Happy days are here again!

Well, in light of my very negative post yesterday, which I reread and cringed a bit but ultimately decided to leave online due to its truthfulness, in light of that I decided to lighten things up a bit with a post of pictures from our day of fun at the mall. Above is Pauli driving her new boat at Bass Pro Shop. The kids loved being able to climb around on those boats, I am sure the staff was watching us with trepidation but we took full advantage of this unconventional playground.

Here is one of Pop looking thrilled while the other kids ride the Merry Go Round. Notice how Jacks outfit is coordinated to match his new stroller, I always do that! Kidding that would be OCD for sure. I only have that occasionally.

Okay, this is something I would have loved as a kid but now makes me want to throw up. I didn't even like watching them enjoy it! They loved it and I was so glad I had to stay off and watch Jack. I used to be the queen of roller coasters but now I am not even sure I could do the Log Jamboree at Sick Flags, I mean Six Flags.

Again the look of Joy, and we did this after eating in the food court Pizza and Fries. How I have earned my Gold star mom of the year award today! Have you ever had one of those days where you just want them to be happy and not end up in the hospital? Let them eat, do and wear and say what they want, pretend not to see or hear the parts you don't like and just smile? Well today was that kind of a day. It works for me on occasion.

I hope they remember these years as fun and not with me always saying something like this:

Kid: "Mom can we do X, Y, or Z?"

Me: "No"

Kid"Whyyyyyyyeeee?"
Me: "Because I have five kids and its tooooooo hard!"

So from then on my answer is either no or No bc I have 5 kids

I mean I use that as an excuse for everything,

Can we have Pizza?

No bc I have 5 kids?

Can we play at McD?

No five kids

Can we go to Walmart with you?

No 5

Etc, Ad Nauseum

Anyway, We had fun today and no one went to the hospital. It was all in all a success I'd say. When we got home with grandparents in tow (my in laws) I even whipped up the last batch of tollhouse cookies I will make this century bc in a few days I am back on weight watchers and I had to use up the last of my 16 lb bag of chips from Sam's. Ohhh they are so good I am eating them right now and the kids are asleep and you are reading this wishing I would share. Sorry! I will be paying for it later in Step class though. Have a Happy New Year, Can't wait for 09!

Can you help me?

Instead of a typical post, I am going to write out all the questions I have in my head today and if anyone who reads this has an answer to one or all of them, I would love to hear it!

1. Why do fools fall in love?

2. What is the meaning of life?

3. Why will my son not eat anything but sweets?

4. Why won't my baby sleep like a baby?

5. Why do people feel like everyone in the world should act/dress/think/worship/recreate/live as they do?

6. Why can't I remember anything from all the Calculus and Physics classes I took at Auburn.

7. Why does my kids' pediatrician (whom I love as a person) keep telling me that vaccines are totally harmless, how can she be sure? She is willing to bet my baby's future neurological health on it when I have two little girls who have issues one major and one minor.

8. Why doesn't everyone know that many if not most of the vaccines that we push in the USA have patents owned by the CDC? Money, money, money . . . that's all I'm saying, oh that and yes I can see where a 2 lb baby needs a shot for an STD like Hep B? Or anybaby for that matter, how many drug using infants do you know, the moms are tested for Hep B so if it comes out negative, why give the shot so damn early? (Sorry sore spot)

9. Why do all the Catholic churchs now use contemporary Christian music instead of traditional Catholic Hymns which are very beautiful, especially at Christmas?

10. Why can't I use the bathroom without someone talking to me from the hallway?

11. Why wasn't I born with some amazing talent like music or the ability to use alchemy to create gold?

12. Why do I find it so difficult to find time to pray (and without falling asleep?)

13. How is it possible that I have so many wonderful friends?

14. Why did it take my husband so long to start his own blog, he is one of the best writers I know!

15. Why ask Why?

16. Who wrote the book of love?

17. Why can't I stop eating chocolate?

18. Why wasn't I born with a fast metabolism?

19. How do I answer my daughter when she asks the following questions -

"Mommy why doesn't God give all the children in the world enough food to eat?" or "Mommy why doesn't Santa give all the poor kids toys like we get?" "Mommy, how did baby Jack get in your tummy?"

Followed quickly by "Mommy how did the Dr get baby Jack OUT of your tummy?"

20. Why am I up on the computer when I could be catching up on sleep? (I can answer this one, I drank too much Coke and I enjoy the quiet!

OK people - I'm waiting????

How do I do it?

