Poor forgotten blog

This summer on our "break" we have been busier than ever.  We have been traveling, having lots of birthdays, many days of doctors visits, camps, cleaning, fighting fleas! and so much more.  It has been fun but sometimes the challenge of being so busy are shackles to our spirit.  Our family has always been a busily scheduled family.  Many days we would run from soccer to swimming both after school and before bedtime.  We kept a pace of everyday an activity many holding two or more for a while, before I had all 5.

Last year I slowed it down quite a bit.  We dropped all sports besides soccer.  We kept AWANAS but I stopped volunteering to release us from its obligation to be there to going when we can with out stress.  That turned out to be a good thing.  Unfortunately last winter hit our family hard with someone sick after another.  Worst we ever had.  I think we only made it to AWANAS or church seldomly during those months.  I slowed everything down because now with 5 kids, including 2 toddlers and a tiny baby I realized how things were getting harder. It is not the amount of children but the young ages of them that is tough.  Many challenges are just shuffling them from the car to a building.  I wanted a little time to get used to it.  In addition since I have gone back to school that cuts into the time I have available to take them places, and my studying took up so much time.

I enjoyed a  bit slower pace with less traveling.  I filled up the time with so much school work truthful it was hard to imagine how to fit in anything else and I was so thankful for days home I did not have to go anywhere.  However the kids did not feel the same way.  They asked all through the year if they could do swimming again.  When is basketball, when is baseball, I want to try football, mom sign me up for lacrosse.

With summer we were all going to be home.  I had plans and ideas of what summer would be like.  But those rarely pan out.  Months before school got out our calender started to fill up with many wonderful opportunities, events so many great things I am thankful for them all.   And we had many other wonderful families reaching out to ask asking if we could send the older boys to camp with their children I was excited to have to boys get to participate with their friends too and that the families thought so much of the us and the boys they wanted them to be part of their childrens' summers also.  But before we knew it every week was filled up but 1 and a half,  yes we have just 1 week in August that we have nothing penciled in.  There is so much that HAS to be done but I want to try not to do it that week.

It is right before school starts back up for me and the kids.  It hopefully will be a nice way to spontaneously do what we like before school starts.  Hopefully a nice week to unwind, hopefully. I have to say I am kinda looking forward to school starting though, this summer has worn me out.

I have also had some serious issues with my photo hosting sites.  Which is another reason I have not been blogging to much but I am slowly working through them and the hundreds of pictures I would like to share and add stories too.

But till then here is the tiny team before church on Sunday.



It was cool enough I put the girls in litter covers but by afternoon it was far to warm to wear them .  A cool front came in on Sunday and we have been enjoying a break from those 100 degree temps.  It is a prayer answered too because the older boys are at soccer camp this week.  Running around all day with no shade no relief so I am beyond thankful I had to sent them in hoodies this morning.

Heat Wave!!

Where I live, and probably more areas but since I just pay attention to this area, we are having a HEAT WAVE!  It is HOT.






The tiny team and me spend most our time inside.  The older boys go to camp then come home and retreat to video games.  No one is really happy.  We are all hot and cranky.   I try to remember that so I don't snap at them because I am uncomfortable, they are too.

See the 102?  That is where I am packing to go to this week.  But they have a pool and a water park.  Plus importantly central air.  I have window units in my small old house which I hate.  But it is certainly better than nothing, and I am thankful for them.


Either way it is hot. I hope you are cool where you are.

The Wakeness Monster

We made it to the theater again.  For the last few years the children and I have gone to see a play towards the beginning of summer together at the totem pole play house.



Pirates in Space 2012


Pirates and Zombies 2011

It is a time we all look forward to and enjoy.  The children kept asking mom when are we going to go see the pirate plays?  For the last two year they have done the best pirate plays.  Perfect for the boys.  And some might think I am crazy for taking small and newborn children to live theater but these plays keep their attention and the children have learned how to behave there and appreciate it.  I love going with them it has become and is something so special.

