Surviving Soccer Season

This is your survival guide for multiple kids playing soccer this fall.  This guide does not include Little Caesars, McDonald's, Chili's, Wendy's, Backyard Burger or cereal for dinner.

First of all, plan ahead.  The more you plan ahead the less stressed out you will get.  Sit down as a family and plan a month worth of dinners.  Let each person in your family pick a meal each week.  Make sure you are keeping a variety.  On nights you know things will be the most insane make sure you have the least amount of prep work.  Here is our menu for September...

                                 Just like I am terrible at grammar, I am not a great photographer.

As you can see, it doesn't have to be written on a cute chalkboard with pretty artistic lettering.  It is just a plain blank menu with scribbled ideas.  You will also see on Saturdays and Sunday I have nothing planned.  These are nights I do one of a few different options.  1st option, dinner date with family, 2nd option, fill in something from a night we skipped earlier in the month, 3rd option, frozen pizza or 4th option, I just make up something totally different and see what happens.  Mostly, it is options 3 or 4.  Sundays I do not cook.  If I do cook it is box mac&cheese.  Fancy, I know.  My mom cooks Sunday lunch each week so I don't see the need for two full sit down meals in one day.  For some of y'all, you may want this to be a time your family all eats together. I will admit, this month I did not ask for input but I did put in each week something each child would love.  That way when we have a night where they just don't like what I've cooked they can look forward to another night they will love.  I do my absolute best for us all to eat together.  I know those days are probably coming to an end as my oldest two get older.  We may eat at 8:00 but I prefer us to eat together.  This is when the,"how was your day" conversations go on.  My kids without prompting will even say, "how was your day, daddy?" or "what did you do today, mommy?"  It is amazing what a 9th grader will tell you if you just ask.

Now, I choose to do my "big shopping" once a month.  Y'all know what I mean.  However, this month I had to make two trips because my basket was full, I wasn't finished and my kids were about to start trickling in from school.  Some of y'all may prefer once a week.  I bought all the meat, sides, flour, sugar, cheese etc that I would need to make dinner for the month.  That leads me into the next way I have planned ahead to survive soccer season with 6 kids.  

I cooked/prepped ahead of time almost every meal we will eat in September and October.  It took me 2 full days, tons of dishes and 6 Tylenol.  I labeled each bag with a date and instructions.  I froze things flat and spread out and when it froze I filed them away.  My next blog will give more details on how to do this.  Here is a picture of some of my freezer stash.  This isn't all of it of course.  As you could see from the menu above, there are nights of chicken nuggets and frozen pizza!

Another way to survive is divide and conquer or as I like to call it, delegate.  I couldn't write this blog about soccer season and not add in a quote from one of the best coaches to coach any sport.  "Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."  That is from Vince Lombardi, I know he was a Packers coach but when you look up "Bill Cower quotes" there aren't any!  Sorry Rusty.  OK, back to my point.  The whole family has to help.  The whole family has to take on responsibility at the house.  I don't care what the normal family dynamics are, during a busy time in the family's life everyone MUST chip in.  Each person must take their job and commit to it each day.  A group effort will help everyone be a little more stress free.  Whether it is putting shoes in proper homes (we call this shoe patrol), unloading the dishwasher or helping little sisters put their clothes away, they must do it completely.  Don't be afraid husbands to load or unload the dishwasher when you see the need.  Rusty cleans up dishes every night after dinner.  EVERY NIGHT!  A different daughter each night helps him get the dirty dishes to the sink.  That leaves me available to help someone study, bathe babies, take a shower for the first time in 2 days, or even watch Project Runway.  Husbands, don't be afraid to fold some towels.  I don't care if you worked all day, help anyway.  I will add here too, many weeks Rusty gets more laundry done than I do.  Don't feel bad about asking your kids to vacuum the den or straighten their bathroom so you can disinfect clean it the next day.  So delegate some jobs mamas. There is nothing wrong with your kids doing some chores, for free even.  

One other way to help survive soccer (or whatever your kids are involved in)season is to make a home for uniforms and other items that they need for the sport.  We put in our laundry room a bench that has cubbies for each child.  In that cubby goes their cleats, shin guards (glove in t-ball season) and uniform.  I do not allow clean uniforms to ever leave the laundry room, otherwise they are lost forever.  As soon as they come out of the dryer I fold them and put them in the cubbies behind me.  When they come in from a game have them take the stuff off right then and make sure they put things away. Before we had the cubbies I put the whole uniform, socks and all, on a hanger in the laundry room and hung it up in there.  Here is a picture of one of our cubbies...

