In The Potter's Hands

Confessions of an Amateur Runner ... 8 mile run

2011-02-19T20:00:00.006-05:00

One of the things that I love about running is that you don't need lots of expensive gadgets to enjoy this wonderful sport. That being said, I couldn't run without my music (my other passion) and my Asics running shoes (the best shoes, ever). These 2 treasures make my runs so much more enjoyable. I am currently in training for my second 1/2 marathon in March. Why, you ask? Well, because I enjoy racing and I love to run. Enjoy running... did that really come out of my mouth? If you would of told me 6 years ago that I would be running 8 miles and training for a 1/2 marathon, I would of told you that you didn't know me at all. Running has developed into a wonderful hobby that I love and get to share with some great friends. Somedays I really need to get away, enjoy the fresh air, and get a great workout in. Plus, it gives me an excuse to listen to my music.

Ok, sorry about that rant ... back to training. The 8 mile run. For some reason this run was scaring me. My training has not really gone as planned, due to five, adorable, but sometimes needy kids. Getting back on track has been a bit tricky. I was lucky to have a good friend join me for this run. A running buddy is a lifesaver when running over an hour. Even I can get bored :) The clear, blue sky and bright, shining sun that I woke up to this morning, made me believe that this run might turn out ok. A bit chilly, 32 degrees, but I can work with that. It was one of those runs that was on track from the start. First 4 mile lap went smoothly, a little windy, steady pace, and my legs were feeling strong. Lap 2 would of been perfect, minus the sidewalk that tried to take me out. I caught myself, luckily. I must of looked real cute trying not to face plant onto the sidewalk. ( Quit laughing at me)

Running has taught me a lot of life lessons, today I am reminded: why worry? I know that I will have good and bad days running. Worrying about which run I will face when I put on my running shoes robs me of the fun of running. If I can't enjoy the run, why run?

A little bit of everything ...

2011-02-12T18:07:00.003-05:00

Well, so much for my goal of keeping my blog updated. Life is more crazy and busy as usual ... I am trying to stay above water. It is a challenge. Here is an update of my adventure called life.

Winter is dragging on and the family was hit with the flu bug, a real nasty one. One of the downfalls of having a family of 7 is that when a bug hits, it is almost impossible to get it to leave. Two and 1/2 weeks after the first family member got hit, we were done with round one. This week, round 2 hit. So far, 2 casualties, but I fear the war is not get over. These are the times when my patience as a mother is tried to the limit. Cleaning up sickness, getting sick, and taking care of the sick, get old very quickly. I am now praying that spring will come and the fresh air will help to air out the germs.

On to more exciting news .... Steve and I are planning a little getaway w/o children to Mexico this spring. We get to enjoy this trip with my mom and dad and we are really looking forward to it. We have never been out of the country (except Canada) so we are in the process of getting passports. Seems simple enough. Some paperwork, some fees, and wait. Oh, I only wish. Getting our original birth certificates have been a complete nightmare. Last week, after another issue, I almost lost it!!! We are finally in the final stages and now we just have to wait for processing. I am praying that 3 to 4 weeks, really means 3 to 4 weeks. April is right around the corner.

This once in a lifetime, romantic getaway has me thinking about getting my body swimsuit ready. No easy task, let me assure you. Yikes!!! Some days, I am convinced that a mother of 5 should never be allowed to wear a swimsuit!!! My brilliant plan to loose weight was to enter a half marathon race in March. I am a genius .. I know!!! I am now into week 7 of my 12 week training and I forgot how much time was required to train. What was I thinking. Weight loss is slow going and I am actually building muscles in my legs, which you would think is good, but not really!!! To add to my trouble, with all this working out, I am so hungry all the time. In my desperation, I may attempt the Cabbage Soup Diet, but I don't know if I am strong enough. Cabbage gets old very fast.

Well, that is my life this last month. It is not all bad. I do have an amazing husband that puts up with all my drama, 5 wonderful children that make life full and exciting, and my dear friends that keep me balanced when I start to fall. My life is pretty good, looking forward to the next month's challenges. I am stronger than I think ... at least most of the time :)

January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T13:39:00.002-05:00

Today seems like a good day for a fresh start ....

Eleven days into the New Year and I am already seeing some of my New Year's Resolutions testing me. This is not anything new, but I was secretly hoping for a quick fix on some of them. You know what I mean. The ones that take a lot of work and disciple!!! In reality, the quick fix doesn't really "fix" anything. It is the process that we go through that builds our character and molds us into the people that we desire to be. I need to be reminded of that. No matter how many times I fall flat on my face, I will get up and try again. So today, I will look forward to this new year and get excited for the adventure to come. Here are just a few of the things that I am looking forward to this year .... in no particular order of importance :)

* Spring - sunny, light breeze, perfect weather for a run or a day at the park
* Soccer - watching the kids play soccer. It gets so crazy, but so fun to watch
* The last day of school, and the first day of school ... moms everywhere know what I mean
* The day when my hair finally grows out to the length I want ... I might not make it to see this one
* Vacation - always a highlight of the year
* March 20. 2011 - Second 1/2 marathon ... if I make it through training
* Mexico this spring with mom and dad, counting down the days ... so excited!!
* Meeting my new body, after I reach my goal ... I hear she looks amazing!
* Watching my kids grow a year older and all the wonderful lessons they are going to learn and teach me in the process.
* Spending another year with the man of my dreams ... so blessed!
* Building deeper friendships
* Watching what God is going to do this year with Gilead ... always amazing to watch
* Getting to know Him a little better, and becoming a better women because of Him!

What are you looking forward to this year?

Updates ... it is about time!

2010-09-13T08:20:00.012-04:00

As you can imagine a lot has happened since my last blog. Since my last entry was so depressing, I will give you the highlights of the last few months.
(BTW - the baggage is still lost, but "they are trying to locate it" How nice of them!)

SCHOOL STARTED!!!!! Yeah!! Maybe now I can keep my house clean for more than 5 minutes!

Here are my kids on the first day of school. They look so happy. I love it! Hayden (oldest) is in 5th grade this year. His first year in middle school. He was pretty nervous, but is doing well. He did tell me last night that he didn't want to go to school anymore. I told him, "Ok, just stay home with mommy and have summer all year round, and live with mom and dad forever." He said, "Yes, I want to do that!" I love him, but my sarcasm is completely lost on that boy. Kallie is in 3rd grade and loving it. She loves school and excels in whatever she puts her mind to. She is playing B-ball and soccer this season and dad is her coach in both. Fun times! Ry is in first grade. She also loves school and is my social butterfly. It is a wonder that she gets anything done at school, but she is doing great. Smart girl! Emma and Tanner are both going to preschool 3 times a week in the morning. Yes, you heard that right. Three mornings a week, I am free for a few hours. Of course, I love it! My only problem is that I never get everything done that I want to. Oh well, something to work on, I guess.

Rylee turns seven and gets new glasses! Here is her photo shoot from JcPenny's. Wow! It is so hard to decide what to buy. Too cute!!

Emma is five!! Mom had a hard time with this b-day. She is getting much too old. Her photo shoot was great! So sweet! Love her eyes!

Cabrini Soccer is underway~ This year we have 4 kids playing and 3 teams to juggle! It is a little crazy, but I do ok with crazy. I have 5 kids. I am getting good at it!

Dad coaches Kal and Ry's team~ Blue Streak

They are doing great. Ry is a tough little player and Kal is scary good. I love watching them play!

Tanner is on a team by himself this year. I think he likes it, but he gets easily distracted! See what I mean. It is comical to watch!

Emma is going to be like her sister Kallie. Nothing gets in her way. Once she understands the game a little better, she is going to be a superstar! How cute does she look! I love it!

That is the highlights of our life right now. Now you can see why my blog has been abandoned. I will do better, or at least, I will try! Steve is busy as ever with school, athletics, church, coaching, etc. I am helping coach the Cross Country team this year. It has been a lot of fun. It keeps me busy, but I have enjoyed getting to know the kids better. So off to do some chores. Talk to you soon!

Some Days You Just Need to Cry ...

2010-07-29T14:16:00.002-04:00

The last few days have been a whirlwind of emotions. Ups and downs, highs and lows. Let's get you caught up with the craziness of the last 48 hours.

Monday - July 26th 12:30 pm.

Me and the kids are pulling into our driveway after visiting dad at school, talking all about what our favorite part of vacation is. Tomorrow at 4:30am we will be getting up and heading to Idaho to visit my family. The kids love to travel and the excitement is building. As I am helping Tanner out of the car, I hear a scream erupt from my backyard. "What are the kids doing now!" As I am getting ready to give a great mom speech about getting along with each other and being kind, I am cut off by the cries of my 2 younger daughters, a back door pane with shattered glass, and Kallie standing wide-eyed hands out and blood pouring down her arm. I drop everything, grab a beach towel off the clothesline,wrap her bleeding wrist, yell at the kids to run to the car. As you can imagine the car ride to the ER was a nightmare. Everyone is talking at once, the girls are crying, "is Kal going to die? what are we doing? what is ER?" I am trying to keep it together and Kal is doing pretty good and telling me that it doesn't hurt that bad. I tell the kids no more talking, mom has to concentrate and drive. I am telling myself, "keep it together Steph, don't crash the car, stop shaking and don't cry." At the ER, Steve meets us, I am trying to sign Kal in and comfort Ry and Emma who are so scared. Steve decides to take the other kids and I stay with Kallie. They tell us that she will need stitches, but she would be fine. Once, my heart rate gets back down to normal I find out that Kal was racing Hayden to the back door and put her hands up to brace herself from hitting the door and the glass shattered. She was so upset about breaking the door, she keep saying she was so sorry. I told her that we did not care about the stupid door, we only cared about her. Three hours later, and with 15 stitches in her left wrist, we left the ER and headed home. Now mom has to finish packing for our trip tomorrow. A little behind schedule ... oh well :)

Tuesday - July 27th 4:00 am Vacation Begins ....

Three hours of sleep is not enough, but I have 2 plane rides today. Maybe I will sleep on the plane. Get in the shower. Finish packing. Wake up 5 sleepy kids and 1 sleepy husband and head to the van. By 5:45 am all 7 McElroy members are in the plane, buckled in an ready for our trip. In a few hours, I will be home and visiting with my family. Yes!!!! NOT!!!!! The adventure was just beginning.

7:30am Arrive in Denver. Find food. Shove food down. Get in line for the next flight that leaves at 8:10am. We would be arriving in Spokane at 9:30am. Steve went to get our seat assignments and I watched the kids. He comes back and says that the flight is overbooked and they are waiting to get our seats arranged so that we can sit together. Oh, how sweet!!!

7:50am (Over the loud speaker) "This flight is full, we are offering $400.00 vouchers and meal vouchers for anyone that would be willing to give up their seat and leave on the next flight leaving at 9:35pm." I laughed and looked at Steve, who, by the way was looking at me like -Wow! That would be a lot of money for future tickets. After giving him the stink eye, I said, " Who in their right mind would hang out at the Denver airport for 12 hours for only $400.00. Crazy!!" Meantime, the plane is boarding, and boarding, and boarding. By now, I am starting to panic. "Go check again." Finally, they tell us that they have enough seats. Great!! We walk down the walkway get on the plane and the stewardess says, "who can sit alone?" Steve takes Tanner and sits in a row. Hayden is taken to some random seat, then Kal. By now, I am getting ready to lose it. I did not pay a lot of money for my family to be scattered around this plane by themselves. Everyone is giving us dirty looks because we are delaying takeoff. It turns out that they only have 4 seats. "Four of you can go, but 3 need to get off or you all need to get off." I told her to call my husband and get him off the plane. So we get pull 5 crying kids off the plane and walk back. In the walkway, we hear this lovely news, "McElroy family... McElroy family, because you did not take the 4 seats that were available to you, we will only give you 3 vouchers." That just about put me over the edge. Good thing Steve was there to calm me down.

8:15am I am looking at the 5 crying faces of my children and hearing them say, "we don't get to go see Grandma and Grandpa with the boat! Why? What is happening? We have to wait how long?" I wanted to throw something or cry or both.

9:30am We had been at customer service getting help. Praise God we had a wonderful women that did everything she could to make this not as painful. We got travel and food vouchers and a flight at 11:30am to Seattle, a 3 hour layover and then a flight to Spokane that arrived at 6:00pm. instead of 11:00pm. Thank you. Not perfect, but manageable. Kal was hurting a little from her stitches and we needed to keep her antibiotics cold, but that we could manage. Better than being stuck in an airport for 13 hours.

6:00pm Arrived, finally in Spokane. It is now 9:00pm our time and we have been traveling for 15 hours. Wow!!! Just a 45 min. drive home to Idaho and the worse is behind us. Well, not quite. Three bags are waiting for us, but we had 4. Hayden and Tanner have no clothes, but they assured us that we would have the bag by the next morning.

Wed. July 28th - No bag. Not yet!

Thursday July 29th - No bag. No phone call. No one calling us back. But Tanner did wake us up throwing up. Lovely, the kid that has no clothes, now will be throwing up all over the only set of clothes he has. And the rain keeps falling. Then the call we had been waiting for. No bag. Start saving your receipts. You will be reimbursed. Great!! I do like shopping, though. And with someone else's money. OK Let's do this ...

Things that I have learned in the last few days ....

* Thankful to God for protecting my Kallie girl. It could of been so much worse.

* Thankful that Kal and I got to talk for 2 hours, just the 2 of us in the ER. She is an amazing girl. So brave, so smart, so funny. I love you sweet girl.

* No one is perfect, especially the airlines.

* God gives us gifts in interesting ways.

* My family is wonderful. I am so happy that I got to come and visit. I look forward to all the special memories that we are going to make in the next 13 days.

* Tanner is a great kid, even when he is sick.

* I love my husband so much. Thank you for fighting for our family and keeping me from losing my mind. You are the best!

* Things can always get worse.

Tanner ... The Days are just Packed ... why Stop to Sleep?

2010-06-17T10:38:00.005-04:00

A few evenings ago, I was in the kitchen trying to get a meal together for my hungry family, when my youngest, Tanner, was pulling on me complaining that he was so hungry!! I grabbed a box of goldfish and set him at the table to eat a quick snack while I got dinner going. A few moments later I look over and see him half asleep eating goldfish. He couldn't even open his eyes, but he managed to search for the goldfish at the table and get them to his mouth, chew a few times and swallow. I started to laugh and did what any mom would do ... run to get my camera. Poor Tanner, summer is lots of fun, staying up late, playing outside, swimming in the pool. His days are just packed! We don't get naps in like we should. Shocker, I know! Some days you just crash wherever you are. For those of you that think that I am a terrible mom, yes, I did move him to the couch so that he could rest. He woke up about 1 hour later. The kids had already eaten and were headed to the pool. Mom thought she was off the hook for swimming, but Tanner woke up, ate, and headed to the pool. Rest time over, let's play!!!

Emma Turns 5

2010-06-17T10:24:00.006-04:00

Our Emma is officially 5 years old and loving it!! Mommy had a hard time with this B-day. I can't believe how fast time flies by. She is in a big hurry to grow up and is ready to take on any challenge that life throws at her. Her sweet spirit is a blessing to all of us. Mom and Dad were a big hit this year with her presents. We got her a couple of ZU-ZU pets and some accessories to go along with them. Apparently, they were quite the rage at Christmas. We are a little behind the "trends". Oh, well!! We celebrated with the family and had cake and ice cream. It was a special day with great memories! We love you, Emma girl! You are a joy and a blessing in our lives. Happy 5th Birthday!! Love, Mom and Dad

Rylee Gets a Visit from the Tooth Fairy

2010-06-16T08:57:00.008-04:00

Rylee has been informing us every few days that her front tooth is loose. She messes with that poor tooth all the time. Waiting for it to fall out has been torture!!! Yesterday, as she was checking out its progress, tells me that it is really, really loose and now it is bleeding a little bit. I smiled and told her that this is normal and that her tooth would be coming out soon. A few minutes later, she comes charging outside screaming that she lost her tooth. Yes, there was screaming, laughing, jumping, etc. Part of having a girl, I guess. I never seen anyone so excited about a tooth. She makes me smile. Rylee has such a sweet spirit. Everything is done with enthusiasm and passion. You can't help but me sucked in. It is wonderful. As we congratulated her as a family we learned that Kallie was the one that convinced Rylee to let her pull it out. Brave girl!! I would not let Kallie anywhere near my mouth. They were so sweet, though. Hugging, laughing and telling the story over and over to the other kids. It was a big event in our home. After dinner, as the kids were getting ready for bed, Rylee comes tearing into our room to inform us that Kallie pulled out another tooth. Two teeth lost in a matter of hours!!! Wow!! Rylee was thrilled. We got a baggie and put the tooth under her pillow so that she would get a visit from the tooth fairy. I tried to tell her that the Tooth Fairy goes on vacation in June so she was out of luck, but she didn't buy it. Hayden made sure to tell me that the Tooth Fairy never goes on vacation. Ok, busted!!! It was a memoral night, for sure. Never a dull moment around here!

A Much Needed Update ...

2010-06-15T08:46:00.002-04:00

How has it been over a month since I have written on my blog!! My life was suppose to get easier when school got out. What was I thinking? Entertaining 5 kids all day long is impossible! I am already running out of ideas, my house is always a wreck (can't keep up with them), and I am still crazy busy! Why am I surprised... Well, here is a quick update on our lives ...

