I'm awake!

I'm sorry for all the commotion I caused, but I am alive, and kickin! Wow July was the last post huh??? Wow the sedative my kids gave me was certainly a good one.

Seriously though, what has happened to august? and September? and we certainly can not forget about the all time greatest time of the year...HALOWEEN. October is the start of all the best months of the year! I feel like I turned around and my oldest is almost as tall as me!!! When did that happen, and who bought him cloths that fit. Surely it wasn't me, I was just buying him size eights the other day???? And where did this unbelievably sweet, yet rowdy, chubby 3 year old come from??? Father Time, and I had better have a chat.....

My hubby is the best!

My hubby is the best! I just had to say that again. He knew how frazzled I was, and got right to putting things right. I can only imagine if he was home everyday, things would go so smooth around here. We dug 26 holes in our pasture Saturday. We are putting together a cherry tree orchard. I have complete faith that God will smile down on this new adventure, and bless us with an abundance of fruit in a couple of years. Eric did the figures and we could stand to make around 20 thousand a season, selling cherries! That's some major pocket change for us. And we figure that with 6 boys we will have all the help we might need for this adventure. Child labor is great! Wish us luck!

Doesn't it feel as though when the ball starts rolling its never gonna stop?

The last 15 hours have just been a blast! It all started when I found Whyett playing in my makeup. I have a lot of the powder eye shadows, and he had dumped them all over the place, oh about $50 worth!! Then I went down to the main canal to let the water through the ditch, to water the yard. Well someone had plugged it up with a big orange tarp. I went and asked my neighbor for help, we pulled it out and let the water through. Little did I know that while I was shopping with Kristy there was so much water that it flooded almost my entire acre putting my shed, and chicken coops under about 6 inches of water (now I see why there was a tarp plugging the entrance)!! Now I cant get the water to stop,and my beautiful garden that I have spent most of my summer on is drowning. :o( Not to even mention the smell the water mixing with the chicken coops is making. I shoveled mounds of dirt to try and protect my garden from the water till by body about gave out, but it was for nothing. And if that's not bad enough I had to run over our kitten (with the kids in the car, they took it better than I did), and get food poisoning at Sonic last night ugh. I really hate cleaning up throw up on my bed, in the middle of the night (from the kids, after surviving 6 morning sicknesses I can hold anything back) . Finally I just stayed up at 5am. On the bright side my hubby will be back tonight and he will make everything right.:0)

I thought summer was suppose to be relaxing

I feel as though this last week has been two. My kids, and I have managed to sell all but one puppy (she had 11, poor thing), I got to go to cub scout day camp with Aaron (way fun! I think I would have liked being a boy when I was a kid...), and passed the online course for my hunting license. phew!! I don't know how hunting will go, although I really like hiking around in the mountains. I recently took this personality test online somewhere,(I know, I know real dependable right) and it told me I was a tomboy (total shocker right). Anyway I don't think that covers gutting animals, or for that fact killing them either. Lets face it I cry when watching Old Yeller, Bambi, and when I caught my first fish. Eric tried to put it back to swim away, and I cried even harder when it just floated down stream???? I guess we shall see come October...brrr.

No relieving yourself on the children's heads!!

Can I just say that there are some pretty good perks to being a boy when it comes to going to the bathroom when there isn't one around. BUT. Teaching them the whens, and hows can definitely get interesting, as I learned recently. We were at the park after an hour and a half swimming session, and I guess Payton just couldn't pry himself away from the toys to go to the bathroom. I was at a picnic bench talking with my neighbor friend when I noticed some kids screaming, and running away from the toys. That's when I noticed Payton..yup..doing his business, standing right on top of the playground toys. Not only peeing on the bridge, and the steps, but any kid standing within reach. I ran over to him as fast as I could to stop him, and thus getting sprayed myself, I yanked his shorts up, and got him down from the toys. I really hope that was a one time thing. Although with Payton you just never know.

We have had some attitude issues since school got out! I think they are a bit sleep deprived, and schedule deprived?? That is all about to change. Starting last night I put the kids to bed early (8pm is early compared to the 12-1am bedtimes that have been happening lately). It went ok last night, they were mostly asleep by 9:30. I got them up at 9am (ok... fine thanks to the neighbor boy who rang the door bell)to do some summer school things, then morning chores, and now they are happily playing, for the moment......yesturday however was the pivital point for me though. I barely made it to church (20 min. late). After classes while trying to find a good seat in the sacrament room Evan was filling me in on how bad Sam was in Sunday class. Cody found a whole empty bench, the long ones. Except in the middle :0/ I prefer the back, less people to anoy. We hadn't even started the first song when Whyett started with what I knew would be a string of fits. About 10 fits later, Sam smacking the back of a ladys head, various ins and outs for bathroom, and drinks, and a couple of fights from the older boys it was finally over. I escaped as fast as I could, and vowed to get them on a schedule!! We will see how it goes.

