We're still here!

I haven't blogged in awhile, so I won't bore you with a huge update. Our life right now is consumed with our 2 houses, trying to settle into one and trying to get the other one ready to rent. We had a wonderful Christmas, hope yours was great too. We are looking forward to our annual rocket shoot this weekend and a little well deserved r & r! I don't remember a time in our lives when we were this busy. I am hoping now that the holidays are over that life will resume to a normal pace which is always a little crazy around here but not quite so hectic. Hopefully the new year will be a little less eventful for us than last year. Happy New Year!

We survived!

Moving is so not fun, I hope I don't have to do it again for a very long time! I love the opportunity to go through everything and get rid of all the stuff you don't need but the actual physical and mental exhaustion is way too much for me! A big, big THANK YOU to our wonderful friends who helped us hold it all together, and for everyone who helped us on moving day. We have great friends and family who worked tirelessly to get our house ready for us, we never could have done it alone. There is still much to do but I keep reminding myself that it doesn't all need to be done right now. For now we are just enjoying being here and hope that there will be many, many happy memories within these walls. We have already celebrated a birthday (Happy 4th Birthday Trevor!) and are looking forward to Christmas-although I'm not promising when decorations are going up, I have to find the boxes first!

Tuna Juice

If I don't remember anything else about this move, I hope I remember how Logan made me laugh after a very long day of packing. I had spent part of the day packing our pantry. I never knew we had so much food stuffed into that little closet! I even found some hamburger and tuna helper that expired in 2007 shoved in the way back. I think I bought it because it was super cheap with some coupons but obviously we never eat that stuff! I won't be buying it anymore. I also came across probably 30 cans of tuna, I guess we aren't big eaters of that stuff either, although I do enjoy a good tuna sandwich once in awhile. Anyway, I decided it would be a good idea to pack it all into one small box and put it out with our food storage so it's not taking up room in the pantry. The box I had picked wasn't quite full so I added a couple big cans of juice, taped it up and labeled it. When the kids got home from school Logan was looking at the boxes I had stacked up on the table and shouts, "Tuna juice! Yuck!" It took me a sec to figure out what he meant but he gave me a good laugh! We are getting so close to our big move. At this point I am more exhausted than excited. I will be glad when the move is done and we are enjoying our new house. I forgot how stressful moving can be, along with trying to get our new house ready there has been so much to do. Thankfully the countdown is on, only 6 more days!

Just a little something funny

I like to call Trevor little nicknames, or say things like "are you ready, Freddie" I mainly do it because I know what his reaction will be. He always says, "I not Freddie, I Trevor!", or whatever name I've called him. The new nickname for him is Bones, or anything having to do with being skinny. None of my kids have been built like him so instead of buying pants that are too long so the waist will fit, I have to buy pants that fall off of him just to get the length long enough. I can't tell you how many pairs of highwaters we own! Thank goodness for adjustable waist pants, you know a mom came up with that. So the other day after calling him Bones he told me all about his funny bone, I was surprised to know that he even knew he had a funny bone. We then took turns putting our ears to his elbow and listening to his funny bone "laugh", he insisted he could hear it, although I couldn't (good thing, I'm too young to be going senile) but I guess it must be laughing if it's called a funny bone, too cute.

Not Again!

We just got home from an appointment with Darrin's wrist doctor. He had surgery on it last February after breaking it and tearing the cartilage. It has been bothering him again since football started. We saw the doctor a few weeks ago and he assured us that he probably just strained it a little but it was ok for him to finish up the season and we'd take care of it when football was over. Well today Darrin was able to pinpoint exactly where it was hurting and after the doc examined it closer he determined that he had torn the cartilage in the same spot and he will need surgery again to fix it. Bummer! I guess the good news is that the doctor said he would fix up the ugly scar from the first surgery and give him a brand new one! That is good but he will also have a good 8 months for it to heal this time before football starts again. I feel so bad that he will have to go through the surgery again but he amazes me with his good attitude about it all. I don't think anything will ever keep him from playing the game that he loves.

AZ State Fair

A couple weeks ago we headed to the state fair with our bff's. All the guys cared about was eating fair food, which we did but we also hit a couple of the rides. I wasn't so sure about the one they dragged me on but it was fun even though I screamed the whole time! I love roller coasters but fair rides just plain scare me. We also learned that fair rides are not built for the middle aged, they are definitely made for the teenage body! We had a great time hanging out and laughing at each other as always, thanks B's for a fun night out!

Trick or Treat

I usually LOVE Halloween but this year it just couldn't come and go fast enough. We were so busy with the new house closing and starting our remodel there that Halloween just seemed in the way this year. The big day finally came and it was fun as always. The kids looked great in their costumes, especially my little hula girl! I made the traditional caramel apples, with real homemade caramel not the unwrap and melt kind, so much yummier. Thanks to my sis-in-law and niece for talking me into making them and keeping with tradition. It felt good to forget about everything else we had going on and just be in the moment. I love this time of year, the anticipation of the holidays, being with family, and focusing on the things that matter most to us, that's the best. This year we will be busier than ever but we have so much to look forward to and so much to be thankful for.

Pooped Out!

Now this is what I call tired:

Trevor came home from preschool and made it as far as the kitchen rug before crashing, he must have had a hard day playing! He slept that way for over an hour until we had to get him out of the way so we could make dinner. He usually falls asleep on the bus on the way home. I was feeling bad that maybe he's not getting enough sleep but the bus driver said nearly everyone of them falls asleep! The bad thing is that when he naps he has the hardest time going to bed at night, he's up way past all the other kids. I'm glad he's having so much fun at school though, his speech is coming along good and he loves to talk now. That is along way from using the picture board to communicate. I think he will be all caught up by the time he starts kindergarten, now Lyndi is next in line, love those delayed speech genes!

So it begins. . . .

I just packed my first 2 boxes of probably more than 100! My girls room now looks empty, it's kinda weird. I really never thought that we would be leaving this house. I think when we bought it we thought we would be here forever but we also didn't plan on having 2 more children or how much sharing the bathroom would become an issue. As we get closer to our closing date we are nervous but excited. We just saw the appraisal report last night and found out that this house was originally listed in January for $220k more than we bought it for! We never could've afforded that so we are grateful that it waited for us. We will still be here another month but I can't sit around and wait to get packing, I hate procrastinating! Plus with it all packed up there will be less to pick up. Lyndi is terrified of the noise the tape gun makes when I'm taping up the boxes. I just looked at her and said, get used to it you're gonna hear it a lot! I think she's over it.

Happy Birthday to my Hubby!

