Things are Lookin' Up!

The first day of school was awesome!  Everyone LOVED their teachers and everyone was excited to go back again today!  You can't ask for much more.  It was a good day!

When the kids came home from school they got busy doing their after school duties so they could play.  Soccer practices have started as well so we are back into doing practices 2-3  times a week.  Molly is on a 3 & 4 grade team this year and Abbie and Sadie on our a team together for 1 and 2 grade.  Kenadie is even going to play this year on a pre k-4 team.  The girls have an awesome coach that works them hard and teaches them tons.  They have practice 2 times a week for 1 1/2 hours each practice.  It's a long practice, but it is great exercise for them.  I know it doesn't seem like exercise to them, but they love playing and it is good for them too!

Ok, anyways, the kids asked if they could play outside after school.  It was drizzling just a little and they wanted to play in the rain.  Without really paying attention, I told them they could and off they went.  Then I saw this.....  

 I didn't mind that the girls kept on their school clothes....but come on Gavin!  Boxer briefs and nothing else?  I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this.  Only Gavin can pull this look off!

How can you not laugh when you see this?  He makes my heart smile!  

 As I was taking pictures of Gavin in his boxer briefs...Lanie escaped.  She crawled right out the patio door onto the deck.  I LOVE this picture of her reaching up to Sadie.  Lanie LOVES  her siblings.  She doesn't know any different than getting attention from someone at all times.  This is why I LOVE having a big family.  It warms my heart to see the kids interact with her.  Lanie missed the older girls when they were at school yesterday.

 She just wanted to be with them.  She could hear them playing outside so she crawled to the door and stood herself up.  Then she started yelling for them.  Then when no one came, she started to cry.  Of course, Sadie ran right over to talk to her.  I can't tell you how much Lanie looks up to them.

 Then this ran by.  Sorry for the fuzzy picture, but I was taking through the screen.  I didn't want to open the door and have Lanie escape again.  I asked Gavin to smile....and this is what I got.  

 I love him to pieces.  I am ready and happy to take on the challenge of another little boy!  If this little boy in my tummy grows up to be anything like his big brother....I am going to be doing a lot of laughing!

 Gavin got to go to school today.  This morning was a good morning.  Everyone woke up and did what they needed to do.  I even took a shower!  No yelling, no crying, no complaining, and happy hearts all around!  We even left a little early!

 Gavin was so happy to be going back to school!  He was a little concerned that Kenadie wouldn't be in his class with him...but he was just fine.  He walked in, put his backpack away, put his name tag away, and went to play.  I will admit....I am a little sad this morning.  I am at home...with Lanie sleeping.  I miss Gavin asking me for a snack every 2 minutes.....I miss him wanting to give me a kiss.

 Here they all are as we headed into school.  I know people feel that when I dress the kids the same they don't have their own style or personality.  When it comes to school...they are on their own.  They can pick out their own outfits and do their hair how they want.  ( I do have to approve that it matches, though!)

Molly and Sadie were so cute today.  They each picked out their outfits together.  Then they put on their big sister/little sister necklaces.  I am so glad they are best sister friends.  I am glad they each have someone to talk to at night.  I am so glad they read together.  Molly has been reading a devotion book to Sadie at night.

Things are better here.  Things are MUCH better here!  Even though we had a rough week, we have moved on.  My kids make me extremely proud.  They make me smile.   They make me want to be a better mom.  So I am trying.  I am going to try and volunteer more at their school this year.  I am starting a Mom's Bible study at their school!  I am doing a devotion with them every night.  I know it's not  a big change...but it's something!  The laundry can wait....the cleaning can wait....

I am happy....I am very happy!  I am even going to lunch today with a great friend....with only 3 kids!  Hopefully when I pick Gavin up from school today, he won't just be in his boxer briefs!

The 1st Day of School Has Come! It's about time.....!

I won't deny it....I was counting down the days.  Don't judge me.  Until you come live a summer in my shoes, you won't know what it is like!  I love each and every one of my kids beyond words.  I want what is best for them.  I want them to be safe.  I want them to be happy.  I want them to be challenged.  I think sending them to school does that for them. We have talked about homeschooling before....it just isn't for us.  

So off they go!  I will admit, this morning didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked.  Gavin had a HUGE breakdown this morning.  Ready for this....his legs were too tired to walk down the stairs and get his clothes on.  His poor legs...that he just rested for the past 10-11 hours.  Yup, I guess getting out of his bed and walking 10 feet to the stair really wore those legs out!  So, he screamed for a good 20 minutes.  Then Lanie knew something was up.  She knew her world was going to change today.  She wasn't happy. Her Molly, Sadie, and Abbie were leaving her.  She spent most of the morning crying as well.  Then Kenadie lost it.  Her socks didn't feel "right" in her shoes.  <insert freak out here>

 Sadie got up and did her thing.  She did her chores and was ready to go.  No freak out from Sads!

