dreading the 12th...

School is out is 4 days.

DREADING it...why do ask? Do I not Love my children enough to want to be with them all day and all night? Oh, I love my children alright..I love them enough to want to keep them in school so they don't get hurt (by mom) doing wonderful summer activities.

Okay, they FIGHT and I hate it. It makes me want to drink and I don't drink. The level of noise goes through the roof. They whine, the spout off they are always trying to keep fairsies (is that a word?) the younger ones scream and the older ones act like miniature bossy moms ( um, I am NOT bossy) to the younger ones.

Matthew is going to 2 camps this year...Hallelujah!!! Mikey is working back at the berry fields and I am looking forward to paying Matthew all my stash to take the kids on a 5 hour walk. Will it be bad here after the 12th? yes, and I will roll with it..cuz' that's what us cool moms do...and they train their kids to sleep till 10am.

Parade Carnival and Demo Derby

What a way to kick off Spring around here! Perfect weather leading up to the weekend...great parade weather (not to hot, a bit of drizzle and then perfect for walking around) and hanging out with family. I can't say it enough but I LOVE my in-laws. My sister in law and niece drove about an hour to join us in the days events. Aunt in law and of course my mother in law along with a great friend.
Dad and Olivia on the Ferris wheel. Olivia really wanted to ride on it and I was not going for it. Maybe it was the heights and the combo of the rickety looking thing but it wasn't for me.Dad is a trooper and Olivia wasn't scared at all. She was reaching for the clouds.

Here is Miss America sporting her Band-aid (bunch of toilet paper wrapped around her heel) Nope it wasn't me that helped her cram her foot into a size to small shoe giving her blisters. OOPS!

Good Ole demo derby! It was alot of fun to have a driver to cheer for. Monty did not take the 5,000 win but him and his brother did a wonderful job both making it to the final heat!

Carter and Dad...Carter was busy in the bleachers but when the cars started he didn't move. All boy even at 1.

Here she is the famous Mother in law...

Win a prize every time! Hey daddy park your caddy and win Momma a prize ( um, yes that was said to us when Jeremy walked by with the stroller) Looks like the princess needs a prize...

Both Girls walked away with a few trinkets...Thanks Aunt Brandy!

Matthew is AMAZING! Helping the girls and riding with them..Loading them up and of course loving it!

Carter wants to be a dutch boy! After the parade we went to the little Windmill mall to use the restrooms and find a leash for Carter..I know sounds bad but I need one...you know the cute little monkey backpacks that have a strap so you can allow your child to explore...

It was a great day!! We are recovering today...Naps all around and this momma is going to try and get one!

Amazing...

Thank you everyone for your kind words and loving emails regarding the earlier post on kids. I know how lucky I am to have kids. I know they are such a blessing. Are there days that I wonder how we will pay for school clothes bikes, college and day to day needs and the wants? of course but I know my kids are taken care of and all I can do is train them to be Law obeying, respectful and wonderful spouses. That's our job and we would never place the burden of raising the kids on anyone else. We will sacrifice and put one foot in front of the other just like the rest of America.

Heather made a good point that most of the time many people don't mean to be rude when commenting on the kids they could be in awe of the fact we do raise 4 at his time. I agree whole heartily. I remember when I would see moms with 2-3 kids and think WOW! She is amazing I don't know if I could that (only having Matthew at the time) and I would be sure to add that. I would be sure to tell them I think they are wonderful. I have a wonderful blogging friend Laurel she is the mom to 13, yes, 13 kiddos...they are amazing children and I think she is an amazing mom.

Thanks again!

*** The picture is a random one off of google..I loved it :)

I am so there

Olivia: Dinner??? Mickey mouse Nuggets?? YES! I am so there! Bring it on Mama!

Me: laugh

Olivia: I am cited!

Since when is 3 kids a tribe?

Okay, I am going to vent a bit here...I am really starting to give the stink eye to people who make comments about how many kids we have. Some are nice about it...like "Wow, I bet your busy!" Or "3 plus your brother is alot of work" I also get the jabs like you'll need a bus soon or do you take up the whole row at church? I mean c'mon people...last I check 3 kids is not a a huge number.

I remember when I had 1 kid for 9 years and EVERYONE told me I should really have another. I wanted more but the timing was not right. We married young and had our first young and finding ground together before adding more children was our plan. Where there days I thought I would only have one? Of course. And I was okay with whatever.

I don't know what the deal is. It makes me A) not want to leave the house B) Not visit anyone C) bite their head off.
Maybe it is my own insecurities...but no one knows what God has in store for us. we could have 10 more kids. * I can hear my Mother in law Gasping now :0)

If we want 3 more kids it is our business. But to make me or him feel bad for the 3 we have is rude. Maybe you don't mean to make us feel bad but it does.
So I bring this up hoping that you realize it is just as hurtful to poke fun of the family with 4 kids as it is for the family of one. Or it is just as hurtful to the mom and dad who have been trying for years to have a baby. What makes a larger family immune to the Jokes?
We all can plead our case.....I do listen to a few family members that would tell me that Matthew needed a sibling...I DO AGREE!!!! but the timing was not there...I do listen to the ones who worry about us and how we are doing having 4 kids...that is because they care...not because they have nothing better to do then to attack how many kids we have....

If I want 8 kids( and I really don't) and you want one or two....how does that make you any better then me? Who cares if I want a 15 passenger van outside my home? Obviously you won't invite us over and you won't come for visit. Half the time they don't hang out with me anyways.

