Recently Random Camera Phone Pictures....

I have really been so busy since last month. The last post I did was the fire, and since then we have had Christmas, and New Years. It seems like we just can't get this crazy life under control. However, I have still been getting picture texts, and so I thought I would share the best of what I got this month.

This is from Amanda. It is a picture of Jonathon's AR lunch at school. He was allowed to invite 2 friends. So, he invited Ashely Boggs (his lady friend), and Bethany Kirkland (his cousin). They totally enjoyed being served by the teachers, and filmed...LOL He had to get 125 AR points to have such a lunch. For anyone who knows anything about AR points you know that is alot of reading, and alot of test taking...
This is from Chris. Our supplies for the new fireplace has arrived. This calls for a happy dance...LOL

This is from Amanda. This is Noah with his other family, having some really good times.

This is from Jonathon. He sent me a picture of the new calf.

This is from Harmony. It is Remmie with his Christmas mowhawk...

This is from Harmony. This is what Braxton is Thankful this year. I have to agree. Don't you?

This is from Chris. Christopher was on a Scout trip, and got hit in the head. He had to spend the night in the hospital. It was pretty bad. Then when the black eye set in it was really nice looking. Now it is yellow and black. Poor Christopher...

This is from Lynsey. This is Lynsey, and Bethany's new duet costumes. They are tapping to 'I Can Do That' from Chorus Line...

This is from me. I wanted you to see we moved the doorway into the middle of the bay window. Farrell thought this was a mistake, but it turned out really good. He just couldn't see it when I was describing it. He likes it now...

This is from Harmony. For Brandon's 15th birthday they all went on a ski trip together.

This is from Jonathon. The is learning to take pictures with his ipod touch, and play with the features....he used baby David as his test subject...LOL

This is from Amanda. This is a picture of baby David sleeping with his new big brother Jackson. AWESOME!!

This is from Lenee. She made this great looking bow for Lynsey's production 'Strongest Suit'

I think this is from Jonathon? This is Bethany showing off her new Christmas hat, and Emma Mae being as cute as ever...

I hope you have enjoyed the ramdoness of all the pictures.....

Call 911!!

Thursday night right after 2 a.m. Chris decides he will stoke the fire, before he comes to bed. While stoking the fire he hears a popping sound under the house. Weird.....Then he notices little puffs of smoke coming up behind the mantle. He comes and wakes me up to tell me the house is on fire. I come out and see the puffs of smoke, and I say I will call 911. He starts running through the house yelling for the kids to wake up and go outside 'The House Is On FIRE!!'. I am trying to put on my robe, and slippers while I am calling 911. This takes less then 60 seconds. We come out to the living room and the wall was on fire. Yes people there actually flames burning, and crawling up the wall above the mantle. Here is a picture of what was burning.



The kids ran outside. Chris and I filled pots, and large bowls up to try and put the firey wall out. We seemed to have it under control. This took maybe 60 to 120 seconds. Chris says 'I'm going out to get the hose'. He runs out the door, and runs back in and says 'The roof is on fire'....no way...I run out with the large pot of water in my hands....and there it was THE ROOF WAS ON FIRE!! We tried to throw the water up onto the roof, but it was just to high. However, that didn't stop us from trying 3 more times. This is a picture of where the roof was on fire.....
The police show up at that time, and tell us we have to get out of the house. We can't stay here. We have to stop trying......I am in the kitchen, I look around at my house thinking this may be the last time I see these rooms....I have a few seconds what do I take. My most important things are standing outside on the street....what's left?....I see my scrapbook, and say no....I see my laptop, and say no....I see my purse, walk to it, pick it up, and walk out....I have to tell you this is the strangest feeling I have ever had in my whole life, and as I write this I feel it all over again....

We are now all out on the street.....what are we suppose to do, stand back, and watch it burn...yes that's what you do....