Emergency Room Drama

Summer is definatly here, sort of. We had about one week of perfect summer weather. We were all loving it, until the constant RAIN. We were even braving the summer mishaps pretty well too. Even the first hospital run of the summer. Right before the rain came Sam got a hold of the ax that was left out by his older brother the night before (Cody was chopping wood for the fire pit). Can I just say little toes bleed a lot. He ran through the house looking for me, and I could follow exactly were he went, I actually slipped on the blood in the kitchen ugg!! He only cut his one toe almost half off. I had to take everyone to the hospital. It was the fastest trip through the emergency room we have ever had, and we have had our share of trips to the emergency room. They were very patient with my kids and I, they even gave the kids some juice. I think they could tell I really wanted to get out as fast as possible. I have sat in the emergency room for 5 hours before just to stitch Evans thumb up. I think the the key to getting out fast is to make it a group effort, and bring all the kids.

The Girl in a Whirl by 'Dr. Sue'

If you, or someone you know has ever felt overwhelmed by all they feel they need to do, Vickie Gunther of Redlands , California , wrote a hilarious poem, Dr. Seuss style, about how much LDS women try to take on. David B. Marsh used it at Women's Conference, and Vickie has given permission to share it.

The Girl in a Whirl by 'Dr. Sue' (a.k. A.. Vickie Gunther)

Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do if you only knew how.
I study the scriptures one hour each day;
I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray.
I always keep all the commandments completely;
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.
I help in their classrooms! I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!
I memorize names of the General Authorities;
I focus on things to be done by priorities.
I play the piano! I bless with my talents!
My toilets all sparkle! My checkbooks all balance!
Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;
I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)
I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,
I track my bad habits 'til each is abolished;
Our t-shirts are ironed! My toenails are polished!
Our family home evenings are always delightful;
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.
I do genealogy faithfully, too.It's easy to do all the things that I do!
I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;
I know all the names of each youth in my stake!
I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too, with my labors.
I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;
My visiting teaching is done the first day!
(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
It's the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.)
I chart resolutions and check off each goal;
I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.
I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,
I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write "thank you's" to those I admire.
My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids get straight A's! And their bedrooms are clean!
I have a home business to help make some money;
I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.
I go to the temple at least once a week;
I change the car's tires! I fix the sink's leak!
I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;
I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.
I make sure I rotate our two-years' supply;
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!
These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;
You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!
It's easy!" she said and then she dropped dead

cooking for 8 different tasters

I have discovered that cooking for 7-8 people for most meals can be quite frustrating if you give into every one's likes, and dislikes. So to simplify meals, and snacks I came up with some, mostly, stringent rules. I am only lenient if someone is sick. I have three major rules when it comes to mealtimes. 1. They can choose to be picky about one item (sour cream, raw tomatoes, oatmeal, and celery are ones that 4 of my kids chose, and the item chosen can not change day to day, that doesn't mean I make something separate for those that don't like celery in the celery, chicken casserole, they are just aloud to pick it out). 2. If you don't like what I fixed you go without ( I am not totally ruthless about this rule, because I generally make things that everyone already eats well). 3. Lastly if I hear whining about the menu the whiner gets excused from the meal ( they really have to be throwing a tantrum though to get sent away from the table, this one got put into affect after a Thanksgiving meal that Eric, and I made, and they totally turned their noses up at it! We don't generally get together with family so we cook all the traditional things plus some of our own recipes. We really make it a big deal). It might sound harsh, but for the sake of keeping my sanity I had to come up with some rules for everyone.
I try and keep a simple but tasty collection of recipes that everyone can enjoy (maby not favorites, but they will eat it). I have found also that if they help make it they will eat it. Then every once in a while I will slip something new in, and continue to slip it in until it becomes a regular. If I am making something I know they do not like I make sure the side dish is popular.(like last Thursday I wanted to try out a kabob recipe, I knew they wouldn't eat the bell peppers, & mushrooms, so I made a rice dish I knew they liked for the side, they also have to at least taste everything). This way they don't go to bed hungry. My kids have a hard time getting to sleep, and staying asleep on an empty stomach. I definitely don't need more bedtime stress, but that's another blog. ;o)

$#)S%*N($(#)O*%#W@#$!!!!!!

