Annual Indiana Vacation

SOOO, today I wanted to do anything besides clean the house, do laundry, you get the point. I waaass going to sew a pillowcase dress for the girl's, but someone (I won't name names) about 2 1/2 ft tall, bald, with big ol' spongebob teeth, broke my iron! So here I am finally updating my blog.

Our day had already been long after attending a surprise party for Paul's grandma's 88th birthday. That was lots of fun, but was a fairly long day in itself. After that, we went home, loaded our stuff up, and told Sophie that we would be leaving "soon" about 50 times during the two hours it took to get everything ready. Finally, around 7 P.M. we took off. It went fairly well actually. We stopped about 2 hours in for pee breaks and then stopped again in another two hours for a sanity break as Luke had tired of seat and was in no uncertain terms letting us know loud and clear. We let them run around for a bit and shake off their stink and headed out again. Luckily everyone fell asleep around midnight and pretty much slept through until we arrived around 5 something A.M. The last three hour leg of the trip I spent in the back with the baby dozing off about every fifteen minutes or so and would wake up to feeling the car jerk or that loud rumbling sound when you get to far off the road. "You ok, Paul?" I'd ask. "Go back to sleep because when I get there I am going straight to bed!!" he'd ever so politely with a smile on his face, reply. Ok I'm embellishing ;P

"STOP TOUCHING ME! SHE'S COPYING ME! DON'T LOOK AT ME! SOMEONE FAAAARRRTTTEEDD!"

We arrived safely, and Paul did go immediately to bed. Luckily, my sweet and thoughtful mama took the day off so she could help watch the kids.

We spent the first couple of days just hanging out, bouncing back and forth between Mom and Dad's. The kids really enjoyed swimming in mom's pool.

Dailan especially enjoyed the pool. I think he pretty much lived in it when he was there. Hopefully, he got out to pee! Ick!

The other excitement at Mom's was the mini-bike. Boy oh boy, the mini-bike. I think Lukey realized a need for speed. You could hardly drag that boy off the thing, and he didn't not appreciate the fine art of taking turns either. He spent the other kids' turns chasing after them crying his little broken-hearted eyes out.

(Notice Lukey crying in the background) Dailan was able to try riding it by himself for the first time this year. I think this picture really just explains itself. ( No kids or trailers were hurt in the shooting of this picture, thank goodness!)

They also had a tandem bike that Rylenn and my step brother tried out as well as Paul and Sophie.

If you look closely in the first picture, Sophie is holding a screaming Lukey from chasing after the mini-bike. LOL

We spent most of the 4th of July at my Dad's. There are a couple of traditions we have there for the fourth since we are usually there then. The first one is "Let's give the kids markers and let them draw on Grandpa's belly!" Yes, you read that right. My dad went inside to find a "magic marker" and when he came out I promptly informed him he was holding a PERMENANT Sharpie! He said it would wash off in a couple days so who am I to argue. It's his belly!

This is Grandpa getting it started for them with a happy face, and my kids looking at in disbelief ("we are being ALLOWED to do this?")

Here they are drawing. I think Lukey sticking a dead firecracker in his belly button.

Here's the finished product. Grandpa, don't you smoking is bad for your health!

The other tradition is a pop can water cannon. It's great. Stick a firecracker in half of a soda can, sit it in a bowl of water, light 'er up and watch the can shoot into the air. Oh yes, hours of fun!

We were lucky enough to have Grandma Susan come and visit with us. We hadn't seen her in a couple years so it was really great to be able to see her again.

Jan, Grandma and kids

Dad and Jan were so thoughtful and were able to get me a reallly nice digital camera to replace the one that was lost. It had a fireworks setting on it so I was able to try it out right away that night. Look at these. I think they are awesome. Almost as awesome as Dad and Jan getting me that camera ;)

It was a great night. Rylenn's dad and stepmom and there lil' guy along with some other family were there with us. The kids had a blast as it should be.

The day before leaving we spent out at my Mom's. That was a fairly eventful day as well. Mom and Mark decided to have the kids make stepping stones with their foot prints and the date to put in there gorgeous rock/tree garden area they made. They turned out pretty cute.

Then Grandma and Grandpa Ledford came. We only see them this one time a year so it's always something we really look forward to. It was really nice of them to drive to see us at mom's because it would have taken two vehicles to get everyone to them. Of course, Grandpa brought delicious already chilled watermelon.

After they left, Elijah barfed on my mom. My stepdad Mark tried to be helpful and hose the puke off of her. Somehow, I got the impression she didn't appreciate it.

At lunch, Luke was stuffing black olives in his mouth as Mom and I were talking. He went to give my mom one and soon after putting it in her mouth realized Lukey had already chewed it for her!!! LOL. GROSS!

Apparently, by the look on Luke's face it was serious olive business!

Finally, our trip had to come to an end. We packed up our stuff that morning. I admit it, I was really grouchy. Was it Great Grandma Jen that thought every ailment/situation could be cured with an enema? Yikes. I chilled out eventually. We said our goodbyes with both my mom and dad and hit the road. I was a little leery about traveling with the four little ones during the day, but it went fairly well. We stopped about halfway to eat a picnic type lunch.