What does it mean when you forget how old you are? Does it mean you are getting old because you can't remember anymore or is it that age just doesn't matter? I thought it was funny that Randy couldn't remember if he was turning 35 or 36, just so you all know it's 36! So, happy birthday to my sweet husband who fills my life with love and laughter, who puts up with our chaos, and goes along with my crazy (but genius!) ideas. I hope you have a great day, you deserve it! We love you!

We bought a house!

We were trying not to get our hopes up but we fell in love with a house that is perfect for our family. The last week and a half have seemed to take forever but we just found out today that the bank accepted our offer and we close on the 28th! We are so excited to finally have the room that our family needs. I'm not sure how we will fill up 4000 square feet of home but I can't wait! We are glad that we will still be close to our friends and family, we are only going up the road to Brown & Ellsworth and we will be in Randy's parents ward again which will be fun. The house needs a few upgrades before we move in so we will probably be here until the end of November. The next 6 weeks are going to be full of packing and moving and decorating so we will be very busy but in a good way. This house has been so good to us, we love the friends we have made here and the great memories created in this house, it really has been a perfect home for us. I'm sure there will be some sadness as we leave but we know that this is the right thing for our family and for our future and hey, at least it's not Texas!

Touchdown!!

On Saturday Darrin got to play in the Junior game against Westwood and scored his first high school touchdown! He ran the ball a few times getting his team a few first downs. They passed the ball and got to the 2 yard line. We were hoping they would give the ball to Darrin to punch it in and they did! He scored the winning touchdown for Skyline. He was so excited to finally have a great game, the Varsity coach was also coaching so Darrin was glad he could finally show his ability. We love watching him play, hopefully his body will hold out for a few more seasons. GO COYOTES!! (These clips are for you Amma!)

Sweet 16

I can hardly believe my sweet little boy is 16 today. It seems like your kids will never grow up then all of a sudden you turn around and there they are, teenagers! I can remember him pedaling his little red tricycle around the courtyard of our apartment when we were first married and now here he is learning to drive! I am excited for him to be growing up but I must admit a little sad too, are we ever really ready to let go? I am not looking forward to that day. I have loved every minute of being his Mom. Darrin definitely makes it easy on us, I'm not sure we will have it so good with some of our other teenagers! I am so proud of him, he really is a great person and everyone loves him. He tries hard at everything he does and he really expects nothing less than the best from himself. He is fiercely competitive yet remarkably humble. Under that quiet, shy, reserved exterior there is a sense of humor that sometimes catches me by surprise. So happy birthday Darrin, and by the way I don't care if you are 16, NO DATING!!!!

Clownin' Around

This morning I got up and opened up all the windows in the house for the first time since April, oh how I miss the fresh, cool air! It almost felt like fall so I decided it was time to pull out our fall and Halloween decorations. We haven't decided what everyone was going to be for Halloween yet so I pulled out the costume box and me and the 2 littles had fun going through the costumes and trying several on. The pictures show Lyndi goofing around in the clown wig and the puppy costume. The puppy would work if I added some cute pink bows to the ears but I am set on making her a hula skirt so maybe next time. I have made so many costumes over the years that we just keep reusing the same ones on the younger kids. I need to add some new ones or their pictures will be very confusing. It is fun to see the different kids in the beloved dragon costume though! Trevor is breaking the mold, he is much taller than the other boys so the lion costume that was supposed to fit this year is way to short. I asked him if it was giving him a "wedgie" and he said, "actually it is Mom", too cute. So he decided on wearing the cowboy costume I originally made for Darrin when I think he was 5. I even scored a rockin' pair of cowboy boots at Goodwill today! It quickly warmed up and the AC is back on so I had to close the house up again but at least the mornings and nights are cool, hopefully we will be wearing sweaters soon.

The search begins

We have known for the last 6 months or so that this house is just too small for the 9 of us. I still love my house but I guess it's time to move on. This house has been great for raising babies but now we need space to raise our teenagers! We bought an acre of land and eventually we want to build our forever home but we are thinking of holding off for now until we don't have to build quite so big. There are so many good deals out there right now and we know the right house will be a good investment for us but searching in this market is not fun. I am not good at playing the waiting game! We are excited about the future and I am definitely looking forward to having more space. I keep thinking a bigger house might actually stay cleaner, maybe it's just that the mess will be more spread out! So the search begins for our next home, and if you know of anyone who will need a rental home in a few months let us know!

Ugh!

Can I just say that I really loathe parent teacher conferences! I knew it would be really bad if I just didn't show up. I like to think that I am a responsible parent and I do take their education seriously but I was really not looking forward to today. You know what's great? When your kids move on to Jr. high and you don't have conferences anymore unless your kid is failing and it is necessary. I mean really, if they are doing fine then what's the point! At least this year all the kids teachers are older than me (that's getting harder the older I get!) but I have a hard time taking a teacher seriously when they don't have kids of their own. Bad I know but it's true isn't it? Don't you need some real life experience to really get it? So I knew one of my kids was really struggling with behavior issues, nothing serious just can't keep the 'ol mouth shut, can't sit still, can't follow directions, etc. But this same kid is an A student, is at the top of the class academically so maybe he is just bored? I know that he needs to learn to behave, it really is unacceptable but what do you do? The teacher seemed to be at the end of her rope and would really rather not be dealing with him. I guess there are other kids in the class with deeper issues at home that need more attention than he does, so basically we have no excuse for his behavior accept poor parenting! The thing is I love his personality! I know he is crazy at times but he is so full of life, is super out-going, is not shy like all the other kids, and is just fun. So I will try to help him to remember to behave, but remember that this is who he is and I love him just the same.

For the love of the game

Check out this video of Matt Ziesel, a freshman football player with Down syndrome, score a touchdown for his team. With his team down 46-0, Matt's coach asked the rival high school team if they would let his player run a touchdown. The other players agreed, and Matt, who had never played in a game before, ran more than 60 yards to score six points for his team. Matt's team lost; but both sides were thrilled that Matt had the opportunity to make such a successful season debut. And, of course, no one was happier than Matt.



I heard about this video on a radio station and wanted to share it. Football is about so much more than winning the game. I wish more coaches out there would understand this and practice it. We've been to too many games where it's all about the final score. Everyone deserves a chance to play and to be a part of a team. GO SKYLINE!!

Go Speed Racer!

