I went under!

Wow, did I ever go under!
But I am back now, with a new determination to use the blog the way I intended to. The good thing about "drowning" in motherhood is that you can always come back up, no matter how long you've been under. No mouth to mouth resuscitation is necessary... much to husband's chagrin! I'm ready to face the New Year with goals that will help me be a better mother. First and foremost is to be thankful for my children, and face my daily challenges with a better attitude.
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Take a deep breath...

I will blame my lack of blogging on the fact that my kids had fall break. We took a short "vacation" to California to visit family. I use the term "vacation" rather loosely here, since I am really just "working off-site". We did have a lot of fun, though, and even got to dip our toes in the Pacific Ocean, a first for my kids!

The weather didn't cooperate, so it was WAY to cold to swim, but somehow that didn't stop the kids from getting SOAKING WET! We had to strip them down before they got into the vehicles, so they rode home in their underwear, which they thought was awesome.

It's amazing to me how something like a one-hour trip to the beach can be like taking a deep, relaxing breath. It's those "deep breath" moments that help keep me afloat!

I also think it's amazing that my husband managed to only take pictures of the kids from the back! (Love you, honey!)

I'm floating, floating...

It's been such a great day! We started off with pancakes, which always seems to make the day go well! It's a recipe that I got out of one of my mom's cookbooks, and I have tweaked it over the years until it has become my own. My kids gobble them down, so they must be pretty good! So, I am going to share the recipe!

Pancakes
2 cups skim milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup oil OR applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder

Combine wet ingredients, then add in dry ingredients. Mix with a whisk, then cook on a hot griddle.

As you can see it makes a LOT of pancakes! I used to make half the recipe, but with 4 kids that just isn't enough anymore!

Yesterday and today we had parent-teacher conferences for my 2 oldest. One is in 4th grade, one is in 1st grade. We received GLOWING reports for both boys! YAY! These are the times when I feel like maybe I am making progress as a mother. It helps me to be able to see my kids from someone else's perspective, and when all that person sees is good, it makes it easier for me to focus on the good as well.

MY KIDS ARE GREAT!!!

Now I am ready to get back to swimming!

These are a few of his favorite things...

My baby has some new hobbies! He has mastered the lever handles that are on every door in our house, he can now reach the water dispenser on the front of the fridge and LOVES to splash water around the front room, and he adores shoving things up his nose!

Seriously?!

Every time he does it, he comes crying to me to get it out! This morning I had already removed a bead and a popcorn kernel before 9:00! Yes, another popcorn kernel. Where did he get it? I have no idea, because we haven't had popcorn in the house for about a week now, and I have vacuumed several times since that.

I've been told that I'll miss all this when they are older, but I'm not sure I am convinced!

On a positive note, he does give great hugs and kisses! That's what keeps me swimming!

Climb every mountain...

or just fold it and get it put away! I'm really great at keeping up with washing and drying the laundry, it's just folding it that is challenging for me. My sister and I had a conversation about that one day. Isn't that what couches were truly made for? Holding all the laundry that needs folded? I just hope nobody pops in for a visit just yet! I guess it's time to put Pride and Prejudice in the DVD player and let Colin Firth distract me while I turn my mountain into neat little piles for the kids to put away.

Colin Firth can make any dreaded task a little more enjoyable!.

Maybe I'll even get my floor mopped!

The Artful Daughter

I have a 4 year old daughter that LOVES to draw, color, paint, smear things on walls, etc., etc. The other day she came to me and asked if she could paint. I told her no, not right now. Well apparently that answer was unacceptable to her.

Isn't it lovely?!

The only part that truly bugged me was the paint that dripped on the floor, and that came up quite easily.

Why did I tell her no in the first place? Because at that moment I was busy trying to remove the popcorn kernel that my 18 month old had shoved up his nose!

There's never a dull moment in our home!

Just 5 minutes for me???

My friends all think I may be certifiable. Why? I recently volunteered to take on 4 additional kids for a few days so my friend and her husband could take a trip out of town to settle some family affairs. Eight kids in the house, and seven of them were boys! It was wild, and loud, and crazy and fun! So when my friend picked up her kids the other day, I decided to go lay on my bed for just 5 minutes and look at a catalog. Just a little break before starting dinner.



What was I thinking???



We are calling it The Great Peanut Butter Incident of 2010. Although we may have to change the name if it happens again, which is possible!

See what happens when you stop swimming for 5 minutes?