Happiness.

Happiness

It is mine to create for myself.

It is yours to create for yourself.
(Seriously there should be a THE END after those 2 sentences! DONE)

You can not create it through or from another person, place or thing. Although all of those things may help they can not create it.
You and only You have the Power!
You and only You can make yourself Happy!
It is not a pill you can take.
It is not a flavor you can pour in your drink.
It is not something someone can create for you.
No one else is responsible for YOUR Happiness but YOU!!
You can tear people down till they are nothing telling them it is their fault, But it is not.
Until you can find it in YOU, you will be miserable.
You will be depressed.
You will bring loved ones down with you.
Stop blaming the world.
Stop blaming your job.
Stop blaming your loved ones.
Stop blaming others.
Take responsibility for YOU and find Your Happiness!!
How?
How do I create Joy in myself and for myself?
FALL!!
FALL TO YOUR KNEES!!
Ask Jesus into Your Heart!!
You will not be able to feel Pure JOY in yourself until YOU give God your Pure Sorrow.

Do you own the Devotional "Jesus Calling"?
Todays entry:
SOFTLY I ANNOUNCE MY PRESENCE.
Shimmering hues of radiance tap gently at your consciousness, seeking entrance. Though I have all Power in heaven and on earth, I am infinitely tender with you. The weaker you are, the more gently I approach you. Let your weakness be a door to My Presence. Whenever you feel inadequate, remember that I am your ever-present Help.
   Hope in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity. Hope is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven. The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens; thus, you are lightened. Heaviness is not of My kingdom. Cling to hope, and My rays of Light will reach you through the darkness.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Romans 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Romans 15:13 So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Life as a Goal Box

Warning before reading.
This blog is ME healing.
This blog is ME working through MY emotions/brain/heart.
This blog goes in many directions but I tried very hard to keep it linked together.
This blog may be hard to read for anyone that has suffered the loss of a baby.
This blog is ME HEALING and using my fingers to type MY emotions.


Life as a Goal Box. You are probably asking, What the?
Let me ask you.. have you ever played Soccer? Ever played the position of Goalie?
From the moment I learned how to walk (well probably not that early but this is my story) I played Soccer. It was my thing and I loved it. We learned in my MSI days that I was a pretty good Goalie. I would share the position at first with the coaches daughter but soon that goal box no matter which field we played was MINE. All Mine!! Trust me when I say nothing was getting past me to my box! I had a kick ass team that kept the ball away from my side of the field most games (and you would literally see me doing cartwheels of boredom in my goal box most games) but when the ball got close I was ready. I would kick, punch, jump on, and even tackle if I had to. You were not getting that ball in my goal. I played soccer well into my high school years with pretty much the same core team, and went Unscored upon!! Then life (or shall I say boys) happened, and my soccer career was over.
Why do I explain all this??
Having the Goalie experience for most of my childhood I look at life now through a "goal box point of view". I think of challenges as soccer balls being kicked at me. If you have never stood in that box with an opposing team coming at you, you may not understand. But I truly hope you get the jist of it.

Well this summer my life has been attacked!! There have been multiple balls coming at me all at once!
Sometimes as a Goalie you have this crazy event happen called a "Shoot Out". Ever been in one? Or witnessed one?
The Goalie stands there in their goal box on the white line staring at the opposing team in a line ready to kick a ball into your box to score and Game Over! Look at their feet! Not their eyes! Follow the ball! Jump! Leap! Punch! Kick! Tackle! Do whatever you have to to keep that ball from entering!
I will not go into to much details on certain balls that came at me but let me tell you there were plenty and all at once instead of one at a time. How do you watch a team full of balls coming at you at once?
Imagine a team instead of one by one standing there in a back to front line, imagine them all standing there shoulder to shoulder on your penalty line, and all with a ball at their feet, and all about to kick at the same time. How do you block each one?
YOU CAN NOT!!
Let me be the first Goalie to tell you taking 2 balls out at once is HARD! Taking 3 out at once is IMPOSSIBLE but a team full of balls!!! I cracked and cracked hard!!

