In The End Her Balloon Popped

The day was just not her day.  We should have known from the beginning, as we were walking out the door to go to school, the girly was not yet dressed for school.  At departure time while everyone was scrambling out the door, O walked past me and said “you might want to go up and help her.”  I went up the stairs to find her trapped in her dress, it was twisted, and her arm and head were fighting for the same hole.  I rescued her, grabbed a bow and a hair band, she grabbed her back pack, and rain boots (it was not raining or even predicted to rain.)
We made it to school.

After school my sister dropped the girly and her brother at home, I was not yet home.  By the time I arrived she had her blanket in her arms and tears in her eyes.  Mario Cart racing is not her thing, she cries every time she plays, the boys like to play it often, she begs to play, they resist but eventually give in to her sweet smile, and her big blue eyes, their NO breaks down.  After about a minute into the game she is crying and they are telling her that she must finish, no quitting.  Which makes the crying harder, louder, and more ugly.

She came to me for comfort, I cut her out of the game, took the her along with the baby to Publix to get dinner, spaghetti was her choice.

At Publix somehow the cart fell on top of her as she was climbing in.  I pulled the cart loose, and as I was turning it she was climbing into the cart.  As it fell people came rushing.  The sweetest Bagger who was on the other side of the carts rushed over, grabbing managers on the way.  There was a man in a red shirt, I handed the baby to him as he righted the cart, (he promptly put her into the cart for me, she was so stunned that a stranger was holding her, she did not even move) a grandma was making soothing noises, another man was trying to see if I needed anything, and I was picking up a 6-year-old who has grown more than I realized in the past few months.  She had her ear smashed by the cart.  Two different managers came rushing to see if she was okay, to be sure Publix was not at fault and the cart was not the fault, I assure them that it was fine, the cart and the store were fine, and the girly would be fine.  Taking a minute or two, and assessing her injuries she determined she would be fine, or maybe the baggers promise of a balloon was the answer?  We quickly made our way around the store, and went to get our balloons at the end.  The assistant manager was sweet and kind, letting her pick a balloon out, and letting the baby pick a balloon, choosing the string was important and he knew it.  We checked out and she gave more smiles and some giggles to the original Bagger who walked out with us.  On our way home she chatted happily.  She ran into the house with her balloon closely following her.  She stopped in the kitchen to tell her daddy about her new balloon, when it flew up to the ceiling.  A loud ugly sound, followed by more crying.  Poor girly, never saw it coming.

Dad carried her to the dining room to snuggle and talk with her.  Tears were over when she was promised a new balloon.  As she was walking back to the kitchen she walked backwards into O on her skate board and scratched her leg.  More tears.

Trying on a new dress, more tears.

I left when they were eating dinner, I assume the evening was uneventful, when I got home she was sleeping.

What about you, have you had a balloon make everything better?  Ever have a shopping cart fall on you?
Go hug your kids, and pick up a red balloon it makes everything better, even a shopping cart bruise on your ear.
jen

 

I Have Failed As A Mother

I have failed so badly as a mother, so badly that my 6-year-old is now making plans and rules for her own children.  She has thought about these new rules, she has made them in response to the bad parenting I am doing to her.

Here is a sampling of her rules.

I will not make them stay in a car seat when they graduate k-5
(This was after our discussion on 65 lbs before she can get out of a car seat.  We’ve just hit 45 lbs, she might be in 5th grade before she gets that big!)

My children will not have to close their lips shut when they eat.
(Every meal, people, every meal.  If not here then someone is getting corrected on the chewing,)

I will let them stay up when the big kids stay up.
(seems self-explanatory…)

When my kids have red snock (snock is her word for snot.) on their blankets I will wash it right away.
(She had a bloody nose, we cleaned it up, sometime during the night some bloody snot leaked out of her nose onto her blanket, I washed it as soon as she showed it to me.)

When my kids have a snockle nose I will buy them soft kleenex.
(We ran out of kleenex I made her use paper towels until I could get to the store.)

This might be my favorite one!
When I work I will let you care for my children. BUT they do not have to take naps, just ballet, but you can come get me when you take them to Chick Fil A.

So apparently I must be doing something right.  I love that she is planning on me keeping all her kids while she works.  I can’t wait to see what other rules she comes up with as she gets older.

