Thoughts running through my head

Colby yelling to hear his echo in the toilet, nice {yes, he had just flushed it}

kids putting their fav blanket on my bed...to help..nice

Runny noses, sick kids, getting better, thankful, sunny out, but is it warm enough for my kids?

7-7 on my own....you? Spring and Summer = Mommy! Good and bad. I'm the firm one, so it's good, but I love quality time w/my hubby, so it's sad for me.

cooking raw? I think about it...but so far my food is mix of no wheat *often gluten free, no dairy (except for Adam and the twins), healthy foods, not much processed, trying to get away from any boxed stuff (except for Adam's snack foods he loves, taquitos, etc...and only he eats), lots of beans and rice [from scratch], trying to add in more veggies for us all, and raw - well maybe one day...i Like the idea for myself, but w/so much more going on, it's figuring out what works for my life where it is now, you?
juicing? It's fun, but I only break out my really wonderful juicer once a month or so (it's my lunch on some days and I experiment to see what my kids will like/try).

working out - it's an idea again, sometimes it's a reality. I've done it enough over the past 6 months that I know when I do, I feel so good. I want to have energy to keep up w/my boys.

yummy food - why I spend time cooking =  I love to eat good food!

siblings - I love my 13+ siblings....near and far, and did I mention my folks and the youngest 5 are moving = SAD {for me and my family}

babies = I love them....(just so you know...I've grown into this...and still am working on being better w/them). I have so many thoughts on this subject.....I'd have to say it's God given since I'm not the kinda of gal who ups and holds every baby she sees, but the LOVE I have is there!

Kids w/food allergies = adventure  and lots of new cooking recipes = good and bad.

Listening to the neighbor mow her lawn, soon I won't have neighbors that close (moving in a few months = still local).

Gardening - I get to plant a garden and then learn to dry/can/freeze and give away all the yummy goodness that comes from it. {Disclaimer - Adam is helping me otherwise it'd all be just one big project that I kill, not so good w/animals or plants. And my friend, Chesy is gonna be my side kick in this new adventure}

Eyebrows - I"m addicted to getting them done at a salon, and they are long over due, but w/my new bangs, you can't tell, I actually forgot about them.....but they are starting to get my attention. Lebanese may not have hairy legs/arms (the girls), but for some reason we are blessed w/ very full eyebrows (uni-brow).

I've gotten away from my new structure of chores and then fun.....so now I am gonna be really focused...and clean during my boys every shortening nap time.
Dishes....and beyond....!
P.S. Favorite cookbooks?

Wedding cakes, bridesmaids and more...

Ok, so for those who were waiting for a cake picture of my labor of love last month.....well, I have to wait till someone posts one on facebook! Yes, I forgot to get one. I was just so happy it was done and turned out so lovely and tasty. I actually baked a thousand cakes (10ish) till some didn't turn into a moist pile of cake....and froze them (that's a cake decor trick).....delivered to my Mom's. Then on the AM of the big wedding day, I helped make frosting and stack and frost w/my Mom. I did get to leave the finishing touches to her and I was ready to after the week of baking (ok, it was only like 2 days of baking, but the rest of the week was playing catch up on my chaos from those 2 days).
So, I zipped off to get ready, giving myself and the other 13 of us an hour and a half to get lovely looking. I walked in (and was actually one of the firsts there at the site) and so got Larissa (my cousin's wife and wonderful friend to us all) to myself. She dolled up my face, and let me say, it was the boldest I've ever worn my makeup. I hope to re-create this someday for a date or something. (Adam worked all day up to the wedding ceremony).
 It has only taken me a month to recover now and finally post my blog thoughts on this wonderful cake and more amazing wedding. I was blessed to see 2 of my friends get married and love who they are.
Well, I do have more to share, and sad that's it's been way too long since my last post. Getting back on track being organized with my time and energy. Wow, a wedding and cake really took a lot of my energy.
Until I post again....

How can you put the life into words

But....it helps to get to. So thankful for blogs....which for me can be like a journal of life.
{I am currently on hold....and using the time to blog, oh, wait they cut me off, I get to call back}

Well, I'm hearing my kids playing in their room, trying to get some important 'paper work' done.

