It's been a long time since I've posted anything on my page but the last weeks
have proved that this is an appropriate title for my page.
Between "dead
beat dad issues,"  and other family member issues raising six and seven kids
seems to be a breeze.  But I do believe this life is a journey, and we are
constantly learning on this journey, and I'm definitely learning this week.

Don't know if you know, but not only do I have seven kids, I'm one of seven
kids.  I've always treated my youngest siblings more like children then siblings
and loved them as such, but maybe that's where I went wrong. 
... Now that me and my youngest sister are not getting
along, I kind of feel like a mother who has lost her child.  Of course I won't
get into the details, but at this point I'm so upset I will say that it's
because I don't get along with her husband. 
I watch this on Dr. Phil, all
the time, where parents don't like their child's spouse, but I have to learn
that it's not for me to like him, it's her that has to like him.  And I'm okay
with that.  So it's time that I cut the cord.  My sister is not my child, she's
grown and can do what she wants.  But I can't watch, and don't want to.  I'm
sure at this point she's okay with that too. 
It's sad when you feel like
you loose a family member, or in my case when it feels like someone has snatched
them away.  Just because he wanted a family, he had to come and snatch mine
away, but I digress.  The situation really sucks, and I hope that in time, me
and my sister will be okay.  But I do know that we can both be very stubborn. 
So I will just say to my sister who I loved like a child her whole life,

"Love you, and always will!"  But for now, it will be from afar.

Hey all, been missing everyone, I've been so busy I haven't had
time to post, but my nerves are so bad, I've been needing to. 

Sooo,
lots of things going on, I've been baking cupcakes, became a Mary Kay
consultant, and finally got Mason out of our bed!!!   Woopee!  So this is how it
happen.  Last Saturday, Bobby and I were in desperate need for some private
time, but every few minutes someone was knocking on the door.  So finally we
said that's it!  "Mason, you're going to have to sleep in your own bed!"  Oh my
gosh, he screamed and cried.  Bobby and I stayed in his room to try to get him
to stay.  We watched Spiderman and his amazing Friends and X-men while we sat in
there.  Finally around 1:45 he fell asleep, and we went to bed.  He got up a
couple of hours later and we m...ade him sleep on the couch in our room.  The next day
and since then, he's been laying on his spiderman couch next to my side of the
bed.  He gets up every couple of hours, trying to scoot up next to me, but I've
been standing strong and not letting him in.  Hopefully we can get him out of
our room completely soon, but we're taking baby steps.  I can't tell you though,
how nice it is to sleep in the bed with only one baby instead of three.  Malachi
hasn't been in our bed either.  He comes in and gets on our couch but at least
it's not in our bed.  So now, it's just me, Bobby and Max, which gives us a lot
more space.

As far as being a Mary Kay consultant, I'm really excited
about that too.  I started using the skin care again, and my skin is looking so
much better.  They have this lip mask that I've been using, and I don't even
need chapstick anymore.  I'm not going to say much about Mary Kay right now, but
everyone keep it on your mind, because I'll be getting to you about it
eventually. 

My cupcakes are coming along too.  Once I get that going
good, I'll let you all know what's so special about them.

Anyway, I
won't stay along too long next time.  Tomorrow I have to go talk to an after
school teacher who hasn't been very nice to Malachi.  I've already talked to the
head teacher, but nothing has changed so I'll let you all know how that goes. 
Whooo, I tell you, a mother's work is never gone.  Talk to you all
soon.

