Loving Motherhood

My Smart Boy!!

2009-03-18T21:41:00.005-04:00

Yay for Brody! Let me just say that he has finally decided that he wants to learn...and he is doing great! It has been such a struggle for me - trying to teach him. He is just so different from my older two children - they were so eager to learn and so easy to teach. Brody, on the other hand, has such a short attention span and had no desire to sit still long enough to let me teach him anything. (But, let me add that he is a ball of fun & energy...24/7 entertainment for our family!)

Anyway, in the last couple of weeks, he has learned to recognize the letters of the alphabet and today, he wrote his whole name...all by himself! And, trust me, I have been trying to work with him for a while now. He is definitely self-motivated....what I mean by that is he learned it when he was good and ready...he just was not ready any earlier and so, when he felt like it was time, he learned all the info in like 2 weeks. I am a proud mommy!

But, trust me, learning is not all he has been doing - yesterday, I found him with a pillow on the floor at the bottom of the bunk beds trying to talk Kassidy into jumping from the top bunk. So, don't think for a minute we have lost our spunky, crazy Brody...he will just be a smarter ball of energy...I can't decide if that will be a good thing or a bad thing????

Happy Valentine's Day to me!!

2009-02-09T22:37:00.004-05:00

Woo-hoo!!! I am super excited because I think I have sweet-talked Matt into a couple days at the beach for Valentine's Day!!! I LOVE the beach...I mean, I am passionate about the beach. I just smile when I think about being at the beach, digging my toes in the sand, going for a morning jog, watching my kids run around barefoot in the sand and scream whenever their toes touch the chilly ocean water, just sitting and listening to the sound of those awesome waves breaking....I could go on & on. One of my lifetime goals is to own a little place at the beach so we can go whenever we want...but, I don't know if Matt will go for that because he knows I would probably want to go every weekend. But, right now, I am just so happy that I get to go this weekend!!!! And, believe me, I know Matt is doing this for me because he loves me with all his heart...believe it or not, he does not like the beach - it still hurts me to say that out loud...how can anyone not like the beach??? Especially, my husband, the love of my life - I am bound and determined to bring him over to my side - the beach lovers club....Anyways, all I can say is - Beautiful Beach, Here I come....

There really is no place like home

2009-02-05T19:41:00.003-05:00

So, Matt gets a call from the school on Wednesday that we need to come pick Kenzie up because she has been crying on & off for the past hour and she really wants to come home.....totally unlike Kenzie...but, the teacher proceeds to inform him that there was a "tornado drill" and Matt pretty much stopped her mid-sentence and said, "Say no more....I will come pick her up ASAP." You see, Kenzie has an unhealthy fear of anything related to a tornado....whether it be wind, heavy rain, dark clouds, or, as we just recently discovered, a tornado drill. She read a book once about a tornado and it told how many people died during the storm - ever since then, she has been scared to death of being invovled in a tornado.

Anyway, Matt went to the school and picked her up - with her big, swollen eyes and her tear-stained cheeks. She was still crying - very shaken and visibly upset. On the way home, she told Matt that she had missed the "drill" part of the whole announcement - you see, she thought it was an actual tornado & it scared the daylights out of her. I really did not know that there would be a tornado drill - I felt really bad for her - seriously, she was living out her worst nightmare....my poor baby!

So, it may take a few days (or few years) for her to recover from this experience, but at least she actually slept last night and seems to be getting back to her happy-go-lucky self.....And, just in case you were wondering - she WILL not be seeing the Wizard of Oz - EVER!!!!!!!!

What was that noise??

2009-01-27T23:03:00.005-05:00

We had a meeting with Kenzie's teacher today....we took Brody & Kassidy with us because we knew we would only be there a few minutes. Remember, we are the only ones in the classroom with the teacher sitting rather closely to each other at a kid's desk in itty, bitty chairs.

Well, Kassidy sat on Matt's lap most of the meeting...which turned out to be quite unfortunate for him. You see, right in the middle of the meeting Kassidy decided to let out a huge poot on Matt's leg. Then she proceeded to laugh so hard....followed by those dreaded words, "I poot...I poot..." It was one of those moments where I heard it but I tried really hard to act like I did not hear it. I knew if I looked at Matt I would bust out laughing - I did see him out of the corner of my eye and his face was so red. The sound, the laughter, and the words that followed were never actually acknowledged by anyone. If the teacher heard it, she did a great job of "acting" like it never happened.

Talk about one of those little embarrassing moments...but, thinking back on it now, it was totally hilarious & only affirms why I love little kids so much - total honesty and no inhibitions at all!!

One of "those" moments as a mom

2009-01-24T22:16:00.003-05:00

Man, I blew it today....that has got to be the worst feeling as a mom. When you are in a "heated" situation and you have a split second to choose whether you will rise to the occassion and be the mom you know you need to be or whether you will go down in flames. Well, today - unfortunately - I chose to burn, baby, burn!! I had a perfect opportunity to set an example of how to react when things don't go your way, how to not let anger get the best of you, how to keep your mouth shut so you don't regret what comes out.... But, I messed up....I let my frustration get the best of me and boy, did I set a bad example for my kiddos.

But, now it is time to learn from my mistake and resolve to make a much wiser decision next time. Because, believe me, there will be a next time...and, all I can hope & pray, is that each time I fail, I learn from the failure and I become a better mother!!

A verse that inspires

2009-01-21T17:30:00.004-05:00

"She senses the worth for her work and is in no hurry to call it quits for the day!" Proverbs 31:18

I read this verse in The Message the other night during my quiet time. It really stuck with me. It made me think about my normal days and as a mom....how sometimes I feel like I have done absolutely nothing of any "worth" throughout the day and I am counting down the minutes until the kids are in bed and I can put on my pjs and just lay on the couch and do nothing. This verse made me realize that what I do is important and I need to open my eyes and see that it is worth something - it is worth a lot - especially to 4 little people who rely on me for pretty much everything. I am shaping & molding them each day into the big people that they will eventually become. They depend on me for love, attention, nourishment, discipline, guidance.....And to say what I do each day is worthless is really saying that how my children turn out, how they feel at the end of each day, how their needs were met was totally unimportant to me! Ouch!!!