I wish my first car was this nice! Darrin turns 16 in a couple of weeks so I guess he can consider this an early birthday present. We are really trying to motivate him to drive. He is not as excited as we are for him to drive but hopefully now that he has a car he will feel a little more motivated to learn how. I know it will help me a ton not having to drive him back and forth to school and practice, plus having an extra driver in the house will really help. He is such a great kid and really helps us out alot without ever complaining so it is easy to spoil him. It's nice to be able to use him as an example for the other kids too. I explained to Kyle the reasons Darrin was able to have a car. I want him to know that no one is ever entitled to these things, they are definitely earned and just as easily lost. Randy is loving fixing it up for him and of course making sure it has a great sound system, I think it makes him feel like a kid again! Maybe because we are still young enough to remember what it was like to turn 16 that we are excited to share these moments with him. He still has to pass drivers ed. and get his license before he can drive it so at least for a couple more weeks the streets will be safe!

Game Day

It's football time! What would life be without football? For Darrin at least, life would have no purpose! He has been playing football since he was 7 years old. It has taken a toll on his body but he still loves it. Since he was little he has looked forward to playing for Skyline High School. It is a little surreal to see him in the actual Skyline uniform, playing with some of the boys he has grown up with. Last night Gramma & Grampa and Kari came to watch Darrin & the rest of the team take on Gilbert High School. So far the JV team is off to a rough start but we still love going and cheering on our team. Here is a video clip of Darrin's awesome diving catch, I may be a little biased but it was the most exciting play of the game! The video is a little shaky because Papa Grande needs to learn to hold the camera still when he jumps up and down!

"Staycation"

I really wanted to get away this last weekend. I thought camping would be fun since we haven't been all summer but with the weather being unpredictable thought better of it. It is not fun being stuck in a too small camper when it's pouring outside. Then we thought maybe it would be fun to go check out Tucson, we haven't been since it was just the 2 oldest boys. After deciding I really didn't want to spend too much, it is getting to be ridiculously expensive for our size family just to go to a simple museum or anything that costs an admission. Normally we just do it and don't think about it but we did already go on vacation this year so I guess I was just being cheap! I really didn't want to just sit around the house, I have been craving some good family time since Randy has been putting in alot of hours lately. It took me a few days but I finally came up with a plan to stay in town and have some fun around here, our family staycation. We had a full weekend planned of great activities. Because this will be a really long post I will break it up into days. I would've added pictures but as soon as I downloaded all my pictures to my laptop it decided to crash and they are stuck there somewhere in laptop heaven until Randy can find them. I will have to add them later because I took a ton!

Day One:
We started off Friday night riding the light rail to downtown Phoenix, we have never ridden before so it was a fun experience. We didn't realize how fast the thing takes off! If you're not holding on you will go flying. Our destination was the Phoenix Children's Museum. The museum is free the first Friday of every month, so basically the entire population of Phoenix was there! We had to wait about an hour for our turn to go in but they had activities for the kids to do so it wasn't too bad. Once our number was called we made our way inside only for the fire alarm to go off and everyone had to evacuate! We finally got to go inside and play and I think the kids had alot of fun. We will definitely go back when it is not so crowded so we can really enjoy it. The stop for the light rail is about 1/2 mile away, I didn't think that would be too bad of a walk until it was 10pm and we had to walk back when were all tired and little legs were giving out! Lyndi stayed awake all night, I thought for sure she would sleep on the way home but she was going strong until she was in her own bed. So far our weekend is off to a great start!

Day Two:
I scored a free bowling pass by signing up for the AMF e club so Saturday afternoon we headed out to go bowling. We've only taken the kids one other time so everyone was excited. It's always nerve racking for me to get everyone organized and ready but it went well. We had the bumpers up for the kids but I must admit they helped Randy and I too! It was so fun to watch the little kids go up there and try to throw the heavy ball down the lane, one time the poor ball only made it about halfway down and stopped! Logan did his little happy dance every time he knocked the pins over and poor Lyndi was pretty much stuck in her stroller the whole time but she is patient and puts up with us. Ryan was leading his 2 older brothers for the last few frames and you could just see the anticipation on his face as he was hoping he would beat them. Everyone had fun and we were starving by the time we were done so we headed down to Gilbert to eat at Joe's Farm Grill with the Baileys. I have only heard great things about this place so we were really excited to try something new. The food was okay but we really weren't impressed. We started off sitting inside but quickly discovered that with all our kids the noise echoing off the old block walls was just too much so we moved our group outside. I'm sure the people sitting next to us were grateful too! I doubt we will go back but it was fun to get together and we had a good time.

Day Three:
Today was Sunday so after going to church I planned for us to take a picnic lunch up to our mistletoe spot, a very secret undisclosed location! It was a little cooler there, though not much. I don't think the kids enjoyed the idea of a picnic as much as I did, all I heard was I'm bored and Kaela was deathly afraid of some imaginary bugs that the rest of us weren't bothered by. After we ate the kids played catch and Randy built a tree swing with some rope that we brought along. After a couple of hours we were ready to head home, we had steaks marinating at home waiting for us!

Day Four:
The big day! I think the kids were looking forward to this day the most out of everything. All summer we had planned to go to Amazing Jake's but never made it. I figured since most of the stuff we did cost very little it was okay to splurge a little. It helped that they had a great online deal for Monday that included unlimited rides, video games, and pizza buffet for one price. We got there first thing and played all day, by the time Randy & were ready to go and Darrin had to be at practice we had already been there 6 hours! Kyle, Ryan & Kaela were nowhere near ready to be done so we agreed that it would be okay if they stayed and played a little while longer so we left them there and came home and put the little ones to bed. Randy headed back down a few hours later and they still wanted to play. He's a softy so they all played until they were kicked out! I guess they got their money's worth.

It really was a fun weekend, it's great to make the time to spend with each other. I look at the kids and see how fast they are growing up and I want to squeeze in as much with them as I can. I hope that they will look back at these times with their family and have good memories and know that we at least tried!

Sick & Sicker

I think I'm running an infirmary here! Without fail the kids get sick about 3 weeks into the school year, every stinkin year! Kaela & Trev have had the stuffies all week and Ryan and Darrin are home today. Darrin is the worst, it is the same thing every time, looks and acts like strep throat but the test is usually negative. He used to get strep at least twice a year, we looked into getting his tonsils out but the ENT told us not to do it unless he had it like 6 times a year! I wish I would have pushed him to do it because this is ridiculous. Poor kid just wants to play football. He was ready to play this week, even with his bum hip and risking the possibility of needing surgery because he just wants to play! Then he gets sick and feels like he is on his death bed. He even said he can't believe a fractured hip won't keep him from playing but a sore throat will. Well it's more than a sore throat but it's true. Poor guy, it just stinks. Every year though he will miss almost a week of school, not a good way to start off the year. When I called the elementary school to let them know Ryan would be home today the lady asked if he had a fever. In my head I'm thinking well if I tell her yes they won't let him back to school for 24 hours after the fever is gone, that could be 3 days from now when he is really feeling fine or do I say no? Well I didn't lie, I said "I'm not sure, he just doesn't feel good." I haven't taken his temp so I really don't know if he has a fever, his head felt a little warm but he was bundled up under a blanket so I really don't know! Then she said she had to ask because of the swine flu, great so now we are under the radar as possible swine flu carriers! Just to be safe I read all about swine flu symptoms and I'm pretty sure we're clear but you may want to steer clear of the infirmary for now!

