Five in Six

So Blessed

2009-04-28T17:12:00.002-04:00

I've been reading a friends blog today and realized how blessed I am.

I don't know why. I am a horrid sinner deserving everything she's going through. And yet, here I sit, blessed beyond belief.

I've been mostly crying as I read her posts. Why? She was 2 days from having a C-section to welcome her 3rd child, 1st boy, into her family when her baby died. She had to deliver a still-born baby. 2 days before he was to be born.

I am tortured for her. I cannot begin to imagine the grief she has gone and continues to go through. I feel empty inside. Why do these things happen? Yes, I know because of sin. Yes, I know we are all sinners, even babies. But I don't understand and it leaves me shaken in my faith.

That's where I am today. Feeling empty and wondering why. And at the same time marveling at God's love and grace.

It's hard work.

2008-09-26T12:29:00.002-04:00

Homeschooling is hard. Whether you have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more children, it is hard. Anyone who says otherwise is a big, fat liar.

There are days I wistfully watch the schoolbus pulling away with our neighbors children and think, wouldn't it be easy to just let my kiddos join their friends? Yes it would. Then I could have a clean house. I could have everyone's drawers full of clean clothes. I could have time to make homemade bread and each meal from scratch. I know there are homeschool moms who can do all this. I am not one of them. I am not superwoman.

But I also know I don't want my 4th grader knowing about the birds and the bees, not just yet anyway. I don't want my kids coming home with language usually heard at bars. I don't want my children learning information to spit back out for a test only to forget it the next day after they've achieved an "A".

I love being with my kids. They are awesome. The things they come up with, whether it be legos or a drawing of a lion, it's incredible. But it is hard work. And it's the most rewarding work I've ever done or ever will do.

Seriously

2008-09-03T20:50:00.003-04:00

It is 8:50 pm and Madison has just finished school today. We started at 10 am.

So over it.

So tired.

So ready for bed.

So don't want to do it again tomorrow.

So need to pray and ask God to forgive me for my rotten heart.

So thankful He will.

Homeschool Song

2008-08-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

Sing this to the tune "I Will Survive"...

First I was afraid
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never teach
'Cause I'm not certified.
But we spent so many nights
Reteaching homework that was wrong.
I grew strong,
So now I teach my kids at home!

We study math
And outer space.
I just kept on despite the fear
With a big smile across my face.
I bought a set of Base Ten blocks.
I bought books with answer keys.
My parents think we're nuts,
But they don't even bother me.

Come on, let' s go,
Walk out the door.
We're on the road now,
'Cause we're not home much anymore .
My friends would laugh and say we'd be unsocialized.
I heard one mumble
That I'd give up by July.

Oh no, not I!
I will survive!
As long as I know how to read
I know we'll be alright.
I've got all my life to learn.
I've got energy to burn.
And I'll survive.
I will survive.

It took all the strength I had
Not to fall apart.
Decided to attend
A play date at the local park,
And I met oh so many moms
Who offered eagerly to help.
They used to cry.
Now they hold their heads up high,

And so do we!
My kids are cool!
They're not those chained up little people
Stuck inside at school.
So if you feel like dropping by
And just expect us to be free
You'd better call ahead first
'Cause we're probably busy!

Growing Pains

2008-08-02T18:41:00.003-04:00

I was crying in the dressing room at Target today. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I had to control myself so I didn't disolve into a dripping sobbing mess. Or that it took a minute before my eyes were no longer red and I could leave the dressing room and allow other patrons to try on their potential purchases.

I could have been trying on a new pair of pants, a cute shirt, or (gasp) a bathing suit, and been shocked by how tightly my "old" size now fits. I only wish that were true!

Nope. I was crying because my BABY is now wearing a bra. A BRA PEOPLE!!! All you mothers of younger daughters take note. It's a tearful time. And yes, she was SOOO embarressed by me! Thank you very much!

Tell me it ain't so...

2008-07-26T20:45:00.003-04:00

...that my daughter is "in love" with a rock star!

We're watching the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds 3D Concert on TV tonight. I'm shocked that she knows the words to EVERY song and is singing at the top of her voice. It's cute. Even if you can't really tell it's 3D with the cheap-o glasses she got free at Wally-Mart tonight with her Daddy.

Then (and this is where the world stands still) the JONAS BROTHERS come out!!! I think I've lost a little bit of my hearing what with her screaming unintelligable sounds of glee. Anyway, she's singing right along with them too, getting EVERY word...she doesn't have any of their music, so how she is able to accomplish this I have no idea. So, she's extremely happy and every so often gives little screams of delight. Then she and Marshall...who also has lost a little bit of his hearing...have this conversation:

Mad: There's Nick...I LOVE HIM!!

Mars: How can you love him? He's like 16.

Mad: He's only like 13.

Mars: Yeah, and you're what, 9?

Mad: So? That's only 4 years older. Daddy's 4 years older than Mommy and they love each other.

Mars: Yeah, but he doesn't know you.

Mad: Well that's a problem. I LOVE HIM!!! He's soooooo cute!!

Mars: (pauses for a moment) And to think you used to love Barney!

She's 9 going on 19...help me! Oh, and did I mention that ANY time she sees him on TV or any picture of him she wants me to confirm that he is TOTALLY CUTE AND ADORABLE?!

Kittens, kittens everywhere!!

2008-07-11T16:13:00.005-04:00

I'm horrible at this blogging thing. I just can't seem to keep it going. It's not for lack of things to blog about. With 5 children I have WAY too much to blog about. I think maybe I'm intimidated by my blogger friends who seem to be able to effortlessly blog each and every day...some more than once a day...you know who you are Karen!! ;-)

Anyway, our cat had 5 kittens a few weeks ago and they are the most adorable things!! They are sweet and playful and I could eat up each and every one of them! They're still too little to leave their mama, but 2 are going next door to live (which makes Madison very happy that she can see them whenever she wants!!) and we are keeping 1. That leaves 2 more in need of a home. I've talked to some people and John even tried to give one as a 1st birthday present to Baby Kate. Her mommy...you know who you are Karen!!...said no.

Oh, and here's something almost unbelievable. There are alot of cats in the world, yes? Well, then why is it that 95% of the people I have talked to about getting a kitten say they are allergic? I find that statistically impossible. Some have even said "deathly allergic". I think they'd already be dead if they were truly deathly allergic. Cats are everywhere. And some of these "allergic people" have been in my house and (*gasp*!) touched our cats. Yet they continue to live. And those who didn't say deathly allergic didn't even sniffle or have their eyes water.

Things I Didn't Know Before I Was A Mom

2008-05-15T12:59:00.003-04:00

*I didn't know I could "do my business" with the door open...every time.

*I didn't know I could survive on 30 minutes of sleep a night.

*I didn't know I could do 10 loads of laundry a day every day.

*I didn't know poop could be so colorful or a topic of conversation at dinner.

*I didn't know that kids could sleep on top of Hot Wheels and not feel them.

*I didn't know I would never again be able to take a shower in peace.

*I didn't know kids would eat anything if it's covered in either ketchup or ranch dressing.

*I didn't know that a 3 year old child could take up 99% of the room on a king size bed.

*I didn't know a child could produce so much snot in one blow.

*I didn't know a child could hold so much vomit.

*I didn't know a child could hold so much poop.

*I didn't know I could make the 5 mile trip to the hospital in 1 1/2 minutes at 2am.

*I didn't know how good a hug could feel.

*I didn't know I could love 5 little people so much.

Emma's Song

2008-05-14T11:36:00.003-04:00

I overheard Emma in her room singing this little song...enjoy!

God loves me.
God loves me.
Even when I'm bad,
God loves me.
When I get dirty and mommy has to cut my fingernails to get the dirt out,
God loves me.
When I forget to pee and I pee in my pants,
God loves me.
I love God.
God loves me.
We are in love,
Oh, yes, we are in love.
I love God.
God loves me.
God, God, God.
Loves, loves, loves,
Me, me, me!

I'm figuring this out!!

2008-04-14T21:41:00.002-04:00

Don't know how I'm doing it, but I've figured out how to put a whole bunch of stuff on my blog. As Madison would say, "Yea me!!"

I've been able to link to places I go, I added the little map thingy, and a counter at the bottom. I'm rockin' this tonight! Now if I could just figure out the picture thing, I'd be dangerous!

Good-night. I'm tired after all of this computer stuff.

Soooo, it's been a while!

2008-04-13T20:32:00.002-04:00

Well, let's see. It's not that it's been boring around here, because it never is. I just haven't been feeling creative...sigh!

For the past two days we've had 8 children in our house. Some of our close friends were given the opportunity to go to Hawaii for 10 days, basically for free due to a timeshare that was paid for and frequent flyer miles they were able to use! We graciously agreed to help out with their kids while they are gone. I couldn't very well say no, they had helped watch ours while we went to NRB in Nashville, and it's HAWAII PEOPLE!!

It's been a lot of fun, although very hectic this morning as I was letting John sleep in...cause that's just how nice I am...and I was getting them all fed, dressed, shoes on, teeth brushed, and hair bows in 5 heads. By the time I got to Sunday School I was exhausted and hungry seeing as I had forgotten to eat myself...duh!

We went to the park this afternoon at Tribble Mill and had a fun time. I'm counting down the minutes until I can put the last four of them to bed...there's 3 minutes left of a Lego Star Wars video game for Marshall and Hogan and getting American Girl dolls into pj's for Madison and Gabby.

I'm tired.

My house is a WRECK.

Laundry has quadrupled.

There is standing water on the bathroom floor...I'm going to assume it's water.