1 ball being the choice to close the baby factory (Hardest Choice I have ever made)
1 ball being family member completely canceling out of our family
1 ball being marriage and accusations of affairs
1 ball being children (having 7 there are many subcategories, choose one)
1 ball being an unexpected GIFT from God baby #8
1 ball being more accusations of affairs
1 ball and biggest of all balls to ever come at me loosing baby #8

SCORE?!?!
Did life just score on me?? Did I let the Devil defeat me??
Excuse my French but
HELL NO!!
It is still raw and I am still dealing with the black eye, broken elbow, bruise on my head from hitting the goal post and kicked shin from tackling this ball. But I am laying on it and taking the kicks! It will not pass my white line! It tried hard! And this is raw emotion here but I cussed out God! Yes you read that right! I gave him the finger and a mouth full. I am still angry my baby is not in my belly and those feeling still tear at my heart and I still find myself shedding a tear and begging for my baby back. But I do know my God loves me and I do know it is unconditional and He will never leave me. This baby did have life! This baby will be waiting for me to hold him tight in Heaven (I say him not cause I was told or saw but I knew. I knew this baby when God gave him to me. I took test after test till it was confirmed cause I just knew. I knew he was a boy. I named him Nathaniel James).

Again I say it is all still raw. I have a great "team" in life now with the friends God has blessed me with. The out pouring of love and support has been amazing! I truly do not know how I would have gotten through the day the baby was taken out of me without the unconditional love and support of my SS Rachel. She was here with my mother in law watching my blessings while Clay and I were at the hospital for "the procedure". That 2 hours of waiting time was HARD! Crying, praying, crying, cussing, you name it I did it and Clay just held my hand. There is no way to prepare your heart or brain for all those smells, hearing the carts rolling down the hall behind the curtain and hoping to see a nurse walk in with a warmer for the baby you are about to have. Nope, it was not that joyful experience. It was hell smelling those smells knowing I was there for what I was there for, getting IVs and tests and such then to top it all off the worst Hellish Nightmare of having to be wheeled out to your car with No Baby!! There is no worse feeling I have ever experienced in my life. I asked to please walk. I explained to the poor nurse what she was putting me through but she had to do her job and she had to give me the sympathetic smile. I have 7 blessings at home. I know exactly what I was just robbed of and jipped out of. And yes I use those words knowing I will one day meet my son but I am human and I have raw emotions.
The only way to experience Pure Joy and Pure Happiness is to experience HELL on Earth right?!?!
When I walked in my house door to my kids all excited to see me and Rachel standing there my knees went weak. I fell on her like I have never fallen on another. To say she held me up through this would be an understatement! So thankful for her. She does in fact carry my heart in her heart! I thank God for MUM preschool and Myspace for putting us together! Rachel will always be my "Myspace stalker" :-) I love you SS and I praise God for you and all the blessings being your friend has bestowed on me, my life and my family. Best friends showed up with gifts and Chocolate and cards and giving of their time and hearts to me and my family. The amount of chocolate, flowers, hugs, dinners and more!! Amazing!! I am blessed by my siblings in Christ! Thank you all! Each of you know exactly who you are and exactly where you stand in my heart! There are no words! I am GRATEFUL for you!
The past few months I have been in the playoff soccer game of my life. Some days I honestly thought I was not going to make it. Some days I wanted to turn my back on each ball coming at me and let it in. And to be quite honest there was a day or two that I laid on my bathroom floor and let the tears just flow with no care of the balls coming at me. Just yesterday as my husband asked me to join them at church I hugged him tight and said I am angry at God and can not pray. You want to talk about a lost and heartless feeling. This playoff Game has been the hardest I have yet to battle and each day I see a new team with a new set of balls standing there waiting to come at me.

