Need Washing?

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.

It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the WalMart.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, 'Mom let's run through the rain,'

she said.

'What?' Mom asked.

'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited a minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain..'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?'

'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ' If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ' '

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.

They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did.

I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

What were they thinking??

I'm no wine coneseur but this looks disgusting!

Not now, I'm Pinteresting!

I finally got an invite to Pinterest.

Oh boy.

Being a visual person (with no decorating sense at all), it is almost a mind blowing find for me! I do not have the ability to think of a decorating idea in my head or see an item in the store and visualize how it will fit into my home. Beyond that, being able to pin something you see on the internet that you hope you will always remember (but, let's face it, I've got too much Nick Jr. and Call of Duty stuck in my head to fit any more). What I have the most fun pinning are Favorite Places and Spaces. I love to look at what others' have done with the spaces in their homes.

Imagine waking up in this every morning, especially with all the sunlight through those spacious windows.

This just says cozy to me!



O.M.G. Need I say more?!

This would be my dream vacation, waking up on the blue water every day, just step out to swim in the morning light. Heaven!

What are you Pinteresting?

Thankful Thursday

I've decided to do Thankful Thursday, mostly because yesterday was so hellacious I really need to remind myself of a few things.

I'm thankful for all of my babies, even with the teens' trash talking and babies', I'm not going to sleep, I'm going to scream all day. They all still let me cuddle and kiss them, even though they may give me baby snots or wipe off my germs.

I'm thankful for my husband, who comes home and immediately helps by making dinner or taking the babies. Even though we may argue about bedtime, I love you and appreciate you!

I'm thankful for my friends (have you visited my bestie's blog, Raising Home? GREAT decorating tips!) Even the ones on Facebook that I haven't seen in 20 years, I appreciate you making me laugh every day!

I am thankful for my family, my home, and for God giving me all these blessings in my life, and I pray that I will be a blessing in these special people's lives this week!

*I saw the clipart on another blog, Training Happy Hearts, but I couldn't link it to the original page, Women Taking a Stand

My baby is a night owl

He's been staying up until 10:30.

When you get up five times in the night with various children 10:30 is too late!

Then there's the locking up, getting bottles ready, setting the coffee, bringing everything to bed routine.

I've always been a night owl, so he gets it from me.  But getting up with the babies is really kicking my butt and changing my habits.  If only he knew that.  Poor Rick went to bed in a huff because he has to get up at 6:30.  Let the record show:  Honey, I'm sorry.  

A bath doesn't help.  Waking him up earlier from his last nap doesn't help.  He will lay down and have bottle and a binky but then when we fall asleep my body hurts so much from sleeping in one position.  You know the one, arms around him so he doesn't move/get squished/feels loved.  Once my shoulder or hip hurts so much it wakes me up, he sleeps fine in his own bed.  If he doesnt' change his sleeping habits Santa will be one tired guy.

How do you get your baby to bed at a decent hour?

I need my nanny back

I got to take a shower.  A real shower, not the, hurry-up-and-wash-before-the-babies-cry shower.  I was so giddy, thinking of witty Facebook statuses that I could post.

Like, "I finally got to take a shower.  All you mommies, you know you're jealous."

And, "I was wondering what that smell was in the house, but now that I got to take a shower it was me.  I think the smell of baby poop is permeating my skin."

I turned on the water to its normal setting:  to where I always is.  I get in and its lukewarm.  Did I pay the water bill?  Well the water was on but what if that was leftover water in the heater?  Did I pay the gas bill?  I start to panic and rush to wash my hair, thinking of the gas bill, that couldn't be it.  

I just didn't know which way was hot and which was cold.

At the end of the shower I finally tested it and took a minute of glorious hot water, but I knew the joke hubby would say.  "Well maybe if you used it more often..."  Ha.ha.

We had a nanny for a few months over the summer when I was put on bedrest because I couldn't pick up Aidan.  I think she needs to come back occasionally so I can shower.

Two sick babies

I actually thought this was kind of easy. Not in the sit-around-and-eat-bon-bons kind of way, but in the I-haven't-pulled-my-hair-out-yet kind of way.

Was I wrong.

How do you keep your hands clean while holding a baby in one hand and wiping a snotty nose with the other?

Not to mention its raining outside so I've resorted to peepee pads for Lola. She is rather smart, when I locked her outside in the rain she would run to the other side of the yard and back so I would think she peed.

Here's to a speedy recovery and hoping I will have five minutes of baby-free time today.

Yes, I typed this with one hand while holding Gavin...

Someone's having a good day!

Christmas is coming

Passing two payday loan stores this morning, it makes me wonder how many people will be using these services for Christmas. Times are really hard, I know we will be scraping and stretching to buy for 4 boys this year.

Remembering my Christmases as a kid, an only child, I always had plenty under the tree. It was never anything extravagant or expensive, maybe equivalent to buying from Family Dollar, but having so many beautiful packages under the tree was pricesless for me as a girl. My parents did struggle the first few months after Christmas every year, my dad working at a factory and my mom a part time lunch morther so she could be there for me.

Though we will be hard pressed with our growing family, there are so many families who will be so much less fortnunate. Hurting and hungry. Remember them when you can't get the new Dancing Elmo this year, or that new game system. It will be alright for most of us, just pray for the others and remember to give as much as possible, there are some who won't get much else.

What I can do in 31 days

Apparently not a lot.

I've seen a lot of challenges in October, organize this, create that, doing a little every day. They are great ideas! I would love to declutter my home little by little every day. It sounds so simple!