As I mentioned earlier, school is out for the summer!!! Yes! I was hoping to have all this time on my hands to do the things I don't get around to, but it has not happened yet. I have been doing some reading, which I love and never have time for... that has been nice!

Soccer is finished for this season, but the fall season is right around the corner. Games start the end of August. I am looking forward to it. I love watching my kids play. Tanner loved his first season and is ready to go again. Kallie's team made it to the semi-final game and lost. She was pretty bummed, but she played so good this season. We are so proud of you, girl!!! She is becoming quite the soccer player. It is so fun to watch her play.

Our days are filled with play dates, sports camps, and going to open houses for those friends that just graduated. It is lots of fun, but busy. We have enjoyed beautiful weather, so we have been outside a lot. I don't like leaving the kids outside by themselves so I have been involved in all the summer fun: slip-n-slide, pool, trampoline, swings, water fights. It is never ending fun at our house, or never ending craziness, depending on how you look at it.

I am in training for the next few months of races. I have one in July in Taylor and Kal is going to join me. She is very excited about running in her first 5K. Training is slow going ... our first training session was not good. She is having a hard time understanding that running too fast at the beginning is going to ruin your endurance for the end. I know she is able to run 3 miles, I just have to convince her to do it mommy's way. Easier said than done!! Pray for me. I don't know if I am a good enough trainer. I need more patience!!!

Steve and I have started P90X together. It has been fun, but hard to find the time to get it in. We have done a few workouts late at night just to get them in. I think he is enjoying it!! I have been pretty sore this time around and I am trying to tell myself it is because I am using heavier weights and running with it, but it may be that my body is just fighting me. Trying to get these last 20 pounds off is killing me. My body is holding on to them with a death grip. It is getting a little frustrating. I am pretty competitive, so bring it on!!!

There is our update... So riveting, I know. More to come. Soon. Really. I promise!!!

Potty Train Tanner ... Check

2010-05-10T11:04:00.003-04:00

It is hard to believe, but true!! I have potty-trained 5 kids and now I never have to buy diapers again!!! I am so happy. It is the greatest feeling to know that the last one is done. How is it that my first and my last have been the hardest. I guess that way I can really appreciate it! I told my husband that we need to go out to celebrate our victory. Tanner is so proud of his accomplishment. The other day, he told me," Mom, I am not a baby anymore. I am a big boy!" Finally, he has remembered what mom has been saying for the last few months. No more baby. Just big boy!! Just little word of encouragement for all you moms out there that are in the middle of potty-training : This soon will end. It will take hard work and dedication, but they will get it. Your child will not be going to Kindergarten in pull-ups. :)

My Green Shoes ...

2010-04-18T16:10:00.004-04:00

Tanner and his green shoes go everywhere together. They are best buds! These treasures were discovered by my little 3 year old a few months ago when mom was going through the summer clothes getting ready for her Mom 2 Mom Sale. I made the mistake of asking him to try on the shoes to see if they still fit. Luck for me, they are going to work for one more season. It was love at first sight. (Apparently, he has no knowledge of the shoes from last summer) He wakes up asking for them. He eats breakfast with them, takes naps, and I have even found them in his bed. I can't really tell you what is so special about them, but if I would of known how much he liked them, I would of bought a few more pairs. Of course this season, I can't find them anywhere. I guess moms can't see the future. Oh, well. I can't help but smile every time I see my little Tanner and his favorite green shoes. So sweet!

Tanner's 1st Soccer Practice

2010-04-16T21:00:00.006-04:00

Tanner had his first soccer practice last night and he could not of been more thrilled! Finally, after 2 years of watching soccer, he can get in on the action. He looks so big in his soccer gear that it makes mommy sad. They grow up way to fast. Like almost every event in our lives, drama occurred. Let me explain....

Steve (my husband) is coaching Kallie's team, so while dad was having practice, I took Emma and Tanner to their practice. We get to the field's, running late as usual, I grab the 2 soccer balls hand them to the kids and proceed to lock the van door. Tanner takes his ball in the parking lot and starts to kick it. When I turn around, Emma is frantically trying to tell me something and Tanner looks like he is about to cry. I soon discover that his soccer ball rolled under a car. No big deal, I thought, I will just bend down and get it. PROBLEM!!!! It has rolled under a Mustang and is wedged way under. Picture this, mom on hands and knees trying not to scream weighing my options. (I could send Emma under the car, but if she gets stuck, then what do I do? I really hope the owner of the car does not come around the corner.) I go back to our van to try to find anything that I can use to reach it. Everything under the sun is in my messy van, except what I need. Then I spot it. The snow removal brush thingy ... you know what I mean. After a few tries, I get the ball free. I look over at Tanner who is grinning ear to ear, "thanks, mom!" Now that I am dirty and sweating, lets go to soccer practice! Ahhhh!!!

It was worth it! Tanner had a smile on his sweet little face that never left. He was so excited to be out there. He was so proud of himself. During one of the drills, Emma and Tanner were teamed up to pass the ball back and forth. Tanner was having some trouble, but he was really trying. The ball would only go a few feet, no where near where Emma was standing. I heard her sighing in frustration, so I went over to encourage her. She turns around in disgust and says, "mom, he is just not getting this!" Emma can always make us laugh. "It is the first practice, Emma, he will do better next time." Good job Emma and Tanner. We are so proud of you guys!

My 1st 1/2 Marathon ... I did it!

2010-04-11T14:33:00.008-04:00

My 1st 1/2 Marathon race is over and I crossed the finish line with 5 minutes to spare in my race goal. It was an amazing feeling of accomplishment. Now, even a day later, it is starting to sink in. "I just ran 13.1 miles. Wow!!" I haven't decided if I am happier that I did it or that it is now over. I will not lie to you - it was tough. I watched in awe when those Marathon runners started crossing the finish line. Wow!! I can't imagine running 26.2 miles. Crazy!

Let me tell you all about it ...

5:30 am - Alarm goes off. It is officially time to get up. I had woke up at 3:19am and 5:00am to make sure I didn't miss the alarm. Get dressed. Eat something small. Check and re-check my supplies: MP3 player, knee pads, watch, energy bar, gloves, etc. Check and check!

6:05 am - My running buddy arrives. Yes!! We are both nervous but excited. Arrive at the race. Start hunting for a parking space. (Always a challenge) Find a spot. Attach running bibs and timing chips. Check for wardrobe malfunctions. Head to the port-a-potties. Yuck!!

7:00am - Meet up with friends. Shivering from the cold and the nerves. Laugh and giggle, we always manage to make every race fun. Take pictures and pray!

7:30am - Get into the massive crowd of people and get ready to start. No turning back. Ready, get set, go....

I felt great from the beginning. I usually hit a wall between 4-5 miles, so I was waiting and ready. No wall. Yes!! At mile 5 we are starting to see the first racers getting ready to pass mile 9. It was crazy. They were really moving. At mile 6 (the halfway turn) we did a little cheer. Only 6 more miles to go. No problem. At mile 8, I had to make a quick pit stop at the port-a-potties. Five babies will do this to you. I was still feeling good, so I was very encouraged. My left knee and hip had been giving me a little bit of pain, but nothing too bad. By mile 10, with every stride I was getting a pain. I tried not to think about it and listen to my music. At mile 11, I took a 30 second break and walked to try and stretch it out a bit, but it felt worse to walk. When I finally saw the finish line, I was so happy. I crossed the finish line at 2:25.36. Yes!! My goal was 2:30. I did it!! At the finish line my family and friends were there cheering me on. It was a wonderful feeling. I am fighting some pain, but I am sure that I will be feeling better in no time.

Crossing the finish line. I look a little scary! :)

Getting a much needed hug from the family!

My running buddies - Keri and Nikki. Great job ladies!!

Kallie in her first race. 1.2 miles. Over 700 kids racing!

Great job Kal. 8:35!! Wow! We are so proud of you!

Confessions of an amateur runner ...

2010-03-30T18:06:00.002-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted about my training, so here is the latest ...

Training WAS going wonderful until the cold I got turned into bronchitis!! After 2 weeks of struggling with a cold and cough that was not getting better, I decided to head to the doctors and get checked out. She confirmed my fear and told me that I had bronchitis. I explained that I was in training for my first ever 1/2 marathon and I really needed to get back to training. She told me to take it easy and listen to my body. Check my heart rate and keep it between 140 and 160. Ok. No problem! Or so I thought. That afternoon, I ran 5 miles and felt ok. Not my best time, but I finished. I was bad and forgot my heart rate monitor, so I slowed down a bit when I needed to. That night my body punished me for my lack of wisdom. I slept a total of 2 to 3 hours and tried to cough up a lung the rest of the night. Great!! So I took it easy for a few days and it didn't seem to help. My friends told me to take time off and rest. I finally listened. I took a whole week off and did nothing, which was torture!! (I don't like to be off schedule) My first day back was a nightmare. I pulled 3-ish miles and walked a few times to prevent myself from falling over. My lung capacity was shot. I took a few more days and made a second attempt yesterday. It was better, but not easy. I ran 3 miles and struggled more than once for air. When I finished, I wanted to hit or throw something. I was so mad!!! I have not trained for 11 weeks to fail 2 weeks before my race!!! My new plan is to run 4 to 5 miles on Wed. and then take a break and run 10 miles on Sat. Ten miles will be a first for me. Pray that I can do it!! The weather is suppose to be beautiful, so that should help. I am slowly coming to the realization that in order to finish this 1/2 marathon, I may have to walk a little bit to make it. I really don't want to do that, but it is better than not finishing!! Update, coming soon :)

Moments with Emma ...

2010-03-09T13:14:00.004-05:00

There is never a dull moment when you spend any amount of time with my 4 year old Emma. She has quite the personality, which comes from me, so I am told. She is always talking, asking questions, or just entertaining us with her humor. Here are a few conversations that we have had in the last few days ....

(In the car on the way to school to pick up the kids)
Mom, where do aliens live?
Aliens don't live any where. They are pretend, sweetie.
No, I mean do they live on our planet?
No, they are not real.
No, mom, you don't understand. I mean, do they live in outer space?
No Aliens. Really. No Aliens Anywhere!!
Ugh, I really wanted to meet one.

(This conversation took place in our living room)
Mom, when am I going to get a boyfriend?
Never!! Ok, not for a very, very long time!
Mom, I want Andrew to be my boyfriend. (Andrew is her cousin's boyfriend) Oh, wait. I think he is married to Lindsey.

No, they are not married. They are just dating.
(she smiles)
When I get to be a mom, can I marry Andrew?
Sweetie, you probably have not even met the man that you are going to marry. I didn't meet your daddy until college.

(slight pause to think) Mom, who is your boyfriend?
My boyfriend is Daddy!
No mom, he is your husband, not your boyfriend!!

(In the car on the way to school to workout)
Mom, are you going running?
Yes.
Can I run with you. I need to make sure that I don't get fat!
(laughing) I don't think you have anything to worry about, sweetie!

Emma, I love that you make me laugh. Thank you for your sweet smile and personaility. You brighten my day and I love being your mommy! Love ya!

The Kids at a Ball Game ...

2010-03-05T09:17:00.009-05:00

The kids always find ways to entertain themselves during B-ball season. The fieldhouse is our second home this time of year. The kids love the freedom they have to run around and play. I love the energy that they release. My kids are still pretty young, so their attention span for a b-ball game is about 5 minutes. So they learn to be creative and play. The exception to this rule is Kallie. She watches the whole game from the bench, helping dad coach. She is learning whatever Dad will teach her. It is going to be fun to watch her play! She has her dad's competitive nature. (I am sure some of my competitive nature as well. :) At this year's Senior night, the kids had a great time. We had balloons ...

Confessions of an amateur runner ...

2010-02-20T17:59:00.002-05:00

Today marks the end of week #6 in my 12 week training program for my first 1/2 marathon. Training has gone surprisingly well, but now I am getting scared. Truly, deeply scared!! On Friday, I mailed my registration form - the point of no return. No way am I going to back out now and waste my hard earned money (well, my husband's hard earned money.) BTW, thanks to my loving husband that totally supports me in this crazy plan to run a 1/2 marathon. He thinks I can do it. It always feels good to have someone on your side, cheering you on.

Today my training called for a 5-k Race, but I didn't find one, so I thought I would just race myself. The weather has been beautiful the last few days, so I was looking forward to a run outside in the sunshine. My body must of agreed with me because it felt so good to run w/o the treadmill :) I started so strong and felt like I was going at a pretty good pace. I decided to keep it up, just to see how well I could do. I almost fell over when I clocked my first mile at 8:41. What!!! Awesome!!! I was so excited, I believe I did a little victory leap. (Don't worry, I don't think anyone saw me) Now, for those "advanced runners" you may be laughing at my time, but to someone who usually averages a 10 min. mile, this was huge!! "In your face, treadmill, I knew that I was not running a 11 min. mile!" What is up with horrible times when I run on the treadmill? Well, that is for a later post!
Now when the excitement wore off, I realized that I could be in trouble. I was sucking wind and my body was screaming at me. I had to adjust my pace to finish, but I was ok with it. I finished my 5 miles in 47:53, under a 10 minute mile. Progress is an amazing motivator!! Week #7, watch out. I'm coming!!!

Confessions of an amateur runner ...

2010-02-13T23:23:00.002-05:00

It was a cold one today as my friend Keri and I made our way outside to run our 6 miles. Maneuvering around mounds of snow has been a challenge as we continue to change our running course to keep up with our changing mileage. Taking a break from the treadmill is a must when running more than 5 miles. After being sick last week, I was worried about this week's long run. I took it easy on Friday, because my body was so sore!! My husband tells me that I am getting old, but I don't want to believe it!! (He is right, of course!!)
Good thing I had a friend counting on me, I was fighting the run. Once we got out there, it was not as bad as I had imagined. After the first mile, I began to feel my toes again. It was nice. Running with a good friend has many advantages, we talked the whole time and made our run seem much less painful. My legs were tired as we kicked to the finish, but we did it! Six miles, yes!!! After the run, I mentioned that we just need to run that course twice and then some to cover our 13.1 miles. We both groaned!!! Week #5 check, bring on week #6. We have made it to the halfway mark in our training. Yes!! A milestone.

Much needed snow day ...

2010-02-11T13:51:00.007-05:00

Tuesday and Wednesday we got dumped with snow. This winter has almost been snow-free, so the kids were thrilled! A snow day is just what we needed after being couped up in the house due to sickness. As you can see, we made the most of it ...

I can't help but smile when I see this picture. Oh, to be a kid again!

I feel a snowball fight coming on!

Swinging is fun in any weather!

What a face! Are we having fun yet?

My favorite picture!!

Where has the fun gone?

Your eyes are beautiful, Rylee girl!!

Family bonding time!

Big sis

2010-02-08T14:25:00.005-05:00

Some days managing the chaos of a large family can be pretty overwhelming. Our work as mom's is never done, no matter how hard we try to "keep up with it." But then, God gives us a sweet picture of why we do what we do. Thank you, Father. Today, I needed this!

When you play hard, you sleep hard. :)

Where have I been .....

2010-02-07T09:55:00.003-05:00

How has it been over a month since I have written on my blog! Life must be crazy, but this is nothing new. Here is an update on what you have missed ...

I made a few New Year's Resolutions, some I am failing (like writing on my blog each day) and some that I am following. Yeah me. I talked myself into running a 1/2 marathon in April. I know what you are thinking, "she is crazy," but I really think that I can do it. I needed a real challenging goal to get me ready for 2010. What is more challenging than running 13.1 miles! Wow!! You are right, I might be crazy!!! Oh, well! The goal has been set and the training is underway. I called my sister for moral support, she ran her first 1/2 marathon last year. She gave me a great training plan and I am proud to say that I have been following it! I have run into a few bumps in the road, but nothing too serious. My first roadblock came a few days ago, when the flu hit our home. In a family of 7, it is a miracle if you escape the bug. I was not so fortunate. I have been in bed for 2 days and am starting to feel normal today. I told myself that maybe I could get in a few miles today to make up for missing 2 days of training. I quickly changed my mind when going up and down the stairs to get the laundry has made me winded. I guess my energy has not yet returned. I start week #6 of my 12 week training on Monday so I am praying for strength to get through Monday's workout.

So that has pretty much been my life for the last month. Training, being a wife, mom, teacher, and super hero. My days are packed. Hopefully, life will slow a little so that I can record it and remember these crazy, busy days. Talk to you soon!

Our new, little house guest ...

2009-12-30T18:36:00.005-05:00

Last night at 11:30pm, I walked into our kitchen to grab a water bottle and found this surprise waiting for me ...

Yes, I did what any normal person would do in this situation...
Scream like a little girl, "STEVE, STEVE HELP!!!!"
He tries to tell me that there is not much he can do without a mouse trap. I was not wanting to hear that, "just get it!" So at 11:30pm, Steve (my knight in shining armor) goes to Meijer to get a trap for this unwanted house guest. I did not want to be left at the house, alone with that thing, but the kids were asleep and I thought it would not be a good idea to leave them alone. A few minutes after Steve left, "our friend came back." (As you probably imagined, after my scream, the mouse scurried back behind the stove) I had to keep an eye on it, so I quietly went to retrieve my camera to get a closer look. (I couldn't get a good look, because I was hiding between the living room and the kitchen. I know, what a wimp!) I got pictures so that I could later positively ID the intruder. Steve comes home later with an arsenal of mouse killing products. I guess he doesn't like the thought of this thing in our house either. :)
Steve just laughed when I showed him the pictures. Why??