This verse has kinda become my "motto" for my days as a stay at home mom. I want to see the worth in all I do and I don't want to long for the day to be over....I want to cherish every moment and end up wishing my days were longer so that I could do more for my kids and have more time to help mold them into the people that God wants them to become!

I'm Back (at least for now)

2009-01-20T19:04:00.002-05:00

Ok...so it has been a while since I wrote on my blog - I have been drawn over to the dark side - FACEBOOK!! I feel like I am keeping in touch with everyone over there so now I don't really feel the need to update my blog. I am still debating on whether I will just dump the blog or try to get motivated to keep it going....

Anyway, I thought about updating my blog because my kids have been saying some of the funniest things lately. They have been keeping me busy (as usual) but also very entertained! Thought I would share some of their memorable "words of wisdom"...

1. We were sitting at the table as a family and we got on the topic of Heaven....Brody was saying how he was going to like Heaven but Kenzie shouted out, "No, Brody, you are going to hell...." Of course, we were shocked, and told her that was not a nice thing to say....Well, she went on to explain that Brody was not saved and he had not asked Jesus into his heart so he was going to hell. She was actually stating what she knew to be the truth (of course, she did not factor in that he is only 4)...but we got a kick out of her going ahead and sending Brody to hell!!

2. I went to eat at Ichiban's with some friends and Kenzie could not believe that I went to eat at "Itchy Bobs"....so just thought that was gross!!

3. Brody is obsessed with Barack Obama...he told me he wants a Barack Obama doll - he said he saw one for sale on tv.

4. Brody just learned the term "dating" so he has been telling us who he is "dating" lately....I guess I won't share his secret loves but he is currently "dating" 3 or 4 girls at once!!

5. Micah said the sweetest thing yesterday - We prayed for Kenzie while she was at the dentist getting her tooth pulled and after we finished praying, he said "Well, we have done our part (prayed) and I guess we will have to trust God and let him do the rest..." Pretty wise for a 9 year old!!

6. And, finally, yesterday in the car....I heard Brody singing, "Its too late to order fries..." I died laughing because the real song lyrics are "Its too late to apologize...." He says Micah taught him those words...but it was so funny to hear my four year old singing that loud and proud!

October Fun

2008-11-01T20:33:00.009-04:00

We have had an awesome October. It has been very busy, but most of the time it has been a "fun" kind of busy. Of course, we started with an awesome trip to Disney....Don't really need to elaborate, but I will say it was one of the best vacations we have ever had. I am convinced that nothing beats a trip to Disneyworld.

We also had the fall festival at our church - -which is a highlight of the year for our kiddos. They have at least 10 huge blow-up play thingies for the kids and there are tons of carnival type games to play. It was freezing cold this year, which is highly unusual for this neck of the woods, but it was still awesome and the kids had an absolute blast!!

Then, it was time for Kenzie's 7th birthday party. She wanted to do a luau at her grandparent's heated swimming pool, which normally would be a great idea, but as I mentioned before, it was freezing this year. So, we still had a luau. They jumped in the pool for about 15 minutes (which was impressive), but then decided to enjoy the rest of the party on the patio!!

Finally, we did our annual trick or treating on the big golfcart (it holds like 12 people). We always hook up with some friends and ride around the neighboorhood and let the kids rack up the candy. I am still waiting on my friend to send me some pics from our Freaky Friday Halloween Night...maybe I can post a few later.....But, we had a lot of fun. October is always a great month...and, once again, this one proved to be filled with fun and lots of great memories!!

He said what????

2008-10-26T16:49:00.003-04:00

Brody just had one of his "classic" moments and I had to share it with you guys. I am trying to teach him his verses for Cubbies (Awana) and he was having a little trouble understanding the words. The verse was "and Jesus grew in wisdom..." But, Brody was repeating..."And Jesus was dumb." At first, I was upset and getting ready to correct him for saying that, but Micah said, "You know, mom, wisdom really does sound like "was dumb"....and, he was right. Poor Brody - I hope he gets it right tonight at class. I don't think his teacher will think it is very cute if he keeps saying the Jesus was dumb!

Sleeping Beauty

2008-10-20T10:37:00.004-04:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the chance to get to go back to bed in the morning...it is one of my favorite things to do. In high school, I would actually get up a little bit earlier so that I would be able to get back in the bed after I took my shower. It is the best when it is nice & chilly and I can climb back under the blankets and doze off. This morning was absolutely the perfect morning for this. I had to get up at 6:30am because Kassidy was crying...well, after like 5 or 10 minutes, she went back to sleep. I did not really have much luck trying to get back to sleep. I got up & made the kids lunches, got them all dressed, and Matt took them to school (he let Brody ride along, too). As soon as he left, I ran to my room, snuggled up under my favorite, brown, fuzzy blanket and went back to sleep for a whole extra hour. It was the best!!!

So, this has been an awesome start to what will hopefully be an awesome day....Isn't it funny how the little things in life can make us so happy sometimes!!!

Customer Service, yeah right.....

2008-10-15T14:33:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I went to the store Tuesday Mornings today with Brody & Kassidy. I decided to take the stroller in since Kassidy loves to stand up in the shopping cart (and most of you know my history with kids & shopping carts!) Anyway, I saw a few things that I wanted to pick up for the kids for Christmas, so I had like 5 or 6 items in my hands and I was trying to push a cheap umbrella stroller that was just not cooperating. One worker saw me struggling big time to even get my stroller to move, but no offer to help...not a big deal, just pushed my way passed her. I went to the front register to ask the lady if I could sit my items up front until I finished shopping. Her response, "No, you will have to get a cart and push it." I proceeded to tell her that I was trying to push a baby stroller, so I would not be able to push a cart too. Sorry Charlie! She said, "Well, this is where people check out, so you can't leave your stuff here." This is where my blood began boiling...I mean, come on, really - you are not even going to let me sit my stuff up here for a couple minutes...because the store was just soooo busy (2 other customers in the whole place!). And, if you are familiar with Tuesday Mornings at all, you know it is like a flea market/discount store - it is by no means clean & organized - no one would have even noticed that I had set anything up front.

