testing 1,2,3.

I've literally been dying to post pictures and blog about our summer vacation, but my (once again) non-functioning laptop has prevented me from doing so.  it only needs a new battery, a new mouse pad, and a new charger, so I'm really not sure what's holding me back from getting it fixed. 

oh.  that's right.  I just spent our life savings outfitting eight kids for the new school year.  ie; purchasing tennis shoes, a few articles of clothing, school supplies, backpacks, and forking over money for miscellaneous student fees and field trips, to name a few.  before that I was paying off the dentist for eleven fillings, one tooth extraction, and a set of sealants. next will be Christmas, and who knows what else might pop up in the meantime.  more stitches, perhaps?  Sawyer is on a roll, having received two sets of stitches in just two weeks.  OY!  holy smokes, kids are expen$ive. in fact, I recently read somewhere that it costs roughly $250,000 to raise ONE child from birth to 18 years of age.  times that by eleven and yikes!  my calculator just  blinked an error code, shorted out, and died.  but not before it told me I could've made a hundred trips to Hawaii for that price! 

maybe I need to consider a new career in panhandling.  rumor has it, those folks make millions!  or not.

I don't know.  hopefully I can look back someday and honestly say the cost of raising ten plus kids was worth it!  because as of right now, I have my doubts.  seems like every time I turn around it's something else-- yet another unforeseen expense.  wow.  all this to say that's why I haven't blogged.  sorry!

anyway.  back to the topic at hand.  being my computer is out of commission, I suppose you're wondering how I'm blogging then?  well, about six months ago, I downloaded the blogger app onto my iPhone and I'm just now getting around to testing it out.  why rush into things, right?  and except for the cramp in my pointer finger from pecking at the minuscule keyboard, it seems to be working okay.  hooray for that!  

below are a few snapshots from Yellowstone taken on my phone.  with only two days to explore the gazillion acre park, we barely made a dent in it.  I'd love to go back again someday when we have more time to sightsee.  and also, without toddlers or babies.  I lost track of how many heart attacks Finley caused all those poor, unsuspecting folks as he raced along the boardwalks.  that kid is a serious adrenaline junkie!

(hopefully the resolution looks okay, as it's tough to tell on my tiny phone screen.)

I have so many more pictures to share!  guess those will have to wait until next time!  whenever that is.

-jessica

summer happenings.

just a quick update to let you know that we're indeed alive and well and have been enjoying our summer vacation thus far.  my only complaint is that I can't seem to keep food in the fridge (or cupboards, etc) no matter how hard I try.  so, DUH.  I should just buy more food then, right?  OH NO.  because the more food I buy, the more the kids eat.  hence, the fridge remains empty and all that's left to show for it is an increase in the weekly food bill.  basically, it's a lose lose situation.  in the meantime, until I can think of a solution to remedy the situation (put locks on everything?), I have taped a note to the fridge that reads: manager is on strike.  today's choices are molasses or mustard, take it or leave it.  wait.  I lied.  there's ranch and ketchup, too.  because we're classy like that.

anyway, below are a few, okay more than a few, pictures highlighting our summer happenings.  like most summers, it's been a mix of busy and fun as we try to fit in as many activities as we can during the short two and a half month vacation.  it's hard to believe the kids go back to school August 12th already!  yay!  I mean, bummer!  heh.

*side note: I had high hopes of putting the pictures in order from oldest to most recent, but after the third failed attempt I was like, screw it.  it's a challenging enough task to get the photos lined up in these  silly square boxes than to worry about whether or not they're in the right order on top of it.  to make it slightly less confusing for you, I have numbered each picture from left to right and added a corresponding, sometimes corny, caption.

enjoy.                    

1. Scarlett struts her stuff in Sedona.  

2. Phoebe and Chloe share a tender moment at Fossil Creek.  

3. breakfast in bed with a side of sunshine. I believe this was taken on Mother's Day, pretty much the one day out of the year that I'm spoiled.  wait, who am I kidding?  I'm spoiled every day of the year.    

4. Finley is found guilty.  guilty of being too cute.  

5. mornings are always better when they start out with a chokehold, am I right?  

6. happy mess.  until it was time to clean up.        

7.  creamsicles, for the win!  their treat for being good at the store, or my treat for surviving grocery shopping with three hooligans, however you want to look at it.  

8. a cruise around the block on my aunt's bike. she doesn't know this yet, but I get first dibs on it when she's through with it.  

9. lunchtime: the 'lil sis spinning on the table while big bro looks on without pants' edition.  always good for a few laughs.  

