What a nice suprise!

Today has been quite eventful in a good way.

Everyone went down for their naps with very little argument! Amen! And yes they all actually slept!

While everyone was sleeping, someone knocked at the door. Which is unusual, accept for visits from the kids grandma, who lives a few houses down. It was two men wanting to preach to me. They stated they were Christians and opened with the passage that reads "...the truth will set you free." Which is in John 8. I then borrowed his Bible and cited John 6, all of you Catholics out there know what I'm talking about, it opens, "Truly, truly I say to you, you must eat my flesh and drink my blood to have life with in you." Like the man said, "...the truth will set you free."

After evangelizing my fellow Christians I returned inside and began watching a movie, "Rudy". I love that movie. About 45 minutes later, another knock at the door. It was my aunt and uncle! A very nice surprise, they just happened to be in town and stopped by. We actually got to visit for a couple of hours and they had to go home. While they were here there was another knock at the door. It was a friend of ours who stopped by quickly say hello. He was on his way to the hospital, his son was in a car wreck and he was on his way to the hospital (please send prayers his way).

So we had a few visitors in one day, when usually there is none. So we had a good day, and I actually had some adult conversation.

Adventures in the back yard...

This afternoon I thought it would be a good idea to go play on the swing set in the back yard. The key word is thought.
A cold front went through (it actually went down into the 50's during day light hours here which is frigid for us). This means we now have to find socks, shoes, long pants, and jackets. After fighting with the kids for a good portion of the afternoon we were finally ready to go outside. Cue the baby crying. Now I have to feed the baby. With day light slowly drifting away, I try and hurry the baby, though this is not physically possible. Now the trek to the swing set (which is in the "back yard" which is actually on the side of the house, it's just the way the house sits on the lot). So now that the baby is awake I bundle her up in the fuzzy PJs and wrap her up in two blankets. I am now carrying a baby, her bouncy seat and a fold out chair for me in case I need to feed her, plus I have to herd 3 children to the swing set, which is around the house and past the veggie garden/ chicken coop. And we can't go between the house and garden due to the fact it rained yesterday and is now a mud pit. With everything in hand we start our journey. After fighting with them they finally go down the steps to the patio. My three year old goes straight to the shed my husband has partially torn down (the opposite direction of the swings) . I now freak out yelling for her to come back over to mommy before the entire structure collapses on her. I hear clucking chickens and a rooster goes flying by. Now enter the one year old freaking out because he has never seen a chicken freak out. Now my 2 year old is looking at me stressing out wondering what the big deal is. Baby is content through out all of this just because I am holding her. I ask the two year old to carry the bouncy seat. His response is a blank stare. Okay I guess not. After calming the one year old down and redirecting the three year old, we are back on our way to the swings. We finally make it after having to drag the one year old past the chickens because now he is scared of them due to the flying rooster, which he scared in the first place. Now every one is on a swing, baby is in the bouncy seat and I have collapsed from exhaustion into the folding chair. Two seconds later baby starts screaming. I get up and hold her. Now the other three are whining because they want to be pushed. With one hand and a baby in the other I now alternately push the others in the swings. I probably should mention here that the whole idea for going outside was for the kids to burn off some steam. So far I have burned off 10 times more calories than the kids. Now we have been outside for maybe 15 minutes. Baby starts crying again even though I am holding her. Now I decide that it was a really REALLY bad idea to come outside. Now the baby is screaming, she is hungry. Now I proceed to take everyone off the swings and start herding them back to the back door. Bouncy seat in hand I decide that I will leave the fold out chair in the yard, really because I don't want to carry it back, but use the excuse that we will be back outside this week and it's not supposed to rain. I again drag the one year old past the chickens and keep the other two headed back to the house. We make it back inside and I escort everyone back to the living room and close the baby gate, thus ending our adventure in the back yard.

Tomorrow is the next adventure...

Things every parent should know before they are parents...

There are many things everyone should know before they are parents. This is just a minuscule portion of that information.

Companies you should invest in prior to parenthood:
1. diaper companies
2. diaper cream companies (Every parent should be issued a 55 gallon vat when their child is born.)
3. battery companies
4. toy companies
5. cleaning supply companies
6. kids clothing companies
7. laundry detergent companies

Ways to practice having a baby:
1. get a puppy let it get to about 6 months old and trade that in for another puppy, continue to do this for then next 18 years. (the only thing is the puppy will listen better)
2. when you go to sleep at night set an alarm clock to go off every 30 minutes, continue this also for 18 years.
3. find a sound that is the most annoying sound that you have ever heard in your life and play it continuously for an hour straight at least 12 times a day and two of those times must be while you are sleeping.

