And The Crowd Goes Wild

Or at least our family and friends have...


It's a Boy!

A Savvy Blog Of The Year?

And 2 posts in 1 day? Yes.

I hoped over to Multiples and More today and noticed this savvy little blog has been nominated for the Multiples Blog Of The Year! This makes mama smile, and judging by all the little flips happening inside my baby bump, I think the baby is pretty excited too.

We're up for Funniest Blog as well - I'm not sure which would be more fun to win, seeing as humor is the God given fuel that gets me through most days :).

So would you take a moment to click over here and vote for us (click and scroll down to the bottom)?? Pretty pleeaasse?? You can vote everyday till December 5th.

Thanks, friends!

Tooo-morrow...

tomorrow, we find out, tomorrow,

we're only a day a-waaaay.

Tooo-morrow, tomorrow...

Alright I'll stop.

Is it a boy or a girl, friends??

Truth be told, I couldn't care less. I loovvee having little girls, but a boy would surely shake things up around here, wouldn't he? :)

I just want to see that sweet little heart beating away, that's all I really care about. I have a really good guess at what it is from past ultrasounds, but we'll see tomorrow for sure!


I would love any prayers for a healthy ultrasound - they would be greatly appreciated :).

So, boy or girl? Oh I can't wait!

Together Is Good Place To Be

lazy days...

yummy food...

too much to eat...

listening to Christmas music...

kiddos playing...

shopping with mom...

decorating...

laughing...

relaxing...

no morning alarms...

staying in our pj's most of the day...

just being together.

It's been a good few days :).

Hope you're having a great weekend!

All Things Turkey

Well, not really, but that title seems fitting for the season.

(should've been titled This, That, And The Other Thing...Again.)

(or maybe The Best Overnight Crock Pot Oatmeal Ever.)

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I was so encouraged by your Christmas ideas - they were all fab-u-lous! We are changing up our routine this year, and I am really excited! I felt so blessed from your words, there is no doubt in my mind that God has used them to confirm our convictions :).

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I wanted to share this overnight Oatmeal Recipe that I just love. On the eve of holidays, I often make a crock pot breakfast casserole, or some kind of yummy apple cinnamon oatmeal in the crock pot. It is just nice to wake up to, and it makes the house smell fantastic. Let's all pray that the delicious smell doesn't wake this pregnant lady up through the night, because I'm not above fixing myself a bowl at 3am :).

This little lady loves to help in the kitchen right now, and the oatmeal is a perfect recipe for her to do so...

Mercy, she looks so old.

Anyway. Here is the recipe:

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal with Apples

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 cups water
2 cups old-fashioned uncooked oatmeal
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

(I double the above recipe)

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon with apple slices, coating apples. Mix oatmeal with water and salt. Put apples in bottom of crock pot and pour oatmeal mixture on top. Do not stir. Cover and cook overnight on LOW (8 to 9 hours). Recipe from Recipe Goldmine.

In the morning, stir thoroughly. Serve with milk :).

Easy right?? And so yummy!

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We are heading to visit family tomorrow and I will be out and about with my mom on Friday. Shopping the day after Thanksgiving is like a tradition for mom and I. We mainly just like grabbing some coffee and watching the crazy crowds - well, that and Target has their Disney Princess Dolls on sale for $4.99. It's a win win :).

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

The Gift Debate

It's the holidays, obviously. And as you know, I'm a big fan.

The family get togethers, the last minute shopping, the amazing meals, the look on the kids faces - all of it is wonderful to me. Just, wonderful.

But this year is a little different. With almost 6 kids, Christmas isn't cheap anymore. And even with that fact set aside, I just feel like the girls get SO much from everyone, when they really already have all they need. We by no means are real flourished with money, and even if we were, the girls wouldn't get everything they want. It just doesn't work like that around here.

We knew that having a big family would mean that everyone would not always get what they want, sacrifices would be made at times, and that we would probably never be real "well off". And honestly, I don't want to be. We're not exactly chasin' the American dream here :). But in my opinion, no money could ever top what we have been given.

The world can keep that dream, I'll take this dream.

Those girls are spoiled rotten with love anyway, no material item would ever compare to what they already have. Thankyouverymuch :).

Don't get me wrong though. Those little ladies have my number for sure. They ask for this or that, and flash some blue (or brown) eyed smiles at me, and I can cave like nothing you've ever seen.

It's hard to say no to a face like that, but I do say no. A lot.

So this year I have looked and looked at the ads. I've counted what we've saved (we have saved for the holiday season), mapped out what I'm going to pick up for the girls, and I get all excited about seeing the look on their sweet little faces when they open it. But at the same time I feel this pull, this feeling in my heart that we should be doing Christmas gifts differently, even though thats what the kiddos really look forward to.

