And life slows down

Soccer season is officially over. Our last game of the season was last weekend. It is bittersweet. I love evenings at home and not having to rush to get everyone here and there but I miss schedule of it all and the friendships we have during soccer.

The holidays are quickly approaching and so it is probably best there isn't soccer that I need to worry about. We are still discussing our Thanksgiving plans. The debate is between going to California or staying home. There are pros and cons to both. The biggest con to going is the LONG car ride to get there and then the LONG car ride to get home and Bryan having to commute to OC 3 days.

My mom came for a visit before Halloween. It was wonderful. I wish she could come more often. We got so much done. It was amazing.

My sister Kate just left after a long weekend visit. It was wonderful too. We had a sisters afternoon-night on Saturday. We ate a lot. It is great. Sunday, Bryan smoked chickens and Magen and Brad came to dinner too. Monday, Jill made cookies while I started on hoodie towels for Kate. Then Tuesday, Kate made cookies and I finished the 3 hoodie towels. Oh, going to lunch and running errands on those days too.

I can't wait for people to start moving here (next fall!).

And life is busy

I had high hopes and expectations of being able to catch-up on the family journal once school started and we were more on a schedule and I had "more time." 3 boys playing soccer, 2 can travel for games, and 2 boys in cub scouts and library days (and lunch with friends after) and joy school and Luke being a toddler has contributed to no journal.

So to recap the last few months.

June: we finished school and took a trip to Utah to visit family, go to a cousin's wedding and get some beef. We also let Austin go with my mom and nephew for their 8yo trip.

July: Austin got baptized 4th of July weekend. It was wonderful. He should get his own post. We had to detox after all the visitors and fun.

August: we discovered a local (little) water park and went to it a few times before school started. School and soccer started about the same time at the end of the month.

September: School. Soccer. Cub Scouts. Jill came and watched the boys so Bryan and I could go out for a lunch date at Rodizio Grill. And then watched the boys again so we could go to the temple.

October: School. Soccer. Cub Scouts. A visit from my mom. She worked on a couple projects (for me) and my favorite is the photo hangings for up my stairs and hallway. Halloween, we were Harry Potter characters. I am going to encourage this theme again in a few years.

I am hopeful that I will be able to journal our happenings more frequently but I am realistic in knowing that life happens and I should be grateful for the times that I do get to "journal."

Summer is over

I thought I would have journaled more this summer. I guess we were so busy and lazy that it didn't happen. I will try to catch up over the next little (long) while.

I have 3 kids in school now. Leaving me home with just 2. We will fill our days with playing and library story time and meeting Bryan for lunch.

Isaac loves kindergarten. He told me "I really love school but I wish it didn't start so early." Me too Buddy, me too. We were excited to see he has Mrs. Cave, Austin's kindergarten teacher. He told Celeste last night "we got to go to the gym and watch a movie about germs." The bigger boys keep asking about him making friends.
Isaac: I didn't make any friends but I played with a girl.
Me: what is her name?
Isaac: I don't know. She had on a Doc McStuffins shirt though.
He cracks me up.

Austin has Mrs. Davis. Adam didn't have her for 2nd grade but she remembers Adam from when he was in 2nd grade. He hasn't talked too much about school except "it was good."

Adam has Mrs. Lindsey (home teacher) and Drake for math/science. He has said about as much as Austin. I will try to get more out of them as the year progresses.

Yah! For a schedule and "normalcy." But BOO to lazy, "fun" days.

May Bog a Day #14

Day 14: 10 things that make me really happy

In no particular order

1. Sleeping

2. Sleeping kids

3. Clean house

4. Dinner

5. Lunch out with Bryan

6. Reading

7. Being outside

8. Laughing with Bryan

9. Family

10. Spending nice, happy time with my boys

May Blog A Day Catch-Up

So maybe I might not be blogging every day but I will try to blog for the day.

May 9th: a moment in my day
When dinner is started (like I actually planned it out and the plan is happening), the 4 older boys are outside playing nicely with each other and the dog, Luke is asleep for his afternoon/early evening nap and I can either be on the computer without interruption or fold laundry without interruption or I can read my book without interruption. Usually the last one doesn't happen very often but when it does, it is wonderful.

