Going Green for Christmas!

Let's just get out there & say it...this year has been a doozy. However, that's not what goes in a Christmas letter, RIGHT! And when we get right down to it, despite the spite that 08 could bring, we are exceptionally blessed. 

So here's the wrap up....

Our kids have grown (this is nothing new but still seems to amaze all who see them). If your struggling to remember-the final score is 3 girls/2 boys = "Yes, we're done". (We get asked THAT ALOT)

Boston turned one in April at a round 26 lbs. but has since 

slowed down. He walked at 16 months, late but considering he had rolled over & learned to eat with a fork/spoon at the same time (13 mo.) who cares what's normal! He adds more to each of our lives that we could have ever predicted. He's slow on words too (ball, mama,

 dada, moo, gogo, thank you & signs please and more) but makes his wishes known just fine! We call him Chooch. 

Mackenzie turned 12 in Oct and loves all things with 4 legs, measured by "hands". Middle School transition has gone well, as shown by her 4.0 & playing volleyball and basketball. On top of riding 3 days a week. She's incredible & wonderful. 

Abbie is well....have you read Fancy Nancy books? 

They are practically a unauthorized biography!

 In fact that is what she was for Halloween &

 she 

managed to stay "in character" all day! She's a big 

help & loves what Spreckels life has to offer..

..friends, walking to school, riding bikes and the 

ever-lasting play date. She's sweet as pie!

Madeline fondly said like My-Yiyine.  She wakes first, fetches the paper & waits for the fun to begin. She dances and loves to play school although she doesn't like to go. On the lake, she's the first to plunge of the deck with the cutest cannonball you've ever imagined. Going to work with Daddy is her kinda day, although really anything with Daddy is. 

Parker big man on campus. He's in 4th grade, turning 10 in a few weeks & his big news has been braces. So far so good, can't wait to see that smile! He has been swimming this fall, and starts baseball in the spring. However, his new title of "Best Brother in the World"- is without a doubt his greatest quality. He adores & loves his lil bro, just like you'd expect from a boy that prayed for a year & half to get one. Its more precious that plutonium. 

That leaves T&A, no A&T...either way, we look at things as lessons learned & every day is a chance to begin again. God has been faithful and we are full of faith that 09 is gonna ROCK! 

A few other fun highlights are Todd's column in The Monterey Herald & 1645 River Road. Here's the links incase that intrigues you. 

montereyherald.com/toddfisher

1645riverroad.com

From each of the 7, we wish you a fantastic '09 & a truly Merry CHRISTmas. After all in the big picture aren't we all truly blessed? 

A Star is born....

This girl loves to dance...so much that dance was part of her teacher conference. Something like this "She's a joy in class but sometimes hard to pin down, she dances through the room when we're doing classwork." Humm, not a bad way to lead life, dance through it!

Makeup, quite possibly her favorite part was the makeup & dressing room....she was assigned a drawer to put her stuff in, she had blush, lip gloss and powder...she was lovin every minute of it. Which is good because she had rehearsals that lasted for HOURS!! 

She made a beautiful flower, in Nutcracker Sweets. She's always loved being on stage and now we know, a star was born.

November 4th 2008

Make the day count!

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Our home has had discussions, had differences & today we took our opportunity to VOTE!
I have said, more than ANYTHING the chance to choose, the belief that we are each seen as individuals, free, truly free to be & believe what we choose.
This is what I am pround to be AMERICAN.



Here we are dropping off our ballots, I still like the act of voting, on voting day. But must say the drive by is SWEET!




Then there was the reward (oh, not legal in CA?) Arrest me- with my tall starbucks reward :) along with my "I voted" sticker...

Not a tidy one among em...

Sad to say, I think I've gotta fire the housekeeper. She stinks!
And what's worse, she's all we've got. Clearly it's a job most aren't cut out for, for not a one of the folks for which she works seems to have the DNA of Martha (aka TIDY101). The dishes are piled, the laundry close to done today but bitterly behind for tomorrow, the attendance at the grocery store remains incontestably ridiculous and our vacuum cleaner knows it is depend on it like your favorite jeans. This is the quality of life in a family of 7, it's messy.

At this moment, the chummy ones are gathered around a fire munching on dinner, elated to have dessert (love that fruit counts as dessert) and discussing the day. Who saw who at recess, when is your next game, why isn't there a playground at middle school (oh my dear, there is. Its just not fun to play there-the playground is shaky ground....). To say the least the quality of live is immeasurable.

So many will tell me how much they miss it. Hard to imagine, in a day when going to the bathroom is interupted and sometime challenged for hours. But I can see the point. It doesn't seems to slow a bit, and too many times the daily invades the moments. So today and hopefully more, but today I will choose to see the moments. Choose to listen to the chatter and actually listen, its precious when they sound like best friends catching up from their day. I'll rejoice that I made a mess in the kitchen because I made their dinner (and dessert :) sent them to bed cozy from the fire, loved and well fed. Today was messy, tomorrow messier and currently "looking for a housekeeper".

