Hey Everybody! As most of you read below, the Walkers have now moved into their mobile home! It is small, but new and cozy, and I think they'll love having their own space! ;) We have had so much fun together! Here are some of the things we learned to love and do together in a home of 21 people!
Take walks and scare each other in the dark
Put on crazy talent shows
Play midnight volleyball
The proper way to catch a goat
That 21 people really can fit together and live in harmony (mostly. The three yearolds got to eachother's nerves the last couple of weeks)
Stay up WAY too late laughing, and realizing that the Walker sense of humor runs scarily prevelant through us older Heff.s
That an additional older boy (Matthew) is handy as a "Go-fer", an escort, a polka and waltz partner, and for extra laughs
And many more things! I am not adventerous enough to try to link all these topics. Nevertheless, I have written about all of them (?) during the past 10 weeks, so take a look! :)
Here are some surprising calculations;
We have used 4,410 styrofoam plates during meal times, *ducks from enviromentalists*
Jeremiah has single-handedly (almost) washed 13,230 plastic cups
We have used 13,000 plastic utensils
We have drunk over 100 gallons of iced tea (we're southerners. Sorry!)
We have eaten app. 210 different meals together
We have run 490 loads of laundry, and we girls have hung up at least 245 of those loads.
We have collectively eaten 480 hotdogs during this time. (Okay. I didn't eat them every time we had them. But they feed hungry masses of boys pretty well. Now we can all go on a liver detox! ;)
We have bought enough groceries for 4,410 hungry people.
Sound crazy enough? :) Life's good! -Rachel
Showing posts with label cousins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cousins. Show all posts
The Town Bedlamites
I feel as if I want to write something clever but can't....ever feel that way? Or at least, I want to write something that will make people leave comments on our lonesome little blog but...can't. :)
Anyway, I guess I'll write about a bit of a funny incident while gardening yet again today. First off, you must realize that we are the talk of the town. Around here we, (Much to our embarassment and chagrin) are recognized as "Those big house people". Yep. And especially since the Walkers are living with us, we have become a local curiosity. Really. People slow down as they pass our driveway, probably counting the children and wondering what on earth we are. I think it is so funny. We constantly repeat the classic penguin line from a movie I can't exactly recommend: "Smile and wave boys! Just smile and wave". (Which we do) But one can scarcely blame them! I mean, my inquiring mind can see how juicy a story it would be to know what on earth was going on in a big house with 21 people. Is it an orphanage? A daycare? Are they from some strange religion? (No! To all of these questions!) I wonder if they'd be disappointed to see what we really are?Anyway! If it isn't the hunt club after us, it's the feedstore man who about went into cardiac arrest when Mama informed him very politely that we fix an average of 60 plates of food a day. So, we were all down weeding the corn patch which is very near the road, when a whole troop of elderly bicyclists rode by. One man said, "Whatcha planting?" I smiled, "Actually, we are weeding our corn!"
Another man called out, "Make sure you plant lots of asparagus!"
At the tail end of the posse I heard a couple discussing us: "What are they picking?" one lady asked her companion. The man, evidently thinking himself an expert gardener answered her in a patronizing tone, "They aren't picking! They're planting!"
I laughed to myself. His companion was closer to the truth. We were only picking weeds. I went closer to house-end of the garden and told Mama the story. We laughed together about it. I was only joking, but perhaps it was a bit close to the truth when I pretended to be the town-gossip and said, "Oh! You gotta come by that big house! They're all close to the road today! We can get a good look at those Bedlamites and count `em!" :) I hope not. We really are only a "normal" family in our circles, although sadly, in our culture you could box us up and sell tickets to watch our "strange" way of life. Hee-hee. I don't know why, but I find I get a funny thrill from knowing I'm normal, but letting people wonder all about me...:) :) :) -Rachel
Anyway, I guess I'll write about a bit of a funny incident while gardening yet again today. First off, you must realize that we are the talk of the town. Around here we, (Much to our embarassment and chagrin) are recognized as "Those big house people". Yep. And especially since the Walkers are living with us, we have become a local curiosity. Really. People slow down as they pass our driveway, probably counting the children and wondering what on earth we are. I think it is so funny. We constantly repeat the classic penguin line from a movie I can't exactly recommend: "Smile and wave boys! Just smile and wave". (Which we do) But one can scarcely blame them! I mean, my inquiring mind can see how juicy a story it would be to know what on earth was going on in a big house with 21 people. Is it an orphanage? A daycare? Are they from some strange religion? (No! To all of these questions!) I wonder if they'd be disappointed to see what we really are?Anyway! If it isn't the hunt club after us, it's the feedstore man who about went into cardiac arrest when Mama informed him very politely that we fix an average of 60 plates of food a day. So, we were all down weeding the corn patch which is very near the road, when a whole troop of elderly bicyclists rode by. One man said, "Whatcha planting?" I smiled, "Actually, we are weeding our corn!"