May 10th: most embarrassing
Someone might have to help refresh my memory since my memory is gone and I tend to forget horrible things that I do fairly quickly and I generally don't care what people think about me, so it is hard to get embarrassed.

May 11th: sell yourself in 10 words or less
I'm going for less than 10.
cook
clean
funny
fairly easy going (Bryan might disagree with that one).

May 12th: what do you miss?
My memory. I cannot remember so many things. I am blaming it on having kids close together but maybe it is genetic? I put things in my phone so I don't forget. Like cub scouts, it is almost every Wednesday at the same time and usually the same place, I have an alarm set to take Adam AND to pick him up. I have an alarm set to pick the boys up from school. I write notes. I check the soccer game times over and over (sometimes minutes apart). But it isn't so bad since I forget the bad stuff too. Like when the boys are cranky, or when I am cranky or when someone was rude (okay, I don't forget that, when someone hurts my feelings I tend to remember, I don't know why).

May 13th: issue a public apology
To the people who live around us:
I am sorry we are so loud. There may have been a time in your life when little kids were a daily part of your life and hearing screaming kids (and sometimes a screaming mom) was a normal part of life. I am sorry that it is now, again, part of your daily life. I am sorry it sounds "like a schoolyard" in our backyard. And that our dog barks at you even though you are the nicest neighbors. I am also sorry to inform you that it will be this loud for a very long time.
Love the neighbors with young 5 boys

#8 May Blog A Day

Day 8: a piece of advice, anything at all.

Advice? About anything? Maybe I should give myself advice, that would be easier. Maybe.

I should heed the advice I give the boys when tattling is involved "is someone hurt?" And then I can step in. It can be physical hurt or emotional hurt.

I need to remember how great my kids are. A lady at church was telling me she was going to send her daughter over to our house so she could learn to be perfect too. No perfection over here. But it made me think "my boys are pretty wonderful" and I should enjoy them more, awkwardness and all.

Let the little things go. This has gotten easier over the years. Maybe it is because my memory isn't the greatest. But unless my feelings have really been hurt, I don't remember.

Keep up on housework and laundry. I tend to be more motivated by an overflowing laundry hamper and being told at bedtime "I don't have any socks for tomorrow." But I vacuum around the table and kitchen usually once a day, sometimes more, sometimes (if we are gone for most eating) less. Dishes, that is random. Sometimes I am waiting for the dirty dishes. Other times, like today, I need to unload the clean dishes and start loading dirty dishes. But here I am, not doing dishes (I did start laundry though).

Balance. I think it is hard to be happy when all I am doing is cleaning. So if I let the dishes be for a few minutes while I read a couple pages in my book or play with the boys and dog outside or surf the Internet or meet up with friends at the park, I am much happier and it is easier for me to deal with tantrum throwing 2 year old or a teething 1 year old or a sassy, eye-rolling 7 year old or a 5 year old who thinks he is an adult or a 9 year old who really likes reading, especially when he has been asked to do something or when I find out Bryan won't be home and it has been one of "those days."

Side note:
Luke is still sleeping. Isaac and Benjamin have changed "games" many times while I have sat here typing and watching them play. There was riding the car/bike around, playing with a balloon, chasing, pretending to be asleep, wrestling and now they are taking turns laying on a big blanket while the other holds a corner and runs around them in a circle (Benjamin is actually sing-songing "curcle, curcle, curcle" as he runs around and now Isaac is saying "circle, circle, circle" as he is running around). They have tried to go outside but I said they needed to get dressed first. Apparently, they don't want to go upstairs to get dressed.

#7 May Blog A Day

Day 7: what are you most afraid of?

I am afraid of leaving my children before they are raised. I firmly believe that my kids came to me because I needed them to be my kids and they needed me to be their mom. And if something were to happen to me and I could not be their mother, the one who takes care of them and teaches them, it would be tough.

I have been put on "stay on the couch and don't lift anything heavier than 10lbs" for a couple pregnancies and that has been horrible. But at least I was here to direct and instruct.