I am sooooooooooooooooo sick of SNOW!!!! My children are driving me crazy! It rained , then hailed, and then snowed all within 20 minutes!!! I just replanted my garden yesterday, and I am hoping I won't have to do that again. If it keeps freezing at night though I will be buying more peas, and corn. Payton, and Whyett were such great helpers with it. I got the rows ready, and put the seeds in. Payton pushed the seeds down into the ground, and covered them. Whyett dug them out and replanted them were he thought they should go. I showed them where the walk way was, and Payton understood and did really well. He practically did the splits to straddle the rows like I was doing, it was pretty cute. Whyett on the other hand walked were ever he wanted, but maybe he knows more than I do where the rows are since he was replanting things as Payton, and I went along.
I have learned the hard way though that you DO NOT teach your young kids to weed your garden. Two years ago I got about a hundred dollars worth of flowers for Mothers Day. I decided I needed help with my weed patch, so I showed Evan, and Sam how to weed. Well... about the next day they came and took me outside for a surprise they had for me.....umm yeah, no more flowers. :o{ They were so excited about all their hard work, what I could I do, I couldn't get mad. Needless to say I weed by my self most days.

Eric wanted me to blog this

Hi all!

Wow its been a crazy 2 weeks. Dad, and Susan was here, so everything was quite busy. The kids and I had a great time catching up with them. No doubt the kids will remember this visit. They played games, joked around, and just hung out, it was great! One game (51 card pick up) he had them running around the house to find the complete deck of cards they had scattered. They kept opening new decks trying to fool him, but he said it had to be that deck they scattered. So after finding card from all over the house, and laying them all out to make sure they made a full deck, next comes the part were he scatters them so they can play the last part of the game. As soon as he flips them all over the kitchen floor they just stare at him, then at me. I said Well pick them up you said you will play it to the end. It was hilarious!! They had this look like that was the dirtiest trick they had ever came acrossed!! The next day Dad asked if they wanted to play 51 card pick up again, and they just stared at him and finally said uhh.... no thanks.

Dad's business

Check this out its unbelievable!!

http://yourenchantedcarriage.com/?section=193

Real quick before I go to bed

So at our house we have been battling minor colds for about 2 weeks. Whyett (2 years old) was eating lasagna for lunch today. He didn't eat hardly any of it so I decided to finish his off instead of getting another plate out. I take my first bite, and Eric (my hubby) starts chuckling at me. I look at him like what is so funny. He says how does lasagna with boogers taste. It doesn't take long before I look at Whyett and see that Whyett has a good flow from his nose to his mouth. Just as I swallowed my bite Eric explains that he was just about to get a new spoon when he saw what I had done. I was thinking well it might not have been on his spoon when I feel something slimy on my top teeth!!! Any way a few gauges, and gargling with water and I was done with lunch. One of the grosser stories that come with motherhood I suppose. Hope I didn't grouse you out too bad.

!!40 degrees today!!

I can smell spring, its just around the corner. I can also see spring all over the carpet. If there is mud my boys will find it. I am glad that we are waiting a few more years to replace our carpet. They are so much happier when they can be outside all day, and I love it as well. The best part is all the mud. Its still too cold to make them hose off anything more than their boots. BUT I know my days are numbered until they find a nice muddy spot that has been warmed by the sun. Last year I think it was Sam who was covered from head to toe with mud. He came to the back door and declared independence day for the Mud people. They had fought long and brave, and at last triumphed. It was so funny of course I had to get the video camera, which sparked a few more recruits to the Mud People battalion. What would I do without mud....we are such a great team. I must confess it runs in the family to love mud. I used to play in the mud as well, and obviously eric has been a dirt magnet from the beginning. Well it is way too quiet around here I better go find out whats going on!