People ask me this quite frequently and to be honest, I never know how to answer them, though in truth, it is probably just a rhetorical question and they are probably not really looking for an answer. But I have it for you today. That is if you are interested.
Here is how . . .
Today after baking about 200 plus chocolate chip cookies for teachers and coworkers,
today after wrestling all day with a baby who kept me up all night because he was wheezing and feverish and the Benadryl I gave him caused him to become excited instead zonked,
today after changing atleast 5 poop diapers,
and folding four loads of laundry and decorating the Christmas tree and feeding my kids frozen pizza for dinner,
I laid on the floor, on my stomach so my crawling, cruising baby wouldn't punch my stomach or fall on my other sensitive parts I started to drift off and imagine that his pushing and rolling and other movements were that of a masseuse at an expensive spa that doesn't smell like poop and cookies together. In my head I was getting a massage (something I haven't done in years.) Okay so this particular massage was from a drooling masseuse who whined a little and eventually fell asleep on my back but the best part was all I had to tip him was a couple of kisses and a zerbert on the belly. That is how I do it my friends, its all in the delusional mind games I play. The drooling masseuse has an opening tomorrow at 10 AM if anyone would like him to swing by. By the way, I don't recommend trying to give your next masseuse a belly zerbert, I hear they much prefer cash ;)

Fantastic Friday

How cute are my kiddos? Very, is my biased opinion. This is just a random recent moment but it is getting harder and harder to catch them all together long enough to photograph.

If you are wondering if the relationship between multiples is different than typical siblings I would say yes and no. Yes, they tend to look out for each other in everyway and they want to be together pretty much 24/7 although when my big guy went to hang out with my nephews recently he was in heaven with all the boys around while my girls cried that he was gone and they didn't want him to miss out on anything fun we did like decorating cookies, (which I incidently ate most of.) I assured them that he was having fun of his own and wouldn't miss out. I would say no in that they still fight occasionally but far far less than my siblings and I did as kids. I do have mutliples friends whose kids fight a lot so I can't say for sure if that has anything to do with it. Here are some things they don't have:

Psychic powers

Their own language (well they did make up like two words when they were 3)

Any concept of birth order

Identical DNA (fraternal of course)

Similar gifts and abilities

They are as different as night and day, except they have the same birthday!

Jackaroo on the other hand is totally different than they were as a group or as individuals.

He thinks he is the center of The Universe and rightly so (for now!)

He thinks he lives in a circus (prerry much true.)

He thinks everything his siblings do is hilarious.

He thinks his mom is the bomb.

I am sure he is thinking a few other things and those will be revealed in time. I believe sooner rather than later as he will be talking a little quicker than they did with all the chatter he hears. Still haven't heard a momma out of him but the other day someone reminded me that once he started saying he would never stop so I am okay with him just saying Dada for now!

Have a Fantastic Friday and Merry Christmas! Oh by the way, in order to balance my negative post from the other day, I have a list of things I like at the very bottom of the page, just scroll down if you are so inclined!

Things that bug me

Well, if you are reading this then you are gonna get what the title says, a list of things that bug me. I just want to give fair warning to anyone that wants to bail out now. Okay, here goes . . .



I am annoyed by rudeness, especially when its by people who don't even know you, like say people who work behind fast food counters or at retail stores. I realize they may not like their jobs but no ones chaining them down there. Find a new job if you don't like it!



Loud-mouths, people who think they know everything or want to top your story no matter what you say, next time you come across one of these types just say "oh yea, well last year I had an ingrown toenail and the dr told me my toe would have to come off" When they start to give you a run down on their last podiatrist visit cut them off and say " yea well my toe nail got infected with that MRSP and the dr only gave me 2 weeks to live . . . in fact, I am over due to expire, if you'll excuse me." As you dash off.



Boring people come in close second but fortunately, I am finding most people really aren't boring. Everyone has a story to tell, something interesting about themselves or their families that makes them unique. Boring people are just not talking about the right things. What is your unique story?, I am sure you already know mine. Yes, I have quads, then comes I have five kids on purpose, after that I would say I went to Australia a few years ago. Followed by my husband was in a movie with Kristi McNichols when he was 12, saved all the money and bought his first car with it. He still gets royalty checks for it which is why we are rich. I am kidding, about the checks, he really was in a movie called Summer of My German Soldier. I love that about him! In fact, he is a very unique and interesting person in regular person clothing. He played football as a walk on for UGA (ok so it was the scout team but still very cool.) He used to write a newspaper column in his hometown, he has written two fiction novels. He was supposed to go into training to be a Navy pilot and then plans changed ( which is lucky for me.) He can turn on a red neck accent in an instant if necessary to deal with people who are put at ease by that. He has three degrees from UGA and is infact a Dr. So cool. Okay this column has turned into my brag about my husband essay? Weird, didn't see that coming.

Sorry!

Back to things that annoy me, I am not a fan of



Bumper stickers (even the funny ones,) Give the stick people a rest already, and by the way, I don't care if your family raises Pygmy goats!



Can't stand stuffed animals in the window, or any kind of hanging lai, air freshener, dice, tassel or Rosary beads (that is not what they are for!)



Yippie dogs that bark too much and weigh less than 2 pounds - just shut up already and take off that stupid sweater!



People who think they are being nice to my autistic daughter but are really just talking to her like she is an idiot or a baby. Believe me, she knows what you are saying and how you are saying it, I believe it annoys her as well. She probably has a higher IQ than you too so there!



