The Great FB Migration: May 2012

From cousin Christy Royse
mom's comment back: Ironic, isn't it, that as I as I am seeing this picture for the first time 4 pirates searching for Long John Silver's treasure dashed passed me followed by a bandit from the wild west complete with face kerchief & brandishing laser gun. The bandit was Abigail, but shhh-she's in disguise.

May 1 ~ Filling out Staff Applications at Camp Manatawny for a pile o' Rutherfords. Between this and Camper Registrations, my hand may just fall off.

May 2 ~ Dearest Niner, My sciatic nerve is not a recliner. Please remove yourself from its vicinity.  Your mother

May 3 ~ Semi-reclining in the couch trying to ignore the pain in my backside and the steady deterioration of my surroundings.

May 8 ~ 

To our mysterious benefactor: you ROCK!! I am sitting here in awe!

May 8 ~ Keats (6): "That is just disturbing on so many levels."

May 9 ~

Just dad's guess at the inner workings of her little mind . . .
~comments~
Mimi: How about "I should have known the mustache wouldn't be enough. I should have worn the dark glasses. sigh"
Shelby: Who's that Peeta guy?! What?! 

May 10 ~ The saddest day is when you wake up early and immediately grab your book, carrying it with you everywhere in order to read snatches throughout the day and then collapse into bed that night NEVER having opened the book at all.

May 11 ~  Rutherford Brannon Sleepover Madness.  Stats for the weekend: 160 pizza rolls, 60 hotdogs, 220 chicken nuggets, 4 bags of potato chips, 2 bottles of ketchup, 16 pounds of strawberries, 8 pounds bananas, 4 pounds of apples, 4 boxes of cereal.

Why yes, that is a tent in our living room.
Why? How do you entertain 11 children overnight?

Sure, they're gonna sleep.

And here is what you feed 11 children.

Bedtime movie viewing, Rutherford Brannon Sleepover Style

May 12 ~ 

it's been too long since I was with all of these lovely ladies...
Really, it shouldn't be years before the next get together.

May 15 ~ Several Rutherford boys: "Mom, can we take our pants off now?" (They are wanting a jammie day, but I had a brief officer meeting this morning and asked them to please put pants on.)

May 18 ~ 

Our Dylan Grace

The apple Scott found in his lunch at work.
Life with kids is full of surprises.

May 21 ~ Today's weird "we homeschool" lesson: Bacon comes from the pig stomach. On average, each stomach yields 6 lbs of bacon. Our family eats one pig stomach per week. They will remember this their whole life.

May 22 ~ Zero energy today, even after 3 mugs of coffee. I'm thinking popcorn lunch,Drive Thru History/Planet Earth watching afternoon, spoonfuls of peanut butter w/ apple slices dinner, and early bedtimes with "privileged extra listening time."

May 23 ~ NAPLATE — Zelda M. "Tootie" Dubach, 89, of Naplate, passed away Monday, May 21, at Ottawa Pavilion.

Funeral services for Zelda will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 23, at Ottawa Funeral Home with Fr. Mark Geisler of the Episcopal Church officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. prior to services Wednesday at Ottawa Funeral Home. Burial will be at a later date at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery.

Zelda was born Oct. 30, 1922, in Dayton, to Frank and Alice (McKinley) Davis. She married John Dubach on June 26, 1941, at St. Mary's Church in Naplate. He passed away Jan. 29, 1996.

She had been a nurses' aide at La Salle County Nursing Home and was a cook at Hank's Farm, retiring when she was 80.

She is survived by one daughter, Zelda (Edward) Allen of Ottawa; two sons, Robert (Judy) Dubach of Georgia and John (Debbie) Dubach of Pennsylvania; nine grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Dorothy "Honey" Cusick of Ottawa, Bertha "Babe" Garland of South Carolina and Norma Hughes of Pennsylvania; a special nephew, Andrew "Skeeter" Dubach; and many other nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by three sisters, Dolly, Helen and Rosemary, and four brothers, Bud, Herbert, Frank and Joe.

May 26 ~ Pool opening weekend!

