Today it's Tuesday

Bear with me, as I'm crying, and this post is more than likely going to be all over the place. But I gotta say it. I have to let it out - my sadness, my grief, my anger.

I just stood, silently sobbing while pouring coffee, opening an unopened milk when there was already one open, stirring the coffee when the Splenda hadn't been put in it yet, tears falling from my eyes. I was obviously so moved I wasn't doing anything the right way, and so my observant, beautiful husband came over to me, wanting to help me, but he couldn't - he can't. Tuesday is dead, and there isn't anything we can do.

'You know, blogging helps me and other women come together, who might not have had the chance to connect otherwise', I started to explain to him, as if he had no idea what I've been doing for the past year or so (but again, I was a blubbering mess, and still am).

'It gives women a voice all their own. Like that isn't amazing enough by itself, coming at a time in their lives when we generally discover there isn't much that is just 'ours' anymore, we're then given the amazing opportunity to join mom groups and forums, review products like we've been doing for our family to try, and even further connect to more people, and PR reps, companies, etc., and possibly take my voice, my outlet and make so much out of it, to be able to create an income from it and make something out of it for myself.'

Talking about blogging helped, as I was all over the place, but rational it seemed at this point, so I felt almost good. Nevermind the fact that I was bumbling, this didn't come out quite as eloquent as it's reading, I can assure you.

My mind was going a mile a minute, thinking about how I was upset at him for being upset with our toddler for keeping him up last night. About how I'd poured too much coffee. About how I was unintentionally answering Mabel's Label's question about blogging for their contest, even though I hadn't entered. About how I was putting into words how important blogging is to me, and why. I was completely all over the place, yet, so filled with knowledge, all of a sudden, and emotion. I also felt like I could continue to talk about it all without sobbing anymore.

Or so I thought.

'But there are women that start a blog for an entirely different reason. It's because they are going through something, and they desperately want and need to find others going through that same thing. They create their blog for support.'

And the tears started flowing again, and my throat was closing up on me.

'I've met some amazing women on line. Amazing women. Some who created their blog for the same reasons I did, they are just like me, just trying to meet other moms. And then something unbelievably horrible happens...'

{cue the sobbing}

I couldn't stop. The tears and sobs kept coming. And the smart man that he is, he knew. 'Is it about that little girl?'

Oh the tears.

"Yes" I barely made out.

"I never, ever, thought I'd find what I've found blogging. Ever. My heart hurts, babe. She is only a few months older than..."

And he hugged me. With our two-year-old. And my heart exploded through my eyes, all over her cheeks, and his chest.

I think it was the part when she said how she was nursing her, and she was dying, that really hit me square in the jaw. Still nursing my two-year-old myself, and arguing with myself sometimes about whether we should continue, I simply couldn't imagine myself in the position of nursing her knowing that, not only might it be the last time, it might be the last time holding her, too.

{cue more sobbing}

Why do children have to suffer? I can't understand that. At all. Ever. I am so unbelievably angry, so hurt for this family and their pain right now.

Heather over at The Extraordinary Ordinary is doing something amazing for their family, by donating one dollar for each comment she receives to this post. Please go on over there and leave a comment.

I want to do something, not sure what. I just feel I have to. Offering my condolences in comments and writing about them here just doesn't seem to be enough. If you have any ideas, please offer them in the comments (and if you want to get in on it with me, definitely let me know.)

Regardless of what I come up with, I'm gonna get off of here, wash my face and clean myself up, stop crying, and go spend time with my family today. My spilled tears aren't going to help anyone any right now.

I Shall Call it "Meat Monster"

No joke. My oven trembled in fear when I put this bad boy in it earlier. It is the single, biggest meatloaf I have ever seen. Where's that Man v. Food dude. He'd agree. (And he'd probably be scared of it too).

(Don't let the picture fool you, that's in a 9x13 casserole dish/roaster. IT TAKES UP THE ENTIRE THING!!!)

Looking for recipes the other day, I came across this one on Pioneer Woman Cooks, for a Cajun Meatloaf, originally shared from Pastor Ryan from This Is Reverb. Good, good stuff!

So, minus the onions, and a bit more spices, I've made mine, see tweaked recipe below. And she is massive! Unfortunately, so much so, as it took too long to cook... over an hour. I swear my oven isn't calibrated properly. Could also be that I had to put it into a roaster instead of a baking sheet, too...

**Note, should you try this, use something a) big enough and b) with edges because in true meatloaf fashion, there is fat that cooks off). And you might want to half this for your family, as this thing almost could've fed TWO of our family (and as you know, we have a big family!)

Cajun Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 peppers - a red, orange, and yellow (we omitted onions, but if you care to, add 2 onions)
• 5 ribs of celery (should be a bunch)
• 8 cloves of garlic, pressed (I know, a lot, but still, worth it! Just bring the breath mints)
  
• 3 eggs, scrambled
  
• butter
• 1-2 cups of breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder (to attempt onion flavor in some way)
  
• tsp ground nutmeg
• tsp black pepper
• tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  
• 1 1/4 cups of ketchup (will be split into 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 lbs of ground beef (the leaner the better)
• 1 lb of ground sausage or pork

Directions:

1. Dice up vegetables, as finely as you can. The smaller the better, so perhaps the kids won't see you snuck vegetables in it and attempt to pick it out of your beautifully made meatloaf later, because you failed to chop them fine enough *cough* (Can you tell that happened to me?!)
   