People who think they can ask all kinds of personal questions about your fertitlity issues because you have multiples, then they love to fill you in on anyone they know who has had trouble getting pregnant, Do you really think I am interested in your second step cousin's ovarian cysts? Yuck!



People who can't pronounce the word QUADRUPLETS, its not that hard people!



People who are overly interested in or excited by anything like stats for major sports figures, Sci Fi crap, Dungeons and Dragons, (Note: My attachment to Harry Potter does not qualify me in this category, I am immune to my own snobbery.)



Celine Dion - Uck



Mariah Carey - put on some comfortable clothes!



Super models - eat a sandwich please



Celebrities who think they run the world and that their political opinions matter to me anymore than the guy next door's do. You are paid to act, not educate me on why my choice for president is wrong.



People who still drive cars around with Al Gore stickers, you would be surprised how many of those are still out there! Umm excuse me while I remove my McCain Palin cling on.



I hate licorice or anything having anything to do with licorice Good n plentys, and hello vegetables that taste like licorice - fennel, whats that all about.



ohh mushy mealy apples and tomatoes



mosquitos



weather people - I don't know why?



Local TV personalities in general



Steve and Vicky in the morning



Liberals who like to judge everyone and tell them they are wrong for not thinking the way they do.

Ok, I think I will have to continue this tomorrow because I am so very exhausted by my own complaints!



Look for part deux tomorrow!

A bit about everything

I am not sure where this post will end up but sometimes if I just start writing it seems to end up wrapped around some random central theme eventually so here it goes, this is really a stress reliever for me and an outlet since I can't blab to a husband who is already asleep!
I am currently battling going to the gym vs. baby naptime vs. Christmas shopping. Oh vs. staying home and doing nothing. That one seems to win out a lot. I start thinking about all the stuff that needs to be done at home and after I drop the others off at school I decide to go do it but inevitably the baby will not settle down so we both end up on the couch in front of the TV. He is no longer content to sit in his exersaucer or play on the floor with toys. He wants to crawl away or cruise around looking for things to get into so that makes it all more difficult. I am currently in the market for a playyard!
I can't seem to get any decorating done, though we do have a tree now and it is upright with water and a skirt around it at least but I generally have to do the lights by myself and that is a pain, you have to throw the lights around to the other side and then climb back up the step ladder and arrange them as far as possible without falling onto the tree or floor. Then you have to go back and change out bulbs so you don't have too many of the same color all clumped together (something dad instilled in me.) Then fix the burned out ones. Then hang ornaments that aren't broken, ugly or missing a hook without sticking yourself with the stupid hooks or needles on the tree. Then put something tacky like tinsel or some sparkling garland and finally find a way to put the angel on top. I have never managed to get the angel on top and I bought it 4 years ago. Before that I threw a bow up there over and over until it stuck in the right place. Then I get to vacuum again with a crappy old vacuum that won't pick up but half the needles because it doesn't suck. You can't say a vacuum sucks when its bad so what do you say? Anyway, more watering and vacuuming ensue in the weeks to follow. Oh well, this topic has played itself out and I am bored by my own complaining. Onto other things.
How about what to give as teachers gifts? I have 9 to buy! The thing is, my kids are in the same class! Well 3 of them any way but there are two para pros, two teachers, three speech therapist, an Occupational therapist, a resource teacher and countless special teachers, P.E. etc. I gotta feeling those specials teachers end up with the short end of the stick, everyone probably leaves them out seeing as there are so many of them, music, art etc. Hey I just remembered the art teacher just married one of the gym teachers so they can share right?
I have no idea what to give my husband, I am thinking of putting a note on the tree that says "Go get something at Bass Pro Shop and put it on Your credit card" How sweet is that? I want to be thoughtful and romantic but I just haven't got it in me during this busy time of year. Maybe when the kids are older. I bet millions of moms have that as an excuse for at least a dozen different things over the course of 18 + years. I think that I am successfully unwound now and in the mood for bad TV or bed. Have a good night and I promise the next post will be less random!

