Cornelius Chronicles

We had a super fun Spring Break this last week.  We enjoyed a trip to Space Center, a trip for me to my sister Jenny's wedding in Arizona, exploring the local nature park, celebrating St. Patrick's Day with fun friends and lots of yummy corned beef, and getting a new clothes washing machine!  Man, I'm exhausted from all this taking a break stuff.  I hope we're rested up enough to start back to school on Monday morning.  :D  Xavier and Owen, a.k.a. Bat Brothers! (insert Batman theme song here)  Starting off Spring Break right with friends, popsicles, and a big cardboard box in the backyard.   Checking out some cool stuff at the new Ripley's Believe it or Not exhibit at Space Center  Should I be more worried that Loyd is about to be eaten by a giant snake?   Dustin and the kids had fun hanging out together while Owen and I were in Arizona at Aunt Jenny's super fun wedding.  Here they are about to embark ...

 Life with 5 little kids ages 8 and under and the daily demands of caring for a new baby have taken their expected toll on my time and, as I'm sure you have noticed, have lead to me doing monthly blog dumps on the happenings of the Cornelius clan rather than my more usual weekly updates.  We're having lots of fun, we're working hard, and everyone seems to be hitting new milestones recently.   On Monday (February 23rd) Baby O finally learned how to suck his thumb.  He has been desperate to learn how to pull off this feat of coordination and fine finger control since he was born.  Up until this week he has always been unsuccessful at making this miracle of baby comfort happen; usually ending up poking himself in the eye or tightly keeping his cute little baby thumb firmly stuck in his fist.  This has been his calmest week yet, and it isn't uncommon to find him with this thumb sweetly stuck in his mouth.  Now 4 out of my 5 kids have been thumb/f...

Xavier, Loyd, Rebekah and Maeve at Moody Gardens Aquarium On February 18th the big kids ditched school, and the little kids got to tag along with Xavier on his annual preschool field trip to the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid.  We had such a fun day with Xavier walking through all the beautiful exhibits of exotic fish, sea horses, crabs, sharks, sting rays, penguins, and seals.  What a fun day of fun together as a family and what a wonderful way to marvel at the beauty of the oceans and the life created therein.  What a loving Heavenly Father we must have to have given us so many beautiful creatures and plants to experience and enjoy.  Watching the penguins exhibit.  I couldn't get the kids to turn around and loot at me for all the world. Maeve checking out the Megalodon Shark jaw fossil.

  This month we had the great pleasure of celebrating Loyd's 7th birthday!  We had a super fun day of no school, happy birthday presents and cards, and a great evening of trampoline fun at Jumping World and ice cream birthday cake as a family.  We had so much fun celebrating our fun Mr Loyd and showing him how much we love him. This special little boys teaches me daily about love and the tenderness of children.  He reminds me of how exciting the world is and how much adventure there is to be found in childhood.  He is my tender boy who seems specially tuned in to the hearts of those around him, and who is filled with the desire to drink deeply from the wonderful opportunities the earth has to offer.  He climbs trees without fear, makes new friends with ease, and loves his family with his whole heart.  We love you Loyd.  I am so grateful we could celebrate you on your special birthday day.  I am grateful every day to my Heavenly Father for...

Loyd lost one of his teeth today after church while eating an apple.  I'm feeling very grateful it held on in there until today.  We got Loyd's birthday pictures taken yesterday. Talk about a small mercy in timing.  :)

Pepperoni and Greek Isle Heart Pizzas for Valentine's Day Dinner. Carnations, my favorite flower, from Dustin for my Valentine's Day flowers We had a busy, but fun Valentine's Day this year.  As we have had more children and they get older I'm finding that Valentine's Day changes for me. Each stage of my life has lead to a different celebration and understanding of this day of love.  When I was a child this holiday was all about decorating boxes with hearts and glitter, giving and getting cards at school, and eating my box of special Valentine cookies from my parents.  When I was a teenager and young single adult I spent most Valentine's Days bemoaning my lack of a special Valentine and celebrating instead Single Awareness Day.  However, as I met Dustin and soon thereafter married my sweet heart it was a special day to spend extra time together and share small tokens representing our love and gratitude for one another.  Now as a mother with several you...

"Cornelius Family Portrait" by Xavier, January 2015.   I think he captured us very well.  :) ***** What a fun fort and what a great way to spend an afternoon with your brothers and sisters.  Love this creativity!