I guess I am not the only one who can't resist the urge for a late night chocolate snack.
Chocolate chip cookies, loved by all ....

No more twists...

2009-12-30T18:13:00.005-05:00

Well, my career as a hair surgeon has come to a close. Praise God!! These last few months have been quite busy. My youngest daughter, Emma, twists her hair into horrible knots and I have been spending way too much time trying to comb through the mess. Everyone we talked to about it told us that she would just grow out of this bad habit. Well, no more waiting. Something

had to be done. My genius solution ... cute short haircut. She can't twist hair she doesn't have.

Her haircut is super cute and she can't twist it!

She told me the other day, "Mom, I can't twist it any more."

I just looked at her, smiled and said, "I know, honey. Isn't it wonderful!!!"

I can't help but smile when I look at her. What a doll. I love it! Why didn't I think about this sooner.

Family Christmas 2009

2009-12-29T17:32:00.005-05:00

Our Christmas this year was wonderful as always. Due to our lack of snow in Michigan, it didn't quite feel like Christmas. We had rain ... lots and lots of rain. Now, a few days after Christmas we are getting some snow. Nice!!!

The kids didn't seem to mind. Christmas is always fun for them. This year Christmas morning went so fast. Our kids are getting older and they knew just what to do .. tear into the presents. With 5 kids, this leaves quite a mess, but it makes for a fun and exciting Christmas morning. Our day is spent at Papa and Grandma's house. Mommy makes her famous cinnamon rolls and we spend the day in our P.J's and diving into our new treasures. Lots of games, reading instructions, installing batteries, and making sure the kids are "sharing" and "playing nicely". (it can be exhausting :) We love every minute of it. Spending time with family is priceless. Next year, we are trying to convince grandpa and grandma to come visit from Idaho. It may take a year to convince them to travel across the country, but it will be so worth it.
Please enjoy these shots of our Christmas morning ...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours. May we live our lives to bring glory to God, the reason we celebrate this special season.

Emma the Chatterbox ...

2009-12-02T15:54:00.002-05:00

Look at those precious eyes! So sweet, so intense! That pretty much describes my little Emma. She does nothing half way. Her new love ... words... lots and lots of words. Now, I am sure this is not a new trait, but I believe that the intensity has been kicked up a notch. Yesterday, I actually told her to close her mouth and try not to talk. (It did not work) She just smiled at me and said, "Oh mom, you are so funny!" Here is a small sample of the things that she felt needed to be said.

Things that must be said, according to Emma McElroy, age 4.

"Mommy, you are the best hugger ever!" (a few seconds later) .."just kiddin, mom"

"Mom, mom, MOM!! I feel like I must be starving!!!"

"Mom, how many more days until Christmas? It is taking so forever!!"

"Mom, no more ponytails in my hair. I mean it!" (attitude adjustment needed)

"Mom, your hair looks like a boy!"

"Mom, look no twists." (a response to her constant twisting of her hair, a daily battle)

(in the car) "Mom, mom, MOM! Why is that human walking outside? Does she have a car? Doesn't she know that driving is faster than walking!"

I wonder where chatterbox gets it. (Somewhere right now, my mother is laughing)

Thankful for God's creativity!

2009-11-13T13:16:00.004-05:00

When I look outside at the beautiful colors of fall, I smile and thank God for His creativity. The beauty of His creation is breathtaking! Thank you, Heavenly Father.

They have arrived ... gifts that only a mother could love.

2009-11-13T11:59:00.005-05:00

Are you curious? Filled with anticipation? What has arrived? What did she get? Brace yourself, because if you are not a mom this will mean nothing to you.

Last week my job as a mom got a lot easier ... my new washer and dryer arrived!!!! Yeah!!!!

These things are amazing compared to the machines that used to occupy this space. They are new, clean, bigger, and are equipped with modern technology. They do everything, but carry the clothes downstairs and put them in the wash. (Now, that would be wonderful) My favorite feature is the short dry time. Gone are the days of waiting 1hr. for dry clothes or drying the clothes for a "second" time. I find myself looking for dirty clothes so that I can use my new toys. I know what you are thinking, this feeling will go away. Yes, you are probably right, but right now I am enjoying my new problem - where do I put all these clean clothes!!

Look how clean and organized. It makes me smile!!!

Potty Training ... My current challenge!

2009-11-01T18:57:00.004-05:00

Potty training with child number 5 is now underway. You would think with my previous experience in this department, I could do this with my eyes shut. Yeah, that's what I thought. I think the pure joy that raced through my heart when I thought of being diaper free has clouded my judgement. Or God thought that it would be helpful to give me a challenge to teach me a character trait that I am lacking or needing to polish. Either way, this is not the cake walk that I was hoping for.

I will be the first to admit that I have not been very consistent. I needed a few days where I could just hang out at the house and let him be in underwear. A few days ago, I got my wish. A sick kid has left me housebound, so I took my shot. The first day was a nightmare!! By 11:00am I had gone through 5 wet messes and one "other" mess that had resulted in a bath time. It was not pretty. By nap time, I was grabbing a pull-up and putting him to bed. The next attempt was much better. By 11:30am, I had no accidents and was bragging to dad when he came home from lunch. When I went to show him Tanner's big boy underwear, he was wet. Great!! One set back, no big deal. Thirty minutes later, I was getting on Tanner for spilling his drink on the floor. "What are you doing, son. Don't kick and splash the water all over the floor!" Upon closer examination, this was no water spill. He was playing in his own pee!! Unbelievable!! This child is not potty training material. Recall!!!!

Wiard's Orchard

2009-10-30T19:12:00.008-04:00

I am a little late getting this post out, but better late than never.

Kallie and I had a wonderful time at Wiard's Orchard a few weeks ago. I love getting the chance to go with my kids on their field trips. It is always a special time to connect, spend quality time, and get mommy's undivided attention. (shout out to my friend Marla who made this field trip happen by watching Tanner)

Best Buds

Corn maze, a highlight of the trip

Mom and Kal with her pumpkin and apple. What a treat!

They looked thrilled that I am takin' another picture.

Kal, entertaining as always :)

I love this picture of Kal. Her eyes are intense!!

Kal and her friend Faith havin' fun on the bus!!

Kal and her teacher, Mrs. Haynes!

I Need Chocolate.. lots of Chocolate!

2009-10-29T22:23:00.003-04:00

Where do I begin ... Today was just one of those days. Overwhelming would be an understatement. I will let you judge.

7:30am Wake up (if you can even call it that, more like roll out of bed and groan)
Running behind already. What a great start to my day. Have Dr. appointments set up for my kids this morning and this afternoon. (5 kids can't be seen at the same time, it is the policy)

8:10am Get kids and dad out the door, late and stressed. A few minutes to get ready before our 9:30am appointment.

8:55am Realize that my purse (w/ keys and wallet inside) is in my husband's van, driving into school. Call hubby and ask if he can bring it home. (yes, he can squeeze it in before his first class)

9:20am Arrive at our doctors and everyone in Southgate has an appointment today. "What, it is 9:20 in the morning!!"

9:30 - 10:15am Wait.. wait... wait... more waiting. (how backed up can you be?)

10:30am Trying to convince Hayden (10), Emma (4), and Tanner (3) that they probably won't have shots today. Just a physical. Eye test (so funny with Tanner, still a little shaky on shapes), pee in a cup (really?) Then the bomb dropped : 2 shots for all three kids, just to get them "up to date". Now the wailing starts, I start sweating. Who do I comfort first? Hayden (10) goes first: for those of you who don't know Hayden, this is a nightmare for him. He gets so nervous. He hates the doctors. He gets the shots and is fighting me and I am trying to hold him w/o scaring the others. He screams after the shot. Blood curdling!! It scared me!! I gave him the look and then turned my attention to Emma who is cowering behind the examination table. She tells me before the nurse gets in, "don't tell the nurse where I am.." (this is between sobs and wails) She gets poked and cries and then keeps crying all the way to the car and on the road to school, because her feelings are hurt. Tanner(3) did the best. He cried, but then stopped when the nurse pulled out the lollipop. Thank you Tanner, mommy loves you!!

10:45am Going through the drive through at McDonald's to get hot fudge sundays and lunch. (Don't judge. It was my bribe)

11:00am Shoving food in my mouth so that I will make it to recess duty at 11:30am.

11:30 - 12:30 Recess duty at school. Usually goes fine, but today they have inflatables in the gym. So fun!! The kids love it, but it gets crazy, loud, and the kids forget every rule and how to listen.

12:45 - 1:30 Go over to dad's office at school because I don't have time to go home before I have to pick up the other 2 kids from school and take them to the doctors. (i know, what was i thinking!!)

1:50 Arrive at the doctors for our 2:00 appointment and we walk into a crowd of people. Standing room only. They are over 1 hour behind. Shoot me now!!!!

3:15 3:15, did you see that, 3:15 we get called back to the room. My kids could of finished their school day!! I was not happy! I was trying to be a good Christian. It was tough. We had a sweet nurse, so that helped.

3:15-4:00 Kal and Rylee are both healthy, look great. They love the doctors. Thank you, girls!! Kal needs a shot (great) We discuss the level of pain for this shot for 15 minutes, fret over the details (she has to have every detail, and asks every questions in the book) She gets the shot and doesn't make a sound. Her response, "that's it!! Are you sure?" I rolled my eyes and told her that mom knows some stuff. Listen and believe next time!!!

4:15 Back in the drive through for hot fudge sundays. Life must be fair and equal, right?? :)

4:30 Pull in the driveway. Home sweet home. Before I open the door, Steve calls (hubby) I need to pick up the other kids at school, he is running the clock for the Volleyball game.

4:30 - 6:00 At the gym getting the kids, watching the game, running on the treadmill, trying to de-stress and get a workout in.

6:30 Back home. Shower. Sit. A kid comes up ( I don't even know who) "Mom what is for dinner?" AHHHHHHHHHHHH I need Chocolate!!! Lots of Chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tanner is Three!!

2009-10-27T15:11:00.007-04:00

My baby turned three last week! I guess now that he is 3 I can't call him a baby. He is getting so big and mom is having a hard time letting him grow up. He is Mr. Independent. Heaven forbid you tell him he can't do something because he is too little. Nothing seems to get in his way. (I am trying to use this to my advantage with potty training, but no such luck.) His smile can melt my heart. We love you, sweet Tanner. Happy Birthday, big boy!!!

New jacket. His grandparents keep him styling!

Cheesing for the camera! I have taught them well!

Tanner making his best Dino growl!

Ripping into the presents!!

My attempt at a Dino Cake. Tanner loved it!!

I Heart Faces - Photo Contest

2009-10-13T17:16:00.004-04:00

Tanner's face says it all!! He was so excited to ride in the tube with Daddy! I am not sure who is having more fun, Dad or Tanner! Summer fun is priceless!

Go check out the other entries!! They will brighten your day!

What has happened to my girls?

2009-10-12T08:57:00.002-04:00

Most moms would agree that the most stressful part of their day is getting the kids off to school. At my house mornings bring out the best in all of us. :) My kids wander around the house like they are stuck on a foreign planet. What are school clothes? What are shoes? How do we get dressed? Why do I have to comb my hair and brush my teeth? Really? Really? Most mornings, I feel as if I am teaching them all over again. I try to get a routine down and get as much as I can done the night before. (this does not always happen, shocker) So, last week, I wake up, ready to face the chaos and get the kids out the door on time. In the kitchen , I find Kallie (7) and Rylee (5) dressed (with shoes) and smiling at me. They were totally ready for school and had even brought up their book bags and made their own lunch. They made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cut the sandwiches and placed them into baggies and put them in their lunch box. They also included: drink, fruit snack, chip, and a brownie. I was shocked!! I rubbed my eyes, convinced that I was dreaming and looked again. Yes!!! They are learning!!! I am an amazing mom!! I told them I was so proud of them and that they were going to get to pick out a treat at the snack bar at school. This was answered with squeals of delight!! Who knew that simple reward would be worth so much to them. They asked me if they could make lunches again tomorrow morning and I said, "you can make lunches every morning!"

The next morning:

I hear the girls in the kitchen and I thought I would go see if they needed any help. I crawl out of bed and walk into the kitchen. The girls are dressed and all ready for school. I smile and ask if they need any help. They request a few items from the cabinet and as I reach for the door, my eyes happen to glance at the clock on the stove, 5:30am. What!!! It is 5:30 in the morning and my daughters are ready to get in the car and drive to school. I turn around and tell the girls that they have 2 1/2 hours until they have to leave for school! You have to go back downstairs and get into bed and rest. All I got was blank stares. "Go try to rest and I will get you up in a little while." I was glad to hop back into bed, but I am pretty sure that they did not get back to sleep. They were wide awake by this time. School will be a challenge today. I will be getting calls from the teachers asking when I get these kids to bed. We need to work on telling time!!

Red October Race

2009-10-05T12:27:00.005-04:00

WE DID IT!!! The weather was not great, but it could of been much worse. It was in the mid 50's and the rain was mild. It was a little refreshing as we were running. As always, we had a great time. Spending time with my friends is well worth the training and the questionable weather. We arrived around 8:45 to get Lauren, Marla, and Nikki ready for the one mile race. It rained the hardest when they were running. Poor girls!! We were prepared with our ponchos. Nikki ran the 5k after her one mile race with her daughter. Go girl!! The 10k started at 9:50, so we had time to hit the port-a-potties and pray for a break in the rain. I felt great during the race. No gross blisters to show you this time, sorry! I was surprised how good I felt. The race went by quickly and I crossed the finish line at 1:02:50!! I beat my last time by almost 8 minutes!! I was so happy!! My goal is to improve my time. My daughter, Kallie does not agree with this strategy. She asked me where I placed, and when I told her that I placed 9th out of 12 in my age bracket, she said," mom, you did awful!" I need to time you when you run." Apparently, the top three should be my goal. She wants me to bring home a trophy next time. :) Maybe someday!! FYI - the top time in my age group was 49:50. I was not even close!!

I look a little too happy!!

Potty break?

At the stating line!

Pre-race pics!!

Confessions of an amateur runner ...

2009-10-02T20:34:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is race day. Oakwood Red October Run is my second attempt at a 1ok race and I was hoping to improve my time. Last race, the weather was so hot, it was tough to run without getting heat stroke. This race I will be facing cold weather and rain. I just can't win. There is a chance that the rain will start later, so start praying. I am looking forward to it, I think. My friends and I always seem to make the best of it. :) I will post all about our adventure tomorrow. Until then, keep thinking happy thoughts.

Our God Hears our Prayers ...

2009-09-25T20:43:00.002-04:00

The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of emotions. I found out yesterday afternoon that our dear friend's daughter Hannah (6) was critically ill and in the pediatric ICU fighting for her life. My heart just broke for our friends and their dear family. Prayers, phone calls, e-mails, and facebook, kept us updated as we waited and watched for the hand of God to heal this little angel. As a mother of 5 little ones, my heart was broken. This family needed a touch from God. They needed His peace and comfort. Being out of state, you feel helpless, but praise God that prayers can be heard wherever we are. I prayed multiple times during the day and let as many Christian friends and family know so that they could lift her up in prayer. I called my parents that evening (in Idaho) and caught them at dinner with another couple from their church. My parents told me that they would pass it on to their church and that after they got off the phone, the four of them would pray at dinner for this little girl. Tears filled my eyes as I thought about the blessings of the body of Christ. Our hearts our linked together and they immediately took the time to pray. God has answered our prayers and Hannah is doing much better. The doctors are hoping to she will be able to leave the ICU soon. Praise God!!! Thank you, Lord for hearing our cries. Your healing power is real and we are once again reminded how awesome our God is. My heart rejoices tonight and I am blessed by the prayers of God's people. Amen!!!

Hayden Turns Ten

2009-09-21T21:22:00.007-04:00

My oldest son, Hayden is 10 today. How did this happen? It seems like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital. I remember feeling so happy and so scared at the same time. Somehow, we made it through, and now our son is in double digits.

He was so excited. It is always a party with 4 brothers and sisters.

A perfect cake from Sam's Club. Mommy wanted to make him a cake, but he said," No, we have to pick out a cake at Sam's." Ok!

"Yes!! I am ten!" (Hayden's response to turning ten. :)

Confessions of an amateur runner ...

2009-09-21T20:18:00.005-04:00

Race Update: 8k Flatrock

The race was a complete success!! The weather was beautiful! My ankle felt great during the race and my legs were so fresh due to my time off. I beat my time by almost 2 minutes!! Yes!! Gotta love that. I got 3rd place in my age group (3rd out of 5, but who cares, right?) Maybe one of these times, I will get 1st in my age group. It is a goal anyway. There was one down side to the race. I felt a blister coming on during the second mile and by the fourth mile, I was desperately trying to think of anything else. When I got home, this is what I found ...

Gross!! right. No women's foot should look like this. I keep trying to tell my husband that it is time for new shoes. He still needs some convincing. Maybe, next month ...

Post race picture. I look tired, but happy. Another race completed. Success.

Confessions of an amateur runner

2009-09-12T13:59:00.004-04:00

Wow!! Has it really been 11 days since I have blogged!! Life is crazy here!!

