this, that and the other

well, we've had a busy weekend already! how about you? on friday night, theMr and i went to see the transformers movie. we don't get to see movies often so when we do it's a treat. now, you have to understand a few things about the movie going experience in our city. first of all, the same family owns all the theaters. because of this monopoly, they are all total crap. dirty, old and not at all up to date. the seats are so low that anyone sitting directly in front of you will obstruct your view completely. they don't even have cup holders. it also brings about the complicated issue of "where to sit in the theater". theMr likes to sit right up front. i, on the other hand, prefer to sit farther back as it makes me dizzy and nauseous to sit too close. so we picked our perfect seat (a compromise of both) and settled in. we were about twenty minutes early, which was fine since we rarely have twenty minutes of uninterrupted conversation! just as the movie was about to begin, two guys come and sit right in front of us. not just any two guys, one with a giant afro. of course, the afro guy sat right in front of me. i'm only 5'3 so anyone sitting in front of me would have blocked my view anyway but this hair was huge! thankfully, he must have known this would be an issue because he scrunched way down in his seat and sat sort of to the side. much appreciated! the movie was pretty good, although i was disappointed in all the profanity. it doesn't bother me but my kids won't be able to see it and they're really disappointed. they loved the first movie (which was really clean) and i found it unnecessary in this one.
on saturday morning, i needed to take the kids to an event for theMr's work. he works for our juvenile court system and they partner with Habitat for Humanity so we were attending a Habitat house dedication. whenever i attend something work related with him, i try to look nice. (i, mean, come on. the guy already has five kids. i'd hate for his coworkers to meet his wife and think "wow, he's married to that frump?") towards the end of the ceremony, we were leaving when the theMr noticed that my shirt was on inside out. seriously. i was there the whole time and neither of us noticed. way to make a good impression. they probably figured i have so many kids it was a good thing i even remembered to dress myself. i'm so graceful :)
today, we actually get to relax a little. take a bike ride, sleep in, do nothing. theMr has been working side jobs for about a month now so he's been gone from morning to night every day. this mini break is much needed. hopefully i can mentally recharge before my grandmother's funeral tomorrow, where i am giving the eulogy that i wrote.
hope your weekend is going great!!

this month in pictures....

zaza graduating from kindergarten! zaza at chuck e cheese celebrating his 7th birthday with his best friend! the little guy watching tv in my room. an afternoon with my girls for stephanie's bridal shower. the princess enjoying a morning at the park. and of course, a pregnant belly. that's what a day in the life of the mrs really looks like!

top ten reason theMr is a fantastic dad!

10. he's SUPER fun! he takes them camping in the yard, for long bike rides and let's them have Popsicles before dinner. those may sound like easy things to you, but i assure you that taking four kids ranging from age 2-9 on any kind of outing is not so much fun for the adult. but he does it, cause he's great like that.

9. he teaches them things i'd never be able to help them with. whether it's math (of which i can't even keep my checkbook balanced) or how to fix something- he's patient enough to not only do it but teach them how in the process.

8. he has a passion for the Word which he has passed on to the kids. he has a way of explaining scripture to them that they are really able to understand. it is a gift.

7. when he's wrong, he apologizes. i can't imagine anything that would have a bigger impact on a child than having their big, strong father come them and say he's sorry for losing his temper or raising his voice. he is teaching them how to be a real man.

6. he treats me like a queen. my girls will grow up searching for a man who will treat them the way their father treated their mother. my boys will be loving, respectful and caring husbands and fathers. that is priceless.

5. he works so hard to provide for us. besides his normal full time career, he does many jobs on the side to not only provide what we need, but give us what we want. i know many women who wish their husband could keep one job, i am blessed with a husband who works hard at many.

4. he has a teachable spirit. he looks at the men around him and learns from them. i think this is rare in a man. he is always willing to receive wisdom, guidance and teaching from another father.

3. he is totally hands on. there is nothing i've done for these kids that he has not done also. whether it's doctor's appointments, cleaning up vomit or taking care of laundry, he's always in 100%.

2. he loves us so much and he shows us every day. he is affectionate, encouraging and gentle. we will never wonder if we are loved.

1. he works hard at our marriage. he knows the best gift we can give our children is happily married parents. he never stops trying to make my life better, loving me more each day and cherishing what we have together. i hope our children grow up to find the same with their partners.

Happy Father's Day! to theMr, my Dad, my Father in law, my brother and all the men out there who do all you do each day. you are making an impact on our future and i thank you!

awards and distractions....

my grandmother passed on tuesday, peacefully and surrounded by her family. the visitation was yesterday and the memorial service is in a week (we're waiting for my brother to return from a mission trip). Sassy gave me an award, so i thank her for thinking about me and for giving me something to post about today that doesn't require much thought! so, without further ado...





Here's the rules:
(1) Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
(2) Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
(3) Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
(4) Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
(5) Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
(6) Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
(7) Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

ok, 7 things about me that people might find interesting... hmmm... there are so many interesting things about me! where to begin?

