Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

WOW! Life just sneaks up on you and before you know it - POW! It hits you and it's on its way out! I swear that school just started! Now we are on Christmas break? And now we look forward to Valentines Day, spring break, Easter and SUMMER! Each event passes by so quickly that I barely have time to enjoy it before it's gone. The anticipation and preparation lasts much longer.

One of my resolutions for this year will be to enjoy the preparation of things other than expect to be happy when the event arrives. Another one is to do more things on impulse. Just like the other day - I told the kids that I was tired of them just sitting around playing Xbox and PS3. I thought they ought to go outside and get some fresh air and exercise. It was a warm sunny day and it just felt good to get out. They tried thrwoing snowballs at each other but "some" can throw harder than other and people got hurt. I had kids running in, throwing off their coat and boots and screaming "I'm not going to be out there with 'HIM!'" So, I bundled them up again pushed them outside. I ran into the garage and grabbed the saucers, jumped on one and went down the snow piled hill in our front side yard! It was fun! The kids were looking at me like I was crazy but I get that look often! I handed them each a saucer and told them to go for it! They ended up spending an hour going up and down and up and down. The hill is only 3 1/2 feet tall but it was all we needed!!!

Attention Walmart Associates! We have a “CODE ADAM”!

It began as a crazy dash (FIRST mistake) for the Walmart five miles South of us. We had to get there before 9pm so we could pick up James’ new glasses at the Optical Center. Well, EVERYONE (except Dad) had to go with. (SECOND mistake!) We also had the girls’ friend with us to drop off at her house afterwards. SO, I have SIX children with me! Was I thinking straight? I really have my doubts!
Anyways! We start off late because my youngest daughter who will remain unnamed, can’t find her shoes. BIG surprise! Can I just say that I am soooo fed up with the shoe losing thing? HELLO! Can you please put them in the same place – PLEASE! So, I almost took off without her. (Should’ve – really should’ve!) SO, we are really pushing the time limit as I race down the freeway, take the offramp, swing a right, then a left, then a right, then a right – and I tell Brandon and James to jump out and run in as I pull up to the doors. Brandon jumps out – James get out and says “What? What am I supposed to do?” “RUN!” I tell him, “Follow your brother!” I then park the van and get the rest of the troupe out. Well, we walk in and Brandon and James are standing outside the ropes that block the entrance to the optical center. I heave a big sigh and said “Oh no! We didn’t make it!” But Brandon says that they caught her just in time and she was just back getting the glasses. Whew!
We got the glasses and then I decided to do a bit of school shopping (THIRD mistake!) for those things that we hadn’t got yet that were on the kids “lists”. So we get those and then proceed to wander around the store. We looked at phones (FOURTH mistake!) so maybe the boys could actually have contact with me if they weren’t home. I’m just a concerned mom, not really too overprotective! Really! So I make a decision and call the DH to confirm the purchase. Well, he didn’t like it! “Do you think we’re made of money? They don’t need a phone!” Etc. I was annoyed verging on really ticked off so I said to the kids – let’s forget it and get on with our shopping.
So, we all traipse off and a minute later I ask, “Where’s John???” We couldn’t see him anywhere. I had everyone branch out. We went back to the phone area – no John. We went to the toys – no John. We went down a couple main aisles – no John. Ok, I was starting to panic! We headed back to the phones and when we still couldn’t see him, I headed to the electronics cashier and told him I had a “lost boy”. He immediately announced a “CODE ADAM” which is an instant door monitoring and department check. After giving the associate a description, which was quite accurate because I remembered the incident earlier that evening regarding his clothes. He was on his second outfit of the day and threw a fit when I told him Brandon had to help him put it on. So, we waited a few minutes back at electronics and then we were told that if they found him they would bring him up to customer service. We headed up there and I saw Brandon a section over making his way up there too. When we were out in the clear I saw that he had John with him. I ran up to them and grabbed John and asked him where he had been. He calmly stated that “I just wanted a baseball!” Brandon had found him back in the sporting goods where we had been looking for soccer shin-guards.