Also, rodents are disgusting. I can handle lizards and even snakes aren't that bad. But a mouse- YUCK!

#6 May Blog A Day

Day 6: if you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question "what do you do?"

Being a Stay-at-home-mom, I usually say "I get to stay home with my 5 boys." But I guess, for the purposes of the writing prompt and for journaling, I can expand.

I do lots and lots and lots of laundry. I had NO idea what my mom dealt with in the laundry department until recently. And I know I am no where near what she dealt with 8 kids, 6 of them girls. I have 3 less and all boys.

I deal with food. Meals, snacks, drinks, treats. Usually I am involved somehow. Wether it is preparing it or cleaning it up, I deal a lot with the food. Usually I am the one that shops for it too.

I clean children. Faces. Hands. Bums.

I dress children. Okay, I dress one and sometimes help one and encourage the others to dress themselves.

I help with homework. Homework reading. Questions that go with homework reading. Math sheets.

I take kids to soccer. Practices and games. I played in a MATS (Mothers Against The Sons) game with Adam's team yesterday. It was fun but I think we decided starting next season, it will be a FATS game.

I pick kids up from school. Thankfully, Bryan takes them to school so the sleeping children can remain sleeping until they are ready to wake up (which is not 7:30am).

I clean. Floors. Bathrooms. Dusting. Kitchen. Dishes. Clothes. Oh, did I already mention laundry?

I read books.

I play outside.

I play referee. Between boys and between the boys and Lola, our dog.

I do yard work. Not a lot but I help.

I discipline.

I cuddle. And hug. And kiss.

I give hair cuts.

I put on band-aids.

I arrange play dates.

I take care of making and taking kids to doctor and dentist appointments.

I do the clothing shopping.

I encourage teeth brushing. I brush teeth too.

I read or play on my phone to help children fall asleep.

I plan "vacations"

I call insurance companies. Or any company that we need to talk to.

I get prescriptions. And make sure we take prescriptions.

I wake up in the middle of the night.

I wake up with the school boys in the morning (and then, hopefully, go back to sleep).

I teach letters, numbers, sharing, responsibility, compassion, generosity, how to pray, how to fast, what is important and what is "not that big of a deal."

I love my husband and kids.

And I try to be a good example.

#5 May Blog A Day

Day 5: profess my love publicly

Ummm...I don't really profess publicly.

I LOVE my husband. He is truly my best friend. (He hates when people say that). He likes to push my buttons and to tease but really he has me and our family as a top priority. He is coaching 2 soccer teams this season. I don't think there are enough hours in the day or days in the week for him to coach more.

I love my boys. They really have made my life worthwhile. I don't know what I would be doing or what I would be like if I wasn't their mother. I really am having a hard time with the thought of having 3 kids in full day school this fall. I feel like once they are school, we are so busy with school and soccer and cub scouts, I don't get to see them as much and the little time we do spend together is a lot of running around and being busy together. It isn't bad to be busy but it isn't the same as when I only had toddlers and we had all day together. I have realized I am in that weird school-aged with toddlers stage of life and it is good but I am trying to cherish the baby/toddler stage since once they are in school, they are gone a lot. But I am loving that my school -aged boys read (and enjoy it) and like cooking shows (not just Scooby-Doo) but they understand that almost 3yo don't understand sharing and compromise all the time.

I really love the family I have. They make the challenges and trials in life bearable and sometimes comedic.

May blog a day #4

Day 4: favorite quote and why

I love quotes and sayings.

I say "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit." fairly regularly. I don't know where that came from but I heard it once and started saying to the boys.

When we are going places, before we get out the car, I will remind the boys to "be on our BEST behavior." And if someone starts misbehaving I can ask "is this your BEST behavior?" and usually the acting up subsides (not always but I am always wiling to leave somewhere and they know it).

I love the quote by Gordon B. Hinckley about true love. "True love is not so much a matter about romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well being of one's companion." I love that one because I think it is so true.

And there are tons of great quotes from TV shows and movies. Ron Swanson is a favorite around here. Also, Blue's Clues and Backyardigans and Imagination Movers have some pretty great quotes; "and the feeling is...happy!" "Please and Thank you are the se-cret to the Nile." and "pick it up pick it up now! clean my room. Pick it up!" (Some of those are sung fairly often here).