Another man called out, "Make sure you plant lots of asparagus!"
At the tail end of the posse I heard a couple discussing us: "What are they picking?" one lady asked her companion. The man, evidently thinking himself an expert gardener answered her in a patronizing tone, "They aren't picking! They're planting!"
I laughed to myself. His companion was closer to the truth. We were only picking weeds. I went closer to house-end of the garden and told Mama the story. We laughed together about it. I was only joking, but perhaps it was a bit close to the truth when I pretended to be the town-gossip and said, "Oh! You gotta come by that big house! They're all close to the road today! We can get a good look at those Bedlamites and count `em!" :) I hope not. We really are only a "normal" family in our circles, although sadly, in our culture you could box us up and sell tickets to watch our "strange" way of life. Hee-hee. I don't know why, but I find I get a funny thrill from knowing I'm normal, but letting people wonder all about me...:) :) :) -Rachel
In Which We Are Wanted In All 13 Colonies for Desertion
Hello! First off, I want to say that Sarah posted our 200th post yesterday! Happy Birthday-ish-sort-of-thingy! :)
Okay. It all began with the reading of a description in a book- a real description from the Revolutionary War about a deserter from the army. It ran something along the lines of "Is prone to say `I'll swear! I'll swear' and spits between his words." and other very random things like that. So today, while on our hands and knees grubbing carpet weeds out of the rows of corn, we incriminated eachother. I mean, what are we to do after singing songs and chatting generally for an hour? So I casually suggested this strange means of entertainment. I began by telling my cohorts about the above-mentioned description. Then I said, "So while we weed, why don't we describe each other?"
Perhaps because it was a good idea, (or more likely because of lack of something better to discuss :) the others agreed to the hare-brained proposition. I (Rachel) led off describing my dear and cheeky sister Sarah- "Wanted, or Missing: A young woman of middle height and stature- blonde hair, golden eyes. Dents nose when bested. (inside joke) When speaking of her witticisms and other's reactions to them is prone to say: "They were cracking up laughing".
Matthew took his turn with me next: "Wanted or Missing: Young lady of brown hair. Uses old English phrases like "Blast!" and "Heavens to Betsy!" and sometimes breaks into fits of craziness or witticisms."
Christopher and Leah did it to each other in turn, and Sarah did it to Matthew. By the end of the time, we had all become deserters of the Continental Army of America, and were wanted in all 13 colonies! ;) Anyway, that might sound a bit odd to you, but it certainly lent a novelty to our tedious row-vacuuming, and if it was "strange saying what" I "imagined" as Leah said, it was something out of the ordinary, and temporarily entertaining! :) Anyway, do we sound like inventive cousins, or do we sound like young lunatics? You decide! ;) -Rachel
Okay. It all began with the reading of a description in a book- a real description from the Revolutionary War about a deserter from the army. It ran something along the lines of "Is prone to say `I'll swear! I'll swear' and spits between his words." and other very random things like that. So today, while on our hands and knees grubbing carpet weeds out of the rows of corn, we incriminated eachother. I mean, what are we to do after singing songs and chatting generally for an hour? So I casually suggested this strange means of entertainment. I began by telling my cohorts about the above-mentioned description. Then I said, "So while we weed, why don't we describe each other?"
Perhaps because it was a good idea, (or more likely because of lack of something better to discuss :) the others agreed to the hare-brained proposition. I (Rachel) led off describing my dear and cheeky sister Sarah- "Wanted, or Missing: A young woman of middle height and stature- blonde hair, golden eyes. Dents nose when bested. (inside joke) When speaking of her witticisms and other's reactions to them is prone to say: "They were cracking up laughing".
Matthew took his turn with me next: "Wanted or Missing: Young lady of brown hair. Uses old English phrases like "Blast!" and "Heavens to Betsy!" and sometimes breaks into fits of craziness or witticisms."
