little bits of luallen life

I love food from Britain! Going on campaigns in college and living in Scotland for a little bit grew my culinary palette quite a bit. A few of the things I love from there I have been able to find either at World Market or online.

Salt and Vinegar Walkers Crisps are the BEST! You cannot find another S&V chip like this in America! PG Tips hot tea. This is the way I love to end my night. A little sugar and milk and it is perfect!
I love Britain food!

Most mornings Madison wants pancakes and milk for breakfast. One morning this last week she and Joshua asked for waffles but I didn't have time for the waffle irons to heat up and cook a few before Madison would have to leave for school. So, I promised them that I would do it the next morning. So, waffles it was for breakfast the very next day! They loved them! A few years ago Madison got the Cinderella waffle iron for a present. She likes the bigger waffles now but Emma and Joshua sure do love the Cinderella and the Prince waffles. They also prefer the strawberry syrup over the maple kind! Joshua does want to make sure we all understand he is not the Prince in the waffle but he is the King!!! Oh--as if you can't tell by his plate, he got to the sryup before I could help! His waffle is swimming in the strawberry syrup!

Hope you enjoyed your breakfast this morning!

Emma has wanted sooo badly to go to school for three years now (since Madison started Kindergarten). She cried last year and the year before for at least the first 2-3 weeks of school because she wasn't going and she wanted to go so badly. So, this year we are doing 'school' -- or at least trying to some. She is four and should probably know some things when she does go to kindergarten next year :-( . Since we live in a county that doesn't have a 2 or 3 day a week preschool I figured I should probably work some with her. Let's look at this realistically:

#1: I am NOT a teacher. I love kids but teaching is not my strength and I don't pretend that I have a clue about where to even begin.

#2: Emma for the last two years hasn't wanted to sit for more than 30 seconds to learn. This year, she will sit for hours and write if I let her.

#3: Emma is like her daddy and would like to fool all of us into thinking that she isn't as smart as she really is. She only wants us to see small glimpses of this brilliance and it is of course, on HER terms!

These things leave me exhausted!

So, with all that said, this is what she has been doing over the last few weeks:



She couldn't tell you what most of the letters even are (or at least that is what she is leading us to believe), but she can look at a word that I write and write it herself pretty good! One step at a time, right?!

The puppies are now almost ten weeks old and we have given away all but two of them. They have been so fun to watch grow!Aren't they sooo cute!?
Madison has picked the runt from day one as 'her' puppy. She named her Precious! Thankfully, Gram has said she would take Precious. Madison is excited she will get to see Precious when we visit AR.
Joshua has definitely gotten over his fear of not wanting to hold them...
This is Emma with 'her' puppy that she named Sassy. Sassy went to live with some other houseparents here at Westview and is now named Sammie. This picture was taken just before Sassy/Sammie went to live at her new home. Emma is excited though that we get to see her when we go to the other cottage.
Mommy and one of the puppies. Rosie was a great momma!
Precious was having fun chasing Joshua around the yard as he pushed his bubble blowing lawn mower.
The last time they are all together...
It has been so fun watching puppy fights!

The puppies like to chew (of course) and these puppies esp like our feet! Precious attacks my feet as I snap pictures.
We still have two more that need a good home (one boy and one girl)...Anyone interested? :-)

...equal Yummy!!!

We have made homemade pizzas a few times within the last few weeks. All 9 kids loved them! Here are some pictures of our kiddos making theirs and then with their finished products!

Joshua and Emma chose pepperoni for their pizza.Jeremy and Madison shared a crust. Madison doesn't like the sauce so hers is always more like cheese bread!
Finished products...

Calzones are personally my favorite!

Today in the car Joshua was acting insanely crazy! He was bouncing up and down in his seat and giggling at everything (like he had a bad case of the sleepy sillies!). Jeremy asked him what he was doing and he said, "Daddy, I'm jumpin' back here like a partyin' hot dog." He then proceeded to laugh even more hysterically for the next five minutes!

I love that there is never a dull moment with our kids around!

First I just want to say--"YAY for working Internet service!!"

Right after our vacation it was time for school to start. Monday night was Meet the Teacher night. Madison was excited to see which teacher she would have for 2nd grade. Mrs. Garrison it was! She was SO excited because that is who she wanted! Mrs. Garrison was super excited because she remembered last year that Madison is a reader and she LOVES having readers in her class! In fact, when we got there she about jump out of her skin she was so excited! It was neat! We put her school supplies away and then snapped a few pictures. Mrs. Garrison had been running around and with the over 100 degree heat she asked if we could wait to take a picture with her until the first day of school.

Her desk...Her locker...
This year we did something that I think will become a tradition the night before school starts--a manicure and pedicure! Madison loved it! Alicia was here visiting so we tag teamed giving Madison a nice relaxing mani and pedi.
Alicia massaged and Mommy did the clipping and painting...
Nice beautiful nails for the first day of school!
Ready to go to 2nd grade!!
Our yearly photo in front of the Tiger Pride sign! Madison has lots of Tiger Pride!
Madison and Mrs. Garrison!
I can't believe my baby is in 2nd grade!

Well, our Internet has given us grief the majority of the month. Our server has been out twice to try to figure it out and will be coming back out on Monday. (Here's hoping that posting this post doesn't take FOREVER!) Be checking back often for more posts catching you up on our FULL month!

We spent 5 days in Springfield/Branson towards the beginning of the month visiting old friends and also having a family vacation with Jeremy's family before school began! We had a blast!We spent one day at Silver Dollar City! The kids had a great time riding the rides!


For about two hours of the day Jeremy's parents and his sister and her kids took Emma and Joshua around the park. Madison and I had some mommy and daughter time riding bigger rides (sadly no pictures since we were by ourselves) and Jeremy and Chad went to a cooking school.

Joshua loved the part where the kids can play in the water but Emma didn't want anything to do with getting wet! I think she left my child somewhere else that day! ;-)It was Kid's Fest and so Veggie Tales was there! Joshua wouldn't take his picture with them.Jeremy and Chad loved trying on the different funny hats!They even had Lincoln Logs in the 'castle' for the kids to play with.The rest of the time we hung out at the resort. We grilled, played games, went swimming, colored and even went on a couple of scavenger hunts! This is a picture of all the cousins together- Michael, Joshua, Emma, Caleb and Madison. They had lots of fun being together!



They found Geronimo! Beth's kids wouldn't get near Geronimo for a picture. Emma was the only one of our kids who would go close and then right before I snapped it Madison said, "Fine, I'll go too." Joshua reluctantly followed Madison (hence why he won't quit looking at Geronimo!).
We of course had to have smores!!!


Sunday of our trip was Madison's birthday! Before we headed home we celebrated and she had some presents to open!
One of the gifts she got was a Harding Bison cheerleader outfit! She loves it and if you are planning on being at Homecoming this Fall you can expect to see her in it!
Since it was her birthday she chose to eat at Lambert's for lunch before we all headed in our separate directions for home. Have I ever mentioned how much our whole family LOVES Lambert's?!!

Gram and Madison!
The whole gang!