by Jessica | Dec 12, 2012 | Just for Fun, Nature, Precious Moments: 02 | 16 comments
As I was pulling up our driveway, after dropping the boys off at their Lego Robotics class this afternoon, I noticed something just off to the side. After parking the van I grabbed my camera and walked back down for a closer look… I took a few pictures to share with you all!
Father in heaven, grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege—to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary I ask your continued blessings on my family. Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen.
Hi! I'm Jessica, a Roman Catholic wife and home educating mother to our nine children. I was home educated myself, along with my eleven younger siblings. I have a special devotion to St. Therese, through whom I have been given much help and many blessings--the beautiful "Shower of Roses" that she has sent my way! Here I will record a few of the blessings I treasure. Please remember that what you see here is just a little glimpse at our lives, so please say a prayer for us, as we continue to strive for holiness.
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That's a pretty good bridge. I see some construction skills!
Hope the good ones are wining 🙂
It's beautiful to see history come alive. I thank God everyday when I home school. God Bless!!
Looks like your boys were having fun!
Oh, Jessica, don't you just love little boys! Peace +JMJ+
Wow! That's a great looking bridge. But, what I'm really curious about is how you fit your whole family in that van. I have the same kind of van and I'm wondering how to fit four car seats in it! I know that when we do have a fifth baby we are going to need one of those 12 passenger vans.
That is a very good question! 🙂
We bought the van about 8-9 years ago when I was pregnant with number 4. We went with the Toyota Siena, the only mini-van option at the time that had 8 seats, just "in case." We have officially outgrown it!
When it is just the kids and I, we can all fit. Our oldest (12) can sit in the front seat, the baby is in the middle of the second row in his rear facing infant carrier, Rose (3) sits next to the baby behind the drivers seat, on the other side of the baby we have a removable booster for Rascal (10) so that he can move it and put the seat down for everyone else to get in and out of the back. The back is a little more challenging since it is the narrowest… Snuggles (5) is in a car seat on one side with Chiquita (7) in a booster on the opposite side. Twinkle Toes (9) sits in between the two of them.
When we all go somewhere together Rascal, Chiquita, and Twinkle Toes share the two seats next to Snuggles in the back and Captain moves from the front to the middle. This was working at first, but the kids have grown enough this year to make this nearly impossible now. (Thankfully some of the kids have grown in height, but if you went by just the weight requirements, ALL my kids would still be required to be in boosters/carseats!) We did all ride together to Mass this past weekend, but it was fairly close to home. Going any distance definitely requires driving two cars.
We live a ways from town, so in addition to a car payment the extra cost of gas on a large van (unless we get a Sprinter they don't get nearly as good of gas mileage) it's just not a possibility for us. Actually the priest that came over the other night had a van in mind for us, but it ended up having the same number of seats as we have now. Anyhow, we didn't think we'd be able to do it last year, and now with payments to the dentist, there is no way…
For now this will continue to work, driving two cars when needed, and hopefully God will have something in mind if He decides to send another baby eventually! 🙂
And you should have seen us trying to figure it out when we were at the pumpkin patch this fall and had to get everyone home (some of the kids had ridden out with my little brother) in addition to the double stroller, backpacks with everyones change of clothes (we went straight from Mass) and a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins! lol At least we are making memories!
Oh, you do have one more seat than most vans. Our middle row is just like the drivers and passenger's seat and the back row is a bench seat made for three, but my two oldest are 3 and 2 and their car seats take up pretty much the whole back seat. Our baby sits in one of the middle seats in an infant carrier and the other middle seat we can fold up to get the two older kids to the back so I'm not sure how our seating arrangement will work when little baby is born. But, you are so right…God will and does provide. I wonder every month how we are going to pay that bill, but somehow we've been able to.
Oh that is awesome!!! How fun!
That is just too cute! Your kids are so adorable. I have been mesmerized by your blog since finding it a few days ago on a link from Jen Fulweiler's site, to the point my husband keeps asking me "Who ARE those people you keep looking at?", lol! Anyhow, really enjoying your blog and your family–very inspirational for a mom who is a new convert to Catholicism.
We outgrew our mini-van around the year 2000, I remember all to well how we had to take 2 cars in order to get anywhere (and not liking it at all). St. Anthony found us an affordable passenger van in March of 2001 and oh how I did love that van. We drove it HARD until January 2010 when we downsized back to 2 vehicles due to needing to replace the passenger van, which meant another car payment + the gas mileage, it was just too much as the economy was starting to tank while gas prices where soaring. I share all this just to say, that if the need arises to have a larger vehicle St. Anthony was a great intercessor for finding us the perfect 'deal' that we could afford and fit into!
BUT, before reading the comments – I actually come on to say how much I loved seeing the Army men and the great bridge your boys made!!!
lol about the bridge!!
I am home bound all day because I babysit 3 kids (3 year old and twins that are 4 months) and all 5 need full car seats! we have a Honda Odyssey but I can't fit 3 car seats in the back. the whole reason I working is budget related so getting a bigger van would defeat the purpose.
I just love that bridge!
Welcome, and thank you for visiting!! 🙂 I friend sent me the link to Jen's Quick takes last Friday and it made my day! God bless, and welcome to the Church!!
Our Ford 12 passenger was a lot cheaper than buying a mini van. Love it and even though it looks huge, most of the trucks around here are just as tall/long. However, wish we had put 4 wheel drive on it when it was being made and that the very back seat folded diwn.