I'd post some pictures, but I don't remember how and John's not here. He's at Starbucks...again, that's just how nice I am!!

Childhood dreams...poof

2007-12-18T21:18:00.001-05:00

So my "tween"...a child between the ages of 8 and 12 for those of you too young to have a "tween"...Madison has believed in Santa since she was little. Now, I know there are a lot of people out there who don't want their kids believing in Santa. John was one of them. I however love, no really love, no really, really, really LOVE Christmas!! And that means everything that goes with it, including Santa. Not, however, to the exclusion of Christ. He is the center of our Christmas. Always has been and always will be. But I wanted the kids to experience the fantasy that is Santa. So we have been a Santa family from the beginning. (With Santa only filling the stockings so John could get credit for the big presents...men!)

Now Madison will be 9 in March and I knew her fantasy would be ending soon, if not from the influence of older friends, from her own intellect. It happened today. Darn-it. This morning she was asking me if Santa was real. I averted her question by saying I was concentrating on my email and we'd talk later. I ran upstairs to call John almost in tears. He of course calmed me down as he always does and reasoned with me. I sighed and hung up. Then she asked nothing all day. I was so happy. Until just about 10 minutes ago. In front of Marshall. Thankfully I could honestly tell him to get to bed while Maddy and I had a "girl talk".

She said she could kind of believe that Santa was real but found it silly (her word) that reindeer could fly. Why she thought an elderly chubby man could get to almost every house in the world in one night but reindeer couldn't fly is beyond me, but there you go. So I had to tell her the truth. I couldn't lie to her. And I had never lied to her before about it either. She just never asked the right question before tonight.

She said she was a little disappointed but that it did make sense to her. She promised she would not tell the little ones. She will act her part when she opens her stocking on Christmas morning. Then she realized it was John and I who had been eating the cookies all these years and cried foul!! Of all things to make her upset. That and the reindeer food that gets kicked off the porch instead of being eaten by reindeer. She's some kid that Maddy of mine!

Will update sooner or later...

2007-11-03T19:16:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been kinda crazy around here. I haven't been around to blog too much lately. We were on vacation and while on vacation I received the news that my maternal grandfather had passed away. It wasn't a shock, he had been in hospice care for about 6 weeks, but it's still hard none the less. Harder still was the fact that my parents were on a mission trip in Mexico and I was tasked with getting a hold of them and passing the news on to my Mom...very sad. Then I had to call others in my family as well. I actually made John make most of the calls...I'm very weepy with that stuff.

Even harder than that is I'm not sure he was saved. He never showed evidence of it in his life, nor showed the desire for Christ. My parents and I would try and talk to both my grandparents when we would see them on vacations and such, but they never wanted to talk about it. Now I wished I had tied him to a chair and made him listen...but then it's not my job to save, it's God's, and He has a plan bigger than mine thankfully. His funeral was quite sad in that I think their pastor is not saved either...at least there was no evidence in the "message" he gave.

So anyway, I haven't felt much like blogging lately...although much has happened in our little world so I should. And I will. I just need to get back to my little home school world and our schedule.

So, until then...

New invention please!!

2007-10-04T11:23:00.000-04:00

I really need someone to invent something for me. Would someone kindly invent disposable clothes? I mean, someone came up with disposable diapers...thank you very much Mr. Man whoever you are! Can't we apply the same principle to clothes? It wouldn't be as difficult as disposable diapers cause you don't have the need for absorbency. Well, maybe in the pits area.

I am so tired of laundry. I do like a trillion loads (and yes, it is a trillion cause I've counted as I've done them) and then 2 days later (and yes, it is 2 days later) there's another trillion loads waiting to be done. I'm staring at the stinkin' stuff right now. Ew. Don't want to. Wish the kids were old enough to. At least I've got them folding and putting away the clean clothes. That's a huge help. And no, the clothes are not folded perfect but I really don't care if I go around wrinkled. The fact that I can find A) clothes that fit B) clothes that are clean and C) clothes that match is HUGE in my book!!

Maybe I should just have the kids run around naked and only get dressed when we go somewhere. Hmmm. That's a thought I'll have to give serious consideration to. Although then there'd be all these naked butts on my couch. Ew. Gross.

So, I'm back to asking someone to invent disposable clothes. Seriously. Please.

That's my Marsh-Man!

2007-09-06T21:15:00.000-04:00

Conversation Marshall and I just had...

Marshall: Mommy, see my ears?

Me: Yeah.

Marshall: Did you see them move?

Me: (looking closely)Yes, I guess they did move.

Marshall: Yeah, I'm like a dog. A dog can move it's tail. I can move my ears! But I can't move my butt cheeks. I've tried. But I just can't. And my penis. I can't control my penis.

Me: (Laughing my butt cheeks off!!)Well, yeah, I can tell that from the bathroom!

Success!

2007-08-30T14:47:00.001-04:00

Couch cushion covers clean.

No shrinking, shredding, or shriveling.

Lots of sweat getting them back on!!

Children given speech about no eating or drinking on couch anymore.

Will give hubby same speech later.

I rock!

(Okay, I know y'all are probably thinking, "what's the big deal? I've washed my couch cushion covers a million times"...well, I didn't know you could. There I've said it. I know they have zippers on them, but I just thought that was to get them on in the first place. I didn't know you could wash them. I'm glad that's off my chest. I feel much better.)

Let's Pray...

2007-08-30T11:09:00.000-04:00

...that I haven't ruined our couch.

It's been getting pretty dirty what with five messy, sticky, drippy children running around. Not to mention the dog and 3 cats.

I decided that I should try and wash the covers of the cushions. They are in the washer about to be put in the dryer and I am praying they don't shrink, shrivel, or shred. If they do come out as they were before...although clean of course...pray my children don't hear any words come out of my mouth that shouldn't as I'm trying to squeeze the cushions back into the covers. They make those suckers tighter than a frogs water-proof behind!!

Anyway, I'll let you know how it turns out. My hubby won't be too happy if I tell him we need new couches!!

All is quiet

2007-08-28T20:56:00.000-04:00

That's right. It is quiet around here. Well, there is still the yelling, running, laughing, fighting, whining, loud talking, wrestling, and what-not-nonsense that has always been around. But the crinkle is gone.

Almost as quickly as Marshall...see previous post...Cooper has conquered the toilet. No more diapers except at night. He refuses to wear one anymore. Not even in the car when I'm sure he's going to let it flow, let it flow, let it flow. But he doesn't. He just lets us know when he has to go, and does. Sometimes he just brings us his underwear and lets us know he's just gone...see previous post.

Just wanted to let the world know that after 8 1/2 continuous years of changing wet, stinky, sometimes downright nasty pants (and sometimes other body parts as well, depending on how nasty the pants were), it's over. Sad. Happy. I don't know which one to choose.

Whoever said...

2007-08-16T22:41:00.000-04:00

that potty training girls was easier than boys is full of...well, full of what goes in the potty!!

I've been delaying potty training Cooper just because...well, I don't know, laziness? Knowing he's my last baby? Thinking this is the last little tushy to make that cute crinkling sound as he runs around in a diaper? Everyone telling me to "he's a boy, wait until he's at least 3!"?

Well, whatever the reason, I just decided that I should at least try. I mean, Marshall (and I am NOT exagerating at all people) potty trained himself. He said he wanted to use the potty one day at church...before he was 3...I rolled my eyes and said, sure honey. He went and that was all she wrote. No accidents. None. Not one. Ever. Used the potty from that day on. Don't know why he chose that day. Don't know how he did it. Don't really care. It was over before it began in my book! So much easier than Madison had been since she pooped her panties til she was 3 1/2.

So with the Coop, on Monday I put him in his big boy underware. Told him what to do. He sat there. Did it and he got his candy that I promised. I have to say, I was slightly shocked that at the first try he accomplished his goal. 45 minutes goes by. Same story. It has been 4 days, and he has had about 5 accidents, but in my mind, that's pretty darn good. And he's been going when I'm not even in the bathroom with him. I'll be in the basement and he calls to me and says he did it. I go check, and yes, the evidence is there that he has indeed relieved himself by hinself.

Today was huge because he hadn't yet pooed in the toilet. But I was again in the basement and hear his little voice calling to me saying he had done his business. I go upstairs and find (faint of heart should stop reading here...seriously...last chance) a huge stinking poo bomb. I didn't know he could do such a large doo-doo. I'd never seen anything that big in his diapers before. But there it was. I made such a racket over it oohing and ahhing that the other kids came running...my other four and the three friends we had over...that's 9 people all crowded into a teeniny little bathroom. Cooper starts high-fiving everyone out of joy and pride.

My baby is growing up. And I'm ready to be done with diapers...I think!

I'm Ba-ack!

2007-08-12T22:55:00.000-04:00

This is really just a test to see if I remembered how to do this...I didn't. It took me forever. Well, and the fact that the whole system had changed, and I had to create a new account or something like that. I'm not sure what I did exactly. I'm computer illiterate. I don't know what I'm doing most of the time.

Well, it's late and as I said, I just wanted to do this test. I don't think anybody even reads my blog...maybe a few did at one time here and there, but really, how long could I expect those few to continue checking after a few months has gone by.

And Karen, if you are reading this, please excuse all of the mistakes I've made in grammar, punctuation, etc...it's REALLY late for me and I'm not all that good at that stuff when I'm not tired!!

OH NO!!

2006-12-22T15:22:00.000-05:00

What does not make for a happy mommy?

White laundry, red crayon, dryer.

Oh yeah.

That's what happened to me today.