Why can't I follow it?

Is it my aversion to reading directions? Or following them, or maybe my low attention span, combined with my addiction to facebook (not to mention the BABIES!)

I have a hard time following others' routines. I have one of my own that I sort-of follow that kind-of works. I get things done. I still have to do the oh-my-gosh-they-will-be-here-in-an-hour dash around the house every time we have guests but its much better than I've done in the past, where it was sheets-on-the-junk-pile and open-the-windows-to-air-out-the-house kinda messy.

One thing that will never change:

That is Aidan's spot. I have kids, I worked hard to bring them into this world, they need their space. Maybe it has a little to do with not wanting to bring all the toys back out once they're put away, but I don't mind the play area. I don't mind not walking in that part of the livingroom (most of the time). Plus they are not legos or matchbox cars (yet) and don't hurt as much stepping on. The dirty clothes get put away, but the toys stay for my baby to play.

Everything else will get done eventually. How many days do I have to get the Halloween decorations down before the Christmas lights go up?

What is your most favorite movie?

When Harry Met Sally

Hands down.

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

How is that NOT the most romantic movie line ever?

I was trying to read a book the other day while the movie played in the background but I kept reciting the lines in my head as the movie went on. It may sound stupid but this movie defined relationships for me. Your mate should be your best friend, your confidante, and more than fate, it takes hard work and perseverance to make a relationship work.

All kidding aside

He drives me crazy sometimes but Rick is my best friend. He's always there when I need him (especially dinnertime when I can't stand to cook).

He surprised me and arranged to renew our wedding vows on our anniversary. I finally got my church wedding!


This was our actual wedding, at the hospital at 4am the night before Aidan was born. When we visit the hospital they still remember us as the people that got married there.


And after all this, he still loves me!

And this is how mommy eats...

Standing up, holding the baby, trying not to drip.

Hubby, Rick, complained that I don't post about him. Here it is: he took the picture while I was trying to eat. Over the baby. Trying not to drip. While he ate.

I don't think he will complain again.

Didn't I just wash bottles yesterday?

Seriously, what is with these babies? The bottles, the clothes, the alternating poopies every hour. Laundry Monday turned into still-doing-laundry-Thursday (soon to be Friday). I'm trying a new routine from The Fly Lady, but I have a problem with doing laundry every day. Then it never feels done. If I start laundry on Sunday, even if it takes me until Thursday, at least I have a few days of NO LAUNDRY. I like the idea of getting dressed every day, it does make me feel more human (besides the extra laundry).

I worked when Gary and Benny were younger, I missed everything. I really had no idea everything that was included in being a full-time mom. I tried to make a rule that one can't cry while I'm holding the other one but they really aren't following very well.

I really don't mean to complain, I mean, how can you when you work for these gorgeous boys.

It is a bit of spit up but he is still adorable.

It's a clean diaper. He loves helping mommy take care of the baby (i.e. there is nowhere to put the diapers that are out of his grasp).

I have the best job in the entire world. It may not end at 5 and my bosses can be a bit demanding, but hearing my baby walking around the house singing, "mom-mom" is all I need!

Our attempt with an adjustable sling

This is the new Peanutshell baby carrier Gavin and I got from UPS today. Look how happy mommy and baby are. And notice she has two hands!

This is Gavin in our first attempt at the cradle carry. I say first attempt because silly me took him off after he fell asleep, which lasted about five minutes. There is no getting him back in that position.

This is Gavin in the kangaroo carry. Looks comfy right? It is handy, of course, I got him in that position on accident trying to get him out of the thing.

There should be a disclaimer: You will still need to hold the binkie in, thus continuing to be one-handed, and you will also still need to walk around the house while wearing the sling for he can sense when you try to sit down.

We're still experimenting, which is fine since he is practically attached anyway, but if there are any sling experts out there who could advise how to make room for baby without the mommy parts getting in the way, it would be greatly appreciated!

My babies are stinky...

Yep.

Any takers?

Hubby worked til 9 last night and Gavin hasn't been napping long enough to give Aidan a bath. I could have given Gavin a bath while Aidan napped but I thought, there will be plenty of time later.

There never is a later, is there?

Now I have almost every bottle to wash AND two babies.

On the bright side, Gavin did get a new nickname, doughboy, even if it is because he smells like bread dough...

Aidan likes books

They taste good...

Cleaning House

I'm cleaning house in a lot of ways right now. Not in the actual house, that is still in limbo after Halloween weekend, but I've updated my blog, made necessary doctor appointments for the babies, made some life changes that I won't get into. It got me to thinking of a few random ideas I have about cleaning, that might be considered odd. I would rather wash the floor than vacuum. I would rather wash dishes by hand than empty the dishwasher. I would rather scrub the toilet than cook. I would rather wash bottles than put the baby to sleep (but that is a given, it takes forever). In our house, hubby and I do a give and take. I'll make the bottle if you change the poopie diaper, etc. I hate reading the directions to anything, therefore make a terrible cook. I've actually burned butter...twice in a row (he loves telling that story). I watched Friends the other day, "The One with the Messy Girl". Ross started dating this really messy girl, I mean, he went to her apartment and she started throwing food around the floor for her pet hamster to find. I used to be that messy girl. Ok, not that messy. I had pet mice but they were at least in cages. I'm proud of how far I've come. My house isn't clean every day but there are clean bottles and the floor gets washed once a week. One thing I learned from The Fly Lady, I make sure my sink is clean every day! And I got the guy ;)