Rough week

Thank goodness for post options. I was able to pre-post some things for this week, otherwise things would have been silent here.

Why?

Well when you have a stomach virus x 6 people in your house and a broken washing machine things get rough, really rough.

Thankfully, we are all on the mend and sweet hubby is still the last man standing!
(he even fixed the broken washer while I was on the floor with a stomach virus)
Yep- he's a keeper!

This lovely lady is my Nanny.

Nanny & Puddin Oct. 05

She is so dear to me.

I love her tremendously and I miss her terribly.

If I could visit her more, I most definitely would.

If I could call her more and actually have a conversation with her, I definitely would.

Some times my lovely little ones rant and rave and scream and throw fits when I get on the phone. Why does that happen??

She has dealt with so much.

Nanny and Pawpaw... early 60's

I hope they say I dealt with my "things" with the same courage and grace as she has.

She is fighting a battle right now. I can't pretend to know what that's like but I am praying for her strength and healing every day.

I am going to start calling her more... I guess while I hide in the closet so the children won't hear me.

Today is her birthday!! She is 80 years young and looks radiant.

Bud and Nanny, Nov. 09

I love you Nanny!

me, Daisy & Nanny, Nov. 09
(funny- I just noticed the shirt! She loves her animal prints!)

Snow days of the present

So, my last post about our most recent snow day gave a long ago account of what my snow days might used to have looked like.


Well, I assure you, they are much, much different now.



Now, I go to bed and deal with whatever I have to deal with in the morning. No waiting or anticipation for me. No lunch with girlfriends either. I'm sure in a few years (snow days of the future) it will a lot different for me again.



But for now, it's pretty much life as usual. Except we have some cancellations in our plans because, you know, the roads are horrible here and we southerners just do not know how to drive in anything but sunshine!



Our snow days usually consist of pajamas, hot chocolate, fuzzy socks and smores in the fire place.


Cause that's how I roll. ha!


If Daddy is home then throw in some "fun in the snow"... if we get out before it's melted. Otherwise, it becomes "fun in the slush". Yes, we have done both.

Monkey See & Monkey Do- snowday, January 09

Hubby, Puddin and Frosty- snowday, January 09



But this year we decided to switch it up a little. Since Hubby was home with us and we have a new pass to the community center


we


went


swimming!

arriving at the pool still wearing coats and hats from the cold outside!

On a snow day!!!

How cool is that?!?

Mermaid Puddin

Monkey Do kicking up some water beachside

Monkey See cheesin' for the camera!

Actually Hubby and the big kids swam and the little ones and I watched. But we still had lots of fun.

Bud and Daisy basking in the sunshine. (they did have on socks/shoes when we got there but it was so toasty in the pool area I pulled them off.)

It sure made for a great snow day!

FYI- we never even went out to play in the "snow" this time!!

Snow days of the past

We recently had some severe weather. The weather forecast included freezing temps and snow... yes, SNOW!!! Oh- how I remember waiting for snow days when I was teaching. I loved my job, but man, it was hard to beat a good snow day.

See if you know anything at all about Middle Tennessee weather then you know a "snow day" smack dab in the middle of Middle Tennessee goes something like this...

A threat of serious weather causes a mass exodus from local business where people work.
Everyone and their momma heads to Kroger for a milk run.
Kroger will run out of milk. Every. stinkin. time. (so glad I now shop at Publix!)
If you are a teacher or a student in any school in the middle Tennessee area you will be GLUED to the TV waiting for Snowbird and praying (sort of, except we don't really pray for things like that) to see your county covered in the snow graphics on tv.

You might even stay up until 1 or 2 in the am with friends if you are a single teacher and convinced there is a school cancellation in your future.
If you are no longer a single teacher but instead, a mom of 5 little ones, none of the above really applies. But still, the joy that comes with seeing that snowflake colored county on the map is priceless. Even if you still have to get up and go about your day as usual.

But, back to my list...

