Oh Joy...

the holiday weekend is just around the corner, and we are ready!

I love the 4th, it's always been one of my favorite holidays.

Time to pull out all our red, white and blue...

time to cookout with friends and family...

time to head to the parade in town like we do every year...the girls just love it...



She's a modest little thing, isn't she?

Time to spend some family time at the pool - I love when Eric gets a day to come with me and the kiddos...

time to make this festive cake again with the girls...

(that's just food coloring mixed in white cake mix in case you're wondering. Super easy, super entertaining for the little ones)

and time to just sit back and enjoy my people. Ahhh, it just sounds good!

So I'm out of here till after the 4th so I can soak up some much needed time with my man and our crew :).

Have a great 4th, my friends!!

Local Mother Has Mental Breakdown In Dressing Room

Authorities were called to Target on Main St. Friday morning after they received a call about a situation the store had in their fitting rooms.

Officials arrived after a call from a frightened fitting room attendant came through saying there was screaming, weeping, and what sounded like things being thrown at the mirror coming from the large fitting room where the woman had gone in with her children, ages 7, 5, 5, 2, 2 and 2 months.

Come to find out, the weeping and screaming was coming from the mother who was found passing out snacks of all sorts to tame her children, and attempting to rip several swimsuits to shreds.

It appears that 30yr old Kate, mother of 6, had gone in with all the children to try on swimsuits. Why she would do that to herself, we don't know. As the officer pulled her from the dressing room she was heard yelling, "It was a last resort! My husband works all the time, I just can't seem to get out of the house alone these days! Who has time for the gym!? Don't blame me, swimsuit shopping isn't healthy for anyone! It should be illegal!!"

Innocent bystanders stood and starred.

She was released after promising to never, under any circumstance, enter the fitting room to try on bathing suits with all the children again. The police officers called it, "irrational" and "unnecessary torture" to put yourself in that kind of situation.

They are hoping that this can be a lesson to all mothers out there.

-----------------------------------------

Well, not really. But that is the story I feel could potentially surface after I take all the kiddos with me today to find a swimsuit. Sweet Mercy, it has to be done.

I had to re-post this from last year, I never did find that perfect suit, so we're off today before we hit the pool to find it...

(you know, if the perfect suit existed after having 6 children)

(which it doesn't in case you're wondering)

Wish me luck!

We Like To Party - Ultimate Mom's 2011

It's that time of the year again!

I looovvve my kiddos, my life, and my everyday tasks. Although I could do without scrubbing the toilets but let's not go there. I really do love my job. But you know what else I reeaally love??

A Mom's Night Out.

And I'm not talking about an evening trip to Target with this group...

Even though they are fantastic company...and always a good time.

I'm talking a relaxing night of encouragement, pampering (as in complimentary manicures for you all!!), conversation, and good food with some fabulous women. Women who understand your life, your madness, your stress, your passions, your faith, and the reason you love this big blog world.

Sounds great, right??

So Amy has joined me this year and we're throwing a party. For mom's. Not because we deserve it, but because we need it.

On July 14th at 6:30pm we will host the 2nd Annual Ultimate Mom's Night Out.

It just sounds fun, doesn't it?

So if you're local (oh how I wish you were ALL local), or close enough to get here, you will want to go HERE and grab a ticket! We are going to live it up, ladies.

Mary Kay and Beaute Box will be pampering us, Veggie Tales and Paper Coterie will be giving gifts, and TONS of swag will be stuffed inside bags personalized for each of you by Mabels Labels.

And there is much more :).

So go get your ticket! There are only 45 available this year, and even though I love ya'll like sisters, I can't guarantee anything.

I took an oath.

Not really but I've always wanted to say that.

I am so thankful for the mama's that make my life richer, and I am so looking forward to a night of relaxation, laughter, and catching up.

So c'mon Mom's, let's get together for the Ultimate Mom's Night Out :)!

Warning...

the following picture of a 2 month old blue eyed boy might give you the urge to have more babies...