10. after being called a girl on three different occasions, Finley's curls must go.  a sad day for all, indeed.  but mostly his momma.  cue the WAH WAAAH.  

11. diner vibes.  

12. *SMOOCH*  Rowan ran away shortly thereafter.  girl germs! 

enjoying donuts and dapples of light at the park.  and shame on the person who left their car keys on the ground.  how irresponsible!  

13. quote by Scarlett, age 3: "everyone makes me mad!"  I take it she's not always getting her way.  life sure is rough when you're three.

14. another beautiful day in Sedona, AZ.

15. a perfect way to beat the heat!

16. bliss.

17. uh oh!  looks like someone learned how to jailbreak!  so long, quiet afternoons.

18. my mini model.

19. little people, big world.

20. yakity-yak, don't do crack.

21. she's too much!

22. today's forecast: sunshine with a side of water fights.

23. here's to hoping this black thumb can at least keep cacti alive.

24. Chloe receives a red balloon for finishing in the top 10% of the entire eighth grade class.  congratulations, miss smarty pants!

  

25. my cute, little photography assistant.  she makes sure I never miss a photographic opportunity.  "take a picture of that, mommy!  and that.  oh, and THAT!"  okay, missy!

26. evenings on the golf course are nothing less than gorgeous.

27. sunset twirls, part one.

28. milk and cookies picnic.

29. baking assistant for hire.  he rarely makes a mess or gets into trouble or anything.    

30. gooood morning!  see?  he's so sweet!  how could you not want to take him home with you?  

31. me, Tarzan.

32. kids were here.

33. sunset twirls, part two.

34. last light.

35. boys, boys, and more boys.  'twas a fun-filled day in Sedona with friends.

36. have you rolled down a hill today?  I'm telling you, the best type of stress therapy is free.

can never get enough of this place.

or this place.  here, Myra glides along in the crystal clear, aquamarine waters of Fossil Creek.  ahhh, refreshing!

37. who stole my baby and replaced him with this big boy?

38. I rearranged the girls' room and suddenly it's fun to play in there again!

39. testing out the underwater housing for my phone for the first time.  it was simultaneously nerve wracking and... fun?  

40. still waters run deep.

41. you, Jane.

42. oh, you know, just hunting elephants.  er, I mean, filling the fridge.  although hunting elephants sounds easier... and funner.

43. oh, hello, 20 week baby bump!  we are beyond excited and can't wait to meet the newest Kesti addition sometime early November!  I'm feeling great now, although I can't say the same was true for the first 14 weeks.  no lie, at times it felt more like I was dying than creating a life.  phew, so glad that's over with.

44. happy place.

45. giggling girls.

46. "you've got to dance like there's nobody watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like there's nobody listening, and live like it's heaven on earth." William W. Purkey

47. fresh air and sunshine.  just what the doctor ordered.

48. we drove out to Lake Mary to watch the sunset.  only it was obscured by clouds.  

  

thank you, fishermen, for being in the right place at the right time.

49. she didn't want to get her skirt wet while jumping the waves.  I can't blame her, I'd do the same thing.  except maybe I wouldn't lift my skirt so high...  

50. Ella is currently going through a cartwheel phase.  she cartwheels everywhere; down the grocery store aisles, down the hallway, in the kitchen, at the park, down the sidewalk.  and every time she says, "watch me do a cartwheel, mom!"  and so I watch.  and smile, knowing this phase won't last forever and soon she'll be on to the next thing.

51. okay, Sawyer.  you win.  even though it appears you have outgrown it, technically it is still considered a "kiddie" pool.

52. after Scarlett took the scissors to her own bangs twice this past winter (once to the scalp!) they finally grew out enough so she could get her hair cut.  and just like that she looks all grown up.

53. sunset views.

54. I spy two wee sunset chasers.   

sisters forever, friends for always.

well, there you have it.  that pretty much wraps up the first half of our summer vacation.  as busy and fun-filled as it appeared, I lost track of how many, "I'm bored's," "I'm hungry's," and "there's nothing to do's" I heard.  sigh.  some things will never change.

in just a few short hours, we'll be heading out on another adventure in the form of a two and a half week camping trip.  we're renting a 26-foot RV travel trailer to pull behind our van.  supposedly it sleeps nine and has a full kitchen, as well as a full bath.  so maybe this would more appropriately be referred to as "glamping?"  like as in, glam camping.  we've never done something like this before, so we're anxious to try it out.  something tells me that I won't ever be tenting it again.  ha!

our first destination is Zion National Park where we'll be spending three nights.  after that, it's on to Yellowstone, Washington (for our church's annual summer services), and finally down the west coast, through Oregon and Northern California.  it should be a lot of  work... I mean FUN!

and now I better get back to the packing.  ugh, THE PACKING.

until next time!