Once you see the cancellation of schools, you roll over happily and sleep, sweet sleep, the morning away. Occasionally you may actually get up to see the beautiful 1/2 inch of snow on the ground, but after the first time or two- it's no biggie.
Once you do roll out of bed (10 ish?) and get ready for your day, you are just in time to meet your girl friends for lunch!
BUT WAIT- how will we ever get out?? We had massive amounts of serious weather forcasted... schools are closed...
Well, that 1/2 inch of snow does not last long. And it's pretty much a given at around noon on a snow day, if not a couple of hours before, life as usual can happen. With the exception of the miniature, melting snowmen dotted across neighborhood yards.
So go ahead, enjoy the snow day in Middle Tennessee!
Stay tuned to see what we did during our recent snow day...

Haircuts

Momma got a new haircut this weekend... so did the Monkey Brothers.

At first I thought I would let theirs grow out into the cute little surfer dude look... ya know, kind of long and shaggy, but not too long and shaggy.

But then I remembered, I'm not exactly a "long and shaggy kind of girl".

That was about the time I looked into the mirror and saw, you guessed it, long and shaggy. UGH! So, I decided to get a new shorter do. It's not at all like the picture I took in with me (doesn't it always happen like that?), but it's growing on me. I tend to need time to adjust to big changes, like haircuts.

Funny, adding babies to our family just seems to be an easier adjustment to me!

Anyway, I'm waiting another month or two before I go in for my "spring highlights", cause I want it to be natural, ya know.

But enough about me... check out the sweetest little boys EVER!! They are so stinkin adorable I can't stand it sometimes!

Monkey See explaining something to Bud

Quite the vocabulary too... the other day Monkey See looked up at me (after one of my "Kate Gosselin" moments- yes, I do have them, occassionally- as I was trying to channel my inner "Michelle Dugger") and said, "u da bes mama!"

ohhhhh... you could have scooped me up off the floor! I melted right there! I mean, what 2 year old can say, "You're the best momma???"

And Monkey Do... well, if he got any sweeter these days we'd have to package him up and sell him on a stick! He's so, so loving and full of kisses! He whispered in my ear last night (I know, how precious is that?!?) and said, "I wub u!" If I were a cartoon there would have been big puffy hearts coming out of my head!

And Bud, he's just out to steal the show with that smile! Such a sweet heart!

My boys... sure they have their moments, but man they sure know the way to their Momma's heart.

What's for dinner?

SPAGHETTI!!!!

YUMM!!


The babies had their first taste of spaghetti the other night and as you can see, they loved it!


They also had peas (an all time favorite) but they have that every day so it was no biggie.
The"big ones" also had birthday cake.

Do you think they liked it??

Puddin's Positively Proud as Punch

Puddin has this habit.
I guess it's one a lot of kids had, including me.
But like most parents, we want better for our kids.
So, Puddin bites her nails. Or picks at them. I have never seen her "chewing" on them.
I usually just see the nubs.

But- Puddin wants her nails painted B.A.D.
I've looked everywhere for the nasty stuff that goes on your nails... the stuff that tastes so bad it makes you stop chewing. But, I can't find it.
So, I resorted to good old fashioned will power.
I told her if she would let her nails grow so I could see the "white part" then we would go buy her some nail polish and paint her nails.
**smile!**
It worked!
She loved picking out just the perfect color of pink and getting her nails all done!
I love it when things go according to plan!

A "photo" review~ again!

Ok, Ya'll remember my sweet friend Kate? The amazing one who has been taking some fantastic photos of my precious family?? Well, she was so kind as so send me the links to post the slides she made of my family on this little blog.
So, I am posting them, in case you missed them the first time and also because I adore them sooo much.
BUT- I wondered if any of you speak computer?? I would really like to keep the slides in the side bar but so far I haven't been able to make them fit. I tried the html app in the layout/settings but the problem is the slides are to big to fit and the images are half cut off. So, if you know how to fix this problem and would be sooo kind to share your knowledge I would be a reallllllly happy girl! Oh- and thank you in advance!!
So, without further ado.... enjoy!

birth slideshow

Some things Never Change

I took this picture this weekend of Monkey Do and I was reminded, that yes, some things don't change. Thank goodness! I love it that this silly little rough and tumble boy LOVES his pink Easter bonnet. And yes, he still wears it, and occasionally sleeps in it. He has been known to wear it to church on more than 1 occasion, but whose counting?

However, he also ventured out and now wears other hats as well. He is an accessories kind of guy.

wearing his new hat from Santa ( I think he actually wore this for 6 days straight, even to bed!)

