Too Sleepy...

The tryptophan in the turkey seems to be kicking in. I'm getting so tired I can barely keep my head up. The past couple of days were great with both our families. I'm so thankful that we have been able to see everyone of our nieces, nephews, siblings, parents, and grandparents that are still on this earth. The kids have had a great time playing with everyone and eating lots of good food. Off to try to find a few extra hours of sleep before seeing more family tomorrow.

The Crazy Family

Every family has a "Crazy" Family group. When all the siblings, their spouses and children, get together. There is always one family that walks in and it's like adding 20 extra people, no matter the size of the crazy family.

My family has been designated the "Crazy" Family out of my siblings. We have the oldest, and the most, kids so far in my family. They are a bit loud sometimes. I don't believe my kids are too crazy. They don't jump on or off furniture. They don't break things, maybe once or twice this has happened they try to be careful around other people's things. They aren't disrespectful or rude. I believe we received this title simply b/c we have the most kids, so of course we generate the most noise. 2/3 other grandchildren are under 1yo, so they can't be too crazy yet.

My only hope, someone else either has more kids (doubtful) or their kids grow crazier than mine!

Shopping Woes!

I should have asked my sister-in-law to do my grocery shopping this week. It just hasn't been my week to either find time or find the items I need.

I normally grocery shop on Monday mornings, when I only have 2 kids to drag with me. My kids don't hate shopping, they love it! They believe that stores are giant play places, and thus it is hard to concentrate on what I need to buy. Life conspired against me this week, of course, especially since there is a holiday coming up and I won't be able to find time to shop for 3 days.

Monday I traveled up to a doctor's appointment, which should have been very short. It was, just the waiting time was long. Much easier when you're pregnant, they seem to be able to get you right in. I had hoped to squeeze in one store to pick up essentials - milk, cereal, bread, etc. Alas, it was not to be. I also needed to make phone calls from my mother-in-laws house, since I still have not bought a new one that can make out going calls. I figured that since I did not have much planned besides some weekly cleaning, I should be able to find time to run to the store sometime Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. Never happened.

Monday night, I ran to the store for cereal, since we were out and you can't not have cereal with kids in the house. So, I stopped at one of the stores to pick up the few items I needed from there, after all the kids were in bed and I did my aerobics.

Tuesday morning, instead of going shopping, I waited around for our new hot water heater to be delivered. Installing the hot water heater took most of the day. By the time it was completed, Elizabet was due home in a half hour and then the older two had swim lessons.

The plan then became to head right out after the kids were in bed. But, Matt got home late and I lost all ambition to leave the house. We still needed milk and bread though. So, I headed out to pick them up. I picked up enough food to last us until Saturday am, then I'll have to go shopping again. But...

...I forgot the milk!

Hi ho, Hi ho, it's back to work I go...

It's finally happened. The littlest Princess now sleeps through the night, fairly regularly, so it's time for me to head back to work. I can't really complain. My job is very flexible. I can work any hour of the day or night, doing just about anything, and get paid good money for it as well.

I called the hospital I was working per diem at last. Since I do not have retirement, insurance, or anything else along those lines, they just keep me on the list. Last time, I worked on the medical floor, not my favorite, but doable. Except for the supervisor...She was not very happy to have me on as a per diem nurse. She tried to interview me for a full time aide position. She never bothered to set up an orientation for me, or even give me an orientation packet. Granted, I have worked on a medical floor before, so it wasn't too hard to find the groove again, but she should still have gotten one to me. I printed that out myself. Then I started getting notes about when I was going to hand my packet in to her. Mentioned that she never gave me one, and was told to just fill it out. Never bothered to contact me to see when I could work or tell me where holes in staffing could be filled in. I contacted her when my phone number changed, she never bothered to pass it along. Contacted her when I ended up pregnant with the littlest Princess, and she tried to fire me b/c I had stopped coming to work. Oh well.

I've asked to be set to the surgical floor, which is also the overflow medical floor and the pediatric floor. I'm hoping they'll let me work there. I guess I could work on the surgical floor again, if I had to, which I really don't have to. There are plenty of other medical facilities in the area. Working nights fits my schedule best, and most places need to fill their night positions.