I was trying out my new camera on the way home and here are some shots from the car.

Audri was informing me that someone/thing stunk.

Luke occupied himself for sometime by putting his hand in the slinky and practiced his drama skills by pretending he couldn't get it out. He's quite the Drama King.

About three hours or so left in the trip we stopped at a rest stop, peed, changed diapers, and let the kids run through the sprinklers. They also had some sort of look out trail so Paul carried Luke and I wrapped Elijah up in his wrappy deal and took a quick hike. The view wasn't as awesome as I had hoped and the mosquitoes were more than I had hoped, but it was nice to stretch our legs anyway.

We made it home safely and no worse for the wear. All in all it was a really good trip. No drama, no catastrophes, great weather, it was nice. Oh, and best of all, NOOO speeding tickets! I think this makes a two year ticket-free streak! Hooray Paul!

Here are some random vacation pictures for your viewing pleasure!

I forgot one last thing. Before we left, we lined up the kiddies behind there stones for a neat shot. Unfortunately we have so many children that the shot was really wide and couldn't get very close, but it still turned out pretty neat.

I hope you enjoyed reading about our trip as much as we enjoyed taking it!

Why did God create spiders?

My sanctuary has been breeched!!!

Having six children in a 4 bedroom home can be, let's say, trying at times. Although, I am very thankful for the house we do have, it can be hard to find a spot not occupied by children. My only semi-private place for mental repose is the loo. Semi-private meaning I usually spend the first couple minutes in there hollering "can't it wait, I'm going potty?" or "C'mon guys, I'll be out in a minute." You wouldn't believe the conversations they try to have with me while I am in the shower! Anyway, that's the best I get for privacy and it's fine with me. Until this morning around 5 A.M.

I had just gotten the baby fed and back to sleep, and ran (walked clumsily with one eye open) to the potty before laying back down for 5 min before having to tend to whoever wakes up next. There I was half asleep minding my business or taking care of business, however you want to look at it : ) when I look down with my one functioning eye and see this monster spider on my shirt barreling towards my face!!!!! For cryin' out loud that is just wrong, especially at 5 in the stinkin' morning!!! It was not just a small spider that I am exaggerating on its size. It was stinkin' HUGE!! It was one of those big brown spiders, not a wolf spider but looked like a recluse or something and it also looked like it wanted to eat my face!! I of course, jumped up like a crazy woman and slapped my chest like an equally crazy gorilla trying to save myself from this beast. I ended up screaming and running out of the bathroom in just my shirt which I flipped, slapped at and debated taking off, but then I would be naked, and I was expecting someone to hear my scream and come to my rescue (which never happened.)

I peeked around the corner to check myself in the mirror for the face eating beast after thoroughly slapping myself about my head and chest. I took a deep breath collected myself, quickly grabbed my underpants and gave them a good shake and opted for a new pair of shorts just in case it was hiding in a pocket or something.

I then was hit with a terrible sting of reality. My sanctuary had been breeched. How can I relax with the possibility of that terrible monster coming back for a second round! I didn't see where it went and it's highly likely it's laying in wait for the next attack. I feel like I have suffered the loss of a good friend. The couple times I needed to go in there I have carefully and thoroughly checked any potential hiding places for the possibility of future attacks. It's just not the same. A bathroom should be a place of peace and tranquility, not the home of attacking spiders so big they make women, children and men of weak constitutions run for their very lives!

Today is a sad day folks, but let us always try and remember the good times.

Elijah's First Photo Shoot

"Who's the cutest baby monkey ever?? "

"Oh, get out! It's me you say?"

"They love me...they really love me...I'd like to thank the Academy..."

" Oh, is this diaper ever giving me a wedgie"

"Wha? I'm just scratching!"

"They do WHAT during a circumcision?!"

Was Today Really Necessary????

Was today really necessary? That is what I was asking myself last night, actually throughout the whole day. It started out fairly normal. I didn't get any sleep, just like every other night. Lukey woke up early as I was feeding the baby. I laid him down on the bed with the girls hoping he'd go back to sleep. When I finished feeding the baby I laid beside him hoping to coax him back to sleep. (yea right) Annnyywhhooo, it played out this way. I dozed off, somewhere during, I seem to remember Audri getting up, but not really. I have faint snipets of hearing her and Luke giggling and carrying on. I realized at some point that I have dozed off and the lil' ones might be awake. I then immediately realized that I smelled a very strong odor of finger nail polish. AHHHHHHHH!!!! Surely not! Oh, yes, they did! Apparently, Audri had tried to paint her fingernails and toenails, as well as Lukey's. Unfortunately, he was wearing footed jammies and the polish just wouldn't soak through enough to pretty his toes. Did I mention they decided to also beautify the carpet in our living room that is NOT yet paid for???