For your listening pleasure. . . .

It's A Boy!!

HA! Did I fool ya? I was hoping to shock someone! No, not a human boy, our new fur-baby Cooper. Don't ask me why we need another dog, we don't of course but I have been wanting a small inside dog for awhile. I've been looking through craigslist everyday and finally when I saw the pictures of these pups I was in love, I knew this was the one for us. He is a cocker spaniel/chihuahua mix, he really looks like a mini cocker, or a mini cooper-get it? So far he has been the best little guy ever, totally housebroken already, loves to cuddle, doesn't bark (whines a little), and gets along with our other 2 dogs. I can't believe our beloved Belle is 12 years old, she has been through it all with us. Randy really didn't want another dog but graciously went along with me and now I think he secretly likes the dog more than I do. As soon as he walked in the door yesterday he wanted to know where the mutt was, then I catch him all cuddled up on the couch together, how sweet! Hopefully he will survive the kids ever loving hugs and be a great addition to our family.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Oh come on, you know you feel like singing! Actually the first day of school was harder than I thought. You think it's sad when your kid starts kindergarten, just wait until you drop them off at high school for the first time! I didn't expect the rush of emotion as I said goodbye to Darrin that day. Just the thought that I only have 3 years left with him kills me, I am definitely not ready. Later Kyle left to catch the jr. high bus at the end of our street. I poked my head out the door to see if it had come yet just in time to see him get on the bus. I found myself begging Heavenly Father to please take care of him. Jr. High is a whole new world I wish I didn't have to expose him to but I guess they have to grow up sometime. As much as I love summer and the kids being home, I really love back to school time! It has been a good week, I can't believe how much I have gotten done, cleaning, errands, down time, it's great! The best thing is that when I clean, it actually stays clean! What I really love is that with all the big kids at school all day, I get to spend one on one time with my babies, the two littlest members of our family. It's sad but they kinda get lost in the crowd when everyone's home. Today we are headed to the library and then coming home for naps, how nice is that!

The big kids, ready for school! (Yes I failed to get a picture of the middle children, they're always left out!)

Double Digits!

Ryan has finally made it to the magic number, Happy 10th Birthday Ryan! There is just something great about turning 10, you're finally in the double digits! Do you remember how cool it was? I know I do! Yesterday I was telling Ryan the story of the day he was born, I mentioned that daddy went and got us Burger King for lunch before we headed to the hospital and Ryan said that must be why he likes cheeseburgers so much! Funny kid! We are so glad that Ryan is a part of our family, he has a funny sense of humor but also has his daddy's inquisitive mind, he is definitely a thinker-and cute too! Happy Birthday Ry-guy, we love you!

Sprinkler Fun

I feel like we are snowed in. I guess if we lived somewhere where it actually snowed we would all be stuck inside the house. Instead we are stuck inside because it's too darn hot to go outside. Last night after dinner we braved the blazing heat and took the kids outside to have some fun running through the sprinklers. I used to do this all the time as a kid, I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, the kids loved it! I think they had more fun jumping on the wet trampoline and sliding everywhere than actually running through the sprinklers but it was good to see them outside, laughing and playing. Since we are all stuck inside this house there tends to be a lot of fighting throughout the day and it seems we've all had enough of each other! I love to see them having fun together. Even little Lyndi loved getting wet, then rolling in the sand box-why are kids drawn to mud? Randy turned the hose on the slide and they all took turns going down the "waterslide" into the sandy mud puddle. We hosed them off pretty good before coming inside but there was still sand stuck to their bodies when I peeled their swimsuits off. Summer is almost over, well not the heat but the lazy day to day things we don't have to do. With all the kids at home everyone always asks if I'm ready for school to start, the truth is yes and no. I love the break from our hectic school year lives. It's nice to get away from schedules, routines, and homework. Even though the kids drive me crazy I love having them home with me. My oldest is going to high school this year, I think I'm more sad over that than his first day of Kindergarten! There is something about the smell of new pencils, paper and school clothes that really makes me happy though. As much as I love them, yes I am counting down the days now! My house just might stay clean now for more than 10 minutes, and maybe I can go a whole minute without someone calling "MOM!"

Date Night

Last Friday we had a great date night with our partners in crime, the Baileys. We had a such a fun time, just what we needed! We started off the evening having dinner at Toby Keiths new restaurant out at Mesa Riverview, we were even lucky (not really!) enough to be serenaded by the strolling guitarist, the food was good and although we were hoping Toby himself might just come walking in, well that didn't happen. We headed to ASU to see the musical production of Wicked, everyone has been saying how great it is so when tickets went on sale back in February I snagged us a few. I didn't really know what to expect, I hadn't heard any of the music and wasn't sure what the story would be about except that it had something to do with the Wizard of Oz. Whenever there is alot of hype about something I tend to stay away from it (i.e. Twilight) it's just never as good as what people say. I have to say that this was amazing. I love musicals and it has been fun to get to go to a few this year. I loved the story, so if you get a chance to see it, do-it was really great. After sitting for 3 hours we were ready for some fun! We were determined to not be home before midnight so we headed to Dave & Busters for dessert and some friendly competition! Of course I lost at all the video games, but I kicked Randy's butt at basketball so there! Of course he is never one to be out done by me so he had to go and win 500 tickets and the wheel of fortune game. What a great time, our life is a little crazy right now so it was definitely fun to hang out and laugh, thanks B's for a great night, it was so much fun!

Hurts so good!

A couple of months ago I ran across someone from my coupon site selling gym memberships as a fundraiser, basically you get 3 months for $20. I figured not too bad, I know I really need to drop a few pounds after having all these kids. Problem is the kids still come first and it's hard for me to take time away from them to go. Everyone still says you need to make time for yourself but if I was going to do something for me, going to the gym would not be first on the list! Last week we finally got around to going to the gym and redeeming the cards so our 3 months could start. I hate spending money and letting it go to waste so I've actually been going, very early in the morning when the kids are still sleeping or late at night when some have gone to bed. I bought Randy one too so either we go together which has been fun or we just go alone. If you know me I am not an exerciser, I never played sports, was never athletic, so it just doesn't come naturally to me. After going this last week I have to say I actually like working out, not group classes or anything, I'm way too uncoordinated for that-I've been doing the elliptical and jogging on the treadmill. Crazy I know! Right now it's not about losing weight although I hope that happens but when I focus on that I always fail! So I just love the way it makes me feel, sore and out of shape, sweating to death and breathless! When it hurts I know I am doing something good (no pain, no gain right!) Our life is beyond stressful right now, so I've found that it's a good release for me. I can feel my body and my brain telling me to go, mentally I need it! So here's to sore muscles and a clear mind and hoping things will get better soon!