I enjoy working as a nurse. I prefer the surgical floor in the hospital, dialysis or hospice outside the hospital. I've also tried subbing as a school nurse, the kids are fun to work with, but the parents and administration irritate me too much to ever be full time. I plan on working as a nurse in some form for the rest of my life.

Now, maybe I can sell my book and therefore never have to work full time again...

All or None

I've found myself frustrated time and time again while trying to loose weight. Generally it's not what I eat, but how much I eat. I like to eat and I like to eat a lot. I have a very hard time telling myself to stop eating something that taste good. I've been given 2 pieces of advice that I've learned can never apply to me.

First - You only need to take one bite, because only the first bite taste good. The rest are not so good. I tried, but found the rest of the bites taste just as good as the first, sometimes even more so! I've given up on this one.

Second - You only need to take a little bit, don't deny yourself. Once I start, it's difficult to stop. It is easier for me to fast all day than it is to control how much I eat. While I have gotten better at controlling what I've planned on eating for the day, if something unexpected pops up or I decide I'll treat myself just a little, I fall apart. I just have to say to it completely.

I'm going to just ignore these pieces of advice, since they don't seem to apply to me, and continue to deny myself and try to plan ahead!

Crazieness Done!

We celebrated the last birthday party for the girls today. I'm finding it very difficult having 2 girls born 2 weeks apart, although five years apart! We ended up having 3 parties - 2 family and 1 friend for the oldest. I'm not sure what I'll plan for next year, but I'd like it to be a little quieter. The kids had a lot of fun, and the downstairs of my house hasn't ever stayed clean this long, so I guess it was a good thing. I can't believe my baby is actually 6, and the littlest 1! They are getting so big. At times it feels like they are growing up so slowly, especially when they're being punished for the same thing for what seems like the 100th time! Other times, the days seem to fly. My oldest can read already and the youngest is working on walking. I just hope I remember it all.

She can Read!

My Oldest read me her first book this week. It was so exciting listening to her sound out the words and gain confidence as she went a long. Both my husband and I are avid readers. Our children would love to be as well, but Mommy doesn't have the time to spend hours reading to them. Not only am I excited to introduce her to the wonderful world of books and all the worlds they open to exploration, but the Mommy part of me is excited that I have someone who enjoys reading to her siblings! I have a long list of books I'm waiting impatiently to introduce to her, some of my childhood favorites like Ramona Quimby and some new ones I've found like Junie B. Jones! What a great journey we've embarked upon!

Quote of the Day!

When dealing with the insane, the best method is to pretend to be sane.
- Hermann Hesse


This is how I sometimes feel during the day, when dealing with the kids. The, "I want a cookie, Mommy." "We don't have any, sorry." "But, I want a cookie, give me a cookie.", that no amount of arguing with dissuade them believing there are cookies in the house and they are going to get one. Just an example of the strange thinking my children sometimes exhibit. Hopefully they will learn.

Hope's First Words of the Day

I do not have a good idea on what to write for this post. Hope had a funny comment this morning, so I thought I'd post that.

This morning, as I was waking Elizabeth, Hope woke up. I wished her a good morning, quietly. She responded with,

"I'm Thumbalina!"

Deep thoughts, brought on by Max Lucado

I'm working through Max Lucado's study on "Experiencing the Words of Jesus". It's very insightful and thought provoking, as well as inspiring to action! This past week one of the studies jumped out at me. I love the "That's interesting, I wonder" moments I often get while studying the Bible. I get them often. What is rare, for me, is to have a "blow my socks off, knock me on my rear" moments. I enjoy those too, but they often come with a price - an action required on my part.

This time it was on service. I know the whole we are servants to each other and performing service for God. Been there, done that. Max looked at Jesus, washing the disciples feet, just hours before he was crucified.

Point 1 - He knew he was going to die and how he was going to die and everything that entails. I certainly wouldn't have been washing someone else's feet at that point in time. I'd probably be worriedly focused on what was to come and how to get through it. Jesus didn't, instead he chose to take on the role of the lowest of the low servant and wash his disciples feet. The amount of love he had for them, to be able to focus on them and not himself.