Go hug your kids, and laugh at the funny things they say!
jen

Crowns and Clocks and a College

My life is split in two, I am a mama who is doing final educational school activities, while starting up with first of the education activities.

Late last night I stood in the dark, because my husband shut the lights out on me, and spray painted a gold burger king crown.  Shiny gold.  Because my girl is a senior, tradition at our school, is for the seniors to wear their crown to different days.  Today is the Homecoming game.
We did not yet decorate the crown, just the shiny gold.  Decoration will take all year, as she adds to the crown, until the final day of her education at our school when she puts on that crown.

AND

At the same time I was spray painting the crown gold, I was spray painting a car seat box black to make it into a clock.  You see my newly schooled little one, is learning about rhyming, and they covered Nursery Rhymes.  At the end of the unit the children dress as a nursery rhyme character.  I think #1 was the spider from itsy bitsy spider, we took a black shirt stuffed his dad’s dress socks and pinned them to him,  easy and fast, we had one boy hold a candle stick and jump, one of them dressed as a sheep from a sheep costume we already owned.  But not this girl she wanted to be the clock, you know Hickory-Dickory’s clock.  I cut out an amazing cardboard clock but could not get it to work out.  At bedtime I remembered the dismantled clock and told the girly that she was going to have to be something else.  The sad face, the tears, i was afraid she might throw up for crying.  I saw the car seat box that should have gone to the recycling earlier in the week when I told the 9-year-old to take care of it. Thankfully she did not.  I stood in the dark with 2 cans of black paint, painting that box black.

Did you know that when you bring in fresh spray painted things to dry under the ceiling fan, most of the house will get a headache.

I cut a face out, added brown shading and gold accents, we have that terrible IKEA mouse and someone dug that thing out of the costume box.  I attached the mouse to the clock.  I do think I had the cutest Clock in the kindergarten parade.Check out my cute little clock!

If a Crown and a Clock were not enough a College called my girl today.
And they want her.
They want her.
When she told me I cried.  (not surprising right?) She looked at me and said “she did not mean to make me cry”  How can I not cry this college all the way up in Tn wants to take my girl from me.  There are 4 colleges on her list.  She is not sure, but they want her.

A very emotional day for sure for this mama, Kindergarten in full swing, Senior activities in full swing and a college wants my girl…

Go hug your kids, time moves so fast!
(get it)

jen

How Well Do They Know Me?

I spend every single day with them, week in and week out, actually year in and year out, lets just see how well my kids know me. For mothers day there were a lot of how well do they know me quizzes on Facebook, in Blog World and that kids did in church or school.  I copied Christine’s post questions from A Fly on Our Chicken Coop Wall and asked my family one night.  At one point we were laughing so hard Keith had tears in his eyes.

Just how well does my family know me?
For Reference
Keith:the husband
C: 19
O: 17
R: 15
J: 11
E: 9
A: 5
PS: 1 she cannot talk she did not participate

1. What is something I always say to you? 
Keith: close the gate,
C: remember who you belong to
O: O, I love you more than you know
R: C J R…{calling him all the boys names}  or get your hands out of your hair, but really, peanut I love you
J: you are my favorite, don’t tell the others
E: Go play
A: I love you

2. What makes me happy?
Keith:not having to cook dinner
C:R makes you happy
O: Christmas
R:Sweet tea
J:when we obey you
E:
A:

3. What makes me sad?
Keith: graduation, Baccalaureate, the last of anything
C: I make you sad
O: when dinner does not cook all the way through {I HATE my oven}
R: the beginning of the school year, graduation, and every other event
J:
E:when people die
A:when I don’t clean up my room

4. How do I make you laugh?
Keith: when you are talking and just jump on rabbit trails, or completely miss something right in front of your face
C: at or with?
O: when you try to embarrass me in public {singing in target, yelling out to a kissing couple}
R: your arguing strategy
J: you make good jokes
E: by making funny faces at G
A: you make funny faces

5. What was I like as a child?
Keith: active
C: I don’t know you had a green dog {how good could your childhood have been}
O: apparently disoriented since you are sure your first dog was GREEN
R: conniving since you convinced your sister to eat a banana peel
J: how should I know I was not there
E: I have no idea I was not born yet
A: you were my size and you had blonde hair

