WOW Is it Sunday already?

This has been a very long and very full week! Week one of having my 8 at home kiddos, Baby Charlie, a day with  Grand daughter Mady too, and the Gillipsie 4  has come and gone. OBVIOUSLY I was busy and didn't blog a word. This arrangement of Joe's Cups"  on my kitchen island every morning is   my effort to keep the dish-doing under control a  bit : one cup per day per child...with names written on the cups for "inventory"! So far so good!
 I did post a few Face Book posts, but that is quickly stuff. We had  several  after -school hours -play days here so that the kids all got a chance to play with some other children (as if eight or nine Smiths aren't enough company!) and that went very well. Our friends who have Liberian boys close to Samren's age have been over several times, and our friends whose sons are close pals with my older boys have a son Samren's age too.GREAT GUY FUN when these 4 get together!! The girls have just had a great time with all their girl-stuff and some shopping thrown in too,Bright and Kendi have  had their adventures and fun too with Baby Charlie, lots of trampoline play and horse back riding. Sleep seems to come easier when I play Veggie Tales Silly songs or Scriptures set to music cds but they have slept well every night!  Last Tuesday I ventured out with the WHOLE crew to MEXICO JOE'S , where Esther works and where kids eat free on Tuesday nights. Charlie was out of town all week  so holding down the "fort" was on me. I thought taking 12 kids out for dinner sounded easier than cooking for them and cleaning up afterward. since the older kiddos had tennis matches and Jael had youth group.  GOOD CALL!!! Hannah and Baby Charlie joined us and  a good  time was had by all. Kendi was a hoot as she gobbled salsa by the bowlful waiting for her hamburger and fries (which she also gobbled up!) I have to tell you: this was one HUGE table of polite, well behaved children! (Antia yours may come home saying "Ma'am" and "Sir" from Smith Kid exposure!) No spills, no fights, no messes anywhere! Here are a few photos from  our week, trampoline  and horse back riding,  and Isaac's  14th birthday dinner with all 14 children to help celebrate. A few mishaps ,  but we did our school work, kept up with laundry and sweeping floors, cooking,   and of COURSE  all the farm chores! Teavy loves going to the chicken coop to check for eggs several times a day, everyone enjoys helping to bottle feed the baby goats. I get so busy keeping it all flowing  I forget  to grab the camera sometimes. There have been lots of super photo-ops. We've had friends over  and we've gone to several friends' homes too. I think that God has been successful in using us to help nurture our sweet  little visitors and keep the homesickness to a minimum. Anita and Eric ,  please know that we have prayed for you both every single day! I am having an absolute blast playing with Kendi's hair if you can tell from her photos. She may not have a LOT of hair but   I have been able to get  in at least  12 little twists with colorful barrettes. My mom was quite impressed today at how fast I got them all in too.We took ad vantage of every sunny moment earlier in the week with as much outside play as possible. The rains later on kept us inside, but far from sedentary. We stayed busy out  of the rain and cold too. NO ONE has had a second of  insomnia around here, that is for sure!  When I announce bed time, tooth brushing time  and prayer time, the younger contingent is more than ready for sleep. No wake ups in the night, no late night wanderers , just a whole houseful of contented loved-up kiddos and a BLESSED Mamma/Auntie/ Grammy!

Esther  with Samren and Kendi, Bright off to the side, Casey readies Lucky for rides

Kendi and me having some fun together at home and at Mexico Joe's , Casey leads Bright on Lucky

Part of our crew at Joe's for Isaac's birthday. Isaac in the Joe's Birthday Sombrero with  his b-day ice fried ice cream, Samren is next to him

Playing on the trampoline and I made them stop for photos. Charlie is in front Kendi, Isaac, Bright, Isaiah and Samren  are in back. Here's Charlie playng with his first Tonka truck too, complete with "mandatory mouthful of truck dirt "  too!

 Pals Winston and Uriah have a great jump fest too!

Charlie who typically will not eat brocoli  feeds Jael some of what he himself will not eat. "Its GOOD for you!:" he says! Naomi was looking so precious when she and I were talking about something that I had to snap a photo of the moment. And sweet juicy Bright! Here he is with a popcicle and a great smile. Kendi played with Play Do while the other kids did school work.