The words people say to you when they are trying to help!! Oh good God!! "You have been blessed with 7." "You were only 11 weeks." "But at least you still have him (pointing to the screaming baby boy on my hip)." The unthoughtout comments were endless. So bad I turned off my phone and laptop for days and hid in my house.  Those words even with good intentions behind them split those soccer balls into a ton of little bouncy balls and they are all directed right at my heart. Have you ever tried to block a handful of tiny bouncy balls coming at you?
Dodge ball game from hell!!
That is what the Devil does. He sees your challenge and he multiplies it by a hundred. But do you know what our Lord and Savior does?
He shields you! He puts up this cape of security and blocks them all in one swipe of his arm. BUT in order for Him to do that you have to pray and ask Him.
Have you done it? Have you tried to do it while mad at Him?
Surrender. Surrender your Goal Box. I know I have to do it. I know I will do it. But it takes time and it takes healing. Today I feel like I am still healing. I know I am sitting on his lap and I know he is wiping each tear just waiting for me to ask Him to take those balls. I ask for your prayers for healing. I know He is my salvation but the pain of the loss is still raw

 

Baby Advice or Helpful Suggestions ;-) 3 steps to sleep

First WOW been forever since I blogged

So since my last blog I have had a baby!! Thomas Matthew was born Oct. 29th 2014 at 7:45 pm. His birth can or will be its own blog post (that may take another year lol Queen Procrastinator here) 

I just got him down for a nap and was thinking to myself while doing so "What are my Baby to sleep" must haves?? How can I help another mom possibly get her babies to sleep?? Figured I'd blog about the first few things that came to mind as my "go-to" approaches. 

"Merideth's 3 Steps to Sleep"

First all the typical things must be checked: fed, burped, changed. 

If all three of these things have been done then my next step is 

WHITE NOISE!! 

Every device I have in this house has white noise!! All cell phones have the app and I can do it on our smart tv too if need be ;-) There are a few different apps you can get and I suggest trying the actual white noise sound first!! But there are beach waves, rain, crickets, fan, thunder, etc....... Its just like back in the day when grandma said "Just run the vacuum". You can also go to just about any store like Walmart or Target and get an actual White Noise machine. I think they even make teddy bears you can hang from the side of the crib with a white noise. Our toddler room has a white noise machine for nap time and bedtime. 

Second is wrapping in a light weight blanket covering their eyes in case of over stimulation. I have saved a few hospital blankets for just this reason. Jethro (Thomas' nick name) has a special blanket that I typically wrap him in (babies are already choosing their lovie by this stage). Just so we are understood do NOT cover face with a heavy blanket!! Only the light weight thin ones like the hospital receiving blankets!

Third I bounce him. I sit on the side of my bed (and no joke from doing this with each kid there is a dent in my bed there!!) with him vertical on my chest head on shoulder I sit and bounce gently. I swear to you it works like a champ every time (watch tonight it wont work).

I have also found that a schedule is a HUGE help!! Not just for sleeping and napping but everything baby. Since baby can not tell you what is wrong I find it helpful to get on a schedule. So if it is 11 and baby is fussing you will have a round about idea of oh its feeding time or oh its nursing time. Does that make sense? I like to get mine on an every 3-4 hour nursing schedule. Then I follow the Eat, Play, Sleep routine I picked up in one of those baby instruction manuals they gave me when Jacob was born!! YES I am just kidding!! It was a book titled "Baby Wise" I believe. You feed baby then keep baby up to play as long as you can then put them to sleep/nap. Then repeat except for in the middle of the night which is another process. Keep the room as dimly lit as you can, no eye contact or talking to baby, feed change diaper and get back to sleep ASAP hahahaha

Day/Night confusion: most of my newborns have had this (all but 2 of mine) and the best thing for this is to keep them up as much as you can during the day. I know it is impossible with a newborn to keep them awake but it helps. 