I decided to just walk away - mad as fire, but what are you going to do - probably not shop there again anytime soon...but, I really think they could care less! Seriously, I have had some bad experiences with customer service...but this one just really bugged me - a struggling mom, 2 kids, bum stroller, hand full of your products, but sorry we can't help you out at all?!?! Oh well, in the end, I kept my cool & did not say things that I regret now (might have thought them, but did not say them) - which to me was a huge accomplishment!!

Kassidy The Climber

2008-10-01T08:38:00.004-04:00

So, I went to my bedroom for like 2 seconds and I walked back into the living room to find Kassidy standing on our computer desk. I think my heart stopped for a minute ...but this is an all too familiar scene. Brody used to do the same thing - except he was only like 10 months....Kassidy gave me a few more months of peace. Matt found her standing in the middle of the kitchen table a few days ago. So, I guess she is officially in her "explorer" stage. This should be a fun few months, don't ya think??

My Accomplishments List

2008-09-22T20:51:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I am tired of always focusing on what I did not get done during the day and all the stuff I have to get done the next day....so, I thought I would take a minute and make a list of all the things that I did get done today (no matter how trivial they may be....they were "accomplishments" - things that probably would not have gotten done if I did not do them!!)

1. Packed kid's lunches this morning - making a turkey sandwich at 7:30am is just not fun

2. Went to the bank - gotta have money to pay those bills

3. Got a friend's b-day card all ready to mail - only a month late!!

4. Changed two dirty diapers - fun, fun

5. Cleaned out the Yukon - wonder how old those fries really were??

6. Pulled weeds in the yard - so Matt would not feel like he had to mow the lawn tonight

7. Fed my kiddos - mini frozen pancakes do count as a meal, right?

8. Went running - gotta look good for my man

9. Did my Bible Study - and it was just what I needed..."Be still, and know that I am God!"

10. Updated my blog - and aren't you so glad I did :) :) :)

So, these things may not seem like huge accomplishments, but sometimes I think that we as wives/mothers forget that even the trivial, annoying, time-consuming things we do are very important to our families...just stop and think what would happen if you did not do some of the things on your list ...it would make a big difference in how smooth your day went for both you and those you take care of. In fact, if you have time, why don't you share your list of "accomplishments" for today....I think it would be encouraging to us all to see how great we are as moms and wives - time for a little pat on the back, don't ya think??

You NEED a vacation, right?

2008-09-19T08:41:00.013-04:00

Since my last post was kind of a bummer and it talked about how money is so tight these days, I thought I would post about a great way for you to go and spend some of that hard earned cash....Well, I have come upon some useful information for any of you guys that might be planning a Disney trip anytime in the next year. I just found out yesterday that the Magic Kingdom is offering everyone a great birthday present this coming year - free admission to the park on your actual birthday! I think that is a pretty sweet offer, considering that the ticket price is around $70. Of course, you still have to foot the bill for the rest of your family.

But, I have another great deal to share with you that can help you save even more money. The Nickeoldeon Suites in Orlando (www.nickhotel.com) will let you stay there free for the night on any one of your children's birthdays (you do have to agree to stay at least 3 nights - basically buy two get one free)...But that hotel is awesome. I have friends that have stayed there and they said there kids never wanted to leave the hotel because of the water park, pools, arcades.... And most likely, you would be in Orlando for at least three nights anyway, so it is a great deal to only pay for two!!

So, if you plan it just right, you can get one of your kids a free ticket and get one night free at the Nick Hotel. Seriously, you will be saving somewhere around $300....That is a pretty good chunk of change. So, go now and beg your hubby for a Disney vacation and tell him ALL the money you will be saving - hopefully, he won't want to discuss all the money you will be spending on a Disney vacation no matter how many great deals I can find you !!

Money, Shmoney

2008-09-19T08:41:00.006-04:00

So, is anyone stressed about the "finiancial crisis" that America seems to be in? I would say that I am concerned but not stressed. I mean, I really don't understand all the details and even what all the consequences are that we may face from the problems with the economy....but, I do understand that I am paying WAY TOO much for gas and WAY TOO much for some of my basic groceries and necessities. And, I know that pretty much every other news story is about another bank closing, the stock market crashing, or some person's house being forclosed on...but I guess I feel like the situation is somewhat out of my hands and there is not a whole lot I can do about it. I am trying to make better choices with my money and for the first time in a long time, I am really watching what I spend and stopping before I spend any money to ask myself if I really need whatever it is I am thinking of buying.

Sometimes I do catch myself worrying about the future, specifically sending four kids to college, but that is when Matt reminds me that all our kids will either have an academic scholarship or an athletic scholarship (can you tell he has big dreams for all our kids!!) Of course, I have peace in knowing that God is in control and He is most definitely going to take care of my family. I always try to remember that if he takes care of the little sparrow, he is always going to take care of me!! And, really, who wants to waste their day worrying about money....I sure don't....I would rather enjoy all that I do have and when I stop to think about it, I am so blessed and have plenty to be thankful for!

Stating the Obvious

2008-09-17T14:08:00.003-04:00

So, I knew it was coming sooner or later, but I had to have the "fat" conversation with Brody. We were at Target and there was a very obese lady and so, of course, Brody comments on how fat she is. Well, I proceed to tell him that it is not nice to call someone fat. He then says - like any 3 year old would - "But, she is fat, mom." I tell him that I realize this but it is still not nice to comment on how big other people may be. He goes on the tell me, "Just look at her tummy, it is so big...." Ok, so I realize I am fighting a losing battle and decide to continue this "lesson" another time....Hopefully, in the privacy of our own home and not when he shouts out that someone has a huge tummy or even worse, a huge booty (cause we all know that is a favorite word of most normal 3 year olds)!!!