May 3- blog a day

Day 3: something I am uncomfortable with

Speaking in (or in front of) large groups of people. Give me a group of 3-6 and I am good, much more than 10 and I am good just people watching and listening.

I think I have always been this way. I have tried being more outgoing, it just doesn't come naturally. And I wouldn't really say I am shy because I can talk to people and I can ask random people for random things. For example, I could go up to someone (preferably an employee but not a requirement) at a store and ask where the bathroom is and not be afraid to ask or I can ask "stupid" questions and not care. I think it goes back to me not really caring about people think of me.

Sometimes I think I will outgrow it but I doubt it.

May blog a day- Day 2

Day 2: Educate you on something I am good at.

Ummm...lately I have been doing a lot of laundry and dishes and going to soccer practices and games.

I am good at reading books. Not like reading for studying but reading for fun. I am trying to be a good example to my boys that "books are fun!" The first 2 are picking up on it, the youngers think "books are fun!" especially if mom reads the books to them. I want to instill independent reading.

I enjoy cooking. When I am in the mood to cook. On the days where I am unmotivated to cook, we are happy if I make a grilled cheese.

I enjoy sewing. But I don't want to be critiqued and if it takes me 4 years to finish a blanket that should have only taken a few weeks, that's okay. And I don't sew clothes. Just blankets and hoodie towels and the occasional repairing of clothes. I might branch out and make something that requires more thinking and paying attention to. But that will have to be when I don't have a toddler that I need to be tending to.

I am good at being a soccer mom. I go to practices. I remind the boys to take water. I cheer from the sidelines. I sign up to take snacks. And for the most part, I enjoy being at the soccer fields. Next season will be a test to this because we will have 2 boys that will be traveling and 2 boys that play on our home fields. I need a clone (and one of Bryan too).

Along with being a good soccer mom, I am a good boy mom. Noise and wrestling doesn't drive me crazy. I think activity is good but better when it is outside. I don't have a burning desire to do hair before church (I have a hard enough time doing my own) or plan a wedding (I didn't want a wedding reception for myself) and it is nice to be able to say "girls only" as I walk out the door alone. I don't enjoy the sympathetic looks I get when people realize Luke is a boy too or they ask "all boys? Not ONE girl?" But I do like when people say "maybe the next one will be a girl." I don't know why I like that but it puts a smile on my face.

Blog a day- this is for May 1st

Day 1: life story in 250 words or less (or more, I'm not counting)

I was born in Ohio and was the 4th daughter. On my 4th birthday we moved to California. 2 more sister and 2 brothers joined our family after me. I had a pretty great childhood. But since having children, my memory is not so great. But I do remember having a good time and can remember things like sneaking delicious Thrifty's ice cream in a huge box with a spoon and camping and swimming and riding our bikes around the block and to Stop n' Rob and having sleepovers and getting tricked into moving into the garage and Sundays (yummy dinner and movies and naps and scones and cookies and fried burritos).
I met and married my husband at a young age. We waited 3 years before our first son was born. When he was 2 months old, we moved to Texas. When he was 14 1/2 months old, he was a big brother. We moved back to California with a 2yo and a 1yo. Had another son 2 years after that. And another 2 years after that.
We moved back to Texas with a 6yo, 5yo, 2yo and a 7mo. A year after that we had another son.
The last 9 years of my life have been being a mother. And I love it. We have challenges and struggles and days why I wonder why I don't pay someone because surely they would do a better job than me. But I really do love being home with my boys.

A few things about me right now

**journal entry nothing about the boys or cute photos of them or me or Bryan or Lola. A little boring maybe.

I have working on a few things about myself. Changing habits is hard business.

I am working on having more patience. It seems the more I try to work on it, the more it is tried. For example, boys will get out of bed 20 times instead of the usual 5.

I am also working on planning and cooking more meals at home. I have found that having a plan for the week days works pretty well for me. Meal planning goes by the wayside when I am pregnant/have a newborn. This time, it took a little longer to get back to "normal."

