Becoming insane...

One of my all time favorite books about motherhood is titled "I Didn't Plan To Be A Witch." It talks about how this great mother of 8 children didn't expect to be grumpy and witchy, but that sometimes it happens anyway. Excellent book that every mother should read.

I decided that if I were to write a book it would be titled "I didn't plan to be insane." The reason I have chosen this title is because of the playtime circus I have been sucked into the last couple of years by Grace and Scarlett (especially Grace.) They want me to play with them every waking minute. It's either Barbies, or dollies, or ponies or school, or hospital for the babies, or the babies need a home, or the ponies don't have a mom, or bears and stuffed doggies are sick, or rubber duckies are scared. I mean, you name it...they want to play it. Their imaginations are so huge that now they want to play fingers. Yep, you guessed it. The fingers are real people apparently and walk around and talk and have needs just like humans. Now you tell me if this wouldn't drive any mother insane.

I'm living in a fantasy world and have to figure out how to escape. Keep me in your prayers.

I'm dying...

According to Connor, that is. Connor was cursed with the worry gene which I inherited from my mom, and which Connor inherited from me. Lately he has been hugging me all the time as if he's saying his last goodbye. Me running in the dark at night hasn't helped matters. Every time I go to leave he is hugging me and holding onto me telling me how much he loves me. I can totally relate to him because I was the exact same way as a child. I have to admit, it makes me feel loved by this dear sweet boy. Connor has a hard shell on the outside but is pure melted butter on the inside. I'm thankful for his loving heart.

Someone's been sleeping in my bed...

And there she is!



Despite the fact that this looks a lot like Scarlett, this is actually a picture of Grace when she was two. I stumbled upon it and couldn't believe how much she has grown, and how much her and Scarlett remind me of each other.

Grace has been waking up at some point during the night and climbing into bed with Chris and I. This happens several times a week and a while back Chris was beginning to get fed up by the slumber party. After he said it had to stop, I did something kind of ridiculous. I cried. He of course felt bad and asked what my problem was and I said I didn't want my babies to grow up. Her sleeping in my bed signified to me that she was still little. Lame excuse I know. I am pathetic and will be first to admit it.

Thankfully my husband gets me, and puts up with my idiosyncrasies. Heaven help this man when empty nest really hits in another 15 years.

Boring means fun...

Today is Presidents Day. I'm so happy about that. We have no plans, and this morning I got to sleep in until 8:15, and that felt terrific. We will be playing computers, watching T.V and doing absolutely nothing of significance. Sounds good to me.

Why I Run...

I have been running consistently for two years now. I can't even believe it. I never in a million years would have thought I could keep it up that long. Every time I have tried in the past to keep up one exercise routine I would give up after a while and move onto something new. I have been thinking about why I am still running and I think I have narrowed it down.

1. I have a running partner that never gives up. This helps me like no other because running alone can be enjoyable at times, but can also get very lonely and monotonous.

2. I have passed the hump. I think there must have come a point that I wanted to quit but I just forced myself through it unlike past times. Now that I have been doing it so long, I am more afraid of quitting and having to start over than I am of running and breaking a sweat.

3. I am so much nicer when I run. It's a major stress reliever and mood booster for me. I am so busy with my kids and managing our business that I I need my runs in order to mentally stay happy and focused.

4. I run because I want my kids to see how important it is to stay healthy. I am failing miserably on teaching them how to eat healthy so I am trying to make up for it by showing them how important exercise is.

5. I run to stay thin. I won't lie.

There are other reasons that I won't bore you with...but just let me say that running for me has been such an awesome growing experience. It has showed me that I can do hard physical things for an extended period. That I can accomplish goals even when they seem impossible. That's been my greatest lesson of all.

Small feet...

A few days a week I like to throw in some cross training. I do Jillian's 30 day shred because it's quick and yet it kills me.

The girls play the computer during this time and as I was laying on the floor doing situps today, I looked up and caught a view of their cute little feet. Goodness, I love them.

Time capsule...

As a family we decided that it would be so much fun to bury a time capsule and one day when the kids are all grown, dig it back up. We each put something of significance in the capsule...wrote down some cute words, and buried it under one of our favorite trees. I for one am already excited about digging it up. It's going to be a long wait...and yet when the time comes, it will feel like we just buried it yesterday.

