This, that and the other.

Sorry its blurry but Jolene is beyond cute when Hannah dresses her.

School is under way :)

Again, Hannah dresses her!

Hannah at her happiest! The library.

Our baby whisperer Cody.

Time always flies and I never notice until I check my blog. We have been busy here on the Ownby homestead. Basketball season came to an end last Saturday with the last game making me sweat just watching. Cody did amazing and learned so much.We are looking forward to next season. Hannah is preparing for her piano recital. Always hearing her play is one of the joys I love about being home. Cody has also join Royal Rangers and I have to say that this is the neatest thing ever.Its christian boy scouting! LOVE LOVE LOVE it. We have been working on his derby car for his race this coming weekend. I think Daddy is really looking forward to this. My little guys tried to Rangers but screamed and cried when I left so we decided we would try later in the year. The 3 boys will be doing karate this spring together. Something their dad says they need. Cody and Hannah did karate for a long while but we moved and added many kids since then. Jolene is my tomboy princess. Love that smile she gives. Boy does she love crafts and school.She is only 2 and screams for paper and marker to work. Shes such a lover. Chase was in the hospital a few weeks ago. We thought he had a nut shell stuck in his throat because he couldn't eat and he screamed and cried whenever he would try. It started when he was eating nuts so we put 2 and 2 together. I took him in the ER and they did an xray and it showed nothing. So we went on our merry way. The pain wouldn't go away and it was getting worse and worse. So we headed back to the children's ER and kept us over night. The next day they put my poor sweet little to sleep( which is the hardest thing for a parent to see). They scoped his GI track and found he has a big nasty ulcer on the top part of his tummy. The doctor said it was from a viral infection and it happened to cause an ulcer. So he is on percacid once a day for 6weeks to 4 months. He is doing much much better. The first few days after the hospital he didnt want to eat because he was afraid it would hurt. Once that med kicked in we cant get him to stop eating. Praise the Lord! My boy is eating and gaining his weight back. God is good. Laurabeth is playing with toys and talking to us. Laughing like crazy. I love it! Someone is always holding her which is delaying her rolling over and sitting up. Not really but thats what we say. She is everywhere. She is a whopping 17 pounds now. We grow them big! Ethan is a master at school. We get alot of melts downs from him but we roll with it. He loves writing and making playdduh things. He looks up to Cody like crazy.

As far as school we are plugging along expect for today. I had my tooth pulled this morning so the kids have the day off. Its totally beautiful outside but so stinkin windy its stupid to be out. We had massive storms come though last night south of us and really did alot of damage. Of course my the worlds biggest baby when it comes to storms so I managed to work myself into a nightmare and that caused me to wake up sweating bullets and scared out of my mind. See what happens when the husband works away from the home! We will do a unit study on weather next talking about tornado's and storms. We are having a hard time some of our text books and im thinking we will sell them and jump right into My Fathers World year 2. We have the Homeschool Convention coming up and Ill buy it there. I cant wait for the convention!!

This house still doesnt feel like home to me. My mom bless her heart has been making me really neat paintings and things to help the homie feel but honestly this house just doesnt work for me. I love it dont get me wrong. My husband isnt here to make it complete. I always feel like im being watched and just uncomfortable all the time. Our lights are on 24/7. Even at night my house is usually lit like the 4th of July. The husband is ready to rip out the hardwood and lay carpet in the living room. He is going to redo the kitchen floor. We have light hardwood all over the house and with this many kids ans spills and water problems we have the hardwood in the kitchen is getting ruined fast. Yes my friends we have been here 1 year and already redoing alot! He just replaced the gate we had at the top of the stairs because my hulk of a son ripped it off the wall! Now we have a huge metal gate that im sure they will break. We also broke the under leg on my 10 man table! Mom you need to come fix that ok? I just got off the phone with my sister and my mouth is bleeding again so I must go. Blessings.

Happy New Year

I know this is really blurry but Codys face was priceless. Grandma and papa got him a bear fleece blanket.

Christmas at my house with the family.

