The Search is Over ...

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!!!

"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!!

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?

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!!

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

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 !!

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!!

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

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!

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!"

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

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

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!