Six Little Hearts

With each passing day, I realize the responsibility in parenting aaaaall of these children! When they were babies, it was crazy, it was chaotic, there were ALOT of diapers, way too much whining and goldfish everywhere! It was busy, it was hilarious and it was simple. I loved them, I took care of them, I delighted in them, I prayed for them....and then I went to sleep and did it all again!

Now they are getting older. They are becoming young ladies and little men! The heart of who they are, what they know and believe about God, themselves and the world are all starting to form...and we (Tim and I) are responsible for guiding, shaping, protecting and encouraging who each of them will be! Six of them! Six little hearts...six little minds...six little souls. THIS, my friends, is when the parenting begins and I beg each day that God would step in where I fail, take the reigns, and make these children His own!

Spring has Sprung

In Texas, weather jokes are as common as the change of weather itself! Summers are scorchers, fall is often still hot and humid and winter, well it tends to come just when we've all gotten over the whole idea of a cup of hot chocolate by a warm crackling fire!

BUT THEN COMES SPRING!!!

I absolutely.withoutadoubt.LOVE.SPRING.in.Texas!!!

The weather is amazing, the sun - just right, the wildflowers bloom and a festival can be found on any given weekend!

We spent last Saturday enjoying the beauty of spring at The Dallas Arboretum with family (and about 400o others who love spring as well) It was crowded, indeed, but the day was still lovely!

One of those afternoons

Its an unusually quiet afternoon at our house. The babies are sleeping, big kids all playing quietly upstairs, praise music softly filling the living room, and a cloudy "about to rain" look outside. Its one of those afternoons that stirs up memories of afternoons, several kids ago, when I had a guaranteed two hours to myself when everyone took a nap. Its one of those afternoons when I get on the computer and start looking at old pictures of the kids and realize just how much they've grown and changed in such a short amount of time. One of those afternoons when I wonder if I've taken it all in, if I've spent enough time loving them and enjoying them. One of those afternoons when I wonder why I stopped blogging the days so I could remember all of the sweet and silly little things they say. One of those afternoons that I think I'll start it back up....
So, in this moment, with everyone sleeping and me having time to myself, I'm saying I'm going to start updating this blog. Check back to see if I actually do!

Oh, just another glimpse into life with Tucker

So I rarely, if ever, post without a picture but I love capturing my conversations with Tucker!!

Tucker: Mom, Mallie is saying mean things to me

Me: (Not in the mood to deal with it) Oh Tucker, just tell her sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me. (a phrase, in fact, that I completely disagree with. **parenting at its finest)

Tucker: What? How about I just say, Mallie, do you think it makes Jesus sad when you say mean things? Do you want to make Jesus sad? Then you probably shouldn't say mean things to me.

Me: Yeah, go with that idea!

A Grocery Shopping Update!!

So this is the latest way that I grocery shop with all of the kids in tow!!  3 mini shopping carts - one with Hudson, 2 with groceries and Tucker helping me get things off of the shelves!!  Believe it or not, its really more efficient than if I had 1 big cart and all of the kids meandering alongside!!!  Of course, this is ONLY when necessary :)  Most often I try to go when daddy is home and I can get out by myself!!  

Bunny Update

Here is an update on how the baby bunnies are doing!  Sadly, only 2 of the 8 survived the first few weeks.  There were just too many for Cookie's first time :(

The remaining 2 are now looking like bunnies and oh so cute!!!  They are hopping around and changing daily!  The kids can't get enough of them and are loving every minute of it!  The poor babies are exhausted at the end of each day!

Baby Bunnies

You may remember that we added Brownie to the family back in January.  Well, in March, we thought Brownie seemed lonely so we got Cookie (better known as Mrs. Brownie) to keep him company!!

To our surprise (well, not really...I mean, they ARE rabbits!!!) we woke up to 8 baby bunnies last Friday morning!  Sadly, that was alot for poor Cookie to nurse and 2 of them did not make it.  We are doing our best to help the other 6 along so that all of the babies will grow healthy and strong!

The kids think it is so fun!  I'm sure I will have lots of pictures once the little guys are ready to get out and play!!

Another fun activity

I was looking at a friend's blog yesterday and found a recipe for Koolaide Play Doh (thank you, Carley!)

We tried out the recipe today and it worked great!!  It was easy and fun to do and, once again, when the project part was over, the kids had lots of fun playing with it later!!

Recipe:

1 package sugar free Koolaide packet (we used Crystal Light and it worked fine)

1 cup flour

2 TBS Cream of Tartar

1/4 Salt

1 TBS vegetable oil

1 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a medium pot.  Stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until doh is balled and rubbery (you will know when its done)  Put in plastic baggie and refridgerate to cool!!  Have fun!!!

Schools Out For Summer!!!

Ok, seriously people, I could go crazy this summer if this is my kids on the 1st night of summer vacation!

Fortunately, we have the pool and will be there on most sunny days this summer.  However, I haven't quite gotten into the "pool groove" or wanted to, really, with being so tired and nauseas!  The pool isn't exactly "relaxing" this summer!!

So, we have been keeping busy in other ways!  Thank you Martha Stewart for your adorable kid crafts!!  I was browsing the clearance isle at Walmart the other day and happened upon these packets for $2 bucks a piece.  Each one comes with everything you need to make your craft!  They are easy enough for Mallie to do with minimal help but still entertaining for Hayley - now thats a good deal!!

Yesterday we made the balloon farm animals...

The kids had so much fun making them and then lots of fun playing with them for the rest of the day...all in all, a great project!!

Another year complete!!

Oh my goodness, how they grow so fast!!  If I'm being honest, I'll have to admit that this year both began and ended with mommy in tears!!!  My emotions just can't hold up during these milestones!!