Babies Babies Everywhere

Does it ever seem like practically everyone you know is expecting? It feels that way to me. Kristy is about to pop with her little one. Now that I'm not having anymore babies I am so torn with the relief, and a small sense of sadness (very small). Its been nice to not get side swiped by another pregnancy. Don't get me wrong I love all my little angels more than anything else, but as much as I would like to admit it was all planned, alas it was not. Well maybe that's not entirely true, I'm sure God knew exactly what was going on. It seemed like I tried a lot of things to stave off pregnancy for just a little while, even birth control had nothing on what was planned for me in the next 10 years. Yup glad that's over! 6 babies in 10 years isn't exactly the norm these days. Although I realize deep down (deep deep down and then maybe a little deeper) I always knew it would be this way, so why not get it over with fast, right? So there is relief in knowing there will be no more months of morning sickness (With every child morning sickness lasted longer, and was more severe so that my 6th I was sick for a good 5 months. Oh how I wished for just the regular 3 month morning sickness.), fatigue, endless nights of sleep deprivation (those of you that do not know me that well my husband drives tuck, so I only had relief when he was home, I actually used to fall asleep at stop lights), and now one more year and I will be done with diapers!! Oh what brings me joy these days. Truly its not so strange to be gleeful about not having to clean up stinky bums, no matter how much I love the little dudes. My youngest is now 2 years old, and I am just starting to get back my energy I used to have before all this, its quit exciting for me. That's about it, some of my story in a very small nut shell.

I never leave the house without it......

There are some standard things that I try to never leave behind before going out. Whether its to the grocery store, or on a date with my hubby. First (of course) being cloths, jeans with a t shirt, shoes of any kind especially if it matches,(I confess though its my warm winter boots most days, my diamond earrings that Eric gave me for Christmas the year before last (I totally thought I was getting a toaster (we had been toaster less for over 4 years then, and we are currently toaster less)), obviously my purse (stuffed with all sorts of valuables, chap stick, $$, pen, paper, etc.) a book (I never pass up a moment to read), a kid or two (I am always trying to give each kid some quality time throughout the week, and yes more than half the time we have a kid tagging along on dates), some sort of bribe for the lucky kids that are with me, quarters for the quarter machines are the best so far (I know, I know I mustn't bribe the kids, but I have a reliable source that tells me that bribing kids is essentially rewarding their good behavior, especially if you do it at random).

Parenting books, I've burned through my share

I have to say that my all time favorite parenting book (since Mel brought it up) is 123 Magic. It helped me to look at things from an emotional distance. I tend to freak out, well used to. This book just helped me to put things in a light that I wasn't able to click on in my head before. I'm not sayin I don't freak anymore , but I must admit as corny as it might sound there is more peace in me that I just couldn't get to before. I love ah ha moments! The one that I like just below this book is How to fix your kids I believe its from James John, LOVE HIM!! He has a lot of good ways to deal with stuff also. You might check them out if your lookin for that sort of inspiration.

True Story

Interesting story,
A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in
a homespun
threadbare suit stepped off the train in Boston and walked
timidly
without an appointment into the Harvard University

President's outer office. The secretary could tell in a
moment that such
backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard &
probably didn't
even deserve to be in Cambridge

'We'd like to see the president,' the man said
softly.

'He'll be busy all day,' the secretary snapped.

'We'll wait,' the lady replied.

For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the
couple would
finally become discouraged and go away.

They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and
finally decided to
disturb the president, even though it was a chore she
always regretted.

'Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll
leave,' she said to
him!

He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his
importance
obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and
he detested
gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer
office. The
president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward
the couple.

The lady told him, 'We had a son who attended Harvard
for one year. He
loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he
was
accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a
memorial to
him, somewhere on campus.'

The president wasn't touched. He was shocked.

'Madam,' he said, gruffly, 'we can't put up
a statue for every person
who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would
look like a
cemetery.'

'Oh, no,' the lady explained quickly. 'We
don't want to erect a statue.
We thought we would like to give a building to
Harvard.'

The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham
dress and
homespun suit, then exclaimed, 'A building! Do you have
any earthly idea
how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half
million dollars
in the physical buildings here at Harvard.'

For a moment the lady was silent. The president was
pleased. Maybe he
could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband
and said
quietly, 'Is that all it cost to start a university?
Why don't we just
start our own? '

Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in
confusion and
bewilderment.

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away,
traveling to Palo
Alto, California where they established the university that
bears their
name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard
no longer
cared about.

You can easily judge the character of others by how they
treat those who
they think can do nothing for them.

