Our Easter

Honestly, Easter kind of snuck up on me this year. I feel bad that I didn't do as much with the kids as I always plan.

I even may or may not have almost forgotten to read them some of their favorite Easter story books...

Although, the real reason for Easter is always talked about in our home.

Despite the pathetic lack of planning, we did manage to cram some fun stuff in a few days before and hopefully my children were none-the-wiser that their Mama is one big SLACKER!

Eggs were dyed and dad rejoiced every time one broke...
Cause that means he gets to eat it!

Hard boiled eggs are his FAV!

Our huge collection of plastic eggs were rinsed off and counted to prepare for our annual "morning egg hunt."

And baskets were stuffed with goodies and placed in their spots to greet them on Easter morning.

Easter morning went well and surprisingly smooth. I have a feeling some dear ladies were praying for me and my sanity that morning.;)

I did manage to buy everyone new dresses/shoes or whatever else were needed and off to church we went. The feeling of holiday in the air and a special presentation waiting for us to see.

The rest of the day was spent quietly. Our children played outside and Hubby and I watched from my favorite green chairs. They laughed and played and hubby also planted some new blueberry bushes. We discussed our spring garden and named a big fat bee that lives in our azalea bush.

Link the cat lounged in the screen porch... tired from all the hunting he did of all the bugs he can't catch from being locked in the screen porch...

And Little P learned to climb UP the slide in nothing but her diaper. We all gathered around her as she climbed up and threw herself down laughing the whole way.

All in all the day was so GOOD.

Really good.

A day I wanted to capture in a mason jar and never forget.

How was your Easter Sunday?

Xoxo

GiGI

Behind The Baby

Its been a long and emotional day... all good though.

Our sono went well and we are SOOO happy to announce that in 20 more weeks we will be welcoming a 

SON

To our family. How sweet is that??? Our count will now be 5 girls and 2... TWO boys!

Hubby was ecstatic. He may or may not have hollered out loud, fist pumped, punched the air and declared his love for the ultrasound tech. He audibly praised God, squeezed my arm and hollered some more. It was a happy moment for us. And for a brief few moments, in a world dominated by social openness...

It was beyond special to share it just between us.

Although, just like I said in my earlier POST, I felt like I was just confirming what I already knew. For my long time followers, your all are well aware of my history of pregnancy losses... so when I first saw those 2 lines confirmed on Christmas Day, I was already setting myself up for loss. It wasn't until the next day that for a brief 7 seconds, I heard a stillness in my soul confirm that I would keep this baby and it would be a boy. For those split seconds, I had complete peace and confidence. 

I came out of the room and told my hubby what just happened...not wanting to say it was "God." NOT because I didn't believe it could happen, but because I am a firm believer in not throwing "God told me..." around. As women, (myself first on the list) I think we are too emotional and sometimes get the two confused.... Only to be proven wrong and be labeled "the wacky holy roller." 

You wont catch me in casual conversation claiming God spoke this and that, after all, before I put words in HIS mouth, I am going to be darn sure they are HIS words, make sense?

Anyway, whenever fear crept in, I prayed that I would use that moment as comfort and deep in my soul, I just knew I would be holding a son this summer.

Today's day of joy for us was shadowed by many other thoughts and emotions as well. As I saw my healthy baby bounce around on screen, I had the faces of many women close to me on my heart who are currently struggling to be where I am, right at this moment. Friends who visit infertility clinics instead of OB's, Ladies who are on bed rest from just losing their precious baby and other friends who are still emotionally healing from their losses as well.

I prayed that they too, could be where I am one day soon.... sooner than later. Although, I am desperately thankful that as of today... right now... I closed that season of my life. I hope I can be celebrating with them.

But today, we will be doing our own celebrating. Pizza and eggplant parmesan from our favorite Italian restaurant. My cell phone has not stopped going off from all the good news on Facebook, Twitter and text messages and I am soaking it all in. I am so thankful to be able to share another blessing with so many people....

and a name??

Caleb Benjamin of course.

Xoxo

GiGi

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

Today is the day of the big sonogram reveal.

Im so excited but at the same time, I feel as if I'm going to just confirm what I already know. I have never been this confident before in any of my other pregnancies but this one is different. 

I'll have to explain some other time...

After we definitively find out.

Hubby took off of work. Partly due to sickness and partly due to the big appointment.

Either way, all bets are made and we are ready to finish up this second half of pregnancy...

follow me on TWITTER for hints!!!

Stay tuned....

Xoxo

GiGi

GiGi Resurrected!!!

 I'm back! Can you believe it? Yes, I know... you have heard those words before. Actually, several times over last fall but this time it is for REALS!