We have our house on the market, and got a quick offer....but still showing it here and there, so that means I need to stay on top of my house (and chore chart).
I like to add craziness (but really it's just real life and me in training)....we are potty training (we = me mostly) Colby, with some interest from my twins, Kyle and Ryan. Mostly Ry-ry likes to sit.....and just hold it for 1/2 a day, but hey that's progress....really! This means lots and lots of stories, so thankful for library books!!!! {variety for me to read at least}

I must interject some fun kids stories....I just heard Kyle cry....and then Ryan ask "ok?"......so sweet! All if fine....really. Earlier this AM, Kyle sat in Colby's spot at our dining room table and was giving his stuffed doggy a drink from his sippee....so cute. I love that they are loving...for the most part.

So, house on the market, keeping my house clean, Ryan not feeling too hot....Roseola.....not so fun, but not too serious....just cooped up till this weekend, when we are no longer contagious. And I can make a gluten free/dairy free pizza for a party we are going to. I know, you're jealous and wish you could have some, too.

Let me add to my list of fun, planning a shopping trip. Still doing the math on what I need to make a carrot cake for 80 ppl and a choc for the rest.....wedding cakes! Yes, I do one a year...AND I'm in the wedding. Thankfully, my Mom, is going to build, decorate and deliver the cake, I just get to shop for it and bake it. She is even whipping up the gallons of frosting, too. So I get to alter my dress, simple ( I hope)......and this girl needs nylons....I used to scoff at them, but these legs in my cute spring dress will be a bit warmer (and not so white).

Adam, my busy hubby, is working through the weekend, too, so it's all alone that I attempt this and not sure how I am squeezing my shopping in to this, late at night, I'm sure. {When you're wonderful hold music stops, and it's scary to wait and see if they'll come back with this great music to let you know if you'll be cut off again for the 3rd or 4th time after waiting for 15 mins each time, am I complaining, no. Just makes your heart stop for a min.}

It's good to hear the laughter from the other room, and know all is well.

I'll hopefully let you know if I really get time to make my own laundry detergent this week, or my other small projects that I'm attempting in the effort to spend more wisely.

Back to waiting .....to see if they dropped me again.....oooh, yeah the 'bad' music is on again.....


It sounds like I'm dumping my to-do list here...oops. Just so many things I'd like to do, but have to just try each day to do what I can.

Comments

Hey, I hear comments all the time about how my hands are full. But - I know that should be enough, but wondered if anyone read my blog...and it's ok to comment on here.
Or does the feature of comments not work, let me know and I'll figure that out.
Ok, back to finding flank steak recipes......yummy.

Full days = full heart

Equals a busy life for this ever changing procrastinator (though no longer a perfectionist of the worse sort, just sorta). So many thoughts through out the day that I would love to share, but when it comes time to share, they are gone...and all I can dream of is sleep.
I did just get to go away for over 24 hours to a bridal shower and bachelorette party....in Tahoe!  Adam gladly watched the kids (this wasn't so when they were babies and you know how scary a baby can be to a man...well to a lot of men, this isn't a diss, it's just fact)....and I completely enjoyed my time away, and am just now catching up on sleep. Did I mention I Love my husband! (Not just for watching our munchkins all weekend). I got to celebrate a friend who is getting married, we talked marriage, real marriage, the good, the hard, the nitty gritty and all that we've learned (so far). I am so thankful for friendships that can stay together over time and changes. And yeah for getting to love and celebrate my friend, Ms. Powers....she's losing a good last name, but gaining a great man. I don't know if I'll get over calling her by her last name (maiden)....that is.
It was wonderful to be with my sisters (blood and ones I call sister) and am looking forward to our time together next month = wedding! I get to be in it, oh, and somehow decorate (and bake) the cake for the wedding. I've got my Mom on board, so in between her own 6 kids (that is the ones left at home, but all will be coming home for this event = 13+) and real estate, she's gonna help me, so I can get ready (spend time) with the bride to be. I didn't over-commit, I just have a great (and crazy fun) Mom. {history fun fact: I taught my mom to decorate cakes, when she bought a bakery and told me I was now in charge of decorating = a dream, but not a lot of skill. Let me tell you, I learned really fast to get good!!!! Hours of practicing in between selling donuts}.
I never feel like I've got it together, but I feel like I'm always learning. I wish I had it all together, but nope. I'm learning to manage my home, train my kids, take care of myself, enjoy chore charts (I do have one, but am still learning to do it every single day). Today {I'll brag at what I'm learing}, I was going to do ALL the chores I didn't get done this week (or 1/2 of last weeks) due to tax prep, home selling paperwork, and a family budget we were compiling.....and then I remembered this is why I have my chore chart, not to slack off and then spontainously do 5 in one day and 'hate' it. So, I just did todays (and love it).....it's all about consistency in life {and w/kids}. REALLY someday I'll get this.
I'm trying to enjoy my 'dying' times....along w/times of life (this is all word pictures). For the most part I do feel very blessed, but when I get frustrated and realize I am not a patient mom, and that I need to work on myself and love my kids in new ways....it's kinda revealing, ya know. I learn daily that I have to learn to love, by giving of myself to my kids/family. It's in small and big things, but I really want to get this...love. I know it's basic, kids are so simple with their love. It's sometimes just hard for me to die to my selfishness, or change my bad habits becuase they dont' benifit my family (Or myself).
Just in case Auntie Ambie reads this, Kyle came and gave me a big hug after I changed his diaper...he initiated it on how own!!!! Loved it! 1 1/2 and already giving hugs (and love).
It's time to prep dinner (I start really early....so it's actually ready when we are).....so long, and hope to write soon, very soon.

