Saturday, September 1, 2012

BABIES!!!!

I love talkin' 'bout babies. And with six kids and eleven grandchildren, I surely do know somethin' 'bout birthin'!!!

Not to mention dogs...

Here's Maddie with her first litter of babies...


And here's what they looked like six weeks later:



Taylor's cute, too, and you might recognize her as the taller girl on the cover of "A Family to Cherish" 
"Sophie"


And shameless plug or not, you can buy A Family to Cherish HERE!!!!! and you won't be a bit sorry because this is about the sweetest book ever...:)
And that Cam Calhoun guy??? The hero????

TOTALLY TO DIE FOR "LET'S FIX HIM" WIDOWER!!!

Oh. Yum.  (big smile attached)



So tiny. So perfect. And check this young mother's smile...
Gorgeous, right?


And how about this look of absolute newborn trust???
(Of course that will disappear in a sea of stubborn brattiness around age two, but we're not going to think about that now. We're just gonna relax in the moment.)

With lemonade, because it's hot up here!  ;)

So this is the new "baby" that came to live at my house yesterday:


This is "Rosie"...
The first new car we've bought in eleven years...
ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL????

Not as beautiful as this:


Or even this:

Clearly Mary is EXHAUSTED, Joseph is picking his nose, the shepherd is possibly stoned and the baby...
Well, he's just stinkin' adorable!!!!

:)

To get our good picture of this crew, we kissed a lot of frogs, metaphorically speaking, LOL!

The car's first job was to swing by the farm store for chicken feed.

She might as well figure out she's not a city slicker...

She's a Country Cruze!

So when was the last time you bought a new or new-to-you car???

Was it over-the-top exciting?

Or excruciatingly painful?

'Cause I've been on both ends of that scenario.

Happy is better.

27 comments:

  1. Sweet ride Ruthy! Sweet babies, too :)

    The last time we bought a NEW car was about three years ago. We had shopped and compared for months, waiting until all the stars were aligned (cash in the bank, sale at the dealership), and it was worth the wait. We got a Honda Odyssey - the perfect vehicle for our family and the road trips we take (12 hour days, two or three in a row, and then turn the puppy around and do it all over again).

    Just one of the pleasures (?) of living so far from our parents and siblings.

    At least we have all our children in one place, and they all fit in the Odyssey :)

    The last car we bought was a used Subaru Forester. We needed 1) a reliable car for the boys to drive to work and school, and 2) 4-wheel drive.

    Everyone has 4-wheel drive around here - at least on one car in each family. We live in a place where SUV's aren't a luxury - they're a necessity. Even the police drive SUV's.

    Now that our two older children are living at home again, we have four cars in our garage and driveway. Four. I never thought I'd see the day. I'd say it's an extravagance, but we also have six drivers going in five different directions every day.

    Hmmm. I hope this doesn't mean we need to buy yet another car...

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    1. Jan, I totally hear you! We used to have a fleet in the driveway... six kids, in and out, going to college or work.

      Oh my stars, we looked like a parking lot! Now when everyone comes for a weekend gathering, it's like the MINIVAN collection! A Mazda 5, a Toyota Sierra and a Grand Caravan.

      Our truck is 4 wheel drive, necessary in winter. And I'm anxious to see how Rosie handles rain and snow. She's got that in-built traction stability system and it got great reviews. Ya wanna know what car handled great in Rochester's snowy winters? Our old Dodge Neons. If the snow was really deep, it might give her trouble, but those little cars had way more punch than you'd ever expect.

      Jan, just envision me with bluetooth on my dash!!! Onstar at my beck and call. (I already called them once, accidentally. Dork=Ruthy!)

      I knew you'd understand!

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    2. I'm afraid to get Onstar. Don't they fine you for too many "accidental" calls?

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  2. Ooooooo! Pretty!!

    Let's see... We bought a 1997 van in 2004 and it had 60K miles on it. That was pretty darn new for us! It doesn't have AC but for $3K that was a really good deal. We try to pay cash or everything, no debt, no bills. AC would be nice, though.. My father bought a cherry red Miata and a Suburu SUV in cash, from the same dealer, in one day. I'll never forget the salesman's face. He was a really nice guy and I think he deserved that bonus!!

    Like Jan said, reliablitity is a necessity sometimes. We have 3 vehicles for 2 drivers, but if one car dies, hubby cans till get to work and we can get around here at home, while we fix the third one. It hasn't happened yet but I'm sure it will soon! Especially since the van has over 140K miles now. :D

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  3. Lets see, I dont drive, I dont know how to drive but I do have a red ferrari, of course its only match box size. I have never had a car but I have had a bike. I got a new one in feb of 2000 and it was stolen the night after the torch relay for the sydney olympics was in town. So got it replaced around Aug 2000.