Walking the Exeter River Trail, knowing we'll get to cool down in the pool!

Pink cheeked and nestled inside the inner-tubes, this pic became a family favorite.

A post-swim Abigail getting nice and clean.

May 29 ~  Loving summer activities. Not loving my first-ever-can't-really-bend-at-the-waist-pregnancy. My poor toes are aching for their summer colors!!

~comments~

Aunt Miranda: How many daughters do you have that could help with colors?

Mom: Um, I'll answer your question with a question: how many daughters do I have that would be as careful as I would be?!?! 

Tara Maniaci Luek: Poor mom! When are you due again? Have the girls paint them once a week but right before you pop, go splurge on a fantastic pedicure for yourself. That way your toes are colorful (and if you can't see them....just imagine they look wonderful) and you can save money and not feel bad about going all out for the birth. You deserve it and it will make your kids feel good to do something nice for you. Heck...you should have a competition between the boys and girls to see who does a better job!! Maybe they will really try hard to beat the others. Lol.

Jenna Weis: I definitely had my last contortion today of doing my own toes...I'm pretty sure whoever wins your contest will need to be visiting my house next

May 30 ~ Abigail singing her ABCs: ". . . H, I, J, K, Elmo-Elmo Pees, Q, R, . . ."

The Great FB Migration: April 2012

April 2 ~ Adoring having a home large enough to comfortably have 18 people for dinner last night and looking forward to repeating it tonight!

April 3 ~ 

An almost half-baked baby  Niner!

April 4 ~ I'm a West Coast Auntie!!!!!!!!!!!! 30+ hours of labor before receiving an epidural this morning in order to begin Pitocin for non-progressing labor. Dylan Grace arrived at 2:00 PST and weighed in at 6 lbs 7 oz.

April 4 ~ 

Oh yes, my friends---bring on the summer. — 

April 4 ~ New one for my list of things-I-never-thought-I'd-say-but-now-readily-accept-in-our-house-full-of-boys: Tonight at dinner, "Please don't moon your brother at the table. That's bad manners."

April 5 ~ Abigail: I've decided that Elyas must be a good clotter. He has great scabs!

April 5 ~ Tonight's table etiquette for boys:

We do not give ourselves wedgies at the table. That is bad manners. 

It is not appropriate to compare six-packs during dinner. Please put your shirts down and eat your food.

April 6 ~ Tonight's installment of Meal Time Etiquette for Boys:

We do not hold our hotdog dangling from our mouth when asked to pass the mustard. That's bad manners. We set it down on our plate, wipe our hands, and then pass the mustard. 

We also do not shred our boiled egg yolk with our fingers in hopes of scattering it to make it look like we actually ate it. It's disgusting.

April 7 ~ 

Home Depot Workshop Paint Fest

April 7 ~ Welcome to tonight's installment of Table Etiquette for Boys:

It does not help the cause when you grab the tongs and clack them together repeatedly while looking at your children through them and repeatedly saying, "I'm crushing you heads, I'm crushing your heads" in a French accent. 

Bad form, Mr. Rutherford. (But oh so funny.)

April 8 ~ Today's installment of Table Etiquette with Boys:

When we visit someone else's home for Easter dinner, it is bad manners to intentionally allow the wind to blow your plate away to see whose deviled eggs will go the furthest.

April 8 ~ Easter pics

Lunch with our JaneO

Elyas, Benjamin, Jane, & Abigail

Easter Girls

April 9 ~ Father & Sons Reading Phillies Game

Great seats!

Tucker's version of dinner.

I'm squishing the player, I'm squishing the player.

April 10 ~  Swim lessons

The twins after completing their first no-doggie-paddle 50 meter swim.

She may look nervous, but Abigail was just anxious for the other swim to clear the water.

Tucker, who was bumped up two levels this session, working on his butterfly from the start position.

April 10 ~ Tonight's installment of Table Etiquette for Boys:

We do not discuss or compare the sound, intensity, color, or size of bathroom associated business at the table. Or preferably, ever.

April 11 ~ Elyas: "If a lion tries to bite me, I will say 'No Sir! That's bad manners!' and he will listen to me because he wants to obey."