Christmas morning it was a Star Wars fight

Grandma and Laurabeth

Jolene at the Hanukkah homeschool party

Where do I begin....the holidays are over and I have packed and removed any Christmas things away. Im sad it flew by but Im also excited to get school back on track.We have been so busy and I want to post it all but its like really?? Routine is a most around here and I so badly need it.We had a blessed Christmas with my family yesterday.On Christmas day my kids were sick with strep so we stayed home and really enjoyed the day. All the kids woke up and did their wooo and awwww's and tore though there gifts and had some play time before half the kids were on the sofa until bed time. They didn't even realize that they had living full of new toys! My olders weren't sick and played like crazy.Hannah got a 3DDS and was glued to it all day. Cody got lots of Lego sets and hunting things which kept him busy. I made the ham and yummy side dishes because I wanted Christmas to be Christmas even if they were to sick to know. The next day they were feeling better and boy the played with toys like crazy. It was so nice! Jolene still has a nasty wet cough and she gave that to her daddy this week. My family came over yesterday and I have to stay it was 60 outside and pure sunshine! You know He was shining down the blessings on us! All 13 kids were playing and eating. It was such a nice time I went to bed with a smile on my face. Today was clean up day and I only got to Christmas stuff because now we have the stomach bug! GOOD FREAKIN TIMES! Theres always tomorrow.I have to get our books out and see here we are so I can plan our planners. Cody is doing unit studies so that will be our change for this year. Hannah will be doing tha same as always. I have to start looking, researching the home schooling though high school. Im biting my nails here!

Theres many happenings here but some stuff will be private you know:) All good no worries.IM also doing the 90 day Bible Challange. Amy over at http://www.momstoolbox.com/blog/2011/12/12/bible-in-90-days-spring-2012-host-sites/ so ill be doing this and excited about it.

I must go but I leave you with the things that I pray for this New Year.

I pray my family is happy and Healthy, I pray my husband gets a job in state where we can be a family again. I pray that my sister in law gets blessed with a baby this year, I pray for my Judy who is searching for something and I think she may have found her call, I pray for mom and dad and that they win the lottery ;). I pray my dad is healed and gets back everything he lost when he had his stroke years ago. I pray my mm is blessed with so many things I cant begin to write. The list goes on and on but I'm good writing these down right now. I have a 2 year old at my side waiting for bed.

Ramble on Jen

I have my laundry almost done, meaning I have clothes to fold and put away. I have been cleaning and getting the house ready for Christmas. I get the pure pleasure of having my side of the family over for Christmas. Although a few wont be here because they have better people to see. Im planning yummy food and lots of laughs and smiles from children. Im also bracing myself for a night all boys!! My sisters little boys are coming over fora sleep over on Thursday and my mom is taking Hannah and my sisters daughter Madison and my brothers daughter Bree for girls sleep over. Ill have all the boys and my 2 sweet little girls. I plan to make it a great night of boy stuff. Over the weekend my sister and her 3 kids came over with my mom to do the Jolley baking of Christmas. We baked so many cookies I think I gained 10 pounds. I always love when they come over because we seem to spend the whole time laughing. Whats even better is my Hannah is old enough now to join in on the big girl talk and laugh with us. Hannah and Madison were really the only kids helping as the others were old Indians running around the house and playing. Jolene did help alittle. My husband was home to taste the cookies right out of the oven. I had a goodie box all made for him to take back to Indiana but he forgot it with all the busy bodies around us. Im so excited I get him home for 4 days. For awhile there I didnt cry when he would leave now im back to crying. It gets harder and harder now to watch him leave us every week. I through myself a pity party and then realize I cant do that, I have to many eyes watching. I miss him horribly. He comes home and loves on the kids and we go to bed because its late and then we snuggle. Morning comes to fast and we know the day will go by even faster. He misses having a wife who can hug him everyday and tell him how much I love him. Over the phone just doesnt do that justice. Laurabeth will be 3 months old tomorrow and he has missed so much. Jolene is 2 and he missed those 2 years. He blinked and they grew. I miss my husband.......


We did a day Hanukkah and we did our studies. We colored and read and so on. Our word search was a bit much for Cody but he finally got it. Tomorrow we have our big Hanukkah party with homeschool group and really looking forward to that. Laktes here we come!! Ita amazing to me the miracle of that. Every time we read about it we all say " Look people, it was the Lord who made the oil last eight days. Isnt he amazing!!" I have been doing my bible reading and found some verses that made me stop and realize what I need to work on as a mom and a sister in Christ. Colossians 3:13- " Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." Titus 3:3- Once we,too, were foolish and disobedient.We were misled and became slaves of to many lusts and pleasures.Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.