Now if there is a fever involved or sickness these things may not work!! But if its just cranky baby, then these ideas should work in any order ;-) 

I have tried gripe water for when I just do not know what it could be (i.e. upset belly, gas, teething, etc....) 

Warm Lavender baths are also very soothing for baby or YOU!! LOL 

And in all honesty sometimes you could be the culprit for their fussing!! If you are stressed out and miserable due to excessive fussing!! Put baby down in crib. Get out of ear shot of crying and take a breather for yourself! Get yourself calmed down and then try again with baby. I have had to do this a time or two and it is so hard I know!! But it is best to get yourself calm!! You will NOT be able to calm a baby if you are stressed out. 

Jacob is 12

What a whirlwind of an emotional day!!
My oldest child turns 12 today!!
I remember the night I went into labor with him. Of course it was the middle of the night and Clay was already asleep. I wake him to time contractions put he kept falling asleep in-between and there fore not timing them correctly so I thought they were just strong Braxton Hicks and decided I would just get in a warm bath. Well my contractions went from 8-10 minutes to 4 minutes very quickly!! I yelled at Clay that it was time and we called doctor. Of course when doctor called back I was on the floor mid contraction and screaming he told Clay he would meet us at the hospital. When we got there I was already 4cm and asked for an epidural right away. Epidural made me so sick! Mom had gotten there from MD just in time to hold my bucket for me. I was so sick!! But my OB just giggled. Every time I would get sick my body would push Jacob out that much more.
When I yelled that I didnt want to do this anymore the doctor grabbed my hand and put it on Jacobs head!! It was one of the craziest most exciting moments of my life!! He was OUT very shortly after that!! Best moment of my life was having that precious little body all ewwwie and goooeie on my bare chest!!
Jacob has become such an AWESOME young man!!
I am so blessed to call him MY SON!!
Thank you GOD

"My Own Sister"

Carly just asked Paityn
"If you could have 4 things in the world what would they be?"

Paityn responded with
"My own room, a TV in my room and my own baby sister."

Yes I can count. Yes that is only 3, I interrupted and asked her how she would do that?
She said she "would have her own".
I said "Well, that would be your daughter then."

She said "NO I mean you have one and just give it to me!"

I love that my older kids love the little ones so much that they "Want their Own"

Thank you God for this life and all my blessings!!

Loving Brother

A moment happened today with my oldest and youngest that I want to remember for FOREVER so I am putting it on the internet (which will be around long past the roaches! HA HA HA HA )

Ok seriously

Jacob this morning asked to hold Lauren. I told him it was her nap time and he said he wanted to put her down for a nap.
I said ok and caught the most precious moment I have ever caught ever!!

It got quiet in the room really quick so I peaked in to see what was going on. He was sitting up on my bed with her in his arms and her special blanket laying over her and her finger was in her mouth. His eyes were closed and he was just smelling the top of her head (just like his momma). She started to squirm and so he started to sing her a lullaby!!! I broke down in tears!! I have never felt so much love in my heart! I swear it felt like my heart was about to explode!! 

Dinner for 8

For us, an important part of family life is dinner together at the table each night.
As the mom of a family of 8 this can be challenging to say the least.
Just picking something that everyone likes and will eat can throw any mom into a tizzy! 
And I am a mom that refuses to cook 4 meals each night so my kids learn to eat what I cook when I cook it or breakfast the next day is that much better!! Just sayin........

Typically making dinner can be quite a challenge with having so many little ones. My bigger ones typically help but some nights they have homework or the baby just wants mommy. Recently with each kid taking turns being sick (baby included) the baby has just wanted momma! So cooking dinner  has looked a bit like this, cooking for the family (notice baby food at front of stove) while feeding the baby on my hip. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not complaining one bit. If you know me at all you know I LOVE MY LIFE! I wouldn't have it any other way.

