Never Before Seen Here...

I'm pretty sure I was way more entertained by these than I should've been, my friends. It was clear when I gave the sales lady at Old Navy my 4 bucks (yea, $4!) for them that they were my first pair of super hero pj's.

Remember before I was a mom, when I knew everything about raising children, and I swore my kids would never wear character clothes?? Yea, well add that to the giant list of reasons why you "never say never."

Those pj's cracked us up. After 7 years of pink and princesses, its time for a little super hero gear :).

Our First...

Ice cream cone...

of the...

season...

Kinley made a bit of a mess...

Sitting outside in the sunshine eating ice cream means Spring and Summer are one the way, right!?

Time With My Biggest Helper

I spent my birthday with my oldest little lady. Ella, my mom, and I headed an hour out of town to hang out, go shopping, and just be together. I can't even tell you how blessed I was by this one on one time with my biggest helper :).

She's just like me. The hair, the eyes, the people pleasing, and the independent personality, they all came from me.

She may have also got my stubbornness, but we don't have to talk about that right now, do we?

She's a sweetie, a trooper, and a gift...

We ate, and got our nails painted, and shopped, and tried on clothes (she's newly into trying clothes on and thinks its the coolest!).

I can't think of anything I would've rather done than sit across the table from JUST HER and listen to her talk about school, friends, silly things, and not-so-silly things. I didn't take my camera with me, so this is the only shot I got of us on my phone...

It's fuzzy, but it's a memory.

That pic is a little close up for my hate-to-be-in-front-of-the-camera-taste, but hey, you take what you can get.

I asked her if I could take just one more and she said, "moooooooom...".

I took that as a no.

We had fun, and she has already asked if we can do it again on my 32nd birthday :).

Hope you had a great weekend!

31

So, I am turning 31 tomorrow.

Thats right, 31! Remember last year when I celebrated my baby boy belly and entering my 30's on the same night? Good times.

So just for kicks, here is a random number of things that I learned and/or accepted after I entered the land of the 30's. The Lord has taught me more this year than I was ready for.

Here we go...

1. The 30's are a freeing season.

2. With age comes confidence. And the ability to not care what other people think.

3. My Mother was right. About everything.

4. I don't have to be, nor am I ever going to be the perfect mom. Just getting out of bed in the morning is a success considering that there will be poop and spit up and the probability that the children will continue to describe me and my clothes as "big" in my near future. No wonder us moms want to sleep in.

5. Love your friends. God has placed specific women by your side for a reason. That girlfriend that will listen to you cry and can also make you laugh till you cry is a gift. Embrace her.

6. Playdoh and carpet is like gum and hair. It's never pretty.

7. Staying home on Friday nights in an effort to not miss one episode of Dateline and 20/20 confirms that you are no longer cool in the eyes of the youth.

8. Marriage can be hard, but it is so worth the work.

9. Starbucks does indeed make your day better.

10. Kids are the most humbling mirror I've ever had. They are listening, imitating, and repeating. It's time to think before you speak or act.

11. Pray for patience. And then pray for some more. You're going to need a lot of it, cause raising kids isn't easy.

12. Grandmas have the ability to save you before you go off the deep end.

13. Just be upfront and honest, even if it's uncomfortable. It will save relationships, and more importantly, it will clear your mind so you can move on regardless of the outcome.

14. Never say never. You're just setting yourself up to eat your words. Eventually you realize that character t-shirts aren't the end of the world, clean faces and matching socks aren't always on a kids agenda, and your child is also capable of a meltdown in a crowded store.

15. It's ok to admit you're struggling. God does so much work in you when you are vulnerable.

16. Choose clothes carefully...and from the age appropriate department. Classy is your new trendy.

17. If filling my house with children is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

18. The old saying is true, "You need to take care of yourself so you can take care of them.". A healthy you makes a healthy mama, inside and out.

19. I don't need to apologize for my kids when they are just being kids. If you don't like it, you can switch checkout lanes. I'm done crushing their curious spirits just cause Mr. Grumpy standing behind us has had a bad day. Ahem.

20. The housework will always be there, the kids are only little once. Even though I love when my laundry system is in full swing, all that really matters is that the kids have clean underwear somewhere, in some basket, or some pile. Right?

21. Paint nails, play hair salon, read books, and play peek-a-boo even when you have SO much else to do. Those are the most important moments, with the most important people :).

I'm thankful for an amazing year filled with His grace.

Here's to the 30's!

He Rebounds Well

 Lincoln soaked up the sunny weather with us yesterday instead of falling into end tables :).

We are all so insanely excited for Spring and Summer. I can almost smell the chlorine in the pool. Almost.

Something tells me little Lincoln will give me a run for my money this year at the ol' pool!

Boys Will Be Boys

Nothing like an eventful day.