I almost died right there on the basemement floor.

I'm in the midst of doing laundry and packing for our trip to Florida that we leave on tomorrow. Everthing is going great. The house is reasonably clean, I've wrapped all the presents, have all ingriedients for the cookies I'm going to make later in the day, kids are happily playing together, lending a hand to me when needed. I go to get the white load out of the dryer so I can get the last few items to pack (mostly socks and panties for the girls, although there are also some white turtlenecks they need too) and I am met with a sight foreign to me.

At first, it doesn't register. I'm confused. I thought it was some trick of the dim light over the laundry area. But confusion turns to shock and then utter disbelief as I pull out item after item and it is smeared with red streaks. AHHHHH!!! is all I think. Okay, I actually did let out a small, quiet scream...can you blame me?

I IM my husband at work thinking he'll rush home to help me in my hour of need. Nope. Just offers sympathy and a computer hug. Thanks. Just what I need. (I didn't really think he'd come home, I didn't even ask, but I guess I was hoping he'd just offer?!)

I quickly google how to remove crayon stains from laundry. I love google. I mean I LOVE GOOGLE. I was able to find information on how to remove the nasty stains using 4 different laundry soaps, bleaches, stain removers, etc., none of which I have in my home. I'm desperate so I throw clothes at the kids (yes, we were all still in jammies), we all jump in the car, run through the rain to Publix, buy the stuff, run home, do what I was told on google and HOLY COW...IT WORKED!!! Well, not perfect. But honestly, I don't care about the socks (except the lacey ones I just bought the twins) or the panties. But the stuff I scrubbed and worked on, it's spotless...SPOTLESS!!!!!!!

So, if this ever happens to you. Just email me, or google it. Did I mention I LOVE GOOGLE!!! And this stain remover called "Zout"! I love Zout!

I love fall!

2006-09-20T17:26:00.000-04:00

It's official! My favorite time of the year is fall.

We went to the "Apple Pickin' Jubilee" in Ellijay this past weekend with some friends from church and had a blast! The kids had such a good time with all the activities. There were pig races, pedal cars, tractor trikes, hay ride (okay, there's no hay, but that's what they call it!), zip line, playground with massive in-hill slide, petting farm (with the cutest puppies, kittens, chicks, lambs, goats, and even a calf you've ever seen!), you can milk a real cow, a bee demonstration, cloggers, singers, and of course apple picking.

And really, is there anything more delicious than hot apple cider donuts with cold apple cider to wash them down? YUMMY!!

We picked a huge amount of apples. So far we've had apple slices (obviously the easiest to manage!), made homemade apple sauce (which John declared was the best part of Monday's dinner), and apple bread (which all the kids except Halle declared they did not like. Oh well, more for me and Halle!). I'm going to attempt to make apple butter and apple jam. I just have to get the neccessary tools for such an undertaking.

It has been wonderful smelling the cinnamon in our house for the past few days. That plus having the windows open has sealed in my mind that the best season is, and forever will be, fall.

Nasty Camel Crickets...

2006-09-12T08:43:00.000-04:00

...or any bugs for that matter.

Madison has this intense love for anything creepy and crawly, or cute and cuddly. It doesn't matter. She just loves animals and bugs. Go figure that I would have a daughter that loves nasty little creepy crawly things. (Well, I do love animals too, just not the bug thing!)

So as I'm sitting here checking my email, they find a camel cricket which is quickly named "Hoppy". They run upstairs to get a container and before you can say jump, "Hoppy" is living inside. I did make them release him outside. Madison actually cried as she said, "Farewell Hoppy. I will miss you and your jumps. Don't ever forget me. I love you."

She's so weird!! Gotta love her!

Wow!!! I actually remember how to do this!

2006-09-10T21:15:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's been WAY too long since I've blogged. I guess I just got lazy. So, I'm back and now let's see what I can blog about. Um, oh, I know, my mattress story...

So, the other day Cooper is sleeping (yeah) and the others are playing nice and quiet in Madison's room (yeah again!!). I was so in need of some quiet "mommy time". I'm relaxing, reading, enjoying my time. After about 45 minutes I think I should just check on the kids. They're not being "uh oh, it's too quiet" quiet, it's just time to check.

I open Madison's door and am staring at 4 naked children with Madison's mattress hanging off her bed. It takes me a minute to focus. Then I notice they are wet. Hum, wierd.

Me: "Where's the water?"
Them: Silence
Me: "Where's the water guys?"
Them: Silence
Me: "Last time, where's the water guys?"
Them: (all at once) "It was Madison, it was Marshall, it was Halle, it was Emma."

'Whatever', I think as I reach over to pull her mattress back on her bed. When I do this I realize it's SOPPING WET!!!!!

They were sliding down Madison's mattress when Marshall got the idea that it would be "FASTER" and "FUNNER" if it had water on it, like a water slide. They were naked because they knew they'd get in trouble if their clothes got wet...true, but I don't understand how that concept couldn't be transfered to the mattress...kids.

Oh, and then Madison decides that's the perfect time to hand me a bucket full of pee. They were having such fun they didn't want to leave the room to go to the bathroom. Great. Nice. Thanks. I was assured that none of it was on the floor or mattress. Again, great. Nice. Thanks.

Such is my life. Oh, and did I mention we've started homeschooling these little loves?!

Only in the movies...or our house!!

2006-06-13T19:59:00.000-04:00

Okay, so there are scenes that can only happen in movies, right? Nope. They happen at our house all the time. Like today for example. It started right after John left for work. The kids toilet was not working, John forgot to plunge it before he left. Not kidding that 5 minutes after he left, the toilet in the master bath overflowed...thankfully nothing gross in there, but it's still gross none-the-less. I know what you're thinking, why didn't you plunge it yourself? Well, I'm plunger-challenged. I can't do it to save my life. Don't know what's so hard about it, but I am incapable.

So, we're doing pretty good. The kids toilet will flush, just not everything goes down...so we use their toilet for our "business". About 3 o'clock, I hear Cooper stirring from his nap and I think I should take the dog out quick before Cooper really wakes up for good in about 2 minutes. (She's inside today because it's rainy, and I can't leave her out. She's in her crate because she's such a wild beast, she just tackles the kids...but she really does love her crate.) So I have the leash in hand opening the first lock and I hear a scream coming from my room and running. The girls were watching a video. I quickly close the lock, Dancer starts barking and pawing like mad at the cage. I run upstairs to find Emma running down the hall vomiting as she goes.

So, now I have two toilets that don't work, a vomiting child, vomit all down the hall and in my room (plus all over a library book...nice...my shoes...nice...and a bag of Christmas bows under the bed...nice again) Cooper screaming in his crib, a dog barking downstairs, and Halle standing on my bed crying and saying something, which by the way, she's not wearing pants because she for some reason refuses to poop in the potty and I refuse to let her wear pull-ups and I'm sick to death of cleaning poop out of her panties, and I'm unable to make out what she's saying (stupid twin-speak) and I think she's telling me she's just pooped in my bed! (Thankfully she was just pointing out the vomit!!)

I throw Emma in the tub after a quick hose-down and tell her to just play for a minute. I try calling my mom who had taken Madison and Marshall home from VBS. No answer. No answer on her cell phone, it's not even on, just clicks right to voicemail. I am screaming into the phone, "That's what they're for woman...turn it on!!" and realize I've just left that on her voicemail. I frantically call John because I need some serious help here. He says he can come home if I really need him. I tell him to give me 5 more minutes to try and get Mom but to be ready. After 5 minutes, no mom. I try calling him over and over and over and over...where the heck is he? After 30 minutes (I did get Cooper up finally after about 15 minutes and just put a huge box to block the hallway) I get my mom and ask her to come over right away and to bring some carpet cleaner because I'm out.

Mom comes to my rescue and I scrub the floor. I use an entire bottle of carpet cleaner. I call John and have him pick some up on his way home, cause I need to clean it again. That's what I'm going to do right now.

So that was my day. Aren't you jealous?

Ten Things...

2006-06-09T13:26:00.000-04:00

Ten Things I Love About Cooper...in no particular order...and there could be a bazillion...

1. anywhere you touch him, he's ticklish

2. his fuzzy blonde hair

3. the way he gets excited and kicks his legs and shakes his head like a madman

4. the piggy face he does

5. his open mouth, teethy, sopping wet kisses

6. he'll eat anything without complaint

7. he loves being read to

8. he clings to me as we're walking down the hall in the morning when he first wakes up

9. when you say it's time for night-night, he grabs Hilton and runs to his room

10. he's only got one mommy, and I'm her!

Flylady

2006-06-08T11:12:00.000-04:00

A dear, sweet friend of mine from college, Londa, whom I haven't seen in about 10 years (LOVE AND MISS YOU GIRL!!) told me about this website a few years ago. flylady.com If you have never heard of it, go to it, it is awesome and soooo helpful.

Now, like I said, I've known about this for awhile and have visited in the past, but have never taken the advice and put it into practice. Well, I finally did a few days ago. The site basically helps you "declutter" your life and keep your house up and running without killing yourself. It's all about baby steps to getting your house into shape.

My kitchen has NEVER been cleaner. I'm not kidding. Not the day we moved in, not when my in-laws are coming, not when a babysitter is coming over, not when we're having Bible study...NEVER. I rearranged some drawers so that even our huge container of pens, pencils, sharpies, scissors, etc are in one drawer with paper, tape, paperclips, etc. The only things out on my counters are things I use everyday: coffee pot, toaster, can opener, and cutting board. That's it. Oh, and there is hand soap by the sink. Nothing else.

