Mommy of Many Show #7: Getting Ready for the Holiday

Mommy of Many-Morning Short
You know the laundry is officially out-of-control when you don’t need the step ladder to reach the supplies on the shelf. Instead, I simply climbed the pile of clothes and grabbed what I needed. And THIS is AFTER 5 loads were done today. Laundry Fairy, where are you? Have a great day~

Focus For the Holiday Season
As Thanksgiving approaches and the stores and ads are filled with all the shopping enticements, I’m having to spend a little extra effort keeping myself focused on what’s important and what the spirit of the Holiday Season is really all about. I’ve already found myself in moments of feeling down because I can’t do things a certain way or fulfill particular gift wishes. This season really requires balance and focus! I look around and I want to get caught up in all the frenzy of shopping myself into oblivion and then feel overwhelmed because I know that I can’t. Then I have to take a big, deep breath and remember all that’s in front of me. The beautiful

Big Sisters
I don’t know what it is about big sisters. They have an almost supernatural power of persuasion over their younger siblings. Tonight, one of my older girls was looking for the bicycle pump and couldn’t find it. She asked and asked where it could be. I finally remembered seeing the little kids playing with it, in the back yard, on our hill. I let her know where I thought she could find it. But because it was after dark, she didn’t want to go out and get it herself. So, what does she do?! She comes into the room where the two youngest are snuggled into bed, watching a movie, and announces, “Come with me! I have something exciting for you to find! The first on

What Number Are You?
This morning I had to run to the store to finish the soccer snacks. I woke up realizing that I had forgotten the oranges. Usually when I dash off to the grocery store one or two kiddos run out to the car. But it was still early (6 am) so there was only one store companion with me. The checkers know me and the kids and the older girls are, often, in the store on their own. This morning the checker greeted me and then looked at Maddi and said, “What number are you?”. She really didn’t know how to answer. She just looked at him with a funny look on her face. I explained to her that he wanted to know what # in the family line-up she is. This is always a funny questio

High School Days with my Kids
Yesterday I attended the Junior Unity Liturgy and luncheon with Mariah. I couldn’t help but be brought back to the same day and the same celebration 5 years ago, when I was sitting there with Kateri. FIVE years?! I can hardly believe it! The high school years go so quickly! Kateri is already in her third year of college and JJ is a Senior this year! It was so nice to be able to take the time to attend this celebration with Mariah. Because I have so many children at the elementary school, it makes sense that most of my time and energy is put there. But I end up feeling disconnected from the high school and all that they have going on. Not only was it great to be there with Ma