After all, it's not about the gifts, it's about Him. The One who gave us all we have, the One who provides for our every need, and the One who gives me the amazing gift of Grace when I open my eyes every morning.

So I question myself - do they get 1 gift, 3 gifts, 6 gifts? When is enough enough? Should they give a gift to someone in need for every gift they get from us?

I just want them to really understand that this is all about giving, not receiving, you know?

So I ask you - how do you do Christmas in your house? Gifts? Traditions? Ground rules :)?

I'd love to hear...

This, That, And The Other Thing...

I'm kinda excited it's Monday because we have a short week of school and work - oh, and Thanksgiving is on Thursday!

I love the holidays. Like, a lot.

We had a full, but fun weekend. We took part in Operation Christmas Child at our church, and it was so great! It was amazing to see how many little boxes God brought into that church for so many sweet kids across the globe. I can't even tell you what a blessing it was to be a part of.

My baby bump is really starting to pop, and my appetite is back. So hide all the cake.

(And all the White Chocolate Covered Pretzels from Trader Joes.)

(And maybe the Candy Cane Hershey Kisses as well.)

Anyway...

Only 8 days till our big 20 week ultrasound!

We took the girls out for some pictures. Just a casual setting, I didn't think I could handle all those tights if I went with a more dressy theme :). They did great, these girls bless my heart day after day...

Have I ever mentioned that I like being behind the camera, and not in front of the camera?? Well, it's not my favorite thing to do, but I guess we all have to put our quarks aside for a good 'ol family picture, right?? :)

That's the fam, the (almost) 8 of us :).

Some friends went with us to help snap a few of those family shots - we had a great time. And the girls, well, they were not short on giggles...

What? You want to squeeze them as much as I do? I know, they're a fun bunch...not that I'm partial.

Alright I totally am. But can you blame me?

Hope you had a great weekend!

Happy Monday!

Makin' Some Crafts and Fighting A Bug

The girls love crafts. I mean, a lot. So I'm trying to pull some out more often - it keeps everyone busy, and it's just a great time for us all to do something together.

Even though I don't always love the clean up.

So the other night I picked up some plaster and wood ornaments from Hobby Lobby for the girls to paint. At .99 cents a piece, with 40% off that, I couldn't go wrong...

It was such a hit!

(and maybe I feel a little redeemed from my "not so great" day yesterday)

I now have 3 new favorite ornaments to hang on my tree, and the girls are just so proud :)...

Pretty cute, huh?

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Also, I am still sick with this stinkin' chest/sinus infection stuff - although I can't really rest or go back to bed because...well...I'm the mom. :)

The worst part is that I can't really take anything - I am really picky about things during pregnancy, I have to be really bad to even take a Tylenol.

So now I'm on the hunt for some natural remedies for a sore throat and congestion that really work. Any suggestions? Any proven methods out there??

Well The Truth Is...

I was one mom fail after another yesterday.

I hate admitting that!

I was tired, and have been sick, and I took it out on them.

Surely they will forget my "mean day" and my short temper, right?

I hope so.

I had tears running down my face last night on the way to the store as I thought of the day - I hated the way I had acted. I kept thinking of their little faces as they watched me yell over nothing, a mom who was clearly at the end of her rope.

I could feel God saying, "Just do the next thing, Kate. Take a deep breath in - they are little, and you are really tired. I will give you the strength you need moment by moment, be patient."

But sometimes my listening skills are just as bad as theirs. Ironic, isn't it? :)

So I write this to get it off my chest - I would much rather write about my new candy cane straw from Starbucks that I'm in love with, or post bright new pictures.

But my days don't always go as planned - well, they rarely ever go just as planned!

See, just more evidence that I don't have it all under control. I'm not the only one, right? :)

Because of the Lord's great love we are no consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

This Hat...

is a must have for the upcoming winter season...

Don't ya think?

You Two, Are 2.

too sweet...

too funny...

too wonderful...

You're two.

too squeezable...

too wonderful...

too cute...

You're two.

And your mama is too shocked at how quickly time passes.

You are my favorite 2yr olds on the planet, my Kinley Girl and Sweet Raya.

You're like a breath of fresh air.

Love you more than I could ever express - my heart truly overflows when I think of you.

Happy Birthday, my loves!

Chaos Is My Calling

It really is.

It’s the Holiday’s - so that means extra shopping trips with my whole crew. And when I say shopping, I mean throwing things in the cart at random while trying to tame my many small children. With small kids, and in our case, 5 under 6, my #1 goal in any store, is to just survive. I've got 1 hanging on the end of the cart, 1 crying, 1 strapped to me in a carrier asleep, and 2 fighting over a Veggie Tales DVD that we already have at home. I can’t make this stuff up. I'm checking my list, and I'm begging them to behave. After all, we are in public.