Wearing Daddy's father day gift from last year...


An all time favorite... the black top hat!


the cowboy hat


the bicycle helmet

another one of daddy's hats (notice the shoes with socks)

Not only does he enjoy wearing a hat but shoes and socks are a must for this little man. It's almost an obsession. If he is awake- he has them on. At naptime he cries because he has to take them off and when he wakes up, he cries until I get them back on him. Once their on, he tests them with a quick jump, then he's good to go.

in his Christmas p.j.'s

Uh-Oh!

Baby Bud seems to be in training! Hehe!

As a mommy, there are several little things my kids have held dear that I plan to keep. This Easter bonnet from the Target $1 bin is definitely one of them!

"Why" we LOVE Public Television

Super Why!

After rushing around the other morning to get the van loaded and Puddin to school, this is what I found. They all 5 spontaneously, sat quietly, transfixed on Super Why!

This should seal my mother of the year award!

Amazing!

Obsession??

Football
Baseball
Soccer
Golf
Tennis
Bowling
Basketball
If it involves a ball... he's in.
Monkey See may have an obsession?

Is that possible for a 2 year old?

Puddin Pop Love

These little sweetie's got Puddin Pop kids for Christmas and seem to really like them. I just love the sweet little faces on the girls as they snuggle their babies! Knowing they will read the verses and know that God loves them more than we can ever imagine makes me happy!

Thanks Melanie for sharing the sweet pictures! I'm so glad the girls liked their babies!

Do You Wanna Dance?

For as long as I can remember I knew if I had a little girl I would put her in dance class. It's something I always wanted to do but never was able to until I was older, and then, it kind of fizzled for me. I was in the basic class when all of my friends had danced forever. Anyway, I admit, I'm putting my own dreams on my child. For now at least. If there comes a day that she no longer wishes to dance then we won't go. But for now it's something she loves.

And let me say, there are many days I reconsider my whole "mydaughterisgoingtotakedanceidea".

Bud and Daisy in Mommy's lap while Puddin is in dance class.

Monkey See and Monkey Do wrestling on the floor of the foyer.


Mommy trying to carry on a conversation.

Like when it's cold. Or raining. Or I'm pregnant and have morning sickness (which I am not and do not have right now). Or I'm towing 2 extra kiddos in with me. Or I'm towing in 4 extra kids with me. Yeah- it's a lot of work.

I always wonder what we look like to other people....
Now I know.

Recently Kate captured some of our dance day moments. Mind you we have to wait 45 minutes in a foyer of an old home where her dance class is located. 45 minutes with two 2 year olds and 2 infants can seem like an eternity some days. Other days it goes quickly.

Monkey Do

Monkey See

On this particular day the parents could go back to the studio to observe- so I really wasn't going to miss it.

This shot shows mommy holding Bud in a sling, Daisy in my left arm, Monkey Do in my lap and Monkey See hanging on my back all while holding the video camera in my right hand... yes, I am a multi-tasker!! Funny- now that I see it, it makes me a little tired. But at the time I was just in the moment and it's a normal part if our day so I didn't really think about it.

Anyway, I did it all so I could see this...

And this!!
If you ask me, it was all worth it!

My, how time flies

January '08

January '09

January '10

It's hard to believe how much they have changed!! (And how GIGANTIC their feet have become!) My baby boys are becoming big boys before my very eyes!
I love these little Monkeys.
(I just noticed in each of the pictures Monkey Do is on the left and Monkey See is on the right- and I just realized that is how they are usually placed- funny!)
We had a dentist appointment today. Another checkup. They were so brave. Puddin was not. DRAMA. I spent so much time holding her hand and calming her down, I looked over and Monkey See was already in the chair getting his teeth cleaned!
They both did great! Puddin finally overcame her "fears" and stopped crying, as we were leaving and she carried out 2 magic wands. Magic wands apparently make everything better.
Oh- Bud and Daisy- yes, they were with us and just the best babies as usual. They sat in their stroller and watched all of the Puddin drama. Poor things had a front row seat! Bud finally had enough and started to cry but Monkey Do came to his rescue and made baby Bud happy again.
I am so blessed.
Have a happy day!