As I was putting John into the cart and telling him that he can’t get out again the store manager asks me if he was mine and if this was the one that was lost. I said with a sigh, “Yep! This is the guilty one!” I must’ve looked pretty frazzled because he then said, “Are you going to be okay?” Looking around at the bunch of kids gathered around me I managed another sigh and stated, “Sure – I’ll be just fine!”












The "GUILTY" one!

Show Time!

Drama Queens and Kings. I think the kids have actually inherited something good from me. They are natural born actors. I remember in seventh grade parent teacher conferences, my art teacher was telling my mom my grade. It wasn’t the A that I thought I had and I gasped in horror! He then commented that I was very dramatic and thus my love for the theater began!
The kids, minus Brandon because he was gone, put on a show for us. The tickets were very expensive - $100 each! Luckily ours were complimentary!

Here’s the playbill:
How did this start? A few weeks ago we were at Wally World (I was there with all FIVE kids! Can you say MISTAKE?) and Brandon wanted me to buy a video. I said no and no again and no again! “But mom! It’s only five bucks!” I said no and my word is final! Yeah right! I got up to the check-out lane and there it was - hiding under a head of lettuce! A video of old-time cartoons – Popeye, Tom and Jerry, Betty Boop, and many others. I gave in. The kids absolutely love it! In fact they’ve watched it so many times they have them all memorized! And so, the rehearsals began!




A riveting performance of “Ancient Fistory”


The “Bull” pushing Popeye through the “house"

A Happy Ending

Intermission (Dinner break)









The group performing “Popeye as Aladdin”. (My personal favorite!)

In the “Cave of Wonders”









Princess Olive lounging at the castle


Bluto has the lamp!









“Salami, salami, saloon”

What a wonderful performance!!!

Chaos - My first name

Did I mention that Chaos was my first name? Seriously! I bring it on myself! Let’s take on the subject of soccer. How many other moms would put themselves (and their Dear Husbands) through the torture of five children in soccer? Not too many, just the insane ones. I don’t know what our Saturdays are going to be like in the next couple months but needless to say, they will be BUSY! I’ve only been contacted by four of the coaches so far. I’m afraid to look at the schedules because I may have a mild breakdown. . . (I love soccer, I love soccer, I love soccer!)
Each year my DH asks, “Why, why, why?” Then the children say “I hadn’t decided if I was going to play again!” (Even though when I signed them up they said that they wanted to.) I just reply, “It’s good for you! It’s all about learning how to be a team player and getting some exercise - all in one!” Such positive statements from someone who has subjected themselves to multiple weekly practices (in many different places) and a whole lot of Saturdays of juggling schedules.
Oh – and don’t get me started on how butt-freezing cold it is at some of these games! Especially the ones at 9am. I don’t like those! Remember now – I’m the one who likes to bake in the sun! I’d rather sit in a sweaty camp chair, with no umbrella, as the temperature reaches the high 90’s than try to wrap myself up in blankets, as the sleet pelts my face and makes it so I can’t tell which kid is mine! Bringing hot chocolate is only a mild consolation. It doesn’t last near as long as the game does. (I swear sometimes they add minutes to the stop watch!) There have been a few games where I’ve considered pouring the hot chocolate over me just to get warm! But then logic seeps in and I realize that I would only get colder once the liquid freezes on me. So instead I stealthily sneak from my chair to “get something from the car”. I’m sure no one suspects any different. Right?
Still, I love to see them run, kick, dribble, pass and score! Despite the searching for soccer gear, running to the game before it actually starts, taking two different vehicles, begging the coach to pick up one of the kids, and providing snacks for a heck of a lot of players! Less than a week left till the fun starts!

Bring it on! Let the games begin!

Fun, fun, fun in the hot, hot sun!

I thought the day would be not so hot and even a bit drizzly. The sky was overcast and intermittent showers were on the forecast. So, I packed up my kids and took off to the amusement park. Our friends were going with us, so it was bound to be a fantastically fun day! We arrived at around 3pm. There were still clouds in the sky but not a drop fell. The parking lot was full. Very full. Oh, shoot! I was hoping that the forecast of rain would drive people away! Not a chance! I think everyone had the same idea. The lines were gonna be long.
Soon after we got in, the clouds disappeared and the sun beat upon us like a bat on a ball. But we still had fun! I only wanted to barf a couple of times. Not too bad! It’s not the roller coasters that I have a problem with, it’s the ones that go around, and around, and around, and around. I wasn’t like this before I had kids. In fact one of my favorite rides used to be the “Music Express”, where you and your friends (or boyfriend), share a seat and you go around and around so fast that you smush up against the person. This was done to very loud pop music and if you’re lucky you get dizzy and can’t walk straight afterwards.
Despite the long lines, the kids got to go on almost every ride they wanted to.
John and James having a good time on one of the "around and around" rides.