 For those of you who really know me, you know that I am no fan to change.  I've had
the same cell phone number and been with Sprint for 15 years because I'm no good
at change.  This dislike for change is what led me back to the Hilltop YMCA. 
After I had Marcus (15), I became a member, and continued to be a member until
he was about 7 or 8.  Then it got to be too expensive ($54 a month), so I
started working out at my parents' house.  My dad has a really good treadmill
and bike.  Just recently about three months ago, I decided I was ready to get
back into the gym, so I went back to the YMCA now $81 a month.  I haven't gone
as much as I would like, but have made a conscious effort to really be
consistent in going.  That being said.
I'm there this morning, a...fter the most hectic hour of my day, (getting the kids
ready and taking them to school).  I had my ear phones on and was feeling some
old "Amerie," this was the CD that came out around the time Bobby and I first
started dating, it was bringing back some great memories, so you know I was in
there feeling it.    I might have been singing a little, but not more than a
loud whisper.  The guy working there comes to me and taps me on my shoulder,
mind you I'm on the treadmill and he surprised me.  He says, "can you lower it
down a little?"  I said, "Me? oh my gosh, I thought I was lip syncing," honestly
I didn't know I was that loud and I apologized.  But what I didn't like is what
he said next.  "No, I can hear you all the way in my office, and everyone else
in hear can hear you too." "Excuese me?" is what I was thinking to myself.  
Mind you, most people were wearing ear phones, the other people were elderly, so
I get it, maybe I was too loud, but his smart "alec" comment wasn't necessary. 
But it got me thinking.  Maybe it's time for a change.  I'm only 35 years
"young," do I really want to work out in a "senior citizen" atmosphere? 
Additionally, do I want to continue pay a whopping $81 dollars a month to have
another employee put a damper on the only 35 min to an hour of peace and a
relief from stress that I have?  I'm really considering changing gyms, and it's
kind of a shame, I have such fond memories of that YMCA when my older kids were
young, but everything changes.  YMCA certainly has in the 7 years I was gone. 
So maybe it's time for me to change too.

 Hi Everyone, wow, it has been a hectic week with kids and
work.  I was in court two times this week and last week, trying to figure out
lunches and snacks, should we pack or buy?  Trying to get kids back and forth,
here and there.  We had a birthday yesterday, (Mason turned 4), it's just been
absolutely crazy.  But what really had me going was the question of "is my
husband really fixed?"
Most of you know that I had a hard pregnancy and an
emergency C-section with our youngest Maximillian, (16 months).   It was because
of this that my husband stepped up and "took one for the team," and got a
vasectomy.  That was great, it meant that I didn't have to get a more difficult
procedure in getting my tubes tied.  Since then my "friend," (menstrual cycle)
has been coming ever...y
28 days on the DOT!  Not this month.  On the 29th day I was on the internet
researching how reliable a vasectomy really was, and I was terrified after all
the information I read.  Women, were getting pregnant left and right, and even
years after their husbands got vasectomies.  I also read that up to 1% of men
who get vasectomies aren't completely sterile. I couldn't believe it.  Could I
be pregnant?  I couldn't imagine having another baby at this point in my life.

I had to tell Bobby how I was feeling. I asked him what we would do if I
was pregnant again?  The look on his face, (lol).  I was really nervous, I mean
of course if it was meant to be, we would just have to deal with it, but I
didn't even want to think about tipping 200 pounds on the scale again, breast
feeding again, we just got Max to start sleeping in his bed part of the night. 
Mason still sleeps with us all night, and Malachi comes in our room in the
middle of the night and sleeps on a little couch.  Thinking about adding another
kid to that had me going crazy. 
The 30th day came, and by then I was
convinced it was happening.  We were going to have another baby.  We were going
to have to buy all new baby clothes since we have finally gotten rid of the ones
we had for the last four kids.  I was convinced I was getting ready to gain
another 30 pounds, hopefully it wouldn't be another 60 pounds.  And
then........................it came.
  My friend arrived, I sent a text to Bobby letting him know that our friend had
arrived and he responded,"woo hoo."  lol, It was a good day, in the midst of "My
Crazy Life."

My
Vegas Trip!
Bobby, my husband and I went to Vegas over the weekend.  This
was our third time going this year.  We went in January for New Years, we went
in June with four of our seven kids, and then just this labor day weekend.  And
although I had a great time all three times, Vegas has seem the last of me for a
while. 

I was feeling a little discouraged thinking that I might be
too old for Vegas, but realized that I'm just to "grown and sexy" for Vegas,
lol.  I guess that's better than thinking I'm to old.

... We arrived on Thursday, and had dinner a Wolfgang
Puck's restaurant in the Crystals Mall.  Good food, but it was like an
overpriced California Pizza Kitchen.  On Friday, our friends arrived, we had
dinner at Maestros which was wonderful.  If you have never been you have to go. 
They have the best Pomegranite Martinis.  After dinner we went to Crown at the
Rio, that's a night club, and it's also when the realization hit me.  What the
heck am I doing here with these little kids grinding all over each other.  It
was really a funny site, but Bobby and I danced for a good hour, and then I
realized something else, my feet were swollen.  That has never happened to me. 
My feet look like a nine month pregnant woman who ate a container of salt the
night before.  It was really bad.  And a sign of my "grownness" lol.