Point 2 - He washed Judas' feet. The Judas, who was going to betray Him in a matter of hours! Jesus knew what Judas was going to do. He knew that Judas had sold his life for 20 pieces of silver. And yet, Jesus washed his feet with the same love he showed the other 11 disciples. That just blew me away! First, it showed how much God loves the "unlovable" and unworthy, namely me. Second, this was Jesus' example of how we are to treat all other people. He didn't even have to grit His teeth when he touched Judas' feet. He had such love for Judas, and it shows, even knowing what he knew.

Now comes the struggle. I've seen the example. Been blown away by the implications. Next step, implementing. This will be the hard part. This kind of service does not come naturally for me, especially when it involves people I actively don't like or I know don't like me. It's one thing to serve my family, who I love. To serve strangers. But, it's a whole 'nother ball game to serve someone I know is "bad" or mean to me or has betrayed me, etc. etc.

What am I going to do? I'm going to pray, a lot. That God will fill me with this kind of love, b/c it's going to have to come from Him, since I don't posses even the ability to love like this. That God will bring opportunities to me to show this kind of love, hopefully in small increments. That I'll recognize the opportunity when it comes, what needs to be done, and that I will show it with the same grace as Jesus and not gritting my teeth.

Thumbalina, et al

While out grocery shopping this morning with Amelia and Hope, every time I spoke to Hope, using her name or not, she would respond to me, "I not Hope, I Thumbalina!" I spent the day calling her by her current chosen name.

Shortly before supper, Hope was looking at books. I went over to talk to her, calling her by her chosen name. She showed me some of the pictures that she looking at. In one Princess Jasmine and her father were locked in prison. Pointing to it, she said, "That's me. I locked in jail. What's her name?" I told her, and called her Thumbalina. To which she replied, "I not Thumbalina, I Jasmine!"

Taking on different persona's through out the day is not unusual for my three older children. Not only do they pick a person for themselves, but for everyone else. This can ensure fighting if the others don't agree on their new name. Then, for a period of time, they are that person.

I enjoy watching them try on different people. I watch as they see what personality traits and attitudes they like and want to adopt as their own. Of course, some of those traits and attitudes are not what I want them to pick out, so power struggles happen while I try to excise the bad traits. They have such active imaginations. It is fun to watch them imagine and dream.

Waging War

I feel as if my body and I are waging a war against my baby belly. As I try to watch what I eat and strengthen and tone my body, my belly continues to attempt to fend us off. Starting from my toes, my fingers, and my head, fat layers are slowly being whittled away. Waves of fat reduction travel from the outside in towards my belly. As each successive wave reaches my baby belly, it fights back, holding tighter and tighter onto it's fat. It is fighting a, mostly, loosing battle. I watch as the waves encroach upon the fat stores and nibbles away at the edges. My belly will never win, but I doubt it will ever return to it's pre-4 pregnancy size, but it will decrease in size.

Tea Parties and Pooping Incidents

I had a bi-polar day today, the day, not me. It started out wonderful. Sam and Elizabeth we are my parents house overnight; the had gone to see a play with my Mom and then to spend the night. I got up at 6 am for prayer and meditation moments with Max Lucado. As always, he opened my eyes to something in God's Word I never noticed. I so love learning something new about God everyday!

I had a quiet breakfast, since no one else in the house was up. I did some dishes, folded some laundry, and picked up a little bit before Hope awoke and came down for breakfast. She ate waffles and had just finished when Matt brought Amy down for waffles. Despite having them both up I was still having a great morning. Matt helped me finish getting the house ready for Elizabeth's Birthday Tea.

Elizabeth and Sam arrived home. Sam, Hope, Amy, and Matt left for his parent's and Elizabeth dressed in her princess dress. 6 little girls arrived for tea and cake, ate, opened presents, and ran wild through the house. When they all left, except for my niece who was staying until her parents arrived home from a conference, I was ready for some more quiet time.