During the summer, this is actually where each kid stores their bathing suits.  

Make no mistake, we have Saturday mornings where we are screaming, "WHERE ARE YOUR SHIN GUARDS!"  Many Tuesday evenings where I say, "Forget it, let's get some Hot & Ready!"  And some nights where I'm not really sure what they eat.  There are nights where we eat in shifts too.   I find though, the more I plan ahead, prep ahead of time and organize the smoother our afternoons go.  Each day it is like a roller coaster ticking up the slope and when 2:24 hits it is all crazy twist and turns and loop-de-loops until 9pm.  Hit the hay and rest for the roller coaster ride the next day.  I love this life and I am so thankful for the chaos.  One day it is going to be too quiet around here and I will miss cooking for so many mouths.  

I hope this has helped some of y'all not pull your hair out this soccer season.  Stay tuned next week for a How-To on freezer meal planning.  

Helicopter Parenting

So what is a helicopter mama?  Maybe you've heard it before, maybe you are one and don't even know it, maybe you are one, you know it and don't care, and maybe I am one.  According to Urban Dictionary (not sure how official that is but you'll get the point) a helicopter mom is "A hovering & controlling, but well-meaning, parent who gets way too involved in her child's life to the point of doing things that are completely inappropriate, such as personally attending all of little Sweetiepie's extracurricular activities, writing medium-sized Sweetiepie's school application essays, and submitting full-grown Sweetiepie's job applications."  Or maybe this definition from Urban Dictionary as well, "the mom who hovers over her child, especially at school. This mom is too involved. She annoys the other parents as well as the teacher(s)."  

Over the last few years I have caught myself stepping in situations that I really should have just left alone.  But but but I just want to help and fix it!  I found myself wanting to bail my kids out of situations that weren't fantastic.  But but but I just want them to be happy all the time!  I found myself wanting to call out some little brat.  But but but that kid can't do that!  I found myself just wanting to do the homework for them.  But but but I can do it quicker and better than them.  Recently, I was mid-bailout with one and realized, what in the world am I doing!?  I realized I had stepped into the helicopter no-fly zone.  So for now, I have stopped with the emails or nasty-grams as my friend calls them, I have stopped with the phone calls begging for a bailout.  I have resigned myself that that is the situation that my child will be in for a while and it IS going to make her a better person for going through it.  Now, am I happy about the situation, absolutely not!  I am still tempted to look for an out but I am fighting the urge.  In the past, I will admit to secretly changing stuff in a typed report after my kids went to bed, don't judge, most people have done it.  I will admit to doing more of a science fair project than I should have.  But I have seen the error of my ways the last few years and taken my hands off of school work.  I don't stalk teacher blogs, I don't check homework every night, I don't change papers (I do make very strong verbal suggestions), and I don't help on science projects any more than buying the stuff at Hobby Lobby.  I will tell you, one of my kids got a mark off for being sloppy and yes, I wanted to send a nasty-gram to the teacher and ask if she thought the ones better than that were done by parents or students.  I resisted, even though I thought the whole thing looked fantastic and knew how hard she worked on it.   It was hard, but I resisted!  

Not long ago, I let one of my kids make one of those pinewood derby cars by themselves.  I let her pick the color and glitter, put it on the back porch with a paintbrush and said have fun.  In hindsight, I should have helped some because that poor little car while looking awesome didn't even make it down the track.  After drying tears and healing the broken spirit with a happy meal I realized some help is ok.  Winning mom moment that day.  

So, where is the line behind which the helicopter should stay?  How much should we help our kids with homework?  When should we call a friend's mama and say, Jimmy Joe said x-y-z to my little Sally Sue?  I don't know where the line is but I do know that I cross it.  I also know that I have seen the harm it is doing to adults now and it is scary.  I saw on the news recently that it is being reported that parents are calling potential employers about their ADULT child getting the job.  That is an extreme I know but here is the point, we are constantly bailing our kids out and not letting them fail so when they get into the real world they freak out and can not survive.  They have to learn some teachers are below par so that one day they can work for a boss that is below par.  They have to learn to remember their lunch because it never fails on the day you forget your lunch teriyaki beef nuggets are on the menu.  They have to learn that other kids are mean and sometimes there are no consequences because when they grow up adults act the same way.  They have to learn if they don't study they will most likely fail without the option of a re-do because when they don't do the work at their job they will get fired no questions asked.  They have to learn that they should have looked back over that essay instead of printing it quick and watching TV.  They have to learn how to survive in an environment that is not perfect and maybe not just survive but thrive because one day they will be bagging groceries and need to thrive in a job they might not like.  

