Good morning

Zooboomafoo is just starting.  And in a few minutes mommy has to bathe five squirmy little kids so their shiny clean for church.  But first a blog

Soccer went quite well.  We didn't win, but I felt like the kids played their hardest.  Well except for our goalie...but he's a whole nother story.  Princess was very brave and didn't give into her many boo-boo's.  She fell down a lot, but never melted down as is her normal behavior, instead got up and ran after the ball.  HD played a great first quarter and then just decided to be done.  He played goalie for one quarter and had a great time digging in the dirt.    Oh and pulling the goal box over his head.   

This will be the first and last year our kids do organized sports.  Too many good things are being missed by them kicking the stupid soccer ball around.  Dalene did a good blog about letting kids be kids, and I have to agree.   Their is so much missed by organized sports.  And when it comes right down to it how much do kids learn from them?   They learn that its more important to run from one thing to another then to spend time with family. 

They learn that all mommy is good for is to be a chauffeur.  They learn that fast food is nummy because who has time to cook when their playing chauffeur.  They learn to ignore their younger siblings because their not big enough to play.  

I guess I'm just not into team sports.  The *theory* is is it teaches kids to be active and good sportsman etc.  I say that instead it teaches children to not take time to smell the flowers, or watch the jets.    I will teach my kids how to be active.  But in this house active as a family.  For that is how I want to raise my kids is to be family-oriented.  So we will continue to bike & hike together, and walk, and jog as they get older.   Horse back riding when they get even older.   All things that can be done by all and encourages interaction with each other instead of a competitive heart.

Okay stepping off my soap box

James got a bloody nose in the middle of the soccer game so while coaching I had to play doctor.  UGH   He is fine now...but oh my was that yucky.     And I think he toasted my t-shirt.  

The good news is I'm ALWAYS allowed to comfort him these days.  What a change since when he first came.  And I wasn't allowed to get near him.

Okay it is PAST time to bathe babies, so better go.

Ta ta for now

Good morning

Our kids have had a couple restless nights.  So we spent yesterday taking tursn catching up on our sleep.  Rob even took a long nap.  We were just so tired.  Princess had nightmares which she hasn't had in quite awhile.  And Kaylin, and Jamari and Samuel.  They all had nightmares over the last couple days.  *sigh*   And Rainee just plain decided not to sleep Thursday night she had us both up all night. 

Last night Rob and I had a date night.  We've switched them to Fridays and are going earlier in the day (4pm)  We packed up our bikes and the bike trailer for Rainee and when for a nice bike ride.    I'm up to about 2.5 miles.  Which considering how incredibly out of shape I am feeeels quite good.  Something about a year of no exercise due to bedrest, hemoraghing etc kind a makes a person a bowl of jello.    But I did the ride and felt good afterwards which is BIG progress the last time I rode I felt like crap the rest of the day and the next 2 days after that...so I'm getting better

Today we again have a soccer game.  I'm so hoping the kids do well.   And the whole team actually shows.  Parents are so unreliable.

Rainee has had 3 days of serious asthma.  Which is why she was keeping us awake.  I think she's settled down a bit today.  I'm ready for a respite.  As is she. 

On that note gonna go read my SIR list and get dinner in the crockpot.  Have a great day

Ooops PS  do you know how far cereal can go when you fall off a chair holding onto a full bowl of it????  Trust me its not a pretty site.  Window, window ceil, floor wall baby girl.  HMMM   Kaylin needs a bath now I think

    This is what I did this evening.   I actually played with about 15 pictures or so...but this one was my favorite. 

My big kids were at Awana tonight.  So I had a little bit of extra time to myself.    I'm so greatful that one of the leaders is taking them instead of me having to bundle up all the babies to take them.

I also finally got to play with my beads after being inspired by Craktpot.    Wanta see?  I'd like to know how she gets such clear pictures of hers though.  Hints please?

And this is my anklet...

My hubby is a sucker for anklets.  I know I know over-sharing. 

Soccer practice went much better today.  Except for my son the day-dreamer.  He wasn't in the mood to play soccer. 

And I am taking one step at a time.  This morning I was struggling and trying not to cry for no reason.  My husand being the saint he is...suggested that maybe if I took a shower I would feel better.  I rarely take showers in the morning it is just too frustrating to get one in.  But I KNEW I needed something.  And OH man did it feel goood.   And I"m so greatful to him as the rest of the day went much better.  Besides it didn't hurt to hear HD say "Your beautiful mom!"  All this 'cause my hair was clean. 

On that note dh will be home in approximately 10 minutes so should get off.  TTYL

Tonia

Played around with my photo editing stuff yesterday.     Wanta see?

I keep dreaming of marketing these...but not sure how.  Any ideas.  I personally think cards.   But not sure.  Do you think I'm nuts?

I know I'm probably nuts...but it sure is fun    Oh wait one more...took the actual picture yesterday.