With such a "large" family every day is a new adventure. Each day you have to find new ways to make things work. Some things are easier then others. This way of feeding baby just happens to be easier for me. I can stir noodles or vegetables and cook while feeding the baby her baby food. And then when it is time to sit at the table I can actually eat a warm meal instead of then having to feed baby. Baby gets finger foods in her high chair during dinner so she can practice feeding herself. It works out great for me, for baby and our family.

Luckily our kids have been really good at trying new foods. I dont know how this has happened so dont ask. I think a lot of it actually didnt start till the older kids had to buy school lunches! HA HA No seriously when they had to buy lunches they had to try new things. Make sense? Trust me we tried packing lunches and still do for the 4 year old in preschool.  In all honesty buying school lunch was just a million times easier and yes with so many sometimes you just have to take the "easy road".


Our most common dinners are Spaghetti, Tacos (and then Nachos the next night if there is left over meat), Pork Chops, Tater Tot Casserole and Meat loaf. Gets pretty boring so I do try and switch it up a bit with recipes I find on line. Some have been huge hits, like Stuffed Peppers!! Who woulda thought! Not I!! And some have been big flops like Chicken Cheesey Rice or some such YUCK! HA

Last but not least I have an awesome husband! He usually cooks on Sunday nights which is awesome!! Not only does he like to do it but he likes to try new things with the kids too. He has cooked Shark steaks, Sausage and rice, baby back ribs etc.......... 

So when people ask "How do you cook for so many?" or "I just dont know how you do it each night." I just have to smile! Its no different then dealing with just one kid or no kids! You just have to do what works for you! 

OutRageD!

OK I really want to stop posting so much on my facebook page about all that is going on with the Robertsons and A&E so I figured I would try and get it all off my chest here on MY BLOG!!
I am outraged!
OUTRAGED I TELL YA!!!
When you give your heart and your life to Christ you become Brother & Sister in Christ with others who have given their heart and life. So when I feel a brother (Phil Robertson) or a sister (Miss Kay) is being bullied I feel bullied! When I feel bullied my actions show it, my body posture screams it and I spit instead of speak. Right now I feel like my kin is being bullied! So I have been expressing it through facebook. I am going to try and stop.
I feel this may be a better place to express myself. 

We NEED The Bible back in schools and back in the White House!!

Phil Robertson spoke the Truth that is written in black and white for all to see and read in The Bible!!
Here is what it says there is no "gray area" it is POINT and FACT

Genesis 19:1-25
read it 

Leviticus 18:22
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13
If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.

https://www.facebook.com/isupportphilrobertsonduckdynasty



I agree with Phil that we are to LOVE ALL!!

It is not our job to judge!!
That is the Lord Almighty's job!!
We are here to love and be a light to our brothers and sisters.

I must say that I am very impressed with how the Robertsons have gathers around Phil and his decision and "will not be moving forward without Phil".

http://duckcommander.com/news/robertson-family-offical-statement


What a MODEL Family!!
I want to stand strong with my husband through THICK and THIN just like Kay did for Phil! I want my kids to honor and respect me and my husband just like their 4 boys and their wives do!! I want to pray at every dinner with my family! I want to raise my kids to know that riches here on earth stay here on earth but riches we do to serve our God stay with us for Eternity in Heaven! I want to teach my children about hard work and its rewards! Family and all its rewards! TO LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY! I want to trust in the Lord like Miss Kay "I went home and tolerated Phil's behavior because I knew God would help me through it." "I felt God's courage inside me..........." these are quotes from "Happy, Happy, Happy". The love these two share for each other is inspiring! http://duckcommander.com/store/books/happy-happy-happy-book