Don't say I didn't warn ya :).

Overworked And Overpaid

There is no paid time off...

long lunch break...

company plane...

end of the year bonus...

fancy business wardrobe...

or corner office that could tear me away from this...

Even on my most mundane, laundry pile after laundry pile, when will we ever get ahead, feeling like I'm not making a difference kind of day...

there is no expensive holiday party...

6 figure salary...

workout on my lunch hour...

happy hour with the ladies after work...

or all expense paid company trip that could top this...

I am overworked, my friends, but completely overpaid...in the love, hugs, giggles, and heart melting mom moments department.

I'm overpaid with His grace.

I am embracing where He has me...accepting where He has me...and knowing that this is indeed exactly where I'm supposed to be. Even when life seems a little crazy...

even when I feel out of the loop...

even when can't get a minute to catch my breath...

even when it seems that the only prayer time I have is when my head hits the pillow at night...

and even when I find a chicken nugget at the bottom of my purse.

(oh I wish I was lying)

This mom gig may not always be glamorous, and it's been an exhausting week around here - but there is no place I'd rather be.

And besides, I like to think I'm sorta like a CEO in this office, and that makes me feel really important. :)

(Little Feet)

those are some sweet, sweet, little toes.

Again, I know I'm partial :).

My Hands...

are indeed...

full.

Full of love and some good ol' fashion crazy!

(which may or may not be the reason I am a tad behind on blogging and reading blogs)

I love the busyness, but I'll tell ya, ladies - I'm a little tired these days! Feeding that sweet babe at night, tending to 6 little's, soakin' up rays at the pool, and doing cannon balls off the side of the deep end is fun, but it's wearing me out a bit!

(not that I'm doing cannon balls off the side)

(I do have SOME limits)

So anyway, right now I'm just trying to find our new Summer groove...and the nearest Starbucks that will sell me the largest drink they have with the most amount of caffeine.

Any one else doing that?? :)

His Timing...

It's a beautiful thing.

I got to thinking today at the pool as we sat on the side and ate blueberries, that it was this time last year that I found out I was having another miscarriage...

(I  know...the goggles...they are fantastic)

A year ago today to be exact is when I shared that we had indeed ended up pregnant unexpectedly, and I was indeed losing that new life that we were so excited about.

I had 5 kids, I was blessed beyond measure, and I knew that the emotion that I should've been feeling the most was thankfulness for my girly brood...

but I was crushed.

Hurt because I knew there was nothing I could do, mad because I had to go through this when we had basically decided our crew was already the size we wanted, and confused as to why God was allowing it seeing as we had hit a comfortable season in our family.

But God doesn't do comfortable...God does change.

And that He did. I knew in my heart after that miscarriage that we weren't done adding to our family. Whether is was biological, foster, or adoption - we were meant to grow.

Even if it was a little uncomfortable...even if we didn't have a ton of money...even if our house wasn't gigantic...even if it didn't seem realistic...and even if bystanders were shrugging their shoulders and asking "why??".

It was His plan for us, and it was Him changing our plans - I am FOREVER thankful for that.

Less than a year later He gave us a sweet little man who literally has my heart completely. An itty bitty miracle that just snoozes away in the stroller at the pool while the rest of us play. A little guy that brought our crazy crew to a half dozen....a number I never dreamed I'd have...

The storms of life are never easy - they are usually rough, confusing, and full of change. But they are always for a purpose, and He always has a reason.

Today I'm thankful for His plan, His timing, His vision for our family, and His love and grace that covers us in the good times and bad.

Sometimes you just have to weather a storm before you get to the good stuff.

And that little, huggable, smiley, sweet smellin' good stuff, was more than worth it :).

(My Men)

love, love, love...

Clearly...

Lincoln wasn't as impressed with the zoo like his sisters were...

I guess he sort of takes after his mama on the whole zoo thing...