The neighbor Nelda took the kids to her house. Another neighbor named Wink came up to see if Chris and I were alright. That's when she realized he had no shoes on, and his socks were wet. She took her slippers off and gave them to him. He said I can't put those on my socks are wet....she insisted he put them on....very nice.....our other neighbor turned a little stove on at his porch where we could warm up and watch the house....

When all was clear they let Chris and I come back in......


The fireman was explaining how the fire went up the wall, and into the attic. I look at the floor and see my netflex return envelopes all around mixed in with the plaster from the ceiling. I say 'I guess my netflex movies are under there somewhere?'....another fireman says 'no mamam I saw them on the floor I picked them up and put them on your kitchen table, I also moved your snowmen over here by the wall'....'But we couldn't get the T.V. down so I'm sure it will still work'...
If you ever wondered how firefighters find their way around your house....don't worry, they will make holes if they have to.....

This is up in the attic where the roof was on fire............

This is outside looking in through the chimney...While we were standing in the living room, the firemen realized that underneath the house where we were standing was on fire. They had to use a chainsaw to cut the floor to get to it....their chainsaw was dull, so Chris gave them his to use....

See how from outside you can see in....

I had a few really crazy thoughts during this whole thing that I want to share with you. As I was throwing the pots of water on the firey wall I thought 'Where is my camera'....just for a second....

What made us think standing on the ground that we could throw water as high as the house?

Lynsey called her Mom and she came with Kelsea. They got together some stuff for the kids, and took them out to Pat's house. The girls have been with their Mom all weekend, and the younger kids have been with Amanda....

Before the kids left with Debi I kissed each one. Bethany wanted to know what burned up in fire, while Noah cried. What does a parent say to their kids at that moment?.....I don't know but here is what I said......Bethany are you alive? she said yes...I said Am I alive? she said yes....I said Are we all safe now? she said yes.....I said we can go buy the other stuff, but we can replace each other.....

Chris, and I wanted to stay at the house. We worked on getting the living room closed off until we can get everyone to come look at it and start working on it.....I'm sure it will be a long process.

We have had alot of phone calls, emails, facebook comments, visits, ect....We could never thank everyone enough for being so supportive....

I will write another post about this later.....I have some other thoughts I need to get in order, but I know everyone wants to see the photos, and read the post....

Halloween 2010

Can't forget the last minute sparkles.
Bethany a.k.a. Frankie Stein, and Jacyee a.k.a. Penguin

Ethan, Christopher, Noah, Jackson, Jonathon, Cooper
Fireman, Scream, Mummy, King Linus, Spartan, Ninja

Back row: MacKenzie, Emma Mae, Bethany, Jacyee

Fairy, Witch,Frankie Stein, Penguin

Front Row: Klark, Bailey, Madi, Kennedy

Princess, Candy Corn Witch, Belle, Bumble Bee

We love the 80's

I played the 80's music while we walked after the kids. We had such a good time, singing, dancing.....I think we had more fun then the kids....Yes, people wanted to be us, or maybe they just wish they were in our group....LOL

Amanda is totally awesome...totally!

Material Girl by Madonna comes on I look over to my left, and just see
Connie's head just a bobbin to the music....she is so rad!

A mummy, and a Mommy....LOL

My annual picture with Madi....LOL

The mummy fell asleep on the hay ride...LOL

But when he woke up he started taking pictures of himself in the van...LOL

Trunk Or Treat

I was very lame with the camera, and only took a few pictures at Trunk Or Treat.

Haunted Stables 2010

We went to the Haunted Stables in Darien. It was an awesome good time.This is Noah's scary face.

This is Madi's scared face.

Cooper was so scared waiting outside he kept hiding his face in his Mom's shirt. He wouldn't let go.

I would like to say Jonathon was so excited he jumped into his Mom's arms, but I think he was scared...LOL

This is a fun group.

Yes we are a fun group.

This is Emma Mae's scary face...LOL I'm so scared.

Noah said he wasn't going to be scared.

Jonathon was scared, and his siblings were trying to hide his eyes.

This is Jonathon being scary...Are you scared?

Cooper showing me what scary is...LOL