It is our job here on earth to LOVE and LOVE all the same!! I try very hard to love each and every person the Lord puts in my life!! I do not agree with a lot of things my friends do and I know they do not agree with a lot I do but we all still LOVE each other!! I try hard to live my life how God would want me to. BUT with that said I AM A SINNER!! I AM A HUGE SINNER!! I sin all day every day! At the end of each day I ask for forgiveness!! I know the Lord sent His one and only son for MY SINS (and yours)!! I know Jesus was TORTURED BEATEN AND KILLED for ME and my sins (and yours)!! I know my Lord God LOVES ME (and YOU)!! Like a song by Toby Mac "Made to Love". We are all made to love God. http://www.youtube.com/user/TobyMacVEVO

As a young adult I blamed the Lord for everything in my life! I basically handed my life to the devil on a platter!! I did drugs, dressed to impress,  kissed a girl made stupid choices that I will regret till my last breath and worked places with no morals. All this I know broke Gods heart!! I know the Lord wept over my decisions! BUT He stayed faithful to me! He showed me the light through His Angels here on earth and my life has never been the same!!  If you had asked me 20 years ago where I would be let me simply state it would NOT be where I am today!! I had a boss back in my 20s that told me "Money is your God" and honestly at that time in my life it WAS! I was honestly living my own hell on earth! God was faithful to me and I will praise God. He brought me out of my own hell and saved me!! I will stand for God and His Word and try to be as faithful to Him as He has always been for me.

Have you ever seen that skit done where the devil uses all sorts of things and beings to draw you to him and then JESUS stands between the person and the devil and uses his cloak to keep the person sheltered from the storm of life? That was SOOOOOO ME!!! I fell into each and every one of the Devils traps and I owe all I have now to the Lord!! I have a truly amazing marriage and husband, 6 of the greatest kids on earth and a strong faith in my Lord!!

Long Story short: My wish as an outcome for all that has happened with the Robertsons and A&E is; that the Robertsons leave A&E and that A&E does not earn another dime off the family.
Also, I think it would be totally awesome if The Robertsons made their own TV Station!! How cool would it be to have all CHRISTIAN TV all the time!! Safe for kids of all ages!! No half naked sex based perfume commercials or cuss word filled TV shows!!! We canceled cable for all these reasons plus a bunch more but would so totally pay or subscribe to an all Christian Robertson TV ;-)

Well Alrighty. I think I am done Jack.
Check out this clip of an up coming movie! Can not wait to see it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMjo5f9eiX8

Easy Yum!!!

I made some home made Yumminess today to send to my dad.
Thought I would share

First step is to lay out pretzels on a cookie sheet.
(I like the checker snap pretzels and I line the cookie sheet with wax paper for an easy clean up)

Second Step is to top pretzel with a mini rolo which you can buy in a big bag now and not have to individually unwrap each one!!

Third step is to put them in a heated 250 degree oven for about a minute maybe 2 (I watch for the chocolate to get shiny which means it is melting)

Once they are out of the oven gently press a pecan on top

So yummy!! And a favorite of my dads
Merry Christmas!!

You can also do it with a hershey kiss and a mint M&M on top!!
Or a Marble Hershey kiss with a top layer of pretzel!

The topping ideas are limitless!! 

Brownie Cookie Bars!

Everyone loves my Brownie Cookie Bars, so I thought I would share just how easy they are too make!!
Seriously as easy as 1.2.3. or A.B.C.

Step one :
Mix your favorite Brownie Batter and pour in pan

Step two :
Make your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

 Step three :
Spread cookie dough on top of brownie batter

Step four :
Cook it in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes depending on your oven

Step five :
Let them cool
(but only till cut-a-ble cause nothing bedda then a hot brownie)

Step six :
Cut

& Serve

At this moment.............

At this moment
Carly and Paityn are playing on the computer!
Jacob and Abbi are jumping on my bed and Jacob is the "tickle monster"!
Katrina is at school :-(
Daddy is at work
and Lauren is eating a donut in her high chair seat.