Today is RACE DAY for my 8k race in Flatrock!! I am excited and nervous! I had a weird injury to my lower calf last week and I have taken almost a full week off to recover. I know that I can go the distance, but my time might be off. It is a beautiful day. Perfect weather to run.

I have the privilege of running with some good friends, so that makes the race even better. Shout out to my friend Marla, who will not be joining us this race due to an injured knee. She is stubborn, like me, and insisted that she could still run, but that is not going to happen. She is not too happy. Sorry girl, we are going to miss you. Well, better go rest a while. Need my energy for the race. I will post the results soon.

My Rylee Girl Turns Six!!

2009-08-31T19:00:00.009-04:00

My attempt at a homemade cake. I was proud even though it did not look exactly like the picture I was trying to copy. Great for my first try. No complaints, the kids loved it!

Everyone enjoys cupcakes!

Everyone wants in on the action. Sorry Rylee :)

Love the face! Party girl!!

Mom and Ry! Love you Ry Girl! Happy Birthday!

My Little Rylee Starts School ...

2009-08-26T14:11:00.009-04:00

Birthday girl! They grow up way too fast!

She loves to discover new things!

The many happy faces of Rylee girl!

My big girl! I can do it on my own, mom!

Proud Daddy with Ry on her 1st day!

Mommy is trying to be happy!

Rylee, we love you and are so proud of you. May you enjoy every minute of school. Be a good girl and learn a lot. Have fun sweetie!

Love, Mom and Dad

Simply Saturday

2009-08-22T20:57:00.002-04:00

Sleeping in, Starbucks, and shopping ... these are the highlights of my Simple Saturday. Now normally, shopping is not simple. But in the event that you find that perfect item, shopping becomes simple again. Today was one of those days. I have found the perfect pair of jeans. You know what I am talking about, ladies. The magic jeans that the minute you put them on you feel a few sizes smaller. They fit in all the right places and they actually look good. Now for the best part, 60% off. Praise God!!! I would not have paid full price!! I love getting a good deal. I left the store with a smile on my face. It was a good day!

Back to school ... yes!

2009-08-20T11:24:00.003-04:00

It is that time of year again ... back to school. This year I am embracing the new school year with open arms. My kids are in need of some structure back into their lives. I am all for the fun of summer, but I also enjoy getting back into the routine.
Rylee (5) is starting K this year and she can't be more excited about it. Every morning she asks me if today is the day she gets to go to school. I hope this attitude continues throughout the school year. I am dreaming, I know!! She loves to learn and the thought of going to school like her brother and sister is a thrill.
Kallie is going into 2nd grade and she is playing it cool. She is giving her sis advice about school like she is going into high school. It is quite entertaining!! This year might prove to be a challenge. It is her first year going to school without her best friend, Julianne. The first few days will be rough. We are already praying!! We love and miss you girl!!
Hayden is a typical boy. Starting school is the last thing on his mind. The other day he told me, "wouldn't it be easier if I just didn't go to school?" I laughed and told him of course it would be easier, but what would be the fun in that. He was not too impressed with my humor!! Oh well!!

I am looking forward to having my house clean for more than 2 minutes during the day. Having 5 kids home all day turns my house into a disaster. Some days I feel like I am drowning!! Pick up after yourselves already!!! It is a lesson we are still learning. Learning at a very slow rate, I might add.
Tanner will be joining the troop this year and going to preschool 2 mornings a week. Wow!! Just think what I could get done with no kids 2 mornings a week. It makes me smile!!! The potential!!! So the countdown has begun... 5 more days until school starts. Yippy!!!

Wood Duck Dash My first 10k

2009-08-15T21:57:00.002-04:00

I ran my first 10k this morning and I am still alive to blog about it!! We ran in the 4th Annual Wood Duck Dash at Lake Erie Metropark. It was a beautiful day, but very, very warm. To be honest, I think I prefer the rain. The sun beating down on you really zaps your energy. At the start of the race my legs felt pretty good. My friend Keri and I set a good pace from the beginning, but that sun gave me a headache and made me nauseous. At mile 3, I thought I might loose my breakfast. Praise God that did not happen! The route headed into the woods about that time, so the shade saved us. At one point, I told my buddy this was no "dash"! We had a good time and felt amazing when we crossed the finish line. Our goal was to finish without walking and we did. Next race in October, we will beat our time. We are praying for cooler weather, just not too cool!! I do want to run in a 1/2 marathon in the future, but I am not ready yet. Baby steps! Great job ladies! I am so proud of us!! I love that I get to share this with you. You inspire me and make it an adventure! Keri, I thank you for being my running partner. I could not of done this without you. You are my rock!! Can you believe how far we have come? It is awesome! Looking forward to many more races. Thank you, my friend!

Confessions of an amateur runner

2009-08-14T20:26:00.002-04:00

Thursday night I set out to get my 6.2 miles in so that I would prove to myself that I would not fail in my 10k race on Saturday. It had been one of those weeks, so I was behind on my training! Big surprise, I know!!! I arrived at the park at 6:30pm and got out my new toy (an arm band for my mp3 player) Yes, sis, I finally got one. I know I am an amateur at this running thing, but no one says that I can't look the part. I get everything properly hooked up, stretch and off I go. My first lap, I struggled to get a good pace and my legs felt like lead. Great!! This is going to be a long, long run. By mile 2, I was not feeling any better and to make matters worse, the humidity was getting to me. "How hot is it out here!! I am dying!"
My mind starts to think back on my week, trying to justify why I was performing so poorly.

This is what I came up with ....

Sunday: felt sick to my stomach all day and went home to rest!!!

Monday: not feeling much better, but must get a run in: 3 mile run

Tuesday: woke up with my "sore throat" that keeps haunting me every 3 months. I called the doctor and got in at 9:10am. I am not missing my race to this. I am a little fired up!!! Feeling a little better by evening, so I go run 3 miles. (Sorry Jenny, I had to)

Wednesday: knew that I would not get a run in due to church, so grabbed my watch and went to jump on the trampoline with the kids for 50 minutes. It was a great workout. I could hardly walk when I got off. (I can hear your laughter at the thought of me jumping with the kids. I am sure it was quite a sight, but the kids and I had a blast. It makes you feel young again. That is never a bad thing!!)

Thursday: my 6.2 mile run

There is a chance that I over did it a little. Let's pray that is the case. By the time I finished, I looked and felt like I had run a marathon. My body was screaming and me and my legs were rubber.
Note to self: I need to get a new running outfit! Might as well look as good as possible if I am going to put my body through this.

I would appreciate your prayers on Saturday morning, it looks like I may need all the help I can get.

Simply Saturday

2009-08-08T12:34:00.002-04:00

We are going to celebrate this Simply Saturday with a date night. On August 3rd, Steve and I celebrated our 13th anniversary. Wow!! What a blessing. God has blessed me with a wonderful husband who loves me dearly. He is my best friend and my anchor. I find new things to love about him each day. I love to watch him with our kids. Being a big kid himself, you can usually find him playing right next to the kids. They love spending time with daddy. He is fun, playful and a man they can trust and look up to. Life is good here! Well, I better go get ready. I have a hot date!!!

Vacation is almost over!

2009-08-03T18:38:00.002-04:00

We have to leave tomorrow and I am trying not to think about it. It makes me so sad. We have had a wonderful time. No one wants vacation to end!! Tonight we are going to have a special meal cooked by my father, followed by a fire and the making of smores. I know, you are all jealous. It should be loads of fun.

Pray that the plane ride is uneventful. With 5 kids, you never know the adventure that waits for you. My kids love flying, so we have that in our favor. We pack lots of movies, snacks, and plenty of things to entertain. We are getting pretty good at traveling.

I am not looking forward to coming home and getting ready for school. The summer is never long enough. Rylee is starting Kindergarten and clearly I am not ready for that. Before I know it, Tanner will be in school! My baby. Ok, now I sound pathetic. School shopping, here I come.

Vacation Fun!

2009-08-01T17:19:00.003-04:00

We are having a wonderful time in Idaho. The weather is amazingly hot! We will be coming home with a tan. Yes!

Our days have been filled with swimming, boating, playing games and spending time together. It has been wonderful. We are eating way too much junk food, but that is what vacations are all about. The kids have been getting up early and going to bed late. We are squeezing every ounce of fun out of each day.

The boys have been fishing and golfing. Steve is loving it! Kal and Hayden got to go on a fishing trip with grandpa and daddy. I heard all about it when they got home. I am sure they will be asking us for a boat soon. :) I will let daddy deal with that.

The girls got away for the day and went shopping and out to lunch. We left the kids with the daddy! It was delightful. We have decided that this will be a tradition each summer. We found great deals and I am coming home with new clothes. I have a personal shopper here keeping me in style. A mom of 5 still needs to look good! Thanks Aunt Nae! You are the best.

My children are turning into quite the little swimmers. We have been to the lake and the pool. They are having so much fun. I have lots of pictures. I have greatly enjoyed my new camera. Mommy has been having fun. I am hoping to share some of them if I can figure out how to link the slide show I have created. We will see!! I am still learning!

A few more days left. I am trying not to think about it. It will be hard to leave. We are having a blast!!

Two More Days ... Will I Make it!

2009-07-19T15:01:00.002-04:00

Just 2 more days and vacation will be here. I can hardly wait. I am so excited, but also overwhelmed with what I still have left to do. How come the following things are always true before vacation ...

1. no matter how organized I try to be, I am always up until midnight the night before packing and getting last minute things done. (packing for 7 is a challenge)

2. my house is the messiest it has ever been and there is no way that I am going to get it cleaned so that I can come home to a clean home.

3. my laundry pile is growing, not getting smaller. (this happens most days, not just before a trip)

4. trying to get the kids to pick up and help mom out is like pulling teeth. They look at me like I am talking in a foreign language.

5. I would kill for the chance to nap, but who has time to nap...

6. I toss and turn at night, running through a list in my head of things that I cannot forget to do or bring on the trip.

7. my kids tell me that they don't feel good, what!!! this is not happening!!

8. I start having nightmares about the worst airplane flight ever.

9. I start practicing self control to deal with the stares and comments that we will get when people see that we are traveling with kids ... 5 kids... they must be crazy!!!

Clearly you are thinking that this lady desperately needs a vacation. Amen!! The stress before a trip is always worth it when we land and I get to see my family. The kids run up to grandma and papa and give them a big hug. The look on their faces when they see their grand kids. Priceless. I am so ready. Bring on the stress. I can handle it!! Here we come!!!

Simply Saturday

2009-07-18T11:06:00.005-04:00

My good friend Becky has inspired me to write this post. Go check her out. She is an amazing mom with two beautiful twin boys who adore her.

As I was thinking about what to write for my Simply Saturday post, I was stuck. Being a mom of 5 kids, not much in my life is simple. Crazy, busy, overwhelming at times, yes, but rarely simple. As always, my kids have inspired me to see and enjoy the simple things in life. This morning, like many Saturday mornings, my kids came into our room to wake us up and request breakfast. Rolling over and trying to ignore 5 kids is a bit of a challenge, but we always seem to try it. Soon a tickle fight had begun and our room was filled with the laughter and squeals of all 5 of my kids. They all love this. Daddy is the best at tickling them. Mommy just tries to make sure no one gets hurt or falls off the bed.

It is the simple things in life that show our kids that we love them. Spending time with them on Saturday morning is one of those simple things. They want our time and attention. They want to play with Daddy because Daddy is home today. They want to be together as a family. This doesn't take money or hours of planning, it just takes our time. Thank you kids for reminding mom and dad that time spent together shows the love that we have as a family. May we always remember this. We love you all so much. So what are we doing together today?

Taylor 5k Race

2009-07-14T14:20:00.010-04:00

Giving my final kick! The finishline: 30:28

The whole gang!! We need a running club!

The girls!! I think we have new running buddies!!

These pictures do not tell the whole story. We woke up to dark clouds, rain and thunder and lightening. The storm was only going to last a few hours and be cleared by 11:00. Great! So when we are walking back to our cars the storm will be over. That is pretty much what happened..

Race day morning: 7:00am

Alarm goes off. I crawl out of bed and wish I had gone to bed on time. So tired!! Get dressed and realize that the shorts that I wanted to wear I put in the wash last night and forgot to put them in the dryer. Run downstairs, toss them in the dryer. Maybe 15 minutes will be enough time? Grab my shoes, number, mp3 player, knee braces ... what am I forgetting? Oh, safety pins for my number. Where are they? Nothing like wasting 10 minutes looking for pins. Now I am late and I am eating on the run. Shorts, not dry, grab other running pants. Open the door, yuck!! I am going to get wet. Wonderful!!

8:00am

Arrive at the park with Marla (friend I talked into racing her first race) Can't find a parking place, so park in the back lot and walk. Raining a little bit, but not bad.

8:15am

Quarter mile fun run was to begin, but by this time it is pouring. Everyone that was there was under the registration tent, trying to stay dry. We must have been quite a sight to see. We felt like cattle. The kids ran in the rain, but had fun. We were pretty wet by then, but were on the sidelines cheering them on.

8:55 am

Needing a potty break before the 5k, Marla and I brave the weather and go searching. We see the "can" but getting to it is another story. Fences were set up everywhere for the carnival later that day. It was quite comical. We looked like we were playing a live version of mouse trap. To make this adventure more fun, it starts pouring rain again. We are soaked and running to cover. In the process, I miss judge a small puddle for a small river and am now carrying an inch of water in both shoes. Thinking I had time to empty out my shoes and ring out my socks before the race was a mistake. The announcement to head to the starting line for the 5k rings loudly as we reach shelter. Wonderful!

9:20 am

Race time. We are getting ready and they are giving us last minute instructions and announcements. All I hear is "blahh, ahh, ahh." I hope that was not important. Let's race.

I felt pretty good during the race. I was wet and my clothes were clinging to me, but I was racing. By the 2nd mile, the rain had stopped and the sun was peaking out from behind the clouds. The last few minutes, I was praying for some more rain. I did not reach my goal to break 30 minutes, but I tell myself that I was carrying 10 pounds in water weight. Better luck next time. My next race is a 10k in August. My first 10k. It should be fun. We will start praying for better weather.

A Conversation with Daddy ...

2009-07-10T10:23:00.004-04:00

This morning Rylee and Emma came to our room and jumped into our bed, much too early. They are incapable of sleeping while laying still. Needless to say, our sleep time was over. When they can't sleep, they talk. Shocker!!! This was their conversation ...

Emma: (in a whinny voice) Rylee, are you still my best friend? Please!

Rylee: (a long, dramatic pause) Yes, you are my best friend.

Emma: Good!

Daddy: Rylee, am I your friend?

Rylee: No

Emma: You are not a kid!

Daddy: I can still be your friend and your Daddy. What is a friend?

Rylee: Someone you play with.

Daddy: I play with you. Anything else?

Rylee: Nope.

Mommy: Am I your friend?

Rylee and Emma: Yes!!

Daddy: Can I be your friend?

Rylee and Emma: Yes!

We might need to work on the definition of friendship, but we enjoy these conversations with our little girls. They are precious memories. We love you, girls!! You will always be our friends!!

Confessions of an amateur runner

2009-07-07T22:34:00.002-04:00

Just when I think I am starting to really understand this running thing, I get thrown a curve ball. Let me explain ...

My last training run was a train wreck. I was huffing and puffing and my time was so off. It can be so discouraging. I was excusing my performance with being sick and just not quite feeling back to my old self, plus I am getting old. So today, a must run day, I pull into the park at 8:50 pm. I know what you are thinking, "great start!" I was quickly losing daylight, so I told myself to pick it up and get in what you can. Apparently, these are the magic words that my body needed. I felt amazing. Great pace, minor huffing and puffing, legs felt strong, and I was even passing people!! (most people were walking, but I still passed them, victory!!) The start of my 2nd mile, I actually felt like a real runner.

"I wonder if I look like a runner? I feel great! Let's pick up the speed. Ok, slow down a bit, let's not get crazy!! Wow!! Maybe, I do know what I am doing!"

These conversations in my head are very common. I try to keep myself entertained. Just when my pride was getting to a dangerous level, I look over to see a couple of teenagers running all crazy, and laughing. I am pretty sure they were mocking me. Ok, that answers my question about looking like a real runner. Maybe some work in that department wouldn't hurt. I thought about messing with them, by running like Phoebe in that episode of Friends, but I refrained. My luck, I would fall and break something 4 days before my race. Not good!

The downside to this amazing run is that I could not find my watch before I left the house. Who knows what my time actually was, but in my mind it was amazing. That is the only thing that really matters!! Race day is coming! Bring it on. I am ready.

Flashback to my Childhood ...

2009-07-05T23:43:00.002-04:00

At lunch today, I had a flashback to my childhood. My daughter, Emma was eating lunch and had to go to the bathroom. In a panic, she informs me and the table of kids (her brothers and sisters) that she was not finished with her food. Do not throw it away!! I had to laugh!! My youngest brother, David went through this very same thing. Being the baby in a family of 5 kids, he often felt the need to defend his food and announce to the family to leave his food alone if he left the table. One traumatic afternoon, the dog ate his food that he was not through with. Since that day, David would panic when he had to leave the table. We did mess with him and hide his food on more than one occasion. Yes, we were mean!!! He learned very quickly to defend his food. Emma will learn also. I resisted the need to hide her food. She is much too young to appreciate this. David, now that you are a father, I am sure you will have many life lessons to teach your kids!! I am convinced that this lesson will make the cut!!! Love ya, little brother!