To sleep or not to sleep

Okay, I know that picture has nothing to do with the title but it is a cute picture of 3 of my kids and their cousin, he is my first cousin once removed - I don't know what that makes him to my kids but I bet you are sitting there right now thinking, How does she understand that whole cousin-labeling system? Well I don't really but I did find out a while back that all those little people I thought were my 2nd cousins are really my first once removed's. I read it somewhere.
He is cute, He can drive his parents golf cart and he is not even as old as my kids! This picture is taken at my almost 90 year old granddads "farm" And I add the quotes because he has two cows and two goats but to me that's a farm. Sure smelled like one anyway. Ripe.
So back to the sleeping thing,
I am not getting any. My baby has achieved about 5 milestones this week and sleep is not on his list. He can now stand up and that seems to be more important than sleep, also, he has not figured out how to sit down so you know how that goes. He started clapping, trying to talk a little, blow raspberries, and still likes to nurse at 2:30, 4 and 5 AM.
I am only tolerating this because he is the last one. I am torn between the whole Cry it out- Baby Wise Vs. Co-bedding Dr. Sears attachment parenting thing. IF you don't understand that controversy you can Google it. I won't get into it, I can't take a side, I am on the fence like my kids in the picture - Aaahaa there is the catch and reason for my using that picture!! See how clever I am?
I will say that I did Baby Wise with my quads, had to no choice. The baby who was the hardest to get to sleep and had to cry it out for a week staight is my very best sleeper to this day. She is the only one who stays in bed all night and doesn't come up with excuses to get in mom and dads bed because her nose is running etc. She prays every night that God will give her good dreams and I so hope he hears her on that. What a sweet prayer. What a sweet little girl.
I chose to be more liberal, Freebird, Hemp wearing mamma style with Jack. He is it so I just want to spoil him and I have. Or maybe this is just how singletons act? He is a terrible sleeper. I start him out in his crib after I nurse him to sleep at say 7 or 8. I tip toe out and he does ok until about 11pm then I nurse him again and let him stay in our bed so I can just go to sleep. I might get in a couple of hours but then he wakes at say 2:30 on and off until 6 AM Nothing satisfies him! How many 10 month olds get to nurse 3-4 times a night! I am doing something so wrong. He is not that into babyfood he eats twice a day and he is a big guy, like 25 pounds. And the teeth, the darn teeth they aren't any fun for me, I will leave it at that. Oh well, I haven't gotten enough sleep in over a year and a half. I miss it so. I don't even dream anymore because you have to be out for a certain amount of time for those to occur. It wasn't this bad with the four because they were sleeping through the night by 4 months! Okay, I will try to close on a positive note. I know I will look back on this and laugh one day. I already miss my sweet baby boy, he is turning into a little man right before my eyes. I might even plan his February birthday party someday. Maybe I will ask Santa for a long winter's nap for Christmas. To all a good night (especially me!)

He did it!

So today was the day. I can't believe my little man has entered a new phase in his life, which conincidently complicates mine and thrills me at the same time. He is MOBILE! Where did the time go? Didn't I just find out I was pregnant with my fifth child, not a surprise, he was planned and yet a surprise just the same in that he came on his own with no help from medical science like the quads needed.

Each time something in our lives changes there is a simultaneous loss of something old, and gain of something new. As Jack enters his new phase of crawling and soon walking, I lose my baby but gain the added task of chasing after him and having to remember to pick up small things off the floor, just kidding, that is true but what I gain is, the joy of watching him develop normally and believe me that alone is a huge and precious gift. You love your children no matter where they are typical or not but there is joy in not having an issue with say gross motor development or neurotypical development. Every child will present you with some issue at some point, maybe not until they are teenagers, or maybe tomorrow when the teacher calls and says they are falling behind in class. No parent raises a family without some issues. Be thankful for the nonissues. If your children are doing well in school, are physically and mentally sound and you have enough food and shelter for them, you are blessed indeed. People need to be thankful for the normal things in life because there are so many people who would give anything to have a normal life and just can't. OK, I'm off, I see about 1000 small objects I need to clear from Jack's path. Maybe what I will gain is a clean floor, aha!

Saturday Mornings

Evidently I love to make lists as posts because here is another one:

Things I love about Saturday mornings-

I love that there is always the potential, though seldom the reality, that I just might might get to sleep in till 7 AM.

I love that I don't have to start the day yelling at little people who refuse to put on their shoes, gulp down their breakfast or brush their teeth until I threaten them with some random punishment that I seldom carry out (hmm could this be the problem?)

I love that they get excited over cartoons although they don't know the excitement we knew in the 70's and 80's as we had no 24 hour Cartoon Network. It was pretty much Saturday morning from sun up till WWF or Godzilla came on and that was it.

I love the memory of my moms homemade pancakes, my kids could only be so lucky.

I love it especially when we have nothing on the books for the day and Dad doesn't have some school function to attend.

I love that the baby has now learned to entertain himself and is not quite mobile unless you count rolling across the floor to get where he wants. Wait, that has nothing to do with Saturday morning but I will include it anyway.

I love that I have time to blog.

I love that my parents are here and there is endless entertainment for the kids. I might get to take a shower before noon!

I like the word Saturday. It evokes feelings of relief and fun.

I like that I might get to do something besides laundry, groceries, cooking, picking up dropping off or running around.

I like to pretend I am still single and in my 20's with no responsiblity except to decide what party, movie or restaurant to go to and with whom on a Saturday night. Remember that?

Have a great Saturday filled with cartoons, sleep and lots of syrup!

