One of my favorite Blogs

themattwalshblog.com

If you have not yet read his blog, you must. He clearly loves his wife and his twins. He has an opinion on just about everything. I just thoroughly enjoy reading what he has to say. I may not always agree with everything he says but he makes good points and has some comedy in there. Hope you enjoy.

Twins!

These little people are just so much fun! I haven't posted about them in a while, I figured now is as good as ever. They get older on the 6th of every month, so soon they will be 10 months old. I cannot believe that it has been that long already. It seems like yesterday they were born. 

For the last 9 1/2 months I have been tested to my limits. I have endured more crying, poopy diapers and sickness than a mother should. I have gone days without showering and only did shower when it started to get bad. I haven't cut my hair in almost 2 years. Last time I got a pedicure was at Mother's Day. I have stopped wearing make-up except for on Sundays. I sleep on average about 4 hours a day. I have more gray hair than I care to mention. I have consumed more Dr. Pepper than I should. 

Despite all of that, I am so blessed these two nuggets chose me to be there mommy. They are so sweet. They love to laugh and cuddle. They think everyone in their family is hilarious. They love to eat big people food. They think they are big enough to stand and crawl every where. They love music. I can calm them down by singing to them very close to their ear. They prefer to sleep in their beds. 

Just in the past week, they have started interacting with one another, especially in their highchairs. It is the most darling thing to watch.

Logan just cut his 5th tooth and Savannah cut her 2nd and 3rd. They love to show them off by smiling with the biggest cheesy smile. They both have killer blue eyes.(I am definitely preparing myself for when they get older and have boyfriends/girlfriends.)

Having twins is very hard but very rewarding all at the same time. Watching them grow and develop is so fun as they develop their own personalities but also rely on one another. They have a bond that us singletons will never understand. 

It is time for us to baby proof the apartment. Like Phil says in Daddy Day Care "Let's get baby gate crazy". They are on the move and so curious about everything they can see. 

If any of you other moms out there have multiples I would love to hear your experiences. Being a mom of multiples (MoMs) is such a unique experience that I never thought would be mine but can't imagine it not. 

Gossiping!

I hate this topic but it has been on my mind for quite some time now and I figured I would put some words down, at least for me to go back to whenever I get the feeling to gossip.

How do I start? 
Let's just say I hate it. Gossiping does nothing for anyone, especially the people that are being slandered. It breaks hearts and creates anger. It causes hurt and seclusion. It can go as far as causing depression, anxiety, and suicide. To me it is a form of bullying. 

Why do we do it?
Insecurities? Maybe we feel threatened. Maybe we are just a bully. Perhaps we have been gossiped about and it is the only way that we can think of to get back at that person. Do we really need friends that bad, that we feel we need to talk about others to make us look cool? (the people listening are just as at fault) There is no excuse for gossiping.

What happened to communication? Why is it so hard to confront that person whom you have a problem with and try to work it out instead of talk to any willing person that will listen. Not only are you hurting that person, you are creating an image for yourself to be someone that can't be trusted. That saying "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer" is absolutely ridiculous. Shame on all of us. If that saying were true in every day, do we really have friends? Or are we all enemies? 

I am a woman with few friends that I would call close. I can count them on my hand, you know the ones that you can call at the drop of a hat and would help you in any situation. I would say I am blessed to have that many. I also have a lot of acquaintances, the ones that you say Hi to and have small talk but would never think to cry in front of or ask to watch your kids. Believe it or not until about a month ago I had those two switched. I felt I had a lot of close friends and a few acquaintances. Boy was I wrong. I have learned who is there and who isn't. I have also learned that I don't need many friends. I have an incredible family that loves me no matter what and is there for me all the time. Growing up I tried to be the popular girl, and living in a small town it wasn't really hard. Everyone knew everyone and we all got along. It was awesome to have so many friends at school and church. Even into my twenties I enjoyed being surrounded by lots of people. That is not the case anymore. I prefer small groups even one on ones. I like the intimacy or getting to know someone and connect with them on a new level. 

Gossiping can cause that to go sour. We all deserve close friends even acquaintances. We deserve to know that people really care about us and love us. We deserve respect from others. 

How do we stop?
Come on, we all know how. We stop talking behind each others backs. If we are a part of it, stop it right then. Stand up to each other, don't listen. Don't even let the gossiper continue. We are grown adults for heavens sake. We have our own families full of our own stresses. Why do we even have time to bring someone else down? 

I have to say I am not perfect. I am ashamed to say Yes, I have been a part of gossiping in the past. Am I proud, NO. Am I trying to be a better woman and show my children how to love everyone? Yes. We can all try a little harder to be a little better. 