Confessions of an amateur runner

2009-07-03T22:14:00.002-04:00

This week I am learning how much of an amateur runner I really am. I am trying to get ready for my 5k race in Taylor this week. This should not be too hard because my last race was an 8k. Why, then do I feel like I am going backwards!!! I know that it doesn't help that I had to take 2 weeks off due to sickness. Let me tell you that it is shocking how much you lose in 2 weeks. I feel like a loser. My body is just not back to normal yet. What is taking so long? The voice in my head is saying, "you are getting old!" This is a great excuse until race day when a sixty-ish lady passes you. What!!!! Who cares that her body looks like she has been running way longer than me. I am half her age. It is depressing!!
I know that I can finish the race, but my goal is to beat my time. At this rate, I might only be looking at a few seconds faster. I want to shave a minute off, but I think I am dreaming! Start praying that I don't hurt myself trying to improve my time. The last thing I need is to trip and sprain my ankle during the race. I might be an amateur forever! Great!

Simply Summer

2009-06-29T13:28:00.018-04:00

What could be better than a hot summer day and friends to share it with!
The very definition of a simple summer day...

Tanner trying to stay dry. Rylee, always ready for a photo.
Clay and Hayden, planning their next move!!!

Silly Emma!! She was Clay's shadow all day.

He was so nice to her! Thank you, Clay

Sweet Hannah!! I love this pic! How cute!!

Julianne & Kal BFF's

This one makes me sad!!

They will have a special bond forever.

We will miss you guys!!

This game was the highlight of the day. The rules are unclear, but that didn't seem to stop them.

I think filling the pool with water to dump on one of them was the goal.

It entertained them for quite a while!!! I tried to stay clear of the water, but I even got wet.

I can't tell you what Emma is doing, but she was having fun.

A warm summer day with water and a bucket equals fun!!!

You can almost hear the laughter oozing from my backyard.
What could be more fun that doing flips and flying?

At one point, I believe a wrestling match was taking place.

It was comical to watch.

An Interesting Vacation ...

2009-06-26T10:42:00.018-04:00

We are back!! I know it has been a while since I have posted. Forgive me!! Life has been crazy and mom has been sick!! Well, I am getting ahead of myself....

Vacation in Virginia was beautiful. I didn't realize how much I needed to get away, until we actually got away. We arrived on Sunday and look at our view. I love to see the mountains. I miss the mountains. Michigan is pretty, but much too flat for me.

The kids had swimming on the brain, so that is what we did first. It was a lot easier this time due to the fact that the kids were 2 years older. Last time we were there, Tanner was a baby. That is always an extra challenge. We did find out this week that Tanner is going to be a water dog like his sisters and brother. He had no fear and was dipping his head under the water and coming up laughing. Mom was not so thrilled. "Please, son, don't scare me like that!" Before he would jump into the pool he would request us to move away because, as we should already know, he is a big boy and doesn't need our help. We are all for developing confidence in our children, but too much is dangerous!!

We enjoyed a number of fun activities. The kids went horseback riding which was fun to watch. Tanner was all for it and was whining when we got done. The kids now want a horse of their own. Yes, we will get right on that. Putt-putt is always a must. The kids love it, but I feel bad for the poor people that get stuck behind us. We tend to take some time. Usually, we are sending a group of kids ahead as we finish up. It doesn't help that I am terrible and it takes me just as long as the kids. Oh well, we are having fun together as a family!! The kids often remind me that they are doing better than me. Thank you! That will keep me humble!!

This year we did try something new. On Monday night we went to a magic show. We thought the kids would enjoy it. We had a great time. The magician was very entertaining and family friendly. None of that weird mystical junk. He even did some rubber band tricks that the kids loved. It was entertaining to watch their faces in awe and hear them say, "how did he do that?"

Now we come to the interesting part of the vacation. Maybe I should say the frustrating part. Mom got sick!! That horrible sore throat that put me in the ER just 2 months earlier was back. To say that I was not happy, is a vast understatement. I was not going to let this ruin my much needed vacation. Because we were out of state, we had to go to an urgent care to get treatment. The urgent care didn't take our insurance, so back to the ER. Luckily, it was a slow day and we were in and out of there in about 1 hour and I was shot up with good drugs. By the next morning, I was feeling so much better!! Praise God!! It was over. I thought!! No!! The day before we left, I got horrible heartburn and a messed up stomach. I chalked it up to eating junk food and not getting the workouts in that I had planned. The long drive home was uncomfortable, but I made it. Surely, I would feel better after a good night sleep in my own bed. Wrong again. I was miserable and not getting better. Refusing to make another ER trip, I held out until Monday and went to see my doctor. She told me that the wonderful concoction of drugs that they gave me in VA. made me feel much better, but probably burned a hole in my stomach and possible my colon. Great!!! Now I am on strong stomach meds and am just starting to feel normal again. Wow!! I think I need another vacation. We go see my folks in July. I can make it!!!

Never a dull moment ...

2009-06-12T10:42:00.010-04:00

Tanner's face says it all!! So much fun ...

Yes, you are not seeing things, that is a trampoline in our backyard! Steve talked me into getting it for the kids to play on this summer. I did what any mom would do, "but none of the kids have ever had a broken bone, we are asking for it!" He convinced me that it would be fine and besides we have the protective netting to keep them from falling. ( The netting is missing from the pics, but it was installed the next day. We are not totally crazy!)

I was worried that Tanner would be too small to really enjoy it. Wrong!! He loves it! It is so fun to watch him jump and fall and then get back up. The whole time he is laughing while trying to catch his breath. It has been a huge hit! The kids are on it all the time. Bonus, they are getting exercise!! Mom loves this part. When I am running out of time for my workout during the day, I make sure to go outside and play on the trampoline. It is fun!! So far, no injuries, besides the occasional collision of bodies. The only downside so far is the amount of dirty socks that I am washing or tossing. They take their shoes off to play and then get off for a break and run around outside in their socks. We are working on this!! They are learning at a slow pace.

Now, when the kids get too loud, I just tell them, go outside and jump on the trampoline!!! They love it and mom gets some quiet. Well, sort of ....

Yes, I am still alive!

2009-06-06T20:59:00.002-04:00

For my faithful few followers, yes, I am still in the land of the living! It has been one of those weeks! School is out, so the fun can begin, right? Wrong!!! How am I so busy!!! I have been in garage sale mode all week, getting ready for this weekend. It is so much work, way too much work. I have to go through every room, clean and organize (which I secretly love) then pull items for the sale. I get to listen to the kids whine about how mommy is getting rid of their toys, and how they can't live without these toys. Toys that they have not touched for months!! Please. Next, mommy turns into crazy woman who wants them to put every thing back where they found it so the house stays clean and organized. This is a lost cause with 5 kids. I am determined to teach them. One day my house will stay clean longer than a few hours. It is a dream anyway. Now off to the garage to organize the mound of stuff that I have collected and price everything. How come I always manage to get to this step the day before. Nothing like going to bed at 1:00am and getting up at 7:00am to set up!! Now, the easy part!! Smile. Be friendly. And sell. Move the merchandise. Give deals. Make some extra cash for vacation. Pray for great weather! I have everything ready. I could not of asked for a better day. It was beautiful!! Now, wait for the customers (Hayden's name for the buyers). We wait and wait and wait. It was a slow, slow day. I kept telling my friend Keri, that we would have more on Saturday. So we enjoyed the day and talked.

Saturday: Setup went quickly. The weather was beautiful. I was on my last batch of goodies for the bake sale and we were ready to sell.

If Friday was slow, Saturday was dead. We had only 4 "customers" come through by 12:00pm. I was not happy. It was not like we were not selling. Most people that came through, bought something. We just needed more people. I was convinced that having the sale during the Taylor city-wide garage sale week was going to really bring in the crowds. It backfired!! There were so many sales to go to that we had too much competition. Bummer!! Will I ever do this again? My answer today is "NO WAY!!" I will come to my senses tomorrow!!

My competitive nature won't let me give up, so I will continue my sale for a few more days, weather permitting! After all that work, I am not quitting!!

Thank you for letting me vent, I feel better. I am so tired. Off to bed!

A Conversation with my Kids at Dinner!!

2009-06-01T19:56:00.002-04:00

Tonight at dinner, my family and I were outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine and talking about the highlights of our day. The following conversation comes out of no where. This is actually pretty common in our house.

Emma: (3) Mom, when we eat this food it goes in and down to our legs. Right mommy?
Mom: (what!!) Well kind of. (cut me some slack, I was caught off guard)

Emma: Mom, do we have to pee?
Mom: huh!! Emma, do you need to go potty?

Emma: no, mom (I swear she was telling me, keep up, mom)
Mom: (I thought I would turn this into a teaching opportunity, wrong!) Do you guys know why our bodies go pee and poop on the potty?

Rylee: (5) (without hesitation) Yeah, because if we went pee and poop on the floor mom would be real mad!!

Rylee always making us laugh!!

Rainy Zoo Trip!

2009-05-31T22:42:00.022-04:00

The Toledo Zoo Fieldtrip, a highlight and family favorite! It marks the end of another school year and the beginning of summer vacation!! The rain tried to spoil our day, but it didn't stop us from having a great time!! We just had to be creative!!

The carousal!! Another attempt to stay dry!! Plus the kids love it. Tanner was holding on pretty tight to mom, until he realized that he was having fun.

Our creative solution to the rain. Go to the car and eat lunch a little early. Maybe the rain will stop or slow down. You should of heard the cries of resistance to this idea. We had only been at the zoo for about 1 hour. Try to explain to 5 kids that we are just going to the van to eat lunch. We are not leaving, we are just having lunch a little early. They thought we were pulling a fast one. We finally convinced them!! We made it fun!

"Daddy, I can't see! Lift me up"

Only Daddy will do!

Trying to keep the kids still long enough for mom to take some pictures. Mom sometimes overdoes it with the pictures, but I love it!! Mom and dad look tired. Emma and Tanner were having so much fun in the wagon. I wanted to get in, but Dad said no!!

Memorial Day Race!

2009-05-26T22:04:00.001-04:00

Memorial Day, race day, was beautiful!! I could not of asked for a better day. It makes it so much more enjoyable to run when the weather cooperates with you. The race began at 9:00am, so as you can imagine, I did not sleep well. I think I woke up 4 times in the night to check the time and if the alarm was properly turned on. (I know what you are thinking, crazy) After my hard work training, I was not about to oversleep and miss the race. I got up early, too early and tried to convince myself that a morning run would feel so good, much better than a night run. I was debating!! I arrived at my friend's house and her kids were so excited. They were running in the 1 mile Fun Run and they were ready. You could not help but be excited too. Kids are contagious!! We arrived at the race and the kids got their numbers while I made a mental note of where the restrooms were. Always a good idea!! We watched and cheered as the kids ran their race. It was so fun. I will need to get my kids ready to run next year. They would love it! A few moments later, after a potty break, we headed to the start of our race. As we were waiting to race, I started looking around, and all I could see were young, really young runners. "What did I get myself into, I am going to be in last place! Oh well, no turning back now!" During the race, I felt great! I was in good rhythm and I was enjoying the beautiful homes, I mean mansions that I was running past. WOW!! They were amazing!! During the last 2 miles, I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure that there were still people behind me. "Good, I am not last!"
As I was coming down home stretch, I had friends cheering me on. It was great!! I ended up beating my time and running 49:48, under 50 minutes!! Yes!! I was happy! It is always good to beat your time! Lookin' forward to next year! Better start training for the next race.

Btw: shout out to my sister, Jess, who ran a half marathon on Memorial Day! She is amazing!! I am not quite ready, Jess, but I will get there. Maybe next year we can race together! Love ya!

What a week!

2009-05-22T13:05:00.003-04:00

It has been one of those weeks! Every night of the week, we have plans and I feel like I am running in a million different directions. My house looks like a tornado has landed and when I have a spare minute to straighten up, all I want to do is sit, relax and take a breathe. Here is a sampling of my crazy, busy week ....

Monday: trying to get homeschool wrapped up for Hayden. I only have a few more days left of school. He will spend his last few days at school doing a variety of fun activities. One last test to study for - trying to finish this year strong! Steve has golf tonight, so mom is on her own getting the kids fed, clean and off to bed. A chore with 5 kids. ( FYI - I am glad that my husband gets to play golf once a week. He works so hard. He deserves it!)

Tuesday: Soccer games tonight! I will miss Kal's game again because Rylee's game is at the same time. Bummer!! But, Rylee did score her first goal! I was cheering like a proud momma! She flashed me a huge smile and gave me the thumbs up sign. So sad that Dad missed it. (He coaches Kal's team)

Wednesday: 11:30am take kids to Caesarland to meet Hayden's class. The kids had a blast, but mom was exhausted from watching the kids like a hawk. That place kind of creeps me out. Way too many outside doors where kids could be taken. Can we say "hand sanitizer" after an afternoon of fun. Peel the kids away from the fun and head to the store (yes, Target, what other store would I go to!) Off to pick up Kal from school. Back home so we could rest for a moment, get dinner and then head to church!

Thursday: All kids off to school or preschool, except Tanner. He hates these days. Mommy is not quite as fun as sisters and brothers. My cling on. I can't get anything done. He wants me right by his side. Workout was an adventure! He is now trying to lift weights with me. It is pretty cute! Lunchtime!! A friend brings Subway and we enjoy the beautiful day outside and talk. It was wonderful!! Soon, I put the kids to bed, and it was even more relaxing. After visiting for a while, my friend tells me she smells gas. Call DTE, to report possible gas leak. That was a fun conversation. I believe that I told her my address and name 5 times. Yikes!! The DTE man showed up and found a small leak with the dryer hook up. Fixed it and on his way! Oh good, no house fire today! After dinner, off to workout class at church. Tough! But great!

Friday: Playdate at the park with friends. The kids are lovin' this week. Nice visit with friends. Then off to Pizza Hut for lunch. I love this beautiful weather! Now, home kids in bed. I am going to try to get some stuff done and then relax. Tonight - date night!! At least that is the plan. I am so ready for date night. Let's hope it happens.

This weekend: prepare for my 8k race on Memorial Day, get flowers, plant flowers, and relax. Sort of, next project: getting ready for my garage sale! That is a lot of work!!!

Under Construction!!

2009-05-20T09:07:00.002-04:00

Please excuse the mess, I am trying to be creative!! It is a challenge! I love, love, my new 3 column layout. It is nice to have so much more room! Many thanks to Becky my best bud who walked me through this process. Without her, I would be lost in computer codes and pulling my hair out. Thank you sweet friend!! You are the best! This computer stuff can be confusing, but I admit that I am learning more and more each day. Btw, Becky, I fixed that problem I was having with my computer screen. Yeah me!! My next project is getting a new header. If you have any suggestions, let me hear them. I want something simple, but pretty! Help a girl out!
I have an appointment with Jillian, so I must go. I am under construction too!

A conversation with a 5 year old...

2009-05-18T08:14:00.007-04:00

My daughter Rylee woke me up this morning wanting to talk. This is how the conversation went ...

Rylee: Mom, mom get up! Dad says you have to get Kal ready for school. Come on!
Mom: ahhh, 2 more minutes!

Rylee: Mom, wake up. Why are you so tired? If you are tired, you should just lay back down.
Mom: that would be nice!

Rylee: Mom, guess what? We unlocked the punching bag game in the Wii. It is so fun! You punch like this (she is giving me a demo) left, right, left right. You do it a lot of times, very fast. Then, mom, you can win the game. I don't know who unlocked it. Oh, I know DAD unlocked it. Did Dad unlock it, mom? No, wait a minute, you unlocked it, right mom! Oh, probably it was Emma!
Mom: (totally confused, and half asleep) What? Take a breath, child! (I am listening to this as I am running around trying to get Kal ready for school, with my talking shadow!!)

Rylee: Mom, is soccer today? I love soccer! I love to play games. I want to play games everyday. How many games do we play. Is it today, mom! Mom, are we going to Landon's house today? I love Landon's house. It is so fun. I am going to show Landon my hair. I think he will laugh and think it is funny. (She has a ponytail that she slept in, hanging half in and half out of her hair. Really cute!) Mom, do I go to school today? Is this the day for school? Mom.. mom.
Mom: I walk away hoping to get Kal out the door before she is late for school.

Rylee: (seeing Emma) Oh Emma, you are gorgeous! I love you! (Big smile) (The best buds go off to play!)
Mom: Bless you, Emma! Now let's get breakfast on the table and get Kal out the door. I am so tired and that conversation has left me dazed and confused.

Rylee, I love your gift of gab. You are always making me laugh! I am sure that I was just like this as a child. Good thing we have a big family that you can share your gift with. I love you, sweet Rylee Girl!!!

My take on the Biggest Loser Finale!!