---- A TRUE STORY by Malcolm Forbes

Whatever

I don't know why it didn't dawn on me before. Crock pots rock!! You can do so much with them. You can make dinner at breakfast if that's what you need to do. And lets face it once my kids get out of school there isn't much time for anything but homework chores, and sledding. I hardly miss a day without some sledding in it. It is crucial that I take my kids everyday, otherwise its a disaster around here. I like to tire my kids out so bedtime isn't so bad. Saturday we were at the usual spot, and we had to leave after only an hour, It had warmed up the day before so the hill was all frozen ice. I realized the slickness after going with Payton a few times. The other boys found a spot where they didn't have to use the sleds. It slows them down this way. It was hilarious! They were going down a very steep, very icy slope someone had put ruts in on purpose. They were like penguins going down on their bellies. After Sam bloodied up his arm, and face I decided it was time to go home. There was just to much jagged ice at the bottom of the hill.
Just yesterday we were at the pit sledding,and everyone knows by know its just suicide to go down the penguin hill on a sled. BUT of course Sam while I was dealing with Whyett in the car made a break for it. I just happen to catch the whole thing at the last second, his sled left the air at the last big bump, he sailed into the air for probably 5 whole seconds (which is pretty high). I was surprised to see that he was clinging to his sled (probably out of fear for his life) the whole jump....and then thud. I just stared out of the car window with my mouth open wide with shock. When he landed he rolled off his sled and it sped away from him, and he just laid there unmoving. I gained some senses back, and yelled for Cody (who was the closest) to go check him out. Before Cody got there Sam jump to his feet and staggered like he was drunk to his sled. When he got there he plopped down on it. It tucked Whyett into the back seat, and started down the hill. Before I even got half way there he then jumped up again and started shouting, "that was sooo awesome, you guys have gotta try it, yeah!!!" I just stood there thinking OK this has gotta be a boy thing right? I shook my head and went back to the car. Before I knew it they were all taking turns doing it?????? So I say "Whatever!"? I used to be so protective, and careful, but what I realized was that they are so much happier when they are aloud to do things like this, and in some weird way it boosts their confidence to be doing things that are hard, or scary to them. Weird, but as my saying goes around here "Whatever". I just keep learning over, and over around here that I don't know crap, and there's no manuel except life experiences. Anyone feel the same?

The only decent time I have to read is when I am on my treadmill, either before the kids get up, or after they have gone to bed. Its my reward for getting on the treadmill. Yes I am a bookworm, I love to read more than any other pass time. But I have come to realize that it comes with a high cost if I do it while my kiddos are awake and running wild. Its like they have radar for when I'm using the telephone, reading, and the bathroom. Eric was just complaining that every time he calls two seconds later chaos sounds off in the background, and I start trying to delegate things with him on the line. I try to tell him its just their radar for the phone being in use. Sometimes I think (conspiracy theory # 568) that the cell phone waves (that's what Eric and I use to talk, Verizon to Verizon free minutes) cut through the air like silent, unseen lasers screwing up kids brain patterns turning them into banchies!
If there is a book I just can't stand to put down...well....then its worth the consequences I guess. The Twilight series was the last one that did it for me, and before that it was Macbeth....I think that's it. Its seams like a small list but it really has to be something to side track my daily routine, especially lately with Evan's homeschooling...ugh (its more time consuming than I thought). Currently reading Harry Potter. After seeing Cody read them a couple times I thought I would give them a try, so far so good. I have been exercising morn, and night just to keep from reading during the day though. How about you guys, are you reading good?

I made about 40 bottles of this, it was sooooo easy. We got so many apples from neighbors that I had more apples than I knew what to do with. We played around with them a lot; apple oatmeal (my personal favorite), apple cider, apple pancakes, apple pb&j's, etc. I also have a pie crust that is really good, and you can mix part of it, and store it up to a year. I will put that up later. Enjoy!

6 quarts fruit
7 C sugar
1 3/4 C clear jell (I found it at my health food store)
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
2 tsp vanilla
**variation for cherry pie filling is to swap out the last 4 ingredients for
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp almond extract**
9 C cold water
1/2 C lemon juice

Combine sugar, & clear jell in a large pan. Add water, & extract whisking together (will be lumpy) Heat on med. until boiling, stirring constantly. Add lemon when thickness is just right. Boil for 1 min. Fold in fruit, & fill bottles. Water bath for 40 min.

My new favorite recipe

Crockpot Lasagna
8 lasagna noodles (broken into 1 or 2 inch pieces)
1 pd. Ground beef seasoned w/ dry onions (cooked and drained)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 can Hunt’s spaghetti sauce 28 0z. ( I use classico sweet basil)
1 15 oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes (I use garlic and olive oil)
1/3 c. water
16 oz. cottage cheese
Parmesan cheese
2 C. grated mozzarella cheese

Place ½ of the broken noodles in the bottom greased crockpot. Stir Italian seasoning into meat and spread ½ of it over the noodles. Then layer ½ of the cottage cheese, water, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a layer of parmesan cheese on top. Repeat one time. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours until noodles are done. Do not cook more than 5 hours.