 Abbie was all set to go too!  We could tell she was a bit nervous for 1st grade....but she was excited too!

 Molly was up and ready early!  She was happy to go back to school and be a big 3rd grader now.  Oh my, where did the last 9 years go?  I can't still remember so clearly her 1st day of Pre-K 3.

 Here is Kenadie, sucking it up, for a school picture.  Can you tell how uncomfortable she is?  She did manage to pull it together after we got in the van!

 The four girls ready for school.  Kenadie is still crying and Gavin is running around angry because his school doesn't start until tomorrow!

 We were right on time.  Not the 15 minutes early I wanted to be....but we weren't late....we were there at the last second possible!

I told you Kenadie pulled it together.  She went right into playing and was so excited.  When I picked her up, she told me that school was actually a lot of fun.  When I asked her why...she said, "Because Gavin wasn't there....it was actually more fun without him."  Oh my....

I should have left 5 minutes ago to go pick them up ....I better get going.  Gavin, Lanie, and Kenadie are all napping and I have to go wake them up.  Oh how I have missed the 1:00 nap time at our house!  I have actually been able to work in quiet for the past hour!  Ok...really I better go......

Special Day...at the last minute possible.

When I was little, my Mom would take each kids on a "special day" before school started.  We would go shopping for school clothes and do something fun.  I wanted to do that with my kids.  We were really good and took Molly on her day over a month ago.  We took her shopping and out to eat.  She even got her nails done.  Then time got away from us.  Also, we are very limited on our baby sitter options.  So being able to find the time, money, and energy to take each child out proved to be a bit of a challenge for us!

My mom offered to come out on Sunday to watch the kids so Dan and I could go out.  She is really the only one that is brave enough to offer to watch all of them.  She has no time limits and tells us to take our time.  I know if we wanted to, we could leave them with her all day.  She works long hours and works very hard, but somehow she finds the time to spend with all of her 19 grand kids.   Also...she doesn't charge us to watch the kids!  Now I can't say that she always does what we ask her to do with them or she lets them do what we tell her to not do....but they are safe!  Okay, so anyways, she offered to drive out to Watertuckey to play with them so we thought we would take Sadie, Abbie, and Kenadie out for a bit.  No, they didn't each get their own day...but they will.....one day.....hopefully!

First we headed to Target.  (Oh and I should add...Lanie didn't cry when we left!  There is hope!)  We browsed the clothes, we browsed the school supplies, we browsed the baby stuff...and then we made it to the toys.  The were each allowed to pick out something small....They all picked out Squinkies!  What a waste....but that's what they wanted!  

Then we headed off to Ice Skate.  

 I can't, or should I say, I shouldn't ice skate while being pregnant so I cheered them on from the side.  They were all a bit shaky at first...it has been a few months since we last went.

 Then Kenadie was off.  She amazes me by how independent she is at things!  She would fall and get right back up.  No crying...no complaint...no nothing!  She was just happy to be ice skating.

 Abbie can ice skate....and is pretty good at it too.  She just needs a bit to get her courage up!

 Dan raced with the kids and then they started sliding on the ice.  Kenadie got cold and Sadie got hurt!

 Daddy did some fancy lifts with Sadie.  She really wants to be an ice skater when she grows up!

                                                    Then Abbie gave it a shot too!

Then Dan had the ice to himself.  The ice skater in him came out.  He was jumping, he was doing spins, he was gliding...well, not really!  He did manage to do a one leg glide.  He did this all on his own, people.  I don't have to ask him do this stuff....he just does!

After ice skating we went out to dinner at the Water Street Brewery.  We talked about school and our expectations for them.  They were more worried about their new Squinkies.  I know 3 kids may seem like a lot to some people, but it was sure nice to be with just 3.  I am hoping that we can do this more often to give each of the kids some more focused time.  We just need more time, more energy, and more money....and a live in babysitter!

It's Not all Fun and Games.....

Parenting is hard.....it has been a rough week here....let me explain.

We should be in the Wisconsin Dells right now spending the night at the Kalahari Resort.  We should be swimming, playing, going down water slides, and having lots of fun.  We are not there.

We had a lot going on this past week.  We attended 2 birthday parties.  We met friends at the park.  We had teacher visits.  We had family over for pudgy pies.  We cleaned rooms.  I worked.  Dan worked.  The kids played.  The kids misbehaved......the kids didn't listen....there were bad attitudes, there was fighting, there were unkind words spoken to each other....and that is unacceptable.

We aren't perfect parents.  We don't know if what we are doing is "right" or "wrong."  However, we do know how we don't want our children to behave and we do know how we want them to behave.