Well Rob got his dump runs done.  And then the kids and I picked all the apples up from under one of our trees.  We had  enough to fill a laundry basket with.  So we decided to take them over to my moms and use her cider press.  We made two and a half gallons of cider.  MMMM MMMMM Good! I wish I could share some with you its sooooooooooo wonderful!   I love making cider.  That's not work its just pure delightful fun

Today we're headed to the dream playland.  Our city built a new playground in honor of the victims of 9/11.  Its sooooooooooo cool.  And other then about 5 minutes before the soccer game they haven't gotten to play on it.  So that's our destination

Father God, guide us today to honor you.  And let us be witnesses to you wherever we go.  In your sons name, Amen

Good morning   I'm taxing all of my patience today....ROFL  I have two little girls on my lap.  Discussing everything they see on the keyboard.  They love to look at themselves on the computer.  And they apparently both needed snuggled.  I dug out the only dress I have kept from when I was little...and Kaylin wore it to church yesterday!     Isnt she cute in it!      

Ahhhhhhhhh all the kids are now outside with daddy except for the one nursing on me.  Don't ask how I do that trust me its awkard loooking. 

Today is dump day.  We borrowed my parents truck.  And were cleaning up the junk in our yard.  You know the stuff that doesn't fit into the dumpster.  The dead car seat, the dead mattress, etc.  Were trying to regain our status in the neighbourhood and cease to look like poor white trash.

ITs a never ending process to stay "respectable" 

Rainee was exposed to a cold this week.  I'm sooooooooo hoping she doesn't get it.  Its been a whole month since we've had a real emergency, and its oh so nice getting in that kind of rut. 

Talked to the SS teacher again about the confusion of taking the kids in and out of 2s and 3s.  I was the 3rd parent to complain LOL.  So they decided to keep them YEAH!!!!    Which means I don't have to deal with Kaylin's melt downs twice every Sunday besides trying to keep her sitting still.

Father God, thank you for things falling into place yesterday, and for the good fellowship you gave me when I wasn't looking for it.  Thank you also for the time to read last night it was VERY nice.  Today I need to be a helpmeet.  Enable me to do that well.  In y our sons name, Amen

HMMMM James has cheerios (3 of them)  stuck to his forehead.   Is it a new form of art?  And if I were a good mom would I get up and clean them off?   Oh yes, and he finished his cereal off and has now moved to Kaylin's chair and is eating hers.  If I were a good mom would I go get him another bowl of cereal and tell him he shouldn't share sisters germs.

ROFL  Not gonna happen today.  He's happy, mommy's happy why disturb a good thing?

Soccer game~~ we lost BIG time.  Kids were tired, and just not getting it.    The kids had fun though so that's what matters the most.  I have to figure out how to get them to kick the ball into the goal.  They run it down to the goal time after time...but then just stop. 

I guess the laundry isn't getting completely caught up....but at least I got to the bottom of 2 of the 3 clothes hampers.  NExt week try again.

I didn't reach my goal this week.  But there was a good reason, so I'll try again next week.

My husband was an angel last night.  I haven't been running away when he's home.  I've been trying to do it when my sister's here...and it hasn't been working too well.  (long story)  Any hoo.  Last night he came home from work and kicked me out.  Rainee was asleep so I even got to leave her.  It was a very very nice break!   And as a thank you I took his car to Wal-mart and got the oil changed while I shopped.  So it ended up being profitable for him too. 

Today is church.  They have started sending the 2 & 3 year olds back to their parents for the singing etc.  Its a MAJOR pain in the neck.  I am only one.  And keeping 5 kids sitting still and quiet by myself is a MAJOR ordeal.  I really liked it when they just stayed in the 2's and 3's room.  *sigh*  I know my parents etc would help out.  But they do NOT make my kids sit quiet.   Sooo I'm not sure what I'm gonna do.  

I had my feelings hurt by a "friend" at church this week.  And my natural instinct would be to hide from her today.  She is a mommy of only two.  And self-admits very selfish.  Well last week during SS  she went around inviting everybody in the room to a party at her house.  Everybody except me.  She invited the person on either side of me.   And then at the end of class she came over to me to "apologize" for not inviting me.....(drum roll please)  But I just had too many kids. 

I coach this "friends" child in soccer.  I do a lot of other things with her.  And I was so dumbfounded by this.  *sigh*  And have dwelled on it a lot.  I keep praying to forgive & forget...but it hurt.  

I have other friends.  Good friends with lots of kids.  But this person has the ability to hurt me.  And I sure wish I knew why.  Part of me is jealous.  She has so much energy.  She's skinny, and always so kept up.   But she only has 2 and I have 5.  I have 5 kids to love and snuggle with.  And they are truely a blessing.  I do not regret any of them.  There are moments I get exasperated.  And I'm always tired LOL.   But they are my gifts from God.  But this "friend" has the ability to make me feel like a freak.  

I guess I see the 4 or 5 moms in SS with their "perfect" 2 and their energy level and their commaradory and get jealous.  But jealous of what?  their clean houses?  if I had two kids I wouldn't have a clean house.  Of their limiting their families?  I didn't want to limit mine, and still dream of "one more baby"  LOL  I don't agree with most of their family choices...so why the heck do I want to be part of "their" group.  Because I'm human

One always wants what they can't have.  ROFL.   Okay I'll hold onto that...and just smile and remember I'm where God wants me.

