Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!! Hello 2009!!
They say that the one you bring in the the year with is the one you will spend the year with... I plan on spending every year, every year after, forever and ever with him!!!
I love you Eric!!

Tina's Dog and the WhoMan Bone

My Blog friend, Tina has 2 large dogs named T-Bone and Pork Chop. For Christmas they received Very large chew bones. I was looking at her blog today and got up to see whose hair had just been cut and was now laying on the floor (it was Landon's). When all of a sudden, Landon and Ella started screaming and crying, saying something about a big black dog and a who-man arm...Come to find I had left Tina's blog on the picture of her dog with the big bone in his mouth! Ha ha They thought it was a human arm! It took me a few minutes to calm them down and convince them that the bone was NOT a Human arm bone!! Ella said through tears, "I know it is a who-man arm. I can see these (as she points at her own fingers). I realize this shouldn't be this funny and I should be ashamed of myself, cracking up at my poor babies expense, but I still get giggle every time I think of them freaking out over this very innocent picture of a Dog and his Chew Bone!!!

Update: As I read this to Eric. Ella screams from the other side of the room "IT IS A WHOMAN ARM!!" We giggled. She got mad and started saying "I know it is a WHOMAN Arm, I can see the Sangers!!" (her way of saying Fingers). Now, she is just singing over and over..."WhoMan Arm, WhoMan Arm!" She is silly!!!

I'm BACK!!!!!!

Whew~!! Christmas is OVER!! I have to admit I am relieved!! I am so so Thankful for ALL the Christmas Orders I received, but I am very tired from 2 1/2 months of painting. The bad thing about this time of year is that I am always TOO busy for my little ones. It is shameful, but at least I don't have to work out of the home and this is the only time of the year they don't have my undivided attention!!!! This season I had to juggle...Taking Orders, Painting Orders, Getting Sick, Thanksgiving, Painting Orders, Ella's Birthday, Hannah's Birthday, Painting Orders, Jus' Birthday, Painting Orders, One Rotten Apple Customer (yes, just one), Christmas, not to mention teaching 2 Art Classes every Thursday at Co-Op AND 2 Volleyball Practices a week, 1 Game a week and a Tournament in what I call an Ice Storm. One thing I learned this season is to be prepared for next and to have the word "NO" on the tip of my tongue!!

I haven't been able to give my attention to family and festivities for the past 3 Christmases. In 2005 I managed to throw a little something together in the way of decorations, Landon was 2, Ella was 1, they didn't know the difference and Hannah was so understanding. By 2006, By LoRi Designs had (even though I had expected the hoopla to last only the first Christmas) grown ridiculously and I was by no means prepared for what God had in store for us, therefore I never managed to find even a moment to put up a tree or get any gifts, luckily Landon and Ella were still too little to care and as always Hannah was so supportive. Christmas 2007, I vowed to not to get too busy and well God had other plans that was my biggest year yet. I did get up a tree and lights, but that may have been about it. I was nos able to get by this year, Landon is 5 1/2 and KNOWS that Christmas means snow and a Christmas Tree, so after our First Snow, he let me know that "It had snowed and that means Christmas was here and now you HAVE to help me fix a tree!!!" He reminded me day and night for several weeks. So about a week before Christmas, late one night Landon got his tree!!!! Even though I was rushed and felt I was wasting valuable painting time, I am so glad he was persistent (I guess he is like his Daddy that way...Eric asked me out from January til Sept. of one year until I finally said yes to "ONE FRIENDLY DATE"!!! And here we are married with oodles of babies!! Well that is another story for another day!!!

SILLY Faces

Ok, I think I may be on a roll! 3 days in a row of posting has never happened! Is this a sign that (after 6 months adjusting to 5 kids instead of 3 and all the court battles behind us) I may be getting the hang of all this!?!?! I sure hope so. God is SO Good and gives us exactly what we need exactly when we need it!! Praise you LORD!

Here are a few pictures of the kiddos, after trying and trying to get Hannah, Landon & Ella to all smile at the same time, with no silly faces finally I just said, "Make funny faces!!!". They loved that! And what do ya know it only took one exposure! Hmmm! Maybe this will be my new form of photography!! Hee Hee!

Hello!

Well, I haven't had time to post lately. Life with 5 children is MUCH different then 3. I think we are finally starting to get the hang of it and some sort of sense is starting to emerge. Praise the Lord!
Hannah is playing Volleyball and has been practicing for her Co-Op Drama. She is completely lovin' being home schooled. I have to admit I love it too! Landon and Ella really enjoy her being with them, they are crazy about her.

As far as By LORI Designs goes...I am slowing getting the hang of doing EVERYTHING! The business has had to take a backseat, as babies, homeschooling, etc have to come first. I am enjoying my once a month stamp club at Victory Christian Fellowship.

Love & Blessings, LORI