April 11 ~ Moving Madness Countdown. 

Any boxes still unpacked or paintings, pictures, & posters unhung as of Tuesday, April 17 at 8:00am will be donated. 

The Queen has spoken.

April 11 ~ Tonight's installment of Table Etiquette for ALL Rutherfords:

Rapping, head bopping, fist pumping, and hip-gyrating at the table is bad manners. And it makes me, your Mozart-loving mother, nauseous. Knock it off.

April 12 ~ No Table Etiquette for Boys installment this evening. Father was home for dinner and general merriment trumped training. There's always tomorrow!!

April 16 ~ All boxes unpacked and dropped at the recycling center. Grilled burgers then on to hanging!!!

Later that day . . . Moving almost complete. One room's worth of art still to be hung. Sighing a job well done sigh. All the children are snug in their beds, safe and sound.

April 17 ~ Swim class, intentionally light school load, Wii Fit to get us laughing, and then The Adventures of Tin Tin with a popcorn dinner. The Rutherford version of a day off.

April 18 ~ Serious argument from the back of the van this morning: "Ew! Keep your boogers to yourself!!"

Later that day . . . Total homeschool weirdie family. I was given a heroes welcome when I returned home from an emergency Staples run with new pencils, erasers, & lead for the mechanical pencils.  And they were genuinely, seriously excited.

April 20 ~ And it's a boy!! Again. Cooper Finnick Edson is scheduled to join the Rutherford Family Sept. 17.

April 21 ~ Some family humor

From Scott to Tacy: "So, it turns out your neurosis is experienced by other families.
I am not alone!!!"

From Aunt Miranda to mom: LOL!

From Scott to Tacy: "Totally relate."

April 25 ~ I am so enjoying getting back into a comfortable rhythm with the fam. The move was absolutely worth it, but I'm glad we aren't doing it again anytime soon!!! 

Later that day . . . Another rug cleaned!!! It's not that I'm obsessive, I just prefer to know I can sit anywhere I choose without having to think about it first. So if you find me curled up under the dining room table, it's just because I can. Not because I'm hiding from the kids.

April 26 ~ From Shelby to Dad & Mom:

Has been sucked into all of the Twilight nonsense. I am already on the third book. Personally that smug look I see on my parents face when I say I like it is starting to get on my nerves. But I am one who doesn't like it when her parents are right and she is wrong. Thanks anyway mom and dad. Sorry I said you had problems.

April 28 ~  Decision made to return to the two-car family lifestyle? Check. New to us car purchased yesterday? Check.  Opportunity to finally drive it this morning? Check.  The dawning awareness that I adore my queenly perch in my big van which allows me to look down upon the peon cars surrounding me? Check.

Later that day . . .  Heading home from the symphony with a bag of snacks from the grocery store and blistered feet from walking the city in heels. I feel so grown up right now.

The Great FB Migration: March 2012

March 1 ~ Another day, another house showing. Prayers today, please!

March 1 ~ We put in an application on the house: right size, right location, right price, GREAT landlord. Please pray that this is the house meant just for us. We should have an answer with a day or two.

March 2 ~ After three attempts to put Abigail back in bed last night, I gave up and let her stay. I ended up building a pillow blockade to keep her wiggly highness away from me. I have never seen a kid so fidgety!

How Shelby must be feeling these days . . .

March 2 ~ Still no news on the house: pray, pray, pray!!!

March 3 ~ We have a house! God is so good!!

Elyas while we pack around him.

March 5 ~ 

Baby Niner!

March 6 ~ True Story from 5:45 am --

"Mommy, can I have a bowl of grapes and pizza while playing the iPad?"
"Elyas, who let you out of your cozy tent?"
"I'm not supposed to tell you. I'm just here for grapes and pizza. And the iPad."

~comments~

Heather Martin: Nice thing about big families: there's always another kid to blame stuff on. PS. In your copious *spare* time, PLEASE write a book! I promise you: BEST SELLER! 

mom: And the culprit is . . . TUCKER!!!!

Debbie Cali: Hahahahahaaa! Cracking up here! Thanks for the laugh.

