Updates

Hello old friends!

I haven't been blogging in a year.

Life's been busy full of excitement and change.

We are expecting #6 and we're having a baby boy. We are thrilled!!

On another note I want to tell you all that I will be making some changes to past posts and making all my posts private. I've been getting traffic to the blog from pinterest.

I received a couple very scary emails and comments about me and my family from strangers.

I take threats to stalk and insults very seriously. My family is my life and I will protect them.

It's ashame that such evil and meanness exists in the world. This blog was about fun and ideas.

To other mommy bloggers out there. Be careful about what you post. I had no idea how easy it was for someone to stalk me and find out where I live and where my kids go to school.

Time is flying

Hello old friend!

 

It's been a long time since I blogged.

 

We're iced up at home and I figured I'd say hi and let you know what's up.

 

Our little baby is 1! She's crawling and into everything. Always happy.

 

 

 

On to our oldest beautiful daughter she's doing great. She's enjoying her junior year in high school.

  With 5 kids there is never a dull moment around here. We got them all in the hammock for a photo.

 

Will is the comedian. Check him out in the air.

 

I love this photo of Cara. It shows her free spirit and bare feet. She loves running in our backyard.

 Our Madeline, she's our animal lover. She's started horseback riding and loves everything with horses.

Little Baby Jules as we call her. What a blessing to our family. She's laid back and easy going. If you see me around town, she's likely on my hip.  

Wishing your family a very Merry Christmas!

Busy Life with 5

 Our beautiful oldest turned 16 and went on her first date.... mom and day tagged along it was her drill team banquet.

 

We are thrilled she made captain again for her junior year.

 Our one boy and his look alike baby sister.

Look out world here is triple trouble!

 The kids had a slumber party in the living room. It's the redneck version of a bounce house. Look at those happy faces.

 Little Jules is chillin. She's such a laid back kid. Probably asleep during this photo.

 All smiles from the little girls. These three are so much fun. Always laughing and smiling until someone get's their hair pulled... then I hear a scream.

 

Did you know they have a specific scream for hair pulls? Maaaa Ahhhhhh haaaaiiiiiiirrrrr. Then I hear bam and another scream. It's the little girls wrestling live performance.

Proof that I exist a photo of me and 2 of the little girls. We took a ride on the historic train during our spring break staycation.

 We took a drive down to the dinosaur state park. This place is great! This is definitely on our destination list when we get an RV next summer. Watch out Griswalds here come the Rudd's.

 The kids and Dad did some walking in dinosaur tracks. It was a beautiful warm day. Of course of the kids "accidentally" fell in the water twice. It was our adventure girl Madeline. Luckily she dried off quickly.

 Giving their best roars.....

 

Now that I have 5 kids one won't match. I've become that mom who's kids go out with mismatched clothes. 90% of the time she's coordinated and has bows. I choose my battles. It keeps me sane.

 Every trip with 5 consists of one grumpy pants.

Had to get him in a photo with terrified big sis of the dinos.

There is never a dull moment around here!

 



What's going on...

This is our sweet Juliana Faith. 

 

My wonderful friend Adrien took this beautiful photo of her.

 

Life has taken quite a busy turn. I laugh now when I think about my old routine very scheduled and organized. Now I'm just a fly by the seat of my pants girl.

 

The kids all love the new baby and she is very spoiled. I hold her almost all the time and get all those newborn hugs in. Since this is our last baby I want to cherish each moment. As I've learned far to quickly they grow up fast!

 

One of these days I will get back to blogging. For right now I'm a busy mom of 5 trying to get by each day at home.

 

We do have some big plans for a kitchen redo in May. I can't wait!!! By that time I will be sharing our ideas and projects.

 

For right now I just try to keep my house picked up and the family fed and clothed..... try is the key word.

 

Bye for now!

 

 

Family of 7!

We are thrilled to announce at Juliana Faith has made her grand entrance on

Saturday, December 8th at 2:30 p.m.

 

She came at 35 weeks and 5 days right around the same time others arrived. She weighed 5 lbs 5 oz and is very healthy!

 

We're back at home enjoying our new bundle of joy. She's a great baby.

 

I started contractions on Friday afternoon and at 1:30 am we left of the hospital. In route my water broke. I got to the hospital and I was only 2cm. Things moved VERY slowly this time around. I went without pain medication until 1:00 in the afternoon. Wow, it was painful!!! After I wouldn't progress past a 5 I got an epidural and she arrived 45 minutes later. My body just needed to relax. I don't know how I did natural childbirth with my 1st. I pushed once and she arrived and was very alert and crying. We had a great hospital stay it was a like a vacation for my husband and I. Special memories I will always cherish.

 

I feel very blessed with my 5 wonderful children!

Happy Thanksgiving and Baby Countdown

Here is my little Indian at her kindergarten pow-wow last week. She was so cute!

 

I'm 33 weeks so I have a few more weeks to go. I had Caroline and Madeline during my 35th week the other two were at 36 weeks.

 

The contractions that had me on bed rest with Caroline have returned. This time I'm much further along so I just take it easy.