-jessica

project 52 week 21 | laughter.

the best laughter is the kind where you're laughing so hard yet no noise is coming out, so instead, you sit there clapping like a retarded seal.  am I right?

and here's a little playground blooper video to kick start your long weekend with a chuckle, at the expense of my adorable children, of course.  don't forget to note Rowan's "oh crap" look as he witnesses his brother going overboard, and Finley's final, desperate attempt to save himself by clinging onto the neck of Scarlett's shirt, nearly taking her down with him as he does so.

HARDY HAR HAR!



(also, please don't worry.  Finley walked away unscathed.  he's a pretty tough cookie.)

hope this weekend brings you lots of good laughs!

-jessica

project 52 week 20 | mother.

getting the royal treatment on Mother's Day.

judging by the comments and groans from my kids-- "wow, mom!  you're like, reeeeeally heavy!  UGHHH!"-- it has been determined that either one, my kids are weaklings, or two, I need to lay off the donuts.

I'm almost 100% positive it's the latter.  did someone say dooooooonuts?! 

hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

this week I'm linking up to Marcy!  have a great weekend!    

-jessica

PS. yes, I know.  two kids are missing.  Sawyer was in Phoenix for the weekend and Finley refused to cooperate.  there's always a smart one in the bunch. 

project 52 week 18 | quiet place.

Bright Angel Campground, Grand Canyon, Arizona.  noise pollution: 0%

no motorized vehicles, no sprawling shopping centers, no restaurants, no bawling babies, no electronic devices, no buzz signaling the end of the wash/dry cycle, no ding you've got mail! or dong proclaiming yet another salesman at the door.  just the sound of the occasional breeze as it whispers through the vegetation and the rushing of the Colorado River as it flows by.

there may have been some occasional raucous laughter echoing off the canyon walls, too, as the six of us hee-hawed all weekend long.  but that's the kind of noise I like to hear.  ahhh.  sweet music to my ears.  if only I could park my rear end in that patch of sand and stay there forever, life would be great.

I suppose I would eventually miss the kids, though.  and the shopping.  and the out-to-eating.  and the sound of the UPS man pulling in the driveway.  and... and... and...

well, you best check out what Keilah has up her sleeve this week before I get myself into any more trouble!

have a great weekend!

-jessica

look who's free years-old!

well, ahem.  technically Scarlett turned three a week ago already, but who's keeping track?

I'm not.  are you?

yeah, I thought so.  I figured you had better things to do than keep track of my lackadaisical posting habits lately.  I mean, seriously.  if it wasn't for the weekly photography project I'm participating in, I probably wouldn't be blogging at all.

actually, that sounds kinda nice.  to not have this whole blogging thing constantly looming in the back of my mind, nagging at me like I nag at Gary to do chores around the house.  "Jessica, you really should write something to let people know what's up!"  or "Jessica, you really should get those pictures edited and posted from your Grand Canyon trip, it has been a month already, you know."  it's almost like I'm back in school and it's a beautiful Sunday afternoon and all my friends are heading to the park for a BBQ.  but darn it!  there's a quiz on Monday and I haven't even started studying for it.  what to do?  what to do?  in a moment of weakness, I decide to go out with my friends-- because a person deserves a break every now and then, right?-- but the whole time I'm feeling guilty that I should be studying and I couldn't truly relax and enjoy myself anyway.  oh, how I hated that feeling of homework always in the back of my mind.  there was nothing worse!

although, I wasn't responsible for ten kids back then.  hmmm.  maybe it wasn't so bad after all?

I don't know.  maybe the time has come for me to retire from blogging.  close up Room For Nine's doors and call it a day.  or do I just keep posting when I can, even if it's only once a week and just quit losing sleep over it?

so, now I'm assigning you guys homework.  what do you think I should do?  answers are due on Monday by 9 a.m. sharp, or else! 

so, anyway.  Scarlett is now, according to her, "free years-old."  free at last!

cuteness overload!

when I asked Scarlett what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday, she told me, "I want a butt cake!"  I was like, you want a what?  and then she ran to the cupboard and pulled out the bundt cake pan.  "this kind, mommy!"  butt, bundt, close enough, right?  LOL!  she's too much!  apparently, she's learned something from the zillions of questions she asks me while I'm baking.  we just have to work on the pronunciation a bit more.  hehe.

