They Were Right

I was warned.  I had heard it many times.  I listened and took note as much as I knew how.  As I sit here crying and typing, I wonder if I could have done better with their words.  They said...
It goes by so fast.  Don't blink.  Enjoy it while you can.  Before you know it they're gone. 

They were right.  So right.

So, I will add to their warnings.  I will tell you.  I will shout it out, IT REALLY DOES GO BY SO, SO, FAST! 

They were right.  There is no rewind button on this beautiful life.  I am so thankful for those times I stared long and hard at my children, burning vivid memories of each of them into my brain.  I'm thankful in the crazy, busy, messy, hard times, I took stock.  I'd hear the warnings from older moms whisper quietly into my spirit...before you know it they're gone.  So, I'd take a moment to fully be present in that moment. 

I haven't blogged in a very long time.  Today, I felt compelled to add my "older mom voice" to the many that have spoken it before me.  Moms of young ones, in the middle of the crazy season, enjoy.  Find moments in the very long, repetitive days to gaze long into their eyes.  To inhale the sweet aromas of mothering.  To laugh and let go.  To snuggle and cuddle.  To take it all in.  Because very, very soon, you will be me.  You will have watched your last baby graduate Preschool, and realize after summer, the house will be quiet.  As exciting as the anticipation of that has been, today's reality hit me hard.  Life is moving fast. 

As I sit here and reflect, I am thankful.  I am sad.  I am happy.  I can close my eyes and see Joey, Jadon, Christian, Elia, and Grace.  I can see births, giggles, first steps, BIG messes, tears in the trials, joy and victory in the successes.  I can see five children that I have the privilege to lead and guide to adulthood.  I can continue to be fully present in every single day.  I will. 

Because they were right...before I know it, they will be gone.

Ear Plugs Are This Girl's Best Friend

Sometime over the course of this journey called motherhood, I discovered ear plugs. I think my husband introduced me to the squishy beauties. I'm a person that needs it pitch black and completely silent to sleep. There must be no soft glow from a clock or tv. The moon is not permitted to peak through my curtains. I need it dark. I also need it quiet. Enter, ear plugs.

Over the years I have found myself relying on them much more. I often leave them in until the boys get on the bus. My ear plugs drown out the early morning loudness quite wonderfully. Relax, I can still hear them. Their voices are just softer at 7AM. If one of them was bleeding, I would hear it. I have forgotten, on several occasions, to take my ear plugs out. I've realized at the grocery store check out. I've realized at a friend's house. I've realized at the boys school. Not to worry though, I just pop 'em out and stick my beloved's in my pocket. I'm not ashamed.

Ear plugs also come in handy for day time love with your husband. While it doesn't help the bangs at the door, it dulls the chaos that is happening since we left them unattended.

I buy my ear plugs in bulk. I keep them in my nightstand. You can also find them in every drawer, in my car, in my jacket, on the washer, and any other place I happened to be when I realized they were still in my ears.

Ear plugs are this girl's best friend.

Goodbye, Boys

The boys headed back to school this morning, sadly. I am normally very excited to send them off after a long break. Sorry, but it's the truth. This morning though, I wasn't excited. I found myself soaking in long stares of each of their faces. I carefully tried to remember our week. The past ten days were filled with so much joy and laughter. Yes, and some yelling too, but more laughter. We didn't do anything super special, we just spent a lot of uninterrupted time together, as a family.

I think I enjoyed this holiday season so much more because I decided to be much more relaxed. Whatever got done, got done. Whatever didn't, didn't. The house stayed manageable, but I didn't turn into a crazy woman when it got messy. The playroom is still a mess, but here I sit on the couch with my girls. Life is too short not to enjoy it. My kids are too important not to enjoy them. I needed this week to pause and listen to Joey's lengthy stories, something I would normally cut short. I needed this week to play the wii with Jadon, something I would normally say, later. I needed this week to help Christian set up his toys and take pictures of them, something I would normally say, not now.

I am thankful for this week. We enjoyed each other.

Today...

I am wearing... my "frumps", as my husband affectionately calls them.  Frumps are basically any non-sexy, comfortable clothes.  At the moment it's a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. 

I am wondering... if I forgot anything important that is school related.  It's becoming more difficult to keep track of three boys in school.  Everyday, three agendas need signing, homework needs sorting, snack days need planning, certain clothing needs to be worn on a certain day, certain items need to be sent in for certain events, and money is always needed for something.  Joey is in chorus and now plays the trumpet.  That comes with keeping track of practicing, making sure he's prepared, and having him dressed appropriately for every concert he sings at in school.  It's a lot.  I miss things sometimes.  I try really hard not to, but I do.  There are still two more girls to add to the school mix.  Phew.

I am thankful for... well, everything!  It's thanksgiving week, so it's been on my mind.  We have so much to be thankful for.  When I start to complain, I count my blessings, and it makes the complaints seem ridiculous.  I'm so very thankful.

I am overwhelmed by... I actually don't feel overwhelmed by anything today!  Really!  Now I feel the need to mark this date down in the calendar!

I am eating... plain Cheerios with my girls, no milk, while watching Bubble Guppies.  I'm also drinking a cup of coffee from the Keurig with Bailey's Cream Brulee creamer.  No, there is no alcohol in it.  Gross. 

I can hear... the Bubble Guppies, obviously, but I can also hear Gracie breathing.  She's all up on me.  She's getting big.  She's not a baby anymore.  It makes me sad and happy all at once.  Her breathing floods my heart with memories.