2. Place 6 pats of butter into a skillet, and once melted, saute your super-finely chopped vegetables for a couple minutes with a tbsp or two of garlic salt.
3. Add all of your seasonings and Worcestershire to the vegetables and continue to saute for a couple minutes.
4. Add 1/2 cup of ketchup. Stir thoroughly, and remove from heat.
5. Add 1/2 cup of milk. Once mixed in completely, add 1 cup of breadcrumbs to start. It'll need to be paste-like, so if it isn't, continue to add bread crumbs a little at a time, mixed thoroughly in between, until it's the way we need it to be.
6. Let the vegetables cool for a bit while you heat up the oven at 400 degrees and whisk the eggs, adding them to your beef mixture in a big, massively big bowl. (BIG bowl. Did you see all that up there? Yeah, it needs to be big. 3 lbs of beef + all those vegetables kind-of big)
   

7. Using a meat-grinder-upper thingie (like how technical I am there? That thing I pictured is what I mean), grind up the meat and the eggs untils well blended. (By the way, I'm apologizing in advance for your arm, since after chopping all those vegetables, and now blending and mixing these meats, they've got to be tired. Sorry, man. It'll be worth it)
8. Once cool, add the vegetables and mash again, into one big, sloppy meat ball.
   
9. I laid some foil down in my pan before laying it. You may or may not want to, depending upon your cut of ground beef - how lean it is, I mean. I thought I'd be able to lift the sucker up when it was done. I was wrong. Our meat wasn't lean, so there was a lot of 'drippings', so I couldn't. So needless to say, whether you do or you don't, lay it on a pan with edges (for drippings-sake) and form it into a log, only an inch or two high, and as long as you can bear it without it going too near the ends, unless you have a casserole dish like me, in which case, do what you need to do, it's fricken HUGE!
10. Mix 3/4 cup of ketchup with 2 tbsp of honey, and lay it on top as the glaze. I never glazed mine before, and it was tasty!
    
11. Bake until a meat thermometer says it's done (180 I believe).

Make it with your favorite mashed potatoes, veg, and biscuits and you're ready!

Have fun takin' down the Meat Monster!

The Poop Factor

My almost-4-month-old has skills. I believe he was born with another hole in his butt. No joke. The kid can poop out a diaper faster than a cowboy quick draw.

I shall henceforth call him "Quick Poop McGee".

And the outfit changes. Ohhh the outfit changes! A good day is staying within a two-three outfit changes range. A bad day is anything more than four.

You think I kid. I'm totally serious.

(You know it's bad when you base your good days on not having to change so many diapers/do too much laundry, and your bad days as monumental diaper changes, airing out the house, and loads of laundry.)

You really know its bad when you're at the bottom-of-the-barrel outfits-wise and you have to pull stuff like this out:

Looks like a baby prison-jumpsuit or somethin'. Nice socks, right? Right? Yeah, well they matched the first outfit. He's now in his third. Matching isn't an option any longer. Keeping him in clothes is the mission priority now.

Dear Santa,

Send a faster washer and dryer, or a cork. Or somethin'. STAT!

Sincerely,

One tired laundry-doin, massive-diaper-changin' momma

Oh crap! (literally) I guess we're onto outfit number four today already....
{sigh}

Thankful

I am thankful for his laugh. His deep bellied, boyish laugh.

I am thankful for his grunts and breaths, his oohs and coos.
I am thankful for his sweet baby fuzz head.
I am thankful for his big eyes with already long eye lashes (why can't they share with me!?)
I am thankful for his edibly chubby body.
I am thankful for his pouty lips, his drool and his smile.
I am thankful for his baby soft skin.
I am thankful he's appearing to be a brunette, like me.
I am thankful for his lovin' his momma.
I am thankful he's a cuddler.
I am thankful for how he lights up a room just by existing.
I am thankful for his dimples, like me.
I am so thankful he wraps up our family, being the culmination of us all - bits and pieces pieced together into this loveable chubby fuzzy-headed snuggle baby we all are completely in love with for the past 4 months and 2 days.

Are you thankful this week? Don't forget to go here and share! And don't forget about Thursday Thirteen at Happy to be at Home. They did a Superbowl Thirteen this week! (GO STEELERS!!).

Wordless Wednesday - Like Father, Like Son

Be sure to also visit 5 Minutes for Mom for WW as well!

The Bike

It is so hard to watch your child trying something for the first time, and not succeeding right away, if at all.

My youngest is starting to roll over. My first reaction, other than to cry profusely because time is moving too fast, is to help. You want them to do it on their own, but it's almost painful to watch them struggle.

The will to let go is a hard pill to swallow at times, isn't it? It's just the need and want to help, to not see them fail, yet, the wish to keep the little just a bit longer, for if they do achieve it, they've gotten that much bigger that very second by doing so. Oh, the torturous nature of it all!

Using a fork for the first time. You watch as they spill all over themselves, the table, the high chair. Your first instinct is to hold their hand, help the food to their mouth. But how will they learn, mom? How will they know how to hold it themselves? So you have a mess to clean up, and it becomes trying to have to clean it up everyday. That sense of accomplishment is there for them, devoid the mess, they are learning something, and doing it on their own with your guidance, your authority, your love.

Re-spelling and attempting the same vocabulary word, over and over again... oh my! Of course you want to just tell them the answer and get it over with, ending the suffering. It's painful, trying to get the sound and spelling just right. But you don't tell them. You bite your tongue, you practically hold back tears, and you let them do it themselves and achieve that accomplishment, small or big, it's theirs for the taking, and ours for letting them do it on their own.