I have decided to stay out of their business in middle school and high school.  I will help when asked and I will ask if they have homework they need help with.  I will talk with them about problems if they want to and other times I will just hug them and say I love you when I see it in their eyes.  I will also continue to read their text messages, Facebook and Instagram though.  Sorry, not letting that go until 18 or maybe later.  I will intervene in the instance of excessive foul or sexual language being used around them or any language directed at them.  I will intervene when I know they should have gotten a better grade and it has been confirmed by another non-related adult.  I will not intervene in affairs of the heart or friendship unless they become extreme.  I have given my older kids 3 strikes per semester for me bringing stuff to school they have forgotten.  One of them has 2 already.  For my elementary babies I will help out once on a science project a little but after that they are on their own!  I will make suggestions on other projects but keep my hands off (this is VERY difficult for me).  I will stay out of friendship quarrels unless it is absolutely necessary to swoop in with my helicopter.  I will not send nasty messages to a teacher, principal or post things online about a teacher, even if they are crazy.   I WILL NOT YELL AT A REF, EVEN IF I"M THE COACH AND THE CALL WAS TERRIBLE!  I want everyone to read that again.  With that, promise yourself to never ever yell at a coach about anything until you yourself have had the opportunity to be a coach.  

Parents, let today be the day that we cruise up to a higher altitude with our helicopters and let our kids experience real life.  Console them when they fail but don't say I told you so.  Help them figure out how to change a situation without doing it yourself.  Help them find a lovable trait in a superior that is unlovable.  Let them throw glitter all over their pinewood derby car and teach them to be proud of it stopping on the tracks. Let us be the parents that send out a generation of kids that turn into great hardworking problem solving adults instead of sending out kids that turn into lazy entitled adults.   

Stupid things people say and what I want to say

After last week's thought provoking blog, I decided to lighten it up today!  It may provoke some thoughts but hopefully it will just make you shake you head and think, oh no, I've said that before.  Tuesday Night while at my oldest daughter's parent night at the high school a lady said something to me that was just plain old rude.  To her she probably thought it was funny, to me it was rude.  While walking around the high school with a 5 month old strapped to my front I know people were thinking things but this lady just spouted off exactly what was in her little brain.  She looked at me and said, "You have a high schooler and a baby in a carrier!  What were you thinking!  Obviously, you weren't thinking!"  She didn't even laugh, she said it in a nasty way.  Say what?!  I was dumbfounded.  After she scurried on down the stairs I realized a friend was in front of me and said to her, well that was rude.  Let's play what if...  What if I had been trying for 14 years to have another baby and it finally happened or I had finally adopted this baby?  What if I was 15 when I had my first and I was finally old enough to have another?  What if this was my high schooler's baby that I was just holding for her?  None of those are true, but that lady didn't know me!  She didn't know my situation to be passing judgement on me.  After I got my wits about me, I thought of many sassy come backs that were probably better left unsaid.  Like, wow you wore that out of the house, you really weren't thinking, or wow you paid someone for that haircut, you really weren't thinking.

Here are some other comments people make about my duggaring (my made up word for mass producing children from one's womb):
           Wow, are those all yours?  I want to reply, yes and we left 4 more at home with the dog.
           What do you drive to fit all of those in the car?  It's just 8 people, we fit in a Odyssey.
            You're gonna need a shotgun one day!  Have you seen Rusty, we have no need for a shotgun
            That's gonna be a lot of weddings to pay for!  We are just hoping they elope!
            You need to stock up on tampons!  Really people?!
            It's usually followed by telling Rusty he will need to leave the house for 1 week out of the month.
            You are crazy!  OK, that one might be true
            Are you catholic?    ummm... no
            Are you mormon?   ummm... no
            Baptist have a lot of kids?  Some do, but only the really crazy ones
            Do you homeschool?  I want to say, do you think I want all these kids at home with me all day!? I honestly think I am the only mom of many that doesn't homeschool. Matthew 5:13-16 is our reason, in case you were wondering.
            You must have a ton of laundry.  I want to reply to this I make them wear stuff 4x before I'll wash it! That's not true of course but I still want to say it.
            And of course my favorite....  You know what's causing that right.  
                    I mean come on, I'm 35 years old, do you know how dumb that sounds?!  Please don't ever say that again to someone, it is really dumb.  Sorry, if you've said it to me before.  
            How many more are you going to have?  1st none of your business, 2nd Rusty's aunt said for us to tell people, until we have an ugly one.  She has 10, so far.  
             No one actually ever said this to me but a friend who has four kids was asked if they had a TV in their room!  There are so many more, but I will stop.