2009-05-13T13:43:00.002-04:00

Three hours. Really!!! The "new" material in this finale could of fit into an hour time slot. I know that they must do the recap for us to remember what happen, but isn't that the point of watching the show. I already saw this stuff, I don't need to see it again! Good thing I recorded the 9:00pm to 10:00pm segment, I watched that portion in about 15 minutes. I love being able to fast forward the boring stuff. (In case you are wondering, I had to record it so that I could watch Fringe. If you don't watch Fringe you are missing out. It is my favorite show, behind Lost of course!)
Shout out to the old people!!! You guys rock!! Way to go! You made the young people look weak! I guess there is some hope for those of us who are getting older. Jerry looked amazing. I thought that guy was on his death bed and he lost 177 pounds. Wow!! He is inspiring!! I bet his grand kids are so proud of him. They will get to enjoy extra time with him because of his determination to succeed. How special is that. It makes me want to cry! Did you see the look on Bob and Jillian's face. They were shocked! How cool is that!
Helen (48) biggest loser!!! Awesome! She was playing it cool the whole time. Ron, I guess you were manipulating the wrong person. Bummer, dude! I have to say that I am a little jealous. She weighs 117 pounds. Not fair!! I want to be that small. (well, maybe not that small, but close) Did you catch that she talked about her trainers, not trainer, but trainers. What!! How many did she have? Who is paying for that? Maybe she could lend me one? She does live in Michigan. I try to tell myself that if I had trainers and 6 hours a day to devote to working out, I too could be that size!! I would be content with being 15 pounds lighter! Maybe this would only take 3 hours a day and one trainer. Something to think about! All joking aside, Helen, you look amazing. Great job! You inspire me to keep going! Enjoy the new you!

A Special Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:27:00.004-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you special mom's out there. I love being a mom. It is so rewarding! It has made me into the women that I am today. I have 5 beautiful children that love me and challenge me to be the best mom that I can be. They are a treasure and a blessing from above. Thank you Hayden, Kallie, Rylee, Emma, and Tanner for your sweet, loving hearts that inspire me each and everyday. I love being your mom!

My Mother's Day was wonderful. We went over to Grandma's house to eat and visit. The kids love going to Grandma and Papa's house! We had a wonderful meal and just got a chance to relax and spend time together as a family. We took the kids to the playground and they had a blast. At one point, I leaned over to Grandma and asked her, "how many kids do I have?" We both agreed that I had 6, because Steve (my husband) was running around the playground just like the kids. Playing chase with dad is the best. The kids were all laughing and trying to catch their breath at the same time. I love to hear them laugh and play. It makes me feel young!! When it started to rain, we went back to Grandma's house and played. What a perfect day! Thank you, Grandma for letting us come and spend the day with you.

Confessions of an amateur runner

2009-05-09T16:52:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day. Race Day. It is how many days away? I am in trouble. Getting ready for this season of races has been a challenge. Every obstacle has been in the way: weather, sickness, crazy busy, etc. I told myself if I am going to be ready, then I need to focus. Friday night, I took advantage of the beautiful weather and went for a run. The following is what was running through my head during the run ...

Ok, Steph! Let's get 3.6 miles in. No problem. You have been working out hard this week, you are ready.

Mile #1: Feeling pretty good. Good pace. Wow! My legs are sore from all those lunges and squats. Thanks a lot Jillian! A little farther down the track: Oh, no!! ladies from church. (I smile and say "Hi") Steph, you can't give up now. You will look like a wimp! Feeling good, time on first lap, good.

Mile #2: Hit a brick wall. What in the world! My legs feel like cement! Focus: put one leg in front of the other. Left. Right. Left. Right. I sound like a Dr. Seuss book. Don't think about the pain or your huffing and puffing. Listen to your music and enjoy the beautiful weather. Wow!! It is hot out here. Please God, send me a breeze. I am dying. I am not complaining, because the sunshine is nice. Oh, the ladies from church are coming up the track. Pick up your pace, shoulders back, and try to look like you are not going to pass out. Smile.

Mile #3: Do I really need to do this last mile and 1/2. Yes!! Quit your whining! Helen (biggest loser) is 48 and she ran a marathon. Suck it up. Get a grip. You are not going to die. My pace is slowing down. Remember to finish strong. Am I walking or running? I don't care what hurts, you are not quitting. What is up with this music. I need something to inspire me not lull me to sleep. Next song, no, next song. Ok, that is better. You are almost done. Now, sprint it out! Yikes, please tell me that I don't run like Phoebe from Friends. Just finish! Yes!! Catch your breath. Walk it out!

I wonder what real runners think about when they run? They probably don't think about what body parts are flopping all over the place, or why they are sucking wind. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day!

Oh, to be a kid again!!

2009-05-07T20:37:00.007-04:00

Screams of delight filled our house yesterday when I announced to the kids that their friends were coming over to our house to play. They were very happy and asking me every few minutes if they were coming over now! Why did I tell them?
Tanner was thrilled when they walked through the door! He was a wild man and full of silliness! Here he is hugging a water bottle! I don't know why.

Rylee decided to challenge Landon to a game of Mario Kart. I believe that he was a little more focused then she was. There was some trash talk, which is hysterical coming from 5 year olds.

The whole gang coloring and making funny faces while mom takes pictures. So cute!

Feel the love!! Attacking Tanner (he loves it) and showing off the Oreo treat that they just enjoyed. Thanks for that Emma.

As you can see, the afternoon was a complete success. Thank you Landon and Elyssa for coming over and making this day special!

The down side to playing defense ... boredom!

2009-05-06T16:03:00.006-04:00

On Tuesday night, Rylee learned that playing defense can be very dull. The ball only ventured over to her side a couple of times, so she soon got distracted by everything around her. She was playing with her fingers, watching her brothers and sisters play on the sideline, and even pulling grass on the field. Steve and I were trying to encourage her by telling her to be ready and watch for the ball. As you can see by the pictures, she was not convinced that she was going to see the ball anytime soon. At one point, a player from the other team got hurt and her coach told the kids to take a knee. Rylee was totally confused. "Now they want me to sit in the grass!" She did make contact with the ball a few times, but I know that next game she will be looking forward to playing offense!!

How sweet! I love this shot. I don't know what she is doing, but she is so cute!

She caught a glimpse of the camera. Might as well make the best of it. Get my good side!

By the way, thank you Mariah for taking these great pictures. My camera is still at war with me and I think that the camera is winning!!

Another one bites the dust ... swine flu?

2009-05-05T14:01:00.004-04:00

I feel like a broken record ... yes, one of my kids is sick again with the stomach bug. I am getting ready to call Guinness, because we had to of broken some kind of record. Rylee (5) comes to our room yesterday morning and tells us that her tummy hurts. She rested, sort of, for 20 minutes then we made her rest on the couch. After the kids got out the door for school, I tended to the sickie. She kept telling me that she needed to throw up, but she would go to the bathroom and "fake" gag. I thought, well maybe it won't be too bad. She just needs to go potty and get some food in her stomach. Wrong!! Twenty minutes later, it started. Every 15 to 20 minutes, for the next several hours. Poor little thing. Her body was so tired. When she would get done, she would put both hands up in the air, as if to say, "STOP!" At one point she told me that she did not want to throw up any more. I told her that hopefully it would be over soon. Emma (3) and Tanner (2), not wanting to be left out of the action, kept coming in and asking what was going on and why was Ry throwing up, and when could Ry play. (They were bored) Finally around 1:30pm, I convinced her to try to rest and she fell asleep for 3 hours. She woke up happy and healthy. "My tummy feels better mom, I want to go outside and play!" What happened?? That was some powerful nap! Thank you, Jesus! My happy Rylee is back. She is happy because now she will not miss her soccer game tonight! If they are going to get sick, this is the way to do it.

Btw, day #2 in the workout and today, I only hurt when I have to use my legs or butt, which is all the time. Yeah me!!!

Getting those last few pounds off ... even if it kills me!

2009-05-04T13:22:00.002-04:00

Why is it that no matter what I do, those last 10 pounds won't go away? I am convinced that my scale is broken and can't go below a certain weight. It is so frustrating!! I try to tell myself that I am working out and eating right, so who cares about the scale. But then my competitiveness kicks in and I refuse to let the scale win. So the other day, I am reading my friend Becky's blog, and she is talking about Jillian's 30 Day Shred DVD. Apparently, in 30 days my body will look like Jillian Michael's, I am in!! I know what you are thinking, "her body will never look like Jillian's!" You are correct. Having 5 kids in 7 years has killed that dream along with the fact that I can't spend 6 hours a day working out. (Well, that is just 2 reasons why I will never have that body. There are many, many more!) So today, Monday May 4th is day #1. I tell myself, I workout a lot, this will be no problem. Wrong!! I was huffing and puffing! What is going on? Oh no, my muscle are gone!!! I barely get through Level 1 and 2 and then crawl to the couch. "Good, day #1 is over, only 29 more days left!" I can do anything for 30 days, right? We will see. Good thing I am doing this with friends. We can be in pain together! Now that I have completely scared you, why don't you join us. It is probably not as bad as I have described. Just think, when the 30 days are up, it will be June, the beginning of summer and bathing suit shopping season will be here. Oh, goody! Maybe 30 days is not long enough?

Soccer season is upon us ... crazy but fun!!

2009-05-03T21:35:00.019-04:00

Rylee's Game: 9:00am

Look how cute! The littlest girl on the team playin' goalie! Her choice! She was very proud of herself. I lost the other pics of her playin' due to the glitch with my camera. Mom was not happy! Oh well, I still got some ones!

Having some fun: Hayden and Tanner playin' hide and seek!

10:00am: Break between games, so trip to Tim Horton's for donuts and coffee. Mmmm!! So good! Warm coffee! I guess I need to get a workout in!!

Emma's Game: 10:45 am

Emma's first soccer game and she did great! She went after the ball and was loving it. We were so proud of her. Look at that form. She is a natural. Holding hands with her friends: priceless!

Kallie's game: 11:15am

Kal taking a breather. She doesn't stop very much. I jumped at the chance to snap a shot. She is so serious. It is game time!!

After the game, enjoying snack with BFF Juliane. You should of heard the screams when they found out they were on the same team. Pure joy!!

Soccer buds and best friends!!!

Strong personality ... yes, I would agree!

2009-05-01T14:46:00.008-04:00

To say that our daughter Kallie (7) has a strong personality, is an understatement. She is strong and bold, she speaks her mind, she has passion, drive, and puts 110% into all that she does. She is funny and sarcastic, and full of life. She is beautiful and sweet! These are just some of the things that I love about her. All these traits help contribute to her firece competitiveness!! This girl won't let anything get in her way. As you can imagine, this sometimes gets her into trouble.

Ok, let's be honest, this gets her in trouble A LOT!! Let me give you an example ....

Steve comes home yesterday and tells me this story:

He in the fieldhouse doing some weight lifting with some of the students from school. Kal was with him, soaking up all she can learn from dad the best coach ever :) She wanted to lift weights with the kids and Steve told her no, the weights were too heavy and she could get hurt. Telling Kal that something is too hard or too heavy for her is painful for her to hear. She proceeds to explain to him why this just was not the case. You would think that by now she would have learned that you can't argue with dad, but she tries anyway. Once she realizes that this was not going to end well, she switches her attention to the girls in the gym. She goes on and on about how she is going to be a great b-ball player and that she has to be strong and fast. She is going to be way better than them when she gets older. (Her version of "trash talk")

My jaw drops and I tell me husband, "Please tell me that she did not say that!!" He responses with a smile. Oh, great!! Everyone is really going to love her. Steve said that the girls all thought it was funny, which I am sure only fanned the flame!! It seems that self confidence is not an area that we have to work on for her. Humility and tact will be our next hurdle!!

So Kallie, my sweet girl, I am so proud of you for all you do. Your heart and passion inspire me to be the best mom that I can be, but let us remember who gives us our talents and abilities. Jesus wants you to shine and your life to point to Him.

We are all a work in progress. Don't give up on us yet!!

I am in need of some assistance!!!

2009-04-27T08:34:00.003-04:00

Soccer season is now upon us, which means that my busy life is going to get crazy. All three girls are playing, so that means three different schedules. Luckily, they all play at the same place. Praise God !!! My goal is to make this season run smoothly so that I can actually enjoy it. Seems like a reasonable request. Here is where you all come in. I need some fresh ideas for quick, healthy dinners that are easy to make in no time. I know, a tall order. I am trying to be organized an make a meal plan for the week, but my creativity is struggling. Any tips, ideas, or recipes that you could spare would be appreciated. I look forward to "borrowing" your creativity until my decides to show up!!

The Best Day Ever!!!

2009-04-25T21:05:00.012-04:00

In the words of my daughter, Rylee, "this is the best day ever!" We were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day in Michigan. We decided to take in every moment. The morning started with soccer practice then off to the bank. Next, we headed to get Kal's haircut. This is always a treat. Getting to act like a grown-up is an added bonus. Target, God's store, is next on the agenda, trying to get shorts for my girls that will actually fit. Let me just say that it really bothers me that most of the shorts that I find for my girls are way too short. Why do I want my 7 year old to have her booty hanging out. Please!! Praise God that Bermuda shorts are in. My lifesaver!! We found some shorts that passed the modesty test and mommy headed to get a Starbucks!! Two of my favorite things in one store. Gotta love it!!! Off to get some groceries before my son Hayden melts down. He was ready to be done shopping!! We get home and grill out and the kids are thrilled that we are eating outside. Something about eating a meal outside is much more exciting than eating inside. Fresh air never felt so good. After lunch/dinner, I had to sit back and smile. Our backyard was covered in every outside toy we own. Every ball, bike, bat, etc. was laying on the ground or being used by one of my children. Tanner was in heaven. He was covered in dirt and having the time of his life. This summer, I will never get him to come inside!! To end our perfect day, the kids convinced dad to have a bonfire and make smores. What a mess!! This tasty treat is impossible to not get everywhere. After, I attempted to clean up, we played "King Elephant" as a family. (King Elephant is a rhythm game where you follow a pattern, while making animal shapes.) As you can imagine, it was hysterical. Our kids are a little young for this game, but they love to play it. It is a family tradition. I played it with my family when I was a kid. It was good times. After we attempted the game, we tried to sing campfire songs. Our poor neighbors. I can only imagine what we sounded like. Oh well, it was fun!! The kids were having a blast. Our day ended with popcorn and a movie. Wow! It was the best day ever!!!

My thoughts ...

2009-04-22T18:19:00.003-04:00

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like you have run a marathon and nothing seems to get accomplished!! Today is one of those days!! This morning I had a plan to get a few projects done around the house, things that I have been putting off, but it is now evening and the projects are laughing at me!! I feel like I have been busy all day - What did I do? I think I survived the day!!

I am still recovering from being sick and my energy is zero!! You know it is bad when you climb a flight of stairs, with laundry basket in tow, and have to stop and rest. What is up with that. I really need to workout!!

My house is working against me. Every time I turn around, I find something else that needs to be picked up. I have asked myself many times today, "where did all these toys come from and why are they in my living room?" I swear my kids have something against their rooms. Their toys are so much more fun to play with in the living room. (The truth of the matter is that their rooms are so full of the mess they have created that instead of cleaning up a few things to make some room to play, they just move their mess to another spot!) It makes me a little crazy as you can see.

I did get a few loads of laundry done! Yeah me!! But, in a family of 7 a few loads doesn't even make a dent. I have a few more hours to get some more done. It is good to have a goal.

Wow!! Sorry! This is a depressing post. Let's look at the highlights of my day ....

-no one in my family threw up this morning - this is a highlight, I assure you!

-i received a hug and kiss from every member of my family, a true treasure

- a dear friend came to visit, to make sure i was still alive

- my husband brought me lunch

- tanner fell asleep in my lap and snuggled for about 45 minutes - he never does that anymore

- hayden was so thrilled to show me a flower that had bloomed in the yard, hello spring!

- LOST!! is on tonight - my fav

- for the moment, i am enjoying some peace and quiet (even though, i should be doing dishes) oh well!!

I Need to Purchase a Mind Eraser!

2009-04-20T20:02:00.003-04:00

Does anyone out there know where I can get a mind eraser? These last few days need to be purged from my memory. Let's start at the beginning ....

In a family of 7, sickness goes around like the plague and this season, our house has turned into a hospital. The kids have been so sick, that it was getting comical! I kept looking for the hidden camera that would confirm that this was a sick joke! I thought we were through with it until 2 weeks ago. Round... um ... I forget, started. Every one got it except Kal and Mommy. Things were looking up after a week, but then it started back up a week later. That is a sick joke!!! Stupid virus!! At the end of week 2, I was still in the clear! I dodged it, or so I thought.

Thursday night, I started getting a scratchy throat. "No biggy, I thought! This is not the stomach bug that has ran through the house. I can shake it."

One hour later ... "ok, it is getting worse, but I will be fine.
Two hours later ... I am on the phone canceling Bible Study for Friday morning. Off to bed!
Midnight ... Trying to sleep, no luck! My throat is getting worse and the pain is starting. Great!!

Friday morning ... Steve is getting the kids ready for school. The other kids will live in front of the TV today. Maybe they will survive w/o needing mommy. Friday night : "Steve, call the DR. in the morning. I have to be seen.

Saturday ... "Dr. is full, but we can see you on Monday." No, I will be dead on Monday!!! Now, I say some unkind things about the Doctor's Office. Sorry, a moment of weakness. Afternoon .. At Urgent Care. "The swab came back negative for strep, but we will let you know in a few days if the other test comes back positive. We will send you home with strong Tylenol." Gee, thanks. That was a waste of $35.00. Now, I am bitter, angry, sleep deprived, and in pain, pain, pain!!! It is not pretty!!

Sunday ... minimal sleep, more pain, and now my throat is so swollen that I am gagging! Lovely! And did I mention the pain. At this point, I am wishing that I am in labor, because I know that that would have a ending in sight. Call Urgent Care, ask them to call in an antibiotic to start. I need relief!! Steve, fights for me. Praise God!!! Start taking the drugs. I will feel better soon?