Things you will never have again:
1. freedom
2. personal space
3. sanity
4. a good night sleep
5. peace of mind
6. a clean house

But you will also never have this:
1. an empty heart
2. a lack of love
3. a lack of laughter
4. a lack of excitement
5. a lack of group hugs
6. a lack for a reason to smile
7. a lack for a reason to pinch cheeks (my personal favorite)!


I know there are many of you out there that can add to these lists, please feel free to do so.

What will he say next...Whoisit?

Some of you may have heard these stories about Tommy, but I enjoy them so much I have to tell them again.
One day the two Teds had gone to church to paint the lines in the parking lot, which left me, Ellie and Tommy at home. I was in the back of the house when the men returned and didn't hear them knocking. I had put the deadbolt on therefore they couldn't get in. Ted called me to tell me that they were at the door. As I approached the living room Tommy standing about as far away from the door as possible yells out, "Whoisit?" For those of you how can't read transcribed 1 year old, that translates into "Who is it?" I guess he was planning on answering the door.

On another occasion I was talking to Ted on the phone and he had been gone for a few days and was on his way home. I guess Tommy figured out that Ted was on the phone and demanding to know his Daddy's current location he yells out, "Where you at?" Knowing the geographer that he is I'm sure he was expecting the exact GPS location.

No telling what is going to come out of his mouth next.

Grace, or as Tommy last referred to her, Gace, she actually smiled at me today! And it wasn't an I have gas smile, it was a real smile!

Now I think I hear a baby calling...

Do we hafta?

For the past few days, with suitable protest from all three of the oldest, I have been attempting to give my three older ones a "nap time" and a "bed time". The results have been mixed. They stay in their room for nap time, but they don't sleep. Which still gives them the time out they need and makes them more sleepy for "bed time" even though they don't sleep much for the first 30 minutes to an hour at bed time. It's still a work in progress.
Last night all of the kids decided that it would be a really good idea to wake up at the wee hours in the morning. It started with Tommy waking up at 3am. 30 to 45 min. later hear comes Teddy, and hour after Teddy was Ellie and Grace. Needless to say none of us got much sleep last night. The kids did get little cat naps on rotation with one or two still keeping watch making sure mommy didn't get a chance to really sleep.
I finally decided that at 11am I wouldn't be able to get any sleep and went to "make" lunch, which turned out to be bologna and corn chips(I need to maintain my sanity some kind of way), while the kids stayed corralled in the living room. Upon my return I discovered the kids had "cleaned" the living room by throwing anything and everything that was on the floor, couch or chairs of the living room over the baby gate into a large pile on the dining room floor. After tossing everything from toys to clothing to pillows back into the living room we finally sat down to eat. Then everyone went to their room for naps and joy of joys (insert alleluia chorus here) everyone, including the baby, went to sleep! I actually have some time to wash dishes, start supper and decompress WITHOUT having 3 children screaming and yelling wondering why mommy can't play!
Now let me run wildly through my house jumping up and down for joy even if it is just for another five minutes!

Getting started

Hello to all! I can't imagine that anyone will actually read my blog today. It is the day of my debut and I kind of did this on a whim. It was 2:30 in the morning and I was sleep deprived and had just nursed my baby. So if this comes out incredibly boring please forgive me.
Let me start by telling you some things about me. I am in my mid 30's my husband and I have been married sense July of 2003. We have 4 absolutely gorgeous children (yes, I am a bit partial). And yes I gave birth to 4 children in as many years. I do have some "Calgon" days, but for the most part my children are angels and listen to every word I say. (Give me a minute to stop laughing.)
Our oldest, Ellie, is 3, she will be 4 right before Christmas. We found out at the end of last year that she has Celiac. So if there are any parents out there with children who have Celiac please pass on the tips. I have been able to find some great web sites and have been doing a little research on my own and I have found several mainstream foods that are gluten free it seems just by chance. I would be happy to pass that on to anyone who would like it.
We also have two sons, Teddy and Tommy. They are 13 months apart, and are 2 and 1 respectively. They are like any other boys/brothers. They could be ready to kill eachother at any given moment and five minutes later they are chasing each other around the house laughing and giggling like nothing ever happened.
And then there is our newborn, Grace, she is 3 weeks old, so she has yet to make a mark in the world other than poopy diapers and nursing. But that is only a matter of time.
There is also my wonderful husband, Ted. Like I mentioned we have been married a little over 4 years. I couldn't have asked for a better man to journey through life with. We did get married a little later in life, both of us in our 30's, which has it's pros and cons. But we are happy and delighted with our quick large family.
Most importantly in my life is my faith. I was born and raised Catholic and love my religion as I'm sure many of you out there do. God has always been there for me though it all, even though I may not have liked his answers to some of my prayers he knows what's best for me, much more than I do.
This is what most of my blogs will be about, God, family and friends. My top priorities in life. I hope you enjoy reading about it!
All you other mothers out there know the truth, You make it through each day- by the Grace of God.