Last year we left trying to figure out where the pirates would be this time and we still have to keep guessing because they were not there.  Instead we meet a monster.  We knew ahead of time it was going to be different this year but everyone still wanted to go.



This years play was called the Wakeness Monster.  No pirates.  But a school girl, dog and playful monster.  The kids loved it too.  Especially Faithy.  She was elated and kept singing and weeks later has not stopped singing the songs.  (Absolutely her brothers sister!)


Borrowed picture from their facebook


It was such a cute play, the boys like it but they like the pirates better.  Again ALL 5 kids did awesome!!  They are the best.  But now we have no guesses for next summers play?  Maybe the pirates will meet the Wakeness Monster?

Managing lots of littles in crowded spaces

Wrapping up my 4th of July posts is the anticipated finally, the fireworks.  My 5 were so looking forward to going out at night to the fireworks.  We had seen some in our town a week before and they were more than happy to go see more.  But it is late, dark, there are lots of people and at times like this I feel I have lots of kids.

Keeping track of 5 plus often more, I try to fill my my small suburban :)  no really it is just to small for me.  We only have 1 extra seat in it and there is always a trade off of what can I bring or how many groceries can I squeeze in.  It is times like that when I realize I have a slightly bigger than average family.  However we still do not consider ourselves large.  And we are not at least for out here in Amish country.

Back to the fireworks.  Taking 5 young kids out in to a dark event can be stressful if you are not prepared.  I have learned some steps/ tips to make your life easier.

1st dress your kids in glow lights.



They might not necessarily stay on  them but they will hold and play with the lights.



You can spot your glowing kid running away.



Or making glowing spinning circles.

I do this at Halloween too.  But it is still not enough.  Halloween where they are running for candy in costumes is tough.  Especially since they often look like other kids and take off so fast, even a seasoned mom like me does not do Halloween with out many extra adults.  I pay them in candy.



The kids are so used to wearing glow sticks they ask if I have them pack in our check list out the door.  For them it is fun, for me it is safety.

Second I go to the same spot every year.  Each event we have "our" spot.  Whether it is for our town fireworks, a different cities fireworks, picnics, Halloween, whatever we have "our" spot that we always go to.  This gets easier each year.  As the kids get more familiar of where to go they know if we get separated to go back to that spot and I will come get them.  And as we unloaded from the vehicle they automatically walk there helping me carry the stuff, another big help.

Stuff.  With kids comes stuff.  Bring it.



I bring a blanket to say this is our spot.  I expect you kids to stay on this blanket or at least only be running and jumping around it.  And to make them further comply I bring food and drinks.  Yes, just like cats if you feed them they won't go away.

Toys and ipods.  I try not to bring toys or ipods unless we are going to be there for an extended period of time because it is just something they can lose and if they did I would be furious with their lack of responsibility for something so expensive.  Instead I try to bring things that are disposable.  Often I bring bubbles or sparklers.  They have a great time with them, they stay fully occupied, they are inexpensive,  I throw away all the waste and don't have to bring anything home.



Most importantly have fun.  You need to remember these are the times the kids remember most.  Repetitive fun events and traditions.  You want to make it a good experience not a stressful one.  But learning from year after year you will find out what works best for your family.  By preparing ahead of time you can reduce stress.  So have fun and enjoy, as I had another great night enjoying the fireworks with my kids.



Yes a bit sun-burnt from earlier in the day.




And Babycakes it was a nice first 4th of July for her.  We had fun too and fun showing her what 4th of July is.

Family pics on the Forth

Last year the 5.9 of us took some pictures on the 4th of July.  And in other years other amounts of people combinations.

2012!!

2011!!

2010!! Boy does Smiley remind me of Gracie

2009

But it is something I like would like to keep going, portraits on the 4th.