1. in 5th grade, i started a school-wide protest against the use of styrofoam in our cafeteria. i was interviewed in the paper and on the news and the following year the school agreed to begin using reusable plastic instead. we boycotted school lunch for a week!

2. three of my four children were born on their due dates and all after the first were the sex that my oldest prayed for!

3. i can fit my whole fist in my mouth, ha!

4. for some reason i cannot keep outdoor flowers alive. i follow the directions exactly, yet they still die. i keep trying every year though because i love to have flowers outside my house.

5. theMr and my families have been connected all of our lives, even though we didn't know each other until high school. our grandparents dated for years when we were kids, we went to the same preschool, his aunt worked with my mom and grandma and our dads went to high school together. must've been fate, huh?

6. i wish i hadn't named one of my children what i named them, but i'll never tell which one :)

7. i never, ever have my toenails unpainted. i hate the way it looks. it may be days since i've washed my hair or even put on something other than PJ's but nails always look perfectly manicured. it's my neurosis.

i would like to nominate Sassy, Girlchild, Sassymomma, Rebekah, Ashley, Adam and Doobiestar! i don't know how to link so you'll just have to look at my followers or blogroll to find them!

the beginning and the end...

my grandmother is dying. technically, she's been dying for a year or so now. but now she is in the final stage. my mother and i are taking shifts so that one of us is with her at all times. i'm sitting here, with the buzz of of her oxygen, and the irony is overwhelming. as a machine facilitates her last breaths, i am unable to rest as my unborn child is so active today. one life on it's way out, another ready to begin. i find myself brushing back her hair or offering ice or just watching her sleep, wondering how many times she did the same for me as a child. when my parents divorced, my mom and i moved in with my grandma for a time. she's always been more of a second mother than a grandmother. she cared for me for so many years and now it is my turn to do the same for her. there is something so bittersweet about being a part of the end of her life while awaiting the birth of my last daughter. it grieves me that this baby will never have known her. she will never have gone to grandma june's for a tea party. she won't have played in the doghouse in her yard or been snuck cookies when i'm not looking. she won't know that her mommy and her grandma and her great grandma all have the same hands and the same smile. she'll never know that grandma june was one of the smartest woman i've ever known. she'll see pictures and hear stories, that may or may not be signifigant to her. when she's older she may want to know more about our family's history. but her only memories will be those of stories passed down. just as i never knew my great grandmothers, she will never know hers. what will remain is the traits and quirks and stories and traditions that have passed from grandma to my mother to myself to my children. and as one life ends and another begins, the cycle continues.

swine flu, bird flu, monkey flu....

it's official! a member of my extended family (possibly two members) have the swine flu. it's been in our town for a few weeks now and i've known a few people who have had it. while i'm obviously hoping my kids don't get it, i'm concerned about myself getting it since preggos can't take the vaccine. i don't know much about it but i'm pretty sure it would be more dangerous to babyG than my other kids. in general, i'm a pretty laid back mom. i don't freak out about germs and when my kids catch something from a friend's kids i just attribute it to part of life. but in this scenerio, i'm thankful that school is out and that the chances of contracting something are greatly reduced because of it. it's always something, isn't it?

Top ten things NOT to say to a pregnant woman...

i'm going to explain some things about not only myself but pregnant women in general. please read carefully and follow accordingly.

10. When you see me, i do not need you to comment on my size. Yes i look in the mirror and yes i am aware of my size. i have to try to fit this body into clothes every day.

9. no i am not having twins and i would rather not hear about your friend/cousin/neighbor who didn't find out it was twins until the birth. i am just big. thanks for pointing it out.

8. Do not touch my belly if you wish to still have that appendage attached to your body.

7. Yes, i know this is my fifth baby. yes i know how this happened. you are not original nor funny. now stop asking.

6. thank you for continuously pointing out how tired i look, apparently growing a human in your body and chasing four other ones is tiring.

5. if i seem angry, irritated, or disgusted... i am. get back with me in a few months and i should be back to my lovely charming self.

4. no, i am not catholic.

3. i'd rather you not say things like "better you than me" or "i'm glad I don't have to do it!".

2. all of these children have the same father, i am still married to him and we are not on welfare... so you can keep your judgement of large families to yourself.

1. asking me if this was a surprise is a veiled way of asking if i use birth control, which is none of your business. asking me if i'm done is along the same lines. but for the record, YES i am done. now back off.

Happy 7th birthday Zaza!

my sweet firstborn son is 7 today!



Za~ your enthusiasm, excitement, passion and joy bless our family every day!



i pray that life brings you all that you wish for, all that you desire and all that you deserve!



We love you!

help needed!

i need to utilize the creativity of my wonderful readers! in a few short weeks, i will be attending the bridal shower of a dear, lifelong friend. i am in desperate need of a creative gift for her! i hate using registries and always try to do something special for close friends. i normally make a scrapbook for weddings and first babies, but this friend is really not a scrapbook kind of gal. she's very modern and chic. any ideas??