I've been known to say....

Don't wish a day away.... This is my advice when the perpetual "Mom, I can't wait until next"blah blah blah" so I can have "yada yada yada". UGH! 

But today I listened to dreaded songs... seriously dreaded songs, the ones that make a mom drop tears on the spot- "Stealing Cinderella" (never heard it? if you have a lil girl-warning DO NOT FIND IT) it will cause a flood. Rascal Flats "My Wish for You"-seriously, I lost it at a wedding 3 weeks ago watching the darling Cassie dance with her Daddy. 

Anyway, all this to say I love my girls, being the mom of 3 girls-each different-but still mine to lead & teach & cherish...jeez-O who thought I was qualified???? They are wonderful amazing people, i am thrilled to share my day with. & I know better than to Wish a Day Away but I got to thinkin about our annual trip to SF for the Nutcracker & I CAN'T WAIT!! (that may qualify as wish a day away;( 

So here are a couple pics from years past..   Mackenzie & I have been doing this since she was 3. She turns 12 in 3 weeks. Ooo, that was painful  

So it's a long tradition when the girls turned 3 they got to join the trip, of course last year was Madeline's first & being that Mackenzie had trained Abbie, it was Abbie's turn to train. They get beyond excited, we drive up, shop (Abbie's favorite part-Nordstrom shoe dept-Lord help us all), stay in a girl-y B&B, eat out, have cocoa before bed (Madeline's favorite part), wake up & walk down to breakfast in our robes, get dressed up, take a taxi (Kenzie's favorite part), go to the Nutcracker and BE GIRLY GIRLS . Truly this is the stuff I live for!

I'll try to follow my own advice, but I can't wait...

The End & A Beginning....

.....Summer is over, yep it's true DARN! 

Aren't their faces so sweet! Jeez-O I love them so! 

First day of school + great kids= SUCCESS!

I missed them TERRIBLY, but made it thru thanks in part to Maddie & Boston, still my @ home buddies, and thanks to a friend in the same shoes to BOO-HOO with....

Parker-4th grade

Abbie-2nd grade

Mackenzie- MIDDLE SCHOOL!!! All I can say is it went great, she loved it & wow is there a big (HUGE)difference between a 6th grader and an 8th grader.....WHOA!

Our 5....More fun (and mess) than I able to describe.

Madeline had fun playing dress up all by herself while they were at school. Around 11:45 she promptly declared- "I think I want to go pick them up now!" me too kiddo...me too. 

Then there is Ms. Mackenzie, can you stand it she's so wonderful!

5' 3"+ yikes! (we are leaning in but no slouching happening, she's right there with us!!) Glad we had the summer to relax & play, she's gonna have to work hard this year. 6 classes, and homeroom, and school dances-OH MY!

...and so it goes.

Time that is.... It's August. Not that I have any beef with August but it means soon, I have to hand my kids over and gone are the days with all of them home. I know, I know I will get used to it and before I know it we all will be back in they rhythm, see that's just the problem. The rhythm is gonna getcha! (Go Gloria!) I sincerely love having them home to play, adventure and be kids. It's my favorite. They are my favorite (all of them, no favorites, just favorite). 

Ok, enough boo-hooing...I'll save that for Aug 20. School Starts, so sad. 

I also know just how long it has been since I posted new. Mostly because it's like talking to myself. I don't think anyone ever reads this, but I could be wrong. If I am let

 me know! Here we are on July 4th....that's a month ago already! Here in Spreckels, 4th is a town like no other. Banners, flags, parade, park decked out, people fill every nook & cranny to celebrate the old fashion way. Gotta love that. & we always take a family picture on the porch. Gotta love that too. 

Here we are last year...quite a difference I'd say. Oh, I love this picture. It was our first family picture with all of us together..finally a complete family picture. Boston was only 2 1/2 months, oh how I miss that little stage. He is big & overloads of FUN but nothing sweeter than little. 

I am excited to say that Todd is home OH so much more than ever before, every one of us loves it, family means busy, but good. He is also getting to dabble in restaurant. Yes I said the word. It's only every other friday. Now that I can take! And he loves it! That's the best part. 

It's intimate, he plates every dish, it's his style, and a creative outlet that he has missed. ALL GOOD!

So thankful.....

My Mother's Day

So for starters, Mother's Day has never been my favorite holiday. It's what you call a non-holiday holiday being the busiest restaurant day of the year...I "celebrated" many (all up till last year) with the kids & just an ordinary day. Last year was wonderful, relaxing, Todd was off, we were at the lake with friends....this year Todd kicked it up NOTCHES! 