Our friends and all the kids. Having fun guys?




Hope you don't get too wet!




Of course, everyone got soaking wet! (Haha! Not me!) Most of them from head to toe. Except Kari, she had some "interesting" dry spots! (Should've got a picture!)

James and Brandon,
behind bars!


Hm, sometimes I wish. . .









"Me and my shadow".
Look at us! Aren't we just cute??? Where am I looking, do you ask? I'm looking at my oldest son who is just about to run in front of the camera. Again! He says it's just because he doesn't want the camera to be broken when dad takes the pictures of us. (Oh! He is so mean to his mommy!)



The Three Musketeers!

Sleepless in Snoozeville?

Have you ever had one of those nights where you can’t shut your brain off? I had ones of those last night. No matter what I tried to do my brain just kept on pluggin’ away! I’m sure some of it was due to the fact that a dear friend of mine, that lives quite a distance away, won’t be able to IM me anymore. This made me sad :( but it got me thinking about friends, family and relationships. Then, of course, my mind took off into various tangents. I really tried hard to make my mind blank :. (You’d think it would be easy, my being blonde and all.) But it just wouldn’t do it. The last time I looked at the clock (something you really shouldn’t do if you’re trying to go to sleep) it was 4:28. Now anyone who knows me knows that I am a self proclaimed night owl but this is ridiculous! I stopped looking at the clock after that. The best part? John decides that he needs to be an early bird and wake up at 7! So much for that beauty sleep that I so desperately need!

In The Beginning. . .

In the beginning. . . I started out really small. About 7 lbs 6 oz or something like that. And I was very cute! Really! I've seen the pictures! And I have not always been blonde with green eyes! I had dark brown (almost black) hair and blue eyes. Shocking - isn't it?! My Grandpa called me "Baby Blue Eyes". Well, my mom said that by the time I turned one all that beautiful black hair had turned to blonde and it hasn't changed much since! (And everyone thought I bleached it!)




Our little family (or big - according to some people) starts out with the oldest and ends with our caboose - with three in the middle. Never thought I'd have so many kids! Plus five is such an uneven number! I've always liked even numbers but I'm not going to have another kid just to even it up! We are definitely through dispite what some people (Kari) say!



Anyway, this blog is mainly for journal purposes and to let family and friends know what we've been up to. Which is quite a lot for a family of seven! So here's an short update on the last week or so.



We took a mini-trip to Bear Lake last week. Stayed at the Worldmark condo that we always do. We actually got a two-bedroom this time. It was very roomy! Kari and Tif (my friend and her daughter) came with us and of course, as always, we had a blast! We spent all day Thursday on the beach soaking up the sun. Which is one of my favorite things to do! Everyone got a bit red except for me. I think I faded! And I didn't even put sunblock on!



John John, 4 (the monster child) was hilarious. Midday he comes up to me and says "I need to go potty. I need to pee in the bushes." Well, since there were no bushes and the bathrooms were a drive away, we told him to go out in the lake and do it. So, he goes out about ten feet (ankle deep) and pulls down his swimtrunks and bares all! We just about died from laughing! The beach was somewhat busy but I don't think anyone noticed him at all! Ricky took a picture for posterity. I hope he won't be too mad at us when we put it on display at his wedding!



Brandon, 15 going on 30, is up staying with dad's uncle to work on the milk truck. He took a break and came up to Bear Lake with us but wanted to go right back to truckin'.



James, 12, Ashley, 9, and Aubrey, 7, have had a ball going to Kid's Club all summer. They have field trips every Wednesday, which they really enjoy going on. Poor John feels a bit left out. He won't be able to go for another 2 years!



Well, that's it for now! I have a million more things to say but I'm going to be in trouble cuz I've stayed up late, once again!