Clay Carr: his is a wonderful story. Remember to tell it to their children when they come to visit Grandma and PAW PAW. It will really be funny then.

March 6 ~ I just handed Elyas some tights which were still damp from being balled up through the wash and asked him to please set them in the dryer. Little Brain Boy took the tights, placed them into the dryer, closed the door, and proceeded to turn it on!!

New Elyas trick? Diaper mooning.

I just heard from our new landlord and the new carpet is being installed Friday! NEW CARPET! No, it's not the hardwood we'll have when we buy, but it's also not the original carpet from 1970 that we had here!!! The blessings just keep coming!!!!

March 7 ~ What exactly is the purpose of having the gas pump auto shut off at $75 when I have another $48.35 worth of gas to put in? If the goal is to emphasize that the price of gas is so high i have to swipe my debit twice, mission accomplished.

Elyas made it only 5 minutes into the movie.
Poor sleepy head.

March 8 ~ Enjoyed a delightful morning with our Isabelle. She now has plenty of shoes, clothes for her piano festival, and can finally say she's eaten at Red Robin!

Summed up beautifully.

March 9 ~ Rough night in Castle Rutherford. The boys multiple post 11pm nights have finally caught up with all of us. Mean mom made quite the appearance and now everyone is in bed: the Littles because that's where they need to be and the OARs because they want the extra quiet & rest. I'm going to bed to read.

March 8: Isabelle reading to Elyas

March 10 ~ Good morning!! Rutherford boys slept ALL NIGHT from 7:25 until just moments ago. And they each greeted me with a smile and a cheerful hello. Mean Mom should have a super cape.

Home

March 17 ~ Moving madness!!! We're 72 hours into all the craziness . . .

Isabelle & Tucker after performing at the RMTA 2012 Honor's Recital

Elyas at the recital

Abigail attempting to eat her yogurt pop at the table, just as she's been taught.

Elyas just can't keep up.

What 3 days worth of unattended clean laundry becomes.

After we tamed the mountain.

March 20 ~ Some family snaps.

March 21 ~ Elyas new favorite song: The Main Title Theme from Jaws. Weirdie.

March 23 ~ Elyas just came in and announced: "I'm hungry for cow."

March 27 ~ I'm tired of moving. And cleaning. And shuffling. And remembering where new places for things are. Whine over. Go back to your regularly scheduled cheerful posts.

There is nothing quite like laying quietly in bed and feeling the little flutter kicks from within.

March 29 ~ Day 4 of Rutherford Boot Camp. Manners and personal responsibility on the uptick!!

March 31 ~ Rutherford Boot Camp Update: 4 OARs cheerfully working on a make-up school day, Littles playing contentedly, no arguments, no TV automatically turned on, kind words abounding. 

Looking forward to week two!!

The Great FB Migration, February 2012

Feb. 1 ~  Nothing confirms tired like scrubbing your face & then reaching for your toner but grabbing the mouthwash instead, yet not realizing it until you're almost finished swiping your face while trying to figure out why everything is smells so minty. Do over.

Feb. 3 ~ Self: "Hey gang -- why don't we put on Phineas and Ferb?"

Gang: "Nah. We'd rather play quiet games together. Thanks mom."

Weird, yet nice.

Feb. 6 ~ 120 minute round trip drive for a 60 minute visit?? Absolutely worth it. Love those Brannons!!

Feb. 7 ~ 

My sons. Sigh.
(No worries, it's just clay)

Nikki Vilano ~ Do I DARE ask what this is....

Traci Morkassel ~ ????

Holly Conrad ~ Sometimes it stinks, literally, being a boy mom!

Linda Wood ~ Well, it's not those chocolate kisses you get for Valentine's Day!

Brooke Leah ~ OMG..... Please tell me that is dog or cat poop?? PLEASE!!!!

mom ~ It's clay. The deal was I could take the picture as long as I didn't disclose their gross, disgusting, & bizarre sense of humor until later. See, your reactions PROVE my reaction was normal!!

Christine Bassinger ~ I am so thankful you posted what it really is! I got on FB at midnight just to find out! I'm not kidding!

