Love Notes

Addi is getting so good at writing and loves to leave 'Love Notes' all over the house for people.  Here are two I found yesterday, one attached to my computer and the other one was a picture of her, me and the baby (in my arms).  So sweet.

Run Like Hell

We woke up real early this morning to strap on our running shoes and RUN LIKE HELL!!!!  This was Will's first 5k, my first 5k post baby Kenedi, and Addi's first Kids' run.  WoWee...the first 1.5 miles of this race was uphill and after about 500 feet I think Will was rethinking his desire to run the 10k.  We had a great time, finished strong (with Addison joining us for the last 20 feet or so) and will definitely be sore tomorrow.  Will says he won't run another race again, but I have other plans....He kept getting angry with me during the race because I'd say 'let's run to the light post' then we'd get to the light post and I'd tell him to 'look over there' and then we'd keep running....past the light post  I'm tricky like that.  By the end, he was not buying it.  By the time he got in the car he says to Rob 'They call it Run like Hell because it is Hell.'  That about sums it up.

sisters!

Funny how fast things change in 5 years!

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She's BAAACCKKKK!

Two weekends ago a good friend of ours arrived in town....

She's BAACCKKK!  Oh what fun Junie B Jones is.  I wish she was our neighbor and that I could sit down and talk with her and have fun little conversations with her.  But then I remember she is a fictional character that lives in a book and I get a little sad and then I get happy because at least I can read about her over and over!  

So it preparation for the event I grabbed two copies of Jingle Bells Batman Smells (ps so does May) from the library and away we read.  Such fun books and little characters.  Addi read a few pages of her book each night and her way of reading is hilarious.  She yells from her bed out loud as loud as she can.  When you walk by her room, she just looks up and smiles likes it no big deal.  She just finished the book tonight and was so proud to put a chapter book under her belt!

Here's all of the kids lined up at the theatre

I'm layin' stink bombs all over this house!

These words have never been said in our house and yet this is how Will describes his gassy nature last night! Boys!!!

Today I am thankful for...

1.  Fall Mornings that warrant at least 2 cups of coffee (and a baby that doesn't mind it so  much)
2.  My minivan (the MV for short) that can haul around a zillion kids and all of their stuff without batting an eye.  It may not look pretty but darn is it functional!  I pulled up to the gas station a few nights ago to fill up after soccer practice and the young 19 year old attendant said 'got plans for the night' ...he was just being polite because I had 5 kids in a minivan.  I looked at him and looked back at my car and he says 'oh...you're doing the soccer mom thing huh?'  Bless his heart.  One day he will have a minivan and love it too.
3.  That Kenedi is somewhat getting on a schedule.  She's only up once at night for a feeding which is perfect and she sleeps in long enough to get everyone else ready and out the door.  She took her first nap yesterday in her crib which was happy and sad.  Happy because I put her down and had two free arms to work with and sad because that is one less nap in my arms all cuddly and warm.  
4.  Yard maintenance folks.  I met with one last night and he's coming over in a week to do a major yard clean up.  I just can't find the time to get out there a fill green yard debris cans these days.  Don't get me wrong, I love doing it, but when it's dark by 6 and soccer is every night, there just isn't time.  He suggested waiting another week so more leaves could fall....I like his style. 
5.  Pumpkin patch visits!  And the great pictures that will follow.
6. Cute family pictures and inspiring blog posts about how best to display them.
7.  That my kids are in schools that they love.  I haven't always felt this way about Will and now he's at a school that he loves and you can just see it every time I drop him off and pick him up.  This is such a better feeling than the battle that used to happen every morning.  

50 ways to leave your clutter

I could have names this post 'Please don't freak out mom...I'm am not throwing away everything in my house and my children will still have a toy to play with and a book to read (maybe ever TWO if they are good!).

But really, I struggle with clutter all the time.  Just sitting here at the computer desk I think of closets that I'd like to clean out and organize and shelves that need decluttering.  Every time I do, I ask myself, how in the hell do I clean all the time and there is still more stuff.  I don't get it.  I like clean, neat, tidy and clear.  Clear is very important to me.  And yet, every surface has stuff.  I've gone through varing stages in my life of working to cut down on clutter.