Life's A Beach!

I'm finally getting around to posting our vacation pictures, this week has been a little crazy! Last weekend we took off for California and headed to Dana Point which is south of LA. When we asked the kids what they wanted to do this year is was unanimous to go to the beach. It's been about 3 years since our last beach trip so we were all excited to play in the sand and the waves. The kids had so much fun running from the waves, a few actually braved the freezing water and boogie boarded and got wet, not me! The first beach we went to was called Salt Creek beach, it is a huge wide beautiful beach but we had to trek down a steep hill which wasn't bad until we had to go back up! We had the stroller, the playpen, our shade canopy, sand toys, boogie boards, a little cooler and more! It was quite the hike but really worth it. Lyndi loved the sand, I'm glad she wasn't into eating it but she loved playing in it and was constantly running for the water. Trevor hated the waves, I think it was too loud for him so he was just as happy playing on the beach. We ended up spending about 6 hours out there that day. We headed up the coast to Ruby's diner for yummy hamburgers and milkshakes for everyone, that was a fun treat. I tried not to cringe at the bill every time we ate out knowing I could buy a weeks worth of groceries with that but I figured I was on vacation too and that's just something you have to plan for! It's quite funny though taking our family out to eat, we get a lot of curious looks! Randy and I have gotten smart though, we learned when we go to an unfamiliar restaurant one of us goes in to scope it out to see if they have a table big enough for all of us, this saves alot of time getting everyone in and out of the car! While we were there we also ate at this quirky little Mexican place. The ceiling had all kinds of interesting ornamental things hanging from it, we had fun playing "I Spy" while we waited for our food. That's another thing-it takes forever for our food to come out no matter where we go. I'm convinced that if we did 2 separate orders we'd get our food faster than waiting for all 9 plates to come out at once. We may have to try that next time. While in CA we also took a trip up to Knott's Berry Farm, I was a little nervous that it would be crowded because of the holiday weekend but we got super lucky, there were no lines for anything! We had so much fun riding all the crazy roller coasters, I was proud of myself for not chickening out! I have some brave kids, they all rode everything. I had to talk Ryan into a few of them but once he did it he loved it. I was really impressed with the park, they have made alot of improvements and really cleaned it up, we will definitely be going back (after I get my Disney fix!) We also enjoyed a great dinner at the famous chicken restaurant, funny story about that. I was standing in line with the 2 younger boys and they were getting rowdy when an older lady behind me said "aren't you glad you don't have like 6 or 7!" I had to laugh! We were able to spend the 4th of July at the beach, along with half the population of CA but we finally found a spot and still had fun. The beach right across from our hotel was having fireworks so we went back down that night and ended up being front and center for the show out over the ocean, it was really neat! Randy even said it was almost romantic, um yeah, minus the 7 kids! Before heading home we drove up to the Long Beach Aquarium. We loved watching the jellyfish, sea lions, sharks and especially the sea turtle. It was fun to watch the kids get excited over seeing everything. It turned out to be a really great trip, I hope that my kids will remember these fun times with their family. It was so nice to be away from TV and computers and just have each other. I am definitely missing the 75 degree weather!

A few of our beach and Knott's pics.

Aquarium of the Pacific

The Greatest Show on Earth

I love going to the circus. I love watching my kids laugh and seeing the joy in their eyes and on their faces. The Ringling Bros. circus is the best, we only go every few years so it is always exciting and new. I remember my mom and dad taking just me to the circus one year when I was about 12. I must have been the youngest one living at home at the time because with 8 kids I don't know how that happened! Anyway, I love that memory so it's always fun to take my family now. This year we went with the Bailey's and had a great time together. Before the show started we were able to go down on the floor and be up close to some of the acts. The best was when they brought out a couple of the elephants to paint a picture. We were so close to them it was pretty amazing. Logan was the perfect age this year to enjoy the circus, he laughed at everything and loved shouting Zing, Zang, Zoom!

Lyndi didn't care too much for the circus but she sure loved stuffing her head into the box of popcorn!

Love the elephants!

Happy Birthday Logan!

We had a great time at Chuck E. Cheese's today celebrating Logan's 6th birthday. He invited a bunch of his friends from church and everyone had a great time. He was so excited, and loved all the attention! Thanks everyone for making this such a special day for Logan. (gotta love the messy pizza face!)

Surviving Summer

I know there is still a lot of summer to go but so far it is better than I expected. This is the first year that I haven't sent my kids to a summer program through parks & rec and I was seriously wondering how I was going to maintain my sanity having all the kids home all day, everyday. My saving grace has been implementing a program called Accountable Kids that I ran across from a friends blog. Basically it is a system that keeps the kids on track throughout the day with chores and other basic responsibilities such as getting dressed and eating breakfast. They in turn earn tickets for completing their jobs and use those tickets to enjoy privileges such as watching TV, choosing a DVD, going to a friends, whatever they want to do. They also lose tickets for unacceptable behavior. I have never been one big on chore charts, I just expect the kids to do what I ask them to do but that really hasn't ever worked very good so I end up frustrated that I'm the only one trying to take care of the house being destroyed by 7 other very capable people. Plus, the kids weren't really learning any true responsibility from it. Now they have morning, lunchtime, and evening jobs that really only take about 15 minutes to complete and the house is staying clean and manageable (except on Sundays when it always seems to fall apart!) and I'm not yelling and fighting with the kids to get things done. The kids are realizing that it takes a little work to earn privileges, it's not just a freebie anymore. The whole system has been way easier than I thought to implement and the kids actually seem to be enjoying it. If you want to check out more about it the website is accountablekids.com. It was a little bit of an investment to get started but it has been completely worth it. Other than that we are just enjoying a typical lazy summer. We are looking forward to going to the circus in a few weeks and also celebrating Logan's 6th birthday. We may try to escape to the beach over the 4th but are still thinking about that one. The idea of going somewhere is always great but the logistics of finding a hotel that can accommodate us, and packing and planning and feeding everyone, ugh it almost doesn't seem worth it but somehow we do it and actually end up having a little fun! (until we have to pack up, come home, unpack, and do the laundry!) I think mom's need a vacation after the vacation!