Neverending Story

Today was another one of those days. You know the kind. Not really great, not really bad but certainly ENDLESS. You start out late even if you got up early. I woke up at maybe 3, then 4 then every 20 minutes thereafter due to the teething young gentlemen laying beside me. (Yes, I do let him sleep in the bed with me pretty often. Don't judge me, I am 37 and this is my 5th kid so I feel like I can do what I want! :) And so I end up fussing at kids who can't really move any faster than a snail unless you suddenly shout something random like SUGAR, Happy Meal, I see Toys!
I have days when I feel I can breathe and days when I feel like I have forgotten how. Have you ever realized you have been holding your breath and you don't really have a reason? Its like you get so caught up in getting everything on your list done that everyone around you sortof becomes invisible or annoying or both if thats possible. But aren't they the reason for all that doing? I stopped several times today while doing various tasks ~ mountains of laundry, sweeping the kitchen floor for the 3rd time at 10 AM, putting away 27 small plastic cups that won't fit into the drawer yet everyday I keep cramming them in there in the same manner as the one before, and I said to myself outloud "who does this?" I mean really, Who has to buckle 5 kids into a minivan with her rear end sticking out the door while trying not to cuss loud enough for anyone within earshot of the car to hear yet not worrying that the children five inches from her face are hearing it. I do, that's who. Yep I can't hold my tongue. Its like a pressure cooker in my house, car, yard, anyplace we are all together and if I have one of those breath holding, too much to do and not enough universe to contain all the crap that goes along with a peck of children days ~ I let it rip or maybe slip. I always regret it but it does let off some steam. I am not proud of it, I am working on it. I certainly don't recommend it. Its just something about me that is what it is. An imperfection. We don't generally get to pick our imperfections. If I could I think I would make myself a picky eater. You know the kind who would rather not eat at all than have to eat something that's not what they want. I can't even imagine that. I love to eat and it doesn't have to be that good. I just like the process of stopping what I'm doing and focusing on me as I direct food toward my own mouth instead of the other seven I have to feed (I am including the dog in that count in case you are wondering.) So now instead of going to bed early like I should, I am blogging and getting the nods while also watching Whatever Martha! on the Fine living channel which is free this month from my satellite provider. As I look out over the top of my lap top screen, I see a pile of laundry waiting to be cussed at as I throw it into the proper place in the laundry room. Maybe that is my answer, more cussing at inanimate objects and less in front of impressionable young ears.

Happy Halloween!

I live in a very small neighborhood. It has maybe 15 houses. The houses on the left side have no children in them except ours and one other. The houses on the right have all the kids. I love trick or treating in this neighborhood because with 5 kids, 10 houses will get you all the candy you need. Here is my plan of attack each year:

1. Feed the kids dinner before costumes, while it is still light and before daddy gets home, this way there is less room in the tummy for all that sugar!

2. Costumes on and pictures taken on the front steps before faces are smeared with chocolate. Hope for a shot with all clean faces in one direction but realize that day will never come.

3. Remind kids to say trick or treat and then Thank you, not to say yuck when they see what is offered and grab daughter with autism by the hand before she ventures in to the living room of unsuspecting family. (she did this four times and only two families were unaware of her special needs so we told them and they kind of half nodded like they were afraid to comment on the situation. Its not cancer or something gross and contagious just autism people, (I know that in the back of my mind I am wanting people to know I am not a bad parent who lets her kid do anything too.)

4. Remind batman that its not polite to cut across peoples lawns.

5. Remind witch that she was a princess last year and "no you cannot go home and change your costume now that we are half way down the street"
6. Leave candy bowl on front step for kids who start before we get back. Some years I have forgotten to do this and I know that they talk about me! One year I put it out when I got home and was tired of answering the door - with in two minutes a full bowl was empty except for a single roll of smarties? Who leaves one candy behind?
7. Remind daddy that monkey maybe getting hot in his fleece costume and that his paws can come off, do monkeys have paws?
8. Steal all Milky ways.
9. Throw away all hard candies, yucky candies (ok sometimes I even eat those when its all that's left, so a candy pretty much has to be a 10 on the nasty scale for me to throw it out. Like say licorice Good n plentys, do they even make those anymore?
10. Pilfer everyones pumpkin after they have gone to bed with a sugar high.
11. Remind myself how much I will have to work out with every bag of m & m's I open - then eat it anyway.
12. Feel sick as I pack away the remnants of costumes without washing them.
13. Forget about the pumpkin on the front porch until it is rotten and the smell it strong enough to find its way around the side of the house because we never go out the front door.
14. Throw pumpkin out in the woods behind yard hoping it will sprout a vine so I can have free pumpkins next year (this actually happened at my parents house one year but it was in the front flower bed of the house!)
15. Wonder why husband isn't nearly as obsessed with candy as I am.
16. Realize that the candy stealing will be less likely as my kids get older and see what is going on. I think I used to count out what I had each night before bed time 2 twix, 7 snickers, 5 blowpops etc.
17. Relive old Halloween memories like the year I tripped crossing someones bricked lined flower bed and my tooth went through my lip, I had fake blood and real blood all over my face. My sister kept yelling at me "whats wrong!" I got so mad I started pounding her and then she being the more talented pounder smacked me back until the people whose house we were at opened the door. Oh and the sweet old couple who always handed out full sized packs of Hubba Bubba because the husband worked for the company. That was the best!
18. Feel guilty for the stealing/eating candy thing but do it anyway.
19. Realize the kids are old enough to be forming their memories right now and wonder if in their memories they will think I look fat/mean or old.
20. Wonder if it is worth all the wrapper picking up, extra calorie load on little bodies and sugar high tantrums I will endure this week.
21. Realize the answer is yes when daughter number one comes up to me and smiles saying "Momma, I am so happy and I had the most funny last night!"

