Time outs, doggie slippers, and check marks

As I sit here and type this today I am thinking I probably am pushing my luck. I think my window of opportunity for writing today passed several minutes ago. The youngest are fighting over a doggie slipper that has been in the give away box on countless occasions but for some reason always find their way back into the girls closet. They are at least 5 sizes too big for Abbey and Shaina would never wear them. This morning Lyla dog decided they would make nice chew toys and now Abbey and Noah are convinced they are a secret treasure that needs to be fought to the death over. Well as they are both sitting in time out it is debatable whether any of this is going to be a determent in the long term battle.
Noah is getting the hang of the time out thing. Even putting himself there once in awhile. The problem that I find with the whole situation is the cock-eyed grin that comes right before he knows that is where he is headed. He does sit there and he knows the whole apology routine after, it even seems to stop the behavior for a time..... but it is that grin that keeps me wondering.... just exactly what does this kid have up his sleeve. I am certain that I am in for the ride of my life with this one!
I have instituted a new chore routine. The kids get check marks for chores done. 2 checks if it is done without asking, 1 check if I have to remind them and no checks if I have to remind them more than once. At the end of the week whoever has received 80% or more of their check marks will get to have a special treat, like a trip to the mountains, or ice cream cone or a walk with just them and mom or dad or a trip to the park ect. It is going pretty well. but Abbey has decided this morning it is better for mom to dress her than get the check mark... I am thinking it will be a tough go the first time everyone gets the "treat" and she doesn't. It is done just so I don't have to tell people what to do all the time. I have used this example with the kids, if I have to tell every kid once it is time for bed I have to say it 4 times... pretty boring for me, if I have to tell every kid twice it is time for bed now I am up to 8 times the other night I had told Isaiah something 4 times on the 5th time he listened this worked perfectly for me to sell the chore system.... If I have to tell 4 kids 5 times each to do something how many times am I saying it... 20times. If I ask you to do 5 things everyday,(which we all know it is more like 20 things) how many times am I asking kids to do things... ummm 100 TIMES! Well if each time it takes me 1 minute that is a 100 minutes a day I am telling kids what to do (and we wonder why we feel so stressed all the time). Well personally I really want to spend those 100 minutes of my time on much more fun activities! So that is were the idea for the check marks came in. I am done wasting this wonderful time in my family's life "waiting" for all our things to be done, or the rooms to be clean, or the clothes to be washed, or whatever I am going to take all the time I wasted telling my kids to do things and actual do something!!!! Well and the 80% is just a warm up number I am gong to raise that gradually till we are shooting at 95% that way there is a little room for human error but not enough room to slack on anything. Know I just can not run out of ideas for the special treats.. I need lots of good free fun ideas to do. I also think that the kids that go a whole month with reaching their goals will get a something a little more.
So the peace has returned for a moment as the little ones are covering themselves in stickers, the are doing some serious "bonding" (hehehehe). And I am enjoying the little sunbeam on the side of my head. I am doing some serious slacking.(I can I just tell you how inside my head Abbey is) Right after I typed that part about the sunbeam she handed me a "sun" sticker to put on my face.... sometimes it is scary! Well this has turned into a crazy random spilling of thoughts so I am going to close and wish all of you a happy Thursday!

A fresh start.

As I sit here and type this, Noah is drawing pictures, and everyone else is off doing their jobs. Abs is at preschool, Big kids are at their respective learning establishments and Jon is putting in his time like a good husband and daddy. I think all the other "babies" are taking their morning nap. And the "Momma" is outside enjoying the day. It is a dark and cloudy day but the warmth of spring is in the air. There is a light mist but it is nothing like the days in the middle of November when it is dark and gloomy and misty and the chill of winter is in the air. It feels as if the earth is starting to wake up.
I am completely amazed that I have made it through another week .My life is very full right now and is seems there is not a moment of peace. I try to find a few moments hiding here and there but they are few and far between. I found one of those moments today as I sat out in the warm mist of spring and watched Lyla try and figure out how to get the squirrel out of the tree. She may still be trying to figure it out but she seemed to be pretty content to spend the day keeping a good eye on the little fellow. Hope he doesn't need to come out of the tree anytime soon. If you know me you know what a big fan of peace and quiet I am.... I know you are asking why did you marry Jon and why in the world do you have 4 kids, well I am a big fan of all those things as well.. :) . I am seriously considering a beach vacation. I think more than ever in my life I am feeling the pull of the warm sandy beach. Just a few moments to soak in the sun and warmth and not have be awaken every morning by the alarm clock that there is no snooze for!
The past week about kicked my hiney. I have had a sick hubby, two sick kiddos, lost a puppy, had a runaway momma dog for a day (guess she is needing her beach vacation as well) and have been constantly in charge of the house, pets, and kids. I am the first one out of bed and the last one to bed, there has to be a law somewhere that states if Momma doesn't get her sleep quota the entire family shall slowly and systematically fall to ruins around her. I am serious I think it is the "Momma can never get sick law!" I am sure that is in a Physics book somewhere!
In spite of the week last week, I think my body knew today was a fresh start. I rolled out of bed this morning to the sound of Noah emerging from his room and howling puppies downstairs. But this morning it didn't seem impossible it felt like there may be a few moments even in all the insanity that I could find my "quiet" moment. I did it came while I was scrubbing the puppy room floor with my bucket of Lysol and had 7 little heads poking over at me wondering when I would be done...(probably so they could come over and piddle there again, but hey it was my moment I could take it whatever way I wanted!). It was a moment. One of those times when your heart quiets and you can feel the love that surrounds you and realize no matter what your situation you are certainly never alone in it! Even if those are only brief moments in my life right now they are what keeps me going. It is such a huge journey sometimes it sure helps to know there is always a day where you can wake up and just start over! Well I could never cover the complete insanity of my life in mere words, so I won't even try. As for know I am thinking the madness it about to begin so I should close for the day and wish everyone a Happy Monday. And may you always be given the chance to a new beginning! Here is to a fresh start!