Saturday was another good day.  We slept in until 10a.m., that's something that
never happens at home, our kids never let that happen.  We had breakfast, did a
little gambling and hung out.  It was a perfect day.  Later that night we went
to Pure, that's another nightclub.  Our friends new someone at Pure, and I felt
like Royalty walking through without waiting in line, while others looked at us
like, "who are they?"  lol  It was packed in there though, another scene of
close to naked girls grinding and dancing.  Bobby and I left after one shot of
yager for me and patron for him.  We gambled some more and then went back to the
room at about 3.  We also got to use that two person tub, but that's a different
post!

The next day was yesterday and time to come home.   We had so
much fun with our friends, it's hard to find other couples who you can really
enjoy spending time with, but we have em'. 

What happens in Vegas, I
guess stays in Vegas, unless you're talking about swollen feet, in which case,
and in my case, you bring those home with you.

Viva Las
Vegas!

 
I don't know about you, but I wish I could win
the lottery so that money would not be an issue for us.  Then all my time could
be dedicated to just serving God and my family.  I would love being home 5 days
a week with my kids instead of just two.  But we do what we have to do.  (I do
have a point.)

Anyway, if you're like me, and you wish you could stay
home with your kids, and you feel bad about the fact that you can't, well my
story will probably make feel worse. 
...
So,
I'm standing in the living room with 3 of my six boys, and the 7 yr. old and the
almost six year old are playing with a ball and Makennan (7) says.  "I wish I
had two moms."  "What?" I respond very confused about why he would want two
moms.  He goes on to say, "one to work, and one to spend time with us." 


My heart sank.  Then Malachi (almost 6) joins in.  "but I want you to be
the mom that spends time with us." 

How do you respond to that?  I
certainly don't know, all I said was, "awh, guys."  I wanted to say "thanks for
making me feel like crap guys,"  but I kept that to myself.

I'll make
sure to spend some extra quality time with them, so that they'll be okay with
just one mom, me.

I went to a Mocha Moms convention, which happened
to be in Vegas, "my favorite place!"  One of the many great speakers was Amy
Chua, the author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.  She spoke about the
differences in parenting styles between the Western Civ. and Eastern Civ. 


Anyway, after her presentation, I made a conscious decision to make some
changes in my own life in regards to parenting my kids. 
...
What I was doing before-
My kids always
would ask permission to do something or go somewhere or if someone could come
over at the last minute.  They would badger me and badger me until I said "ok
fine!"  After I would feel upset and so filled with anxiety because I let them
do something I really didn't want them to do, or I would have to reschedule
plans I already had to get them where they wanted to be.  I would have an
attitude which Bobby would get the grunt of.  Since Amy Chua, I started making
changes.

What I do now-
We now have a new rule when it comes to
making any type of requests.  First, requests have to be made at least 24 hours
in advance, no more calling me from school and asking to go to a friends house
after school.  No more, "can my friend come over today," while the friend is
standing right there.  Second, no request after 7p.m., by that time I'm tired,
and I don't want to be bugged and badgered after a long day. 
So far it's
been working well, and my anxiety level has gone from 100 to about 60. 


Try it, it really works, but know that if you adopt this rule in your
house, you have to be consistent with it or else the change won't happen.  But
if you do stick with it, pretty soon, your kids will start asking days in
advance, events will be planned out and organized, and you will feel a lot
better about letting your kids do the things they want to do.

Good Luck
and Happy Parenting! 
"Roar"

 
I'm an attorney, but more importantly I'm married to
a wonderful man and I am the mother of 7 kids. Many are surprised by that number
as big families are no longer the American norm. The first question I'm always
asked is, "Are they all yours?" Well yeah, I take care of all of them, but I
think the real question people want to ask is "Did you have all those kids." The
answer to that would be no. My eldest child is my 17 year old daughter, and I
got her when I married my husband, but the next six, which are all boys, came
out of my tummy. The ages are 15, 13, 7, almost 6, almost 4, and 16 months. It
gets pretty hectic, and stressful around here, but overall I'm having a great
time living "My Crazy Life...!"


I'm creating this page as a form of therapy I guess. I can vent, and then
be able to laugh at some of the things that are going on, and maybe offer some
advice to those who are going through similar situations as I encounter in my
daily Crazy Life. Others will be able to share the same types of Crazy Life
examples. We'll laugh and possibly cry together, and then hopefully realize that
our lives just aren't that Crazy after all!

Welcome!