The laundry basket

Children are absolutely amazing. They have fabulous imaginations! Over the past while, I have watched as my children created fun toys out of everyday household objects. I'm sure all of you that have ever had a cardboard box in the house with children present have discovered that kids really don't need toys if they have a cardboard box. Unfortunately, cardboard boxes probably wouldn't go over well in the birthday gift department. So, thanks to my children, I have a better idea for a birthday gift -- something to show that you actually spent some money and didn't just go dig through the grocery store dumpster... and I have pictures to show some of the varied uses...

A laundry basket is a fabulous gift idea! Carolynn thinks she is Queen in her laundry basket. Michael gives her wonderful amusement park rides while swinging her back and forth, around and around in her basket. And she protests loudly when the poor young man tires and sets her down for a breathing spell! And kind-hearted Michael usually picks the basket back up for another go-round!

Next we have the, uh, rowboat??! Notice the strategic positioning of couch cushions for comfort while rowing with toy guns across the carpet. (Try not to notice the myriad other stuff all over the floor). And you probably thought laundry baskets were for laundry!
Again we see our talented model posing in yet another use of laundry baskets... pet carrier! I believe Rhett is pretending to be a dog in this photo... I don't think it has anything to do with cramped quarters..
Along the same lines of a pet carrier, laundry baskets make excellent child carriers, as well. I have also seen my children line the basket with blankets and pillows and make a bed for their little sister to sleep in ... a portable crib!

Another favorite past time involving laundry baskets is that of being pulled across the carpet as if in a wagon. Carolynn loves it when blankets and pillows are added and she can lounge in the basket while being pulled around by her brother "slaves". And believe me, if they stop before she wants to stop, she lets them know! Not that she is spoiled or anything...!

Now, I know laundry baskets may not be your style for the ultimate birthday gift, so I have another idea for those of you on a tight budget. How about a pillowcase!

swimming pool?

A couple of weekends ago, the remnants of Hurricane Hannah came through and dumped a bunch of much needed rain on us. After several hours of rain, Carolynn continued to beg to go outside to play. I got tired of telling her it was raining, so we went out to play in the rain! Our construction site was a cement hole at the time. It was filling up with water quite nicely. Since Carolynn loves to stomp in puddles, we went out and played in the temporary swimming pool.

Didn't take long for her brothers to venture out to play with us... They brought scooters and everything! It was a bit chilly in the rain, but we had a blast! Josh and Michael Taylor didn't join us -- they were off playing football with the "old men" from church. Seems everyone likes to play in the rain!

Under construction

For those of you that don't know, we are adding on to the house. We purchased this lovely 3 bedroom home and 11 acres last summer. It was quite a bit larger than our old home (land too!!), so we felt very blessed. Shortly thereafter, Michael and Devon came to live with us. Three bedrooms just aren't quite enough for 7 children... We converted the basement into a "boy's dorm."

Lovely, huh? It does lack privacy, that's for sure, so we decided to add on. Took forever to get the permit, but we're finally getting there!

Just a little something

Ok. Here it is at last. I'm starting a blog. Can't garauntee it'll be much of anything, can't promise it'll be up to date, but the pressure is on, and I better get started, or Liz will be forced to write it for me! I'll stick in a few pics here and there, hopefully, too. Right now, Carolynn is napping, Josh is too (while home sick with the flu), my house is a mess, laundry needs doing, dishes need washed, but people want to know what's happening, so I'm playing on the computer! We'll have to see if this even works...

Oh yeah -- the pic is one that Don Crego took of Carolynn and I at the tri-ward Labor Day picnic... I don't have any decent pictures of myself on this computer as I'm usually the one taking them!