Linda Wood ~ Some little kids think out of the box...Smart!

Cindi Herzig ~  That is SUCH boy thing!!! And killing them just isn't allowed!

Feb. 7 ~ 

My favorite Good Morning.

Feb. 9 ~ You know what I would love to see happen? I would really like to stop seeing social programs with the word "FREE" in front of them. Instead, I would prefer to see something to the effect of: "Provided free of charge to you by someone else's generosity." There is no FREE.

Feb. 12 ~ Discovered another big family joy: a full on bounce the ball on a parachute game and we only had our family around to do it! Lots of laughing over here!

Feb. 12 ~ 

So THIS is what happens when a down pillow explodes in the dryer.
Cross that off my list of questions.

Feb. 14 ~ Our kids came across "Fellowship of the Ring" on tv and started watching. After a few minutes, the confusion set in. 

kids: "Where'd that scene go? They cut too early! What's going on??"

self: "Guys, remember we watch the extended because it's closer to the book."

kids: "This is a waste of tv time! Somebody get the DVD out!"

My little movie nerds. I'm so proud.

Feb. 17 ~ So, errands at Giant didn't go the way I envisioned at all. Two steps in the door and the garlic smell hit, causing almost instantaneous vomiting. It was like Middle School all over again.

Feb. 17 ~ So, we've packed about 30 boxes so far. Of books.

Feb. 20 ~ Introducing the olders to Jason Bourne tonight. Having older kids rocks!!!!

Feb. 20 ~ I think I finally found something that will stay down!!!!! Yippee for ice cream!!!

Feb. 21 ~ Eating my ice cream breakfast surrounded by jealous children. Mwahahaha!!!!

Feb. 21 ~ So after promising myself no more soccer again EVER, I think we're signing Tucker -- and ONLY Tucker -- up for the fall.

Feb. 22 ~ As we're driving, Elyas looks out the window and says, "Look at the sun! It's shining just for me because God made me so special."

Tucker's contented sigh from back seats; "It is so lovely to not have a booster seat. Getting big is just wonderful."

Three Cheers for Roadside Assist!

How to keep 5 boys entertained while awaiting the tow truck.

Meanwhile, Abigail was cousining with Sadie.

Feb. 22 ~ Tire patched, filled, and road ready!!! I love modern stuff.  Upon arriving home, Elyas announced: "That adventure was great!!" Be like little children indeed!

Feb. 24 ~ We find Elyas's feet peeping out from behind the door curtain. Keats walks over and says: "Whatcha' doin'?"

Elyas: "I need to hide. I'm pooping and it's really gross and I don't want to smell the air bad. Come back in a minute and I'll be finished. Then you can deal with my fanny."

Okay, okay. Even I am forced to admit the kid is ready to be potty trained.

Feb. 27 ~ As I match yet another daily batch of socks, I have one thought running through my head: I miss flip flops.

Feb. 28 ~ From Aime Langdon: Ok I think I missed the official announcement! Congratulations and I am sorry you are so sick. I know you have a houseful of amazing children to help you out through the first few months!

~comments~

mom ~ That I do. They are very cheerfully living on cereal, sandwiches, hand outs from people who feel sorry for us, and take out. Budget for this month is shot and I should probably care about that more. But, I really don't.

Aime~  Yeah for cereal, take out and people who feel sorry for us! 

mom ~ Yes -- especially for these who show their pity by bringing lovely, hot meals to my poor family!

Feb. 29 ~ Our massive running day with piano lessons, recycling drop off, weekly Goodwill donation, banking, Isabelle to babysitting, and misc. little stops in between. Countdown: 1 hour, 15 minutes. 

Perhaps, just perhaps, I should get out of bed.

Feb. 29 ~ The nicest young man came out to the van to helped unload our donation. I got into the car just in time to hear Abigail exclaim: "That dude has earrings on!" before dissolving into giggles.

Feb. 29 ~ My heart be stilled!! My darling oldest just came into the van excited about a Shakespeare quote from "As You Like It. " Life just got even better. Contented sigh.