Happy Halloween and remember to throw your pumpkins on fertile soil!

From 1926 to 2008 (Repost in honor of my grandfather who passed away last night)

***My grandfather passed away at the age of 92, last night.  It was time but it still hurts to let go.  I loved that stubborn old man!!**

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Yesterday I stepped out of my car and my foot landed on an artifact from 1926. Okay so its not quite that dramatic, it was a wheat penny. I flipped it over knowing it would be old, 1926 it read. Cool, then I started thinking, there is no telling where this penny has travelled since it was minted in one of the hmm five US mints or whatever you call them? No telling, it has seen several major world wars, the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, been to a Sock hop maybe? Purchased penny candy in an old general store, maybe even my great grandfather's? Really cool, it survived Woodstock, the Cold War and Oh my gosh "Bush Economics," because you know of course that everything wrong with our economy can literally be blamed on one single man (big eye roll.)
The only thing that I know personally that is older than that penny is my grandaddy (okay so technically he is not a thing) who was born in 1919, he will turn 90 years old this February and he is doing just fine. Every year about this time, he likes to start reminding me that his birthday is coming up. The funny thing is, he doesn't want a thing. If you gave him a gift he would say thank you and tuck it away never to be seen again. He just wants to be acknowledged, to count, to get credit for that year. He is strong except for his old knees. He hates being unable to plow and plant his fields. He is the last member of his immediate family He too survived all those events and milestones in our U.S. history. He married at 17 had two daughters and went off to the Phillipines at the end of WWII. My dear sweet grandmother who has been gone for ten years now, really had her hands full with him. He had the curse of the Irish, except he wasn't Irish. But about 15 years ago he had one stint in Rehab and that was all it took. He hated it hated it and thought no one loved him since they sent him away. He has never taken a drink again. About 5 years ago he decided smoking was too expensive and just quit, no patches, gum, hypnotherapy, he didn't gain weight or have a nervous breakdown. He is tough and strong and stubborn and I love him dearly. I am so glad my children will have memories of him. I am so glad he has lived far enough into my adulthood that I know to really listen to him when he tells me something. He comes from a long line of long living stock. His mother whom I knew as Mama Addie Mae lived to be 98. Her grandfather lived to be 103. His name was Grandpa Beavers and my mother remembers him. How many people can say they knew their great great grandfather? I guess my point is to appreciate artifacts whether they are objects like wheat pennies or dear old grandpas, just don't let them know you call them an artifact. Both have lots to offer and stories to tell.

Go ahead, laugh at the big hair

Lisa, I promise I am not copying you but I wanted to let everyone laugh at the reality of my senior portrait after seeing your www.yearbookyourself.com pictures!
I cannot believe that I am almost 20 years older than when I took that picture! Wait, I seem to remember those photos being taken in the summer of 88 so yes, that photo is 20 years ago. I still feel like I am well not 17 but atleast 27 right? Where does the time go. Here's to all the former big hair girls out there, raise your Final Net cans and pollute the world with CFCs!

Happy Birthday to Me

I started a tradition a couple of years ago. I make myself a birthday cake. Weird maybe but getting older makes you realize you are responsible for your own happiness. I used to play the poor old mom nobody loves me because I didn't get a cake like everyone else song but then I realized, my husband doesn't cook unless it involves something he's killed, my mom lives too far away and the kids are not old enough. So I make this Strawberry cake that my mom and grandmother used to make for me every single year. It tastes exactly as I remember and it makes me feel special to get to eat it. I have been told it is the best homemade cake in the world and I consider myself to be an average cook. I don't really like store bought cake anyway and I am not a fan of the crisco icing! But don't let me mislead you, I would still eat the whole thing if someone didn't stop me, I mean we are talking about cake here right? So here is a picture of this beautiful pink cake before and after icing. The icing is made with butter instead of crisco. I may include the recipe, it isn't that hard and I say "homemade" because it does involve a box of cake mix. But to most of us that is still homemade. I am no Martha.
My friend Lisa makes the best cakes and is wonderful at decorating them. She inspired me to put up this picture of mine but here is one of hers (mine just tastes good, hers actually look good!)
So I had to pause for awhile before finishing this and the funniest thing happened. Totally unexpected too. My dear husband comes home with a beautiful cake from Publix! It was chocolate and vanilla with beautiful pink and purple balloons on it. Well two cakes means a few things:

I am certainly loved

I am going to have to clean up cake for the next two days

I am going to gain at least two pounds

and I am going to make sure I have people coming over to eat this cake later on this weekend!