Work that camera...

You can always count on Grace for honesty. She told me the other day after watching me put on some makeup..."Mom, you look beautiful with makeup. But you don't look very pretty without makeup." Thanks Grace. Love you too.


Grace is going through a picture taking phase. She doesn't want her picture taken half as much as she wants to be in control of the lens. All I ever hear these days is "Mom, can I take a picture of you and Scarlett?" Scarlett and I are getting really sick of having our pics taken, but who can resist, when it means so much to Grace?

Nice hair...

The kids had spirit week this week. Their favorite day as always is crazy hair day. Let's just say they brought frizzy/scary to a whole new level. Good job kids.

How many men would put up with this??

Everyday while the kids are in school, and Grace and Scarlett aren't, Chris comes home and has lunch with us. Chris being the wonderful dad that he is will make them a plate of whatever he is having, so that they can have their own...and so they won't eat his. Well, it just doesn't work that way with these two...especially Scarlett. Every single day, he makes them a plate, and every single day they turn their noses up at it and say "No, we want to share with dad." What's funny about this, is he will share rather doing what I would do by saying "Heck no!" I have to admit I admire the selfless soul that inhabits my husband. He is one of a kind.

3 years old is still a baby, right?

Scarlett will be three in 4 short months. For whatever reason, the age of three is sort of the age that has always represented for me... not being a baby anymore. At least that's how I looked at it with all 5 of my other children. Something weird is happening though. Since I'm not having anymore children, Scarlett never really seems to get older. Sure, she's talking like crazy...even arguing with her siblings. Eats everything we eat. Skips naps often, and has much more hair than the average newborn (or the average person if you count all those curls,) but she still seems to be the baby. I talked to Chris to see if this is happening to him too, and he said that yes! She is still a baby, and probably will be for a long, long time. And guess what? I am completely and unequivocally okay with that.

Close your eyes...

The little girls begged me to look at photo albums with them this morning. Somehow everything is more fun if Mom is there to do it with. We decided to look at Halee's baby pictures and I came upon this photo of Halee and my nephew Josh. They are only 3 weeks apart in age...both almost 14 years old now. It made me laugh to see them in the bath together...that would soooo never happen today. Did I even have to say that? I laughed because it looks like Halee is purposely looking away, even though I am sure she is not. I also love the little washcloth covering little josh. This made me remember days that seem really recent and yet a lifetime ago. This is why taking pictures is So.Very.Important. These moments never come back.

Women...

I know this might seem like a strange question, but do you ever wish you were a woman from the 1800's? I do. I think it would be so fun to not have T.V or Internet for a while. To churn your own butter. Bake your own bread. Milk a cow. Gather eggs from your chickens. I think I would appreciate food more if I had to work so hard to get it. It's just too darn easy to run to the grocery store and grab a gallon a milk for the week (make that 8 gallons for us.) I really admire women of that time, because they were such hard workers. Truly amazing women.

On the other hand I wouldn't want to stay in that time. All the death that took place because of lack of medicines would totally freak me out. And we have so many religious freedoms that those women didn't have the luxury of having.

I wouldn't want to change when and what time period I was born, but I also want to remember always, how much sacrifice was made from those that came before us.

I love you...

Christian, I love you. You are my dear sweet angel boy that brings sunshine into my soul. I am so grateful for your sweet spirit and eagerness to learn about anything and everything. All your questions touch my heart because you are so curious and so observant. Life without you would be so very sad. I am thankful to be your mom.

Interruptions...

Life around here would get be pretty dull without children, I must admit. It's very rare that I can sit back and read a book without being interrupted. I never get to blog without a child climbing on me and trying to get my attention...unless I do it late at night. And talking on the phone??? That just plain never happens for more then a few minutes at a time. That's okay though. I don't mind getting interrupted by Snow white/cowgirl, or Bell/pumpkin head. They are all worth it.

Small spaces...

Nothing like being small enough to be able to fit in little nooks and crannies of an old home...

There are days...

There are days where they wish they were "an only child." There are days where they want to call each other names. There are days when they want to kill each other and I have to step in and keep children alive. And then there are days like this...and I become so thankful that I have these children in my life.