And since I've been pregnant for like 1/2 of my married life, I've heard some dumb comments there too:
              You look like you're about to pop
               You must be having twins
               There is no way you still have (fill in a number) weeks left
               You've gotten a lot bigger since I saw you last
               You're STILL pregnant
I will admit to guilt in saying these things but I have seen the error of my ways and do not say them anymore!  Trust me, a pregnant woman knows exactly how big she is the moment she tries to roll over in the bed, tries to put on maternity clothes that are now too little, tries to get off the couch, tries to fit in a desk at parent night at the school, turns the stove on with her belly, can't cut her toenails, can't reach the top shelf in the kitchen, tries to breathe, you get my point.

Here are 2 more random things that I hear often from people that are just stupid:
                How do you stand that beard on your husband?  It would be just awful to me.  Seriously, I hear this more than you would think.  I think, ummm... do you realize that is my husband whom I love and have bore 6 children with that you are dogging? I'm thinking in my head, what if I said how can you stand that giant nose on your husband, or that annoying laugh, or the fact that he likes the Cowboys?
                Making fun of one of my kids names.  I mean adults do this.  Come on people, show some etiquette.  I didn't name them Blue or Apple or North or Scout, which are all names I would never make fun of to those lovely parents' faces even if I think they are weird.  Try not even to say, what an interesting name, because we all know that is code for, what an awful name!

So the point is, watch what you say.  Think before you let some dumb comment pour out of your mouth.  Even better, watch what you say in front of your kids so those dumb comments don't pour out of their mouths.  I could share some stories there but I'm afraid you might see some kind of resemblance to what I said and realize it was your kid.  I don't generally get my feelings hurt.  I have a thick skin and can laugh a lot off., but others don't and you may be sending them home to cry themselves to sleep.  I am not in anyway saying we need to be politically correct but just be kind and try not to say things that might just hurt someone's feelings.  You have been warned with this list, you now have no excuse. Stick with "bless your heart, what a beautiful family" or "bless your heart, I know you must be ready to have that baby."  And if anyone knows the lady from CHS who is hopefully still trying to pull her foot from her mouth, send her a link to this blog!
         
Feel free to share other stupid things you hear folks say a lot...

Your diamond shoes

Have you ever heard the saying "Are your diamond shoes too tight?"  One of my high school teachers said this once and I will never forget it.  I am pretty sure it was Mr. Hutson, but I could be wrong.  It was almost 20 years ago when I heard it and I probably have just lumped all good things said by a teacher under his heading because he was so awesome.  Let's see if he actually reads the blog.  Anyway, that was a quick chasing rabbits, let me get back to my topic.  Are your diamond shoes too tight means you are whining and complaining about things you should not be whining about but be thankful you at least have whatever it is.  I mean if I had diamond shoes, I'd be so proud of those suckers it wouldn't matter if they rubbed blisters on my feet.  Another saying in that same family, "I can't fit all my 100's in my wallet!"  So here we are at the start of the blog that I have been scratching the surface of all week.

WE HAVE GOT TO STOP COMPLAINING PEOPLE!!!!!