2008-09-12T10:47:00.004-04:00

So, I was trying to get ready in my bathroom this morning and I kept getting really frustrated....all because of a really cute (but really curious) one year old. That's right, Kassidy was getting into everything!! First, it was the toliet bowl cleaner brush thingie....she kept grabbing it, then I would yell, "No, that is yucky!" I would proceed to do what all the experts tell me to do - remove her from the situation & distract her BUT she would go right back to the toliet brush and we would start back at square one. I always knew those so called experts did not have a clue :) :)

Then, she moved on to the trash can. She dumped the whole thing out on the floor before I could get to her. Once again, I informed her how disgusting that was and politely asked her to please leave everything that she is not supposed to mess with alone! Well, that approach did not work either. Because she simply moved onto the cabinets. She pulled out all my hand soaps and then starting throwing random stuff on the floor. By this point I found myself raising my voice and getting really flustered. Finally, when she grabbed my hot flat iron and threw it on the floor, I decided I was done getting ready (no matter what I looked like) and we got out of there.

What is funny about this whole scenario is that it was only like 5 minutes from start to finish. She came into that bathroom like a raging tornado and left the same kind of destruction that a tornado would leave. But she is so cute and so much fun right now. I love my Curious Little Kassidy!!

Food for thought

2008-09-09T12:04:00.004-04:00

I was watching a little promo for the upcoming season of Dr. Phil and there was a segment that totally caught my attention. They are going to do a show about a typical "soccer mom" who left her kids in the car for a couple minutes while she ran into a store. She says she could see the vehicle the whole time and she was constantly checking to make sure the kids were fine. But, when she came out of the store, there was a cop car behind her vehicle and the police officer proceeded to arrest her for child endangerment. I was stunned by the fact that they arrested her...but let me give you a little background as to why I am stunned.

A couple years ago, I was parking my car at Walmart and I looked at the vehicle beside me, and there was a toddler sound asleep in his car seat - no parents anywhere in sight. So, of course I was shocked and scared for the little boy so I proceeded to yell at some lady walking in the parking lot and I asked her if she would go get a manager or call the police or something (I did not own a cell phone at this point) while I waited with the little boy. Well, the manager came out and said they were paging the mom over the intercom system - meanwhile, a fire truck had pulled up and they were using some device to check the temp inside the car (it was locked and thankfully she left the air running). Anyway, she eventually came outside and they did absolutely nothing to her - not even a slap on the wrist. She got in her car and left - end of story. I was shocked and angry that nothing was done to her....I mean, she was shopping in Walmart while her kid was left alone in a vehicle in that huge Walmart parking lot. What in the world could she have possibly been thinking??

So, I am now very curious as to what the actual law is about leaving your child in the car...I doubt there is one of us that can say we have never ever left our kids in the car - even for a few seconds while we drop something off at the Post Office or the Dry Cleaners and yes, most of us would only do it if the vehicle is in our sight and we can keep an eye on the kids....But, this lady was arrested and they considered taking her kids away from her - can you imagine?? It is definitely food for thought....believe me, I will think twice before I ever even consider leaving my kids in the car, even if it is just for a minute or two!!

You will get fat, boy!!!

2008-09-07T13:00:00.004-04:00

Micah is my oldest child...he is such an awesome boy - so obedient, smart, and caring. We have been dealing with some "health" issues with the last few weeks. He has pretty bad asthma and we also just realized that he is way too skinny and not gaining much at all. So, when we went to his asthma doc a few weeks ago, he saw where Micah had not gained at all in the past 8 months and he had actually lost 1/2 pound. This seemed to concern the doc and he told me to come back in 2 weeks for some tests and we would talk about sending him to a specialist about his weight.

Well, taking him to a specialist for some random, invasive testing was my LAST resort so I decided to fatten that boy up myself! (First, as you can tell from the above pic, I had to tell him to quit working out so much - no more of that intense weight training boy!!) We decided to make him eat as much as possible for the 2 weeks while we waited to return to the doc for a recheck. His Grammy bought him a blender so that we could make him eat a milkshake every night....he thought that was awesome. I decided to start taking him a hot lunch and drop it off so that he would get more calories during the day. And we basically let him eat whatever, whenever for 2 weeks straight.

Well, I am proud to announce that it worked. He gained 3 pounds in that 2 week period. That is an awesome accomplishment for him...that is more than he had gained in the last year. At least now, I think he registers on the growth chart (probably 5% percentile, but he's on it now!!) We go back in 6 weeks for another check and so we are still going to stuff his face and hopefully we will at least maintain the weight, if not gain an additional pound or two. Micah thinks all these snacks and drinks are cool - I mean, can you imagine if you were actually obsessed with gaining more weight instead of trying so hard to lose it?? Just imagine - all the shakes, brownies, chips, sodas....without an ounce of guilt....ah, to live in that perfect world :) :) :) :)

We're In!!

2008-09-05T12:00:00.003-04:00

Yay!! Calling everyday (sometimes twice a day) paid off...we get to go to Chef Mickeys. I found out last night so I went in the kids room to tell them the good news. They were super excited. Micah started singing in his "opera" voice and Kenzie jumped up to hug me. She said I was the best mom ever and then she made the funniest statement....she said, "Mom, I have never been prouder of you!" And Brody just jumped up and down on the bed. Being able to share that good news with them put a huge smile on my face....there is nothing better than knowing that you just brought some serious joy to your kids. I love being a mom!!!!

What, no Chef Mickeys???

2008-09-02T22:47:00.008-04:00

Ok, so I am so frustrated right now. No, it is not because one of my kids is being naughty and No, it is not because Matt is being a bad husband.....it is because I cannot get reservations at Chef Mickeys!! I know this may sound trivial to you non-Disney Loving people, but to a true Disney addict, this is very heart wrenching news. This is the most awesome character meal they offer at WDW...you get to meet all the A-listers (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Goofy...)