6. How old am I?
Keith: younger than me
C: I don’t you know, you are in your 40’s
O: is she 42?  I don’t feel like doing the math
R: 36 for 5 years
J:???
E: 36
A: i think you are??? oh there is a dog in our yard-IT’S A CAT !! MY CAT CUPCAKE {we do not own a cat, it was just walking through our yard}

7. How tall am I?
Keith: to my arm pit
C: like 2 feet tall
O: shorter than me
R: not very
J: taller than me but shorter than R
E: you are 5’4 {I wish}
A: you are so old

8. What is my favorite thing to do?
Keith: blog
C: antagonize me
O: have family time
R: read {To Kill A Mocking Bird}
J: go out on Wednesdays and read
E: spend time with the family
A: to make dinner

9. What do I do when you aren’t around?
Keith: I have no idea
C: sit on FB for 9 hours
O: I am not answering this
R: Facebook
J: clean the house
E: nap
A: you take care of the baby, and you will cry when I go to school, no I am not kidding.

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?
Keith: blogging
C: famous or infamous
O: having a tv show for having too many kids
R: your parenting
J: for having the most kids
E: being the best person in the world
A: you would be famous that I obey you

11. What am I really good at?
Keith: well… laundry no / making dinner no… I know, handling emergency situations
C:
O: trolling Facebook
R: procreation
J: having babies
E: at sewing and making bows
A: you are good at everything but the goodest thing is making lunch and dinner but not breakfast because that is for little kids to make their breakfast

12. What am I not very good at?
Keith: staying on task
C: seeing things right in front of you, using cheese in moderation in recipes
O: arriving on time
R: spelling, following pinterest recipes, punctuality
J: not getting mad at us when we are fighting
E: not breaking glasses
A: you are not really good at spelling wrong things

13. What do I do for a job?
Keith: I have no idea
C:
O: tack care of children
R: parenting
J: take care of children
E: you are a stay at home mom
A: you job is to take care of people, make our lunches

14. What is my favorite food?
Keith: anything you don’t have to cook, salad
C: popcorn
O: abuelos
R: not chicken and rice, and not lasagna ohh, the melting pot, not red velvet cake
J:
E: Chicken Cordon Bleu
A: potatoes

15. What makes you proud of me?
Keith: that you can handle life on your own so I can go and do things if I want too.
C: I am proud when ever you don’t cry on the way to or at an event
O: when your clothes match
R: I don’t know, that is the parents job to be proud of the kids
J: taking care of us when we are sick
E:
A: that you make stuff so quickly for me, that you sew my princess dresses when they are ripped and that you don’t get throw up on us

16. If I were a character, who would I be?
Keith: Honey, {Mrs Forzone,} “I am your wife I am the greatest good you are ever going to get”
C:
O: Molly Weasley, has too many kids, house is a mess, BUT she kills someone to save her daughter’s life
R: the mom from Cheaper By The Dozen ( Tom Bakers wife)
J:
E: dr Seuss
A: a car

17. What do you and I do together?
Keith: go out on dates
C:
O: Wednesday night reading and not talking while we go out
R: I don’t know
J: play games
E: have fun
A: we both get to sew together

18. How are you and I the same?
Keith: we can’t wait till the last kid is in bed, we like date night {alone or with our friends}
C: we are both loud, we are both type A
O: we both love CFA sweet tea
R: I share half your DNA
J: our last name is the same
E: we are both girls
A: we put on pajamma pants on at the same time

19. How are you and I different?
Keith: you LOOoooooooooooooove Chick Fil A and I less love Chick Fil A
C: I’m a lot taller and a lot younger and I am super humble compared to you
O: you like people
R: the half the DNA I share with dad, I don’t like sweet tea
J: you are a different gender
E: you are older
A: you have yellow hair and I have brown curly hair

20: How do you know I love you?
Keith: you tell me
C: we talk
O:  you pray with me at night
R: you say, I love you more than you know
J: you tell us
E: you are my mother
A:  you tell me all the time

21. Where is my favorite place to go?
Keith: the beach
C: the beach
O: the beach
R: the beach
J: chipolte
E: chick fil a
A: you favorite place to go is target

22. How old was I when you were born?
Keith: negative 18 months
C: I don’t know?  what is 42 minus 19?
O: 26
R: 28
J: what year were you born in, I think I need a calculator, you were 28 when I was born
E: 36
A: a mommys age

So there you have it, my kids and husband do not know me as well as I thought, or in some cases know me better than I thought.  Here is a little clarification on some of the answers.