I even cleared all the kids drawings and pictures off the fridge. I did leave 1 picture of each child on the side, but that's it. Magnets, gone. Doodles, gone. Coupons from pizza places, gone. Cute stories cut out of newspapers, gone. (And I did save the kids drawings, just not on the fridge anymore!)

My husband came home and declared that the kitchen was AWESOME. He had never seen it look better. So now I'm on to our bedroom today. Why is it that the one place that's supposed to be a retreat always looks like a dumping ground? Not anymore.

One down, two to go

2006-06-05T17:42:00.000-04:00

We've had a very sad day at our house. A beloved member of our family passed away yesterday, but it wasn't revealed until today... at least to certain members of our family.

Sammy the fish has gone to the great fishtank in the sky. Sammy was Marshall's fish. He actually took the news quite well. I told him as we were walking in Wal-Mart today. The kids always have to look at the fish, and well, I thought it a most appropriate time to disclose the unhappy news. He had a very sad face at first, then saw the African Frogs (they are these really cool frogs that live underwater...they don't need air!!), his face lit up, and he asked if he could get one. I told him to wait until we went to the pet store. The fish from Wal-Mart never fare very well for us.

As Sammy was flushed down the toilet Marshall said, "Swim to the ocean dear, sweet Sammy. You were the best fish I ever had." He was the only fish he ever had, but I guess Sammy doesn't know that, or ever will for that matter!

So, now we are down 1 fish, with only 2 left to "swim to the ocean". I am not going to replace them as they die. Just remove the tanks and hide them until the kids can clean them themselves...I can only do so much ya know!

Pulling Teeth

2006-06-02T18:34:00.000-04:00

Okay, not literally "pulling teeth", but sometimes that's what dinner feels like. I know I've posted about this before, but for goodness sake, could I please get a break?

We had ham, corn, green beans, potatoes, and for good measure I threw some applesauce on the plates cause the kids love it so much. Before the food was on the table we were waiting for Marshall to pray (he was in the bathroom). Madison kept saying how she was "starving". Marshall arrives, we pray, I present the food. We then have a conversation that goes like this:

Madison: I don't eat meat.

Me: Um, did you eat a hamburger last night at Wendy's and ask for another one?

Madison: Yes.

Me: Then you eat meat. Do you love Chick-Fil-A's chicken nuggets and eat a bazillion of them?

Madison: Yes.

Me: Then you eat meat.

Madison: Okay. I don't eat this meat. What animal is it?

Me: I'm not telling you and it doesn't matter anyway cause you're eating it.

Madison: (Well, she didn't actually say anything, just sat with her arms crossed and her lips in a tight thin line.)

Me: You're eating.

Madison: (Crossed arms, lips in thin line.)

Me: Eat or go to bed.

Madison: I'm not hungry...I ate a lot of lunch and breakfast.

Me: Didn't you just say how starving you were?

Madison: (Thinking for a minute) Yeah, but it went away...I'll wait for breakfast.

I could go on, but I won't, it would take too long! She did eat after I informed her her choices were to eat or go to bed. She tried to negotiate just being in her room, not from this momma I told her. And after she began eating she said it "wasn't so bad and I know I'm eating a pig,. You know like 'Babe' pig. How can you make me eat 'Babe'?" I had to cough to cover up my laugh.

Now there may be some of you who think my stand is wrong, or too harsh. However, I am sick to death of throwing away food. I used to cook for 7 people (the number in our family). Not anymore. Now I cook for like 3 1/2 because none of them eat very much. They do have their favorites that they eat and eat and eat, but I think you can die from mac & cheese or PB&J poisoning, can't you? And I am very thankful that they all really like veggies and LOVE fruit. It just irks me that when I actually spend the time to cook a well-balanced meal they don't appreciate or enjoy it. Maybe as time goes by...but I'm not holding my breath!! Oh the drama of dinner.

LOVIN' SUMMER ALREADY!!!!

2006-05-31T19:59:00.000-04:00

I am soooo incredibly excited it is summer!! I don't feel the need to rush the kids to bed "on time", don't feel the need to get dressed (in my jammies 2 days in a row now!!), don't feel the need to be a slave to the alarm (actually slept 'til 8:30 yesterday...unheard of!!). And as an added bonus, I am actually doing more cleaning than ever, yea me!!

I am also sooo incredibly excited to homeschool this coming year. I've actually begun with Madison. I got the news a few days before school let out, and it was no surprise just hard to hear, that her teacher had to recommend she repeat 1st grade. I love her teacher. She has been so great this entire year. She'd give extra books for Maddie to read, I'd give her notes to let her know which pages Maddie was good at reading so she wouldn't feel bad during oral reading in class, and she is VERY supportive of our decision to homeschool. She actually homeschooled her 5 children too.

Anyway, she said she hates to ever have a child repeat a grade, but especially Madison. She has everything but the reading...and obviously that is very important. So we are spending the summer trying to get her reading at grade level. But it's so nice to not have her tired out after school and not wanting to do extra work. We just do it and it's done and she can go play. She's already doing great. (And for those of you wondering, they do phonics at her school, but it's just not clicking with Maddie. I even used the "Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons". There is a small percentage of children for whom phonics is not the best way to learn to read, and unfortunatley Maddie seems to be one of them...we'll see.)

Right now, Madison and Marshall are upstairs making things out of Kinex for everyone in the family. I love toys that let kids be creative. Madison just made me a row of flowers, complete with leaves. Too cute! Here comes Marshall, he's made me a giant "M" for Mom!! Sweet!

All right, I know this blog has been kind of random, but it's summer man, and I just can't think straight!!

Sick Days

2006-05-22T11:22:00.000-04:00

I've been sick for almost a week. Well, I'm not really sick anymore, just still very tired. Not the tired that I need to sleep, but the tired that I need to rest after just a little bit of doing anything. I started out with a little tickle in my throat on Tuesday and by Thursday had horrible sinus pressure, headache, body aches, and a fever of 102.5.

It had been a busy week. The last day of preschool for the kids, Marshall's graduation from preschool, auction meetings for me (somehow I am helping acquisitions for the auction my daughter's school is having next year even though we are homeschooling next year...I am such a yes-person), cleaning up my classroom, T-ball game, the list goes on and on. Needless to say, it's hard for any mom to get sick, let alone a stay-at-home mom with 5 very dependent children. "SUPER DAD" TO THE RESUCE!!

My husband is simply the best. I asked him to come home from work early on Thursday because I was wiped out (note the 102.5 temp!!) He did with nary a word about how much work was piling up on his desk or how he had only been at his desk for about 45 minutes that whole week thus far because of all he has to do with others at his office. He swept in and took over childcare, child feeding, petcare, and pet feeding. He made me dinner. He kept the kids quiet so I could sleep. And when I begged him to stay home on Friday, he did!!! (And in all honesty, he did work from home due to a "wonderful" invention known as the Blackberry.)

I was diagnosed with a sinus infection on Friday afternoon by a doctor I don't really like and was sent home with the appropriate antibotics to cure such a hanis illness. (I have to confess that part of me was hoping the doctor would say I was in need of hospitilization due to dehydration and extreme fatigue...no such luck!)

As of today, my husband is back at work...he's very glad of it too! He repeatedly said over and over how he was going crazy. I think he gained a new admiration for me and my schedule. He didn't understand it before...now he does! I love him for taking care of me and the kids.

DISGUSTING!!!

2006-05-12T19:43:00.000-04:00

So the kids are downstairs trying to find a book for me to read to them before bed while I'm checking my e-mail. Madison chooses "Junie B. Jones...I Am Not A Crook". I love Junie B. books. They are hilarious! Marshall chooses a sing-a-long "Jesus Songs" book. How sweet, I think to myself.

Then as I am about to log off of e-mail to go and read to them, Marshall screams, making me about pee my pants. I look over and he is pointing to a completely flat, smashed camel cricket on the last page.

I'm leaving it for John to clean up when he gets back from his men's retreat!! (And by the way...whose idea was it to have a men's retreat on Mother's Day weekend...that's all I'm sayin'!)

Mommy Guilt

2006-05-10T17:49:00.000-04:00

Is it possible to be a mom and not have guilt? I hope so, and I hope I can one day get to that place, but I don't think it's ever going to happen.

I feel guilty because I know I'm supposed to play with my kids, read to them, listen to them, create with them, and just be with them. I love to do that. And I do do that. But when I do, it's exhausting and I have no time or energy for the day to day life "stuff" of cleaning, cooking, dusting, laundry, folding, picking up, putting away, etc.

I feel guilty because I know I'm supposed to clean, cook, dust, do laundry, fold, pick up, put away, etc. I don't love to do that. But I do that. But when I do, it's exhausting and I have no time or energy for the fun stuff of playing, reading, listening, creating, and being with my kids.

This may be really dumb, but I just cannot find the balance. I go from a high of having spent incredible time with my children to looking around my pathetically dirty house and moaning and groaning about having to clean at the end of a long day. Or I go from a high of having a sparkling clean house to looking at my peacefully sleeping children and moaning and groaning and crying that I haven't made the most of the day with them that I should have.

Am I the only one out there going through this? Where is the balance? How can I manage 5 children and a clean house? Is it even possible? Maybe it's the rain today, but I am really feeling like the worst mommy, wife, and house cleaner in the world right now. I'm exhausted and it's not even 6 yet.

Boy Stuff

2006-04-27T07:22:00.000-04:00

So if finally happened this morning. You know those shows where you see the mom pulling all kinds of weird stuff out of the pocket of their sons pants before they do laundry and you think, where did it all come from? Well, I don't know where it all came from, but my son had a bunch in his pocket!