And then the sadness, they've done it. They've grown up just a bit in that moment. They aren't as little as they were moments ago. It's happening before your very eyes.

Life as a mom is like learning to teach them to ride a bike for the first time. Trying to balance on that bike, they whine to you "No! Don't let me go! But mooooom, I can't do it by myself!"

Sure, they'll want to take the safe way out and have you hold them up forever, afraid for you to let go, just as you're afraid for you to let them go. But you can't be there to balance them all their life, every time they want to ride. They have to learn to do it themselves. That's our job. To teach them how to do it on their own, the right way, no cheating, no short cuts, learn the old-fashioned way, learn it with patience, and kindness, and love. Enough to want to pass along that knowledge someday to their siblings, to their friends, and someday, to their own children.

They will get it on their own, mom; they will get it. And you will be there when they do, to applaud them for doing it, all by themselves.

Of course, as soon as they leave the room you can cry your eyes out. But until then, keep letting them try themselves, keep observing peripherally, and keep encouraging them to get on that bike of life. Just don't let them ride away too far from you, not yet.

Honest Beverages Honestly Good

I may talk about coffee often, but it's a little known fact that I'm a super-big tea drinker as well. Kind of a big deal for me. Coffee powers my ability to function, whereas tea quenches my thirst and helps relax me when I go bonkers (c'mon, six kids + military = bonkers sometimes). Nothin' like a nice hot cup of tea and sittin' on my porch swing to calm the nerves.

Honest Tea has been a company I've adored for a long time. Organic? Check. Yummy? Check. And funny. Oh so funny! A company that began because they were dissatisfied with what they were offered by everyone else, they can be quoted as saying:

"When the beverage aisle kept giving us lemons, we made lemonade. That's because we were thirsty, and tired of super-sweet drinks filled with stuff we couldn't pronounce."

Say it with me... AWESOME!

And that isn't all. This company really puts it out there, spreading the all-important message of self-discovery, enlightenment, advocacy for our environment and more:

"If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room." - Bette Reese
"The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything." - Theodore Roosevelt
"Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it." - Chinese Proverb

If you look under the cap of a bottle of Honest Tea, you'll find cute quotes just like that. Not to mention, spreading the love of change on their bottles:

"P.S. Patience also is't much of a virtue when it comes to changing the world - take matters into your own hands - plant a tree (arborday.org), donate blood (givelife.org), find a way to get involved with something you care about. Or find something new to care about at climatecounts.org

I love what they have to say, which is just icing on the cake of the deliciousness of the products they offer. First it was their spectacular teas in the bottle which I've always been a huge fan of. My favorites are Lori's Lemon, Just Black (which comes in a big 64oz size too!) and Citrus Spice (which is, unfortunately-for-me, decaf but oh so yummy).

Then they went and made my kids uber-happy when they came out with spectacular kids' drinks that my kids devour in no time flat. I'd name my children's favorites, but we've never found a flavor they haven't liked! Best part about the Honest Kids line (other than being organic and tasty)? They encourage the kids to recycle by reusing the Honest Kids' pouches to make cute bags and school supplies! With the help of the company Terracycle, who recycles the pouches, Honest Kids donates $.02 a pouch to the school or organization of your choice when you sign up!

A company with a mission, with wit and a powerful message, all while being organic, eco-friendly AND with great tasting products!? How could it possibly get better?

Honest Tea, having previously delved deeper into the beverage market with their super-yummy Limeade and Cranberry Lemonade, to name a few, has recently added antioxidants into the mix, creating two new 'ades' they released recently - Orange Mango with Mangosteen and Superfruit Punch with yumberry and goji berry.

I had the opportunity to try both of these flavors, having never tried goji berry or yumberry before, I have to admit I was a bit nervous to take the plunge. What if I didn't like it? I was happily surprised, they taste as good as they are for you, making it that much easier to be healthy! I really enjoyed how well they paired together flavorwise. In fact, it tasted SO good, I kinda drank it so fast I forgot to share it to take pictures. Whoops!

So with the Orange Mango with Mangosteen, I didn't forget to share. (After all, I had to share just to get the shot) After the first sip, though, I didn't want to share this one either, and neither did my son, as you can see, I had to fight him just to get it back to pass it on! *giggle*

Outcome: just as big of fans of the two new ades as we are of their other products we've already loved from Honest Tea. Worthy of our Crazy Family of 8 Stamp of Approval, and thensome!

You can find out where to get Honest Tea near you by visiting here. Definitely need to try them, if you haven't already. And if you have, let me know, which is your favorite?

Resolutions

There is so much that I am thankful for in my life, yet with the new year arriving, it makes you reflect and think about what you could do to make it better than it already is. After giving it a lot of thought, here are the resolutions I have for 2009 (and I reserve the right to add to it as I go along):

1. Pay down as much debt as possible. Other than the credit card for AAFES we opened for the laptop, we haven't used any credit and have already been paying things down, so I'd like to continue that trend of not spending on credit and paying debt down or off. My goal is to be debt-free within the next 2 years, I hope.
   
2. In addition to the above, I wish to live as frugally as possible, and encourage my family to do the same, more so than we already do. Christmas became quite out of hand, after being forewarned, our families on both sides over did it yet again, and I want to encourage my children AND our extended families to not over do it. I hope to help all of us simultaneously (a huge task, but I hope to help in some way).
3. To go along with the 2 above, I'm hoping to take any extra money we have to pay down debt, quicker, after we set some aside for special accounts, first.
   
4. To sew more often. I stare at my machine daily and yet I don't do anything with it anymore. I need to make time to do it, as I have projects ready to go I haven't touched in forever.
   
5. I get into a regular blogging routine, semi-scheduled like (as much as I can with a 3 month old) so I'm not pressed to crank out posts all at once if I fall behind, or something happens. I do plan posts in advance, with obvious wiggle room to post more, along with contributing to other websites as well. I need time, scheduled time, uninterrupted time to do this, though.
   
6. I would like to make one, if not more, of the blogging functions this year, like Blissdom or BlogHer or something.
7. In order to make the above, I hope to find a sponsor to help me get there, as I am unable to afford it on my own.
   
8. Venture out in our new state, Louisiana, and visit some of it's many cities. Traveling to and from here to visit relatives, we've seen them from a distance and want to see more, so this year I'd like to stop and visit them instead of just pass them by.
9. To not lose my temper. That's a hard one, I do have six children. I am extremely patient, but the end of 2008 was stressful while visiting my parents, with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, compounded by the Computer Meltdown 2008 I endured, 2009 hasn't started out too hotly because of it. I vow to chill out, calm down, and not 'lose it'.
10. To get healthier.

There is probably much more I'm failing to recall right now, so I'll add it as a I think of it. How are you doing on your resolutions?

Oovoo vs. Skype

*My comparison can be found here: Oovoo vs. Skype - Which is Better For You?*
Have you seen this adorable commercial yet? It's for a new chat and video conferencing program called Oovoo, rivalling Skype.


Do you have Oovoo, or Skype, or both? I'd love to hear your thoughts on which you use, which you prefer, pros and cons of both, or whatever you'd like to tell me!

I recently signed up with Skype. I'm Lisa.crazyadventures if you'd like to add me. Forewarning, I've never used it before, so I have NO idea what I'm doing, so be gentle :)

Defeated by Pajamas, Powered by Coffee

It was one of those days where, both my infant and toddler decided to poop, simultaneously, within 20 minutes of just having their diapers changed already, and it was only 9am.

Yeah, that kind of day.

I hadn't even finished my first cup of coffee yet, and I'm trying to button my infant's pajamas. Only, it isn't working. Upon inspecting, it seemed as though I had ripped a button clear out of the fabric.

I blinked a few times, and just keep staring at it. There's no hole?! How can this be? How did I do that?!

Then I see it.

I was looking at the other end of the fabric, the button was just fine, I'm just an idiot.

(Don't ask. Apparently, not enough coffee + changing diapers = lunacy)

Freaked out by my scary, cat-like craziness, I continue to button him up, only to come to another "unbuttonable" button, this time apparently covered by cloth, as though I had mis-buttoned somewhere along the way and run out of snaps, or something.

So I went in for a closer look and discovered, nope, I had indeed done it right, there was just this magical flap of terrycloth covering it that I guess I had to move out of the way.

...

I'm really not this dumb, I promise. I've been around the block a time or two (or six, but who's counting). I guess I'm not kidding anymore when I say, coffee makes my brain work. I just proved my joke to actually be true.

Scary.

New mommy rules, effective immediately:

1. Do not change diapers before first cup of coffee is finished.
   
2. Do not button up pajamas before first cup of coffee is finished.
3. Try not to use your brain to figure anything else out before first cup of coffee is finished.
4. Make coffee earlier, and drink it faster, as your children are not going to abide by numbers 1-3.

Oh, and guess who just made one of the Top 100 Blogs for Expecting Mothers along with Dooce , Type-A Mom, BlueSuitMom, The Intrepid Mompreneur, Celebrity Baby Blog, The Motherload and more?? :)

My Impression of Sally Field

You like me.... you.... okay, I'm kidding. But in all seriousness, you guys really do like me ;)

Once upon a time, I was an artist. I probably still could be considered an artist, except, well, I never pick up a pencil, or a paintbrush, or a carving tool anymore. Here is some of what I have done before, though (see, I promised I'd show you, Amber):

(Pardon the marker on the second lino print, my son got to it before I could put it away a few years ago).

That second one is a self-portrait, and is a linoleum cutting, same as the landscape. The first one was my grandmother and is in pastel. The last picture is of a guy I went to school with, and of a little girl I used to watch in daycare, drawn in pencil. The third is a landscape in water color.

I received "Gold Keys" in the Scholastic Art Awards my junior and senior years for my work in high school.

I don't know why I don't do it (art) anymore.

Oh yeah, 'cuz I have six kids, and my toddler would eat the paper I was drawing on, or poison herself on my paints, because it doesn't matter where I'd hide the stuff, she would stalk me, with her sweet, toddler-sized body, and launch a full-scale thermonuclear attack on my art, 'cuz she's got mad skills like that. Yeah, that's why.

No seriously, I might get back into it again. And I *might* be for hire, some day soon, too. We'll see..

I laugh like Betty Rubble, or at least I used to. So much so, one Halloween I dressed like her and made the costume myself. Y'know, back in the "I wear a size nothing" phase, curves in all the right places, could wear something tight without scaring anyone. Yeah, those days.

I love to dance. Somehow, it didn't seem to matter how in or out of shape I was, I could dance for hours, whether it be listening to my own music, or dancing in a class or performance, or in a club when younger. I performed Modern Dance in college, SUNY New Paltz. Perhaps one of these days I might see if I can get the video into digital.....

I used to be a cheerleader and later, cheerleading coach. I adored doing it. Seeing my daughters now do it reminds me of how much I used to love it. (Yes, that's really me, senior year. Straight out of my yearbook, hence the quality.)

Because I was a cheerleader, I learned how to raise my voice the right way (yes, there is a right and wrong way. The wrong way strains your throat, makes it hurt. The right way, comes from your gut.) Just another free service I offer - my ability to yell loud. My kids are not too fond of it, but hey, can't say I'm not heard (or, perhaps, just not listened to...)

Did you know that Firefox considers "cheerleading" not a properly spelled word, but "cheerleader" is?

My favorite ice cream of all time is chocolate-chip cookie dough.

I was never a country music fan. I used to tout my love of all music, except country, until I moved to North Carolina. A lot of people, who we would hang out with, would play it, and I realized that some of it actually wasn't all as bad as I'd made it out to be, especially the stuff they play in country bars you can line dance to, like "Save a Horse, Ride A Cowboy", and other popular tunes. (Recall, I love to dance, hence why I like them). But no, you aren't going to catch me listening to country stations or anything, but I don't leave country out, anymore.

I had braces almost all of high school. Not fun. I needed them, though, as my teeth were more crooked than a politician. I had adult teeth growing out over my baby teeth. So, in an effort to fit them all in my teeny mouth, they had to pull 6 teeth out, just to fit them all. Like I said, not fun. I might have a big voice (recall, my ability to yell loud) but it comes from a small mouth ;)

I'm kind of sort-of semi-addicted to perfume. And by 'kind of', I really mean, very much so. I am a perfume 'collector', if you will, especially considered I love it so, but rarely wear it. I know, weird, but true.

I drink a ton of coffee (which is obvious) but I don't make a huge pot in the mornings. I make a little, drink it throughout the morning. I'll make more again in the afternoon, drink it throughout the rest of the day. I don't like old coffee, hence why I don't make a huge pot to drink throughout, I like it fresh (who doesn't?!). But even though I drink a lot, I don't drink it fast, I drink a little here, a little there. I really need a better way to do it.

I drink coffee out of the soup-bowl-lookin'-mugs. You know, like they did in Friends?

I get migraines. (Okay, you might already know that.) What you might not know is, they stopped, completely, when I was pregnant with my two-year-old daughter. Promptly resumed just after I had her, though. Strange how that worked.

I love the smell of laundry. Like, Gain, particularly. Fabric softener. Ohhh fabric softener.... BUT, since we go 'natural', I don't use any of it, sadly. I wish I could, but we don't because of the chemicals. If only I could find a natural version to add to our laundry that smelled just as delicious. (I guess this stems back to the whole "I love perfume" thing, huh?)
I have green eyes.

There you have it. 16 things you might not have known about me. Ish. (I was tagged by Steph.)

But that's not all! You all spoil me, seriously, spoil me. So there's more!

Toni-Lynn aka Fabulous One, said I'm fabulous, too, and asked me to join her in her evil plot to overtake the country in fabulous-ness.

No wait. That's not right.

She awarded me the "Your Blog is Fabulous" award! How sweet fabulous is she?! I'm supposed to put it on my blog. Check. Nominate 10 blogs, linking to them (of course). Check. Visit them to let 'em know (of course). Check. Finally, share the love and visit Toni-Lynn with my link. Can do!

My 10 are chosen by loving their site design, content, or both :)

1. Project: Domestic Bliss
2. From Dates to Diapers and Beyond
3. The Run Amuck (with a schnazzy new makeover!)
   
4. Dr. Mommy Says (with a schnazzy new picture!)
   
5. Amanda (also with a schnazzy new makeover!)
   
6. Mommy in Pink
   
7. Subjective Beauty (with a new site, and who's doing a blog makeover for me!!!)
   
8. 4 Little Men and Girly Twins
   
9. Life with My 3 Boybarians
   
10. Little Window Shoppe

Congrats ladies!

Believe it or not, there's more!!

I got another award from Stephanie from Bizzie Mommy, the "Honest Scrap" award, thank you!

(See, you guys really do like me!)

I'm to list 10 honest things about myself (and I just listed 16 above, how's that for tackling two things simultaneously?!). I'm also to pass this award along to 7 bloggers I feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scrap.

I picked 7 bloggers that tell it like it is ;)

1. A Cowboy's Wife
   
2. Minxy Mimi Unplugged
3. Mamma Talk
   
4. Riding with No Hands
   
5. A Daily Dose of Toni
6. My Sippy Cup Runneth Over
   
7. Backpacking Dad
   

Congrats everyone :)

Thankful Thursday Thirteen - A Real One

Read all the way to the bottom, for your shout-out (yes, you!) ;)

Last week's was awful. A no good very bad day. This weeks is better. Muuuch better. Here is my Thankful Thursday Thirteen, a REAL one.

1. I am thankful for my little baby's boyish voice, and all his hiccupy smiles, and oohs and milky burps.
   
2. I am thankful for my toddlers eyes, her squeaks, her smiles, her imagination, her spunk, and for being smart as a whip, too. She's my living doll.
   
3. I am thankful for my 4-year-old, who makes me laugh every day, who reminds me to have fun, who keeps me in line, who will tell it to me like it is, and who's curly hair and humungous eyes and eyelashes do me in every single time. He's ridiculously cute. I think I'll keep him.
   
4. I am thankful for my 9-year-old son for looking just like me, complete with my hair color (since none of the others do and my baby is seemingly going to go dark, we'll see...). I am thankful for his intellect, as he will be quite successful some day. I am thankful for his kind and generous heart, and for his ability to love and feel things deeply. I am thankful for just about every ounce of him (and all of them, actually).
   
5. I am thankful for my 2 older daughters (I combined 'em because they same applies to both), their beauty, their sweetness, their ability to make me laugh and hard at their funny quirks, their humor, their silliness, their spunk and for reminding me daily of my girl-hood. I am thankful my teenager isn't 'one of those' teenagers, and that, even though she's growing up, she's still a little girl.. for now. I am thankful my 8-year-old is such a tomboy like me, but can look sooo very pretty all dolled up.
   
6. I am thankful for my husband. My beautiful husband who loves me like I never knew anyone ever could. I am thankful for every.single.thing.about.him, even if he drives me crazy for his inability to mind read (lol). I am thankful for his dimples, his smile, his arms which wrap around me in such a protective way, I am shielded from everything that could harm me, just with one hug. I am thankful I am blessed to have the man of my dreams, forever by my side.
   
7. I am thankful for my country, my liberties, my freedoms, my new President, and for all my husband's comrades in arms fighting for our freedom, I am thankful for you, and I wish you a safe return.
8. I am thankful for coffee, because without it, I wouldn't function, haha
   
9. I am thankful for my great-grandmother, who has long since passed, but I feel her presence with me all the time, guiding me to give, to teach, to grow, to bake just like she did.
10. I am thankful for "Signs" guiding me as to what I should do with my life, from the smallest of decisions to the humongous ones. I have opened myself up freely to Them, and am amazed at how They work, and appear at the very second when I need Them to most.
    
11. I am thankful for friends. It is amazing how time can pass when life gets in the way preventing your constant contact with them, and you can pick up right where you left off with the ones that mean the most to you, you never forget. I call these the "Elefriends" for elephant friends, since elephants never forget.
12. I am thankful for the ability to vocalize what I'm feeling/living/experiencing with this blog, for my ability to write, to read, to get to know other people and to grow as a person through others experiences and writings.
13. I am thankful for you. That's right, you, whomever you are, reading this right now. I am thankful for your taking time out of your day to come read me. I am thankful for you, your wisdom, for the comment you're about to leave me *cough*, for your experiences, your kindness, your everything. Keep being you, and keep coming back, I promise I'll make it worth your while. Thank you, for you.

Happy Thursday everybody!

Mom's Best Naturals - Yum-to-the-O

As much as I love to bake from scratch, and make hot breakfasts for my family to start the day just right, you know there are going to be those mornings that nothing goes right, coinciding with the exact time of your stockpile of pre-made pancakes/waffles/french toast and the like is empty, and of course, the kids are going to be immediately.hungry.can't.wait.any.longer.going.to.die.of starvation and want to fix something themselves.

Things happen. It happens. Cereal happens.

We do our best to get healthy cereals, organic when we can, but man oh man are those expensive! I was so thankful/lucky/appreciative/jumping for joy to have gotten the chance to be introduced to the following alternatives to the healthy-yet-expensive cereals, not only lacking all the gobble-de-gook chemicals and unnatural additives, they are healthy AND affordable, and the boxes are huge, meaning A LOT more for your money, being less expensive AND bigger sized! Yeah! They took my favorite flavors and cereals from my childhood, and made 'em healthy for my kids. Super sweet!

Mom's Best Naturals has gotten us hooked bigtime, man. My husband literally snagged the Honey Grahams and wouldn't share. Ate the whole box, himself, I kid you not. It was gone in a millisecond (and that's a big box). Thank goodness they're priced cheaper than other brands! I had to pry the Toasted Cinnamon Squares away from his hungry hands so we could try it, too, and ohh, was it ever good!

They offer many versions of your childhood favorites, in fact. See if you can decipher what cereals they've created healthier by visiting here, and comment back to me. See any of your childhood favorites, too?

Mom's Best Naturals even offers coupons on top of their already affordable prices! Double sweet! Click, print, shop, eat! Mmm!

Where we live, though, there is only one store that offers these. They are not at our local Walmart, sadly (will try to remedy that, though, and speak to someone about stocking it, since we love it so much!) If you want to see if it's sold near you, click here.
In the meantime, to get my fix, since the local store only offers the Honey Nut Toasty Os and we would like a plethora of their other items, they can SHIP it to me with MyBrands.com (and other, hard to find foods), which is AWESOME, with so very little around us, we'd have to drive quite a ways to get it! SO STOKED! Have you ever heard of MyBrands.com before?? I hadn't until now, and wow do they offer a ton of great stuff! Check it out! Worthy of our coveted Crazy Family of 8 Stamp of Approval!

Alright, now I've gone and talked all about cereal, and yumminess, and I don't have anymore to nibble on. Let's hope MyBrands.com has an express shipping option, or perhaps an "email-from-warehouse-to-mouth" option....

Wordless Wednesday - Party

Apparently, there was a laundry party, and I wasn't invited. I was too busy cooking lunch.
Note to self: Fold laundry instead of leaving it in the basket, before making lunch, or else you, too, will miss out the laundry party.

For more Wordless Wednesday, don't forget to visit 5 Minutes for Mom!

Twitter and the Inauguration

Here are some tweets I thought I'd share with you, from people who watched Obama get sworn in, as we spoke back and forth, 140 characters at a time. Whatever their political affiliation, it was amazing to have all of us come together, as everyone did today in DC and nationwide, to watch history being made.

I ♥ Faces

I saw this on Jen's blog and couldn't resist. I gotta get in on it! My newest, favorite photo - my little guy :) I love this photo, how he posed SO well for it, unintentionally!

C'mon, you know you wanna play too! (And when you do, drop back by and comment to let me know, so I can check out which face you ♥!)

Tackle It Tuesday - Man Down *UPDATED*

My tackle isn't going to be an easy one. I'm going to need reinforcements.

Anybody want to tell me how I'm supposed to tackle this one?

This dish sits on top of the microwave oven, and someone forgot to remove it before turning it on. My poor snowmen. They never saw it comin'.

I really don't know how to handle this without sitting and chiseling at wax all day. Anyone have any ideas?

*UPDATE 1/21/09 11:16am*

The freezer worked like a charm! Thank you everyone!

Recipe of the Week - Chicken Chili

With the weather turning cold, it's time to break out the warm fuzzy recipes. This makes great leftovers you can use in different ways, use your imagination with what's left! While this serves my family as a dinner, there isn't much paring down that you can do to make it smaller, so let me know what you end up doing with your leftovers! Imagine nachos, wraps, a topping for a burger and so much more!

Chicken Chili

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion *optional
  
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsps garlic minced)
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
  
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, washed and cubed
• 12 oz chicken broth
  
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped (or 7-8 pre-sliced jalapenos from jar)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander **
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin **
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder **
  
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 cans Great Northern beans (16 oz) drained and rinsed well
• 1 can pinto beans
  
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed, or fresh
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste **
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion *optional
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro **
• 2 bags rice (as a side or to serve over)
• tortilla chips
  

**can be left out since you use a package of taco seasoning
(I listed the onions optional, as we're trying to avoid onions, as it bothers our tummies.)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. When oil is very hot, add onion(if you're using it) and garlic; saute until onion begins to brown (if not using it, just wait about a minute or so).
   
3. Add cubed chicken and brown on all sides.
4. Begin water in saucepan to boil for rice, add rice when boiling until finished.
5. Add chopped jalapeno, seasonings, crushed tomatoes, broth and beans.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes; add juice of one lime and stir in the corn kernels.
7. Cook chicken chili, stirring occasionally, until rice is ready.
8. Serve with sour cream, chopped red onion (optional) and chopped cilantro over or paired next to rice, topped with tortilla chips.

Enjoy!!

Our Big, Fat Steelers Family

It's all about coordinating, people. Work with me here. If you're going to cheer on your favorite team, you've gotta get 'em all involved. Every last one of 'em.

First, there's the cheerleaders, at the ready, with Dora and Boots in tow. Consider them reinforcements, if you will. Dora has a magical backpack of tricks that might help Mike Tomlin if needed. Not pictured, Steelers pom-poms.
(Side note:can they look anymore identical?!)
Then 'the boys', game faces on, it's 'go' time.

Terrible Towels? Check.
Steelers blanket? Check.
Steelers scarf? Check.
Steelers hat? Check.
Steelers baby bib? Check.
(You can't tell, but hubby's watch? Steelers. He's even wearing Steeler's socks, too.)
Our littlest Steeler, sans Steeler's bib, who's game face is always a happy smiley one, donning Troy Polamalu's #43 jersey.
Heck, even big sister gets in on it, so long as it's pink. Gotta represent as a girl, y'know, just in case a cute boy is watching.
Not pictured, me. Perhaps I'll get one and add it to the mix. But only if you ask nicely in the comments :)

Are you ready for some football!!! We are! GO STEELERS!!

Beside Myself

What makes me so special?

What makes me so blessed to have six, beautiful, happy healthy children yet others have to suffer?

I stare into the big eyes of my children, so helpless, so perfect and beautiful and fortunate, and I simply can.not imagine them or any others their age having to go through disease.

Children should not.

I don't believe anyone should, but children, what have they done? They are too new, too fresh to this world, to life, to have to endure anything of the sort.

It hurts my heart to know how many children are out there, suffering, in pain.

*gulp*

I can't even imagine what these people must be going through. First their first daughter was lost to cancer. Now their second daughter, 3-months-old, just a week younger than my baby, is fighting for her life with cancer, too. I can't even bear it, what they must be going through.

If you choose to participate, do not let them know what is going on, this project is secret.

I'm off to go snuggle and snack on my pudgy and blessedly healthy baby, accompanied by his equally healthy and happy five siblings, being held and cried upon by his gratefully and tear-stricken mother, while watching them play outside for a while, despite the cold.

Thank you so much Heather for showing me this.

Extra Extra!

Come see my first post over at 5 Minutes for Parenting! I'm talking about my post, The Name Game, at 5 Minutes for Parenting's A Dose of Humor! Every so often you'll see me there :) I love me some 5 Minutes for Parenting, I'm so excited to contribute!


And if you can't get enough of me and want more (c'mon, you know you do), you'll want to come see me talk about wanting to trade places with our kids over at Type-A Mom.

Lastly, if you aren't sick of me by then (aww, who would be?) then you can swing on over to Happy to be at Home and see me talking about the fantastically awesome gift Disney has given military families this year. If you're military wanting to go to Disney, this is a MUST READ!

So, come see me, drop a line, let me know you stopped by, will ya? :)

Thankful Thursday Thirteen - Rough One

I'm combining these two. First off, since Thursday Thirteen in it's original spot is no more, Happy to be at Home has picked it up. Here is their Thursday Thirteen this week.

And now on to my Thankful Thursday Thirteen. I can make up my own rules, y'know ;)

This has been a hard week, and will be followed by an equally hard week, with the worst day I've had in a while happening today. Probably one of those days I shouldn't post, but it isn't all sunshine and roses here at the Crazy Adventures in Parenting household, you know. You're entitled to see that, too. Besides, I could use encouragement today.

It's hard to pick your head up and be thankful when you just know 'the suck' is heading your way and you're hip deep in it.

Regardless, in an effort to thwart it at every cost, I will remember to be thankful. I am, by far, no where near the worst off person, anywhere. I must keep myself in check. I must recall my reality checks, The Closet Door and My Mother Letter. Not to mention my family, even though they've upset me, they are my life.

1. I am thankful for my beautiful family.
2. I am thankful for my six children, even though I feel they don't appreciate me or half of what I do, or their things.
3. I am thankful for my loving husband, even though I feel taken advantage of sometimes.
4. I am thankful for my friends, wherever they are, online or in person.
   
5. I am thankful for the roof over my head, albeit it small for our family of 8, and cramped, and despite it frying our computers.
6. I am thankful for the food we eat, albeit more expensive than ever and causing us to compromise what and how we eat.
7. I am thankful for the ability to blog, as some days it seems like my only release. (wow. I am having trouble coming up with 13 things, here.)
8. I am thankful for my extended family, with whom I got to all see during the holiday, despite drama, illness and more, it was great to see them even if it wasn't all sunshine and roses.
9. I am thankful for my health.
   
10. I am thankful for my minivan. Sounds silly, but it fits my whole family, and when you have a big family, that's kind of a big deal.
11. I am thankful for coffee, as I wouldn't survive some days without it.
12. I am thankful for the sun. I always feel better under it. (Note to self: immediately go outside after this kthx)
13. I am thankful for love. Love for my family, it's what keeps me going no matter how bad it gets.

Okay. That took a lot out of me. Gonna go change a diaper, pack up all my kids, bring 'em outside and breathe in the air and try to forget the myriad of suck stagnant around me right now. Maybe the wind will help blow it away, so that when I return from outside, it'll be gone.

Hopeful? Maybe. We'll see if it works.

CPSIA Vote at Change.org!

Today is the last day to vote! Voting ends 5pm EST.

Our voices are helping and letters are making a difference!

On Jan. 8th the CPSC revised its position to exclude thrift and consignment stores. Keep the heat on Congress as the CPSC rulemaking is still underway. This will still affect all WAHMs and WAHDs, and all handmade.

Vote today at change.org, and go here too and vote to help make your voice heard! There's also a class action lawsuit brewing you can be a part of, too. While you're there, sign their petition too.

Everybody is affected in some way, please help make our voices heard!

Wordless Wednesday - Old School

They sure don't make 'em like they used to. I have the oldest waffler known to man. Older than old, this baby used to cook my waffles when I was a kid, and it looks it, doesn't it? haha
It sure doesn't look like much, but it is the best waffler ever. And yes, it really was what my mother used for us, now I'm using it for my kids. Can't beat that!

Been dropped more times than I can count, it's still kickin' and producing the greatest waffles for my family, without the unwanted flaking non-stick coating in your waffles, thank you very much.
Yum-o! If only I could get another one just like this.

Ok, maybe this wasn't so much a Wordless Wednesday after all....

Nooo! Not "The Weapon"!

It isn't the repetitious "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" that makes you think your ears are bleeding.

It isn't the whining over a toy or wanting something they can't have, to the point of wanting to stab yourself with a spork.

It isn't the constant fighting amongst themselves, or the back and forth banter, one-upping each other, or having to be right to the point of literally hiding in the bathroom, plugging your ears while humming.

(Although those are quite noteworthy weapons with which to cause us to go gray.)

It's something that doesn't even need that much effort. Something that doesn't even need to be uttered, or spoken. Something that is just that powerful. This all-encompassing power they impose on us without warning, without provocation.

A mere implication, if you will.

What is it, you must be asking. What is it that can drive you so deep into the bowels of your emotions, that you'll want to drop every thing you're doing just to make it stop and fix it, regardless of how important whatever you were doing might be?

Brace yourself. Put down whatever you're doing right this instant, so that you don't drop a plate, or spill your coffee on your keyboard.

It's the ever-frightening, melt-you-into-a-weeping-puddle...



....pouty lip.
Whoa.

Like, wow. Whoa.

Sorry to scare you, but.. do you see the power they have over us? Here, look...
Did you feel that? That sudden drop inside you, like you just went on a roller coaster, picked up the phone and received the worst news of your life, gave birth and got dumped all in one milli-second. How does that happen, snot and all?
It's ok if you got chills there. Or if you almost, without even thinking, ran to get a lollipop or piece of candy to jump through the screen and give to the picture, I know. I know, it's an automatic reaction, when you see this ever-scary pouty lip and immediately have to act upon it with lightning speed to remedy whatever caused it to appear in the first place. I know, friend.

I know.