Monday ... after no sleep, I mean none!! My heart was racing! I was literally going crazy. I was seeing weird spots. It was a dark time! I lost it!! I wanted to punch something. I thought about taking my own tonsils out to relieve the pain. I have been in constant pain for 4 days, very little sleep, almost no food (eating was torture), living on ice chips and Popsicles, I was getting nutty. Oh, did I mention, that Hayden threw up at 11:30pm and was sleeping in our room, nice!!
At 5:00am, I woke Steve up, and said "Help me!" He was a life savior throughout this! Taking care of me and 5 kids. He needs a medal!! Back to the story ... we called his parents to come watch the kids and headed to the ER at 6:30am.

ER ... no one was there ... no waiting.. Praise God! We got in. They checked my throat. Yea, it was bad! I knew it! They set me up with a IV, drugs, steroids, and were sending me to get a CAT scan to get a better look at the swelling. They took a swab and tested me for strep and mono. Everything came back fine. The CAT scan showed no assist, but lots of swelling. They gave me a drip antibiotic, and two other drugs that made me feel very weird, but if it works, bring it on. After a lovely 6 hours in the ER, I was going home. Feeling weak and tired, still swollen, but not pain, or very minimal!! Praise God. It is a great feeling to have some relief. I am on antibiotics for the next 10 days and they want me to go see a specialist to determine if they should remove my tonsils. I am all for it, if I never have to deal with this again.

Now, I just want to relax. Get some sleep. And get better. Going to the ER was worth the money. I just want to forget these last few days.

Power 90X Graduate!!!

2009-04-16T13:40:00.001-04:00

It is official, I have finished!! Yeah!!! Last Monday, I finished one of the hardest workout programs that I have ever done. It was quite a challenge, but worth all the hard work. I would show you the before and after pictures, but I am just not that brave. Maybe one day!! I am not ripped like some of the P90x graduates, but I am proud to say that I am starting to see some definition. Throughout the program, I would tell my husband, "Look, I found a new muscle! Feel this!" To which he would smile and say, "You always had that muscle, sweetie, but now you can see it." Let's just say that I have never seen some of these muscles on my body.

By the way, my husband has been a huge encouragement to me. He always is telling me good job and how great I look. Thank you, babe! I try to remind him that some people really have to work at it. He is not one of those people. I do tell him that he is always welcome to workout out with me. He smiles and drinks his Pepsi and eats whatever he wants. It is so not fair!!

Ok, I got lost there for a minute! I lost 12 pounds and shed inches. I have more weight to lose, but at least I am moving in the right direction. It feels strange to be done. It was good for me to have a workout plan set for me. Half the battle of working out is figuring out what to do. Hopefully now, I will be ready to start training for my upcoming races. I am trying to talk my girlfriend, Keri, into running a 1/2 marathon. She thinks I am a little bit crazy, but I think I am slowly making progress. If any of you are thinking about doing this program, I strongly recommend it. You will challenge yourself and be surprised how much stronger that you become. If I can do it, you can do it!!
I would love to hear all about it!! Good luck!!
I need to go. My workout is calling me. Maybe a little Bob and Jillian today!!

Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-13T17:14:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter!! I know what you are all thinking: wasn't Easter yesterday? Yes, it was, but I have sick kids again and I am running a day behind. I need you guys to humor me!

Our Easter was wonderful!! My kids woke up at 6:40am ready to do their Easter egg hunt. We told them "Go back to Bed"!! We held the kids off until about 7:30 and then just gave up. The kids had a blast finding eggs. There was crazy running around and lots of screams of delight. Tanner was having a different reaction. He found an egg, opened it, and wanted the candy inside. We gave him one piece and tried to convince him to keep looking - while he still had a chance of finding any. He took one look at his chocolate bunny, raised it to dad and made a grunting sound. We told him he could eat it later and he was not happy. He looked at his siblings running around the house like crazy people and thought, "you do know that when you find all these eggs, mom and dad are not going to let you eat all this candy. What is the fun of this!" During breakfast, I overheard dad talking to the kids about the importance of Easter. It blessed my heart to hear them ask dad questions and to be thankful for our Savior dying for our sins and then raising from the dead. Their child-like faith is an encouragement to me. We all froze on the way to church because mom decided that we would dress cute and springy even though we live in Michigan. Flip-flops, shorts, skirts, and short sleeves, but they looked so cute. I told them when we get to church, we will be warm. At church, we enjoyed a wonderful service. It was a packed house!! I love Easter morning!! There is a special joy and hope that is all around. We all focus on what is really important, Our Savior and what He has done for us.

After church, it was off to Papa and Grandma's house for food and more treats. We ate, rested, visited, and watched a movie! What a wonderful day!

I Love Technology!!

2009-04-06T12:28:00.002-04:00

I have a few "toys" that I use in my daily life that I could not live without!! My cell phone, digital camera, MP3 player, and my computer (Internet). These tools make my life so much easier. I was just talkin' to a friend the other day and we were wondering how our parents got along without these treasures!! I am sure that I will be having this same conversation with my kids in the not so distant future!
Being far from home, I use this technology to stay connected with my family. I love to blog and share pictures of the kids with the family, staying connected with friends on Facebook, and e-mailing my mom when I need help and advice!
Yesterday, I downloaded a few sermons that my dad had preached. It was great and so encouraging to listen to his voice and hear what God had laid on his heart. It always blesses my heart to listen to what God is doing in the lives of other believers. It is awesome that the God we serve has connected our hearts and we are moving in the same direction. As I listen, and God speaks to my heart, my Faith is growing. He always knows what we need.
So, thank you Dad, for your heart to serve God. You inspire me and helped me in my walk. I miss you all so much and look forward to seeing you this summer.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for reminding me that what You are doing in our church, You are also doing in the churches across the world. We are connected and working together to spread your Word. May we live our lives brightly and point others to You!

All Boy!!!

2009-04-03T21:29:00.006-04:00

Look at that face!! So sweet!! Do not let this sweet exterior fool you. Tanner is all boy!! When he is not sleeping or eating, this boy is on the move. He loves to wrestle, attack, run, jump, and anything else that will get your attention. He knows he is the baby, but he is convinced that he can do anything else his siblings are doing. Don't stand in his way!! If the kids are playing nerf gun fights, he is in the middle of the mix. If mom is trying to workout, he sees this as a perfect opportunity to pounce. He loves to attack dad and wrestle with him. He runs toward you at top speeds and tries to knock you down. He is freakishly strong!! I have been takin' down by him more than a few times. He plays hard and enjoys every minute of it!! Sometimes I look at him and think, where did my sweet little boy go! He then flashes me a smile and I catch a glimpse of it! Even though at times he is totally exhausting, I would not change anything about him. He can make me laugh with just a look. His facial expression tell you everything he is feeling. (It has gotten him in plenty of trouble!! We are working on it ;) He gives the best hugs and kisses and he loves his family. He lives everyday to the fullest! He is full of adventure and joy. We love you so much, wild boy!

The Search is Over ...

2009-03-30T14:57:00.005-04:00

The search is over, we found a great price for our airline tickets to Idaho!! God is good! We found a decent price a few days ago and planned on getting the tickets over the weekend. Things got busy, big surprise, and it did not get done. This afternoon, I got an e-mail from Frontier Airlines that they were running a summer special for 3 days. We ended up saving about $350.00. Praise God!! I love finding good deals!! It is a relief to know that the tickets are booked. Now we can start the countdown. I have a weird combination of excitement and nervousness going on in my stomach. You have to hold your breath when you are filling out all the information, and pray that the price they told you is still available!! These websites are tricky. Now, I can start praying that everyone is healthy and happy when we get on that plane. What would I do with my time if I had nothing to worry about :) Thank you to all who prayed! I know this was a gift from God. He always takes care of us!!

The growing family on our last trip! We miss you all!

What Are We Doing Today!!!

2009-03-27T20:32:00.003-04:00

"Mom, what are we doing today?" This has been the theme of our house this week. Apparently, my children think during the week of Spring Break, mom and dad have magically turned into superfun parents with an unlimited supply of money. (That would be nice!!) Steve and I have planned a few fun activities to do this week as a family!! I think our children hoped that every waking moment would be filled with joyous fun!! (Maybe Steve and I need to re-read our "Super-Fun Parents Handbook")
On Monday, the kids had friends come over to play. They had a blast!!! They played dress-up, watched movies, raced around laughing and screaming, and they even went outside in the cold to play. It was a day filled with fun, until the friends left. As I was feeling proud of myself that they enjoyed their day, go mom, I hear, "Mom, what are we doing today?" What!!! You just did it!!! That was the fun thing!! It is now over! Now, you can start cleaning up your fun!! That was NOT the response they wanted. Rylee even told me, "Mom, I don't really feel like cleaning up." To which I response, "I really don't want to fix dinner, but I have to. You have to clean, even when you don't want to!!" She was not impressed with my sarcasm!!
Tuesday we took the kids to the Wayne Aquatic Center!! This activity was a home run to the kids. Any chance they get to go swimming is a win win!! Tanner was excited because the kids were excited, but he had no idea what we were going to do. When we got to the locker room to change, he gave me a strange look when mommy put him in bright colored, fish shorts and no shirt. "Clearly, mom is losing it, but the kids seem ok with it. Let's go!!" As we walk him through the red door he is hiding behind dad's leg. When his eyes take in the swimming wonderland, he says, "Wow"! Enough said. The next hour and 1/2 is spent chasing this crazy 2 year old around, trying to prevent a drowning!! He is diving into the water, head first, swallowing gallons of water and laughing the whole time. Going down the small water slide was a real treat!! He thought he was hot stuff!! Steve and I were taking turns watching him and monitoring the other kids. I kept thinking that this is the longest hour and 1/2 ever. Are we done yet!!! It was a super, fun day with the family, but mom and dad were wiped out!! We didn't hear the dreaded question after this activity, but we did hear, "what are we going to eat? We are starving!!" Oh, we can't win!!!
Thursday, mom and dad got away and went to a Piston's Game!! It was so fun. You will hear all about it soon in a future post!
Saturday we are going to the movies to see "Monsters vs Aliens". The kids have been dying to see this one. We are celebrating a friend's B-day, so there will be pizza, cake and ice cream!! What a perfect day!!
I think we passed the test this week, but I know we will soon be hearing the words, "Mom, what are we doing today?"

The Search Is On!!

2009-03-24T11:35:00.002-04:00

It is that time of year again, the search for the perfect airline ticket price!! I love it and hate it at the same time. This year I am doing the unthinkable, purchasing 7 round trip tickets!!! How did my kids grow up so fast!! Tanner, the youngest, turned two in October so he now he gets his own ticket. The good news is he doesn't have to sit on my lap and squirm around for hours on our trip. The bad news, another $300 -$400 to fork out!! I need to get a job to cover this!! I propose that the airlines only charge a percentage for kids. For example, 2 yr = 20% 3yr = 30%, you get the idea. It is a wonderful plan, right!! Every little bit would help. I guess that the airlines are thinking that no one else is crazy enough to take 5 kids on an airplane at one time. I prepare ahead of time for the nasty, dirty looks that we receive when we haul our five kids on the plane. I try to keep calm and maintain my Christian testimony. It is hard. Ok, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, the search. For the next few weeks to months, I will spend way too much time on the computer. I look at list of websites and punch in a combination of a few different dates, trying to get the best deal. The hardest part is jumping on the best price that I find. Just a few dollars makes a different when purchasing 7 tickets. So here's to the hunt. May I stretch our dollars to the limit. The search begins ....

My new personal trainer ... personal encourager?

2009-03-18T16:44:00.009-04:00

My running buddy!

Who says that a mom of 5 kids can't afford a personal trainer. I even have more than one!! I know you are thinking, "how spoiled". The best part is that I get their advice and services for free! There is one down side to all this, they have limited experience! Kallie (7), Ry (5), Emma (3), and Tanner (2) are more than willing to help out mom when she is getting ready to workout! The other day I was on the floor doing an ab workout that was kicking my butt. I must have been grunting and groaning more than normal because the girls kept asking me if it hurt. I smiled and told them yes, but that means it is working! Emma looked up at me and said, "mom, just don't do it!" Seems like good advice at the time, but I knew that Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser coach) would not approve, so I keep pushing!! I response with, "mommy has to do this to get the fat off." "Oh, yeah," she says!

Rylee decided that she would give it a try, so she got on the floor and joined in. She says, "look mom, I am doing it! I am great at this!! I have big muscles!! This is not hard at all!!" I did not quite have the heart to tell her that she was not doing it quite right! I just smiled and said, "way to go, girl! You rock!" A few days later, I am doing a yoga routine and Rylee says, "Mom, I am so proud of you!! Your fat stomach is all gone! Look mom is it all gone!!" (I was doing table! Mental note: table makes me look like my fat stomach is gone) A few moments later I was doing boat and she comes over and pats my belly and says, "oh no! it is back, mom! Your stomach fat is back!!" I had to laugh, which messed up my move, but it was so cute!!
Today, my son Tanner woke up from his nap and came downstairs to find me doing that same ab routine!! He says, "what doing, mom? what doing?" I told him I was working out and I would be done in a minute. He hears, "come over here and jump on mommy so that this ab routine will be harder!" I am fighting him off, and trying to get done. I was sore from running, so this was not pretty, people!! I kept telling him it was hurting and he would come over and give me a hug and say, "it is ok, mommy!" It gave me just what I needed to finish. Thank you son!! I always love to get hugs. He was so concerned for mommy and I think was a little confused why mommy was doing this if it hurt!! I was wondering the same thing!! Oh yeah, I am trying to get the fat off!!! I guess I will continue to workout with my personal trainers and encouragers!! A healthy lifestyle will be a good example, right!!! I guess I better not give up! My trainers will be disappointed.

Finally, Some Sunshine!!

2009-03-15T15:29:00.003-04:00

Finally, I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Spring is coming!! I have had quite enough of winter, thank you very much!! Winter sickness has been plaguing our house and it hit again a few days ago. Two out of the five kids were sick and two more were coughing!! When I awoke yesterday to sunlight streaming into my window, I had to smile!! Thank you God! You always seem to know just what I need. In typical Saturday fashion, we had to run errands and go get groceries. My goal was to go running and enjoy the warming weather. At 6:15pm, we were heading home and I was running out of sunlight! Thanks to daylight savings time, (the only good thing) I had until about 7:45pm. I rushed home got changed and headed to the park. This was my first run since November. I usually take a short winter break, so I don't freeze to death!! I felt great!! My legs were strong, my knees felt strong, but my lungs were screaming, what are you doing! You are killing me!!" (See, even my lungs are dramatic) I slowed down a bit to catch my breath, but then told my body to suck it up! I was going to run the 2 full laps and I was not stopping! My time was a little slower, but I finished, feeling great!! It was worth it. I got my workout in, it was quiet and peaceful, and I got to enjoy the beautiful sunshine!!! What a great finish to my day!! Today, I am a bit sore, but it is worth it. This week it is going to hit the mid 60's. I will definitely find time to run this week! Welcome Spring!! You have been missed!

Puzzle Mania

2009-03-12T10:07:00.005-04:00

After breakfast, I was sitting quietly reading my runners magazine, when Tanner came downstairs carrying a puzzle. I had to laugh because of the struggle with which he was grasping this puzzle. Out of breath, he tries to tell me something. I use my decoding mommy skills and soon find out the problem. He had a wooden puzzle piece in the right spot, but not at the right angle. He was fired up. He was asking me, "what's broke?" I told him that he had it right, he just needed to twist it. He fixed it and then left with a smile. On the way back to his room, he turns and says, "welcome, mom." Which in toddler, means "your welcome, mommy." (We are working on being polite) I followed him to his room and got on the floor and watched him play puzzles. With every piece he placed in the puzzle, he would raise both hands in the air and cheer. It was precious!! It is so fun to watch my kids growing and learning new things. He was filled with pride. He said, "I did it!!" It was also a good time to practice our colors and numbers. We talked all about dinos and even made some dino sounds. It was fun!!! I love to play with him.

We did it !!

2009-03-11T08:45:00.003-04:00

The Lady Wildcats did it again!!! They beat the Plymouth Eagles in overtime in the first round of regionals. It was a very exciting game. The team came out a little flat in the first quarter, but once again their defense gave them the boost they needed. They took their time and ran the plays. They worked together and used each of their strength's to make the team stronger. The girls hit a wall with their shots in the 4th quarter, but hit shots when they were needed. A huge crowd of fans were there cheering them on. It was exciting to see the support that the girls received. Thank you, Wildcats, for your hard work and your character as you play. You are a joy to watch. We all look forward to Thursday's game against Cardinal Mooney. Let's go Blue!!!

District Champs!!