Well I must get to bed. I made my list for the "to do" over the next few days. I need to find a special toy for my ohhh I mean the kids guinea pig. I love this animal like crazy!! I love our dog but the guinea is my kinda animal. I guess ill buy the dog a special treat too :p

Putting on the "Mom Pants"

Ita pillow, its a pet, its a pillow pet ;)

My good looking cowboy Chase

Hannah doing what she does best.....coffee and reading

Well not really but you get the idea. Im redoing our way of learning around here for some of my kiddos, which means mom pants and nerdy glasses are coming out! Hannah will do whatever and continue doing what she is doing. But my boys will be doing unit studies along with keeping Abeka math and MFW books in the mix. Ill do my big post when I have the time after the holidays but Im just letting my friends know who do Abeka subjects my boys will no longer be doing them. we have had a busy week with bball, homeschool co op,library crafts,piano, Youth meeting at a beautiful church and shopping. This next week will be the same busy mood. Sunday I have family coming for cookie baking and down right fun. Although some of my family will not be here because they are better than us dont you know! Im a little bitter yes!

Update from the Ownby crew

My prayers: Im thinking deeply about Jubilee Shalom Duggar. I have her parents in my heart and comfort knowing they will one day be together again. So many people go through the loss of a child and it just seems so unfair. My heart just breaks for them.I also pray my husband stays warm working many many stories up on a tower when its so cold.

My thought: We have spent the day crafting and crafting.This morning my girlfriend came over to give me my maryKay goodies/samples. She then took Cody and her son Nick bowling for Nicks 12th birthday today. Cody came home and started crafting with us.

In the learning room: We are focusing on Christ and alot of reading. We do math and then one child has full subjects ( but honestly we are lazy about that). I know for a fact if we dont buckle down and get serious with after our break we will be sorry. I added all our hours up and we are so far behind in them. It wont be a problem to make them up because we school year round but I was hoping to space out time and thats not going to happen. Im going to have to do boot camp on myself here. A routine and schedule is a must.

Out my window: Its rainy and kinda warm.Its been raining for what seems like days. I wish it was snow.

Plans for the week: We had our Faith homeschool group yesterday and I cant tell you how much it was needed. I missed all my friends and the kids were in huge amounts. We had wonderful fellowship, ornament decorating, and awesome food. The talks I had were just what I needed. Not to mention when we got home my kids fell right the sofa and were done for the day. Tomorrow we have piano and then we are going to Santas Magical Kingdom. Friday im finishing my Christmas shopping (thought I was done then turns out I was wrong). Sunday my mom and my sister 3 kids are coming over for cookie baking and popcorn balls. Christmas is in the air!

My baby: is 2 and half months and smiling like crazy. Shes wearing a size 6 months and 3 diaper.Yep shes an Ownby for sure! She sleeps though the nights, 5 days out a 7 which never happens to any of my children. I wake up with my jugs ready to explode. I cherish all the nursing she does though the day. she looks at me and smiles and even holds my finger.So love my baby. Jolene is saying more and more words. She said her first sentence last week " I want one." It was so cute.

My little and big children: Are ready for it to stop raining so we can go outside and play. They got a new guinea pig and she is the other baby in the house. we love her so much. Acts just like a cat! Cody is doing awesome in bball. Im so proud of him. Hannah is playing away on the piano and amazing us all. Ethan and Chase are plugging away with playing and learning. Ethan is really tiring to read and im thinking it wont be long before it clicks for him. Chase is right there with him. Some areas he is ahead.

I must get off now Laurabeth is awake.

More pics

Ok you will have to view my post right before this to see other posts as I can only upload a few on one post!!!!

Pictures of my beautiful children

Yes I know this pic was posted twice but blogger wont let me edit my photos so bare with me please.......

I thought I would share a few pics ofthe many many we had done at our photoshoot. I love every single picture so much that when I had them printed I ended up getting 88 pictures devoloped! Ya they are that stinkin cute. So if you get a Christmas card and its full of pictures of my kids, its because I couldn't decide which one was better :) Ok im really suppose to be making our planner for this week but I live with this thing called ADD and tonight its taking over :) I have had this for a long time but when im stressed and over whelmed it kicks my butt and I get nothing done. I have a list a mile long and started every single chore just never finished tonight. Grrr..... anyways heres the pics and I hope you enjoy. Im thinking of switching from blogger over to wordpress. No one can comment, I can only download like 4 or 5 pics and I cant change my header. Driving me crazy. Ok ill post another set right after this so keep looking