 

Great grandma Joyce and all my little men

I have decided.....

I have decided that I'd like out of survival mode. Round and round I go....and where I'm going, no one knows. {hmmm, maybe i've read too many nursery rhymes. By the way some of those are a bit intense and I don't think they are really for little children}.
Back to my thoughts and goals. I'm tired, but I need to summon the energy to push a bit more and jump this hurdle. If you've every gone rock climbing ( I did when I was in shape, a.k.a. before babies) and you have to give it a few very last pushes/lunches/reaches up....even when you have NO strength left....let me just say the noises/groans are not so lady like, but it's the very deepest of the energy you can muster. (ok, so maybe I wasn't in that great of shape..hmmm...).
I want out of survival mode with my 3 toddlers....as much as is reasonable. It's not fun at first, but it's already starting to feel better, like when you eat healthy or excersice....it becomes fun as you do it.
Step 1 = a chore chart...yes, I must confess I'd thought of it before (and when venting/talking/complaining/asking for advice from my mom) she suggested it. I resisted....I didn't want such a set regimine....I'm already tired and working a lot. I didn't want to fail if I didn't succeed. It got easier, really. I decided I needed one. Adam and I did it together....so he could see what (how hard I work) I do all day and what he can do to help after work or on the weekends w/ our extra chore chart. Of course, you can't put it all on paper, but it has helped tremendously. My kids will someday have one, I grew up with one. For now my kids help w/diapers, putting their dirty clothes away, toy pick up and being them.
This is just the beginning.....did I mention I'm making time to work out a bit....a few days a week. And since I cut out dairy and wheat in Dec (the week of Christmas, not so fun).....I'm gonna work on setting up more menus that incoporate no dairy or wheat.....
I am feeling like I'll be out of this survival mode and into enjoying life. And maybe even enjoying dishes.
My fun goals: are to spend more time being intimate w/ Jesus....just taking the time to hang. For now that's during my dishes. I decided to pick my hardest task to have my music on and worshipping....it's getting fun, dancing w/ my dishes. AND to spend more time w/ my family/friends.....succeeded at few fun playdates....and great visit at Mary's house
Ok, time to relax and clean my kitchen, but not in that order. (I'm laughing if you can hear me).

I have more on my heart....but will share some of it soon. I should add blogging to my schedule of fun!!!!

I'm back, I think

So, I'm back, I want to make time to blog (and let my dishes sit in the sink). I'm not sure my New Year's resolutions are working, really, though my goal to see the outside world a bit at a time is happening. And to someday be more organized (this part still in the works for the rest of my life). Well, w/ my hubby asleep on the couch, the kids all in bed, it feels like it's time to at least say, Hello!
We had a great Christmas w/family and more family. A New Years's, well, let's just say "What happens at the cabin, stays at the cabin." Nothing too exciting, but it was a fun year, w/me babysitting all my kids and more while the New Year came in (don't worry I had fun before that). I enjoyed being a Mom and bringing in the New Year w/my sleeping babes (and nephew/nieces/ and a little sis). 
I have lots of ideas....but do you ever find that in the A.M. they sound like a lot of work. Getting up at 6 am feels so much earlier than sleeping in until 6:50 am. Sitting on the ground w/ the kids feels so much better (in my sweats = a.k.a. p.j.'s) than doing something else, cuddling in the AM, instead of getting up. yum.

This is again, a quick post, becuase it is the New Year, so I"m gonna finish my dishes (at least start them) before bed....so I'll write again, but just wanted to say hello NEW Year!