As I'm scanning down my list, I'm asking myself, "what can we do without?” My shopping partners have had enough, and they are making it known. It’s time to make an exit. I’m asking God for patience, or a magic button to press that will send grandma to the rescue. You've been there right?!

You can see the rest of this story over at (in)courage...

Go ahead, click over! Ahem, please :).

The Next Thing

Thats what I'm doing today.

Some days are harder, crazier, busier than others. And this week, I've been overwhelmed. So today I'm going to take Lisa Jo and Ann's advice.

Just do the next thing.

Thats it. Whatever is next in line. Just do that for now.

God gives you the strength to get through any and every crazy day - moment by moment.


I'm going to take a shower after I drag myself out of bed and not analyze the checklist that I've created in my head.

I'm not going to worry about the laundry that is waiting for me after breakfast, the errands I need to run after I get everyone dressed, or what I'm going to fix for lunch.

I'm just going to do the next thing.

I'm not going to think of how I lost my bank card at the park on Wednesday, for which the bank froze the account, thought I'd just pick it up at the Park Office and have my card unfrozen, but found out that the ranger cut my card up. He cut it up!

Deep breath.

I'm going to let that go and not think of how it will take 2 weeks to get a new one. No need to worry about it because it's already done. (let's all laugh about it and make it seem better, k?)

Just do the next thing.

I'm going to take today one step at a time. I'm not going to skip to item #6, or project #11 - there's no reason to stress over those things when I'm not even there yet.

When I'm preoccupied with all my "to-do's, I don't enjoy the real time moments with my girls. I smile less when I'm checking my list, and I snap at the kiddos more.

Just do the next thing.

I don't want to be mentally exhausted when I finally get out of the house tonight for my "date" with my oldest savvy.

We are going to pick out things for Kinley & Raya's birthday party on Saturday. They will turn 2 on Tuesday, can you even believe that!?

So no stress. Ditch the list. And take some deep breaths.

That's what I'm going to do.

Just the next thing.

If The Bow Fits...

Wear it, right!?

Random Talkin'...

You'll be happy to know I cleaned up all the beads that were spilled (see previous post) - I think I got every single bead.

Except the ones that rolled down the vent.

And one that I think Kinley put in the toilet.

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We got some of our Christmas decor out - we decorate early, and I loovve it...

Don't worry, I had help...

There is a Christmas Card Drive going on that is SO amazing. Click the box below to read all about it...

The girls are excited to make some cards!

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My pregnancy hormones are crazy, and the lack of sleep these past few nights isn't helping.

I cried in the car when I heard an old Reba McEntire song.

I know. Meds. I should take them.

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And now I'm off to go find a snack...or take the girls to school...or both.

Decisions, decisions :).

Again...

I have everything under control...


I'll be back after I find all 1000 beads...

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I made some Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup over the weekend - and it was a huge success!

I put it all in the crockpot except for the noodles around 10am, and let it cook till Dinner. It was so great on a cold night, made the house smell good, and the girls loved it.

I highly recommend it...

Not a great picture, but believe me, it's SO good.

I got a recipe from here, but changed some things around. Here are the directions:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups wide egg noodles
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 12 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt (I recommend using a little less and salting to taste)
  
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots (more veggies if you like - we used more :))
  
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups diced, cooked chicken meat

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine broth, salt, and poultry seasoning. Stir in celery and onion.
   
2. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Gradually add to soup, stirring constantly.
   
3. Pour into crockpot.
   
4. I cooked the noodles right before we were ready to eat, I didn't add them in the crockpot because I thought they might get mushy or over cook. I ended up loving cooking the soup base and the noodles separate, I think it's a step I'll keep :).

So that's it! Sounds great, huh? I'm going to make a double batch sometime soon and freeze it - what a great quick dinner on a cold night when I just don't feel like making anything.

Broccoli Cheese soup is next on the soup menu, that also sounds reeaally good.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Just Because...

my energy has been zapped...

and this babe is kicking my booty...

doesn't mean I'm letting things go...

I'm still on top of things...

just so ya know.

Or maybe I'm not.

At all.

Oh well :)!

Random Talking

I tried to clean our toys out today. Why do we have 1000 pieces to different toys that we don't even own anymore??

It's time for a trip to goodwill - to drop stuff off, and maybe even look around. Although I usually try to make it a rule that when I "drop off, I won't "pick up" as well. :)

Reese and Charlotte are supposed to be taking a snack tomorrow morning to preschool, and I just now remembered - where is my mind!?