Room to Grow

Little by little we are outgrowing our lovely home. We don't feel too squished yet but there are days when trying to put stuff away there just isn't a spot for it, or when both bathrooms are occupied and someones doing the potty dance! When we bought or house we thought it would be our forever home but then I was pregnant with #5 and did not anticipate having any more kids! Little did we know the little blessings that would come our way. With the housing market the way it is we realize that now is the time to buy a bigger house. Everyday I get emails of new listings on the market and although their are plenty of 5 bedroom homes available nothing really meets our needs. You wouldn't realize it but there are exceptional needs with a large family that I'm just really not willing to compromise on. For example, why do builders build huge homes with no laundry room or pantry? Don't they realize moms spend over half their lives doing laundry or cooking? Seriously, we don't feel as if we have to move yet so we really don't want to settle for something we don't want because of price. In our searching we came across an acre of land for sale near Crismon and Brown. We never thought of building our own home but the more we think about it, it just works for us. I love the idea of room for the kids to roam, freedom to imagine and explore, and room to spread our wings! So we are taking a giant leap of faith and buying land, the whole process is a little intimidating as we've never done this before but Randy and I both grew up in families who built their own homes so we know we can do it. We are really excited for the future and this new adventure in our lives, I just hope we survive!

Science Fair

Kyle decided on making a water propelled rocket car for the 6th grade science fair. He originally wanted to do a water rocket that you launch into the air but we figured that would have been too hard to collect data on so we modified it and made it into a car. Randy spent a couple of weeks helping Kyle to build and modify his car and then a couple of nights testing it in the Skyline parking lot. I am glad Randy enjoys doing these projects because I would have no idea where to start, my job is helping put the display board together! All their hard work paid off and Kyle received first place in his class. Today he was able to take the car to school and demonstrate it in front of all the kids, he was really excited to show off his project. Now that school is out we are looking forward to a fun summer with no where to be and nothing to do!

Girls Night Out

This weekend was our wards annual Father & Sons campout. I have to say that I look forward to my husband and boys being gone waaaaaay to much! Not only do we girls get to play but I actually like missing my family because it reminds me of how much I really love them! (Isn't that sweet!) Jena and I took the girls to the mall last night to do a little shopping. I can't remember the last time I was able to just casually walk around, usually I am running in and out for something and don't get to browse. We enjoyed riding the carousel (two times!), looking at the outrageously overpriced but cute puppies, finding new clothes for the next school year (I know a little early but when you're a mom of 7 you'll understand!) and eating a yummy but loooong dinner at the Cheesecake factory. We came home and put a movie on and just enjoyed our peace & quiet! I don't realize just how loud it can be around here until everyone is gone, it was actually a little too quiet. The boys had fun together too and we are glad that everyone is back home safe and sound. I wonder if I could convince them to make this a monthly outing?

Kaela & Nickola strike a pose!

Jam Session

My friend Jena inspired me to make strawberry jam this year so me and the kids spent a couple of hours after school on Thursday making our jam. I have never made jam without my mom's help and even that was years ago but I have canned salsa so I knew the basics of what to do. Besides destroying the kitchen (Darrin said it looked like a murder scene) with strawberry splatter everywhere, it was really pretty easy to make. I was surprised that we were able to do 12 pints and 6 quarts in about 2 1/2 hours, I think we might even make some more while strawberries are so cheap. We have already eaten almost a whole jar of jam and have gone through at least 2 loaves of bread! Everyone loves it-except Darrin who won't eat fruit or anything made from it, he's so weird! It really is good though, and I love that the kids are eating something we made together.

Superstition Ranch Market has strawberries 3 lbs. /$1

Our finished product, yummy!

Clear the Roads!

After a little bit of an ordeal (more on that later) Darrin finally has his permit! I took him in this morning before school for the written test, he ended up missing 5 but still passed. I was surprised he missed that many, he must have read the whole book 10 times. I am excited for him to start driving, not only does it help to have another driver in our house but I am just happy to be a part of this time in his life. I am still young enough to remember how exciting it was to start driving and feel like you gained a little freedom. I think we are forcing Darrin to grow up a little. He really has no interest in driving, he says he has nowhere to go but I have plenty of places to send him! Now for why this was such a hassle, a couple of years ago we legally had his last name changed to the one he has always gone by anyway. Well even though I had his new birth certificate I never had his social security card changed and since the # in the computer didn't match his name he couldn't take the test. That was last Friday, so Monday morning me and the littles drove into downtown Phoenix and waited in line with some very questionable characters to get a new card. They kept his original card and gave us a receipt and said we'd have the new card in 2 weeks but to just take in the paper to the MVD and we'd be good. Not! This morning we were there bright and early ready to go. Now because I don't have his card I don't have his ss# and there's nothing they can do until we have his #. Are you kidding me? This really shouldn't be this hard but I was determined not to let Darrin down again so back in the car, load up the 2 littles, run home, look up the #, drive back, everybody out, wait again, okay now were good to go. By this time I am just hoping he passes the darn test so I don't have to do this all over again. I am so glad it won't be this hard for the next 6! At least now we finally have everything changed to his legal name and there should be no more problems from here on out. It was great to see Darrin excited over getting his permit, he is really scared to drive though! So watch out, there's another teenage driver on the road!

Table for 9

We don't take the whole family out to eat in a restaurant (fast food does not count) very often. It's not so much the expense, although it is not cheap, it's really just the logistics of it all. A few months ago we tried going to Golden Corral, it was super crowded. The manager sent us to one side of the restaurant because supposedly there was a big enough table over there for all of us. Wrong! There was nothing available so we hike across to the other side where they try to squeeze us all around a table for 6. It's bad enough that we get a lot of attention when we go out just because of the size of our family but when we are left standing in the middle of the restaurant with nowhere to go, that's even worse! After that we swore off ever going out again. Well, Saturday I decided that we have not been together much as a family and we needed to do something. We thought about where to go very carefully, someplace rather noisy, with large tables, possibly call ahead seating, and good service. Most of our kids are old enough to know how to behave so it's just the littles that we have to worry about. I think it is important for kids to learn how to act in public, and certain social manners that go along with eating out. We finally decided on On the Border, it was still early enough that it wouldn't be too crowded and Randy called ahead to make sure they knew we were coming and they could be prepared. When we got there they had already seated another party in our optimal booth so they pushed some tables together-exactly what we wanted to avoid-and tried to squeeze us in only to discover we were short a chair and not going to fit here! Now it turns into a big scene with the manager and hostess adding an extension to the table, getting another chair and getting us all seated again. In the meantime we are all standing around in the middle of the restaurant drawing yet more attention to ourselves. Ugh! I wanted to take a picture to post but decided it was best just to lay low and get through dinner. I have to say that the kids were so well behaved, our dinner was great, the kids were great, minus them forgetting Ryan's food which we ended up getting for free plus a card for another free kids meal when we come back. I find it funny that we cause such a commotion when we go places, I guess we must overwhelm people when they are not used to dealing with such a big family. I think it's neat for people to see that we are a family and were not afraid of going out. Well we are afraid but we do it anyways!