#5 when I was a small child, we had a dog, her name was Penny, and in my memories Penny is green,  I know that Penny was not a green dog {that is from Blues Clues – green puppy) but the kids think it is quite funny that I remember the dog as being green
#7 I am 5’3
#14 Popcorn or Chick Fil A
#21 the beach with target a close second

Go ask your kids or husband or best friend some of these questions and see what they say about you.  We laughed and laughed about all the answers.  I warn you though, if you are super sensitive than don’t ask the negative questions.

Go hug your kids and make a summer memory
jen

Hello, Is Anyone Out There?

Hello?
Hello, is anyone there?
Hello

Knock-Knock
Hey, I’m back…

Hello?
Anyone?

So I think I have been off blog for most of 2015.  Things happen, both planned and surprises for us.  Some were good, some not so good, but all point to God and His sovereign plan over our lives.  At times it is easy to trust God, and know that before time began He had a perfect plan for our lives and our family, while I like the things I feel are good I have to trust Him during the hard times. The 3 little girls and I took a road trip to go collect the man-child from college.  We were so good at the road trip that we took a 28 hour trip and turned it into 36 hours.  We found this peach orchard along the way.  It has an amazing playground and plenty of picnic area, along with a restaurant (try the peach milkshake or peach bread)This kid is home from college.  And due to some changes he will not be returning to that great college in Ky.  I wish he was going back, I advised him to go back…  But he is not going back, and right now he is not going anywhere.  He will be continuing his education some place I just don’t know where yet.  I am sure I will keep you posted, we all know I love that boy but he has GOT to go away to school.This upside down kid is now a middle schooler in 8 more days.
Making changes faster than I can keep up.   Child #3 is now in braces.  I cannot believe how fast his mouth is changing.  He looks different already.  Much to O’s complaining, R has hardly had any mouth pain, except that his teeth have moved so much the wire has been clipped once and has to be clipped again before his appointment in a few weeks.Someone has been visited by the tooth fairy 3 times already.  How is it possible?!?!  She is changing and growing up right before my eyes.Big changes are coming for these two best buddies.  In the fall one begins her education, while the other completes her high school career.  I can promise that a lot more of us will be crying this year.  You all know I hate that kind of change!The littlest one is now walking, she can walk easily behind the couch but gets stuck when she wants to turn her head.  I can’t believe how big she is getting.  (Can you see the biggest change we are experiencing?)
In a day or so I will update the big change.

What about you?  How have things changed this year?

Go hug your kids, they need your love
jen

Thumb War at the Table is a Bad Idea

The other night we were sitting down to dinner, but we were not in our normal spots.  That might be the first part of our problem.  You see, O and Keith are leaving for a 4 college tour for a week.  As R was setting the table for dinner, E asked to sit next to O, because she is going to miss her, that meant that Keith who normally sits between O and J, now moved next to me.  I should say that no one wants to sit next to me, that is for the child who cannot obey or needs help.  Anyway, Keith was across from O.

During the dinner conversation Keith was asking R how many pancakes he wanted…  “1, 2, 3?”  to which O responded “4, I declare a thumb war”  Keith put his hand out across the table.

He put it back down and O stuck out her left hand…

One
Two
Three
Four
I declare a thumb war
Five
Six
“stop counting”
“dad you are squeezing too hard”
“You are cheating”
“I am not going to let you win”

Crash

A freshly poured cup filled with chocolate milk went crashing over into Little A’s plate with m&m pancakes and strawberries. Dumping a majority of milk on her plate, the rest made little rivers around her plate dripping onto PS’s high chair foot rest, dripping onto the floor, and onto Little A’s favorite socks causing her to cry.  The children not involved in the crash sat and watched.  I continued eating while Keith, O, and R scrambled to gather towels and rags to stop the spill and clean up the  mess.  {I should also mention I just hand washed the floors on Thursday, two whole days of clean floors…}

After it was cleaned up enough to continue eating R gave Little A a fresh plate with a new pancake on it.