I have just been wasting my time and not really been too worried about calling...simply because for our last Disney trip, I called like 2 weeks before we left and they had 3 or 4 openings. Not the case this trip - and I learned my lesson the hard way. I have 4 kids (well, really only 3 that care) the are REALLY excited about going back to Chef Mickey's this year (just look how excited they are in the above pics) and I have to tell them that their mommy is a total loser and did not call soon enough so now we can't go. Although there is a tiny, weenie, itty-bitty light at the end of the tunnel....the lady said to call back every day until we leave for Orlando and ask about any cancellations. So, I will be calling every morning and every evening between now and October 4th. I went ahead and made reservations for a character breakfast at Cape May Cafe (any ever been there?) but sadly there will be no Mickey and no Donald (my kiddos favorites)....You better believe I will be cancelling that reservation if I can get my foot in the door at Chef Mickeys!! You Disney Lovers send some Positive Mickey vibes my way!!!

Gotta love Brody-man!!!

2008-08-28T16:17:00.004-04:00

Well, Brody has been in rare form this week. He has not been "bad" just a little crazy....he is definitely starting to test boundaries and he is totally into trying to make me laugh by saying totally random things and doing totally strange things!! Let me just list a few of his "memorable" moments from the past few days:

1. He called me a "heartless woman" and a "ranting" mom....these two phrases are from The Suite Life of Zach and Cody - may be time to cut back on that show (at least for the B-man)

2. He put a whole roll of toilet paper in the toilet and then dug it out and set the gross, disgusting, soggy, mess back on the bathroom counter.....EWWWWW!!

3. He decided that he had to go pee-pee and he could not wait so he peed all over the floor in The Gamestop store at the mall....what is funny about this situation, is that he was with Matt and let's just say Matt was TOTALLY embarrassed. He said he kept saying "Stop peeing Brody...stop it, now"...of course, Brody just let it keep flowing and flowing and flowing. Matt said he REALLY had to pee-pee and he must not have gone all day!!

4. He is into drawing all over his body - The other day I was putting him in his seat and he was hiding a pen and so I took it from him and sat it down (apparently not far enough away from him) because when I got to the store, he was covered in black pen (arms, legs, maybe even a little facial art). I am thinking that kid will definitely have a tatoo at some point in his life.

5. He is now into helping us with our discipline - Like if you point at him when you are angry, he will tell you that you should not point or if you spank him, he will say it is not nice to hit people. My favorite was when he and Matt were arguing over something and Matt said "You do not argue with your dad!" and Brody responded, "Well, you are arguing with me!" And you know Matt just loved that response....let's just say Matt and Brody have been "bonding" a lot this week!!

Our dad rocks!!

2008-08-24T21:55:00.003-04:00

I got this cute shot of Matt and all the kiddos today....They have always loved to wrestle around with him on the floor and some of my cutest pics of him with the kids are on the floor. One of them (if not all of them) seem to always be climbing on him. He really is a great dad and our kids love him so much. Just thought I would take a minute to share what an AWESOME dad my kids have!!

Where's that stinkin' hairbrush?

2008-08-23T17:32:00.005-04:00

That dang hairbrush....this little contraption has caused me so much grief. I know you are thinking I am crazy, but I seriously get sooooo angry in the mornings when I am looking all over this house for Kenzie's hairbrush. It seems like it happens at least five mornings a week. It goes a little something like this...

We have about 10 minutes left before we have to go. Everything and everyone is all ready to go except I need to brush Kenzie's hair. So, I look on the desk where I always put the brush when I am done and of course, it is not there. I then proceed to start asking every kid if they have seen/used the brush that morning. And without fail, no one has seen it anywhere. (I am convinced my kids are playing mind games with me and they hide it in the strangest places just to see me lose my testimony!) I then start to frantically search all over the place (in couch cushions, under the desk, in all the bedrooms...) and I usually cannot find it anywhere. I then tell Kenzie (out of frustration) that she just won't be able to go to church/school/soccer because I cannot find the brush and she CANNOT leave the house with her hair looking like such a complete mess. She then gets upset and I am already upset and one of two things usually happens. I either find the brush or I "invent" a way to fix her hair....For instance, today, I just took a hair clip (the kind that opens up and has teeth in the middle) and I tried to comb what I could with that and then I kinda grabbed all the hair and pulled it up into a messy little ball. It looked kinda cute but trust me, it was such a mess underneath the "cover-up."

Anyways, I am so tired of losing my religion each day over this brush. I know you think I am being a little overly dramatic, but I seriously get so frustrated almost on a daily basis because I cannot find a hairbrush anywhere. I think Kenzie probably actually gets nervous (so does the whole family) when they realize the brush is missing and I am fixing to go off the deep end looking for it. So, I am off to Walmart to buy a new brush (think maybe I should buy like 3 or 4....) and I swear this time I will NOT lose this one!! Yeah right, I will be a frantic mess in the morning before church because of a silly hairbrush.....ah, the joys of motherhood!!!

The Lure of a Clearance Rack

2008-08-20T18:49:00.005-04:00

So, I am still trying to limit my spending - the "freeze" may be over but there is still a "chill" in the air!! I went to Kohls last night to pay my credit bill (it was only $19, which I thought was amazing in and of itself)....anyway, I got sucked in to the clearance racks - especially the one with swimsuits for almost 90%. Well, I made the mistake of trying on like 2 or 3 that I thought were really cute. I told myself I would just try them on to see how they fit (for those of you that read my blog, you will remember how I actuallly got "stuck" in a takini top back in the spring...) since I had lost a few pounds this summer and it would be fun to see if I could tell if the suits fit any better.

Well, they did fit better and I really liked the way one in particular fit. So, hence my dilema. The tankini set was only going to be a little over $13 total and for those of you that have bought a swimsuit at regular price, you know this is an awesome deal. You see, I spent like 6 weeks in the spring searching for a swimsuit that A) Looked good and B)I could afford. Well, I found this one in like 10 minutes and I loved how it looked and it was super affordable.

I ended up buying it but I still feel a little guilty. We are going on vacation in a few weeks so I will definitely use the swimsuit and I plan on wearing it next summer too. So, I feel like I made a good purchase that will benefit me in the long run. I know if I put it back, then when I go swimsuit shopping in the spring, I will be sick knowing that I could of had a cute suit for like 75% less than what I would end of paying. So, my shopping friends, my bargain hunter buddies - don't you agree that this was a wise financial decision when looking at the big picture?? I have pretty much decided to keep the suit, but I guess I am looking for a little reassurance that I made the right choice....I really am trying to be smarter with my money, I promise!!

