Friday, May 30, 2008

My daughter thinks I am a panhandler!

Tonight the kids and I were doing some prep for her birthday party tomorrow. They were all helping me color with the new crayons Cierra got for her birthday. One set that she got was a set of Twistables that are "Real Life" which means that they are a swirl of colors together. They mostly turn out being a nasty mess of a color. Cierra was using one and tosses it down and says,"Mom, I don't like those crayons. I want to sell them." Now this in itself is not very funny...but let me give you some background and it might get there for ya.
I swear I have only had ONE garage sale in my whole adult life. Cierra was a baby and there is no way she could remember it. However, ANYTIME some toy of hers has "mysteriously" disappeared from her room (aka Mom got rid of it) she thinks we sold it. Anytime she is looking for a shirt that she has grown out of and I have removed from her drawers, she thinks I sold it. I couldn't find a pair of earrings one day...I must have sold them. It is so funny. So tonight when she said that I had to crack up....and share...maybe you had to be there!!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

WD-40

My friend Abbey emailed this to me a few days ago. I thought it was very interesting.
In fact today I discovered a lovely trail of blue marker on my carpet from the dining area into my bedroom. Of course no one has any idea how that happened;) Once again it said "Washable" and doesn't come out.(I have had issues with washable paint before not being so washable.) Ron scrubbed and scrubbed and all that happened was that the spot seemed to bleed into the surrounding areas more. So I googled how to remove marker from carpet and every article I read said to use WD-40, which reminded me of this email. Oh, and it worked...the marker came right up. Thanks Abbey.

Uses for WD-40
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.
2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4) Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making slippery.
5) Keeps flies off cows.
6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7) Removes lipstick stains.
8) Loosens stubborn zippers.
9) Untangles jewelry chains.
10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15) Camouflages scratches n ceramic and marble floors.
16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and in homes
18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20) Gives a child's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles!
27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30) Keeps rust from forming on saws blades, and other tools.
31) Removes splattered grease on stove.
32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35) Removes all traces of duct tape.
36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37) Florida 's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.
38) The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical l laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42) Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.
Keep a can of WD-40 in my kitchen cabinet over the stove. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn. It takes the burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring.

So, there ya go...remember Windex from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"? Well, they should have used WD-40.

Monday, May 26, 2008

My sweet little girl

Tonight after tucking the kids in bed, I came downstairs to pick things up. On the table was a picture Cierra had colored with a card attached that said "Deer Mom, I hop you like that"(her spelling)
I just stood there reading this sweet little note and looking at the wonderful picture she had drawn me with such gratitude for such a sweet daughter.
I went up to her room to tell her thank you. I sat on her bed and we started talking. She wanted to talk about her birthday coming up and what we will be doing for it. I then started telling her what an awesome kid she is and how sweet, loving and kind she is to everyone all of the time, and that I am so grateful to be her mommy. She then looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "Mommy, it isn't very easy to be such a sweet girl."
"Why" I asked her. She said it was because Dylan won't hug her back when she tries to give him hugs. Awww...how sad is that? I told her that it is just because Dylan is a boy and that one day he will love giving her hugs again. Dylan is so important to her. If he does something kind to her she lights up so bright and if he isn't so kind, she melts into tears.
Anyway, I thought that was so cute. I love that little girl so much. She has such a big heart. I can't believe she will be 6 in just a couple days. Hopefully her sweetness will carry on into her teenage years.

Try, Try again.

What a crazy group

Ooh..I think that is a smile Zach

Let's try again....

And again...

We have about 4 more pictures of him looking just as thrilled. Apparently taking pictures is "boring".



Well, last year about this time I posted about family pictures. We went to JC Penney last year and Jonah wouldn't cooperate so we had to leave and take pictures at home. Well, this year we decided to skip the photo studio and just do them at home. My friend Christy came over to take them for us. Well, we got a few good ones. This year it was Zach being the stinker. It is seemingly impossible to have everyone be a happy participant. Who will it be next year??

So those are what we got. I guess it is better than nothing. Don't be surprised if you see it on your Christmas card....in fact Merry Christmas;)

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Fun Run

L to R: Alyssa, Kailey, Jonah, Dylan, Zach, Josh, Cierra

Happy girl!!

Dylan and Josh did a mile this year

Jonah got to do it this year too. He did a walk/run half mile.

Josh did very well. It was funny because he would look directly at the camera each lap.

Cierra did well too. Even after she finished her half mile she went around some more.

Zach is a good little runner too.


Last Saturday the base had a fun run. The kids all got to participate. They got a free t-shirt too...yay for a new pj top. We went last year too. There were way less kids this year than last year so they were giving those t-shirts very freely. I just mentioned the shirt again...I think it is exciting to get free stuff. It doesn't happen very often to me so when it does I am a little over-excited. Thanks for the pictures Sarah.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Are they all yours?

Yes...the inevitable question when we go ANYWHERE!! Are they all yours? How many sets of twins? We say one and then let them try to figure out the other ones that look the exact same age. We get asked all the time if Jonah and Zach are twins...I think I will just say yes next time and see what happens.
Josh and Zach are here for a couple weeks. It is never enough time and it goes by FAST!!
The kids are all getting along surprisingly well. We have the occasional little scuffles but nothing major. It is amazing how the two of us can manage all these kids. Seven kids under the age of seven. How crazy is that? Oh....and all they want to do is eat and eat and eat and eat. Ron and I just keep thinking how it is just going to get worse as they get older. I told him he is going to have to get a second job just for the food bill.
So we went to Seaworld and survived. We were successful in keeping track of all the kids...in fact I even helped reunite a lost child with her dad...talk about multitasking.

Seaworld

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Too True!!

What Nicole Means
You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.
You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.
You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.
At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.
You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.
Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

Monday, May 5, 2008

I laughed until I cried....really. More like a "you've got to be kidding me" laugh than a funny ha ha laugh.


Ode to Tyler

Gene Simmons anyone?

He wants to be a Guitar Hero too!

Wearing Jonah's shoes...he loves putting on everyones shoes.

It's a little hard to walk in these.

Wearing Jonah's cowboy hat...a little crooked.


As much as Tyler can be a little stinker and make life a little stressful at times, he still is a wonderful addition to our family. He has the cutest personality. He is very adventerous and curious, which is what gets him into trouble. Here is a little tribute to the little guy.

Weekend in Review

It began with a visit of a good friend. He was in town from Japan and came for dinner. We miss you Jordan, Bekah, Evan and Heather!!

Then Friday night the boys went camping again. This is picture is Saturday. I came home from the store and there is Jonah passed out in the middle of the floor. He looked so small that at first I thought he was one of the babies. He was a little wasted from his fun night camping. Cierra and I had another girls night (not pictured) at Sarah's house with Abbey, April, Crystal. It was fun to have a sleepover with the girls!!

Then Saturday night Abbey and I threw a baby shower for Sarah. The theme was brown and blue polka dots. It turned out really cute!

Sick
Which leads me to the rest of the weekend...I was SICK!! I crashed hard after the baby shower and through the next day. I still am on the mends but feel a ton better!