When everyone was sitting back down I asked “what made you think thumb wars were a good idea” Keith tried to blame it on O…

So, in case you were wondering Thumb Wars are a bad table game.

After an educational conversation about gallon guy, and maple syrup, people started leaving the table.  I looked at Little A who was eating her new pancake still, and fresh strawberries and she looked different.  Her smile was amiss, there was a gap where earlier there had not been a gap.

I called her over to me and pulled her mouth apart.  My girl lost her first tooth.  The center left bottom tooth.  It was never even wiggly, it just fell out, or actually fell back.  She swallowed it, we assume, since there was no tooth to be found.  Everyone came running back to see and take pictures.  Aunt Kim has declared her toothless.  It is only one tooth, but this is it,  I have a big girl now, not a newborn, not an infant , not a toddler, not even a preschooler, but a big girl.  The end of her babyhood.  She wants to read and wants the training wheels off her bike.  I am sad, I hate change, I hate that my kids grow so quickly.  I know it is inevitable, but I have resisted as long as possible.

She was going to write the tooth fairy a list of treasure.  O pointed out that the tooth fairy brings what ever she chooses.  J informed her that he has had a tooth in the tooth pillow for 2 months now…  I guess the tooth fairy needs to get on that!

Little A said that “the tooth fairy cannot get my tooth because she does not want to go in the toilet, but she takes everybodies toothes, so I don’t know how she is going to get my tooth?”

During her bath she said “I miss my old tooth”

One of my boys swallowed his tooth while drinking a juice box, another tooth literally fell out of his mouth when he smiled.  Another one of my kids wrote the tooth fairy a note telling her to not come close to him, leaving the pillow on his dresser across the room.

Go hug your kids they need your love, and they are growing up right before your eyes.

jen

P.S.  An update on the tooth.  Early this morning she informed me that “I pooped last night, there was no tooth in my poops, I guess it will come out in my pees.”  shrugged her shoulders and walked away.
I do NOT want to know how she knew there was no tooth in her poops…
For good measure I made her wash her hands again.

P.S. #2  While at the orthodontist for R’s consultation he offered a free peak in Little A’s mouth, {she asked for it} He told her that she has to stop sucking her fingers when she starts to lose teeth.  Last night she went to sleep with out her fingers in her mouth.  5 Years and 4 months and she just stopped.  I am so pleased.   Sad because she is grown up but pleased that I won’t have to smell spitty smell when she wakes up {I should mention I have a very sensitive nose,  it really is a curse}

 

Praying For A Baby Boy

Our schedule is quite predictable, we stay home playing, coloring, napping, laundry, watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood {we just discovered this gem, she loves it!  I won’t tell on the child, but one of the older kids was home recently and now hums the tunes from that episode little A watched with that older sibling.} .  But Wednesday.  Wednesday is ballet day, I know it was Thursday, and each week I have to explain to little A that the class we have gone to for 3 years was canceled, there were just not enough children in the class.  Now there are 10 in her class, seems like a lot of little children running around but so far it is working just fine.
After ballet day is Chick-Fil-A, that never changes.  Ballet to Chick-Fil-A to carline pick up.  {Although this week we did go to Hob’Lob, I needed a few things for a craft fair in May}  This story is about last week, or actually our conversation after leaving CFA, on the way home.  It was so funny I pulled over in a tire shop to write it all down, I did not want to forget any part of it.

***I AM NOT PREGNANT***
*** This is exactly how she started the conversation, apparently she had been thinking about it for a while***

Little A: SO does God come down to earth or do you go up to heaven to have God put the baby in your belly?
Me: No honey, when a person goes to heaven and sees God they don’t ever want to come back to earth, Heaven is too wonderful, and God is so amazing, that when we see God we want to stay in heaven.

Little A: So, does he come down to put the baby in your belly
Me:No baby, when mommies and daddies are in bed kissing then God sometimes gives them a baby.

Little A:Does He get in between you?
Me: Smirking {save room for the Holy Spirit…}

Me: no honey.