It's Over, Mr. Move Over!!!

2008-08-19T18:00:00.002-04:00

I had my day in court...well, actually, I did not even have to make an appearance in court. I took a defensive driving course and so I stopped by the prosecutors office before my time in court to give him my paperwork. Well, it turns out he had the power to reduce my fine right there in his office. He dropped me from $700 to $346 and he took away all the points off my license. He even changed my ticket from the move over law violation to excessive speed for conditions or something like that.....I would say all in all that the day was a success!!

I am so happy to say it is all over...it still hurt a little bit to give the court $350 but knowing that I almost sent in $700....let's just say I am glad that clerk in Spaulding County pretty much told me I would be an idiot not to show up and try to get my fine reduced. It was a tad bit ironic because on the way home from court, we saw a HUGE sign on the highway that was warning people of the move over law and the fines that would be given if you fail to obey it! Just a little too late to help me out, but we got a good laugh out of it!

Just Say No to Shopping!!

2008-08-15T19:09:00.003-04:00

So, I am on a self-imposed spending freeze right now...ever tried to stick to one of those?? It is crazy how much I really "enjoy" spending money. Which I assume is probably not a positive characteristic to have....I am trying really hard to only buy stuff that we need and to stay away from the stuff that I want. (I am coming up with some clever ways to convince myself that I really "need" that new shirt or those new shorts!!) I went out with some friends last night and I found the cutest pair of plaid shorts....but, I am happy to report that I put them back and came home with no purchases. Man, those shorts were calling my name but I made it out of there empty-handed - probably because the store was closing and I only had like 2 minutes to debate the decision!!

I have to admit that I have cheated maybe a tad bit here and there, but I have only spent like $5 or $10 ... no major purchases and no clothes for my kids (which is my weakness!!) I am not sure how long I will be on my "freeze" but I think it has actually been good for me. I only committed to stop spending for a couple weeks and my time is almost up....so, if you see me at Target or Kohls and I look like a kid in a candy shop, then you better come and help me snap out of it. I give you permission to have a little intervention with me right there in the store. Just whisper "Move Over Law" in my ear and I will be slapped right back into reality!!

Waving the White Flag

2008-08-09T21:00:00.002-04:00

Matt and I are finally throwing in the towel....we are standing up and waving our white flag. We officially surrender - this ticket is bigger than the both us of and we are tired of having this chip on our shoulders. So, after exhausting all of our "contacts" and trying every way we know to get rid of this huge fine....we have decided that we are just going to pay the dumb thing and write it off as a memory or I guess I should call it a lesson (a really expensive lesson), but a situation that we have learned from and will hopefully always avoid in the future. And I can guarantee you none of my friends will ever make this mistake either. So, not only am I more educated about highway safety but I have spread the knowledge to all my friends - you can thank me later for saving you 700 bucks!!

I know a lot of you think we should go to court and fight this thing, but we have a friend that decided to go to court and plead guillty but ask the judge to reduce his fine and lets just say it did not go as he had hoped. He actually walked away in a much bigger mess than he went to court with. And with the way this whole experience has been playing out, I am not willing to risk it. It has only seemed to get worse and worse. So, I am ridding myself of this burden (with my husband's blessing) and I am moving on...This county and police officer got what they wanted and hopefully that jailhouse I am paying for will turn out to be really nice. Maybe they will put my name on one of the bricks or something!!!

Please, someone, just give me a break!

2008-08-05T17:30:00.006-04:00

Ever feel like you just can't get a break. You just need someone to cut you some slack and realize that everyone makes mistakes and you can't really do any better until you know better?? That is how I feel today....kinda used & abused...this time I just don't think sorry is going to be enough.

You see, my whole ticket situation is only getting worse. I had been told by a friend who is a police officer that the fine was $380.....but today I thought I would just call the county clerk and ask her about it....turns out the he was wrong. I asked her how much I owed and her response seriously left me speechless....drum roll, please - $703....can you believe that?? Did you fall out of your chair like I almost did?

I proceeded to tell her that I had done a lot of research and that the max fine in GA for this law was $500. She said that the judge had the right to add on additional fees to any ticket. I said, "What do you mean, additional fees??" Her response was almost humorous - "You know, like for jailhouse construction or something..." So, what, am I paying for the whole cafeteria or something. My stomach is still in knots and I can't decide if I am mad, embarrassed, confused or what....I know it is just money (trust me, I have told myself that over and over today) but it is more the whole situation and how I just can't even grasp onto it and what it means or what God is trying to teach me from it. Do I seek out what I feel is justice in the situation or do I just accept that it is what it is and pay the fine?? I mean, I am guilty of breaking this particular law...but, I did not even know it existed and I had no ill intent or any disregard for the law. It was an honest mistake and boy, am I paying for it. I promise, I have learned my lesson and I even feel myself get anxious when I see a cop car on the side of the road. Never again will I make this mistake....but can't they just take my word and not my savings account!!!!!!!!!

The Golden Ticket

2008-08-02T16:58:00.004-04:00

Well, for the select few of you that have not heard, I got a ticket a couple weeks ago. Yeah, I know, I am a rebel....it is me against the law. I got a ticket for not changing lanes when a police officer is on the side of the road. He was in his car and no one else was around but I am still required to change lanes. It is called the "move over" law. I had no idea this law existed and most people I have talked to have not heard of it either. But, when I told the officer I was not aware this was a law, he really did not seem to have too much sympathy on me. He did not even hesitate to get his little ticket book out and write me up...

Well, of course, I was a bit flustered and upset....mainly because he really did seem to be kinda mad at the world and I happened to be the unfortunate target of his anger that certain day. But, I got over it and was ready to step up and pay for my mistake. That is until I found out it was a $380 mistake. That's right folks....380 big ones. Can you believe that?? I am still alittle dumbfounded as I type this. Do you know what I could do with $380?? Lets's just say....I could do a lot and I have thought about every single way I would rather spend that money than giving it to the police department.