After the morning parade, some food truck lunch, and playing games at the jubilee we were dripping hot.  I would be happy to say I sweated off a few pounds due to the heat and our few mile hike but after that lunch I think I might be +1.  Oh well.  It was so hot the kids started crying when they climbed into the bouncy houses. Ouch, ouch ouch it what I kept hearing and Faith just refused.  They were hot and cranky, and hungry again.  We went home to take some showers and cool off.

Afterwards we got ready for our backyard pictures.



This was the best I could get with the heat and squirmy kids.  Maybe I will do a post of the outtakes or just keep them and laugh.

And then we have my five firecrackers.


Gregory 10


Evan 8


Smiley 4


Faith 2


Gracie 11 months and 2 weeks.  Her first 4th!

I love dressing my little girls.



They are so dainty and pretty and their clothes, their over abundance of beautiful clothes are so sweet.  I wish some of their most special outfits they could wear more than once.  I really loved their 4th of July outfits here (because we all had 3! outfit changes that day)  I was speaking with another friend of mine and she said who cares they can wear the outfit more than once.  I was convinced by the end too but I kept think when can you wear a 4th of July outfit more than once?  Memorial Day maybe? But I saw no problem with letting them all wear their outfits this Sunday to church.  I washed them put them aside and got up early today to showered everyone.  Only to find out....church was Cancelled this morning! Yes.  A water pipe broke overnight and they had a mess on their hands.  What a way to start a busy Sunday.  That means notify the 800 some regular attendees every Sunday morning and a urgency to clean up and dry because tonight Phil Keaggy is there for a concert.  Oh well, so they did not get to wear their outfits again.  At least not today.  I might just have to find another time and place for the kids to look patriotic.  I have a few ideas.

The morning parade

Everything in our house has an eve, last night was no exception it was 4th of July eve.  Which meant I had to have our outfits ready, water in the freezer, bags packed, little preparations took care of because we had to all be in line for the parade at 9:30 AM.  And to move, dress and feed all 5 kids plus myself takes time.  A secret I have learned is start the day before.  Yes it is not really a secret and yes it is that simple.  If I have outfits ready and shoes found and together, plus my purse and diaper bag packed and by the door, we have got a good shot at going  and making it on time.

I set my alarm clock to wake me up on time and guess what we had a power outage last night!  No alarm ever went off except for the internal one from me and the tiny team.  We still were up by 7.  We had breakfast, got dressed and made it there by 9:15!  Whahoo!!

Except I got the time wrong and we did not have to be there till 10:15!  Ooops!!!!

It was hot too.  The kids and I dressed as cowboys to promote our churches vacation Bible school theme.  They looked so cute!  In all that spare time I should have got a picture of me and all the kids cowboyed up but they were so excitied they were everywhere.  I might try to some other  time.  Because the pictures I did get you can not tell the true cuteness of our western wear.

The parade went well once it finally stared.  I pushed the cowgirls for miles.



I should have decorated the stroller like a wagon but that was more time and energy than I had this week.  It has been busy.

The cowboys rode on the float.... Mostly



Evan





Gregory and Brendan.

I say mostly because when Smiley went to through candy out, at one point he through his whole body weight  throwing himself off the float through the side banner on to his forehead right on the street!  I was on the other side pushing the girls and waving, I did not even notice.  I am thankful I did not see it.  He was fine it happened so fast and surprised him he was not to worse for ware except that goose egg smack dap in the front of hi fore head.  Ugh.

The older girls around him quickly grabbed him and loved him.  He was okay.  I am so glad they were there to help.  They help ice to his head the rest of the parade and he went on still throwing candy, eating some too.

After the parade we went to a magic show and the jubilee where it was even hotter.  So hot the kids did not want to play on the bouncy houses.  They climbed in the first one and started screaming hot hot hot.  Poor babies.  It kinda went down hill from there.  They were hot, tired and hungry, so much that they started eating baby feet.



Time to take my sun burnt babies home for a little air conditioning and sprinkler time.  After all there is still a lot more to do today.

Happy 4th of July everyone.