-jessica 

project 52 week 17 | red.

the beautiful weather this week made it hard for me to focus on getting anything done indoors.  and so, after listening to the sun beckon to me for a couple days to get outside and enjoy its warmth and sunshine-y goodness, I finally heeded its call on Wednesday and set out for a picnic in the woods.  forget about cleaning house, the mess will still be there when I get back!  and for the next umpteen years for that matter!

along the way, I made a quick stop at Target to pick up a few snacks.  the kids spied bubbles on an end cap and talked me into buying them.  sticky, liquid happiness in a bottle.  only Finn wasn't quite so sure about it.  or maybe he was just being camera shy.  

ahhh, so happy to finally welcome spring!  looking forward to more of this in the coming months!

to see more red, head on over to Maaret's little corner of cyberspace.

have a great weekend!

-jessica

PS. this photo begged for a more vintage-y edit.  a little out of the norm for me, but I kinda like it!

project 52 week 16 | drink up.

for this week's theme, drink up, I had visions of dolling up Ella and Phoebe and taking them to an old-fashioned soda fountain type place where they could be "the prettiest girls I ever saw drinking soda through a straw."  but alas, I was unable to fit it into my schedule (no surprise there.)  instead, I was trucking kids to the doctor for strep throat and pink eye and making sure there was dinner on the table before I headed off to work and well, if you're a busy mom like me, you pretty much know the drill-- you must first tend to everyone else's needs before your own.  no exceptions, period.  well, unless if you're on your deathbed, then you might be excused.

but this guy.  seriously.  THIS.GUY.  this week he learned that if you twist the handle of the spigot in the greenhouse, water magically pours out.   

and, as evidenced by his drenched shirt, he's been hanging out there ever since.

oh but it's not all bad.  I figure one, he stays hydrated (which is especially important in arid Arizona!) and two, I always know where to find him.

sounds like a win-win situation to me!

to see what Maaret's been drinking, go HERE!  most likely something energy-inducing.  seriously, that girl never seems to slow down!  oh yeah, that's right.  she's still young and single.

have a grand weekend!  oh, and speaking of "grand," I still need to sort through my pictures from our Grand Canyon trek so I can share them with you guys!  I'll see if I can fit it into my agenda next week.  do me a favor, though?  don't hold your breath.  I don't need anyone passing out on me because chances are, I'll be too busy to save you.  

-jessica

project 52 week 15 | reflection.

well, guys.  I apologize.  I didn't have a chance to take a picture this week, so I'm posting an oldie.

an oldie but goodie.  and perhaps one of my favorite photos of all time.

why?  well, because it's just plain classic-- kids doing what they do best.

if I hold a shell to my ear, I can still faintly hear them arguing.

gimme that!
no!  I had it first!
but I called it!
well, I'm older than you!
so?  you're a wimp!  hey, what are those strings hanging from your shirt?  oh, wait.  they're your arms!
oh yeah?  you know what I like about your face?  me neither.
why don't you do something different with your hair?  like, wash it.
your IQ is so low, you have to dig for it!
you're like school in the summertime!  no class.
I think you stepped on something smelly.  like, your feet!
I've seen a nose like yours before, but it looked better on the baboon.
just gimme the stinkin' boogieboard already! 

huh?  what?  oh, sorry.  I kinda got lost in my own thoughts for a moment-- you know, reflecting.  here, lemme put that shell back on the shelf.  

*clunk*

whew!  much better.

to see what Maaret has up her sleeve this week, go HERE!

-jessica

Finley the Cat.

I bet you didn't hear the news that we recently acquired a cat!  well, actually he's been around for a little over 18 months now, but only recently, like within the past couple of months, did he start to display any feline behavior; ie, lounging on the counter.  the good thing?  at least he doesn't shed.  

sigh.  why was I blessed with all the naughty kids?

-jessica

project 52 week 14 | at play.

nothing like an old-fashioned game of Hot Lava.  who remembers playing this as a kid?

me!  I do, I do!

some games just never die.

to continue your way around the circle, please visit Maaret's blog!

have a great weekend!  as you crawl into your comfy, warm beds tonight, think of me as I toss and turn on a thin bedroll in the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  oh, but the pain is worth it!   

-jessica

collect moments, not things.

"I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

sleepy hollow.

-jessica