I am making the Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup that I was talking about tomorrow - it sounds SO good! I will post the recipe as soon as we give it a test run.

I read a quote today over at Raising Olives that I just love, "You don't have 6 (or any amount) children so that you can pursue personal peace and affluence - trust me. But what you find out is that this is the richest thing you can have."

Kinley and Raya will be 2 in 12 days.

12 days!

I can't believe that.

I'm off to go grab an english muffin with hummus - spicy hummus from Trader Joe's to be exact. Yes, I often eat a late snack :).

Later!

Shop For Free! ($65 Gift Card Giveaway)

Giveaway Closed! Winner will be announced asap!

The winner is #11 - Tina Michelle! Contact me at savvylittlewomen@gmail.com so I can send you your prize!!

Doesn't that sound great?

I've had this in my drafts for awhile and I decided to post it now because I kinda have shopping on my mind. Why? Because Black Friday is around the corner, and I am SO excited to get me some good deals. Call me crazy, but there is something about getting an Easy Bake Oven for $9.98 that makes me feel like skipping to my car while singing Here Comes Santa Claus.

Ahem. Clearly, I don't get out much.

Anyway...

Well today, CSN Stores is going to let you shop for free! They are giving away a $65 Giftcard that you can use in any of the CSN Stores - and believe me, there are a lot of them!

They have everything from shoes, to toys, to decor, to modern rugs.

What would I choose? I'm so glad you asked.

I think I would need some of these Dream Baby Stay-Put Bowl and Cutlery Sets. They actually have suction cups that stick to the table or high chair tray...

I know, where have these been the past 6 years of my mothering career??

But I would end up probably buying something I've already shown you before. This Cereal Dual Dispenser is one of the greatest things I've ever seen - it just looks fun!

You want this to, right?

To Enter: You can enter 2 separate times by leaving 2 separate comments. Contest will end this time next week, and I will choose a winner through random.org. The winner will receive a $65 gift card to use on whatever you like!

Alright, that's it! Good luck!

28 Days...

till we find out what is in the belly...

boy or girl...

pink or blue...

a little guy or another savvy?

I can't wait!

What do you think it will be??

My (Target) Partner In Crime - And A Coupon Code For You!

I've had some questions about those sweet little outfits that the girls had on for Halloween - you know, when they were Santa's Helpers :). Well those are from Jeni over at Carabella's Baby and Children's Boutique.

Jeni not only runs Carabella's, she also is the one who runs around Target with me on weekday mornings. See, it's not completely my fault I'm addicted - she encourages the frequent visits. Back when Reese and Char were born I ordered some blankets from her, and then had the chance to really get to know her this past year or two. And now we are cruising the Target aisles together, strung out on good deals and Starbucks coffee. :)

Her Tutu's are the cutest. And just for the record, I personally have never tucked a tutu into the back of my own pants, but I've heard it's really embarrassing...

Ahem.

SO...anyway. Jeni is going to give you a coupon to use in her store so you can go get you some of these sweet Christmas shirts, or one of these Tutu's, or this Dr. Seuss blanket that I will NEED to order if we find out we're having a boy.

So if you desire, you can head over to Carabella's site and use the coupon code FF25 for 25% off your entire order! Great, huh?

Happy Shopping!

Why I'm Behind On Blogging Everything...

1. Fall festivities. I love them. But there are SO many!

2. Santa's helpers showed up early...

3. And demanded candy...

4. I couldn't stop taking pictures - the tutu's, the tights, the shirts, their sweetness. It made me even more excited for the holidays!

5. We went trick or treating over the weekend with some great friends. Marisa is one of my favorite people, and also one of my quad girls (accountability). You know when you hang out with someone, and everytime you walk away from being with her, you say "I love that girl." Marisa is one of those girls for me - she's fantastic :).

6. I've been trying out some new recipes - one of them being Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. It hasn't been easy though since I've had to go back and forth to the store for different ingredients. During a (pregnant) mental block at the store, I thought Corn Meal and Corn Starch were pretty much the same thing.

I know, I'm basically Betty Crocker.

The soup will eventually turn out yummy though :).

7. We have been moving things around, and redecorating. Sometimes I feel like we're still moving in - but really I just like moving things around :). I also want to paint again - have I ever mentioned that I like to repaint a lot? Eric swears the rooms are smaller by the time I get done painting them. I want to redo my red kitchen - should I? Color suggestions?

8. I also might have been getting some of my Christmas stuff out - don't be surprised if the tree goes up in the next few weeks. I think I'm just making up for last year since I didn't get to decorate...remember??

So that's about it - might not sound like a lot for the past 3 days, but it has kept me busy!

Hope you all had a great weekend!