This year Hayley completed the 1st grade...and she did so with flying colors!!  Tim and I continue to be so proud of her and she grows into the young lady God has made her to be!  She is not only a very good student but a great sister, kind friend and obedient student and daughter!  She had a great 1st grade year and is more than ready to move on to 2nd!!

Abby completed kindergarten this year!!  I think, of all of the Minglettes, Abby has grown the most this year.  She went to kindergarten very shy with her teacher actually prying her off of my leg!!  She has grown into a confidant and silly young lady who knows how to read and write and make new friends!  We are so proud of how well she did this year and are excited to see what 1st grade will bring for her!  She and Olivia couldn't be cuter in their caps and gowns!!

Mallie's New Trick

This goes to show you just can't pick what your kids are good at!! This is Mallie's new trick...and she is REALLY good at it!

Our "baby quail birds"

"Should've been a Cowboy" was the long-time ringtone on my husbands phone...its really quite true!
Wednesday, Tim came home with quail eggs (to incubate) and chicks! The kids were quite excited! Tucker has chosen one that is his favorite - he carries it around, kissing it and telling it how much he loves it. I'm pretty sure the little chick even went for a ride in the jeep yesterday! Hayley and Abby thought they were pretty cute until they learned just how disgusting bird poop is - especially when its on your hand! Now, they think they are cute while gently wrapped in a paper towel for protection! Hudson would like to squeeze them tightly and Mallie, well, she just watches everyone else play with them!

Baking with Mimas

We recently went to Dallas for cousin Ella's birthday. My kids are often captivated by Mima's creativity...this project was Ella's birthday cake!!

Oh, just a nice day!

This crazy Texas weather has given us a run for our money this year! Today it is 80 something...tomorrow it will be 60! I'm never quite sure how to dress the kids for school and am constantly lathering them up with germ gel to keep the dreaded flu away. However, when it is a nice day, we get out and ENJOY it!! There is nothing quite like a 75 degree day in Texas when the sun is shining and the air is dry!

Hudson

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Let me tell you, this face kills me!! This little guy is so cute, I can't even stand it!!
He doesn't get alot of face-time and is often left out of the group pictures of the kids so I think he deserves his own little showcase! He can't help that he's the baby and is napping while alot of fun is going on without him!

Project Birdhouse

Oh what to do with all of the plywood left over from boarding up for IKE??? Random projects is what has become of ours!!
Last weekend Tim and the kids spent the afternoon making a birdhouse together...although it only made a small dent in our plywood supply, it provided hours of fun for Tim and the kids!!

Oh Bunny!

Well, the Ming's have added another pet to the family and, praise the Lord, it went better than the puppy addition last Spring!!
Hayley got a bunny, Brownie, for her birthday this year and has been such a big girl taking care of him! She is totally responsible for everything from playing with and feeding him to cleaning out the cage! Tim and I find great delight in all of the gagging and screams of disgust that come from outside during the process :) but are very proud of how well she is taking care of him!!

My morning conversation with Tucker

Tucker: Mom, I think you need to get a new baby in your tummy
Me: You do? Why do you think that?
Tucker: Because, I'm getting bigger and there might be some kids that need a daddy and I'm going to go to another land like maybe Colorado and be a daddy since I'm gonna be big
Me: WHAT? You're gonna get big and leave me?!?
Tucker: Yep, that's just how Jesus made me.
Me: Well, what will I do without my Tucker?
Tucker: That's why you need to get a baby in your tummy. Then, you can name the new baby Tucker so you will have lots of Tuckers and then you won't be sad when I leave you to be a daddy!

Oh how I love our little chats!!! :)

Why do I leave the house??

So this is my sweet girl, Mallie. Let me tell you about our outing yesterday....
Me, Tucker, Mallie and Hudson went to go run errands. One of our stops was Marshalls (of course). This is what happened...
We were having a perfectly pleasant outing. The kids were walking nicely and not touching anything in response to my telling them "if you break it, mommy will have to buy it" on our way out of the restroom. I stopped for just a second to look at something when I all of a sudden heard a CRASH...SHATTER..BANG...CRY!!
To my horror, I turned to Mallie screaming, lying in shattered glass and smushed by the shopping cart with Hudson falling out of it!!! As I scramble to get Hudson out of the cart and the cart of off Mallie, old ladies from all over the store were running to my assistance, some with sincere concern and others with blatant judgement!! One swoops Hudson out of my arm while another is brushing broken glass off of my frightened Mallie all while the store manager is listening to Tucker tell him, "I don't know what happened but I did not do it" "One time my mom was walking with Mallie and they fell down the stairs and bumped her head" "I don't know how it happened but I did not do it, I 'fink' it was Mallie...or maybe Hudson" "Do you fink my mom should by this shelf since Mallie broke it?" "Hmmm...I don't know how this happened"
Fortunately, both kids were OK! What happened was...Mallie, although obediantly not touching anything, decided to climb up on the shopping cart to talk to Hudson. In the process, she pulled the shopping cart over and INTO the glass shelves which shattered into a million pieces!!
I would say that I am never going back there out of embarrassment but, hey, lets be realistic!!!

I can't believe how time has flown!

Ok, so I think it was about 3 months ago that I apologized for not updating the blog and, still, you got nothing!! My only defense is that this fall and holiday season has been nothing less than a total whirlwind of chaos, activity, commitment, fun...more chaos and, well, ok lots of fun!! :)
I am completely determined to catch you up on all that has gone on in this crazy life of ours and post lots of silly stories and adorable pictures of my sweet little minglettes! HOWEVER, its 12:30am and I am exhausted so, how about this...

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
With Much Love,
The Mings
Tim, Ashley, Hayley (6). Abby (5), Tucker (4), Mallie (3)
and
Hudson (1)