I needed the break and lost all interest on keeping up this site. So much was going on and something had to give. I did think about you all often and wondered how you all were, but for some reason, my writers block turned into writers refusal. I lost readers, followers and fans. Sponsors stopped emailing me, BlogHer lost my address and all giveaway offers ceased...

which kinda made me sad but then i received those private emails from readers asking if I was ok... or just writing to say hello and thats when I remembered why I write here...

For them. My friends. The ones who love me. =)

So, yesterday, as I played another round of scramble on my phone. (my latest addition...)

A blog "bling" came into my head. See, that's how my blogs usually come to me. I never plan what I write... they usually just POP or BLING up in my brain and I get to it. So, I was quite surprised when one actually sprouted in that very dusty corner in my mind. It was then I knew it was time.

But how? How do I go from sharing my dailies with you, to filling you in on the last 4 months???

So, I figure I would share in quick highlights and go forth from there. So much has happened in our Little Red House and so much has stayed the same. It will be easy for all of us to pick up where I so selfishly left off.

So for the 2 readers out there that might still visit me from time to time...

Here's whats been happening...

 YES! You guessed it. Another addition is on its way. Lucky #7 surprised us all on Christmas day. With our crazy holiday schedule I lost track of too many things and VOILA... in August another beautiful bouncy baby will be added. This was another reason I abandoned this blog. This first trimester was a doozy!

But I am happily in my 19th week and im getting excited to meet this next member of our "little" family.

January kept us busy. I was hiding the pregnancy from just about everyone. After having such a high history of losses, my greatest fear was putting my kids through all the hurt of losing another sibling. I was doing an awesome job until my Hannah ratted me out as I sucked down ice pops...

" MOM!! Are you pregnant?? The only time you eat ice pops is when your PREGNANT?"

I casually responded that I didn't know and she had to ask her father...

(insert me darting out of the room)

In which he replied...

"I have no clue.. Go ask your mother..."

Yes, the game was fun and her and my Emma kept a good secret for 8 whole weeks. We kept busy with the republican primary and going to the BEST political rally EVER... where we met the Duggars!! My kids were thrilled to stand next to the Duggar girls. It was a day to remember for sure.

Although... I DID tell ONE person my secret very early on...

Mrs. Santorum was elated to hear we were welcoming our 7th :)

We also welcomed another teenager into our brood. Hannah crossed over into the realm of childhood to young adulthood..

And she also got a Facebook!!

That was the highlight of her day.

A few weeks ago, we packed up our big black van for one last HURRAH and headed west to Tennessee. Not so much as a pleasure trip but to pick up our NEW 15 passenger van!!

We prayed and prayed and God provided and threw in some fun in the process.

So we went from the picture below:

TO THIS:

AHHH It feels so good to stretch our legs. The only bad news is our Big black beauty is up for sale! It will be bittersweet to see her go but its time.

Then the biggest and latest news was the premier of THE HUNGER GAMES!!

My older girls have been counting down for over a year and a half for the midnight showing.

They had friends sleep over and off they went giggling and screeching the whole way.

So our Little Red House has been full of the same. Living life as best as we know how. Thanks for finding faith in me again as we  Find ways through it all and try to remember that "These are the days..."

Xoxo

GiGi

ZABARS

Our mail lady is awesome. Really! She delivers our bills mail in a silver jeep with her freshly dyed maroon hair and many piercings. She knows my big black van and never forgets to wave as I drive on by. She casually chats with the neighbors and delivers all my packages right to my porch.

This morning we were still in pajamas with bed head getting ready for the day when our doorbell rang. I tiptoed to the peephole in hopes the visitor did not hear the chaos behind my walls. If I was very careful, perhaps I could just "pretend" we were not home. I shushed and yelled quieted the children.

What a relief to see my favorite lady dropping packages off for us. I opened my door and waved and said thank you. We exchanged pleasantries as some children escaped out the open door...

I was quite baffled since all of our expected purchases had already arrived, but I picked them up and brought them to the kitchen table for a closer look.

My children were now hovering over me like little mosquitoes trying to catch a peek at the return address. I, again, shooed them away until one white box caught my eye.

A big piece of tape was on the side that said "perishables... open immediately.'

It was from ZABARS.

Hmmm... Zabars? Perishables? I knew Zabars was an awesome epicurean store located in NYC but why are we getting a package from there and who was the sender??

I must admit, it was quite exciting on this otherwise rainy day.

We quickly ripped open the package and pulled out

THIS:

A bag FULL of FRESH NY BAGELS!!

GLORY!

Do I hear an AMEN as well??