This past Sunday, the lesson my Sunday school teacher taught got his feet all up on our coffee table (meaning he got all in our business).  It was about our complaining.  Boy did it get me thinking and reflecting!  So, this past Monday I posted on Facebook for people to look back and see if they had a habit of always complaining in their Facebook post.  I did the same and found that I don't complain much or I just had a really good week.  Probably the latter.  I mean we all complain, all of us.  Under that post was a comment from a sweet young lady from my church that is on an 11 month mission trip to 11 different countries.  If you want to know more about her, just ask me, I could talk all day about how wonderful I think the things she is doing are.  She is selflessly serving the "least of these" all over the world in some of the most awful but sometimes beautiful places.  Anyway, her comment was this "America has real problems.  The people out here know how to live in love, and they're happier in their conditions than most Americans are in theirs.  It's hard to live on this side of the world and see all the selfish posts from people back home, but I definitely don't think you're bad about it."  People, she is in Africa right now.  Starving, AIDS infested, war torn Africa.  And here I was complaining that my daughter's bus was a little late!  Thank you Lord my children have a free (OK somewhat free) education that will come pick them up and deliver them to an air conditioned building to learn and they feed them!  

Maybe you don't like the current president or the past one, be thankful we live in America and get to vote on our president and are not governed by a group of militant dictators who would kill us for ever posting some of the stuff people post on Facebook about the government.  Do you really need to everyday post some new reason you hate the current administration?  Stop complaining!  Be thankful we GET to vote!  

Maybe your shutters outside your house are falling apart and need painting, be thankful you have windows to hang fake shutters next too!  Maybe your plumbing leaked, be thankful you have clean running water!  Gas cost $xxx a gallon, be thankful you have a car to put gas in!  Maybe you don't like the way something is happening at your church, be thankful you are allowed to worship God freely.  Maybe the cashiers at your local nationwide store get on your nerves and don't always smile, be thankful you have a grocery store to shop in that has clean food, that is inexpensive and there lots of choices.  How are those diamond shoes feeling now?  Still a little tight?  Let me keep going.  Maybe you had to wait 1 hour and 45 minutes at the doctors office, be thankful you didn't have to travel 75 miles in a borrowed car with a child that's about to die hoping you find a doctor.  Maybe, the trash man didn't set your trashcan back upright, be thankful you don't have to live in the trash dump.  Maybe your kids are driving you crazy, be thankful you were able to have or adopt kids.  Be thankful they are still with you.  Be thankful they can talk and get on your nerves.  Oh, I'm sorry, did my diamond shoes scuff up your coffee table?

Our girl's youth minister at our church just announced last night she is planning on going to Europe for 3 months or more to work with people that are in the sex trafficking industry.  How could we ever complain again if we saw the life that some of these girls are forced to live?  Some kidnapped others sold by parents who were starving are being forced into drug addiction and prostituted until they die.  Thank you Lord we live in America and this is something none of us have to worry about for our children.  

So here's the bottom line, we all complain, I complain, you complain and goodness knows our kids complain.  The thing is we live in America, we've got it so good.  You may be living paycheck to paycheck but we are insanely rich compared to the world.  You may have had to steal from your MLGW bill fund to buy the $100 calculator for your kid but we still have it so good.  Be proud of your diamond shoes don't complain about the fit!  Try for 1 week to be ridiculously positive.  I mean, so positive about things you get on your co-workers and friends nerves.  Don't complain, find the positive in everything you say and do.  Challenge your kids to stop complaining.  Please challenge your kids, I have 6 kids and between their friends I hear some serious complaining!  Hold them to it, hold your spouse to it, hold your friends too it.  Make a pack to stop complaining.  It will be hard, I promise.  I will fail, I promise.  Today, I wanted to complain about something, I wanted to call a friend and spout off about how terrible something was but I stopped myself.  Today I stopped myself but I know I will succumb to complaining before next weekend.  You want me to hold you accountable, tell me!  I will call you out, if you call me out!  Check back in with me next weekend, let me know how you did?  Was it an epic fail (I can't believe I just used that word, I had the word epic!) or was it a success?  

My quote this morning from Madagascar, "Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave."

Spontaneity

I'm not much of a routine person.  I like to be spontaneous, but I have found with 6 kids that has been lost for a while.  The days of ,"oh, I need milk" and running to Kroger right then are over.  The days of dropping in Sonic for a route 44 cherry limeade at happy hour are over.  Picking up the vacuum and going over the den just when I feel like it, over.  Even the days of I think I'll run by Kohl's and find some new jeans are O-V-E-R.