We know children that are disrespectful to their parents.  We know children that fight and yell at each other.  We know children who don't get along.  We know siblings that don't speak kindly to each other.  We do not judge them...to each his own.  What we do know is that we don't want that for our family.

Molly is going to be 9 in a month or so.  She is "testing the waters", I think.  When I asked her to do something this past week, she said, "NO."  (3 times in a row!)  That isn't gonna fly here.  The kids each have a daily chore to do.  They are expected to do it without being asked to do it.  They haven't been doing it.  The kids are expected to keep their rooms cleaned....that hasn't been happening either.

So, after a very long day on Thursday, when Dan came home from work we had a family meeting.  We talked through some things and we decided that until we can keep up with what we should be doing we were not going to go to the Kalahari.  For my siblings, yes, that is totally something Mom would have done and now we did it too.  Things have to change.

Please don't get me wrong here....I know that kids are kids and they will misbehave and even be down right naughty.  We just don't want our kids to be disrespectful to us OR each other.  It's called "tough love."  We love them beyond words and only want the best for them.  We take full responsibility in their latest actions.  So , we have made some changes.

We will be putting the kids to bed together from now on.  We purchased a devotion book to read to the kids at night.  We have reassigned daily chores and have made a chore chart.  Hopefully, if they see what they need to do, it will be easier to remember.  We have or morning routine down.  I think we are good to go now.  We have always said a prayer together on the way to school each morning and we will continue to do so.

I think the kids are just ready to go back to school and get back in to a routine of some sort.  I know I am ready for that as well!  School starts on Tuesday.  The kids are excited!  We even went to school a couple of times last week to help out with bulletin boards.  We took the teachers some treats one day, as well!

I think we are all better now. .... I think.

The kids all got hair cuts on Saturday and their school clothes are organized.  The backpacks are packed with all their supplies and ready for "back to school night" tomorrow night.  Oh and we went car shopping yesterday as well.  We only made it to two dealerships.  Do you know how hard it is to car shop with 6 kids?  We even were brave and test drove a car.  Dan stayed in the van with the kids while I test drove, and then I stayed in the car with the kids while he test drove.  Like Kate Gosslin says, " it's a crazy life, but it's our life!"  I think we have decided on one....maybe.  (if you are wondering...our van can only seat 8...in a few months we will be a family of 9...we can't afford a huge van, so we are getting a small car and will just have to drive 2 cars when we want to go somewhere as a family.  It sucks....but we don't have any other options right now.)

I am sitting at Nagawaukee ice arena watching Dan skate with Abbie, Sadie, and Kenadie right now.  It was their special time with us.  Oma is at home with the other 3, probably giving them donuts and candy. Did you know it is much easier to browse at Target when you only have 3 with you and not 6?

I am sorry I have been away this week...I just needed to regroup.  I think I might have it all back together now.  Well, at least for today.

Day 2 of our Chicago Adventure....Bright and early!

 Our second day in Chicago started way too early!  Gavin slept on the sofa sleeper with Oma.  Oma says Gavin woke her up, however, I am not sure that is the case.  Gavin doesn't wake up at 5:30 in the morning....Oma does.  I heard giggling at 5:35 a.m.  After a scolding from me, Gavin was told to go back to bed.  That didn't happen.  I knew we were in for a long day!

 Guess who was first in line at breakfast?  Well, when you are up at 5:30 and breakfast starts at 7, you have lots of time to make sure you are down there right away!  Dan, Molly, and Lanie got to sleep in.  My mom and I took the other kids down for breakfast.  Cereal, donuts, eggs, sausage, bacon, donuts, omelets, juice, oh and did I mention donuts?  The kids were in heaven.  I took bananas too.....no on ate a banana.  We headed back up to the room and packed up.  Dan finally woke up...remember people, he didn't sleep well? We decided to cram into the van this time instead of walk.

 First stop was Buckingham Fountain.  So pretty.  Because we were there at 8 in the morning, it was quiet there.  Only a few people here and there.  Now I was glad we were up early.

 And then there is my son.  What is he doing you ask?  He is picking up hot pink feathers that he found laying on the ground.  Never mind the fountain....there were feathers to be found!

 I would have loved to see this at night when it is all lit up.  One day Dan and I will go back there alone and sit on one of the benches and just watch the fountain.  That sound so relaxing to me.  One day...

 Lanie is into this standing thing now!  I can pretty much park her anywhere and she will just stand and look.  She is figuring out that she can be mobile now.  She wasn't too impressed with the fountain, but more with the rocks down by her feet!  Maybe if she would keep shoes on she wouldn't be stepping on rocks!

 After the fountain, we headed off to the Willis Tower.  (aka the Sears Tower)  We got there a little after it opened and were able to even find street parking!  We got right in and headed to the top of the building.