Today Abbi is 3.
Today is the last day of track out :-(
Trying to soak it all in
All the giggles and tickle monster growling
the nice talk at the computer while playing games

I love my kids so much!!
I could have never imagined how much I am blessed with today!!
My husband is honestly the man of my dreams!!
My kids are all dreams come true!!
The LOVE a Big Family has in it is truly just amazing!!
Makes me want to grow grow grow

Thank you God!!
Thank you God!!
Thank you God!!

You might be a Mom if..........

You might be a Mom if..........

• the first words you hear in the morning is "I want something to eat."
• you wipe someone else's butt more often then you wipe your own!
• the pile of laundry automatically reloads every time you close your eyes!
• the sink full of dishes is always full of some one else's dishes!
• your secret stash of Oreos disappears before you even get ONE! 
• the sound of the bathroom door closing is a dead give away to find Mom! 
• you have fed multiple other mouths before you fed your own!!
• you are standing at a wide open front door with coffee in one hand keys in the other a baby on your hip and a blank stare of "Where in the hell was I just suppose to be going???"
• you let the dog in to clean up the spill of Cheerios or Goldfish cause you have already swept/vacuumed it up 3 times!! 
• you know every word, sound and scene to (insert kids favorite cartoon) by heart
• you have mastered the skill of "Animal Art" out of Hot Dogs!! ;-) 
• a handful of dry cereal in-between tasks counts as Breakfast! 
• your daily soap opera went from gorgeous people to a monkey and his human in a yellow hat! 
• you walk outside and get a smile and "Nice Tiara!" by a neighbor ;-) 
• you quote lines from Disney movies to "find your happy place"
• you've blown the stereo speakers out of your mini van to drown out the sound of kids crying
• your heart melts when you look into the eyes of your baby (no matter what age)
• you stop what your doing when you hear a sweet little voice say "Help Please" regardless of if it is your child or not!   
• your breakfast is burnt bean juice and your dinner is fermented grapes! :-) 

Why Not???

We all know I am crazy
No one knows this better than me!

Lauren is now as of this morning officially and completely weaned!
Which is making me a bit more crazy +emotional = WATCH OUT ;-) but I am thinking "Why not one more?"

Yes I am crazy
Yes this emotional "Why Not?" question will be over in a day or two or when Abbi or Katrina has another temper tantrum so no worries!

L-Pack!!!

I think I may change the name of this blog!
We recently did our yearly photo session with Gretchen Eck Photography. For the photo shoot I made the girls matching outfits. Each with their first initial on their chests in Zebra Print! For one of the family pictures Gretchen had them sit so their shirts read "PACK" and to me it looks like it says L-Pack!

I think it fits us PERFECTLY!! 

Little Miss has us ALL wrapped around her precious little pudgy finger!! Especially Jacob & Daddy!! Jacob can not get enough of her and she loves it!!

He is such an Awesome big brother!! 

My girls are so very blessed!!

New Parents

Nothing cracks me up more then NEW PARENTS!!
I know, I was once one and once just as clueless.

But the one thing that cracks me up most of all is when I tell a new parent to just "lay the baby down!"
They look at me like "Why on earth would I do that? She is screaming bloody murder!" 
Hear me out: You are all stressed out.
Nothing you have tried to calm the baby has helped.
You've fed her
You've changed her
You've rocked her
Sung to her
Bounced with her
Walked her down the street
You've done everything and you are stressed beyond belief and the kid is still screaming.

PUT HER DOWN!!

If you are stressed beyond stressed and holding this poor sweet baby then you are causing the baby to scream!!!

When the light bulb goes off and they look at me like "Why the heck didnt I think of that." your work is done!!