He had 2 nickels (now those I do know where they came from...I give Madison and Marshall a nickel each time they buckle up the twins), a Bud Lite beer cap (gross, don't even want to think about it), a piece of his binky (it's his blanket that he used to sleep with but is now in little, tiny, miniscule threads), a blue wire, part of a sticky thing that "walks" down the wall when you throw it at the wall (you moms know what it is!), a lego, a Playmobile pirate sword, and an army man's arm.

He's my little collector. I used to get so grossed out when my nephews would pick up stuff off the ground and pocket it...I still think it's gross, but Marshall does it now and I kind of get it. They're boys, and it's what boys do!

I love my little Marshall! Just this morning, before the whole shorts thing, he says to me as I'm brushing my teeth, "How about I get a little kiss from my favorite Mommy?" Right after that he says, "Mommy, can I stay home from school today? I just want to be with you!" The little charmer!! (And yes...he's staying home today...just to be with me!)

Twins...gotta love 'em!

2006-04-24T19:32:00.000-04:00

Emma was just looking in the mirror and turned to me and said, "Mommy, I look like Halle!" (Just in case you didn't know, Halle and Emma are identical twins...and they're 3, not 12, so the whole looking like your twin thing is just dawning on them!)

Cleaning

2006-04-23T15:45:00.000-04:00

I'm in the kitchen mopping. Madison comes in to watch...she's fascinated by mopping and is always begging to use the Swiffer Wet Jet. We have a conversation which goes like this:

Madison: "Is Jillian coming over?" (That's our babysitter)

Me: "No."

Madison: "Is Grandpa and Grandma coming over?"

Me: "No."

Madison: "Are you having Bible study today?"

Me: "No."

Madison: "Then why are you cleaning?"

It's then that I realize the only time the kids ever see me really clean cleaning is when we are having company. I do pick up, straighten up, and neaten up. But it's pretty sad that if I'm deep down cleaning it means, to the kids at least, that someone's coming over. Now lest you think we are walling in filth, I do deep down clean when the kids are at school, playing outside, watching a movie, or some other activity that distracts them from what I am doing. It's just hard to do with them running all around!!

I am cleaning the kids bathroom when it occurs to me that each child (with the exception of Cooper, he only has one toothbrush and shares someones toothpaste) has 2 toothbrushes and their own toothpaste. That's 8 toothbrushes and 4 tubes of toothpaste. When did this craziness occur and where was I?

I better get back upstairs and finish deep down cleaning...who knows when the urge will strike again?

Oh, and John is sitting on the back porch enjoying the sunshine. Well, that's not fair, he is working on work stuff, but he's still outside!

We're back!!

2006-04-19T15:24:00.000-04:00

So, when we went on vacation, I thought it was for 6 days. Almost 2 1/2 weeks later we got home...well, we've been home since last Sunday night, but it has been crazy around here. John's family in Jacksonville basically kidnapped me and the kids. When they found out that the kids had Spring Break the week after our vacation (I'm still not sure when we didn't go down ON their Spring Break, but who cares?), they told John to come back to Atlanta and to come back the next weekend to get us...that's what we did!

We first went to the beach with his family. It was FREAKIN' FREEZIN'!! I am not kidding. It was in the 30's at night and only in the 50's in the day. Now for up here, okay. But this is the beach. It's supposed to be warm. But the kids did brave getting in their suits and dipping their toes in each day for about 10 minutes. And we did hit the beach after Disney when we were kidnapped and it was warm and sunny.

The kids had a blast at Disney (HUGE thanks to my Grandpa and Dorothy for getting us all in for free, "renting" two double strollers for free, and discounts on food, etc.). We were there from the time it opened until ther fireworks were exploding in the air!! It was sooo much fun! Their favorite thing was meeting all the characters. We actually met quite a few this time. I just love to see the excitement on their faces and the joy in their voices when they say, "Donald Duck hugged me!"

After Disney we were just going to stop back by to see his family and spend the night. That's when they conjured up this plan of theirs. I'm so glad we stayed. The kids don't get to see their cousins as much as we'd like, so it was nice. And to relax and just chill with each day being blank with no plans what-so-ever was huge!

The night we got home I told John my throat was a little scratchy. I woke up the next morning to full blown sore throat, crouppy cough (I still get croup as an adult y'all...strange), no voice, and gross green phlegm. Nice. It took me three days to realize it was all this lovely Atlanta pollen. I am still coughing a bit and still have a hoarse voice, but after almost a week on Claritan, I'm much better.

Now I'm going to go upstairs and plop down in the middle of the toys, folded clothes, unfolded clothes, and sippy cups, I'm going to grab Madison's Power Puff girl pillow and ABC blanket I saw and take a nap right on the floor. I don't think I can make it much further than that!

Just FYI

2006-03-20T15:04:00.000-05:00

We are getting ready to go on vacation this coming Friday!! Yippee! We are going to the beach for a few days with John's family...his sister is a size zero people. No, really and literally she wears a size zero. I have given up even trying to lose a few pounds. I mean honestly, what difference is it going to make when I'm next to her? I'd have to lose half of me just to sqeeze one thigh into her jeans. And I have given birth to 5 children. Anyone who expects me to look good in a bathing suit is really funny and should give serious thought to a career in comedy. Anyway, then we (just our family...all 7 of us) are going to visit my Grandpa and go to Disney World!! Can't wait to go!

So, the reason I am writing this is to inform you of why I probably will not be blogging much this week, and not at all next week. I am determined to leave my house in spic and span, spotless, smelling free of poo condition. (Especially that last part.) I really am. I started this weekend and I am going to reach my goal. However, this does not leave much time for blogging...darnit. Right now I am waiting for a load of clothes to dry so I can lickety split fold it, get it packed or put away.

Precious

2006-03-20T08:16:00.000-05:00

My heart melted when I overhead Halle talking to Emma in the car.
She said "Emma, Dod made ew pesal."
Translation: "Emma, God made you special."

Too fast

2006-03-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

My little Madison is growing up too fast. Well, all the kids are growing up too fast. Madison's birthday is next week and I can't believe she's going to be 7. We're going to Disney World to celebrate instead of having a party for her. Now, before you think, wow, that's alot more money than having a party, my grandpa works at Disney and can get all of us in for free!! So, why not go to Disney for her birthday? And I REALLY need a vacation. I just need to get away from the everyday stuff of life...dishes, laundry, vacuuming, dusting (what's that?), cleaning the bathrooms, etc., etc., etc..

I can't wait to see the kids at Disney. We actually went last year when Cooper was just 7 weeks old (we're crazy like that) and the kids had a blast. But this year the twins will get to experience it rather than just sleeping through half of it (they were not quite 2). They are at such a great age! All of them are. And they're so dang cute! I really believe God gave all of them a double dose of cute!!

Didn't do too much today. Just played with the kids. Oh, I did take all my "stuff" over to the consigment sale. I had to take the entire back seat of the van out to fit everything in. And even then it was a tight fit. I actually just got back from working the "pre-sale". The toddler bed and mattress was the first thing to sell...yee-haw! Looking forward to being there to work the sale on Saturday. I don't know why I enjoy it so much. But I have literally been looking forward to this since the sale in the fall. I guess I'm just weird. Or it could be the fact that I'm around a bunch of women and can actually hold a conversation without having to get a sippy cup for anyone!

Love my kids. Love my husband. Love my Lord. (Not in that order!!)

It's been a while...

2006-03-13T10:12:00.000-05:00

All right, I haven't written anything in a while. It's been kinda crazy around here. Well, it's always kinda crazy with 5 kids, a dog, a cat, a gerbil, 3 fish, a mom, and a dad.

An update on the laundry for those of you who are wondering. I did not trash the socks, though I was sooo tempted. I actually matched and put them back in their respective drawers! Yeah for me...now there's another pile waiting. But I'm kind of on this laundry kick where I just have to get it done, folded, and put away. I think my perfectionism is coming back in stages. (It's hard to be a perfectionist with all the kids...so I just gave up for a few years!!) First it was the dishes...I have to keep my counters clear of dirty dishes or it drives me up the wall. Now the same thing is happening with the laundry...I have to get it done or I lose my mind. I'm taking this as a good sign. Hopefully by the end of the year, all areas of mess in my home will have found a spot in my crazy mind that has to be spotless.

We had an AWESOME family weekend. On Saturday John took Madison to her game because we woke up late and there was no way I could get everyone ready in time. So they had some Daddy-Daughter time together. As they are walking out the door John says, let's have some fun today...do you want to go to Marietta, some other random place, or the zoo? Duh? The zoo of course! So by the time they got back from her game (she scored 2 baskets!!!) the rest of us were ready for our adventure.

Now, I don't know if the zoo is aware of this or not, but for our family to go to the zoo for one day, it's $85.00. Alot of money for one day. But our family can get a year pass for $89.00. Does that make sense to me? No. Now, if I were in charge of ticket prices, I would either lower the cost of the daily admission or raise the cost of the yearly pass. Because basically our family will be spending ALOT of time at the zoo this coming year...with our own picinic lunch mind you.

Anyway, we had a great time at the zoo. The kids just loved running around to see all the different animals. Madison's favorite was the otter. Marshall's was the lion. Halle's was the Panda Bear. And Emma's was the elephant. And that really just about sums up their personalities now that I think about it! Maddie is always ready for fun, fun, fun. Marshall is a perfectionist and loves to take charge. Halle is a snuggle bug. And Emma takes over the room when she enters! Cooper didn't voice a favorite animal, he just loves them all, like everyone loves him!!