I must live by a schedule.  I have my days planned out somewhat a month in advance.  I can tell you what we will have for dinner on August 20th or 29th, shake and bake chicken and then waffles with bacon, just in case you want to stop by.  The 20th will also include a parent night at the high school.  I have to plan my trips to the grocery store.  Last night I bought 3 gallons of milk, 2 loaves of bread and a pack of Hawaiian buns (Rusty is spoiled) along with $200 in other items.  I'm hoping that will last until the weekend but with my kids boycotting school lunches right now I doubt it will.  I made 8 sandwiches this morning x 2 slices of bread + 2 pieces of toast = a mostly empty bag of bread.  I'm chasing rabbits, I'll get back to the point.  I don't have time to just pop in and grab a loaf.  After I spend from 5:30am until 9am getting kids to school I have approximately 27-43 minutes to get my out of the house stuff done before Finn turns into a pumpkin.  Meaning, a starving baby ready to go back to bed.  I have decided grocery store time is Sunday night between 6 and 7, seriously.  I hustled and got it done last night!

Monday is clothes washing day, not towels, not sheets just clothes.  6 months ago I was driving myself insane doing laundry every single day.  Fussing at my girls to put their clothes away, every single day.  I made up my mind to only wash clothes on Monday and Thursday, Rusty work clothes on Friday and towels and sheets on Tuesday (which is when I clean bathrooms).  I have pretty much stuck to that.  Now, I will have done 3 loads by the end of my day today but I don't have to think about whose socks are whose until Thursday.  I'll add I started keeping socks in my laundry room in a 3-drawer thingy.  The drawers are labeled "older girls" "younger girls" and "boys".  This drawer is right next to the shoe rack.  This is a new system, I'll keep you posted on its effectiveness.

Dishes, oh the dishes.  During the summer it was get them done when we can.  I prefer to have the dishwasher loaded and running an hour or two before I go to bed each night, yes every night.  That way, I can open it and let them dry while I sleep and they are ready to put away the next morning.  Adeline recently decided she loves to unload the dishwasher, this load may still be waiting for her at 4pm.  $.50 a pop for her.  I'm really ok with that!  Her sisters will soon catch on.

I'll just let you in on this weird new routine I've added, nails all are cut on Saturday night.  I can't have them going to Sunday School with dangerous big toenails or I'll get fussed at by my sweet friend who at times works in the nursery.  This sweet friend actually cut one of my kids fingernails one Wednesday night since they were too long.  Most moms would think that strange, not me, I appreciated it!  She knows who she is and that I am not making fun!  That night I realized, I have got to schedule that in or I will forget to get it done.  Don't think I didn't throw the clippers at Rusty Riley and demand his talons be cut Saturday night!

Lunches have to be made by 7am, floors vacuumed by 9:27-9:43am before Finn takes his first nap.  Pitt's snack by 10:15 and lunch around 12:15.  Naptime for him 1:00ish.  Finn wakes up hopefully while Pitt is asleep, eats again.  I throw down a sandwich that I made at 6:30am along with the kids while Finn eats.  Finn starts his next nap right before Pitt wakes up.  Notice no shower scheduled in there.  Yeah, that is hard to come by when you have 2 babies at your house, one that climbs and opens doors.  That's where my spontaneity comes in (to my sister, just know I had to look up how to spell that).  The other day I was in the middle of dishwasher unloading and realized I had 2 boys asleep at the same time.  I stopped immediately and jumped in the shower.  I even put Finn in his car seat in the bathroom while sleeping so I could shower all the way up to him waking up.  I have a tankless water heater so I can have a hot shower as long as the town will pump water.  Here's another little touch of spontaneity (I keep looking back at how to spell that too), when baby boy is having a complete meltdown at 10:40am even after he had his snack at 10:15, bust out the sandwich you made him at 6:30am and feed him!  Lunch done, face washed and him saying night night by 11:15am!  Maybe I can squeeze in a shower before the next little hungry kid wakes up!

Spontaneity is a good thing but when you have a big family it is something very hard to do.  I do actually look forward to the days where I can just hop in the van and get a cherry limeade but not now.  I love this schedule.   In a loud busy house there has to be some order!


Here is a picture of the sweet 10:40am early lunch inducing meltdown.  I feel ya little man.  Let's eat!

All 4 girls have left the nest

Today is the day where all four of my girls went to public school.  Yesterday, the oldest three started but today my sweet little baby girl went to kindergarten.  I will start with yesterdays course of events.