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    1. Jenny, I love Match Box cars, LOL! I have a huge supply here, and I step on them regularly...

      So, Jen, do you live right in town? And do you bike or walk most often?

      I love the idea of village living. Walking to church, walking to market, church bells.

      But I'd miss my space and my FROGS!!!!

      Do you love it, Jenny?

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    2. Yes in the town. I walk most places. I am closer than the last house that was 20 min walk down the street now its 10 mins. (ok down the street which aussies say is down to the main street where the shops are or the main drag) I do ride also but the tires are a bit flat. I am also 10 mins from Church depending on dogs. Sometimes its longer if I see a dog I go a different way. big fear there. We do have church bells the Presbeterian (sp)ring at just before 10am If I hear them Im running late. I normally make it by 9.35am for the 10 am service at my church. tomorrow/today maybe later. the clinic, doctors is right over the road from the church, the hospital up the top of the road I live on 5 mins away going 4 coming back big steep hill going up. We may not get frogs but we get birds. Oh and sometimes Kookaburra's laughing outside. I love my house I am basically 10 mins from most things I go to although may gain a cleaning job I will need to ride to. its around 5000 people and its fairly good (except when idiots are out creating havoc like tonight).
      But its a safe place. Oh and the neighbours over the road have chooks/chickens that tend to be overly friendly.

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    3. I have two hens that refuse to stay penned. I don't know why they've escaped the fox so far, maybe I scared him SO MUCH the day I chased him down that he's leaving us alone.

      These two hens RUN for me when I come out in the morning. They squawk like old biddies, waiting for food, then accompany me back to the pen! It's like old girlfriends, waitin' in line together. Hysterical! Jenny, your town sounds lovely. Like just the kind of town I write about! Only about 10 gazillion miles away!

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    4. and no lolly shop. I mean we don't have a lolly shop (translation lolly = candy)
      Im up I got more sleep its now 6am. I know going to church will be hard but I can do it. I am behind in the devotional book and read a few which talked about children and letting them grew and trusting God (mum did that), the uncertainty when you have a crisis of what will happen and dealing with people saying how are you (dealing with that now) and not beating yourself up about not being perfect but to keep trying. I needed that.
      all very appropriate. I haven't been up to reading much just to tired emotionally and I thought reading would be my release and it may have been if I wasn't so tired.
      The 4 chooks over the road (the daughters dog played with one and then there were 4) are funny they come and talk to me and one tries to play chicken by coming so close to try and nip my shoe without me turning around they are so funny. One is called Houdini (the escape artist) and Houdini's mates.

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  4. Ah, Virginia, cash! The way to go!

    We jumped on the cash only bandwagon 3 years ago and have just paid off all the weird niggling things that arose from raising six kids, losing jobs, colleges, weddings... So we're on top of things now, and our goal is to have a cash account for the next car.

    But those tight years taught me so much about making do, doing without, hangin' in. And I really think that character building experiences are reflected in our writing.

    And our cooking, LOL!

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  5. Sniff. I can see all the cute baby pics but no car!

    The last new car we bought was 12 years ago, a Honda Civic and I am still driving it. We keep buying used Accords for Man O and the daughter. Her first one became an "accord-ian" after a five car chain reaction at the high school. She didn't want the one Man O found to replace it because it was white. Say what? It has leather seats and was a sweet deal from the neighbor. So Man O bought it for himself. But daughter is frugal and was willing to wait for one that was blue. Sigh.

    We also have an old mini pickup truck we use as our third car and all around hauling vehicle. It was bought from one of Man O's dad's friends. We think it is from the seventies but we try not to ask it's age.

    We have gotten on the buying with cash bandwagon as well. Saving for Man O's dream truck but even that one won't be brand spanken new.

    Happy Saturday.

    Peace, Julie

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    1. Our pickup was used... and it's got terrible gas mileage, a real guzzler, but we use it for bad weather (4 x 4) hauling firewood and helping people move. So it barely gets 5K on it/year...

      But the price was solid and it was one of the few classic farm pick-ups with a full bed and a regular cab.

      I love my new wheels. Have I mentioned that yet??? ;) And I loved the station Dragon we had when the kids were small, pre-mini-van days. Chevy Caprice... Huge. Fun. TAPE DECK AND AIR, Ginny-Lou-Who!! :) What a hoot.

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  6. Ah. Buying with cash. We were there one time...and then we moved again. That was the time we lived in one place for seven years. Seven years is enough time to recover from a house purchase and start putting money toward other things...

    ...and then we moved to Kentucky.