 

Monday I go in for another sonogram and a check to see if I'm dilated. I'll be 34 weeks then.

 

Each time my nerves get me. I get scared and nervous. Its known but then again unknown.

 

We're taking it easy around here prepping for baby and just trying to maintain our regular busy routine.

 

Enjoy your day with your family and Happy Thanksgiving!!

How to keep your house clean

I don't know about you but I love walking into my house when it's clean

 

With our busy lives and 4 soon to be 5 kids sometimes the only thing I feel in control of is the house.

 

Over the years we've debated and tried cleaning services.

 

For me I'm too picky when I'm paying hard earned money for someone else to clean.

 

Plus it takes the kids 5 minutes to tornado through the expensively clean house. Urgh... that's really makes me crazy.

 

So what do I do?

 

I have a realistic daily cleaning schedule a little bit at a time so I'm never overwhelmed and keep up with things each day. It's taken me 15 years as a mother to finally figure this out.

 

Let me share:

Monday: Oh how I love Mondays.

 The big kids are back in school and I have time to get things back in order.

 

Back to school daily tidy up: I do a quick walk through and place things that need to go upstairs in a basket next to the stairs for the girls. I do a quick vacuum and sweep of the downstairs.

Clean the kitchen sink with trusty comet

Clean the gas cook top and wipe off counters

Laundry duty of mine and my husbands clothes

Tuesdays:

Daily back to school tidy up

Boys Laundry

Tidy up son's room and vacuum (He is required to pick up his room Monday night before bed)

Wednesday:

Daily back to school tidy up

Little girls laundry

Errand in town day. I try to coordinate trips in to Target or meet my husband for lunch.

Thursday:

Daily back to school tidy up

Wash rotation of bed sheets and bath towels

Clean bathrooms: wipe down counters, Windex windows, clean potty. I mop the floors every other week. I clean the floor bath mats once a month.

Tidy up and vacuum little girls room

Plan the meals for next week and make grocery list

Friday:

Grocery store trip (I only go once a week and do a big purchase)

Tidy up and vacuum master bedroom

Weekends:

My oldest daughter is 15 and she cleans her room and does her laundry on Saturdays. The other kids do outside chores to help out. Sunday is our day off from cleaning. If we have any inside home projects that require my husbands handy help he does these during this time.

I never spend more than 2 hours a day cleaning. Some days are quicker than others. The key is to stick to the schedule so you are never so overwhelmed at your house doesn't get out of control... well most of the time.

 

Baby Countdown and Football Games

 

 

I've neglected this poor blog. I've got pictures to prove I've been busy.

 Our son Will has had an incredible first season of football. He made his first touchdown last week. I jumped up and down like a crazy Texas football mom.

 

People probably thought I was going to give birth right there at the stadium. Thankfully no ambulance was needed.

 Our oldest daughter is captain of her drill team.

She's doing great and we are so proud to see her out on the field at the high school football games.

 

We live in a small town and football is king around here.

Our team has won state the last 3 years in a row. 

That means they are bigger than the Dallas Cowboys around these parts.

 

 We took a family trip to the circus and I got in front of the camera for one shot.

 

Can you believe this is one of the only pregnant photos I have of myself.

Speaking of pregnancy. I'm now 30 weeks and everything is going great!

 

I had one little blip with my glucose test and it requiring the nasty 3 hour test. My wonderful husband spent the time with me in the lab and we had a little day time date. He made it much better.

 

I do look like a vampire bit my arm but other than that I'm great.

 

Last pregnancy some of you might remember I went into pre-term labor at 26 weeks and had many problems. No such problems this time. Yeah!!!

 

Did I tell you we picked a name? Her name is Juliana!

 

I've officially started monogramming this for this sweet little girl.

 

I have my babies at 36 weeks so we are 6 weeks away...... oh my!

Birthday Boy

 

My lil guy turns 9 today.

 

The first thing my husband tells me this morning is did you know he will be grown in 9 more years....

 

No!!!! I can still remember giving birth.

 

This little dude is a ton of fun.

 

 This is one of my favorite pictures of him at Disney 4 years ago.

 

 It shows his sweet smiley eyes and big smile.

 

He will always be my little boy.

 

Although now, he's a rough and tumble 9 year old.

 

Look at the mean machine on the football field taking down the quarterback.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL!!!

Yummiest and Easiest Crock Pot Recipe

I love the fall and I love my crock pot!

 

This year we are so busy each evening with kids activities. We all get home at different times on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

 

To avoid fast food I've made a commitment to making crock pot meals these days.

 

Let me tell you, I found a super easy and very yummy recipe on pinterest.

 

Creamy Italian Chicken

 

It's very simple:

 

4 chicken breast (I threw in 4 frozen Tyson)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 8oz of cream cheese (I used reduced fat)

1 packet of Zesty Italian Dressing Seasoning

 

Just throw it all in the crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours. I pulled the chicken out to shred after that and put in a bag of cooked bow tie pasta and let it cook for about 30 more minutes.

 

It was SOOOO good! We all ate it even the picky kids.

 

There is something so wonderful as a mom to come home and dinner is done and warm.