I am going... to try my "Rain Jet" Rainbow attachment at naptime.  I am anxious to see how it works on the ceramic tile, hardwood floors, and white vinyl in the kitchen.  I am going to try it, if I don't take a nap.

I am hoping... my friends burden feels lighter today.  She is amazing and beautiful and does things I could never do. 

Around the house... it's a mess.  I don't clean over the weekend because we're so busy.  When Monday comes, it's a war zone, hard hats recommended.  Usually I'm tired on Monday because of the busyness, which makes the cleaning even harder to accomplish.  I did clean out the fridge and scrub it already.  Score one for the mom.

One of my favorite things... worship music.

Random pictures for sharing... (I hope they stay best friends forever)

The Case of the Missing...wait for it...

this blog is intended for women only.  be advised. 

GRANNY PANTIES!  For crying out loud, where are all my granny panties!?  I suspect my husband has been secretly stealing them and throwing them out.

There are two occasions that call for granny panties; that magical time that comes once a month, and after delivering a baby.  Since I will never again deliver a baby, I just need my buddies for my period.  Period.  Am I grossing you out or do you feel me on this?  Holla!

Besides, my granny panties aren't all that bad.  They are the Hanes bikini briefs that don't ride up.  I think they say "no wedgies" on the package actually.  Really though, who feels sexy during that time of the month?  Anyone?  Why must I wear sexy underwear then?  My husband disagrees.  He hates the grannies.

Granny panties are on my shopping list this week.  Do you wear the grannies?

Five Question Friday

1.  What's the last thing you spent too much money on?

Sigh.  My newest member of the family...Mr. Rainbow Vacuum.  I'm frugal.  I don't purchase items with such big price tags.  But, after seeing this...

I decided we must have one.  It sweeps, and washes hardwood floors, and shampoos carpets, and purifies my air, and much more.  It was worth every penny.  That's what I keep telling myself.

2.  What celeb chef would you like to make you dinner?

I don't even know how to answer.  I love cooking shows.  I love Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, and everything on Food Network.  With all of the cooking shows I watch, you'd think I'd like to cook.  I don't, not at all.  So, if I could have a celeb chef cook me dinner, I'd have to pick Wolfgang Puck.  He's cute, he's got an accent, and he says it like it is.  OK, or Gordon Ramsey for the same reasons.

3.  Where do you hide things when visitors pop over, or do you let them see the "real deal"?

If you pop over without giving me a five minute warning, you're getting the real deal.  If I get the five minute warning, I will at least sweep up the cheerios, throw any loose toys back into the playroom, and get any dirty dishes shoved into the dishwasher.  If I did that quickly enough I also like to wipe down the tables.  They're always dirty.  I have five kids.  My house is never spotless.  Never.  Let me really emphasize that, NEVER!  I think most of our friends and family love us in spite of our dirty houses.  If not, oh well.

4.  Who is your oldest living family member?

I'm not 100% sure.  Candy, if you're reading this, I apologize.  I think it's my great grandmother in Florida.  Grandma in Florida is her name.  She lives close to the beach and I think she's in her nineties.  We use to stay with her and my great grandpa when we went to Disney.  She's Polish and likes to feed people.  As old as she is, she's still young in spirit.  Now I feel compelled to see if I'm right about this answer.

5.  What is your favorite DQ treat?

Gosh, we don't go there much.  We once this year after pumpkin picking and spent over $30 bucks on ice cream for the seven of us!  When I was a kiddo, it was the peanut buster parfait.  I remember saving all of the fudge and peanuts for the end, and then wanting to puke because I was so full.  I prefer the local ice cream stand or plain ol' Mickey D's for a cone.  I do like the new "mini" blizzards, but the price is a rip-off.  Sorry.  It's true.

Happy Veteran's Day!  Enjoy the long weekend!

Five Question Friday brought to you by fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com

Christian Gets Grossed Out!?

Christian is having a hard time staying in his seat on the bus.  He likes to bounce up and down and talk to the girls behind him.  This is a problem.  I decided to reward the positive behavior, instead of repeatedly disciplining the bad behavior.  If he behaves all week and does not get in trouble, he gets to have a friend over on Friday. 

Christian is super excited about this.  He happily hops off the bus each day and tells me how well he did.  He's three for five.  Yesterday, he rambled off the names of everyone he wanted to come over on Friday.  Based on the number, I'm guessing it was the entire class.  Well, maybe not the whole class.

He said he did not want to have *Bernardo over.  I asked him, why?

"I don't want *Bernardo to come over because he is really gross!" he emphatically said.  He was adamant and very serious.  This was no joke to him.  I then asked him why *Bernardo was gross.

"He chews on his fingers and he spits out his gum!" Christian explains.

I don't really see the big deal at this point.  All kids are gross.  What kid doesn't do something like this?  My kids do this!  How nasty could *Bernardo really be?  Before I could finish my thought or say another word to Christian, he blurts out, "AND HE LICKS HIS LUNCHBOX!!"

His voice shrieked and his lips curled with disgust.  He was completely grossed out.  I found it comical.  I've never seen the boy grossed out before.  He is gross.  All of my children are gross.  Why was this boy freaking him out so much?  I was biting my lip so I did not laugh out loud.  This conversation lead to a discussion about making sure to include everyone, even lunchbox lickers. 

I have a sneaking suspicion he may throw the whole challenge, just so he doesn't have to risk a play date with *Bernardo.  We'll see.


*Names have been changed for anonymity.