Christopher and Leah did it to each other in turn, and Sarah did it to Matthew. By the end of the time, we had all become deserters of the Continental Army of America, and were wanted in all 13 colonies! ;) Anyway, that might sound a bit odd to you, but it certainly lent a novelty to our tedious row-vacuuming, and if it was "strange saying what" I "imagined" as Leah said, it was something out of the ordinary, and temporarily entertaining! :) Anyway, do we sound like inventive cousins, or do we sound like young lunatics? You decide! ;) -Rachel
Home-grown Talent Show.... :{
So, what is the newest amusement for us around here? What would you say to a talent (or rather, untalent) show? Yep. That is what we girls have been doing in some of our spare moments. It is really not as grand as it sounds- at all. We gather up the Walker girls and ourselves, and head out to the front lawn where everyone does whatever they can think to do.
Really! It is so much fun! I'll give you a peek into one of these shows...
Abby and Bethany stand up and blush, then argue about the words to the "Matchmaker" song. Finally, Bethany begins singing, but Abby stops her, and they start over. Stop again. Start again. Finally, I herd them off the stage and put on the next act: Anna and Emily singing some song. They forget the words and shrink back to their seats. Sarah and I give a despairing smile to the others as we realize that we'll have to carry the show. I get up there and recite "The Highwayman" in a fashion that would make Anne Shirley proud. Sarah and I sing "By the Light of The Moon" ala Fred and Ethel Mertz.
Then Gracie and Bekah get up there. Grace giggles while Bekah runs around singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" at the top of her lungs. Literally, just those five words. She can't remember the rest. We shoo them off by politely clapping, and then I get back up in front of everyone and sing opera. :) Or at least, my version. It is composed of mostly imitating the lady in Anne of Green Gables, and finished with a warbling "O Promise Me" song, sung purposely to make the little girls crack up. At last we begin to try to be serious. Abby and Bethany take turns jump-roping for us. Then they do a "Virginia Reel" while either Sarah or I sing "The Maid That Sold Her Barley" for accompaniment. Leah may go shyly up and perform a little song, and Anna or Emily will try singing "Come Thou Fount", but get embarassed halfway and go sit down.
Sarah and I are at it again with "Carolina in the Morning" (with a dance) or "The Old Kent Road". Then, our girls sing "Be Thou My Vision" in three part harmony. The only people left to clap by this point are Bekah and Grace who have been yelling the whole way through.
I send Leah to bring the other girls back. We are finally all seated, and Sarah and I finish our little show with "Angel of Music" from "The Phantom of The Opera".
By the end we aren't sure if we have any talent, but we have had fun and have spent a profitable 1/2 hour spending time with each other! -Rachel
Really! It is so much fun! I'll give you a peek into one of these shows...
Abby and Bethany stand up and blush, then argue about the words to the "Matchmaker" song. Finally, Bethany begins singing, but Abby stops her, and they start over. Stop again. Start again. Finally, I herd them off the stage and put on the next act: Anna and Emily singing some song. They forget the words and shrink back to their seats. Sarah and I give a despairing smile to the others as we realize that we'll have to carry the show. I get up there and recite "The Highwayman" in a fashion that would make Anne Shirley proud. Sarah and I sing "By the Light of The Moon" ala Fred and Ethel Mertz.
Then Gracie and Bekah get up there. Grace giggles while Bekah runs around singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" at the top of her lungs. Literally, just those five words. She can't remember the rest. We shoo them off by politely clapping, and then I get back up in front of everyone and sing opera. :) Or at least, my version. It is composed of mostly imitating the lady in Anne of Green Gables, and finished with a warbling "O Promise Me" song, sung purposely to make the little girls crack up. At last we begin to try to be serious. Abby and Bethany take turns jump-roping for us. Then they do a "Virginia Reel" while either Sarah or I sing "The Maid That Sold Her Barley" for accompaniment. Leah may go shyly up and perform a little song, and Anna or Emily will try singing "Come Thou Fount", but get embarassed halfway and go sit down.
Sarah and I are at it again with "Carolina in the Morning" (with a dance) or "The Old Kent Road". Then, our girls sing "Be Thou My Vision" in three part harmony. The only people left to clap by this point are Bekah and Grace who have been yelling the whole way through.
I send Leah to bring the other girls back. We are finally all seated, and Sarah and I finish our little show with "Angel of Music" from "The Phantom of The Opera".
By the end we aren't sure if we have any talent, but we have had fun and have spent a profitable 1/2 hour spending time with each other! -Rachel
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