A piece of home never made 8 people sooo happy.

And the bag that the bagels were in??....

PRECIOUS!!!!

But who were they from??

A little note fell out and it read:

Good 'ol Aunt Eva... Hubby's sister and our nephew...

She's the best isn't she.

And she really made us feel special today...

So Aunt Eva... if your reading this...

THANK YOU from the very bottom of our tummy's. You could have not picked a better gift if you tried. The only thing that could have made it better, was if you and that sweet boy were joining us on Christmas morning. All of us, around the table, eating and laughing and eating some more...

In spirit you will be. We love you

Xoxo

GiGi

Let There Be Light!!!

For the past 4 years, we don't consider Christmas complete without a chilly visit to the crazy Christmas house.

One sweet couple spend hours and hours and MONTHS of hard work decorating their precious home for others to enjoy.

With over 250,000 lights and over 100 inflatables, this house is a Christmas wonder!!

On any given day from December thru January, hundreds of locals stand in line to enter a magical land of lights.

Christmas music plays, a movie is projected on the garage door and FREE hot cocoa and popcorn are given out to everyone.

Santa waits to greet you by the open fire and hands out candy canes to all the good little girls and boys...

Once we have our goodies, we head around the house to see the magic of the season. Paths are made all around the lawn. Everyone respectfully follows the paths and happily takes pictures for everyone else.

Lights are everywhere. Music blares and Children dance in excitement.

Everyone loves the "crazy Christmas house." Its infamous in our little town.

Even in the midst of Santa-land, the real reason for the season takes center stage.

New crosses were added this year for one of the owners grandparents... who passed away on Christmas eve of last year.

Every year, we brave the cold to capture just a few moments at the crazy Christmas house.

This year we took my cousin Neal. He has never been there before, so we decided it was TIME!!!

Even Emma couldnt resist taking a picture with her favorite Christmas Character!!!

I think this is one of my favorite parts. The Angel Choir. They always sing something beautiful!! Inside their house, they have 5 rotating Christmas trees for you to see thru the window.

As you make your way down the other side of the driveway and head home, they have another donation bucket. People are so kind and donate to keep this precious event going!!

Sometimes in a world full of selfishness, its such a blessing to find those that give 100% of themselves.

All evening, after we came home, I thought of these 2 people.
What they give.
What they sacrifice...
Just to show others LOVE.

Now, THAT is what Christmas is all about.

Xoxo

GiGi

Back Up The Mountain

After a very very late friday night, we packed up our big black van and headed up to the mountain in NC to visit our dear friends.

I just love the drive and still oohhh and ahhh like a pathetic city tourist. 

In total, I have been a southerner for 7.5 years. Considering thats almost half of my marriage and adulthood, you would think it would finally sink in. But it doesn't. I guess Im still so thankful that God brought us back down south after 8 years in NY. Eight l-o-n-g years.

They were beneficial years and blessings flowed from them, but we floated for all 8 of them. We knew since moving back to NY, we would be back south. We just didn't know when...

Anyway, every time we take the drive up to the mountains, I marvel. It was a very special little girls birthday and since our kids love to play together and get lost in the woods, we couldn't pass up the invite.

The kids settled into the van and hubby and I tried to have conversation without being interrupted. 

I also tried NOT to think of all the wrapping that I haven't done yet.

Or the fact that no matter how hard I try... we are still always late...

But once we ht the highway and saw the scenery change a bit... it was all lost and forgotten in the beauty of it all.


Before long, we pulled into their driveway and our kids began squealing with excitement, and their kids started to emerge from all over and the fun began.

It was a wonderful afternoon of laughing, talking and sharing.

Edifying!

Visits always bring me back to my "roots" and stirs my heart. Ideas are shared and advice is shared.
and the number 7 becomes my new favorite....

And you never would have guessed 13.5 children were there.

Aren't they a beautiful bunch???

Xoxo

GiGi

** Don't forget to follow me if you enjoy our Little Red House happenings...***

All They Want For Christmas...

With 6 kids Christmas gets expensive!!! Challenging!

With a limited budget, hubby and I decided years ago that less is best.

TRUST ME, no need to start pitying these dear children... they are well taken care of. But in a material world, we like to control what type of material girl (or boy) they become.

Every year we say we will stick to 3 gifts each. 3 big gifts... but every year we fail miserably. Don't get me wrong, its not too much more but its never just 3!

I tend to get carried away. But since gifts and extras are so limited through the year, I don't mind indulging just a bit for Christmas.

Even with my over-shopping, I still manage to come in UNDER budget. And most people's jaw drops when they realize just how little I do spend.

