What's Up Wednesday

So what's up with you?

If you have been in my community, you will know that I recently discussed a weekly writing schedule. Life has been very hectic lately and I really need the structure. First order of business was needing a small break. I unlugged from Twitter and blogging over the weekend and focused on my family, housework and considering future content.

My schedule is as follows:

• Sunday Stalker - Where I am going to do link love to my favorite posts of other bloggers from the past week
• My Take Monday - Opinion Post on products, news, whatever
• PhoTuesday - Photo post
• What's Up Wednesday - A recap of what's been going on in my household
• Thursday Trade Off - Guest Post
• Friday - 5 Question Friday & Macro Friday (the memes I participate in)
• Second Look Saturday - Where I revive an old post or rewrite an old post idea.

Hopefully it will be a method to my madness.

So since this is What's Up Wednesday...

This past weekend we spent time unpacking the garage so I could finally park my van inside. Woo-Woot! We stopped unpacking because it was day after day of upper 90s to 110 degrees and I just couldn't handle working in it. The weather has turned to this side of heaven and so we were able to work out there.

Then my mom had a birthday so my parents, sister and family all came over for a birthday cookout. I was in charge of the cake and had seen instructions for Chocolate Leaves. This is where you gather leaves, wash them, paint with melted chocolate, peel leaf off and produce a chocolate impression of the leaf. First of all, you need to know your plants before undertaking this project. Poison Sumac while it has a beautiful leaf, should not be used for this. TRUST ME! After I got done with the Calamine lotion, I went on to create about 30 something leaves and only had a handful turn out. Here is what they looked like. Not too bad and hopefully it has inspired you to try it. Just be sure and know your poisonous plant species before undertaking this.


After we did some serious grilling and cake eating, we went and played a game of football in the back 40. Fun times unless you have manicured nails (so I have heard...I wouldn't know) The birthday girl showed that she could still throw a decent spiral even if she was born before football was invented. Happy Birthday MOM! I learned that my sister is a wicked mean football player and watched over and over as she tried to drill her husband. I'm thinking there was some pent up anger there, but nobody had to go to the ER so it's all good.

In other news, Bitsy has learned to crawl up the stairs. I have looked high and low for the gate connector thing-a-magie pieces, but it appears that they have been lost in the move. She is going today for a well baby checkup. She's been growing in leaps and bounds so I am anxious to see what she weighs!



The other two girls are just fine and still enjoying life in the country. There has been a lot of improvement of Buzz's speech and Belly is talking very well, much better than Buzz. It's kind of sad to watch little sister pass up big sister in speech, but I think it is actually helping Buzz's speech delay to have the competition of little sister being so easily understood. Buzz is in heaven right now because we had another stray dog show up at the house. This time I called each neighbor individually to see who she might belong to and there were no takers. She is a little Dachshund mix and can amazingly jump onto furniture that is 5X bigger than she is. It's like me being able to effortlessly jump onto my roof. Anyways, her name is Nacho...as is Nacho dog. Just a reminder to not get too attached in case an owner does show up.

So that's "What's Up Wednesday"...what's up with you?

Welcome To Crazy Town, I Am The Mayor

This past weekend was crazier than a Chihuahua peeing on a Bulldog's house. It started on Friday when my sister dropped off her three kids to spend the night. I adore my nieces and nephew, but combining them with my kids is like those baking soda volcanoes you make in Science class. It's loud, explosive and bound to be a little messy.

Around this time we also got a call to show the house three times that day (I may or may not have good news about this ;) )with the first showing being within 30 minutes of the call. I have discovered that having older children is very handy when you have a bunch of things to get done at once. I got out my whip and lion tamer's chair and put them to work getting the baby ready, leash on the dog and clean some glass. I was trying to get all the kids out of the house, the husband and the dog; when the first viewers were on the front porch.
Since we had to be gone from the house for about 4 hours, we decided to drive up to The Dream House and look around the property. It's about a hour trip and let me tell you...6 kids, 2 adults and a dog in a minivan is not conducive to The Sobriety Wagon. Once we got there and everyone had their legs stretched and wiggles out; we got back in the van and looked for somewhere to eat. I preferred somewhere with a drive through trough and an interior car wash...but we settled for some burgers and fries. Holy Cow...preteens can put away some food! As we were starting to pull out of the driveway, our dog flipped out.

He jumped around the crowded van and ended up getting his leash caught around Buzz. It took picking him up and almost choking him to death to get the two unraveled. Buzz got some nice bruises from the incident (the kind that you don't want to take her out in public because of what someone might think) The Head Crayon got a fingernail ripped off and there was some biting going on. I believe all 6 children were screaming at some point, dog barking, husband shouting orders and me...I was making some kind of weird instinct whimpering. There ended up being blood everywhere and one of my nieces took to being the Florence Nightingale of the group and passing out bandages to the wounded soldiers.

We got home and everyone had to take their baths. I stood outside the bathroom door doing something that I swore I would never do.

You got 5 minutes, soap it off and get out!

Bedtime was an interesting affair as everyone wanted to sleep (insert weird typing format...so sorry!)
on the special bounce bounce bed (blow up mattress) Once it was decided who would sleep where, the whole house got really quiet and I finally took a breath.

I am Mayor of Crazy Town.

BTW...I am having a giveaway.
Does this strike your fancy? Click the giveaway tab

Another Baby To Love

So you are thinking that perhaps you want another baby. Maybe the "New Baby Scent" just wore off your youngest one. Maybe you find yourself sitting in your rocker missing the cuddles of an infant. Maybe you are wandering to the baby section in the clothing store looking at the tiny pinks and blues. Maybe your heart just tells you that your family isn't complete.

But then you start feeling unsure. Is it wrong to want another baby? Does it mean you aren't happy with what you have? Will you have enough time? Will you have enough love?

I see this conversation between my friends and I have had it myself. So I ask you this (barring of course that your financial and emotional situation are stable) if it is on your heart and mind to have another child, what is holding you back?

Does it mean you aren't happy with what you have? Of course we see people with one or two more of the same sex and it's just assumed that if they are wanting another baby that they automatically want one of the opposite sex. I can honestly say that when I see these families (me being one of them) that another child born healthy to love is all that they really want. Sure, if you have dealt with only pink and lace; you might want some blue and airplanes. But really...if your heart wants another child does it really matter?

Will you have enough time? I have learned that having 3 children requires not much more time from me than just 1 child did. O.K...O.K...so it takes a little longer to get everyone dressed and out the door. But the amount of time I spend in "child custody" is no different. Reading a book...same amount of time; we just sit in a semi circle instead of sit in the rocker. Eating dinner...same amount of time; I just have cold food by the time I have cut everyone's food into bite sized pieces. Play time...same amount of time; we just buy the bulk construction paper and the huge boxes of crayons. Cuddle time...same amount of time; although I find it increasingly more satisfying to cuddle two or more children at the same time and get double the hugs and kisses.

Will you have enough love? It seemed when I looked at my oldest daughter that I couldn't ever love a child more that her. Then the strangest thing happened...it was like The Grinch when his heart grew...it does just that. It grows to accommodate no matter how many children you have. The heart is not hung up on numbers to service, it's totally made out of elastic

So, my friends...to those who are wanting another baby to love. What's holding you up? To those friends of mine who are past the point of another baby to love, my heart truly aches for you. I will one day be in your shoes and I can only pray that I handle it with the grace that each of you has shown. I can't imagine anything more devastating than to want to love something that will never be.

As for me, right now...I still have one with a "New Baby Scent" so I am good....for now.