The big 1,2!

Kyle has finally reached the ripe old age of 12! He is so excited to be a deacon and go to mutual activities. Can I just say how weird it is to say that, it really doesn't seem possible that he is 12. I am feeling nostalgic lately as we celebrate these milestone birthdays. This is a big year for us with kids turning 1, 8, 12, & 16. I am so not ready to have my kids grow up, I wish I could just freeze time and keep them as they are. I love having my older boys who I can have real conversations with and talk about life, yet at the same time I love my babies and the unconditional love and need they still have for me! I thought life would get easier as they got older, and in some ways it has but it is so hard to juggle all their schedules and the places they need to be. Today Darrin had a dr. appt. in N. Phoenix, on the way home I get a call from the kids school that Logan has pink eye so I have to go pick him up, then I am racing home to meet Trevor's preschool bus and it's only noon, we still have things to do after school! Most days seem to be like this but I must love the craziness because I wouldn't trade it for the world. I always wanted a big family and I never want the kids to feel as if they missed out on things because of it so we will keep doing sports and scouts and piano and everything else! So as we squeeze in celebrating Kyle's 12th birthday I just have to say that I am so proud of Kyle, he is such a good kid and always seems to do the right thing. He wants to do everything and is having to learn to only do the things that are really important. He is a great student, his teacher loves him, I sometimes wonder if we are talking about the same kid but I learned its best to let teachers only see the good side! He just always tries his best and is a good example to us, he is a little dramatic and loves the attention but we love his sense of humor too. Happy Birthday Kyle, we love you!

It's fun to be One!

It's hard to believe that our baby girl is 1 year old! It has been an amazing year watching her grow. For the first few months of her life I would just look at her in wonderment thinking that I can't believe that this sweet baby girl is mine! She has truly been a joy to us and our family and I have loved every minute of this year with her, even the sleepless nights! Her birthday party was fantastic, thank you to all of our great friends and family that came to celebrate with us, it was so much fun!

How not to spend your birthday!

Unfortunately it was very windy that day and Lyndi's little lungs didn't agree with all the dust being thrown around. She spent her actual first birthday (Tuesday) in the hospital with a respiratory infection. Trevor was also having a hard time breathing so we took him in to the ER Tuesday morning while Jena watched Lyndi for me. They treated and released him and by that time Jena said Lyndi wasn't doing too good so I picked her up and took her in too! The nurses thought it was pretty funny, they even gave us the same bed Trev was in. Lyndi ended up being admitted because she needed continuous oxygen to help her breath. The hospital staff was wonderful with her. A volunteer made her the cutest happy birthday banner ever then they all came to her room and sang happy birthday to her and gave her the cutest stuffed snail rocker to take home, kinda like a rocking horse but a snail-so cute! She ended up staying for 2 nights and is doing much better now, but she will still need breathing treatments for awhile. Randy managed to get the kids everywhere they needed to be. It's times like these when we have to rely on friends and family for help that I realize it truly does take a village to raise our kids, so thanks everyone for pitching in, we really couldn't do it without you!

No more oxygen, yeah!

Lyndi's Happy Birthday banner

What baseball game?

You would never know by looking at this picture that there actually was a baseball game going on! Logan's idea of playing outfield is literally playing in the outfield! He was supposed to be in his ready position with his alligator (glove) ready to swallow the ball. I think he was a little more interested in playing with the grass. You gotta love t-ball. I really was trying to find the humor in it but when yours is the only kid fooling around you can't help but wonder what you're doing wrong! His coach is awesome, he doesn't try to control his energy, just gives him constant praise and lots of thumbs up. I love Logan's spirit, he is funny and outgoing, exuberant, loves to talk and just plain loves life!

I haven't posted pictures in a while so here are a few from what we've been up to:

Kaela's baptism

Kaela's birthday party

Ryan's new glasses!

Busy, busy, busy!

Life has resumed its normal craziness. Once in awhile we get a little break from all the hectic running around but now is not one of those times. Since the kids have started baseball we have been at one practice or another, and now with games starting this week I'm not sure we will ever be home! On Wednesday all 3 kids play at the same time, tell me how I am supposed to do that! Thankfully it is the only time all season that will happen, otherwise we just make it work. My kids have learned so many important life lessons through playing sports so for us it is just something we do, no matter how crazy it makes me! We have been busy with other stuff too. Kaela had a wonderful birthday and baptism. Thank you everyone who came, I always miss my family during these important events but I am thankful for Randy's family and good friends who are always there to support us. We are gearing up for Lyndi's big first birthday bash this weekend. I am so excited to celebrate her big day with everyone, she has been such a blessing to our family. Right after that is Kyle's 12th birthday, he still won't commit as to what he wants to do, I think he has it narrowed down to a Dbacks game or Amazing Jakes, he better decide quick! Darrin is excited to get his cast off this week, hopefully the doc will say his surgery was a success and he is good to go. He ran in his first track meet last week and did great considering he hasn't trained in 3 weeks. It was a 3 school meet and he took 4th in his 100 and 1st in the 4x100. This week he will be adding the 200 to his list of events. It is a fun, crazy time for us but exciting too as we watch our kids grow up and experience new things. We were sitting around the dinner table the other night and I realized that we have a houseful of pre-teen/teenagers. Gone are the the days we had a houseful of little ones. It is a definitely different stage of life for us and it takes a little getting used to but I am looking forward to all the new adventures yet to come!

Lil' Sprouts

In more ways than one, everything is sprouting up. It is exciting to see little green sprouts coming up in the garden, I hope they will eventually grow into veggies we can eat. I haven't killed the tomato plants yet so that's a good sign! Thankfully Randy added drip to the garden so I don't have to remember to water it because honestly I never would, that is probably the last thing on my mind. We have always had a tradition to track the kids growth on the inside of one of our doors. When we sold our first house we actually had to go back and transfer the lines to a pvc pipe we still have out in the garage. When we eventually move again we will have to come up with a better idea but we still love to see how much they have grown. Sunday we lined them all up and took measurements again, Trevor surprised us all by growing 3 inches this past year. Lyndi has also grown that much in just the last few months! I am about to be past up in height by my oldest son, so weird! He is about 1/8 of an inch shorter than me so I expect by next week he will have passed me by. Ryan is the same height at 9 years old that Kyle was at 10 so I am sure he will end up being taller than his brother. One of the neatest things is that when my dad was alive we marked his height on the door, at 6'7" he was just below the top of the door. Being able to visualize him that tall is bittersweet, but it keeps his memory close to our hearts. So everything and everyone is growing up!