But, I guess I may have to bite the bullet and pay the fine. Man, that hurts....But, at least I got a ticket for something I did not even realize was against the law. At least now I know and trust me, my daughter will NEVER let me pass a police car again without reminding me that I got a ticket & then proceeding to lecture me on how I can avoid tickets in the future. She will turn me into a law abiding citizen if it is the last thing she does!!

Family Fun

2008-07-31T10:34:00.002-04:00

Well, I am proud to update that "Walls Family Fun Week" has been a success!! And, I am not tired or stressed or ready to kill my kids!! I have actually had a really great week with them. We have done almost everything on our list and the week is not even over yet. Kenzie even looked at me at one point and said, "Thanks mom, this has been awesome....I got to eat pizza, go swimming, rent a movie...." That made it all worth it....to know that my kids are actually aware that I am trying to make this week special and to get a thank you was awesome!

I am still not at all ready for school to start back up but I am at least accepting the fact....My kids are just awesome and I am so thankful for each one of them and how unique and special they each are. I hope that we will always be a super close family and my kids will always know how much their mom & dad really love them and thank God for them.

Well, I better get back to the kids....we are in the middle of that "playdate with our friends" that I promised at the beginning of the week.

Too Soon for School!!!

2008-07-27T13:32:00.003-04:00

As you can see, our family had some fun watching the Hannah Montana 3-D movie last night. I love it when the kids get so into something and have so much fun! They have been anticipating this movie for like the last month. And, I think they really enjoyed themselves....actually, I think Matt had the most fun!!'

Anyway, I am trying to squeeze as much "fun" into the next week as possible. The movie last night was a great start. I am so totally bummed that my kids are starting back to school in a week. I actually like having my kids home with me....I know, I know....many of you moms think I am out of my mind. Trust me, I have some friends that are counting down the days and cannot wait for their kids to go back to school. I guess I am just alittle strange, but I actually get kinda sad when school starts back up. I guess I know that each new year only means that they are getting older and more mature...which is kinda hard for me to swallow sometimes.

So, I am going to try to make the last week of summer super fun...I am thinking a trip to Stevie B's pizza buffet, a trip to the local playground, a playdate or two with some friends, swimming at their grandparent's pool, playing more family soccer games, a movie night complete with popcorn and a lot of chocolate.....The list could go on but we will have to see how energized I am by mid-week. I mean, it sounds like a great idea to plan a week of fun for the kids but I have to wait and see how I hold up. Man, I sound old......

Being the Best

2008-07-25T21:22:00.002-04:00

I think I had one of my first "proud momma" moments recently....Kenzie is playing soccer this year and she LOVES to play. She is so motivated and wants to be the best player out there. Well, she did pretty good at tryouts and I can really tell that she has improved from last year. Of course, as the first game is approaching, I can feel myself trying to push her to practice and become a really awesome player. I even got her a soccer goal for the backyard and I am headed out tomorrow to get her some cleats. We played a little family soccer game tonight in the backyard and I caught myself saying...."Keep going Kenzie....Don't give up...Push harder....Kick Micah in the shin" - (Just kidding).

But in all this soccer hype that I am creating, I seem to have forgotten one little important thing- She is only 6 years old!!!! And it does not matter at all how "awesome" she is out there or how many goals she scores (they don't even keep score in her league), all that matters is that she has the best time ever and enjoys every moment she is on the field. I NEVER want to be one of "those" moms that is on the sideline yelling and screaming at not only my kids but every other kid & parent out there. I just want to be the mom that is yelling out words of encouragement and cheering them on to be the best they can and reminding them to always have fun!! So, I am very glad that I have learned this lesson very early in my kids lives and hopefully, I will remember it with each new sport and each new endeavor they take on. I want my kids to be the best at what they do, but I want them to always be having a good time while they are doing it!!

One of "those" days

2008-07-08T19:46:00.003-04:00

Well, Matt informed me that I have not been doing a good job of keeping my blog updated. My response to him was that I am sure the 2 people that actually read it are not that disappointed. I am sure you can tell that comment was soaked in sarcasm. I am finally back to blog because I have had one of "those" days and I need to use my blog as a way to vent - so, readers, beware!!

It is funny because my day has not actually been that bad. It started with a trip to Walmart (with 3 of my kids) - which I know sounds like a really dumb idea to most people, but the trip went suprisingly well. It was pretty uneventful, except for when Kassidy decided to grab a whole container of strawberries out of the back of the shopping cart and dump them out...I turned around to find her covered in strawberry drool, with most of a large strawberry stuffed in her mouth.

But, once I got home, it just seemed like everything (and everybody) was getting on my last nerve. I can't really pinpoint what exactly pushed me over the edge, but I am sure Brody's constant whining for a snack and Kassidy's need to pull anything and everything out of my kitchen cabinets was not helping the situation. I was trying to actually cook supper (those of you that know me are probably in shock right now) and the kids were just being kids, but for some reason, today I let it get to me. Then, when supper was finally over, everyone jetted out of the kitchen to go watch tv and play on the computer and I was left to clean up all the mess and do all the dishes. Which, on any other day, probably would not have been such a big deal, but today, it made my blood boil!!

So, I went and put my running shoes on and hit the pavement. For me, that is the absolute best thing I can do when I am at my breaking point. It always makes me feel better and I always come home feeling so refreshed and usually with a whole new perspective on the situation. I ended up running four miles, and that alone makes me feel like I accomplished something really good today. Exercise is definitely the best medicine for me!!

Real Determination

2008-06-23T21:58:00.004-04:00

Brody LOVES to work puzzles. For those of you that know Brody, it is very unusual for him to be still for more than 5 or 10 minutes. But, for some reason, he will sit still and work very patiently on a box of puzzles for a very long time. Recentlly, he got hurt and we took him to Target and told him he could pick out whatever he wanted in the toy section...he picked a $2 puzzle. Trust me, I am not complaining about his "cheap" choice, but it just proved to us that he really has a passion for working puzzles.