2009-03-09T16:50:00.003-04:00

Friday, March 6th was a night that I will remember for a long time. It was the Girls Varsity B-ball district finals. We had made it to the finals and we were up against Inter City, a rival school. They have had the upper hand in the past few years, so saying that we wanted this win badly was an understatement. Talking to my husband (the coach) before the game, I told him that I was praying that the girls played up to their talent and ability. We have a great, young team that God has blessed with a lot of talent and I wanted that to shine through in this game. The girls were ready. The coach was prepared. It was game time!! Within the first few moments of the first quarter, I knew this was going to be a battle. We were fighting for rebounds and steals and diving on the floor at every loose ball. I thought to myself, Steve has to be happy with their aggressiveness. They were playing with passion. Just as a side note, my son Hayden (9), was sitting next to me at the game and he was so nervous that at every turnover, rebound, steal, point, etc. he would lean over and give me a hug. It was so cute!! Now back to the game. Abby Blum and Alexis LaRosa were the 2 girls that caught my attention first. They were playing great. Amazing defense and a lot of hustle. I kept thinking that they must be exhausted! Jamie Janiec "the bullet" was living up to her name. That girl is crazy fast. She makes it look so easy!! Christina Downs was fighting for everything. I am sure she had more than her share of bruises to show for it. Carissa Thompson played great!! She had her own cheering section that erupted with cheers with every move she made. It was fun to watch her brothers cheer her on. You could see how proud they were of her. At one point IC, was up by 7 and then we came back to take the lead at halftime with a score of 19 t0 12. The IC fans were stunned! What is happening!! Karolyn Stephenson came in to give us a boost in our defense. She is intense!! I would not want her to guard me. She also can shoot three's and she hit a major one to put us up by ten in the third quarter. Nice job, girl!! In the 3rd quarter they made a run at us, but it was not enough. The final score was 45 to 36. What a sweet victory!! Our fans emptied the stands and rushed the floor!! It was quite a sight to see. We are so proud of you girls. Keep up the good work and beat Plymouth on Tuesday night in regionals !!! Let's go Wildcats!!!

At the end of the game, Hayden looked at me and said, "Mom, we did it! We won!!" Priceless!!

Brotherly Love

2009-03-09T13:11:00.009-04:00

After a busy morning, Saturday afternoon was spent relaxing. Hayden had his last b-ball game and we decided to take the kids to a movie as a special treat later that evening. We were looking forward to some much needed rest. By "we" I mean Steve and I, the kids have no concept of "much needed rest". Surprisingly, it did not workout as planned. Every few moments, the kids came running into our room with a near death emergency. The DVD would not start, the game was messing up, the girls were fighting, the kids were dying for some food. It never stops!! After the fifth time that Emma came to us with a "complaint", I decided that this kid needed a rest or I was not going to take her anywhere. Kallie and Emma decided that they would hop into bed and rest with Daddy. So much for Daddy getting any rest!! I decided to take this time to do some reading while the house was semi-quiet. A few moments later, Rylee comes up the stairs, demanding to know where Emma was. I told her that she was resting with Dad and maybe next time she should think about treating her sister kindly if she would like someone to play with. She left determined that she could have just as much fun on her own. Not even 5 minutes later she creeps upstairs, with a long, sad face and says, "I want someone to play with". Tanner was sleeping, Kallie and Emma were resting with Dad, and Hayden was playing quietly with his bugs in the living room. "Ask Hayden if you can play with him," I response. Hayden looks up at me and says, "No thank you." (Wow! He is learning to be polite!) I tell Rylee to ask him nicely, and Hayden says, "No thank you." I then gently explain to Hayden that Rylee has no one else to play with and would it be alright if she just has a couple of the bugs that you are not playing with. "Well, ok", said Hayden. (Thank you Hayden, crisis resolved, now back to my book) The next few moments, I get to watch such a sweet moment between my kids. I stopped reading and just watched them and then, quietly went to grab my camera. See for yourself....

Hayden grabs the toy book from Target and then tells Rylee to grab a blanket. They both excitedly jump on the couch, cuddle right next to one another, Hayden adjusts the blanket so that it covers both of them, and they dive into the toy book. They are laughing and showing each other their favorite things on each page. Soon they come to a page that has bugs just like the bugs that they are still playing with. Hayden comes up with a game for them to play.

Hayden: "Knock, knock"

Rylee: "Who is there?"

Hayden: "I am a bug and I have 3 legs, a big bottom, and wings that open out. I am a ..."

Rylee: "I am a bee?"

Hayden: "No"

Rylee: I am an ant?"

Hayden: "Let's see if you are right! (lifting up the blanket) Yes!!! I want you to meet my ant Auntie."

Rylee: "Why do you call him Auntie?"

Hayden: "Because of Honey I Shrunk the Kids!

He then proceeds to explain to her the body parts of an ant and what they do!

It was so cute!!! I love it when my kids are getting along and enjoying each other's company. What a blessing! Each one of them have a special connection. I love to see them showing love!

Always Speaking Her Mind!

2009-03-06T13:49:00.005-05:00

Not a day goes by when I don't laugh at some words of wisdom that comes from Rylee's lips. This girl speaks her mind and holds nothing back. I have to admit, it is one of the many things about her that I love. It is refreshing to hear what is on the mind of a 5 year old, with little life experiences to hinder her opinions. We are trying to teach her the importance of tact, but it is a learning process. I sometimes find myself wishing for her boldness. It probably would not be quite as cute coming from an "old lady" like me!

Let me share with you some of her wisdom. She would be thrilled to know that she is making someone out there laugh!

* Said to her grandma while on vacation..

Grandma: "if you don't finish your chicken nuggets, we will be in a no cookie zone!"

Rylee: "what, you have got to be kiddin' me!"

* I was in the middle of a project of cleaning out our game closet and I had 2 trash bags full of garbage and donations sitting by the door. Rylee comes home from preschool and says, "Oh no, mom is stealing our toys again!"

* We are playing the Wii bowling game as a family and Rylee is killing us. She says,"that's what I am talking about!" With plenty of attitude. Where does she get that? I wonder!

* I was correcting her at the dinner table and told her to shut her mouth (stop talking) and finish her dinner. She whispered, under her breath, "you shut your mouth and finish your dinner." I told you her mouth could get her in trouble. We dealt with this and then had a long discussion about respect. (I told you that my kids are helping me practice Godly disciple :)

* Overheard conversation with her sister Emma:

Emma: I love chocolate!

Rylee: Chocolate is good, but too much makes your tummy full!

* Daddy comes home with lunch from Subway. Rylee shouts," Daddy, you got $5.00 footlongs!"

* Rylee telling me about her wisdom.

"Mom, I taught Emma how to pray. I got down on my knees and prayed for Miss Barb, Mr. Eddie, Jerry and the kids in school. Also, Liam - he is in the army. I showed her, mom!"

(I don't know a Mr. Eddie and the only Jerry I know is the neighbor's dog. So sweet!)

* Words of wisdom from mommy.

Mom: Emma, don't touch that food in the microwave. It is hot and will burn your fingers off! I

( I am a little dramatic. It gets the point across. Don't worry, I am working on it!)

Rylee: Mom, won't it burn your fingers off if you touch it.

Well, that is some of the wisdom that I get each and everyday and it is free. Don't you all wish that you had a five year old living in your house. What would I do without her!!!

"Don't Make me Count to Three!"

2009-03-05T15:34:00.005-05:00

Every mom out there has used this phrase at one time or another. Wisdom from our mother's passed down to future generations. Let's be honest, Moms, what does it really mean? I will tell you what it means in my house....

* Mom is going to lose it...

* Mom is passed the breaking point...

* Kids, mom is going to be a bad example ...

* Mom is tired, and can't think of anything else to say...

* (my favorite) Mom is too lazy to address the real problem, and I just want you to stop!!

A good friend of mine (Jen) shared with me that she had found a great book on disciple and she was sharing some of the things that she was learning. ("Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Plowman) I thought to myself, "I could use all the help I could get." That day, I ordered it and waited a week for its arrival. I started reading it right away and thought, "this is great stuff! Why am I not doing this!!" Then it hit me, I am not doing this because it takes much more time, effort, disciple, work, patience, etc. The whole idea of the book is to get to the heart of the problem. Dealing with the real heart issue, not just treating the symptoms. Explaining what sin they have committed, why it is sin, and how to change that behavior from within. She also has a beautiful way of incorporating scripture verses into every situation. God really spoke to my heart and told me, in His gentle way, you need help in this area. Ouch!!! It is not easy to hear, but in order to change, it is necessary. As a parent, I have a responsibility to train my children in the truth of God's word. God's Words are much more powerful than my own. They need to see the Truth so that they can begin to change their hearts. Now Moms, let me be the first to tell you that this is not easy. It is so much easier to raise your voice, threaten or just let it go. Consistent disciple is one of the hardest things for me to do as a mother. I tend to give my kids too many chances. Mercy is important, but it is not for every situation. As I continue this book, I keep learning new things. I continue to ask God for wisdom and gentle guidance. My children are a blessing and I want to show them God's love in every way that I can. I will be honest, I am taking baby steps, but I do like the results. My kids are giving me plenty of opportunities to practice, (aren't they sweet.) They must know ... "If at first you don't succeed, try try again." Well, here is to trying!!!!

Wild Tanner

2009-03-02T12:40:00.006-05:00

As you can see, Tanner is feeling much better. He has now decided that he needs to make up for the week that he was down and out. "Mommy's Wild Child" is an understatement!! Tanner has been stuck in the house for over a week and he was needing to get out! I would love to send him outside to burn off some of that energy, but with the weather outside, that would just be cruel! It is a miracle that Daddy did not come home and find me acting just as wild as Tanner. Being stuck in the house for that long does something to you!! I have to admit that I am jealous how he can find fun and entertainment in the simplest things. For example, running from one end of the living room, full speed, and then throwing himself on the couch, can bring roars of laughter. One time is not enough, he will continue until he is so dizzy that he falls down. You can't help but laugh and enjoy watching him. He has mastered his kung fu fighting face. It makes me laugh every time I see him make it. What a personality!! (I wonder were he gets that?) Oh, to have the energy of a 2 year old, without a care in the world. Thank you Lord, for the blessings of childhood!! It is nice to have "happy Tanner" back. I really missed him this past week. His smile and laugh can brighten my whole day. Love you, Wild Man!!

My New Talent - Hair Surgeon

2009-03-01T21:36:00.010-05:00

For all those moms out there reading this, I need your HELP!!! My sweet, little angel, Emma (3) has developed a horrible habit of twisting her hair. It started about a year ago and I thought that we had finally got it under control, but I was so wrong!! Her hair is beautiful! Soft and thin, but so pretty with natural highlights. Hair that you would love to have. I have told her often how blessed she is. But she is ruining it!!!! I have now added a new talent to my duties as mommy - "hair surgeon." I have to take a brush, comb, and scissors and go to work. I will be honest and say that 90% of the time, the hair wins. I get so frustrated, I just take the biggest knot and start chopping. My poor child is going to look like Edward Scissorhand's is her stylist. I have talked to my stylists and our pediatrician, and they both say that she will grow out of it. My question is when? Before she goes to school or before she is completely bald. If anyone has a suggestion, I would love to hear it. I will try anything at this point. I even suggested to my husband that I was considering the summer buzz cut, but he looked at me like I was crazy. It must of been a moment of weakness. My best solution so far is a haircut! But, I don't think I can go much shorter. Maybe, I will become a better surgeon. Time will tell!

Haircut after bath time!! Please be still, honey, mommy is working her magic and praying for a miracle!

Randomly Me

2009-02-24T13:56:00.004-05:00

I have noticed that I mainly blog about my family, aka my kids. I am going to attempt to be creative and branch out today. Don't laugh. I will try not to bore you too bad. Here are a few random facts about me that you may not know...

i have the best husband in the world that i dearly love

i lived in Anchorage, Ak for 13 years, during my childhood

i love the color green, in any and every shade

i couldn't live with out chocolate... although my waistline could!

i love my 5 kids, even on the "bad days"

in elementary school, a friend and I, sled down the snow hill at school and hit the parked school bus and dented it. we had to go to see the school nurse. everyone saw us!!

i love jane austen - books, movies, anything

i love to scrapbook - even though i haven't since my son was born (he is 2) i need to get to work!

i hate to be alone - it is the worst!!

i don't like to drive, especially on the freeway! (i know, it is weird)

i love teaching

i love the TV series "Lost" and "Fringe" and so many more, but these are my favorites

i would love to workout with Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels just to see if i could do it

i listen to my mp3 player all the time

i have learned to love running

i have wonderful friends that i couldn't live without

i am doing Power 90x

i hate that my family lives so far away - i miss them daily

i am reading a great book on disciple called "Don't make me count to 3" it is excellent!!

i love Starbucks coffee

i hate, hate cleaning bathrooms!!!

i love to throw things away

i am addicted to Facebook

my new favorite hobby is blogging

i look forward to getting together with my girlfriends for "girls night"

i love the Lord and am blessed beyond my wildest dreams!

Here is a small glimpse into who i am. randomly me!

I need to get out!!!!

2009-02-22T09:59:00.001-05:00

It has been one of those weeks at the McElroy house. Monday we spent the day bowling and taking the kids to McDonalds, a special treat due to a much needed break from school. Don't get me wrong, it was great spending time with the family, but at the end of the day, I was wiped out. I was looking forward to a relaxing Tuesday. The kids had another plan. Once again the unpredictable weather in Michigan has plagued our house with horrible colds. We just had this and it is back!!!! I feel like I am going crazy!! If I have to wipe another snotty nose or get another nose wiped on me, I will be at the breaking point. Plus, the wonderful disposition of my children, really add the icing on the cake. I just want winter to be over so I can send everyone outside to get some fresh air. It is now Sunday morning, and I have not left the house since Monday. I really need to get out and see some people. Adults! Anyone! I need a Starbucks and Target!! When Steve gets home from church, I will quickly escape. I love being a Mom!! (just thought I would throw that in) There has been some highlights this week. Let me share a few ....
.. i got to cuddle with my two year old who is always on the go and never has time to cuddle
.. i had a much needed heart to heart with my daughter kallie, i love you princess
.. amazing amounts of laundry got done, with my husbands help, bless you!
.. i got the house cleaned, even though i could clean it again
..a precious friend came over to visit and encourage me
.. i watched a couple of girly movies
.. i sang every song i could think of to Tanner to calm him down, he didn't even laugh at mom's lack of singing ability
.. i read many, i mean many, books to my sick kids
.. i received many hugs and kisses, snotty nose and all
.. my oldest son told me i looked pretty

I guess my week was not so bad after all...

Let's Go Blue!!!

2009-02-09T12:36:00.002-05:00

When Hayden told Steve and I a few months ago that he was going to play b-ball, we were both pleasantly surprised. For those of you that know Hayden, sports is out of his comfort zone. He does not like competition!! He likes things to be done a certain way and he is not a fan of change. My husband and I try to encourage him to try new things and then make a decision whether or not he likes them. We don't want fear to stand in his way. For the first few days of practice, I was worried that he would hate it and change his mind, but he always came home with a smile on his face. He told me one day that Pastor Tom was his coach, but not today, today Mr. Jack was coaching. The day arrived for his first game and I asked him how he was feeling "fine, Mom," was his only reply. When he was put in the game for the first time, he made sure that the boy he was guarding never left his side (even on offense) and he stayed on the opposite side of the court that the ball was on. He finished the game and ran over to us and said, "I did a great job." We were so proud of him!! He was having fun with his friends and enjoying something new. What more could we ask for. Now jump ahead a few weeks into the season... Saturday's game was coached by Mr. Amos and Hayden was going to jump the ball at the start of the game. Steve and I were surprise, but good for him, he has to learn sometime. Kallie (7 year old sister and knower of all things) says, "what is he doing? He is going to mess up!" We both shot her "the look" and told her to cheer for her brother. He did great. His feet never left the floor, but he swung at the ball. We were in the stands cheering him on. He made a great catch and a great pass during the game, a little to his surprise, but what a game. The Wildcats won a close, hard fought battle. Let's go Blue!!! Hayden never ceases to amaze us. We are so proud of him for stepping out and trying something new. It was not easy for him, but he is brave and courageous. He is an encouragement to us to never let fear stop us from trying something new. Thank you son for who you are. We love every part of your unique and fun personality. We look forward to seeing what God has for your future. He has great things in store for you. We see it already. We love you. Dad and Mom

Just Because

2009-01-22T17:28:00.002-05:00

Today, I was surprised with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my husband. It is not my birthday or our anniversary, it is a "just because I love you" day. I love fresh flowers. They give some much needed life to my kitchen. With back to back days of cold, dreary winter it is so nice to walk into my kitchen and see flowers. It brings a smile to my face and gives me hope that winter will eventually end. Praise God!! I also am reminded of the wonderful husband that God has placed in my life. I am so blessed. He is kind, thoughtful, supportive and loving. Thank you, Steve for loving me and blessing me and our family. You make my life full and complete. Thank you for the flowers. I love them !!!

Living with Girls ...

2009-01-22T16:46:00.010-05:00

A few days ago, I had a front row seat to my own private concert. There was dancing, singing, costumes, and even original choreography. The best part was I did not have to leave the couch. Each of my beautiful daughters sang a special song with fancy dance moves. It was so cute. I tried to sing along a few times, but I was given the "look" and then I was told to be quiet. They each had a unique twist to their solo. I love to watch them perform. I was reminded when I was a kid and did the exact same thing with my sisters. My parents would have to sit and listen to our concert as we belted out church songs and fought over the microphone. We each wanted to be the center of attention. My parents were gracious and would listen to us and tell us what a great job we were doing. It is a special memory. I love it that I now get to share those precious memories with my girls. Tanner wanted in on the action even though the girls were not thrilled. I tried to explain to them that he just wants to play with them. They were more than willing to dress him up and let him play along. Thank you girls. Tanner, this is a part of living with girls. Enjoy every moment of it!!