First I moved all bills electronically so that I did not have to sort through mail.  Then we paid off all of our credit cards so that we don't have to even see those bills ANYWHERE.  Then I put out a Goodwill box right by the door so that I could drop things in there everyday that we no longer needed.  Then I started throwing away 20 things a day (this is the part where my mom freaked).  Then I did the closet thing where you get ride of everything you haven't worn in a year...except here's the thing...I can't.  I have jeans from 10 years ago.  HUH?!  and a dress that I wore once to a wedding (paid $14 at Ross for it so it's not like I paid a fortune for it) and can't bear to let go.  I've also done yard sales, consignment sales, donated clothes, passed along my children's clothes, and still..there is clutter.  

What is it about the rational mind vs the emotional one?  I haven't a clue.  Here's what I do know though....Clutter will overtake a kid occupied home in the blink of an eye and us moms have to work the night shift just to keep up with it all.  

So in my quest for infinite wisdom on the topic of decluttering, I found this article this morning and fell in love.  I printed it out and taped it to my kitchen cabinet (does that count as more clutter?) so that I could read it in my spare seconds...cause who's kidding there are no spare minutes anymore!

Here's the list....

50 Ways to Leave Your Clutter

1. Empty one box from your storage space.
2. Donate one box from your storage space without looking inside.
3. Hide something.
4. Put a box near a door that you can easily place things to donate.
5. Read Joshua and Ryan’s new book for extra inspiration.
6. Designate one surface as completely clutter free.
7. Open your mail before you come in the house.
8. Don’t leave anything on your counter tops that you don’t use frequently.
9. List your books on Paperback Swap
10. Sell your gold.
11. Give meaningless jewelry away.
12. Choose one winter hat. Donate the rest of them to a homeless shelter.
13. If there is exercise equipment you haven’t used in 90 days, use it or list it on Freecycle
14. Give pots and pans away that you never use, even if they are part of a set.
15. Check out Project 333 and dress with less.
16. Stop comparing. You don’t need everything they have.
17. Let go of sentimental items.
18. Stop shopping sales.
19. Opt out of junk mail.
20. Don’t buy something you don’t want to get something free that you don’t need. (aka stay away from the make-up counters)
21. Figure out where to donate your stuff.
22. Give away holiday decorations that you don’t use this year. Next year, you won’t remember what you gave away.
23. Conquer your junk drawer.
24. Have one last yard sale.
25. Hire a truck to pick up whatever doesn’t sell at the yard sell.
26. If you don’t have a CD player, get rid of your CDs.
27. If you get rid of your CDs, you can dump your cassette tapes too.
28. Don’t worry about keeping things just in case.
29. Copy your favorite recipes from cookbooks and get rid of the books.
30. Don’t buy stuff to store your stuff.
31. Hang with like minded people.
32. Stop getting organized.
33. Set gift giving expectations with friends and family.
34. Decide what you will take with you when you leave.
35. Stop attaching stuff to the people that gave it to you.
36. Get ready to move to a much smaller space.
37. Live on a boat.
38. Clean off the outside of your refrigerator.
39. Just use one.
40. Leave your kitchen cabinet doors open for 48 hours.
41. Spend time with people who don’t have enough.
42. Don’t send lengthy email messages.
43. Pick up an object and ask these questions. “Do I use this?” “Do I love this?” If the answer is no, let it go.
44. Start a volunteer project with your gift giving friends and agree that your gift to each other and the world this holiday season will be love and time.
45. Enjoy your newfound time and space.
46. Clear your work space of anything you aren’t using that day.
47. Instead of adding a task to your to do list, just do it.
48. If it’s broken, fix it.
49. Remember, if you aren’t happy being clutter free, you can buy everything back.
50. Put people before stuff. Every time.

jackpot!

Have you ever spent hours at a game at the arcade hoping to win the jackpot? Have you ever had your sister walk up to the same machine and win 300+ tickets? Have your parents ever told you 'some day....some day' and you didn't believe them?

