Moods!

Lily was in such a wonderful mood today it was one of those days where everything made her smile and squeal. I love those days!
In comparison Byron was having a rough day. He did not get to see Dada this morning and that started things out on the wrong foot. At the Library he hit a little boy after being provoked, then 5 min. later I was visiting with an old friend we were talking about all our kids. Byron was picking out books when all of a sudden he came over and hit my friends kid in the stomach! I grabbed him and told him no and asked him to apologize to the sweet little boy. He promptly informed me that he would not apologize and that he wanted Dada! By inform I mean rolling on the floor screaming for Dad! I am amazed at how a little thing like not seeing Dad in the morning can cause his world to come crashing down. He used missing Dad all day as an excuse for whatever went wrong.
I watched Lily work her magic on Byron many times today he would be sad and somehow she would catch his eye with a squeal or a laugh and Byron would stop crying and begin to laugh or play! A good mood is contagious!

I began to wonder what I allow to shape my day and attitude...

In contrast Craig came home today in a great mood it was so nice to have him happy and cheerful. It has been a rather stressful couple of weeks with the market doing crazy things and the economy being uncertain. He has been so preoccupied and well I'll just say it cranky. Having him happy made me feel less stress and happier. I began to think about all the times when I would be happy and he would be sad or crabby. I always think that it would be better if I just keep quiet and not bug him with my happiness. I found today that I have been wrong a good mood is contagious!
So the next time you are feeling good and you encounter someone who may not be having the best day give them a smile and pray for them! You can make a difference!

What are You Passionate About?

That is what has been on my mind lately...

What is passion? What does it look like? Does it look different in everyone? Do people think of me as passionate? I know lots of questions...

I have been praying a lot lately wondering if my relationship with God is where it should be. I have a set of beliefs that are very much a part of who I am. I know that Jesus rose from the dead and he is my Savior. I know that he will take care of me no matter what. I have never struggled with the faith to believe what some people find difficult or ridiculous to believe. These things are such a part of my life and who I am they are non-negotiable, this is me!

So what I am wondering is where has my passion gone? I feel that my relationship with Christ is so practical and almost boring. I don't think it is supposed to be this way. I have been a Christian for many years now and I know that my relationship is like any other there are valley's and peaks. I know that my relationships in general can't be based on how I feel but...shouldn't I feel passionate about what I so staunchly believe?

I am actively working this out I want my relationship with Christ to be alive. I want to love my Bible, my prayer time, and I want to model all this to my children. So many things to do and never enough time especially with 4 kids!

Starting Out

I love to write I just don't always have the time to do it. The other day I sat down and wrote about all the crazy things that happened that morning and I found that it was the best thing I could have done! Instead of feeling exhausted and crazy I felt relaxed and I was laughing at the crazy antics that occurred within just a few hours.

My life feels as though it is happening so fast anymore that I can hardly remember what happened an hour ago. I want to look back and see God's hand guiding me. I want to remember the funny things my kids do, the crazy moments where I feel like I am slipping. I want to remember it all the good, bad, and the hilarious!

So here we go...

Just Another Day...

I thought I would give just a glimpse of our mornings.

Here goes... Woke up this morning at 5:30 fed one put her down, next one needs food. Realized Craig and I weren't alone in bed sometime between me getting up at 2 and 5 Byron came in to sleep with us. So feed Lucas put him down at 6 only to hear him blowing raspberries and cooing. Hoping I can catch some more sleep I ignore his sweet pleas for attention.

6:20 Lucas crying Craig is getting up and I am soo tired so stay in bed ask Craig to put Lucas in his exersaucer because at least Lily and Caleb are still sleeping.
6:30 Byron in bathroom with dad brushing his teeth. Byron leaves screaming b/c Craig won't give him more toothpaste... I hear. Craig say, "Toothpaste isn't candy!" I decide it is time to get up.
Come out and put Byron in time out until he can calm down. 10 min later he is still angry about the toothpaste, we talk and things are resolved.
Byron then runs around the house looking for Willy Woo (Lily). I tell him she is sleeping so leave her alone please. He then begins the hunt for C-Bug (Caleb) we tell him he is sleeping please leave him alone. Byron resumes his hunt ignoring our request he continues on with his plan to find C-bug he heads down 3 stairs only to have his plan foiled by Daddy! Craig says what are you doing? Byron replies, " Wake up C-bug". We say NO! Crying resumes.

Lily wakes up happy and smiling as usual! I walk out to the living room place her on the floor. She is content! Lucas fusses, he then is placed next to Lily on the floor.
Caleb comes up the stairs we hug and he heads to the recliner odviously still tired. It is Thursday no school today so he asks to watch a movie I say sure. Byron pleased to see both C-bug and Willy Woo stops his crying finds a Mary Poppins and puts it in. I secretly wonder if they are wishing they can replace Craig and I with Mary Poppins and Burt the lovable chimney sweep!