On Sunday John had to go to COTA for a lunch after church so the kids and I skipped and vegged at home for a while. Then I took Marshall, Halle, and Emma to my parents to play while Madison, Cooper and I went to meet John at IKEA (I totally understand all the hype now!!) to get Madison a new bed for her birthday. Of course she picked the most expensive and cutest bed. Can't wait to get it together. Can't believe she's almost 7...time flies!

I love my kids so much. They are the greatest in the world! I love watching them play together and love making memories with them!!

That's about all for now. I have a consigment sale this weekend I'm hoping to make a bunch of money at so I can go and buy clothes for the kids. If they would just stop growing I wouldn't have this problem!!

Yea Me!

2006-02-20T16:31:00.000-05:00

I have "defeeted" the Mound 'O Socks!!

Laundry Loathing

2006-02-20T14:51:00.000-05:00

Holy crap I hate laundry. I hate washing it (although I do love the clean smell), I hate folding it, I hate putting it away, and I especially hate matching up 50 billion socks. I'm not kidding, we have 50 billion socks in our family. Come and count them.

I'm thinking of having a clothing strike where no one is allowed to wear clothes for a week, or if they do wear clothes, they must be the same exact clothes the entire week, underwear and socks included. And I am not washing any of it.

It doesn't matter how much laundry I do there is always more. I'm so sick of looking at the dirty laundry downstairs waiting to be done (I swear it mates at night and reproduces like rabbits), the laundry upstairs waiting to be folded in multiple baskets, and the clothes that actually are folded waiting to be put away 'cause the only time I can fold clothes is when Cooper, Halle, and Emma are sleeping and can't go in their rooms to put their clothes away.

And don't even get me started on the socks. We were at a Christmas thing at our church where John was the MC. He does such a good job. Anyway, he's giving some little anticdote about life and out of no where, to my utter shock and embarrassment he says, "my socks don't even match tonight"...............AHHHHHHH!!!

I hate laundry and I'm trying to avoid going upstairs and matching the mound of socks which the kids have started using like a big leaf pile. They jump in it, throw them in the air, put them back in a pile and start over. I'm seriously considering just throwing out dirty socks and buying new ones each week. It will be warm soon and we'll be back to going sockless anyway. Drastic I know, but we really do have 50 billion of the things.

Stitches

2006-02-19T18:23:00.000-05:00

Madison and Marshall spent the night with my parents last night and they were to spend the day at their house today just having fun with Grandpa and Grandma while I was at my house with the three little ones just having fun here.

I wake up after a restless night of sleep looking into the faces of the most beautiful twins in the world. And these twins are asking for chocolate milk and cartoons. We snuggle in bed for a while and then they request pancakes. Lazy me tries to convince them of the merits of the poptart, cereal bar, cereal in a bowl with no milk, even an Eggo. It's no use. I get up and make pancakes and am actually very happy to do it. They smelled sooo good!

The twins eat and then I sit to eat while Cooper is still sleeping peacefully in his bed at almost 9 in the morning. Emma is dressed and Halle and I decide it's a great pj day today. Ha. In my dreams. As I am finishing my last few bites and talking to my John, my parents beep in. Odd, I think to be calling so early. I decide I better answer and it's a good thing too, because my Dad informs me that Madison needs to go to the ER for some stitches. They're not sure exactly how it happened, but she hit her head on their wooden rocker and has a pretty bad cut.

I throw some clothes at Halle, grab Cooper and quickly change his stinky poo and throw them all in the car to race to the hospital to meet my mom and do the exchange of children...I am sooo thankful even more that my parents are here to help in a crisis like this especially with John out of town. Although, come to think of it, if they didn't live here, Madison wouldn't have been at their house, and she wouldn't have fallen and hit her head and needed stitches in the first place...but that's beside the point!!

I tear up when I see my little princess with red, watery eyes holding a washcloth to her bleeding head. I look and to my horror it's not just a simple deep cut, it's a hole like a puncture wound. My baby girl has a hole in her perfectly beautiful face. I try not to vomit at the sight and we go inside to begin the waiting game.

It's not too long of a wait (note to all, any future major illnesses or injuries requiring the ER services should definately occur on a Sunday morning!). The nurse was great...I think his name was Len. The doctor was horrible. His name was Dr. Ghandy (note to all, if you are at Eastside and Dr. Ghandy shows up, request someone else).

He does nothing to help ease Madison's fears of stitches and starts poking at her holey head. He leaves and comes back a few minutes later with a needle of numbing medicine and just starts shoving it in her head as blood gushes down her cheek freeking her and me out. Then using the force of an elephant he presses and presses and presses on her head all the while tears are rolling down her face. I am whispering to her that she is being big and brave and trying to convince myself that I am big and brave too, praying that he hurries up already.

He tells her she won't feel the stitches and starts in. With the first poke of the needle she almost jumps off the table. She tells me it does hurt and I tell him. He says, and I quote, "I seriously doubt it is hurting her." I want to slap that man so bad. He does the second stitch and she nearly jumps off the table again. Then he walks out. No good-bye. No hope you feel better. No drop dead. Nothing.

Thankfully nice nurse Len comes in and wipes off her face and puts a band-aid on and makes her feel so much better. He tells her to be careful and to have a good rest of the Sunday. I like Len. He knows kids...much better than stupid Dr. Ghandy.

We go to Target to get a toy for being so good (it's become our ritual with all the stitches Marshall has gotten). I take her back to Grandma and Grandpa's for her to spend the rest of the day because that's what she wants to do. The rest of us come home and just veg all day. The house is a mess. Well, the dishes are done...big whoop. But I don't care about the mess. I've spent the day playing with my kids and having fun doing it. If anybody expects a house with 5 children all ages 6 and under to be clean, you are seriously delusional!

Madison should be home soon and I can't wait to tuck her into my bed again tonight! I love that strong-willed, firey, gentle, shy, loving little girl. With all my heart!!

Great day!

2006-02-18T19:14:00.000-05:00

Praise the Lord I slept last night!!!!! I went to bed at 10 and woke up at 7:30!! Emma woke up to go potty at 2:30 but went straight to bed right after. I had a heart to heart with the girls before bed last night. I told them they could come in and snuggle me but they had to wait until the sun was in their window...and they did!!! I have realized that I really require 9 hours of sleep a night to feel fully awake and energized all day...I know that sounds lame, but it's true.

I actually showered uninterrupted and got make-up on to boot. Whoo-hoo it was a great morning! Madison helped me make blueberry muffins which the kids devoured like they hadn't eaten in days...I think I fed them last night, maybe not though. Madison and Marshall went to "story time" at our church (it's a new thing and they loved it!) while the rest of us went to Wal-Mart to get the supplies for the Abraham Lincoln log cabin.

We came home for nap and quiet time while Maddie and I started on her cabin...it took 4 hours and we're not done yet!!! (The thing is HUGE...we used 5 bags of pretzel logs!!!) We had sooo much fun just bonding pretzels and bonding with each other! (I don't know how to post my own pictures from my own camera because I'm a lame-o on the computer, but I'll have my love do it when he gets home on Tuesday. Can't wait.)

My Mom and Dad came over with some pizza for dinner and took Maddie and Marshall to spend the night and then the day with them tomorrow so I had some adult conversation and some relief when it came time for bed. The twins were exhaused and I didn't hear a peep out of them. Cooper is sick but he still plays like a maniac. I just put him down, no peeps from him either.

So I'm going to go and grab a whole bunch of Valentine candy, a sappy chick flick and crawl into my lonely bed.

It was a good day and I feel blessed and content!! (But I do miss my hubby!!)

Night Two

2006-02-17T22:03:00.000-05:00

I'm hoping I get more sleep tonight than I did last night. My sweet Emma decided that last night she didn't want to sleep between the hours of 2:30 am and 4:30 am.

She first woke up at 1:30 and I bribed her with a Whopper to get back in her own bed (I know, I know, bad mommy). It worked for an hour.

She then was up every 5 to 10 minutes for who knows what...just walking into my room. I know it would have been easier to give in and let her crawl into bed with me, but I already had one squiggly child with me, Madison. (I had promised her she could sleep in the "big bed" when Daddy went on his trip...next time more thought goes into that promise!!) Anyway, it was the principle of the thing. I had told her no and I was sticking to my exhaused guns.

At about 3:30 (and this is a.m. people) I decide, maybe she'd stay in bed with her twin. Well yeah she did. Except she woke Halle up and they were playing Barbies and Dora.........ahhhhh! Got her back in her own bed again and Halle fell asleep right away. Not Emma. That girl has the will of iron she does.

So as I'm stuffing cotton in my ears and pulling the covers over my head at 4:30 I decide I am NOT going to preschool in the morning...oh yeah, didn't you know I teach 2 year olds on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30-1:30...cause I'm just not crazy enough yet! I'm thinking I'll call the director in the morning and make up some excuse like Cooper is sick or something. I turn off the alarm and rest easy with my decision.

Marshall wakes me up at 6:30 and I start getting ready for preschool cause I just don't have the heart to call on such short notice...dang work ethic. Normally we have 10 children in our class, only 4 kids show up...and 2 of those are mine. Miss Donna (my helper) and I just let the kids play all day and we decided that it's the kids that were sick that are the messy, loud ones cause we had a great, quiet, non-messy day today.

Tried to get a nap after school but Cooper had other plans. I think he's getting sick. No. I know he's getting sick. I wiped his green snot all afternoon and he's woken up about 5 times since he's been in bed.