Little A: Well does he put the baby in your belly after you are sleeping
Me: Cheeks, I just don’t know

Little A:Why don’t you know you have a bunch of children
Me: {stop the questions!!!
I don’t want my kindergartner explaining the facts of life to her classmates}

Me: Baby, I just can’t explain it right now…
Me:{when will this end?}

Little A: Mamma did all of us get cut out of your belly
Me:{Sigh}
Me: No honey

Little A:Well how did they come out?
Me: Well, God gives moms a special hole for babies to come out.
Sometimes, it does not work out right then the doctors have to cut the baby out.

Little A: So when will God put a boy in your belly
Me:{whew} I don’t know baby

Little A: I’ll just pray about it
Me: ok honey that sounds like a good plan.

It was the longest conversation, and there was no way I could have distracted her.  I don’t want my child to be the one who casually explains baby making in the house keeping corner in the kindergarten classroom…  I don’t want to get THAT phone call from the principal…

Fingers Crossed that she stops asking questions, at least for a little bit…  it is hard to answer while still being obscure on my answers.

Go hug your kids, life is just too short to miss out on the fun.
jen

I Admire Her Confidence

Thursday is Ballet day at our house, one Thursday J was home, suffering from broken heart.  We are working on fixing it, but in the mean time he has missed a day of school.  While we were getting ready for ballet, little A ran up to J and asked if he wanted CFA for lunch.  “Sure!”  After all who would turn down a spicy chicken sandwich and sweet tea?  So after ballet we went to CFA for a Spicy Sandwich, or the Cobb Salad Yum-O
When we finished eating PS needed to nurse, J and little A went to the play place to play. When the kids came out I sent them for ice dream, when they came back we chatted it up.  This was one of our conversations.  I actually wrote it down word for word it was too funny!
Little A: Mom how do you get a baby in your tummy?
J:God puts them there
Little A: Do you close your eyes?
Me: Ummmm I guess so?
Little A: I am going to keep my eyes open forever
J: Shrugs his shoulders

I don’t even know what she thinks some times…

At dinner this last week:
A: I’m going to marry John, when I am older, he is going to be a dad and I am going to be a mom, we are going to share a queen size bed because I will be the queen.
Family: *laughing*
A: he takes ballet, and he is old and can sit in the front seat.
Family:*laughing again*
A: We are going to have a wedding, my sweetie is going to get married to me
Family:*egging her on now*
A:he will put a ring on me then I will nurse a baby, but God is going to put a baby in my belly it will hurt my b**bie, so I will have someone give me a baby and I will use a bottle.  She will be my last baby.
A:we will get a rocking chair

Really, where does she come up with this stuff?

Our church runs a winter basketball league for children ages 5 and up {its on the box} little A finally can play basketball.  She was 5 in November so she is one of the youngest if not the youngest child out there.  On our way to her first practice, dressed in high top pink check converse, a basketball shirt and a purple and gray warm up suit, she was talking trash.
Already talking trash.
A:Mom I am so excited to go, I am going to be the best ever basketball player
I will take lots of shoots
and I will snatch the ball from the little kids.”
{Did I mention she is most likely the youngest one out there.  She is not the shortest , there are 2 little boys who are the same size}
I laughed and said “go for it honey”  After practice she said “I am the best defensive player, I stole the ball from that boy”  she had a great practice, she cannot get the ball to even come close to the backboard let alone make a basket but she is “the best” and loves every practice she has had.
The only time she touches the ball during games is when it is a dead ball, and then she runs towards the closest basket and throws the ball with all her might.

Take time to really listen to the funny things your kids say, they have some pretty amazing thoughts.

Go hug your kids and smell their sweaty little heads (that is the smell of life)
jen

You Sound So Young???

One Saturday our termite company called me to tell me they were in the area, they were trying to get me to buy into the lawn service.  {I’m sorry to tell you friends in the north, we still have green grass} Anyway the day before R pointed out yet another pile of termite ‘fras’ {termite company word for poop}  A nice big pile in the window that was treated less than a month ago, oh it was in a different spot but same window.  So while I turned down the lawn bug removal service I asked for a day for my bug guy to come treat that same area.  I asked about having the house tented, we cannot seem to get rid of them in that corner of the house.  So she offered to have the manager call me back to talk prices, I said “please don’t call today I was up 6 times in the night, 4 times with the baby and then with the 8-year-old and the 10-year-old, bad dream and needing to use MY toilet in the night.  {quick question, why the heck can’t they pee in their own bathrooms?}  So, while I look forward to his call, I am going to take a nap.”  At that point she made a comment about having 3 children, I informed her that I had 7 children.  Her response “you don’t sound like you have seven children”
What does someone who has 7 children sound like?
Besides of course TIRED