My Wish List

Here is my list of things that would make my life fantanstic . . . (Besides the usual winning of the lottery wish!)

I wish my children were self-cleaning like my oven.

I wish school cafeteria lunches were mandatory and free!

I wish my dog would poop in one spot in the yard and then bury it like a cat.

I wish my husband suddenly decided he hated hunting and told me it was time I took up an expensive and fun, time consuming hobby for weekends between now and Jan 1st.

I wish my rednecks-with-money neighbors would remove all the yard art, Do they really need another concrete angel statue to go along with the giant fountain and the 5 concrete deer? (I am not usually a snob but it is getting on my nerves :)

I wish my children would remember to poop more than once a week saving me hours of repeating "well it wouldn't hurt so bad if you would go everyday or two!"

I wish my parents would suddenly decide to move close by and become 10 years younger so they could chase my kids around.

I wish my best friends on the other side of Atlanta would decide to move to Loganville.

I wish my church would tithe to me for being a member!

I wish Obama would stop saying the word CHANGE.

I wish Lost would start up before January.

I wish I had a remote control with a mute button for children.

I wish someone would find a cure for Cancer and Autism NOW!

I wish my new car had automatic headlights so the cops would quit bugging me about driving without my lights on! GEE GIVE ME A BREAK! he he

I wish it was against the law to give me a speeding ticket.

I feel a lot of pressure here to end this on a high note so I wish that pressure was gone.
I wish my husband would put the toilet seat down (he wishes I would leave it up)

I wish C sections came with free lipo (they're already in there so why not?)

I wish my baby would smile and say, you take a nap mom. I will feed myself.

I wish my lap top had all the keys it came with.

I wish I got paid to blog.

I wish I had a giant vacuum that I could put in my front door and it would magically suck all the dust from every surface in my house.

and finally,

I wish I could just appreciate how fun my life is and stop wishing for things that are never going to happen!!!!

Wishing anyone who reads this a great day!!

My little hair clip

I have this little, tiny, metal hair clip that I love. Its about the size of a dime. Its heavy and strong but tiny and so easy to lose. I have probably had it for 10 years. I can't believe I haven't lost it. I have been careless with it at times and lost sight of it for a while. It always resurfaces. It always turns up again when I am not even looking for it. I lose dozens of my daughters barretts never to be seen again. Why does this hairclip stay with me? I loaned it out once and it took the better part of a year to come back to me but it did come back. So it got me to thinking, what else in my life is like this hairclip, in fact its been bugging me all day when I was trying to think about my next blog. I think its my faith. I have always had faith. Even though it is not the in-your-face-come-to-Jesus kind of faith. It is always with me too. Its strong and reliable. It seems to disappear at times but always makes its way back to me. It always turns up again even when I have ignored it for a time. God is so patient. So patient and reliable, always there waiting for us to find him again. Someone told me once, and it has always stuck with me, that when you feel separated from God its because you have taken a step or two or a hundred away from him. He never steps away from us, never. And he will always take us back. When I get to feeling that separation, I ask God to pull me back and he always does.

Watching a baby grow

I love my baby. Yes I mean I LOVE him. I love all my children of course but if you know me you know that I didn't get the luxury of falling in love with each of my children individually and yes I now know what I was missing and man its a pretty big thing. Moms of triplets and quads who don't have a singleton are always wondering what its like to be a "normal" mom with just one baby. It makes me sad for them if they don't get to experience it and it makes me sad for all the moments I lost or missed out on with each of my older babies. I missed them because I was exhausted to the point of tears. Stessed beyond belief and wondering what God was thinking when he picked me to undergo this enormous task. Yes I know that I chose to use fertility medication but its not like quads are all that common even with the medicine. God still directed the whole thing. I wouldn't change a thing unless it would help my little Pauli. (She's doing great though all things considered. Anyone who has spare prayer time please remember her and her struggles with autism.) It seems like Jack is growing at warp speed and I am always amazed when he hits another mile stone or a new month rolls around and all of a sudden now he has two teeth? He can sit up and has added some new sounds to his vocab, He is really good at Dada, yaya and aduh. No mama yet. But I just LOVE having a baby and everyone thinks I'm crazy but everything he does is a gift and I am so glad we decided to add #5 to the pack. I don't think there has ever been a happier baby. He may not be the best sleeper but he is happy almost all the time. He looks just like his daddy's baby pictures. Right now I am his first love and it breaks my heart that those days are numbered. My other kids were never particular who held them or comforted them or showed a mom/dad preference. I think that was a product of being in the NICU for five weeks and then being passed around to anyone who could help me hold them and change their diapers for the first year. They have always comforted and looked out for each other so there was little one on one time with mom. They never had separation anxiety or clung to my legs like so many toddlers. Jack is all mine though and I feel like I deserve it. He melts my heart when someone else is holding him and he cranes his neck around to find me in the room, then seeing me, cracks into the widest grin I have ever seen like he has just spotted a million dollars. What a gift. I adore that little fat munchkin and his older siblings who love him too.