I also am working on ignoring household stuff to have "fun." Like the dishes need to be done but I went on a walk with the family and then we watched a movie as a family. As soon as Benjamin is asleep, I get to do the dishes instead of climbing in my bed with one of the books I picked up from the library this week.

I am working on reading for myself. I read so many kid books and think of all the things I could be doing...because once I start a book, the world keeps on going around me. So really what I am working on is reading and still functioning as a wife and mother.

I'm working on crafting. I like sewing. I don't do it nearly enough. I (finally) finished Bryan's blanket. And he very willingly shares it with everyone. It is big enough that if we are all on the big couch together we can share it nicely. Isaac and Benjamin love to share it during the day too. But 5 boys and a dog and a husband need my time more than my sewing machine does...and I get frustrated when I get interrupted or if I can't find the time to finish something (I'm also working on that). I like hoodie towels because I get to sew and it gets finished in about an hour (usually more because of the interruptions) but it gets done and I like that.

I am working on lots of things. Even more that I am not ready to share and might not ever be willing to share. I know I will always be "working" on something about me. I am happy with who I am and I am confident but I know there is room for improvement. And I really don't care what people think about me and I still want to change. I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around that one. If I am confident and happy, why would I want to change?
Because I know I can be better.

Now to figure out how to teach that to my boys!

Busy and the journal gets neglected

**this is my journal so this is for my memory...especially since I can't remember anything any more.

Needless to say we have been busy. I have found either I don't have enough time or enough energy in the day to get everything done.

Soon I will get on the desktop and update the last 3 (or 4) months. But I thought I would jot down a few things about the boys before I forget.

Yesterday while at Sam's Club with the 5 boys alone, I had 2 different couples tell me how great it was that I had 5 BOYS (that was after checking to make sure they were all mine) and "God bless you" and "they are so well behaved" and then I had a lady tell me how handsome my 3 younger ones were (she LOVED Luke) while we were waiting for the 2 big boys to come out of the bathroom.

Adam: is a great oldest brother. I love that he (usually) is so willing to help with whatever I ask...depending on the task it may take a few reminders but usually it gets done. Personality wise, he is a great mix of Bryan and me. He loves the "with friends" games; like Words with Friends, Gems with Friends and Matching with Friends. He is really good to go out and play with Lola even when it is freezing (to me) outside.

Austin: really has so much of my personality it is frustrating. But he is so sweet and LOVES to be the only one to do something; for example to be the only one to help unload the car or to pick up dinner or toys. And he plays so well with Benjamin and Luke...does school have to start back up again on Tuesday?

Isaac: oh, my Isaac. He loves to talk but doesn't enunciate very well. We are working on it. He loves to stay up late, cuz he's an adult. He loves to watch Wheel of Fortune with me, especially if he gets to stay up a little while longer. He loves to tell me stories; last night it was about "Bryan coming up to bed and he would say "who is in my spot?" And then he would see that it is Isaac and he would have to find a new place to sleep."

Benjamin: has given me a new perspective on 2 year-olds. Since he is my fourth and I LOVE Nursery, I thought I knew 2yo. I was wrong. My dad gave Isaac the nickname Tornado. I think he would give Benjamin the nickname Taunami. But he is so sweet and loving when he isn't throwing a tantrum or climbing on kitchen counters or getting into treats when he has been told no. And he talks and talks and talks, way more than my other boys. He also loves soccer; it is going to be a long year until he can play on a real team too.

Luke: my blue-eyed baby. If he wasn't as wonderful as he is, I would wonder where he came from. I am hoping he is teething right now and that is the reason for him waking up in the middle of the night and feeling that my bed is his bed. Luke has also changed what I thought I knew about my babies. I have never had a baby put things in their mouth (I know, lucky right?). Luke can find anything on the floor, even if it is on the other side of the room, roll or army crawl or scoot to get to it, and stick it in his mouth. He loves going to church because so many people talk to him and want to hold him.

Bryan: aside from work, church, house projects and boys, he got his dog. I am amazed at how balanced he is with everything. And how balanced he keeps me.

Next post: update with photos.