The day began at 5:28 am.  Abigail being in high school now needs to leave the house right before 6:30!  Thankfully, Rusty can take her and her friend.  I made her lunch and then we had to decide, paper sack or Vera Bradley lunch bag.  We went with paper sack.  She was not nervous at all and was dressed very nice in what we thought was dress code compliant.  I went over with her a few times about where to go when she gets there, she had her map highlighted in her binder and she texted her friends at least 47 times each before she left.  The time finally came for Rusty to leave with her and I watched her walk to his Explorer and climb in.  I thought to myself, hold back the tears at least until she drives off.  As they pulled away I felt the tears coming.  Then I felt a little one at my side.  Annabelle my super late sleeper had awoke before anyone else.  I was really glad to see her, so I sucked up the tears and started my next round of getting on to school.
Round 2 began at 6:30 getting Amelia up and going to be on the bus at 7:25.  She is not the morning person Abigail is and it takes her a bit to get going.  She gets dressed in a super cute first day of school outfit and was actually ready early. Another lunch made, 1 more little one awake to add to Annabelle.  At 7:05 she decided to go on out just in case the bus was early.  If you were anywhere on facebook yesterday you would have seen that many buses in our new wonderful unified district never showed up.  At 7:40 a neighbor took her to school and by 8am the bus still hadn't shown up.  I didn't have time to worry because the next phase of my morning was starting.

Round 3 was to get Adeline up at to school by 8:40.  She is a fantastic morning person.  She is self driven to do each step of getting ready on her own without being reminded.  She had a super cute very coordinated outfit on and was ready to go by 8:15!  My mom came over to sit with the boys while I took Adeline in to her class.  She is so independent and great at making friends I don't really worry about her.  Not to mention one of her best friends is in the class.  I got her in the building to her class and settled in her seat.  She looked happy and excited to be there.

Round 4 of my morning is where it got crazy.  Annabelle was meeting some other kids that were going to kindergarten for the first time at the park.  While in a search of Pitt's shoes I turned around to find him pulling Finn off the couch.  When I said "no!" he of course let go.  And you know what happened after that.  Finn was fine.  I checked him over thoroughly.  Pitt was very loving and brought him his paci and his own blankie.  We decided to go on to the park.  As I pulled into the parking lot what comes on KLOVE but Matt Maher's Lord I Need You (If you haven't heard it, I'm putting a link below). I thought I was fine with everyone going to school.  WRONG!!!  As soon as the music started I thought, NO NO NO, Lord, I can't handle this song this morning.  I parked away from other cars so other mom's wouldn't think I was crazy for singing in the van.  Then the first lyrics came,
                   "Lord, I come, I confess
                   Bowing here I find my rest
                   Without you I fall apart
                   You're the one who guides my heart"
I just decided to let it go, just go on and cry.  I was crying more I think than any other first day of school ever.  As I'm sobbing I look up and My sweet friend with 6 kids and one also starting kindergarten had parked next to me.  She mouthed through the window, are you crying!  I rolled the window down and all I could say was, "the song."  She turned her radio up and just boo hooed with me.  I'll tell you what by the end I was praying the lyrics out loud,
                     "teach my song to rise to You
                      when temptation comes my way
                      and when I can not stand I fall on you
                      Jesus, you're my hope and stay"
I guess I should say thank you Lord for playing that song right when I needed to hear it. Annabelle had a great time at the park and played with her favorite friend that's a boy.  By the time we got home I 2 hours until Abigail got back!

She got home to tell me all about the great day she had.  She was seconds late to one class but she swore to run the next time.  She gets this insane need to be early from her daddy!  And it would seem what we thought to be dress code was not.  She had a little chat with my former classmate and now assistant principal.  By then it was pouring down rain and we kept looking out for Amelia's bus.  3:15, I wasn't worried, 3:30 still not worried.  3:45, I was getting a little worried, then I got a text from her via someone else's phone that said, "bus is late."  I found out that she was still at school.  My sister called me to say my nephew was on an bus and Amelia should be on the bus with him, but said Amelia is not on the bus!  By 4:15 Adeline was home and we decided to call the school.  Many students were still at CMS.  Rusty left to go get her.  When he got in the office it was full of angry parents wondering where the heck their kids were.  She was on an unknown bus and they could not get in touch with the drivers.  Well, she finally got home at 4:45 after being dropped in an unknown location.  Thankfully, one of the girls that was also dropped off there knew how to get Amelia home, Amelia did not! It seems Amelia was assigned to a bus that doesn't exist. It was a crazy fiasco, it angers me greatly, but I need to let it go and just see how today goes.  She took her phone today.  Maybe I need Matt Maher again.  I'll just say, MCS it took y'all one day to prove why your school system failed.  Thank you for the hostile take over of our once wonderful school system.