(as in we love the animals, but sleep is currently more important than anything)

(and I'm not super interested in having a goat lick my hand)

(oh and the fact that I won't use an outside toilet since the great porta potty scare of 2008...please don't make me tell the story...ok I will, someday)

I'm actually that mom standing 10 feet away from the cages yelling, "Kids! Get back!" and "Kinley! Get your face off the feed dispenser!"

Let's just say I use a lot of antibacterial soap at the petting zoo.

But in all seriousness, the girlies had a blast, they got to do this cool mining thing where they found "gems", and it was beautiful outside - a perfect way to wrap up our weekend.

So I guess that means we'll have to take our zoo to the petting zoo a lot more often :).

It's a little to chilly here for the pool so I'm off to take the kiddos to the grocery - I'm feeling adventurous. Hope you all have a great day!

Friends...

sisters...

partners in crime :).

They both love running towards the fountains, but only one likes to actually get in the fountains...

That child is like our very own Cindy Lou Who.

Ella has her last day of 1st grade today which means Summer is finally here!

Time to break out my cooler on wheels and head for the pool with my crew next week. I know, a cooler on wheels, I'm really cool. Before you know it I'll be sporting a visor and matching fanny pack.

(which btw, fanny packs were an ingenious idea that went out of style way to soon. I mean, how convenient is it to strap your purse around your waist!?)

(convenience over fashion, that's what I always say. Well, after I had 6 kids I started saying that.)

Annnnyway...

Hope you have a great weekend, friends!

Closing Time...

The house is quiet...

all 6 have had a bath...

all 6 are snoozing...

these little legs are resting up for more runnin' around tomorrow...

 
I'm listening to Lincoln snore through the monitor...

it's time for all of us to refuel for tomorrow...

my kitchen is closed for the day...

 

this mama can barely form a thought...

(as you may be able to tell by reading this post)

so I'm going to sit back and watch old re-runs of Golden Girls in the same work out clothes I put on this morning...

(because they are comfortable not because I actually had time to work out today like I had planned)

(or yesterday)

(or the day before that)

while these little curls get their beauty sleep...

 

I have this new rule...

that states that mom will not do any house work after 8pm...

when those sweet little bodies go to sleep, I sit and enjoy the quiet, read some blogs, or maybe watch some of my favorite shows...

so the laundry from today waits for me at the top of the stairs - and will wait there till morning...

(or maybe the morning after that depending on how laundry-focused I am tomorrow)

so that's it...

I know this is insanely exciting...

try not to envy my wildly adventurous life :)...

it's almost midnight...closing time in this savvy house...you know, for at least a couple hours :).

They Wear Many Hats

my handful...

my crew...

my giggle boxes...

my "clean up in aisle 3" offenders...

my entourage...

my reason for saying "don't-make-me-come-up-there"...

my Target shopping partners...

my group that flushes un-flushable things down the toilet...

my gifts...

my reason for sometimes wanting to pull my hair out...

my cuddle bugs...

my joy...

my hardest job...

my wake up call...

my "color on the wall" crew...

my deep breath...

my grace personified...

my sanity...

my sidekicks...

my loves.

Sigh...they're a busy, but wonderful little bunch :).

Sing With Me...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy 7th Birthday to my savvy, loving, smart, squeezable little Ella...

Happy Birthday to you!!

I love, love, love you baby girl. You have been making my life richer since 2004 :).

I am humbled that God has let me be your mama, you are one of my greatest gifts from Him!

Happy Birthday!

Be Wholly Where You Are

That's another saying I've popped on the fridge.

It's where I want to be...

it's where I need to be.

I am doing too many things at a time...trying to be too many people at a time...and not really being great at any of those things as a result. Which is (sorta) fine, unless we're talking about being a mama to my my brood.

They are growing fast, and they are changing SO quickly. Just yesterday I watched Ella walk into school, that little pony tail just swinging away from side to side, and I  thought, "that almost 2nd grader used to be my almost 2yr old."

I hear myself saying, "hold on a sec...wait a minute...maybe later...go play downstairs...I'll play after I finish this" way to often lately. They need my time, my full attention.