    I'd be discouraged, but we're in the "paying down debts" cycle once more, and there's light at the end of the long tunnel - and nobody to tell us we have to move in five years :)

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    1. We've all been there! And I don't fret about it, I just work harder. There are rough times for families, but Dave and I just figured if we kept on keepin' on, things would get better. And now with the kids grown, they're delightful helps with projects... And just plain fun to have around. Love this stage too!

      Hang in there, Jan. And keep writing. The secret to making solid money with category is to write well and produce regularly. 2-3 books/year is a wonderful thing and a nice income producer.

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  7. Yay, Ruthy!! So glad you finally got your car! It's beautiful. I love the name Rosie the Country Cruzer. LOL!

    And love the photos of the precious kids even more than Rosie!

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    1. Me, too!!! Aren't they adorable? So stinkin' blessed.

      Oh, I must tell a story. I should have used it as my blog. I'll tell it here then use it at Ruthy's Place this week. My school year goal is to blog 2X a week at Ruthy's Place....

      No, I'll wait. I have to tell it at the beginning of the day. This week, Thursday, that will be my post, the reason we do what we do. Shoot, I get choked up, thinking about it.

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  8. nice! all of 'em! I'm partial to the puppies though! :-) love puppies. wish I could have one but 12 hr shifts is hard enough with my grown doggies(was on 8 hr shifts when I got them)
    Susanna

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    1. We're doing a red doodle stud dog with our poodle next spring Susanna... I'm anxious to see if we break the cycle of black Doodle puppies! :)

      I love puppies.

      I love writing more, so I'm scaling back because pregnant dogs and puppies take a bite out of my time, but it's so fun to deliver puppies!

      And messy.

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    2. what's wrong with black?! I love black doggies! both my girls are black - even the german shepherd! just hope I'm not in the market for a dog next year :-( my girls are up and moving but taking lots of naps and moveing slower when they do move. :-( not sure I can handle this but no choice. I guess I'll be with a rescue for an older dog or checking out petsitters/dog walkers for the days..or going with a cat. Never had one of those. otherwise I'll keep doing cleanup duty when I come home from work!

      hmm I guess red would be cool - a bunch of Clifford puppies! :-)

      Susanna

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    3. We love the black doodles... but we're surprised that a brown mother and red father produce all black puppies! Dog genetics are weird.

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    4. wow that is strange! are doodles prone to hip dysplasia? my lab was supposed to be low risk but she has it in one hip at least - they found it when she had knee surgery a few years ago.

      Susanna

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  9. Nice wheels, Ruthy!

    The closest we ever came to buying new was in April '02 when we bought a 2001 Chevy Lumina for Donny; it had been a rental before we bought it. That car lasted until almost 200,000 miles. It was sad to see it go... It was supposed to become mine when we got an '08 Hyundai Sonata just over 2 years ago, but when Donny moved it off the driveway, it started making strange noises. And when your hubby is a mechanic and a car starts making odd noises, it isn't good, so off to a scrap dealer it went. Love his Sonata--wonderful to drive! And it has the electronic stability control (ESC...escape!), too, which has helped in the winter in his 20+ mile drive every day from Sodus to Webster for work.

    And my "newest" vehicle is my in-laws' '04 Chevy Venture van which has been wonderful at hauling things for our church rummage sale! Got it in mid-December, so we share it sometimes with our son and d-i-law who live with us. It's a gas hog though, which bites as the gas prices go ever-higher...

    Love all the pics! :)

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    1. Mel, we went through a time (until about yesterday, LOL!) when our newest vehicle had 180,000 miles and was seven years old.

      And that lasted way too long! But we were determined to pay off everything we could to feel solid before we took on a car payment. And until this year, half of the kids' cars were aging.... They all went to minivans this year... and we've got the Cruze now.

      So the fleet has been updated! YAY! But I hear you on the whole score! Sonatas are so nice. That made our short list. The fuel economy on the Cruze and the zippy enging and the fact that it doesn't look like an old person's car (YUCK) grabbed us.

      And the thing torques on the highway.

      :)

      Not that I go fast or anything like that!!!!

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  10. Love all the cute pictures, Ruthy! And love that you name your cars. Rosie is perfect -- she looks right friendly and a bit of a flirt. :-)

    I've never owned a car so haven't had a new or used one. I'm yearning for a place to call home in a village like Jenny lives in where I can walk to everything -- including work! Then I'll be me some fancy red walking shoes and call them Rosie 1 and Rosie 2. :-)

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    1. Kav, we have a village right here.

      Come across the pond, live in upstate New York, and we'll have SO STINKIN' MUCH FUN TOGETHER!!!

      Promise.

      Go on, go on.... Pack your stuff, buy your ticket. Let's do this!

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