We had a fantastic Back2School dinner with grandparents.  A tradition that goes back to Abigail starting preschool.  Dinner was delicious, all my babies were back home, homework was finished, I had filled all the proper paper work and put the ones needing money to the side.  Everyone to bed by 9:30,after a little shark week of course.

Annabelle went to her first day of kindergarten this morning.  She was really excited and feeling very independent, except she wanted Adeline to pick out her clothes.  We had her super heros backpack, lunch box and water bottle ready to go with her princess shirt!  She didn't want to hold anyone's hand walking in and went straight to her chair to get to work.  It didn't hurt that her favorite friend that's a boy was sitting right across from her.  I was trying my best not to get emotional as I walked home.  Officer McKinney helped by pulling someone over right in front of me for speeding in the school zone.  I'd never heard him use a stern voice before and it made me laugh!  I will say, he smiled the whole time he was fussing at the guy!

I can not wait until 4:00 to find out how things went for Annabelle and for all the other to tell me about their day.  Amelia better be home by 4:00 or this mama might get all Madea on some people.  Who's gonna bail me out?

Sorry, it was so long, 6 kids equals long days.


Get your tissues and click here --- Matt Maher- Lord, I Need You

Top 10 Back to School edition

Top 10 reasons I'm ready for my kids to go back to school...

10.  Less arguing
9.    Quieter
8.    Lunch time in peace
7.    No one bugging Pitt
6.    Less people to wake up sleeping babies
5.    The food bill will go down without people here eating ALL DAY LONG!
4.    Less toilet paper used (4 girls) 
3.    No "can I" ALL DAY LONG!
2.    No one saying 37 times in 37 minutes that there is nothing to do.
1.    Less arguing.



Top 10 reasons I'm NOT ready for my kids to go back to school...

10. 5:30 am
9.   Kids will be at 3 different schools on 3 different time schedules
8.   No one to play with Pitt while I take care of Finn
7.   No one to hold Finn while I take of Pitt
6.   No one to leave Finn and Pitt with while I run an errand.
5.   Homework
4.   I will spend 1/2 of my day getting kids ready for school.
3.   Too quiet
2.   No one else here that can form complete sentences
1.   No one to blame why I watched a whole hour of Disney Channel in the middle of the day.


The bottom list outweighs the top list.  We (Finn, Pitt and me) are going to miss those girls.  I'm psyching myself up for sending one to high school for the first time and one to kindergarten.  I will not cry.  I will not cry.  I will not cry.  I don't know which one I am more emotional over.  Yeah, I've got 2 more at home, but sending that girl to high school/kindergarten is HARD!  Sending one to kindergarten has not gotten easier over the years and I will assume that sending one to the sharks, I mean high school,  doesn't get easier either.  For us homeschooling is not an option right now.  I want them in public schools. I want them to be a light in the dark world.  This is my prayer today...

Dear Lord, I have trained up my girls in the way they should go and I pray that they do not depart from it.  I pray that when they enter a situation that is not right they make the right decision.  I pray that I haven't forgotten something to tell them, some little piece of advice that would help them.  I pray that they have friends to sit by in the cafeteria.  I pray if they don't have friends to sit by that the language around them is not too worldly.  I pray that if it is foul they don't let it sink into their heart.  I pray they have someone to walk home with or ride with on the bus.  I pray that when "that kid" says something ugly they don't laugh.  I pray that they are not "that kid."  I pray they don't cry during the day.  You know that is the worst thing in the world when one comes home and you found out they had cried during the day.  I pray that the next 1460 days go so unbelievable slow for Abigail.  (Just got misty eyed typing that last sentence)  I pray they don't learn the hard way about why it is bad to gossip.  I pray they find a young man that one day a long long long time from now will be Mr. Right.  Lord, I am handing my kids over to you for 180 days, thank you that each one of them will be with a Christian at least part of the day.  I pray that each one of those teachers will love my kids and teach them to the best of their ability.  I pray that my kids will love each one of those teachers and learn to the best of their ability.  Lastly, I pray that the next 1825 days for Finn go even slower than Abigail's 1460.

I'm not even going to say amen because this will be my ongoing prayer until 4:00 May 22, 2014.