Those of you that know us, know that I have had WAY more than my share of insanely ridiculous messes to clean up and I usually find a way to laugh it off. This time I cried. I may have even swore. I don't know, it's all a nightmarish blur. The baby was crying and hungry, lukey was still wet with paint on his jammies. Audri was "sooo hungreee." Everyone needed my attention right then and I could hear the paint drying on the carpet by the nanosecond.

I called my dear friend in a panic. It's not like she was busy homeschooling several children, getting lunch fixed, and getting ready to leave to pick up her oldest from a class. Yeesh, I'm sure she sits around eating bon bons all day like me. Being the saint that she is, she dropped everything to help with the kids while I took care of the carpet. She was awesome. Not only did she occupy and tend to the kids, she also cheered me on the whole time telling me how much better the carpet was looking and how it would come out and everything would be fine. (Did I mention the paint was an eye piercing turquoise on a lighter tan carpet???!!!) Being the saint that she is, even after I started making lunch for the kids and told her I had regained sanity and she could leave, she was on the floor picking and scrapping at the little pieces of paint still left on the floor. God bless her!

Eventually, after many tears, a bottle of peroxide, polish remover and Windex I got the majority of it out and life returned to normal...for a couple hours anyway......

What bright turquoise paint?? I don't see anything!?

So, that was the morning. Let's fast forward to supper time. I got the kitchen all cleaned up, all the dishes done (or so I thought) ,and was ready to start supper. It was going to be a slaved over meal of hotdogs, baked beans, and cornbread. Rylenn made the cornbread and I preheated the oven. I then went to bake the cornbread. I think I forgot to mention that in a piss poor effort to make my pile of dishes not look quite all of it's 3 feet height in the sink when my friend was coming over to help with the first catastrophe, I stuck some in the oven. Yes, I did it! I stuck dirty dishes in the oven and then I turned it on and baked them. Yes, it IS the second time I have done this! Yes, yes, yes! WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME! The house was engulfed in toxic burned plastic smoke. The strainer was reduced to a small round disc, there was a sippy, a plastic bowl, I don't even really know as much of it was burned beyond recognition. For the second time that day I had to call my poor husband at work with unpleasant news. I also suggested he pick up some fast food on the way home as we had been quarantined to the upstairs master bedroom, and I wouldn't be cooking any supper that night.

The infamous dishes cooling on the oven rack in the garage. The inside of the oven, and lastly the poor uncooked cornbread sitting next to the french fries we did eat.

Siggghhh, sadly, that was not the last hideous mess of the day. At some point that evening before bedtime, Audri decided she needed some milk. She then in all of her 2 1/2 years of wisdom decided that she was big enough to pour it, and how much easier it would be if she did it on the bottom step! I think Rylenn took pity on me (or was frightened this last episode might send me screaming over the edge) and cleaned it up right away. Thanks Ry, momma loves you!

That was my day, I think by far, the worst non-tragic day I have ever had... atleast until the next time... and again, I will go to bed asking myself, "was this day really necessary???"

Introducing.........Elijah James

     This is the other wonderful reason I have to restart my blog.  This gorgeous (no, I am not biased!) lil' guy is the newest monkey in our family of a half dozen monkeys. 

He is doing well, he eats great, sleeps well, and seems to have a very quite and laid back nature.  I'm sure that will change as he gets older!  

His brothers and sisters are adjusting fairly well.  Certainly better than Audri did with Lukey.  Lukey hasn't jerked Elijah's bottle out of his mouth yet like someone else I know, but won't mention the name of...cough..Audri..cough.

He has already christened the couch, my pants and hand, himself, as well as pooped on Lukey's pillow.  That was just the first week! 

Mom and dad are surviving as well as possible on their 12.98 consecutive minutes of sleep each night. 

As I was not exaggerating about my lack of sleep I am going to wrap this post up now because I can feel the few functional brain cells I have left dwindling quickly.  Naptime......is that you????!!!!!!

                                 

 

Technorati Tags: Elijah,poop,sleep,brain cells

The Memorial Day Jello Massacre

WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC JELLO IMAGES!!

I have been away from my blog for sometime now. There were lots of reasons why that I won't get into on this post. I'm thinking I will do that in a different one to catch you all up on the excitement that is our lives. What I would like to share today is a story of Jello, clumsiness, and just plain silliness that made laugh so hard I snorted and immediately felt the urge to restart my blog. I can't say exactly how this Jello massacre occurred as I was upstairs being highly productive on the computer (I was on my third straight win at Tri-peaks solitaire). All at once I heard this terrible crash and Rylenn kind of wimper and whine. I wasn't super concerned since she is quite old enough to tell me if she's hurt. Being the top mom that I am, I hollered down while finishing my 5 card streak, "you ok?" No answer. "You OKAYYYY?" I hear a quite wimper. Then here comes Sophie running into the room saying "she's not ok, she's not ok." Of course, I am worried at this point and run down the hallway to the top of the stairs and this is what I find......

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Again, being the top mom that I am, instead of running to help her up, I ran to get my camera and caught these classic shots to remind her in the coming days of teenagerism what happens when you start to get too big for your briches (or when you lean back to far in your chair!)

....Yes, Rylenn, it IS the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life!!!!!! Love ya!

MOM