How does your garden grow?

Well, I am going to try again. I love the idea of gardening but my knowledge is very limited and I was born with a black thumb! A couple of weeks ago we dug up the old weed & grass infested garden plot and started over. I am attempting the square foot garden method which seems to be a very organized way to plant which my ocd brain very much appreciates. We spent some time on Saturday planting all the seeds along with 4 tomato plants, 2 strawberry plants and Ryan's lima bean plant that he brought home from school. So far it looks pretty but nothing has started sprouting yet so we'll see if I've killed it all already! I am hoping for a great crop, I love the idea of growing our own food and providing somewhat for the family. Of course that only works if your children actually eat vegetables! Wish me luck!


Before



After (we also added fencing to keep the dogs/kids out)

Happy Birthday Kaela!

Our little girl is 8 years old today. I remember how excited we were to finally be having a girl after 3 boys. She brings so much love and excitement into our family. She definetly teaches the boys what its like to have to live with a girl. Kaela is one tough little cookie, I guess you'd have to be living with 5 brothers. She doesn't put up with anything from them! I love that she is strong and independent but is also sensitive and loves to be girly. She teaches me to be more compassionate and take time to listen to her. She is a great big sister, and loves that she is no longer the only girl. Happy Birthday Kaela, we love you!

Remembering my Dad

Three years ago today my dad passed away after a long and very courageous battle with cancer. Although the pain of losing him has subsided, I still miss him more than ever. Life is never quite the same when someone you love is gone, especially when they hold such a big piece of your heart. My dad was such an incredible person, he seemed to have the answer to everything and I miss being able to ask for his advice. He loved being a grandpa, or Papa as the kids called him. Darrin & Kyle have great memories of him, but my little kids will never know him. I hope I can keep his memory alive for them and be able to share with them just how much he loved them. I don't want to be sad today, I want to be grateful for the time we did have because I know that we will be together again. I love you dad!

Is he your son?

This is not a vent, I am not a venter (at least I don't think I am!) This is more of an observation, or a "Here's your sign moment". I spent all day yesterday with Darrin at an appointment with his hand doctor, he is having surgery to repair the cartilage that was torn when he broke his wrist. Anyway, the nurse talking to us turned to me and asked if he was my son. Obviously we don't look alike but come on, who else would I take to the doctor, my brother, my nephew, the neighbor boy? It is not offensive just to me a really unnecessary question. The funny thing is that our differences are never an issue until somebody else points it out. All it takes is a questioning look and I know what they are thinking. Yes he is mine and I am proud of it. Maybe that should be my quick comeback next time. Another thing happened at Kohls the other day. I was having a conversation with the cashier and he made the comment that I didn't look old enough to have a 15 year old son. I think this is supposed to be taken as a compliment, but I only think it works if you are like in your 50's. How old did he think I was? I know I don't look 21, then I would definitely not be old enough to have a 15 year old. I assured him I was old enough, in fact I was old enough to have 7 kids! Just to ease your curiosity-because I know you are-I was 18 (3 weeks shy of 19) when I had Darrin at a tiny little hospital in Hawaii with my mom and dad by my side. It was most definitely the happiest and scariest day of my life! I am so proud of my son, he is such an incredible person. He is smart, extremely athletic, and super cute. I know he may have to face some challenges in this life that I have never had to, but I hope most people will take the time to know him for who he is. So yes, he is my son.

Snow Day!

Saturday we took a day trip with the Bailey's to play in the snow. We have never taken the kids to the snow before so they were all super excited. I think we went to every Goodwill in a 50 mile radius looking for snow gear and boots and were actually pretty lucky with what we found. Randy's sister had a lot of snow stuff too so we were all outfitted for the cold. We found a great place just outside of Payson with tons of snow and a great hill for sledding. We spent close to 4 hours sledding, building snowmen and just having fun. It was great to watch all the kids play in the snow. Trevor would hike his little body up the hill and then just start running down, fall, get up and run some more, fall again and repeat until he made it down the side of the mountain. Ryan was so proud of the ramp he made, Darrin did a good job catching air off of it too. Kaela and Kyle built their first snowmen and even I made my brave self sled down the hill, I haven't laughed that hard in awhile! Logan thought everything was "Awesome!" and spent his time playing chicken with everyone sledding down the hill. Randy was not quite so brave, but we did enjoy his hot chocolate. Besides dealing with car sickness (sorry B's we owe you!) it was a great day, with great friends and I know the kids will remember this for a long time. We are already looking forward to next year!

Definetly not an Expert

You would think by now I would have it all figured out. Or I guess I think I should since I do have like a million kids. Whatever you do, don't ask me for advice because really I have no idea what I am doing! I have been trying to potty train my son since last summer, this should be old hat by now since he is the 6th one! I don't know why some kids are more stubborn than others but let's just say I am so glad I only have one left to go. I think I can finally say he's got it figured out, we are at least staying dry all day. It is so cute to see him all of a sudden making a beeline for the bathroom and taking care of business all by himself. One milestone down, one to go. Why won't my baby sleep through the night?! She is 10 months old for pete's sake! (who is Pete anyway?) All of my kids have been great sleepers, nice long naps, sleep all night by 4 months, so nice! I don't know what her deal is, except that she is a momma's girl. I should feel needed but I don't, I'm really over it. I keep thinking it won't last forever, she is my last baby and I do enjoy it but I really, really want to sleep. I am a much happier mommy when I sleep. I checked out at least 10 different books at the library on how to make this happen. I was surprised none of them suggested tranquilizers, not one! Anyway, one did seem to make some sense and I have been following it pretty closely, nothing weird just timing of naps and bedtime. Last night she finally slept 8 full hours, woke up for a bottle and slept 4 more. Yeah! Ironically it was the worst night of sleep for me in a long time, I am too used to waking up every 3 hours! I really hope this works and she will be sleeping (like a baby!) very soon.

CouponSense

Some of you may have heard me talk about CouponSense before but I just have to share how much I love this program. If you're not familiar, it is an online coupon system that basically makes couponing so much easier. It matches the store sales with coupons so you get the most for your money. Of course you could do it on your own, but I never would. The deals the last few weeks have been amazing! My pantry is bursting, both of my fridges and freezers are full and even my laundry room is being used to store food. I hardly buy anything over $1 and quite often you can get things for free. I don't get anything for sharing this info, just wanted to pass along what I think is a great deal. Check it out at couponsense.com