Cool stuff I am doing these days

Ok here is what I contend with on most days recently, what I like to call the messy screaming, Elmo loving, eating machine. I spend my days alternately giving in/putting my foot down with no apparent rhyme or reason. Let me tell you - not working so well in the tantrum containment department :) So though I do want to write a book some day in the future, you can pretty much bet it won't be on positive discipline or anything along those lines! After five kids I still don't have a clue, but I keep trying and that's all I can say. Good thing God made him extra cute.

Here is my little thrifty, green, no thinking decorate on the fly tip - buy a bunch of these Alostrisomething or anothers once every three weeks and plunk them on a high spot little fingers cant tip over. They cost 3.99 and come in lots of colors and make your kitchen look terrific. They look great for three whole weeks then start to fall off on the counter. Love em!

Here is my somewhat successful attempt at decorating my front door. Also very thrifty. We just plunked out a wad to have the house painted so I am in no place to pay 30 or 40 bucks for a fake flower wreath.

1. I took my old Christmas wreath and pulled out all the red berries and pine cones.
2. I bought two sprigs of flowers I liked that didn't have that super bright fakeness to them. Cost 7 bucks for both.
3. I used my little jewlery wire cutters to cut each stem off the bunch and then alternately tucked them in the wreath - no glue, no wires nothing. Super easy. And that's it!  Not bad for 7 dollars and I can change it out for fall pretty easily.

I have been working on getting my front porch the way I wanted it for a few weeks since I finished my Spring Cleaning project. I have a very simple blog on my new years goals and organizing/cleaning the house which I actually completed, yes me, I finished it and I an really proud. It's super boring but if you want to look at it here it is. Now on to the next room and I am afraid some painting. Wish me luck!

A Good Catholic School Story

A Good Catholic School Story

A post from one of my favorite bloggers. If you haven't read her yet you are in for a treat.

Cool Catholic Blog

OLD SCHOOL May Crowning of the Blessed Virgin.  This type event was a huge deal back in the day when my father was growing up turn of the century style.  Ok I am kidding sorry Dad!  back in the 1940's and 50's we'll say.  I don't want my children to miss out on all those cool Catholic celebrations that are such a part of our heritage just because we can't afford ridiculously expensive Catholic schools.  My Grandma who would have turned 100 yesterday sent all 4 kids all 12 years to Catholic schools and mine won't get to do that due to lack of funds and lack of schools.  So I have to supplement.  There are some great ideas on the web site below.

http://catholicicing.blogspot.com/




I LOVE THIS!!  Thanks Aimee for pointing it out.  I am hoping to get on the stick and do something with my kids for a May Crowning next month.  The images are not from that web site by the way.

Modern Crowning


I just LOVE Spring so much and May is about the perfect Month to me.

After Paint job

Here it is. What do you think I don't know if you can tell but we went from a light beige to a cafe au lait color. I really like it. The painters did an awesome job. I trusted them and they were very professional. They had done two of my neighbors houses before us and now have two more on the table because of our house. If you are looking for some good guys who all speak English :)and are near Walton County here's there info:

GENE FINDLAY PAINTING & RESTORATION 678) 245-2912

Before paint job

Here is my house in February. One of our two snow days. Looks pretty though I prefer spring. It was time for a paint job. See where the cedar shingles are on the two gables? They looked really faded and mildewed and only one other house in our neighborhood besides us, hadn't taken care of this so we changed the color and I think it looks pretty good. I don't know how to upload two pictures from picassa yet so I will do the very next post as an after . I hope it translates well on digital media!

The Problem with Multiples

I read once that multiples were late at everything (in our case I think it's late TO everything, seriously, ask my friends.) Well it is a two fold problem one they are developmentally delayed due to prematurity, low birth weight, etc and two they are delayed because they don't have enough one on one to keep up with a typical singleton birth milestones. I really get this now. My quads just turned seven. They can't ride bikes yet. They can't swim yet either. Here's the real kicker - I am a certified Water Safety Instructor and taught swim lessons to babies through adults of all developmental abilities for about 8 years. I had classes of 6 or 8 (that is of course more than the number of kids I have.)

Why you are asking?

The answer I think is time. Also the fact that until this year there was no way I could keep more than two of them sitting still at a time so I would be off chasing the others or saving them from drowning one after the other. My husband refuses to pay for swim lessons since I am perfectly qualified but I just can't do it alone. It is a strange thing that kids will listen to a random person tell them how to do something but not their own loving mom.

This is causing me such anxiety as I don't want them left behind, having to wear swimmies and life jackets while all their friends are diving in the deep end and it makes me wonder - What the flit the Octo mom is going to do? And what about the Duggards with 19 offspring (and counting?) I know there is a solution out there but for now time is the enemy that and the fact that I can't clone myself!

Mobile Bay and my Siblings

Here we all are. My brother, two sisters and my first nephew. I think this picture is about 10 years old judging by my nephews age. I am on the far right. The sister next to me is Becky, the one who passed away this week last spring. April was my favorite month. My quads were born in April. Its the beginning of spring, my favorite season. That's all changed, well, sortof. If you have to be reminded of a depressing event in your life, it might as well be during a beautiful season that is full of new life.

We are standing on the pier of my grandparents neighbors on Mobile bay. My grandparents have been gone for quite some time and so have the neighbors but the houses are still there and owned by cousins. I have some of the best memories of this place. There was nothing special about it besides its location. My father says the homes and lot were purchased by my grandparents back in the 1850's when he was in his 20's. . . just kidding Dad. I think it was the 1950's, for the huge some of 5000 dollars. Its a tiny house with an awesome view and needless to say it has gone up ginormously in price. It has been assaulted by many hurricanes over the year but still stands (with much, much renovation by my cousin's family who own it.)

I will never get those years back. I will never get my sister back. You just don't know when you are at a place, that its might be the last time you are there and you don't know when you look at a face that it to may never be in your sight again. Love your people, make sure to let them know you love them.

Blog Makeover in the works

As you can see I have changed my title.  Never really liked the old one.  I just picked it out one night when I was starting out and never took the time to come up with something more relevent.  I think Five Kids suits me better and anyone who knows me well knows I can't stand my darn Golden.  The Dog I wanted for my entire life and finally got and is the bain of my existence now.  She's actually very sweet but refuses to quit jumping on me and the kids.  Yes we have tried tons of training but she is stupid.  Enough of that, we still feed her and pet her and spend 500 dollars on her at the vet getting fixed , shots, cleaned, tested and she comes home hyper as ever with a case of diarhea, nice.  Don't feel sorry for her, she's got it really good.  She is the prettiest Golden I think I've ever seen - but the stupid thing still factors in.  You won't believe me when I tell you I am actually a dog person.  My heart for dogs closed up somewhere after having children and losing the pet love of my life Bailey.  I got Bailey at the animal shelter in Auburn when I was in college.  She was half price and the sweetest puppy ever.  Mutts really are the best.  She was shaped like a basset but had the color and head of a Golden.  Loved her!  I still miss her and its been 3 years almost to the day since she passed.  Oh well, I promise to post more now and I am going to do better with photos.  I have joined lots of cool blog groups and I hope to take this blog to the next level.