Our very curious Lincoln took a fall today...into the side of an end table...and had a nasty gash in his mouth as a result. No fun!

The kid is into everything. I mean, everything.

I have to be honest. When I picked him up and tried to make sense of all the bleeding that was going on I thought, "yep, he's definitely a boy, this is probably the first of many!".

But he did did pretty good at the doctor, and they ended up not stitching it since it was on the inside of his mouth (praise the Lord!). He just can't have any hard table food for a few days so it doesn't re-open.

Him and his chubby cheeks were worn out from all the excitement...

Seriously, look at those cheeks. It's like he's storing food in there!

You have my permission to reach in there and give 'em a squeeze. You know you want to.

Took that pic with my phone. I hate that he got hurt, but I could sit and hold him like that for a reeeeaaaallly long time :).

Anywho, that's what we were up to today!

Boys will be boys, right?

Frozen Yogurt Bites, And Other Things On Our Monday Checklist

1. Do 324 loads of laundry.

2. Exaggerate a tad on number one.

3. Make Frozen Yogurt Bites.

They are super easy and a gigantic hit in these parts. Just drop little bite size portions of yogurt on wax paper and freeze. Lincoln adores them as well. Watch out though, they melt in your hands quicker than you think!

4. Realize at 10am that I have hardened grape jelly in my hair from breakfast.

5. Make a memo to wipe off sticky hands after breakfast before they come anywhere close to my head.

6. Turn the living room into an art room...

7. Find and hide all the scissors cause apparently we have a hair stylist in the family. She's given 2 cuts in the past week.

8. Demolish the toy area...

9. Wear the children out by having them race each other around the couches.

10. Repeat number 9.

Phew :). Mondays are always a good time, right?

10...

sweet months old...

He loves to look out the window in our room while I clean and put away clothes - and now that I can open the windows he is obsessed!

Love that curious little boy :).

The Next Thing

Sometimes a reminder is good :). Posted this time last year...

The next thing. Thats all.

I wrote about how this was my new favorite saying a while back, but God has been reminding me of it so much lately.

The other day I was in line at the store, the older girls were asking for everything on the display shelf, and Kinley and Raya were fussing over the fact that they couldn't reach that display shelf from the stroller.

(I hate those shelves.)

(I might just start letting the kids open everything on it, the stores can learn the hard way.)

(And check out lady, DON'T EVEN give me that look cause come 4pm I've been known to get that crazy look in my eyes. Know what I'm sayin'?)

I was tired, it had been one of those days, and I was trying to stay patient as they ran around doing things kids do.

The lady behind me see's the barely controlled chaos that is taking place, and she says "Wow, think you'll be done now that you have your boy? Cause this is kind of a lot to handle...how do you do it?"

And for the 1st time, instead of a fake smile with a humorous comment to try and dodge what she was asking, I said, "I just do the next thing."

She stood there with a blank stare and said, "well, I guess that's all you can do."

Yea, it kinda is all I (or any mom) can do. Because on this mom-is-so-worn-out kind of day, if I let my mind go to the fact that Eric is working late, and I have homework, dinner, baths, and bedtimes ahead of me, I might just bang my head against the wall...or cry...or both.

Just keeping it real, people.

Right now, I just need to pay for our stuff and get their sweet little behinds to the car. That's it. The next thing.

I think that's all God wants us to do, no need to worry about things that are further on down the line.

Yes, they wear me out. Yes, they are a handful sometimes. And yes, I never know if that next outing with all of them will push me over the edge. But the reality is, I'm the lucky one to be in their lives, not other way around. They are my greatest blessing.

I've recently adopted another saying from Ann Voscamp, "Life is not an emergency."

Goodness, that is so true. I think every mom should say it everyday.

Kids running down the aisle? Not an emergency.

They're fighting over toy I'm not even buying in the middle of Target? Not an emergency. 

Someone just threw up in the toy section? Not an emergency.

People are staring and whispering? Not an emergency.

One of the kiddos just had a meltdown in front of that perfect mom friend? Not an emergency. 

Your 2nd grader has started calling you "Dude"? (insert me taking a deep breath on this one, my sisters) Not an emergency.

They're little - I need to love them, train them, teach them, and forgive them. Because like me, they are also doing the best they can.

There are some battles worth fighting with the kids, but I have decided to not lose my cool or get super frustrated over the small stuff. They are such sweet little gifts, why get all upset with them mainly because I'm just overly tired?? It's just not worth it...

Because life, and mothering, is not an emergency. So for now, I'll just do the next thing. :)

While Lincoln Is Sleeping...

...the girls will be girls :).

Love all those little hands!

I Am More

Spring is almost here, I can feel it and hear it as the birds have started chirping again outside our window.

