictures of cluttered tables around her house, and I have to say, these tables looked pretty tidy to me.

I had Becky take these photos a few weeks ago because as I sat at the table sewing, (the only table in the "little" house) I was struck my the amount of stuff that could be going on in one spot.

We can see Mama sewing, along with all the sewing paraphernalia , my diet Coke and a bag of chips that several little members of the family were enjoying.

Three children are doing school work, with many assorted books (at least 10). A dish of crayons, a squirt gun, a Playdough dinosaur, a Math Shark, an empty Gladlock dish,
a Wall-e cup full of ice water, (very dangerous) a box of tissues, a ruler, the Holy Cross soccer team roster, a toddler with her baby doll, cell phone, and some other little things that I can no longer seem to identify.

This picture was taken by Amy, 2 minutes ago. I think things are getting worse.

I guess I have come to accept this. Everything on the table does have a place where it belongs, and it does get cleared off every evening for dinner, but this seems a little ridiculous.

I would love to see photos of other people's tables, just for my own sanity. I would like to see "cluttered" and pretty, beautiful tables, the kind that I hope to enjoy in the future, but I am not holding my breath.

What were you doing at 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve?

The twelve of us were all home, in the little house, enjoying a quiet, peaceful evening.

Dad is enjoying the snacks that different children keep making in honor of New Year's Eve.

Dan is on the living room computer, writing a paper about Julius Caesar.

Patrick is on his basement computer after a 12 hour shift at work. Hopefully he will go to bed early and not ring in the New Year.`

Amy is on the living room couch, nursing a cold, and watching High School Musical 2.

Laura is in the girls' room, listening to something. It must be good if you go by the pretty smile.

Grace is also in the girls' room playing with Big Nutbrown Hare, from Guess How Much I Love You fame.

Mark looks like he was caught doing something suspicious, but he is just on my bed playing with monkey gears.

Matt is on the other side of the same bed (mine) watching something other than High School Musical 2, which is being shown on the living room tv.

Becky and I are making pepperoni bread for tomorrow's New Year's Day party.

Everyone is accounted for. I found the babies behind the chair in the living room. I am not sure what they are doing, but it looks as though Luke feels "caught".

Another view....

For those wondering where we keep it......