Jennica's 7th Birthday

Jennica had a birthday...a month ago!



We gave the gift of Time together this year. Jarom was so excited to have a reading Night in her room complete with treats!


Dad took her out for Breakfast one morning and I took her to get a pedicure. (We had to wait a few weeks to allow her Poison Ivy to clear up off her legs first)



Jennica is such a fun girl. I've tried to spend more "girl" time with her lately. She's a HOOT. Now that she is older I really enjoy my time with her.
(Truth be told- I had a struggle with her personality as a child, particularly 2 -5 years old! ha!)
She's nothing but giggles and love now.

Glass Door

Baby Brain still at work!

Yesterday I was setting the table outside for lunch.
I grabbed 4 glasses and headed for the door.

I had my eyes on Jarom, standing on the porch, as he threw a paper airplane.

SLAM!!

I walked into the glass door that clearly wasn’t open!

The glasses I was holding hit first, followed heavily by my head.

I felt so stupid all I could do was laugh.

Jarom couldn’t believe what he just saw. He looked at me like I had lost my mind.

“You didn’t see the door was shut?”

“No, I didn’t see the door was shut!“

Good thing I wasn’t holding Abi!

(Jarom did a really great job cleaning windows Saturday!)

Photo: Pile of Hobi's at Soccer games

Baby Brain

Back in the day, when I LOVED to babysit other obnoxious kids, I got a sneak Peek into the lives of many different families.

My favorite was babysitting for Lisa. I LOVED to be around her family.

My kids are the ages that her kids were when I did most babysitting.

Now, with having my own kids, I think back and see things differently.

I see the laundry she had folded on the couch as a labor of love.
I see the rules she had for her boys as protection.
I see the miles she would run in the mornings were not always for the exercise itself.

Being a Mom takes a lot out of you.

I remember her forgetting what seemed to me to be the very obvious.
Her words still ring clear to me.

“You wait, Ember, someday you’ll loose your mind too.”

“Ha! Whatever!” I commented only to myself.

I absolutely loved this Lady but didn’t believe I would ever fall ill to her “sickness.”

It was the silly things like misplacing keys, forgetting people’s names, or looking for the object she was holding in her hands. You know, scatter brain type of things.

Being around her frequently I saw this behavior often enough.

She would always laugh it off with “You wait Ember....”

My youthful mind was quick and bright- never would this happen to me!

Fast forward 15 years.....

I officially have Baby Brain! Since having my 4th child I can’t get anything straight.

I can’t remember the names of my friends these days. I have to stop and think before I call them by name!
I’m lucky if I know what day it is anymore.
I drive down the road and a sick panic hits me in the gut and I wonder if I’ve forgotten my baby at home. (My biggest fear!)
I find myself standing in a room and have no idea what I’m there for.
Don’t be alarmed if you see me with a blank stare. I usually snap out of it within the hour.

“Where are my keys? WHERE ARE MY KEYS!!... Never mind, they are right here.”

“Hi can I speak to......” (Oh no, who did I call?)

“Did I show up at the right time?”

“I missed that!??”

“What are you talking about?”

I am swallowing a huge humble pill! I haven’t spoken to my Young Women Leader about this, but I think I better contact her to see if this sickness is Long term.

That is IF she remembers me....


Photo: A beautiful evening and dinner on the porch!

One of those Days!

I had one of those days.

Nothing in my closet fits..NOTHING!! Pregnancy clothes make me want to vomit and regular clothes make me look fat!
(you gotta love post-pregnancy during SPRING/SUMMER)

That in itself was enough to put me in a grumpy mood. By Mid-Morning I had to put myself in Time Out, except that didn’t really work because everyone needed me for something.

It can be so frustrating to have four different people need your attention! Especially when you are GRUMPY!!

I am tired of being the only one the kids come to for requests. I'm tired of being the only one who knows EVERYTHING!

I don't handle "NEEDY" very well when my tank is empty.

Can’t I have a bad day without it ruining the rest of the family? Can’t I just hide in a corner and everyone leave me alone? Can’t I stomp around the house like everyone else does when they throw a fit?

I just want to be grumpy alone.

“If Mama ain’t happy ain’t Nobody happy!“

What about Dad?
He did a good job staying happy even though I was a grump. Why can’t the kids follow his example? Why can’t they give me this ONE day to be miserable without jumping in on my pity?