Time to clean out the closets, pull out some warm weather hand me downs, and see what clothes still fit those little bodies from last year.

And alas, the shedding of the clothes has begun. In the stores, on the magazine covers, and its on the face of every woman at the gym. Those comfy sweaters and sweatshirts have been replaced on the racks with wispy tanks and low cut camis.

I stand and look at myself in the locker room mirror before I head out and face the run that lays ahead of me. I battle with the instinct to pick apart every imperfection I have. A run is something I always enjoy - it has become a healthy release, and a way to try and reclaim a healthy version of the body that carried 6 kids.

I remind myself when I walk away from that mirror though that I am more. More than the imperfections. More than that reflection. And more than any exercise routine.

We can easily let a reflection and a routine consume our mind. But the saying, "true beauty is on the inside" is not just a saying, friends, is it something that He tells us in His Word is true.

I look over my shoulder at the much smaller college girl running behind me in her intimidating teeny, tiny sorority shorts. And instead of comparing myself like us women often do, I smile. Cause that little figure trotting behind me has yet to even dream of the miracles that my baby birthing figure has housed...

This body has seen things that the little bride in my wedding picture hanging on our wall could've never imagined. My young mind and fit self wouldn't have been able to even scratch the surface of the grace that would grow inside me someday.

Our bodies were made to stretch in ways your mama never told you - all to grow a love that gives us a glimpse of how He loves us.

Getting healthy is great, letting it consume you is not.

Each time this body swelled with newborn goodness it changed forever. I bare tell tale signs of motherhood and have incisions that will never welcome a 6 pack again.

At least not that kind of 6 pack. He replaced mine with a much better version.

I have a body that I am commanded to respect and love, and I have a responsibilty to teach 5 young girls about healthy bodies, Godly images, and what is tasteful and not. Not to mention I'm also called to set a presidence for what my son will look for someday. It's a high calling.

I am more than the short shorts and the bikinis. I am more than the pressure of the season. I am more than the trap of comparison. And I am more than a fashion statement or fitness regimine (as are you).

I am more because He says so.

And that's all I need to remember.

You've Been A Friend

Monkey, I bought you when I was pregnant with Kinley and Raya...

And Kinley loooves you. You've taken many naps...

You've had a ton of hugs...

And you've even been to the pool...

But you are one tough monkey, or "monk" as Kinley calls you.

You are her little buddy - and what could possibly be better than that??

Oh Lord, please let me always remember that sweet smile, those snowman pj's, the fresh smell of the bath, and the way her curls fall in her face as she plays with the loose stitching on him.

He's a keepsake for sure. I think I'll save him and give him to her when she has a babe of her own :).

You have a treasure in your house like this, right??

Weekends At Home (And Homemade Chocolate Granola)

I adore lazy weekends. We usually have more on the calendar than we need, so a quiet weekend is always nice.

I packed the kiddos up and ran some errands yesterday. We went to Hobby Lobby to pick up some craft supplies and such. I was actually looking for a new frame, but by the time we got to that department we were in pre-meltdown mode. You know the stage right before the actual meltdown happens? Yea, that's where we were. They're little, it's expected.

I do love going to Hobby Lobby.

Except for that one time when one of the girls put a handheld fan up to her hair at the checkout, which resulted in an interesting hair cut. Ah, memories.

They've had fun with what we bought. You won't find decor like this in your latest Pottery Barn catalog :)...

They might not match our color scheme, but OH how they love them.

The kiddos are always a fun bunch to run around with. I might come home with a few more grey hairs, but I love 'em. Some of you might have seen this cell phone pic on Facebook...

I don't know why we make the employees so nervous. Ahem.

But anyway, we are just relaxing at home this weekend, soaking up some chilly sunshine in the trampoline, and making some of our homemade chocolate granola bars...

Oh, and little Lincoln will spend a lot of time doing this...

He loves to stand at those doors and look outside. I think he is just as ready for Spring as we are :).

Till later!

More Answers

It's Friday! I thought I'd answer some of those questions people asked a while back when I said, "go ahead, ask me anything!". Sorry for the delay :).

Oh, and I had a better mom day yesterday, hope you all did as well. I even put my yelling voice away and brought out my "inside voice". Can't you just imagine the children telling you to use your "inside voice'?? Ha, makes me laugh. Motherhood is an adventure, that it for darn sure.

Anyway. On with some questions...

Do your children do chores?

Yes, the older ones especially. We have a chore chart, nothing fancy, but it works. The older girls are responsible for putting their clothes away, clearing their dishes, cleaning up the basement (where we spend a lot of time playing and such), making their beds, picking up things in their room, and my favorite...listening the first time. That last one is a doozy. It's no necessarily a chore, but it is great that it is always on the chart as a reminder.

Seems like a lot of stuff, but in reality, it isn't. None of those things take them much time at all. And hey, there is a good amount of us, everyone needs to chip in :).