Monday I ran into Publix, again to my friends in the north, I am sorry you don’t have Publix.  In the South we know Publix Grocery Stores are THE BEST!  When you come south be sure to get a sub from their deli, enjoy some sweet tea, and their carry out service with a smile.  I digress, I was at Publix I had a cart full of children, 3 under 5 with me, and the cashier made a comment.  She said I looked great for having that many babies {next time remind me to just say thank you}  So anyway I opened my mouth and volunteered that I actually have 7 children.  The oldest is in college now, and they baby was my youngest.  She looked right at my very tired self, and said “you don’t look like you have had 7 children”
I am now wondering what I should look like?
Besides of course TIRED

So how should a mom sound?

Go hug your kids, the need your love.
jen

 

 

A Parade, Some Ballet, and Santa in a Golf Cart

December started with a bang, to be exact a lot of bangs, a lot of explosions, and some glitter in the sky.  Fireworks and a parade.  Again in our big town that thinks it is small, we put out our chairs for the parade the night before, and thankfully no homeless or home’d people used our chair as a portable toilet.  Or I should say, none that we noticed.  Keith and the kids all went right after school, the baby and I came later.They hung out in our area, eating pizza, playing games and visiting with other people.They walked around down town and visited with more people.  Little A was thrilled to go early and be with the big kids, I’m not going to lie, I don’t like the idea of her growing up!Fireworks to start the parade,  PS was not frightened by the fireworks but took them all in with a smile on her face.SANTA
Little A was so excited to see Santa coming!  I love their excitement this time of year!
Our friends joined us, as well as some friends who had moved away, they were on vacation, we used to watch the parade together before they  moved, and before they had kids.

The Dance of the Not So Sugar Plum Fairies

A’s ballet class was dancing at our cites SnowFest.
She was super cute and so very excited.
This will be her last year in dance, unless I can find a studio that accommodates our crazy schedule.Sometimes you have to make a costume adjustment.Little A is the tallest child in the classes, the group is from 3-K.
By the time the kids are A’s age most are in preschool and don’t have time for daytime dance class.Mostly it is like herding cats.With a little dancing in between.

Ice Mountain

After dancing the children in her dance class were taken as a group to Ice Mountain.  Yes my girly was the only one on the mountain in a short sleeve leo, and ballet slippers.
But she LOVED it!
Keith came back laughing at the kids in full-out snow suits, yes Ice Mountain was cold, but the temperatures outside were in the low 80’s for the day.J played on the Ice Mountain for older kids.GO BLUE
He was also one of the few older children in shorts and a t-shirt.
These Southern People don’t know how to handle the cold.This is what the day looked like.

Here comes Santa Clause, Here comes Santa Clause, riding in a golf cart.This is not something you see every day!I had a booth at SnowFest, with many other craft only vendors.  It was a slow/hot/smelly day.  I was booth #30, at the end, while booth #29 was right next to me, I spent most of the day wishing I was not where I was, oh business was the same no matter the location, it was the fact that my neighbors smoked at least a full pack if not more in the 5 hours I was there.  I even moved my booth over about 10 feet to get away from the smell and smoke, they decided the alley between our booths was a great location to continue smoking.  If that was not bad enough, the vendor behind me came behind her tent to smoke, blowing it my way.  I actually complained to the person in charge, I know they cannot control the customer, but maybe a non smoking tent area and a smoking tent area, so their stink does not stick to my product?I had Snowmen ornaments, and hundreds of bows, banners, wreaths, and Christmas signs.The biggest draw was my giant doll house, kids came from all over the park to look inside it.  By the end of the day I wished I had brought along the furniture since so many children asked about the house.I had this sweet little thing along, she was a great bow model, even if she was wearing it upside down.O stayed with me for the day and took some great pictures. photos by OThis little cutie was so good the whole day!Do you see what O saw?

What have you been up to this December?  Are you feeling the rush of the season or are you prepared and relaxed?  If you are prepared and relaxed, please share your secret!

Go hug your kids and tell someone you love them.
jen