A little ray of light

As I write this today there is a tiny beam of sunshine pouring over the side of my face and hand,aaaahhhhh! The house is almost quiet except for the sound of Dora indoctrinating my 2 youngest children. Abbey has dressed herself and the cough is sounding so much better. My kitchen is almost clean, Jon WASHED THE DISHES BEFORE HE LEFT FOR WORK!!!!! Yes that does need to be shouted! It is a miracle. And there are 8 sleeping puppies, feed, and in a cleaned "room". There is a load of laundry in the wash and another in the dryer. (I do have about 3 loads to fold but we are not focusing on that right now, I am living in the sunbeam!)
Today is the first day that I noticed the sun pouring in like it is. I love that my house has incredible windows. I always ponder the connection between the sun and the Son (Jesus Christ). Life always seems a little brighter with the sun around, life always seems a little clearer when you are sitting in a sunbeam, life is a little sweeter when the sun is shining. And you always seem to enjoy the sun the most when life is the darkest. I am glad I found my sunbeam today! Now I am thinking it is time to put the sunbeam away and get back to the kiddos, Noah has decided that he needed to go into the puppy room, but first he needed to spray the T.V. and coffee table down with Febreeze. Well time to leave the sunbeam for awhile, I hope it is still around when I get back!

Well as I sit here today I am listening to dear Abbey bark like a seal, she has caught her dad's crud! And I am putting off going in and cleaning the puppy room I haven't even bothered to open the door yet because I know what is waiting for me! Isaiah is trying to play a drum solo on the coffee table,(he is trying to direct all his energy since he just got in trouble for invading his brother's space). Dear Shaina has yet to arise from her teenage slumber. And Dear Jon has isolated himself to the upstairs to see if he can get another day of rest in....... he is still trying to come back from the land of the living dead! I hear Momma dog barking to come in but haven't decided to do that yet, since I know she needs feed and wants a little of me. As for Noah he is still in his jammies and pretty content to stay that way so it may be a little while before that changes. I am still in my jammies and in desperate need of a shower, I'm pretty sure I lost my window of opportunity on that one at least till naptime! I do have my "rubber shoes" on though in preparation for cleaning up after the puppies.... I should have a rubber suit though.
After 8 puppies I am seriously wondering why I ever had a hard time with just the 4 kids and Jon. I have only had about 3 nervous breakdowns since Jon brought the dog home, so I think I am doing alright!
The crazy thing about all this is despite all the chaos in my life... my thoughts keep wandering to how I can decorate my house. And that image that I have of the nice, clean, organized, decorated house is like a little sanctuary inside my head. I find myself daydreaming of all the cool things I could do to hang on my walls... I think I could get alot more accomplished during the day if I daydreamed about laundry and doing dishes!

Busy, Busy, busy!

Well I don't have a ton of time to write I know their are some of you who come here and try and check in on us, but it has been way too long since I updated. Things are crazy busy here, as I type this I have 8 puppies that are yelping for breakfast and Noah is "channel surfing" , while Momma dog has completely chewed the romote control back apart and is laying in my clean clothes. Well now I really do have some things that require my attention but I just wanted everyone to know that we are alive and kickin'. I will try and include a real update complete with pictures of the madness and all soon I promise!

Nothing exciting

Don't you love how the title just draws you in.... Well anyway that is pretty much it just more of the same ol' same ol'. The kids are busy with school and church and whatever else they can be busy with. We are just trying to recover from Halloween(why is it the older you are the more this holiday kicks your bootie?) I sure don't feel too hot after I stuff my face with a bunch of candy! Hope everyone is doing well. We sure do miss all our family and friends!

Okay an update finally!!!

A few pictures to start off. Nothing special just a few random ones.

Saying good-bye to grandma! 07/08. How many of us have had these moments with our wonderful Grandma Willey!

Shaina with her birthday pancake. Our tradition we started a couple of years ago, you get a plate sized Mickey Mouse pancake for breakfast on your birthday morning. Shaina is 13 but she still wanted her Mickey pancake.
Isaiah after scout camp. Just a day camp that he got to go to this summer and work on merit badges or belt loops or what ever they are called at this age. Noah didn't quite know how to take the face paint. But he does love his big brother!

Things are crazy busy, and just have not felt up to writing. I feel like I am too invovled with everyone else's lives when I get on the computer to worry about updating everyone on mine. Well I will resolve to do better. Jon was unemployed for about 3 weeks, enough time for me to realize why it is important for him to have a job!!! Shaina is so busy with violin, school, and doing the school musical right now. She has a hard enough time just being a teenager much less adding everything else on. Oh and did I forget to mention she is taking a full load of honors courses including Geometry as a 8th grader!! We will see how she holds up under all this, I am thinking she is going to be really ready for Christmas vaction! Isaiah has started cub scouts and is loving school. He is already a social butterfly, and loves being at his friends' houses. Abbey goes to preschool 3 days a week which she loves. She lives for time on the computer and watching her cartoons. She also likes being crafty (in more ways that one I might add) and useing her imagination anyway she can. Then there is Noah..... He is a very cool kid! I might be a little partial but really I just think he is pretty awesome. He is a little worker if I can keep him busy and engaged in something if not he is into trouble!