They don't always do every single one of those each day. They are pretty consistent but they are still kids. IF and WHEN they do all their chores everyday for a week, they get a treat. I bought a variety box of goodies from Sam's and they pick from there.

The younger girls (3yr olds) also help as much as they can, or as much as they understand for now. I have even had them take their clothes to their room and just lay them on their beds for me to put away later. They also help pick up and such.

Do the girls share a bedroom?

Yep, they sure do. The older 3 are in one room, Kinley and Raya are in another, and Lincoln flies solo.

Do we have a Household Binder?

No, but I can see the awesome benefits it would bring. Do you have one? I'd love to hear more about it if you do.

Could we see ourselves with another set of multiples?

Ummm, sure. Why not? Might as well pile on as much crazy as possible (insert sarcastic tone). You can see how we feel about adding more kiddos here.

How did I come to know Christ?

I grew up Catholic, went through all the main traditions and everything. I was invited to a college/career Tuesday night service at a local Christian church by one of my best friends back in 1999, I was a freshman in college. I continued going weekly and ended up accepting Christ in November of that year. My life has been forever changed by Him, he made all things new, that's for sure. That service actually became a church plant and our family still attends there. They just had their 10 year anniversary.

How did the girls react to Lincoln being different than them?

Well, we haven't had to explain a ton, because they can clearly see the difference - although I think it came as quite a shock that boys were that different :). The thing that made me laugh the most when we first brought Lincoln home was Kinley and Raya repeatedly saying, "Look! I used to have one of those when I was a baby!". I think they thought it would just fall off eventually? I would always reply, "Um, no sweetie, you never had one, they're only on boys."

Do we have a daily schedule?

Yes, absolutely. Actually, I've recently changed our routine up a bit, and added some more things. I'll save that for a different post :).

Soooo, there are some answers. I can always answer any questions about our family, not that we're super interesting :). I'm pretty open...within reason.

Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a great weekend!

A Cross (But Loving) Mother

Welcome to the land of no sleep. Population: Us.

My patience seems to have gone out the window, my friends. Along with my sanity. And my non-yelling voice. And my ability to not bury my stress and feelings in a bag of jelly beans.

I shouldn't be short with the kiddos. After all, it's not their fault I'm tired.

(Well, technically it kinda is, but I don't want to point fingers.)

We had a great Valentines Day, made upwards of 75 cards, and baked some goodies...

We've had enough red food dye to last us till July.

My tiredness has led me to the end of my rope where I tend to stand and yell things about deserving time to myself and such. When the reality is, even though a few minutes of peace would be nice, deserve is not a term I should use (even though this world tells us we deserve anything we desire). Everything inside these walls that makes up my job is grace.

Deserve is a strong and demanding word that we use, even after we've received SO much.

His many blessings are enough, motherhood is enough, new mornings are enough, those sweet kisses are enough, He is enough, and I need to be constantly letting Him be my refuge - my "timeout" to refuel.

His strength is the only thing that can pull you through on these crappy mom days.

I've been a crappy mom today. There, I said it.

This little family is grace in my life. Giving unconditional love. And filling the roles of the most understanding human beings I've ever known - no one would put up with me like they do.

Laundry, folding, sweeping crumbs, wiping noses, cleaning up the flu bug, giving baths, changing sheets, rocking babies, and making meals. Repeat. And then repeat again till you feel like you might collapse.

It's all grace. Redundant at times, but always grace. I'm trying to remember that.

I like to think I'm not losing myself in this calling as much as I am finding myself in this calling.

So I thought I'd post a prayer/poem that my mom gave me, she kept it close while we were growing up. I'm sure some of you have read it before. I like to look over it when I'm on a "mean mom" stretch. It's a good one...

A Prayer For Cross Mothers

Oh God, I was so cross to the children today. Forgive me. I was discouraged and tired - and I took it out on them. Forgive my bad temper, my impatience, and most of all, my yelling. I am so ashamed as I think of it.

I want to kneel down by each of their beds, wake them and ask them to forgive me, but I can't.

They wouldn't understand. I must go on living with the memory of this awful day, and my unjust tirades.

Hours later I can still see the fear in their eyes as they scurried around trying to appease me, thinking my anger and raving was their fault.

Oh, God, the helplessness of children. Their innocence before the awful monster - the enraged adult.

And how forgiving they are, hugging me so fervently at bedtime, kissing me goodnight.

All I can do is straighten a cover, touch a small head burrowed into a pillow, and hope with all my heart that they will forgive me.

Lord, in failing these little ones that you have put in my keeping, I am failing You. Please let your infinite patience and goodness replenish me for tomorrow." -Majorie Holmes

Hoping someone else out there needed to read that as much as I did :).