Alas, it was not meant to be. Matt arrived home with the other three and then headed out to play a little football with friends. Amy needed to eat and the others watched a movie. Things were still going well, if a bit more than I wanted to do.

Made a quick supper for the kids, mac and cheese. As I was placing the plates on the table and calling the kids, I realized I didn't see Hope. She had been reading books, but she was gone. I set the other 4 kids up with their suppers and told them to be good while I searched for Hope.

I did not have to search far. There she was in front of the upstairs bathroom door, which Elizabeth had locked, holding a pair of poopy stained underwear with no poopy in it. The other hand was held up in the air, covered in poop. I was sent over the deep end. I frantically tried to call Matt to come home and help with the other kids, who I could hear fighting and banging things around, while simultaneously keeping Hope from touching anything with her poopy hand, unlocking the bathroom door, finding where the poopy had ended up, getting the rest of Hope's clothes off, and getting her into the shower.

I could not reach him. After trying him multiple times and calling other people I knew he would be playing football with (it was dark at this point in time so I doubted they were still playing), I finally reached him and told him to come home. Hope was screaming for him in the shower, she hates to get her hair wet.

Matt arrived home and took care of the other 4 kids and their messes from supper. I finished cleaning up Hope, got her into her pjs, and cleaned up the poop (which she had put into the warm mist humidifiers cooling chamber, which parts are soaking in Vinegar in an attempt to remove the rest of the poop, I'm not sure if I'll feel comfortable using it again!)

An hour after the whole pooping incident started, things were mostly clean and back to normal. My niece was picked up by her parents, Hope and Elizabeth were in bed and Sam and Amy were on their way.

I was sitting at my computer, wallowing in pity over my horrible night. Matt encouraged me to head over to a friend's birthday party and have some adult time and chocolate/peanut butter cake. I didn't want to go. I was enjoying my wallow and wanted it to continue. Besides, who wants to be around a wallower. He pushed me out the door, despite my misgivings that I wasn't wanted there in my current state.

He was right. I felt much better after I got there and indulged my need for chocolate and peanut butter. I enjoyed talking with adult friends, especially since the conversation revolved around science and nursing (2 nurses, a PA, vet tech, and radiology assistant will encourage that!).

I never cease to be amazed at how God has things all planned out. He knew the Pooping Incident would occur and how difficult that would be for me after the busy day I'd had. He had a friend plan an early birthday party for their husband, gave Matt the opportunity to get out of the house and play football earlier in the day so he would be willing to let me go out myself. Perfection! (Coicidences orchestrated by God)

Is it really November?

We had yet another beautiful day. We've had more sunny days in November than we did all summer! I've enjoyed not having to bundle the kids up when I take them out places. The coats keep them warm, but are a hassle to buckle into the car seats! I hope this weather continues for a few more months. I enjoy the sunny, but cooler weather.

30-Day Shred, among other things...

Matt pointed out that I haven't blogged, or written, in awhile. I had thought to only write when inspiration hit me, but I never seem to be near my computer when that happens. I'm going to go back to inundating you with daily blogs. Now, aren't you excited?

11 days ago I started the 30-Day Shred. I thought I was going to die at first. It was very hard. 20 minutes of none stop working out. I could barely walk the next day. Here I am at day 11, and level one is actually getting easier. After tomorrow, it's on to level 2! I've tried level 2 a couple of times, with my sister-in-law. She did not like lvl 1, so the past couple of times she worked out with me we did lvl 2. Her husband even tried lvl 1. He said his arms felt like they would fall off the next day!

In other news...
Elizabeth is going to have a tea party this weekend for her birthday. She decided she wanted to invite all the girls in her class. It looks like we will have 9 little girls running around the house on saturday.

Sammy has informed us that he is no longer Sammy, but Sam or Sam C. We try to remember to call him Sam, but he has been Sammy from the day he was born.

Amelia learned to climb the stairs.

Hope tries to take herself to the potty, but never gets there in time... That's a whole 'nother story.

I was in the bookstore the other day and I saw a book written by one of the people I met at the writer's conference this summer. That was really cool.