Sweet Babes

These are my "three babies". KK is a wonderful big sister and loves to hold her baby brother. They are so sweet--especially when they are asleep. Peter loves to snuggle William. He usually lays down right by him and kisses his face--this time he held still long enough to fall asleep. I love this little moment!

Kids Quotes

With Grandma and Grandpa at Netherland Inn

Conversation in the car yesterday with the kids:

Dad: Do you guys know what hormones are?

Parker: Yea, aren't those in the newspaper?

Pause...

Dad: No, those are horoscopes.
At this point, everyone started laughing hard.

BTW, we were talking about what a woman deals with after she has a baby. We have lots of open conversations with our kids.

My Mom

I love this picture of my Mom and Dad. They both look happy. I took it a few years back when we were home for the summer. We were all out by the pond—canoeing, swimming, riding 4-wheelers and relaxing. My Mom loves to drive around the place on a 4-wheeler. For years, my kids called her “The 4-wheeler Grandma”. I don’t know many Grandmas with that title. She’s a wonderful Mom and Grandma. She is a Mom to seven children—4 boys and 3 girls. We have learned how to have fun, work, and function in life thanks to her.

One memory I have is when I was 8 years old she took me to horse 4-H camp. I was not officially old enough to go, but because she went I got to go too, that was a BIG deal for me—I’m sure her memories of that camp were not very good, but for me it was GREAT. I was the little kid who felt big. She would ride horses with us—I don’t know if she even liked it. I guess that is what Moms do sometimes.

It seems like she was always dressing us up and taking pictures for a little play or a book she was writing. I enjoyed her little projects. I learned to sew by watching her and then she’d let me loose with her fabric and supplies. I’m sure she had to re-thread the machine countless times and would help me out when I got the machine jammed. We had a little job chart with envelopes where she put little index cards with our jobs that we had to do. I loved to finish a job and then turn the card around to show it was complete. We also had AMAZING Halloween parties. Each would have a “theme” and she would go ALL out. We had a good life.

I remember, like it was yesterday when my Young Women leaders would talk about how fast time goes and that we would all be married and have kids of our own “before we knew it!” That always bugged me—not that I didn’t want that in the future, but at the time, it was the last thing on my mind. As much as I hate to admit it, they were right.

About a month ago I was doing a health assessment at Eastman and the man was asking about my general health and when he asked me how old I was I started to laugh—the only thing that came to my mind was “23” and I knew I had to be older than that. I could remember the year I was born and so with some quick math I was able to give an accurate answer. I’m sure the man thought I was a little strange.

The other day I was out in the garage and as I walked by the van I was totally overwhelmed (in a good way) by my circumstances. I am married, have 7 children, live in a nice big house, drive a 12-passenger van, and I am the Bishop’s wife (a title I cringe at—because of the stereotype that goes with it-- that I feel I do not fit). I wondered how all of this happened so fast and almost felt like I was an outsider looking in. The past 20 years has flown by. It’s crazy though for me to realize that I’m no longer a newly-wed or a young mother with 2 kids. I have a WHOLE family.

I’m a Mom to 7 kids—4 boys and 3 girls—just like my Mom! I have the same little job chart with the envelopes, just the other day I was re-threading the sewing machine for Grace, and we have a closet full of dress-up clothes. I just hope that I am creating a home like the one that I grew up in. I guess that as time goes on I realize that I am becoming just like my Mom. And I don’t mind it a bit!
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you!

William Henry DeBry

He finally made it! Born March 26, 2009 in Kingsport, TN.

6 lbs. 12 oz.

21 inches

Name after my grandfather (Alonzo William Leckie) and Marilyn's grandfather (Henry Pieper).

See more pics at http://www.msha.com/webnursery
Passcode: DEBR4430--6514

Superman

The other night the ladies (Eliza and I) headed to Enrichment Meeting and David took care of things at home. He had 12 children (he was watching some extras so that Moms could attend Enrichment) to take care of, the missionaries to feed, and on top of that he managed to give two of the boys haircuts. Good thing he got the right heads. The only near catastrophe was a "missing" child just as I was headed out the door. Thank goodness she had not gone far! We found Katherine sitting in her highchair, just where we had put her, happily eating her dinner!!

David is such a great Dad and husband . He takes care of us so well. We sure love him. Thanks for being our SUPERMAN!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Yesterday I went to the doctor and I am going to be induced a week early, due to risks associated with my “advanced maternal age”. Everything is fine—I’m just old and worn out. I feel way better today (at least mentally) knowing that there is “light at the end of the tunnel”! We will have our little baby boy on March 26th—and we are all SUPER excited. I took the boys shopping to pick him out an outfit to come home in—I figured that he deserved to have at least one new thing!! Parker and Michael were oohing and aahing over all the little baby clothes, shoes, hats, etc. It was SO funny and cute—I’d never have expected that. They picked out a cute little outfit and we are all set!

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

This is one of those cravings that I give into often—really any type of dessert. This is a definite WINNER! It is from the Lion House Cookbook:

Oatmeal Fudge Bars
1 cup margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup margarine
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopping walnuts (optional)

Grease 9x 13 baking pan (I used a slightly bigger pan and they turned out great); set aside. In large mixer bowl, cream margarine and brown sugar; add eggs and vanilla. In small bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture. Mix in oats. In heavy saucepan mix sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and margarine; heat just until melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Spread two-thirds of the dough into prepared baking pan. Spread with chocolate mixture. Drop remaining one-third of dough on top by spoonfuls. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, then cut into bars. Makes 36. Share with family and then create your own private stash that will get you through the next few days!

These remind me of “Fudge Jumbles”—a boxed brownie mix that I remember my Mom made often when we were younger.