I don't want to have to justify having 3 kids...So I don't get my toes done as often as I want (okay not once this year) I don't shop every weekend, I drive a 10 year old van, My house does not look like Pottery Barn , I have pencil drawings on the walls, toys everywhere , laundry 3 feet high and flowing hugs, kisses, and whining. This is our life..we have learned to embrace it , love it and no matter what we will be family till the end.



I have to share this story....My friend was very thin...one day another girl walked up to her and was commenting on how thin she was and how she had chicken legs...My friend smiled and then as we walked away she got really upset...she said "tiffiny, they make it sound so negative.. they act like I don't know I am thin...I don't walk up to her and comment how fat she is" I then realized that we are all very sensitive when something is said over and over and over again....and a shut mouth collects no feet.

Thursday's with Tiffiny

I had to double check the calender and make sure it was Thursday...this week has flown by. The days did not drag on and on and on. Had a great week! I love the sun and this only makes me want to move to a warm sunny city. I really think that it could be in the cards for us someday to move from here to a sunny place!
So...here it is..Thursday's with ME! Aren't you SOO Lucky!??? Maybe you should go out and buy a lottery ticket...and if you WIN remember who gave you the LUCK! have a great weekend!

I am thankful for:

My Husband...who went from Missions trip to work mode to family mode ,all while fighting HUGE jet lag! I am thankful for these days that I get to be home with my kids. Yes, there are days I want to leave and never come back but I love being there primary caregiver. I love being able to be home when Matthew gets home from school. I am the one thing that is consistent in his hard days. The SUN!!! Oh, How I love thee...thank you Jesus for the wonderful weather!



I am listening to: The Hum of the fan...Kids are still sleeping. The sun wears them OUT! And the fact it has been so hot they don't go to bed till 10. Now only if I didn't have to get up and see hte older boys off or want to check my facecrack in peace.

I am looking forward to: DATE night!! Whoo-hoo! It has been SOOO long...Like about 2 months since we where by ourselves. This weekend Lynden is having a spring fair , parade and Demo Derby. Olivia is So excited to go on the rides. She can't wait to see the band in the parade. She has been practicing her clarinet just for this big day....Note: she does NOT have a clarinet..she would like one so a spatula hanging from her mouth works for now.

What's for dinner Tonight: well, another 90 degrees outside...maybe sandwiches,fruit and chips!

Missing: The days I could load up and head to the beach with out thinking twice about nap times or the chaos of chasing a 1 year old around. The days we could go crab hunting and visit the go-kart track. I am not complaining...I know it will come again. I am just missing it and I know Matthew is too..maybe in a few years when we go and enjoy it I will have found that Boy Scout Shirt!

Have a Snazzy weekend!! I would love to here about your week! Just copy this and add your name!

This is the Life

Miss America...so happy with all the girlie things in life. Toes polished, Purses, tutu's, umpteen million outfit changes in a day. She needs a morning, mid-afternoon, afternoon, mid evening, evening and bedtime outfit.
Her new favorite saying is " this is the life"

She Loves band-aids...when we potty trained her she got band aids as as a reward. We have Barbie, Dora, sponge bob, Hello Kitty, Diego and princess band-aids. Every time she would go potty she got 2 Band-aids... So good Ole Band Aids have been a huge part of our house for over a Year Now..almost 2! So imagine how many band-aids I have purchased..I should purchase stock in Johnson & Johnson...and Duracell.
Now when she is really good on an outing she can pick a prize and low and behold it is a box of Band-Aids every time...last time she really wanted a box of crazy straws and when she drinks out of them she tells me " Awww mom! This is the life!"

I can see her on the beach in about 20 years...a fancy schmancy drink with fun straws, toe nails painted and maybe a few band-aids on her???

One big one..one small one

Carter has his little 4 wheeler that he can operate on his own thanks to Auntie Jenn...and Olivia still needs her brothers help with her big one. They had so much fun chasing each other...and I had not so much fun saving Carter from all the flower beds and the street due to the fact he can't turn quite yet...soon I am sure considering he can know climb on the outside table and the trampoline and jump by himself and if you know Our trampoline it is the "junkoline" it is missing half the springs, no siding and it comes with its very own pool ladder...maybe I should name it the "not so safe making a trip to the ER very soon Junkoline"



Our LOVELY neighbor had to come down and ask is they where "real" because he said you can't have gas powered 4 wheelers in the city...What the Heck dude!!?? Leave me ALONE...you live like 2 blocks up the street. I am sure its the same neighbor who called the Police...

Honey

Olivia calls me Tiifiny and Honey everyday. She calls me Mom when she wants something. You know the MOM with a scream along with it. Last night Jeremy called me Honey and she walked up to him...hand on her hip, finger a waggin and asked him if he thought it was okay to take her name for me. He said to her that I was his Honey..she looked at him and replied "since when??"

Half Over

Can you believe that is June Already??? I swear it was just New Years Day..Snow on the ground and aimless days of sitting in the house trying to be creative. Days when Miss America would nap now, not so much.

How come looking back you wish they would stay small but in the middle of it all you are tired and wishing they would learn quickly how to wipe , how to get a cup, pick up toys and not eat everything?



I am not sure where this year went. The days drug on and on for me. They where long, they where tiring but Now it is JUNE!!?? HOLY MOLY!!

I have Birthdays around the corner..I will have a teenager. YIKES! He will be driving in a few short years...and this is where you want to seize the day..stop time and don't let them grow up. Well, at least some days..other days you just want them to shower without having to be reminded like an adult.

Well, I thought I would give you a quick post..days are consistent of messy floors, Popsicle grins, sunblock and lots of smiles....Hope all your days are just as SUNNY!

** Notice the Red Tutu Bikini..I just had to get one in each color. :)