I decide to change and dress the twins before starting breakfast it is 7:00 now Craig left at some point not sure when... babies clean, and I realize that my 6 month old babies are content watching Mary Poppins I feel a twinge of guilt but look around the house and decide to clean for just a few min. 7:10 babies are ready to eat again I strap on my pillow and begin the milking! They finish at 7:20 and back to playing... I try to convince Byron to take off his pj's and put his clothes on he says,"No I wear dis" pointing to his pj's I give up I'll dress him later.

I make pancakes for the boys, babies decide it is nap time I lay them down dreading hearing Lucas cry to my surprises as I am flipping pancakes it is silent they both went to sleep! Yeah for the twins!!! I finish the pancakes and bacon. Serve the kiddos...I decide to make myself a latte but my machine decides that I apparently don't need any caffine this morning! I spend 10 mins begging, hitting and banging on the darn machine but nothing... I give up and realize I could have spent that time cleaning my disgusting kitchen, oh well. Boys are done eating they go and sit down to watch the movie. I remember it is garbage day so I do that and then decide to take a shower. It's only 8:30 and yet I feel like I am totally slacking for not being showered and dressed by now. Back to the shower which of course happens with the door open... I am in the hot water for 2 min. then I hear it...Byron screaming (have I mentioned he is dramatic) He runs into the bathroom proclaiming C-bug hit me. I yell for Caleb and find out that it was a unavoidable accident:) Byron moves on I continue to shower. 8:35 I am finishing my shower when Byron comes running and you guessed it screaming, he has ground coffee all over his hands and face and in his eyes! I apparently left my coffee out and he thought it looked like fun! Shower over. We commence the rinsing of his hands and eyes. He screams at me to,"STOP DAT". I love mornings... So with that cleared up I get dressed. Babies wake up at 9:15. Grab them set them on the floor to finish watching Mary Poppins. They aren't real pleased but they concede. I get my pants on when I hear Byron crying and saying OWWW. Me being the sympathetic mom that I am say what is the problem now... as I am looking at his blue eyes I realize that I vaguely remember him leaving the bathroom with a lotion container...he has it all over his hands and has been rubbing his eyes. We commence the cleansing process again, all the while Byron is screaming, "NOOOO DO DAT" I tell him ever so patiently well if you hadn't put lotion on in such excess and then decided to rub your already bothered eyes this wouldn't be happening. We finish the cleansing and I tell him, "Lotion is not for you, you need to have mommy or dada to put it on. I receive a token, "Tay" and he is off again. Mary Poppins has finished and I tell the boys it is time to get dressed, I had already laid out clothes for Byron but told Caleb about the mountain of laundry on my bed he obediently goes in search of his clothes he comes out gets dressed and sweetly tells me, "You know mom it took me so long to find my clothes because you have toomany things on your bed." So helpful...
Byron is still in his pj's and is finding another movie he begs to watch Seasame Street, Three Bears and a New Baby again making me feel a little guilty about introducing two babies into his life I cave wondering if this is helping him deal with all the changes around here. I do tell him that if he is going to watch said movie he needs to be dressed. Love a bargaining chip. He tries pathetically to get undressed. He reqires some assistance he of course wants my 6 month old daughter to help him :) I do this while holding two babies and wearing a ginormous nursing pillow. He is finally naked then decides to go to the bathroom to pee fine with me he is potty trained so I feel pretty confident in his toilet skills. I begin to nurse I hear the door shut ,that is not good then the sound I was waiting for the lock being engaged!!! I continue to nurse despite the fact that Byron is locked in I figure he locked it he should be able to unlock it right? Noooope I am wrong. Caleb springs into action trying to talk him through how to open the door, it is pretty entertaining I am just sitting there laughing.
When talking to him through opening the door doesn't work Caleb resorts finding various things to unlock the door. He tries a swimming noodle, a pen, and a few other random things laying around (doesn't my house sound really clean. It is October for heavens sake why is there still a swimming noodle in my house?) Nothing is working Caleb informs me that it would have been better if we had purchased a lock that had a key instead of this one... I stop nursing because Byron is getting stressed out in the bathroom and the thought of him in there with all the lotions, toothpastes etc.. horrifys me so I go put the twins on the floor again, they scream. I walk out to the garage and try to remember what I had used before to open the door, an allen wrench, tiny screwdriver? It is so quiet out there... I try to grab a couple of things that seem like they are good options they are a no go. I finally remember it is a tiny flathead screwdriver that I need and I go to the tool box in the garage and locate it imediately because we cleaned it out this weekend!

I open the locked door without trouble out pops my naked 2 year old smelling of spearmint TOOTHPASTE! So I ask him were you eating toothpaste again? "No I brush teef" is Byrons adorable and sweet smelling reply. I am thinking do I need to call poison control he smells so fresh he must have eaten a lot. I decide to move on he will be fine I am sure. I dress him and begin feeding again! So that was my morning and all before 9:50.
It has of course taken me almost two hours to type this short novel but in my defense there was 1 blowout 2 more nursing sessions, Byron tried to drink his fluoride, Lucas and Lily needed another nap etc...

That is a peek at my adorable children most people look at me like I am crazy for having these four kids but I love every minute of it.

Wish you could hear what is happening right now...