My first entrance into the kitchen I found Jarom and Sam in good Spirits. My rain cloud was looming overhead and the next thing I know Jarom was carrying it too!
I wanted it all to myself and didn’t think it was fair for him to change his mood on the account of me.

Right then I realized my job as a mother is never done.
They are watching every day and every second.

I struggled today.

This afternoon, I tried really hard not to pass my rain cloud to the others. It was hard because today was chore day and I had to supervise all three kids doing their chores.
At one moment or another my attitude was spread. That made me even more upset!

What a challenge!

Sam held his own today, thank goodness. Tonight he took the kids out for dinner.
Was he rescuing me or them???

A nice clean QUIET house all to myself is the perfect remedy!

Tomorrow I will do better because being a Mom is what I do best.


Photo: Not my best side

Hot stuff

This morning I drove the kids to school, instead of Sam.
I loaded all 4 in the car along with my running jogger. After dropping off Jen and Jarom the rest of us went for a run/walk through Waveny. I’m still in the beginning stages of getting into shape. I don’t (can’t) run like I use to. I laugh at myself. I am so awkward when I run...it’s just not me.

I’ve joined a Biggest Looser Competition. This week I was in the top 10! I really need this type of motivation to loose my pregnancy fat.
I’m not dieting, I’m Nursing, so instead I am changing the way I eat. Eating 5 times a day and still loosing weight is working for me.
As of today, I am 8lbs lighter.

I had to take a photo of myself at the beginning of the competition. No way will I show it now but maybe 10 weeks down the road I will with my end result photo. (maybe)

Summer heat makes it easier. I don’t have an appetite.

Tonight I made Coconut Curry and it turned out! (Surprise!) I loved it but made a huge mistake with the Cayenne Pepper and decided I needed to fix something else for the kiddos. Way too spicy for them. (Sam came to the rescue and fixed something for them, while I put Abi to bed)

What a tasty dish..and healthy! My house smells of Curry. (I’m afraid we will all reek of it tomorrow. Curry is all I smell on my Indian friends)

It’s a humid night tonight- we ate out on the porch. Thunderstorms on the way.

Date night with Sam...in the cool basement!



Photo: Jarom and Abi on a lazy Sunday morning.

Grumps

Today I didn’t want to get out of bed (imagine that!). I never want to get out of bed.

Abi beckoned me and I answered her call. Then we were off to scripture study....Total BOMB this morning.
A few of us didn’t want to sing or mumbled through our verses.

Breakfast wasn’t any better. I made steel cut oats with fresh fruit. Jarom refused to eat it (he went without breakfast) and Jace said it smelled terrible.
(He is my child that insists on smelling EVERYTHING before he will eat it.)

Sam and I were the only one that liked it. Poor kids...they better decide they like it cause they will get it again, and again, and again.

Today is field day at school. The kids love this day. It usually gets rained out every year but the weather is holding out today.

We still have 3 weeks of school left. I can’t wait for school to be out. I like having a schedule all to myself.
I have a pile of books I want to read to the kids but bedtime comes too quickly.

I want to teach the older two how to cook simple meals. I dream of summer mornings when the kids wake up and make their own healthy breakfast.

Yesterday Jace told me I was a terrible (his favorite word) cook. It was so cute how he said it. He wasn’t being grumpy, he was stating his opinion.
We’ll see if this changes once the others start to place food in front of him.
I love it when kids think they can be picky over food they don’t prepare!

Today I’m off to the pet store for an emergency rescue. Jennica needs more frog food! A little visitor dumped ALL the frog food in the tank. Once this was discovered it had turned into mush and left her room STINKY!! I’m amazed the litter hoppers survived. They haven’t been fed since (4 days ago).
Will they hold out till I return with food? (My luck...NO)



photo: carrying her for 9 months just wasn't enough. It goes on...but now i have a more comfortable way.

Officer Hobi..again

I forgot to post the experience Jace had visiting the Police Station.
Lucky him, I am a Scout Leader and our troop made a trip to the Police Station last week.
He was thrilled!
He is in character when he wears his uniform. No silly business!

The officer's got a kick out of him..as did I.





He is even a hard worker at home: