It's Gonna Be Hard To Parent Teenagers

Remember when you were a kid and hid something from your parents? Remember how your parents would go into your room, go through your things and find the said items that you were hiding? Remember the hurt feelings from having your parents invade your privacy and their hurt feelings from you lying to them? This is what I'm dealing with right now with a loved one of mine. I'm having issues trusting them so I went into their personal belongings and found something I wish I hadn't. The problem is that this isn't the first time. It's the 3rd. And in addition to all this, Kevin is getting involved. And when Kevin is involved, that's BAD. I just feel so guilty. I know that feeling of disbelief and anger for my privacy not being respected. I have to make someone I love feel that way. But now, I see the other side of the coin. Iam feeling that feeling in the pit of my stomach knowing that not only have I been lied to, but disrespected as well. And this isn't even one of my children! What is it going to be like years from now when we go through this with one of them? I hope that I remember the way I feel about it today. I hope I can remember what it will be like for them on the other side. But most of all, I hope they know that parents only go through their children's things because they love them. They care for them. And always only want the best for them.

Just Because

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Monday, Monday...only it's Tuesday

Wow, I haven't updated this in a week. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Alas, it also flies when you've got three kids, a job interview and a play date planned in a week. Not to say that last week wasn't fun, cause it was, but...you know what I'm getting at.

Yes, we'll start with the obvious. I had a job interview last Wednesday. It is a GREAT thing too. It was for the position of Children's Minister at our church. I have so many ideas for the kids there and I was eager to share them with the leadership council. I figure I am in the perfect time in my life to take on something like this. It combines my leadership and management skills from working at the bank in addition to well, the requirement of growing in God and having fun. Sorry, but that sounds like a pretty darn good deal for me! The interview was more intimidating then Kevin thought it would be. I guess the combination of 5 men staring me down asking me questions and the fact that I haven't needed to interview for anything since 2002 just got to me. But I stayed honest and confident and sure enough I got the job. Funny thing is that I don't feel like it's a job. It'll be good for me to feel I am contributing to children, growing the church and most of all, deepening my relationship. My first day is November 1st, but the wheels are already going on what neat things to do with the kids.

Also last week I had a pumpkin play date for the girls. I'll admit. I'm trying to butter them up. Right now, I rank about 3rd on their list of important people. 1st is Kevin cause they don't see him as much as they want. So they are always missing their daddy. 2nd is Me-Maw. I sware I'm not jealous or anything. It's nice that they love their grandma, but I mean SERIOUSLY, I'm their mom! It would be nice if they would accept my attempts to comfort them or my gifts or whatever instead of crying out for Me-Maw to get them or hold them etc. Especially since Kevin and my mom will be gone this coming Saturday all the way to the 5th. It'll just be me and the 3 kids and it would be nice if they would at least let me hold them before the poor, deprived children are left alone with their mean ol' mommy.(insert eye roll here) Okay, back to the play date. I invited A&A, the Schwartz' kids, the Schwartz' neighbor turned church friend's kids and my neighbor's kids. Lol, did you get all that??? Lori had company in town so they couldn't make it and Carrie, next door, had a doctor's appointment for her 2, but we still managed to have 6 kiddos all over at my house playing outside, decorating pumpkins and eating cup cakes. I hope the kids had a good time. I know I did.


Aiden, Maddy and Em meticulously decorating...
Emma and Hailey very involved with their glitter glue...

Matt likes pumpkins too...

Hmmm...what else did we do last week? Well, does my boy growing soooooo big count? Cause he is. Not even joking ya'll. I am in desperate need of a pause button to stop this kid. Me-Maw got his Christmas gift early so he could start using it. She got him a baby entertainer. And he LOVES it. I think it's cause he likes to be at a closer level to the girls. His sisters mean the world to him. So being up, seeing things like they do is probably pretty cool for a 4 mo. old. Oh, she also got him a Johnny Jumper. He loves that too cause his lil' legs are always moving. But that is a bit more dangerous with Hails doing run thru's pushing him...funny to watch, not so funny to break up. ;)

Sorry about the picture quality. It was like 6:30 am and we were making pancakes quietly so the gang didn't wake up...

I also bought him his first sippy cup. No, I am NOT trying to make him older than he is, but I thought that it would be in our best interest to transition him from the breast to a sippy and kind of skip the whole bottle thing. Matt did pretty well with it considering, but he got board quickly and you could tell that for now, he just wants his momma.

Okay, for all of you who actually put up with this long of a post just cause I was lazy last week...I apologize, but here is one last picture of my handsome little man because, well, no reason other than how cute he is and he's showing off his new trick!

Butterfly Flutterby

Saturday morning my Mom, Kevin, Matthew, Hailey, Emma, the girls' friend Natalie, and myself all piled into the van and headed down to Butterfly Flutterby. This was the first year for Nat and Matt, but the second time around for the girls. Last year the girls were a bit young to participate in the butterfly release. This year was wonderful cause I was able to make them some tutus and butterfly wings and they were able to parade down Main st. in Grapevine and be little celebraties waving to the crowd. Matt slept the entire parade, but he got just as many "awwwww!" comments as the girls did. If anyone has a suggestion for how to make a "macho" butterfly costume for Matt next year, please let me know cause I'm at a loss. I think that events like this are perfect for the kids. They got to see real Ble Morpho butterflies...not just see cartoon ones on Go Diego, Go. And they are starting to have a real appreciation for animals, nature and family time.

And the award goes to...

A few days back, my friend Nicole gave me an award for being one of the blogs she likes to read. I was extremely honored and wanted to pass the love along. Well after serious consideration I would like to extend the "Blog I Love Award" to:

http://thecaldwell5.blogspot.com/
http://finniansjourney.blogspot.com/
http://itsblissfulthinking.blogspot.com/
http://stressedmomma.blogspot.com/
http://graceandabby.blogspot.com/
http://thefinbergs.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-3rd-birthday.html

I know I have one more person to give the award to, but I wanted to get these out while I searched for my last one. Okay ya'll get out there and pass along the award to 7 of your favorite blogs! And thank you for letting me into your lives. I truly do enjoy it!

Like Kenny Chesney Says...

Don't Blink. Every time I turn around my kids seem to become more and more like little adults. Now while I know that's a stretch for Matt, I can't help but think to myself how only moments ago I was holding my new precious baby boy for the first time and now he rolling over and putting up with his sisters beating him up.

Don't Blink

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My Award!

Nicole, I'm honored! What a nice suprise to se this morning. My wonderful friend Nicole was kind enough to give me an award for my blog. It's neat to think that others are taking time from their busy days to read what we're up to. The only hard part now is finding 7 other blogs that have not yet received it as well. I have my eye on a few. Okay, with a huge smile on my face, I'm off to read blogs and spread some love!

Nash Farms

How do parents in Vegas do it? I've asked myself that question over and over again. You see, in Vegas, there was only one put-put course and that was taken away for a casino. There was a water park, but that too got taken away for a casino. There were a couple festivals, but nothing major that was free to the public . Seriously there was nothing to do for small families. This time of the year is the busiest for our family. I live for the time when the weather gets nice and I can take the kids places. Seeing the joy on their faces makes me melt.

Last week we went to the pumpkin patch and we'll probably go visit there another few times before the month is over. We have to go at least one more time because Kevin had a blast with the girls last year. Well Saturday we went to Nash Farms which is another free event. We went there last year with my friend Heather and her twin boys, Brody and Mason. This year Hailey and Emma picked cotton, hugged a sheep, decorated pumpkins, rode a pony ALL BY THEMSELVES, roped a steer, danced to banjos and much more. I can't wait till Matt is old enough to get in on the action.

Next up...Butterfly Flutterby!!!

Nash Farms Pictures

Multiple Multiples

I love Texas. I really do. Never before have I been around so many sets of multiples. It's nice to know that my kids won't be all that different when they become school age. As a matter of fact, there are over 12 sets of multiples at the local elementary school. And in 2010 our development will be getting it's own elementary school. This is especially exciting to me because H&E will be part of the first classes to go to the new campus. And joining them will be our fraternal twin friends Natalie and Aiden...and soon enough another set of near by twins. I'm not aloud to blow the secret just yet, but yet another friend of mine is currently pregnant with twins. She is 10 weeks along as a matter of fact. And to boot...there is a good chance they are identical like the girls! Also, my high school friend Crystal just welcomed twin boys into the world at 1:00 pm yesterday afternoon. WTG CRYSTAL!!! I'll tell you, my real life friends and I should start our very own "Moms of Multiples" support group. Between Des, Lori, myself, my "mystery friend", Heather, Dorsey, and Crystal(Crystal and Dorsey would be honorary members cause of the distance), we've got 21 kids!!! Outings with the whole gang would be a blast, wouldn't they? ;)

Flower Mound pumpkin patch

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Me-Maw's Birthday

Today is my Mom's birthday. She's been down lately so we wanted today to be carefree and fun. So off to the pumpkin patch we went. Oh, don't worry. We'll go back later this month with Kevin. There is nothing like dragging him out with the kiddos, but today was for Mom. I think she had a good time. The baby slept. The girls behaved. And best of all,we got pumpkins!

Me-Maw and her cake

The pumpkin patch

So this is blogging?

For a long time now, I've followed my friends' blogs. I've watched their families grow and I've seen the fun and trying experiences that they've shared online. I always thought that it was too late in our "life story" to start one myself so I never did. "Well, I didn't start one when I found out I was pregnant with the girls." or "Matt's story is already on it's way so it's too late again." have been running in my mind. I guess I never really did find that right time to start saving our experiences to look back on. Well today, October 9th, is as good a day as any. Today is my Mom's birthday and in so, a day to celebrate. So...I guess this is blogging. Welcome to our world. I am excited to share it with you.