Please God, just let me have a good night of sleep. I don't know if I can make it through the day tomorrow if I'm deprived of more sleep. I might "accidently lose" one or more of my children...that would be bad, very, very bad!

Okay, I'm going to bed now. The kitchen is clean. The clothes are folded (and put away honey!!). The children are in bed (for now). The cat is fed and happy. The dog is in her crate whining to go out...so I better take her out or she'll bark until I do.

Oh yeah, and I have to help Madison build a replica of Abraham Lincoln's log cabin home this weekend. It's due Tuesday. This was John's job. He doesn't get home 'til Tuesday...did I mention he procrastinates?!

Good-night.

Not her actual cabin, but it gives me ideas!!

Sad and lonely

2006-02-16T20:03:00.000-05:00

John left today for 6 days at NRB. I'm sad and already missing my hubby. He's awesome...I don't tell him that enough.

Stressin'

2006-02-13T16:26:00.000-05:00

It's been a good day, but it's been a hectic day in and out of the car. Madison's school, Marshall's preschool, MOPS, ballet for Madison and home again with three trips up the stairs carrying sleeping children and another for all the other junk that goes along with five children. Tonight Madison has basketball practice and my sweet husband has a Sunday School curriculum meeting and won't be there. Thank the good Lord above that my parents live close by and my saint of a mother is watching the twins for me while the rest of us go to the practice.

I remember that tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Okay, the kids and I just did their respective Valentine cards and inserted the pencils that go with them (that took longer than writing all the names on them). I'll have to make the chocolate chip cookies for the teachers tonight after basketball. Do I have anything for my sweet husband...uh that would be no. Will he get anything from me? Not anything that can be mentioned on this blog.

Now on to thinking of dinner, PB&J again (can you die from too much PB&J?) I guess I should start getting that together because I only have about 45 minutes before we need to get in the car for basketball...it takes longer than you think to make PB&J for 5 kids!

Oh, and as I was coming downstairs for a little "me" time (with Cooper in tow) I see that someone(s) who shall remain nameless (but their names ryhme with Calle and Jemma) have thrown a whole bowlful of leftover breakfast Coco Puffs down the stairs...minus the milk, they eat them dry...while I was helping Madison and Marshall with the Valentine cards. In addition to that they managed to put all their toys (Polly Pocket shoes included) in the middle of their room. It's actually quite a neat little pile.

Oh yeah, and John's leaving town for 6 days on Thursday. Yippee!

Sweet Kisses to Puppy Kisses...NOT the same!

2006-02-02T18:49:00.000-05:00

Now I know what Lucy from "Peanuts" was talking about when she would declare, "AAAHHH!! Dog germs! I've been kissed by a dog and have dog germs!" For I too now have dog germs. And I did indeed screech, "AAAHHH!!"

I was scolding the dog for once again jumping over the gate that seperates the kitchen from the living room. I was holding her face to face so she could see just how upset I really was about her infraction of "the puppy rules". I was looking at her and she was looking at me with this pathetically sad puppy face and proceeds to reach forward and lick me when my mouth is wide open. Frenched by a dog. How disgusting...I have brushed my teeth several times just in case you were wondering.

(The picture is not our actual dog...but you get the idea!)

Favorite Time of the Day

2006-02-01T19:09:00.000-05:00

My favorite time of the day is when my husband comes home. He's so incredibly handsome I can't stand it! I love the way his hair is turning gray and makes him look all the more delicious. I love the way he undoes his tie as he's walking up the stairs with a big grin on his face. I love the way the kids run to him screaming "Daddy's home!!", as if he's been gone for a year rather than a day. I love the to hear the laughter of him and the children upstairs all wrestling on the floor. I love the way he twirls them around. I love the way he can't remember the words to songs, but makes them up as he goes along and sings to the kids anyway. I love the way he has a one-sided dialogue with Cooper and makes up Cooper's answers for him! I love him. I love him. I love him...and he loves me!

(I just need to add a small PS here. As I'm writing this "love letter" about my husband, two things have happened. 1- Cooper fell down the stairs because someone, who shall remain nameless but his name rhymes with "Ron", left the gate open. 2-The dog chewed off one of beloved Hilton's ears. (Hilton is Cooper's monkey.) But I love that man, I do. I really, really do!)

Lazy

2006-02-01T16:16:00.000-05:00

I am so lazy. While my little ones are napping and the older two are playing a video game downstairs, what do I do? Do I fold the 5 loads of laundry waiting in the baskets? Do I scrub my disgustingly dirty bathroom? Do I vacuum the carpet or mop the kitchen floor? Do I do any of the mundane things that REALLY need to be done? Absolutely not.

I instead grab a snack (only had half a bagel for lunch and I'm starving!!) and I head to the warm comfort of my own bed and turn on TLC...I'm addicted to "A Baby Story".

So now it's almost 4:30 and I have no plans for dinner, a babysitter coming at 6:30 so my hubby and I can go to our Bible study tonight, and my house is a mess. When am I going to learn to take the precious time I have to myself (which is not that much or that often) and make good use of it? Stupid comfortable bed. If only it didn't call to me so!

Sweet Kisses

2006-01-30T15:18:00.000-05:00

We're walking in Wal-Mart the other day and something happened that has never happened before. I'm pushing Cooper in the cart and he takes one of his little hands and grabs my sweater and pulls me toward him. As we are almost nose to nose, he takes both his hands and puts them on either side of my face and squashes our noses togther. Then he opens his mouth as wide as he can and starts giggling so much his whole body shakes! It's then I realize that my little baby has just given me his first kiss! It's the best kind...all sloppy and toothy from his 7 little teeth. Wow. Being a mom is awesome!

Where have the chubby legs gone?

2006-01-27T19:55:00.000-05:00

I wish I were talking about myself here, but alas I am not.

I am talking about my precious twins, Halle and Emma. They just turned 3 a few weeks ago and it seems like that was the magic day when the chub left their legs. I realized it tonight when they were running around in their short pj's.

Now I do give my children baths and I see their naked little legs all the time. But it was something about the shorts that made them look like little girl legs instead of baby girl legs. It made me cry.

I'm sad to see my babies growing up. I'm happy too. I know God has great plans for these cute, energetic, exciting, smart, full of life little ones. I just wish they could have chubby legs a little longer. I just love squeezing them. I love being their mom, and the mom to my other children as well.

Children truly are a gift from God. A gift that is too easily taken for granted. May I relish every moment with them...even when I want to pull my hair out. May I be reminded that youth is far too fleeting, and before I know it, they will be gone.

I love you my precious little ones. More than you can ever know.

Why do we have a gerbil?

2006-01-26T10:47:00.000-05:00

I am tired today. I didn't sleep well last night. Many nights I don't sleep well because I am an extremely light sleeper. I think it must be the mom thing. I can hear the twins ever so quietly open their door in the middle of the night to come sneak into bed with us. I can hear Madison getting a drink of water. I can hear the cat purring in the living room. And I can hear the gerbil scratching at its cage trying to escape.

Now the gerbil was one of Marshall's birthday presents this past October when he turned 5. We got it because, well, I'm not sure why. He did the typical kid thing and was REALLY excited for about 3 weeks about it. Now it's like he doesn't know the thing exists. It had been in the living room, but the cat kept trying to attack it and actually did one time and we thought the thing was going to die...bloody eye and all. (But that's the subject of another blog.) We moved it into the boys room and shortly thereafter Cooper started waking up each night between 11 and midnight, which in turn would wake Marshall up and us and sometimes everyone. We had to find a solution to this problem.

We, well John really, realized that the gerbil was waking up Cooper. Did you know that they are nocturnal animals? You do now. And so do I...stupid things.

The gerbil now resides in the bathroom during the night so as not to wake up the Coop. It seems to be working, except now it keeps me awake...which is better I suppose than keeping Cooper awake.

Anyway, last night I kept hearing Pavarotti, the cat, scratching at the bathroom door. I was about to kill him. Finally I heard what sounded like scurrying across the floor and thought, no, it's not possible. How could that gerbil escape? Well, he had gotten out of his cage somehow...probably one of the twins had left one of the little caps off of the cage, they are STILL obsessed with it!

So at 2:45 a.m. I am on all fours in the bathroom trying to catch this small, white, bleeping animal. Did you know that gerbils are quite quick and they jump? Well, they do. I'm trying not to scream so as not to wake any of the children or John, I'm thoughtful like that, and the thought crosses my mind...should I just let Pavarotti get the thing and be done with it? Marshall would not care (when we thought he was going to die before he started jumping up and down and celebrating that he could get another gerbil...weird kid.). But after 15 grueling minutes I caught and recaged the varmit. Why do we even have a gerbil?

2006-01-24T18:37:00.000-05:00

We had a successful night at the dinner table...again! Not as successful as the chocolate chip pancakes, but really, what can compete with that? I am very wary of "supper in a box" type foods, however, when I came across these Campbell's Supper Bakes that were buy one get one free at Publix, how could I resist? We are after all on a budget!

So it was with much trepidation I made the "Cheesy Chicken". Oh my word, it was SOOOO easy. You just mix hot water with the noodles, some butter, and the sauce mix, put your own UNCOOKED chicken on top, cover with foil, bake for 20 minutes (while the children are playing in the backyard with the hard-won Christmas puppy), then mix the noodles around, put the topping stuff on, bake for another 10 minutes, and lookey-loo...dinner!! Well, I did also bake some dinner rolls and throw some corn on their plates for good measure.