*** I have amazing shopping skills... really***

I also **LOVE** to include necessities like scarves, undies, make-up, toiletries...
All those things all the kids need anyway, but somehow, when its all wrapped up, they get super stoked!!

But anyway, My kids have had their Christmas list written for about 2 months now. Its been written and re-written and written again. Come mid-november we close shop and nothing else can be added to the list. I refuse... refuse to be out fighting the crowds the last 2 weeks of christmas for their latest "must have."

Plus, with my competitive spirit... it might not end well...

Top 3 gifts the kids want...:

Emma:

Bow and arrow

Hunger games companion book/ regular books

a necklace she saw

Hannah:

Harry Potter Scene it

(Yes, we allow Harry Potter. No we are not witches. Please refrain from any and all negative  comments. Especially from those who LOVE Disney World or anything related. The "MAGIC" Kingdom...HELLOO!!!)

A certain Cake decorating kit

A ring she picked out

Molly:

Sidewalk chalk

A guitar

Squinkies

Noah:

Squinkies

games

preferably a Wii game

Abigail:

Strawberry shortcake toy

Little Pony Toy

Chalk

Penelope:

Has no clue :)

We really don't do big electronic items. Some years we have given DS's. We also have been super SUPER blessed by extended family that have offered to buy the kids wii's, ipods, cameras and other items like that. Their generosity has always been overwhelming.

The greatest tradition we have in our home is our Secret Santa grab bag. During dessert on Thanksgiving, we pick names out of hats and that is our secret santa. We then buy them gifts, usually one store bought and as many homemade as they like and wrap them up under the tree!!!

The kids get SO excited to give to their special someone and just LOVE shopping for the perfect gift!!

they then torture each other endlessly till Christmas eve. At night, we gather 'round the tree and exchange.

This really is my favorite tradition we share and my FAVORITE part of Christmas. 1 gift brings the giver AND the receiver so much joy!!

I love to sit back and watch them play with their gift as if it were the very best thing in the whole wide world. HOURS of entertainment.

Christmas day tends to be overwhelming.

Kids rush to see the next thing they got....

they don't enjoy everything they have.

For me, Christmas Eve shows the true meaning of Christmas. Love expressed to each other and love enjoyed through "ONE" special gift.

Makes me want to slim down Christmas even more...

And remember why we celebrate it in the first place.

Xoxo

GiGi

SUYL Christmas Decorations!!!

Today I am linking up with KELLY at KELLYS CORNER for Show us your life Thursday!!! 

And THE CHATTY MOMMY FRIDAY FOLLOW!

I LOVE Christmas.

I do!

I love the reason for the season and I just LOVE the glitter!!

I won't buy a lick of decor if its not at least half covered with the sparkly stuff.

Its so bad, even Link the cat always has a face full of that stuff.

Our tree is artificial. But its awesome and beyond life-like.

White lights are a must!!!

And anything gloriously sparkly.

Every year I add some more. Some new picks for my mantle.

More bulbs for my tree and some shiny ornaments for my mini trees!!

At night, the only lights are from our tree and I sit and stare. I really think its the most prettiest tree in the world...

In the coziest house in the world...

with the best family in the world...

Is that bad??

I just love them so much. Shouldn't we all think that way??

Even though I sometimes complain that its a bit snug in here at times... I do think my Little Red House is the best little house in the world!!

Xoxo

GiGi

The Sweetest Surprise For CHRISTmas!

Shame on me for not blogging right away. I had perfect intent to blog all about our special surprise as soon as it arrived but alas, life got the better of me and it slipped my mind.

2 months.

Just 2 more months till I get the laptop/ipad hubby PROMISED me. One all for myself. I no longer have to fight my way upstairs and sit on the floor to use it!!!

I get giddy just THINKING about it.

Whew...

Anyway, 2 days ago, our awesome mail lady (she really is awesome) delivered a package to our door. We have a lot coming these past 2 weeks, so I just assumed it was something we had ordered.

But when I glanced down at the package, I was greatly surprised.

In it were 2 boxes of these...

DEVIL DOGS!!!

Beloved devil dogs that CANNOT be bought in the south!

She knows how my kids love love love these creamy chocolate cakes.

Janene is awesome! She is such a good friend. She is someone who I have not seen in over 4 years, but I know I can call her at any day or night and she will drop everything just to pray with me over the phone. Or encourage me with scripture. She is a true woman of faith!

We can pick up right where we left off without skipping a beat.

And we love her!! And miss her whole family to bits!!

But I must run!! See these pile of boxes?? Thats just the beginning of all the wrapping I must be doing...

Xoxo

GiGi