Now go ahead and laugh at me cause I did not figure that lesson out till baby #2!! HA HA HA

Six is Bliss

Lauren Christine Dillard was born February 6, 2013 She is now 4 1/2 months and the JOY of ALL of our lives!! She is so very happy and laid back! She sleeps 12 hours (plus++) a night she nurses about every 4 hours during the day and just loves to SMILE!! With the head of hair she was born with she has been a great model for my Boutique

I put Lauren in the Church nursery for the first time today! You would think by now I would be a total Pro at this! NO WHERE CLOSE!! My body is still reacting to it all and over producing milk from the emotional over drive I went into! On the way there I had a nose bleed just thinking (and stressing completely out). When we got there she was the last one to be dropped off. During service I listened as best I could but found myself staring at the clock and wishing pastor would just hurry up already (I know I am going to hell). I busted through the door as soon as he said "Amen" I didnt wait for the "You are now excused" ;-) Made a B-Line for her room and got there in record time. They couldn't hand her to me quick enough. I threw the tots in their seat and rushed home fast as heck so I could nurse her. I cried driving home from the over load. I am such a sucker! I love my babies!

Shutterfly

I received an offer for a FREE 8x8 photo book from Shutterfly!!!
I LOVE Shutterfly photo books!!
So I decided to make a book of the FREE mini photo shoot Bella Baby Photography did at Rex.
It turned out GREAT!!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Its a ...........

I just realized that I have yet to blog about the sex of #6!!

Can you read what it says in the upper left corner??
Or how about this, do you see whats missing?? HA HA HA

Its a GIRL!!
We have another Princess coming into our lives!!

Here she is!! Isn't she gorgeous!!
"Lauren Ansley Dillard"
I can not wait to meet her!!
I think she is going to look just like Paityn and Abbi but maybe with brown hair like Katrina!!
All I can tell you is January 31st can not come soon enough! Although this pregnancy seems to be going by the QUICKEST and definitely with the LEAST amount of sickness of ALL the pregnancies!! I wouldnt know I was pregnant most day except for this protruding belly that just keeps getting bigger (at least from my angle of looking). All my girlfriends say I need to walk sideways so you can tell I am pregnant. HA HA

 I would have never guessed the Lord would bless us with another girl. I was so sure it was another boy cause of my lack of sickness. We took Jacob with us to the ultrasound to find out sex. We were going to video his response to finding it out it was a boy. She said no video but was willing to let Jacob read us the results. When that lady started writing GI Jacob threw his hands on his head, his head went back and he yelled "NOOOOOOOO!" then without skipping a beat he said "Guess we will have to have another."
What is wrong with the men in my life????? I looked at Clay and said "NO WAY!!"

Here are her little feet to end this blog

To move or not to move............

I know we out grew this house 3 babies ago BUT
I love this house!
I love all the memories we have made here.
I love looking out front and seeing my trees from my wedding. I can picture Jacobs first steps on our front lawn with Grandma Christine on the front porch cheering him on!
I know we have out grown this house big time!!
Every time I start to put my "wishlist" together for a new house I just get super depressed and end up in tears and short of breath! 
Some of my neighbors have become like family. Like Cindy for instance. I know she is in heaven now but I still look at her house every day and think of all the good times I spent over there with her.
Shoot we had our wedding party with all our friends in our back yard cause friends were not invited to the wedding only immediate family.

My wish is to add on to the back of the house and add another bedroom or 2 or 1 bedroom and an office for Clay and most definitely a BIGGER kitchen and open floor plan change to the first floor. I'm talking like we just won the lottery or some such!!

Jethro (aka #6)

Jethro I am going to get you back big time once you arrive!!!
Who makes their momma eat tacos for breakfast?!?!?!
This morning it is actually cold taco casserole from last night but you are so happy!!
Look I will make a deal with you if you continue to do whatever you are doing so I dont have morning sickness I promise to keep feeding you tacos when ever and how ever you want! Deal??
BUT can we please talk about all the pimples you are giving me?
I have never had this many pimples EVER!!
Not even as a teenager going through puberty!!
What up dude??
Don't you want a pretty mommy??
None of the other kids did this too me BUT with that said they all had me puking all the time. So I guess I can deal with the pimples for a few more months ;)