Father God, allow me to be a blessing to people at church today.  allow me to guard my tongue and not hurt people accidentally or on purpose the way I was hurt.  And show me the best way to handle morning service.  In your sons name, Amen

Good afternoon

I SHOULD be making dinner, or something profitable.     But I survived another kids soccer game (5 kids one mommy=insanity)  And I've folded 4 loads of laundry.  And taken care of varying kids problems.  Shoes on shoes off, faces wiped, diapers changed, etc, etc. 

So here I sit staring.    And actually filling out one of those you can win 4 free item garbage t hings.  Why?  I must be truely tired.  ROFL

Kids did well in the game.  HD only played one quarter, then got sad and wouldn't play.  I'm not sure why.  Princess got a owie on her knee and continued to play.  I was very proud of her.

Now if we  could just figure out how to convince them to put the ball in the goal.  They run it down there time after time.  But they do NOT get the idea of getting it in the goal box.  Oh well, one thing at a time right? 

HMMM Kaylin just brought me her 3 hour old McD's frys.  And I want these why?  EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Did you know that if I wanted I could spend my whole day bent down picking up stuff?  Rob and I have decided we could have one person hired full time to bend down and pick stufff off the floor.  Clothes, food, toys, you name it its there.  OUr kids pick up a lot...but there's always more down there.  Do you want a full time job????

Quick tell me what to cook for dinneR!

Good morning

With my thyroid non-functioning.  And it taking 6 weeks to get the pills into my system to get it back to the level it should be.   I am struggling majorly.  I have mind numbing exhaustion.  I push, pull and drag myself through some days.  And yesterday I had a major panic attack, because I couldn't decide which things were priority in the day and how I was supposed to get them done.   Normal every day things...but because my thyroid isn't working I just flipped.

The good news is I basically kept the panic attack in my bedroom where my kids couldn't see there mommy wigging out.   

Today Rob is home.  And between the two of us there is a LOT a TON a MOUNTAIN of laundry to be done.  

But I haven't even brushed my hair, or dressed my kids and its 9:30 am.  Do you think the laundry's gonna get done?

One step at a time, baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.

Father God, let me take every step surrounded by you.  Being held up by you, and focusing on the fact that you are here and carrying me step by step.  In your sons name, Amen

Good morning

Too much to do, and not enough time to do it in.    And of course my last child to need a healthy checkup appointment is today.  I'm thinking of calling and cancelling it!  He's healthy I know it   Do I have to have the doctors blessing on that????  ROFL

About our trip one of the things we did on Tuesday was go to the Astoria column.  And yes munchkin mommy we climbed all 165 steps with all 5 kids.  And don't ask me where we put our brains when we decided to do this.  hehehehehe  Oh my goodness my thighs still hurt.  Rob carried Rainee in a packback (the kids word)  and all the rest climbed up.   On the way down he carried Rainee in the packback and James in his arms.  :O  I had my hands full with keeping HD from looking over the side of the stairs without a rail (circular stairway)  And the death grip I had on Kaylin as she went step down step down step down.  

The view was incredible.  And terrifying lol.  I think I'm afraid of heights.  And here's the pictures.

You can see how tiny the kids are in the first picture and I could not get the whole column in and see the kids.  The second picture is the full length of the column.  I'm sorry about the quality of the picture...it was early morning that day.   And this next picture is us at the top of the column.  On the left do you see those little teensy tiny silver things?  Those are the cars at the bottom of the column.  :-O  I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the view.  I was too busy trying to make sure 5 kids stayed very very still.  Did I mention I think I'm afraid of heights

Oh and the last picture for the day....mommy played tourist and bought the kids matching sweat shirts.    Don't they look cute in them??

We decided to play   And we had a ton of fun.  We loaded up Sunday morning and after Rob got off work we drove down to Astoria, Oregon and stayed for two nights.  It was so much fun, and we saw the most beautiful sights.  Canon Beach, Seaside, the Astoria Bridge and Astoria Column the monument that memorializes the end of Lewis and Clark's great adventure.    We visited a small aquarium and got to feed the seal.  We ate at a Pig 'n Pancake for breaky and filled our tummys way too full.  And we made a TON of memories.  And our kids were extremely good, and mostly a joy to be around.

 We visited several World War I-II forts.  And played on at least 3 beaches.  We went and visited a gorgeous light house and saw 15 foot waves.  And om I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff. 

Rainee's favorite?  Eating her first sand!  She thought that was the most awesome stuff!    I'm still cleaning it out of and off of her!

Kids of course camping get dirty....

The kids explored and explored and never got tired ROFL  we were the ones who were about ready to die of exhaustion!!!   We want to go back to the Koa again.  And next time we will bring our bikes.  There were bike trails everywhere.  And flat ones too   I did the packing and I wasn't too sure how to use the bike rack so we left them behind, and man did we miss them!  But I doubt we could of crammed any more into that week anyhow.

I have tons of pictures...and will post them over the next couple days as I don't want to inundate you   But have to close with this one of goofy HD