Now I am not trying to imply that it was the BEST food I've ever tasted in my life, far from it. But it was pretty good. And the kids ate it without complaint. All I got was "can I be done now?"...but that was when the plates were just about empty anyway. So for dessert we all had my hubby's favorite cookies, "Chips Ahoy"!

Now the wee ones are clean, the older ones are doing my cleaning of the living room, and I have a few precious "mommy moments" to myself! Hooray!!

Frizzy Hair

2006-01-23T14:50:00.000-05:00

Why do I even bother drying my hair straight? I used to have straight hair. Well, that's not entirely true...I've always had a few small waves. But now, for some reason, baby #5 has made my hair curly. Not the pretty, oh I wish I had her curls, curly. Not the cool, Jennifer Anniston waves. No. My hair is frizzy curly.
My husband likes it when I let my hair go curly...and I do too for about 10 minutes. Then it's like it takes over my head and starts frizzing out. So I put it up in the "up-do", or pull it back in a pony tail, or most times I put it in the "half bun" thing where some of it is sticking out...just so I look cool!
I've been debating whether to cut my hair in a cute, short, bob where the frizz would be a lot more managable...but then I would be forced to actually do my hair every day. Because my hair is long, it's easy to get by without washing it every day cause I can just pull it back and go. And with 5 kids, that's usually what ends up happening.
But today I decided to actually take the 30-45 minutes it takes to dry my hair (did I mention my hair is REALLY thick too?!), and what is happening outside? It's raining...like I'm able to watch the weather and would know that it's going to be raining all day.
So I take my son to preschool and have to walk him in because (surprise) we are running late, hair gets wet.
I go to MOPS (Mothers Of PreSchoolers) every other Monday and had to get 3 other children out and walk in the rain, my hair gets wetter. Back in the car afterwards, wetter still.
I decide to go to Target and get the Coop some new shoes, it had stopped raining by now, so I'm safe on the way in. We take out time and get the new shoes for Cooper and new rain boots for the other 4 (they are on clearance...how can I resist?!). On the way out of Target, the twins get to try out their new boots, cause it's raining again. Hair now becoming quite frizzy.
Now it's time for me to go and get Madison from ballet. I'm early and we go in to watch...wetter still.
I forget to go and get Marshall so not only was he late getting to school, he's now late being picked up which means of course I have to walk in to get him...in the rain once again.
So by the time we get home I am looking like Bozo the Clown on a really bad day. Oh well. Last night I bought some more cute hair bands so that is what is keeping my hair "under control".

Dinner

2006-01-19T09:22:00.000-05:00

Is it wrong to feed my children chocolate chip pancakes for dinner? I don't mean pancakes with a few chocolate chips thrown in here and there. I mean as I'm mixing up the batter and talking with Cooper in his high chair, I dump almost an entire bag of chocolate chips into the mix. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious, although I am an admitted chocoholic not seeking reform. But it was like eating chocolate with a little bit of pancake. The kids LOVED them and thought I was the best mom in the world and asked if they could have them every night. I have to say I am tempted. It was the first time in a long while that I haven't gotten the "Ewww...gross!" "Can I be all done?" "I'm not that hungry." "What is it?" "How many more bites do I have to take?" etc...

Why is it...

2006-01-16T21:45:00.000-05:00

Why is it that my darling husband whom I love to pieces seems incapable of replacing the soap in the shower? Is it because he doesn't know from day to day whether I will enjoy the pleasure of a shower and takes the calculated risk that I will be unable to have one that day? Is it that he simply forgets? Is it laziness? It surely can't be that he thinks if I haven't had a shower in three days I'll simply be happy with warm water running over me can it?

But just to see if I could figure out if he's got it in for me to stay dirty, I tried a little experiment the other day. There was no soap...again...and I thought, okay, I can once again use the shampoo to wash my body. And I didn't replace the soap as I usually do...on purpose. I made it a point to take a shower the next day, just to see if my darling husband would have thought to replace it. Nope. So now I know HE didn't use soap. Well it's just a fantasy of mine to actually get a shower three days in a row, so I missed a day and forgot to check on the soap thing. But the next day (this is day four of my experiment for those of you who have lost track!) I did take a shower, and as I was turning on the water, I noticed...no soap AGAIN!! Thankfully it was before I stepped in so I was able to replace the soap. I can only go so long without soap after all.

But it occured to me, how long would he go without soap. I can only hope that just as I do, he uses shampoo to wash his dirty body...but it makes you wonder...

It's finally happened!!

2006-01-03T23:13:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought my precious angel twins would go to college in pull-ups, it happened!! They are potty trained!! Well, almost. But they are wearing only "big girl panties" during the day and Halle had NO ACCIDENTS TODAY!!
She had previously shown zero interest in the big girl panties, and big girl potty, and the m&m rewards her sister was getting, and the big reward of a Dora the Explorer bike that had been promised when she achieved pull-up freedom! However, the turning point for her was when we were shopping at Macy's and Madison and Marshall got to go play at the "play place"...which is the place you can drop your 3-8 year old for 2 hours at a time while you shop...and Halle wanted to go in soooo bad she cried for about 15 minutes! After explaining that she had to be 3, which will be in 2 weeks time, and that she couldn't wear pull-ups she had to wear big girl panties, she was all about the potty.
Now Emma has seemingly reached a road-block. She had been all about the potty, but now is having a few accidents a day. But I refuse to break my resolve. No more pull-ups during the day. I can clean up a little pee on the floor. I can wrestle little legs out of poop-filled panties. For goodness sake, I can get the carpets cleaned professionally and I have a washer and dryer, right? I will not lose my resolve...especially when I am on the verge of only having one child in diapers...which has not happened in 6 years. Yes, 6 years people!! I have been changing the bodily functions of at least 2 human beings for the last SIX YEARS!! Most recently it has been 3 people due to Marshall and the twins, and then the twins and Cooper once Marshall potty trained himself, the little perfectionist that he is!!
So, can you see why I'm so overjoyed? Now, when is it too early to start with Coooper?!

Duct Tape

2005-08-31T21:02:00.000-04:00

Ah, sweet, sweet Halle. When my husband suggested I should have a "blog" my first thought was, what the heck is a blog. After he showed me his "blog" my next thought was, what the heck would I write on one. Silly, silly me. Each and every day my children manage to give me more than I could ever begin to write about due simply to time constraints.

Today as Halle, Emma, Cooper and I are driving along to the doctor's office we are happily singing to "I've Been Working On The Railroad" having a grand 'ole time. We had stopped at McDonald's for breakfast to eat in the car on the way to take Madison to school. (Marshall had a play date, thus his absence from this story.) The kids all had their usual pancakes. The twins never really eat much, it's just fun for them to pick at their pancakes and throw the rest on the floor of my ever disgusting van. So when Halle starts saying, "here Mommy, all done," I merely say, "yes, honey. I'll get it when we get to the doctors office." Not ten seconds later, to my utter shock and horror, Halle is standing next to me (as I'm driving 35 miles an hour down a busy road) handing me her mutilated pancakes. I just about ran off the road because first of all she scared the heck out of me, and second, I'm straining my neck to see how she managed to get out of her carseat. Needless to say I pull over at the first parking lot I could find and buckled her safely back in her car seat. Maybe next time I should just use duct tape.

Super Cooper

2005-08-30T15:57:00.000-04:00

My little Cooper is just so adorably cute, sweet, and good. I swear sometimes I could just eat him up. He never cries. He's always smiling, even at strangers. He's in the middle of cutting four new teeth and he barely notices. Is it that he is the last of five children and knows he needs to be so laid back? Or did God decide that with our last "surprise" baby He would in His infinate wisdom give us a baby that could roll with all the punches our other children seem to give us day by day? Whatever it is, I'm just so glad He did decide to bless us one last time with what I consider the "perfect baby".

Redecorating

2005-08-30T10:47:00.000-04:00

Ah, the simple joy of a shower. I hadn't had one in three days, so I thought I'd take the opportunity while the Cooper was taking a nap, Madison was at school, and the other three were safely in my room watching Sesame Street. Not a long one, but enough to get clean and feel human again. A quick peek at the angels still watching Elmo. "I'll dry my hair real quick", I think to myself. As I near the completion of this seeminly easy task, I peek out once again, and they are all still there, watching Barney now. Okay, almost done...Marshall runs into the bathroom, "Mommy, one of the girls" (that's what he calls them because he still can't tell them apart!!) "is drawing on the wall." "Great", I think and rush out to the hall to find precious little Emma with, not a crayon which would easily rub off, not a washable marker which would come off with a little elbow grease, no. It is almost beyond comprehension that somehow that child has managed to find a dark green permanent sharpie marker. I didn't even know we had one that color let alone where it would have been. Sweet Emma. She knows my favorite color is green and she is merely trying to redecorate for me!!

How do they do it?

2005-08-29T14:06:00.000-04:00

I don't understand how seemingly innocent 2 1/2 year old twins can get themselves into so much mischief. Today as I was playing with Cooper in the living room I hear some type of tupperware container bounce on the floor. Okay, I think, I'll check on it in a little while. The twins are always getting into the tupperware drawer, no big deal. So after about 10 minutes I go into the kitchen to get a bottle for Cooper, having forgotten the sound I had heard earlier, and what do I see all over the floor and Cooper's diaper bag (not to mention all the diapers, clothes, toys, and crevices inside the diaper bag)? Powered formula. They had somehow managed to open up the divided formula container that is kept in Cooper's bag and spill 3 eight ounce bottles worth of powered formula all over the place. Isn't it hard enough for me to keep the house clean without having all these extra chores to do????!!!!