Well this is for all you non believers... Last weekend we went to John's Amazing Pizza (aka....get out your wallets mom and dad and SPEND!!!!). which is like Chuck E Cheese on crack. They have 4 buffet places and six themed rooms for dining...stop there you might say....but no...there is also the largest arcade arena you have ever seen and amusement park rides like the Twister (which I refuse to go on ever since 7th grade when I threw up on the Octopus at Oaks Park. No Bueno). So yeah...it's like Chuck E Cheeses gone mad.

Well last weekend the stars aligned just right for Will and things fell into place and he stepped up to his favorite game and in 3 tries he hit the JACKPOT! The look on the kids' face was amazing....it was like shock, awe, surprise, redemption, coolness, all those wrapped up in one. And then he did what every good winner does, be took a victory lap. Right there in Chuck E Cheese on crack he took a lap running. He was smokin' thrilled. And then he watched 450 some odd tickets get added to his magic card. And that folks is why you should never stop believing...just like Journey told us.

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Banana Blueberry bread

This is yummy....

http://designerbagsanddirtydiapers.blogspot.com/2011/07/blueberry-banana-bread.html

Fall Family Pics 2011

Family Pictures here

We had so much fun getting these done.  Kids were great and we got to cruise around the Edgefield.  Love how they turned out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

random...

Baby girl outfits are too C.U.T.E!  We are so lucky to have friends that have good taste that handed down lots of cute girls clothes!  I'm thinking of an outfit a day picture....

Kenedi spends most of her days like this: 

binky in mouth, swaddled super tight and a hat on.  She LOVES to suck on her pinky and I'm thinking that soothies should come in pink instead of just blue.  She also is more content with a hat on her head (it also keeps her asleep longer)  and she LOVES to be swaddled....tight and cuddly. 

 Addi loves to 'hold' Kenedi ... a term used loosely to describe the jostling of Kenedi from arm to arm.  She is also growing an affection for reading to Kenedi.  Tonight she pulled out Little Women and started from page one.  She got through one page in 8 minutes and it was so cute to listen to.

After everyone goes to bed...Kenedi and I do this...snuggle on the couch and take pictures!

She's obviously not aware of the self portrait pose necessary for such poses!

and every once in awhile, just when I think she is growing BIG...I catch a glimpse of her in my arms in the mirror and remember just how teeny, tiny babies are.  And remember that that is what makes them so darn fun.  

Love this girl!

Weekend Wrap up (from last weekend!)

Why oh why is it so hard for me to stay on top of writing?!  Too many things being juggled right now!  I need Erin to do a 30 day challenge that I can jump on board with...Erin? Erin?  

Last weekend we had our first family photo shoot as a family of FIVE.  I was naive in thinking that it would be nice and sunny for the last weekend of September....and it was...except for on Sunday during our photo shoot.  It was RAINY!  Oh well...nothing captures the start of fall like rain.  We had so much fun at The Edgefield and showed the kids all the little photo places that we had wedding pictures taken at.    Will even duplicated our ceremony location + kiss for us.

I am so excited to see the pictures even though I'm still holding on to a bit extra around the waist post baby.  Oh well!  After the official photo shoot we took a few photos of the kids.  

Addi picked out his umbrella at Old Navy that morning when we were frantically looking for clothes that fit everyone!

 Will was WAY interested in the glass blowing house which was super fun.  There were two glass blowers and they are so talented!  It amazes me that trade professions like this still exist...

We walked through all of the secret passages ...finding ourselves in a few weddings here and there.

 Rob made mommy and daddy happy with some hand crafted beer...it was Oktoberfest weekend so we had to celebrate!

 Will found trees to climb...

And paths to run on...

And more trees...

 I love the gardens out here.  So pretty!

Cute picture only slightly distorted with the peace sign that seems to plague most 7 year old boys.

Addi got some Daddy Love. 

After the events of the afternoon, we headed to Walmart and Kenedi and I sat in the car. First she was happy and then, with her cute bow that I made perched on her head, she got very mad.