I already have all I need . . .

So today I have an unprecedented hour or so to myself. Yayuh, I know unbelievable. So I try to take a nap, which I desperately needed,no go. I just can't do it. Can't force myself to get sleepy and shut out the world. My body won't let me. So I decide to get up and do something constructive (don't you hate that word? As if the other things we do are what, destructive? No that's what my kids do.) So I think, "I am going to clean out these drawers in my bathroom vanity." We moved into this house a week before my quads turned two and I remember throwing some things in the drawers thinking, "I'll just stuff this in here for now and organize it later." Well my kids will be 6 this April so you do the math. So there I am pitching expired drugs and samples of lotion that no longer smell like rasberries, they smell rancid, travel size stuff uhh when was the last time I need that? Visine drops from when I was a teacher (pre-children) dried up face clothes and old mascara, I find about a hundred elastic hairbands from when I had long hair and wore ponytails 24/7, I was just thinking of buying a new pack too because my daughters are always needing them and I can never find any! I find 5 packs of dental floss because everytime I decide to start up the habit again it has been so long that I forgot I had any at home. Does that make me gross? and 6 bottles of eye make up remover (I don't wear eye make up, okay maybe mascara a couple times a month.) Random tangent - whenever I take the time to put on mascara or brush my hair people really notice and it is makes me think - I must really look like something out of a swamp if they compliment me on mascara. Back to the issue at hand, and my point which I promise exists, I threw out two thirds of the drawers contents. I found a box of tooth whitening strips which were hugely expensive when I first purchased them, didn't use them because they were messy and made your mouth taste like blech, nastiness there are no adjectives adequate to capture, and I start thinking hmm why didn't I use these and should I throw it out? So I try them on and suddenly remember why I quit using them. The phone rings and I answer but I don't take them out because I have to wait ten minutes and I can't waste the strips! So it is one of my dear friends telling me she can't meet me for dinner and I continue to have a conversation with her forgetting that I have a bleach induced speech impediment until the drool from trying not to swallow the blech-bleach starts running down my chin, gross. My friend doesn't mind. That is why I know she loves me! So I go back to my drawer-cleaning thinking dang I wanted to see her but look at my nice drawers! I have beautiful drawers, have finished a project I started almost 4 years ago, a friend or two who loves me and a family that is amazing. There maybe a recession going on but when you have all that plus 5 spools of dental floss, what more can you ask for? By the way, anyone need any eye make up remover?

My life in a nutshell

So today I realized for the first time that no one has a clue what my life looks like from the inside, okay maybe that women in California with the 5 year old quads, one of whom has autism and the 8 month old baby and the husband who is a high school administrator, the mother in law with breast cancer and the crazy Golden Retriever who was supposed to be a therapy dog but turned out to be a great big pain in the a**. Oh yep wait, she doesn't exist! But I also know that no one knows what anyones life looks like from the inside because well, we aren't inside. Sometimes I have to remind myself that what looks like rudeness, nosiness, annoying lameness on the part of someone outside my life looking in, is just plain ole innocent ignorance. I mean that in a kind way (sortof.) So when school officials screw up things that have to do with getting my special needs daughters papers and plans in order do I pitch a big redneck fit? No, because well, firstly I am not a redneck. I grew up west of the Snellville line. (Understand I now live in Loganville and the line has most definitely moved east say to Monroe, sorry Monroe - we all know you've gotten a Starbucks but you ain't quite there yet.) And Secondly, I understand the world is not ending because said school official's blunder will only cause me a few hours worth of unnecessary waiting at another Dr's office to prove that my perfect-visioned daughter can, in fact, see. Isn't she cute by the way? I call this one Queen of the McNuggets.

Ducks in a row

Here is the Chili and the happy family eating it, well Roy and I ate it and the kids picked at it and put tons of cheese on top and ate the cheese. The picture of Jack mad is the result of my ignoring him in order to cook and photograph my meal. How in the world do people do the supermom thing? I can't figure it out. If I do well on the housekeeping/cooking thing, I feel guilty that my kids aren't getting help with school work and reading time or bonding time with me. If I spend a lot of time with the kids I feel a list of things I need to do running through my head and the house looks like crap. Where do people find the balance. I can't seem to get my ducks in a row

This is me trying to be funny

Okay so I have been looking at these fancy lifestyle blogs and I saw an episode of Martha on them. I looked at a couple and one had pictures of beautiful foods this woman made everyday and so I decided, I want to make that bread. I have been craving some homemade bread and I am making chili for dinner so that would go perfect with that. I took my laptop into the kitchen, followed the directions and it turned out pretty darn good. The kids liked it and dad too so I thought I will take pictures and try to put it on my blog I never use. Here is my first attempt.

New at this

It is amazing to me that anyone would be interested in the minutia of my days, I am not even interested, ha. I guess I will just write and if anyone wants to read it fine, if not then maybe I can vent in private!