A great place down in Pismo, love to stay where families such as ours are accommodated. Then, a late night massage last night....Ahhhh! Casual morning, Boston wanted to be the first to wish me a Mommy greeting, sadly he choose 2:45 to do that. Oh well, nothing coffee can't fix. Toddy got me Havaianas. I love them, no... LOVE them.  Jeweled ones (they are so hard to find!) in my size (even harder to find) and 2! If you don't know what I am talking about, look at my feet any day of the week, I wear them everyday! Comfy :)

Then we packed up for plans unknown to myself, drove still slightly south, to Vons where the plans were unfolded... Groceries......Grover Beach ( a long stretch of beach you drive right along waters edge to whereEVER you want) Cool! Then he clears the decks, in this case the back of the trunk & all the luggage. Whips out a burner, hors d'oeuvres, chilled Chardonnay, and we have a Clam Bake! We played on the beach/dunes/sand for hours...took tons of fun pictures (one of Abbie that's well.....fantastic). I loved it, aside from being so relaxed and still a long ride home, what a perfect day. I can't thank you enough my love...

Ahhh...lake season has begun!

Couple Sundays ago we bailed on the house work & took off to the lake, leaving late, but arriving just in time to....ahhhh...launch. We've missed the time of year when the cooler is waiting in the kitchen to be used, kids wake up in pj's but immediately put on suits, when all we all want to do is a Lake Day. It was freezing in the water!!! But not for kids, not ours at least and wonderful 90 or so outside. Ahhh...lake season. Got out around 5pm, cleaned the boat, drank some water on our way home to FOG. Ahhh....such a fun day. I was glad I insisted that a family pic was taken on our first Lake Day. That way I can compare it when Oct rolls around & they've all grow (bought Mackenzie size 9 shoes today :0 ) No need to tell them to smile, they always are on Lake Days. Hope that starting early this year will give us all some more time on the water, together, just as Fish do...

Celebrating 1 !!!!!!!!

These are Boston's bookends.... Audrianna is April 17th & Gavin is April 19th! 

Isn't that cool! Gotta love built in pals, I love their mom's so they are gonna be pals! 

Adding pictures....

I just figured out how to add pictures, like everyone else has known for...well... awhile. For me this makes blogging all that more fun because photos are my favorite thing. 

All that to say, my baby turned 1 last friday. I can hardly believe it or stand it! He had a "Your are my Sunshine" birthday... because he is. I am so thankful for a few friends with his will be pals that also turned 1 & came to celebrate & love this large family of ours. He was outta sorts, which was confirmed at his checkup today, his first ear infection & some very sore gums! All & all, he completes our family and makes our family complete. We're so happy with 5 to love....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSTON!!!

it's all too quick...

I am somedays overwhelmed at the amount of paperwork this job requires. No, I am not a lawyer or a editor, just a mom of 4 school attending kiddos with TONS of paper work! Some is art, some is notices, and like yesterday- some just stop me in my tracks. Mackenzie brought home a notice of 5th Grade dedications due soon. That means we are almost ready to say goodbye to the school down the street and hello to Middle School. I"M NOT READY! Not at all.... I was also trying to working their school albums, catch them up. So looking back on 8 years of school already for my sweet girl just makes me sad. I already miss so much and it's only going to get worse! I need to cherish more and hurry less. I always say that but it's hard to apply with 5 wanting -needing kids to keep up with. Good thing I love it so! As for my girl, well... maybe we can slow down just a bit and cherish 5th grade a little more. And recycle the rest!

City Boys Marries Country Girl...

Todd finally sees Yosemite! We ventured out from the Foothills, better known as Circle W Ranch, along with our great friends the Eastman's to see Yosemite on a day trip. To see it blanketed with fresh snow was breathtaking. Todd had only seen a quick glimpse of Yosemite-EVER- on a drive thru once as a kid. It has been a long while for me although I spent lots of time as a kid. We drove down into the village, played in the snow, had a snack & roasted smores by the fire, snapped a few pictures and drove back to the Ranch. The best part of the day for me was FINALLY experiencing Yosemite with Todd. Next time we'll stay for awhile, but we need to save up, he wants nothing to do with what they call "cabins". Bit too rustic for my City Boy.

I'm learning....

This blog thing is all new to me but so fun! I am hoping it will give me a chance to share pictures I've taken recently and also stay in touch with those I don't get to talk to often enough. But, being learner, I'll have to take it slow. My ipod still only has 4 songs on it (it didn't help that I organized all the CD's Todd & I had into one large case for the car and it was taken out when our car got stolen). So, I am starting from scratch.... as for pictures, I have plenty! This seems like a great way to showcase our current lives as I wish my scrapbooks were, not so much... worked on Fourth of July last night. Maybe this will be new to 2008... a chance to share more and count my blessings each and every day.