I need to be wholly where I'm at...in my home...with my kiddos. It's where I belong. All the other busyness of life can wait.

I'm not chasing some big career, and I'm not looking for the next big thing - my next adventure starts when my 6 little alarms go off in the morning :).

I want to be wholly in the role that God has chosen for me.

I to often am folding laundry while listening to them practice spelling words, cleaning the kitchen while they sit at the table and color, and making to-do list after to-do list in my head while they grow like weeds.

Sometimes us moms have to do 100 things at a time, but I'm making it to much of a habit.

I'm going to try my best to give them my full attention instead of half, sit and read with them even if we're in the middle of the laundry room, and close my laptop even when I want to hang out in blog land.

(I often have a really hard time doing that last one)

But the truth is, blogging can wait, my google reader will still be there, my iphone won't abandon me if I don't answer that email, and facebook and twitter will move on even if they don't know that I'm standing in the check out lane at Target...or that Cinderella just got flushed down the toilet...or that an entire load of laundry is now blue due to an unfortunate encounter with a marker.

(although the Cinderella in the toilet situation was kinda worth sharing :))

I need to play playdoh when we're playing playdoh, play hide and seek when we're playing hide and seek, and tell funny stories when we're telling funny stories...

and really listen to them...

and be wholly there.

So tonight, I am going to take my favorite Ella on the planet shopping for a new dress and to get our nails done before her little birthday party on Saturday (her bday is on Sunday).

No checking my phone or going over the details of the busy weekend in my head, I just want to soak up all the sweetness of my 7yr old.

I'm going to be wholly there, wholly her mama - it's where I'm supposed to be. 

I can't wait :).

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Six Week Sweetness...

I can not believe my little man is 6 weeks old!

Goodness, the weeks have flown by. Here's a little Lincoln sweetness for your viewing pleasure :)...

(Raya adds a little extra sweetness with her "hey buddy!")

(and yes I realize I may be the only one who thinks this is SO cute...)

(apparently I have turned into that mom who will show complete strangers videos of her kids in the grocery check out line)


Untitled from Kate on Vimeo.

Oh I love that little boy and Raya's little voice.

We're all officially in countdown to summer mode - it's so close I can smell it. I just want to get up in the morning, pour some coffee, pack our goggles, and head to the pool with my 6 little loves...

(yes, it will be a little chaotic)

(yes, I might have gray hair by August)

(and yes, I am crazy)

But crazy can be fun, right?

Well, we're off for the day...I think the fountains have our name written all over them :).

Happy Thursday, friends!

You Are More Than A Swimsuit...

Just had to share these words of wisdom from the Gypsy Mama...

It is good, good stuff. I needed to hear this today...

"My boys officially smell of summer. And to me summer smells like sunscreen.

The ritual has begun – the spraying and lathering and rubbing into scalps of sweet smelling SPF 50  on blond hair and pale white bodies. {Sorry, boys, you may have got my blue eyes, but you also got my British genes.}

They love it. They stand – arms akimbo – and rotate slowly as I mist them. Teeny tiny waists astride gulping swimsuits that all but swallow their cute little patoots; hide their calves and brush just short of their ankles.

I could literally eat them up.

We wade into the water together.

Their tiny selves next to my not-so-tiny-self. And it makes me proud.

Because this body of mine that can’t ever seem to find a flattering suit, this body birthed those two boys. This body has seen life that the adorable taut, toned and tiny lifeguard girls on duty couldn’t possibly dream of yet.

This body has housed 3 miracles and it turns out that miracles need room to grow.

This beautiful amazing body has stretched to accommodate three sets of feet, three heads, three hearts, three sets of flexing limbs. This body is round where some say it should be flat; soft where some say it should be hard; and full where many others are running on empty.

This body knows what it is.

And it is much, much more than a swim suit."

I could not have said it better myself - those were beautiful, true words. I often fail to remind myself in the fitting room that God used this body to house 6 little loves, and that is beauty beyond measure.

Nice reminder, isn't it?