Like it says in Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

Rough Day

So many times I have wanted to give up. If it weren't for my children I might have already but I have 4 little people that need me and all of me. They are dependent on me for every aspect of their day. They need me to change them, feed them, play with them, tie their shoes, read to them, kiss their ouchies, solve riddles, answer knock-knock jokes, answer the same question 20 times, comb their hair, bathe them, brush their teeth, get them drinks, carry their bikes down the stairs, do their laundry, clean up their spills, turn the T.V. on, dance with them, snuggle them, hug them, sing to them, teach them and love them. 

AND IT IS HARD!!!!

Anyone that said being a mom is a piece of cake, can come to my house for the day and try it out. By no means am I a complaining. I chose this path, it is what I am meant to do. I am a mother. However, that doesn't mean that every day is butterflies and rainbows. No way, at our house we have some doozy of days and then we have some wonderful days filled with rainbows and butterflies. 

I am hear to say that it is OK to have those kind of days. This is not Stepford. We are not robots. We are human beings with emotions and feelings. We are supposed to have lazy days. We are allowed to be crabby. We are allowed to cry or scream. We can have days where we don't shower or even get out of our pajamas. We are allowed to have messy houses. We don't always have to have a 5 course dinner on the table. We are allowed to forget to wash off our make-up. We don't have to enroll our children into every extra-curricular class possible. We are allowed to make mistakes. Dang, we are not perfect, we were put on this earth to learn and be tested. 

I love being a mother. I love that I get to stay home and see all the firsts of my children. I am very lucky to be able to teach them myself, and see them get excited when they figure something out. I love the joy on their faces when they try something for the first time. My job is very important which is why it is important to not get down on myself for every little thing that might have gone wrong. My children won't remember when I forgot their lunch, they will remember the way I react. Do I want them to remember me being a spaz or lunatic mother that is so concerned with keeping the house clean or do I want to be remembered as the mother that always sat on the floor with us? The mother that let things go and didn't freak out? The mother that laughed and cried with us? Yes! That is how I want to be remembered. 

STOP comparing and beating yourselves up. You are doing a wonderful job. I am doing a wonderful job, I need to remember to tell myself that every once in a while. 

My favorite things!

It's that time again. Due to all the sickness that has been 

making it's way around our house I have 

come to realize all the little things I rely on every day

as well as the helpful aids I used for the sickies.

1. Ibuprofen for kids

this made a many nights of fevers, chills, ear infections 

and whatever else a little more bearable.

2. Disney Junior

when the littles just can't seem to find energy at 

least they can watch their favorite shows

3. Pedialyte

this saved us many nights from getting dehydrated

4. Footie Pajamas

the weather has changed and it is chilly plus being sick,

these were our choice of clothes for about a week.

5. Music

we have a CD player in the kids room.

this CD collection is on repeat and it plays them to

sleep every night. It's become part of their routine that they

remind me of it if I forget.

I am thankful our weeks of sickness are just about over. 

We can finally start to enjoy the outdoors and maybe even

play with friends. 

Mommy Rage

To the young man driving the grey Toyota on I-15,

You are an inconsiderate fool. You were driving like an greedy, selfish jerk. Traffic was very congested and you thought it be a good idea to change 2 lanes at a time to get in front of me? I am mother driving with 4 kids, you better believe I will put a fight. You make me slam on my brakes as well as swerve into the HOV lane (that had double lines, mind you). I'm not proud of my next moment but I was so mad and scared that the only thing I thought of was to raise the infamous middle finger at you. You then had the audacity to smirk at me.

For the next 15 minutes I watched you change lanes, swerve in and out of lanes and brake on a 5 lane highway more times than you would see in a car chase on a movie. I watched all the cars around us slam on brakes, and get scared just like I was.

What the heck were you thinking? Or were you not thinking? Do you have a death wish or are you that selfish and inconsiderate that you don't care? Either way I sure hope I don't run into you again. This momma is very protective of her cubs and if you caused anything to happen to them you will be seeing more than my finger.

Sincerely,

The crazy woman in the silver minivan

P.S. Did it feel good to never really get ahead of the pack.
         I mean, you were never more than 3 car links ahead of me. 

Tis' The Season..

To be sick. My poor family has been on and off sick for the last few months. As a mother it is one of the hardest times (at least for me). With each person added to the family I started to notice that the sickness stuck around a little bit longer and now that our family is the size of volleyball team the sickness doesn't leave.

I don't know about you but I hate when my littles are sick. They are so pitiful and don't understand what is wrong. They want to cry, or cuddle or lay on the floor, or scream, or not sleep at all. The last is my least favorite. I am sure as mothers/fathers, you can relate. It amazes me how I can function for weeks at a time with only taking "naps". I had a friend just post of FB that we should start being honest with ourselves and say "mommy is going to nap, not to bed because we don't sleep more than an hour or two at a time". I had to laugh because she is so right. 

Some things I have learned since dealing with all the sickies in my family is patience. I can't expect my children to behave the way they normally do. I don't expect them to eat the way I want them too. I don't expect them to be happy all the time. 