 It was amazing!  The kids were so excited.  Everything looked so tiny from the 103 floor.

 Even Rupunzel took a trip up  to to top with us.  (See, I told you, Sadie made a good purchase!)

 Then there are the Sky Decks.  Okay, a few years back someone had this brilliant idea to stick glass blocks outside of the building that you can walk on to.  I think there are 3 or 4 of them.  Dan had no apprehension.    He went right out there.  I couldn't believe that the kids didn't mind either.

 Dan parked Lanie on the ground and she crawled right to the corner of the block.

 Dan went into another block and took their picture from the one he was in.  I started to have a panic attack.  I couldn't bring myself to do it.  I tried....and then I couldn't .

 Then everyone left and poor Lanie was stuck in the corner of the block all by herself.  My heart was beating so fast.  No one was around.  How was I going to get her?  You wouldn't believe the crazy thoughts that were running through my panicked brain.  Luckily, Dan rescued me and walked right out and got her!  Phew.....

 Then he decided to lay down with them on the glass blocks!  Kenadie had no fear.  She thought it was awesome !  She didn't want to come out of them!

 Sadie had no fear either.  Even Rupunzel didn't have any fear!

 The air and water show was on for that day, so we were able to watch some of the planes do some tricks from the top of the tower!

 Oma couldn't bring herself to go on the Sky Deck either.  I wonder where I get it from?  Ok, but wait...... I FINALLY did it!  I don't have the picture just yet....my mom is getting a copy of it made.  They had a special camera set up and they took a picture for you.  Dan went out on the Sky Deck with the kids and then all these random people started cheering me on to do it.  I was sweating....my heart was pounding....I thought I was gonna puke.  My life flashed through my head.  I went out....she took the picture....and I got back off.  Ha!  And then the picture didn't work...so I had to do it again!

 We made a few more trips around the top of the building and then headed out.  Did I mention we got there early?  When we left, the line was so long.  Over an hour wait.  Once again, I was glad we got up early!

 Oma thought going to Ed Debevics would be fun!  I was there when I was little and I remember having a great time.  We were known as the "baby" table.  So very fun.  Gavin warmed up to the waiter after a while.

They danced on the counters to YMCA.  Lanie decided she was done with her plate and threw it across the room.  It shattered everywhere.  Kenadie spilled a cup of water all over the table and floor.  Let me just say, we fit right in at that restaurant!

After we ate, we headed back to Michigan Avenue.  Some little girls that didn't get a Rupunzel doll the day before really wanted to go back and get one.  So we headed back.  It was more crowded today than it was yesterday!  We made it to the Disney store and the American Girl store again!  The Rupunzel dolls were sold out.  Of course they were!  Then we were done.  The kids were getting tired, I was getting crabby, and Dan just wanted to go home.  It was after 4 in the afternoon and I think we were all ready to head home.  I really wanted to go on a carriage ride....I mean I really did.  We will have to save that for when Dan and I just go.  One day......

We dropped Oma off at her car and we headed out.  Traffic was bad.  We thought the kids would sleep....no one did.  Oh, wait, I shouldn't say "no one" slept....Dan slept.  Remember, he didn't sleep good the  night before?  (I love you, Dan!)

So, like any good parents, we stopped at the Disney store on the way back home at Gurnee Mills so we could pick up a Rupunzel doll.  I am sure this won't be remembered when they are older.  We really do try our best to make them feel special.

 I was very thirsty so we headed to the food court at Gurnee to get something to drink.  Of course we saw the carousel.  They had been warned by Dan ....WE ARE NOT GOING ON THE CAROUSEL.  We went over to just look at it!  How can you not let them go on it?  Lanie was so excited!

She kept pointing at the horses, so I let them.  Dan was prepared to walk away and not let them.  Someone didn't get enough sleep I think!  Gavin had a break down...go figure.  Molly got the blue sea horse and that is the one he wanted.  I stayed off with him and we waiting until the next turn so he could go on.  I had to go with him....I almost puked!

We finally headed home.  We pulled in at 8:30 and off to bed they went.  We were exhausted!  When we asked the kids what their favorite part was...they all said "swimming at the hotel".   Ha!  Good thing we went all the way to Chicago to go swimming in a tiny hotel pool!

Thank you, Oma, for meeting us there.  Thank you for spoiling them!  Thank you for waking up at 5:30 in the morning!  Thank you for loving them!  Thank you for spending time with them!

We are at home relaxing this week.  We had some family over last night and it was great to catch up with them.  We have a birthday party, a few play dates, teacher visits, and dinner with friends planned for this week!  We have one more summer adventure awaiting for this weekend!  School starts on Tuesday!  That is in 1 week!  Only 1 more week!  Don't get me wrong....I LOVE my kids to pieces!  I LOVE school too!  Am I alone here or do you other mom's like school too?