What I do expect is lots of snot. Lots of crying. Lots of wanting to drink juice. Lots of cuddling. Lots of medicine. (I should buy stock in nasal spray, ibuprofen, antibiotics and Tylenol.) Lots of whining because they don't know what is wrong. Lots of dirty clothes due to potty accidents. Lots of messy diapers. Lots of pajama wearing, TV watching lazy days. You know what, I don't mind any of these things as long as I am making a difference in their comfort. 

It is hard work taking care of sick littles so from one mother to another, hang in there. I understand what you are going through and you're doing a wonderful job. 

Things I have learned thus far from being a mother.

1. Dr. Pepper is Awesome!

2. All kids are different and I need to treat them that way.

3. Band-aids fix everything.

4. Boxes, Dishes and anything paper are the best toys.

5. My kids are smarter than I think.

6. When you think you're doing a horrible job and they aren't

learning a thing, you're wrong.

7. Daddy is great but Mommy fixes everything.

8. When they call my name I should respond immediately.

9. Playground time is necessary every day.

10. If they eat cereal for all 3 meals they'll be OK.

11. Their laughter takes away all my worries.

12. I can change a diaper in 30 seconds.

13. Music is good for the soul.

14. I am thankful for sleep and will never 

take it for granted again.

15. Pajamas are perfectly acceptable to wear all day.

16. Showers are overrated.

17. They just want to do everything I am doing

18. Bedtime stories are awesome!

19. Holidays have so much more meaning now.

20. I am capable of more than I thought.

21. Multitasking is an ART and 

I am a freaking artist. 

22. I am stronger than I think both physically and mentally.

23. Laundry never ends.

24. I need to be their biggest fan!

25. My phone is not important.

26. If I don't hear any noise, they're up to something.

27. I hate when my babies are sick.

28. Night time prayers are a must.

29. Dance parties are so much fun.

30. I don't have to have the radio playing in the car 

to enjoy the ride.

31. Doctors may not always be right, I need to trust my GUT!

32. Escalators are so NEAT!

33. Playing in leaves reminds me to be a kid!

34. Be a good citizen so your kids will want to be too!

I am so grateful I get to be a mother. Some days I am more grateful than others but everyday I am blessed to have these 4 little munchkins in my life. I know I will just keep learning new things and I am so excited for those experiences. 

Fall time=Cookies

These are seriously the easiest cookies to make. Today is the first

day I have ever made them and I love them. 

They are definitely going in my holiday list of cookies.

Ingredients:

1 box of spice cake mix

1 (15oz) can pumpkin

semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)

We prefer mini chips but you can use whatever.

Stir all the ingredients until it is creamy. Drop by spoonfuls onto a 

greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350.

So easy and delicious!!!

Enjoy!

LDS General Conference

I absolutely love this weekend. It is by far one of my favorite. The first weekend in October is special to us because in the LDS religion we get to listen to our Prophet and leaders speak to us. It is extra special to me because growing up we went to our church building to listen to it because it wasn't broadcast like it is today. Today we get to watch it on our computer, phone, tablet, T.V. or even on the radio. It is awesome to be able to sit in my living room with my wonderful family and hear the inspired leaders talk to us. 

If you would like to know more about the LDS religion, go here

Government Shutdown

I know this is a sticky situation and everyone has opinions on it so I will just state mine. This is scary. It makes me sick to my stomach to hear that the government shut down because they can't agree. What the heck? To me it seems selfish and childish. They are not just dealing with the people in Washington, they are dealing with millions/billions of peoples lives and well being. 

I have read only a few articles and only know what I have read but when I get a yucky feeling in the pit of my stomach I know it's not right. 

I have too many friends that are affected by this. Coming from the military and knowing how the military works, it frightens me to imagine what will happen to the workers on the bases. I have spoken to a few of my friends who were sent home today and won't be allowed back until this is over. Who knows how long that will be? NO one does. 

I realize it is smart to save money for these instances but what if that isn't possible? What if this lasts longer than it did in 1996. If it goes on the same amount of time of 21 days and isn't resolved, how will these people live? How will they pay their bills? Yes, it says they will get retro-pay but correct me if I am wrong but retro-pay doesn't pay bills today. 

It is definitely affecting my family too. See my husband is in school and being a veteran means we use the GI Bill. Well, that money hasn't come in yet and we don't even know if it will. That is a chunk of money that was going to help us survive while he is in school so he can focus on studies and not have to work as much. It is not fun having to sit and wait and hope. 

I know the whole country is sitting and hoping. I hope the guys in D.C. can stop the bull and figure it out. I pray that they will be able to set aside their own issues and think of the greater good. I pray that their hearts will be soften and they will be able to lead this country the way it should be led. I hope and pray with everything I have that no one will go without because of this. I can't imagine all the people that will be struggling because of it. I hope this is over soon and America can get to where it needs to be. I love this country and what it stands for, I wish it was showing it in Washington.