Today, he begged me to let him work a 100 piece puzzle. I knew it would be alittle too hard for him, but he was so set on doing it, that I gave it to him and told him to "go for it!" Well, he asked Micah & Kenzie to help, but they would not give him the time of day. So, after he shed a few tears, he got motivated and decided he would do it all by himself. After about thirty minutes (and only about 6 or 7 pieces successfully put together), he fell asleep at the kitchen table. He had worked so hard, that he fell asleep trying to figure it out. I was actually kinda proud - talk about some real determination. Way to go, Brody-man!!

My messy little munchkins

2008-06-20T21:28:00.004-04:00

I have recently come to the conclusion that my house may never really be clean until all my kids are in college. It truly baffles me how it is nearly impossible to keep my house straightened up during the day. I seriously feel like I spend all day going from room to room picking up toys, clothes, books....I feel like I will spend an hour focusing on the living room and when I am finished and it looks all nice & clean, I will go to the kitchen and it looks like a tornado hit it!! So, I will spend an hour working on the kitchen, only to go back to the living room and find it totally trashed. It seriously feels like a never-ending battle.

Sometimes, I feel like I must just be lazy or so terribly unorganized, but even on the days when I feel like I give it my all, the housework still seems to get out of control. I just don't see how other moms do it. I hate to admit this, but I love to stop by someone's house and see that it is a little messy or cluttered....it makes me feel like maybe I am normal and not every mom is able to stay on top on all the things that need to be done each day.

I am constantly trying to tell myself that I need to just chill, and not always be focused on the mess. I need to enjoy my kids and let them be kids...which means there will be toys everywhere and crushed crackers all over my carpet. I know that one day I will have a very clean (and very quiet) house...but I will only be sad & lonely - totally wishing that my kids were still running around making the biggest mess ever!! So, hopefully, I can learn to relax a little more & try to find joy in the chaos. Kids will be kids and mine are awesome & I love them - mess and all!!

Family Portraits

2008-06-12T22:16:00.002-04:00

Tonight we took our family portraits for the church directory. It went surprisingly well....I know I have blogged before about how I am really trying to "chill" when it comes to taking pictures. And I think that approach actually helped the situation tonight. I went into it not expecting anything....I just asked the kids to smile and stand still long enough for the guy to snap one or two pics and they did great.

It did get a little interesting when it was time to take the enitre Walls family portrait. I think there were like 16 of us (eight of those kids)....All I know is that I got my hair pulled two or three times and my necklace was almost ripped off my neck a couple times. It was funny because the guy snapped a pic and then said, "Well, that may have worked but the baby in the back had a handful of the lady in the middle's hair." And, at one point, Matt said, "What is this wet stuff all over my arms??".....I was like, "Who knows....Kassidy probably spit on you." A few minutes later, we came to the conclusion that she had went pee-pee on Matt during the photo shoot. I am glad he did not realize it until after the pics were done...he may have been too grossed out to keep smiling!!

What really stands out in my mind from the whole experience, is that by the time we left, the photographer knew Brody by his first name. You can probably figure out why. He kept hearing us say...."No, Brody, stand up straight...Put your hands by your side, Brody....Get your finger out of your nose, Brody" After about 3 minutes, the photographer just starting addressing Brody on a first name basis - he just took it upon himself to start trying to keep Brody focused and smiling. But, in the end, the pics were better than expected and I was actually impressed with how good Brody (and all the other kids) did tonight. But, I still hate taking "portraits" and I plan to continue to avoid picture studios for as long as I possibly can!

2008-06-10T21:56:00.008-04:00

Well, my baby girl turns "1" tomorrow. I can hardly believe it. At this time last year, I was at the movies (Spiderman 3, to be exact) with my hubby and I kept telling him that I felt kinda weird and I was having a few contractions. Of course, he said the movie was just too intense for me and I should close my eyes during the scary parts. (Does that sound like a man or what?) Even on the way home from the movies, I told him that I really felt like it was time and he said I was just stressing out and to relax. For some reason, he just refused to believe that I could be in labor 11 days before my due date. He even went to bed when we got home and told me to wake him up if I needed him - but I think he said "Good night - see you in the morning, babe" - in other words, "You are a big faker and I know you are not really in labor."

He got to sleep for about 30 minutes and I woke him up with my bags packed and told him it was time to hit the road. We left the house and I asked him to swing by his parents to get their camcorder, but he said that if it ended up being "time" and they actually kept me at the hospital, he would run back out and get it. I think it was at that point that I gave him "the look" and he said "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to run by their house really quick..." He said he really did not believe it was for real until I started screaming & crying and the nurse confirmed that this was the "real thing." I still give him a hard time for not believing me - I mean, it was my fourth baby...did he honestly think that I still did not know what it feels like to be in labor?? Anyway, Kassidy Beth was born on June 11th at 4:02am and she was, and still is a sweet, gorgeous baby girl. She brings so much joy to us. We had never planned on having four kids, but now we could not even imagine our lives without her. She was a big surprise...but a huge blessing from God. I know that God knew exactly what would make our family complete...2 boys and 2 girls. Having a large family really is a blessing!!

My hometown visit

2008-06-05T22:19:00.003-04:00

I am in VA visiting my family this week and I am having a really nice time. It is kinda nice to be back in the little town where I grew up. I lived here my whole life and my parents still live in the same house that I grew up in. That is what I think is so nice about living in a small town - it seems that everyone knows each other and people tend to stay put...to grow old in the same house with the same friends. I have gone running a couple times here in VA and each time, I have had to stop so that I could say hello and give someone I grew up with a big hug. That is pretty cool to me - that fact that I still know all these people in my old neighborhood and not much has changed in the last decade since I left. I really want that for my kids. I want them to grow up in the same house/same neighborhood and form relationships with people that will last a lifetime.

I was talking with my dad about how nice it was to be back here in Covington but told him I did not know if I could ever live here again for two very important reasons - there is no Target and there is no Chickfila. How could I possibly survive without these two staples in my life?? I told him I was just teasing and of course the positives of being with my family would far outweigh no Target clearance racks and no yummy Chickfila food. It would sure help my budget out not to have these two temptations anywhere near me!!

Oh well, it has been nice to be back "home" for a few days. I sure wish ten hours did not separate me from my family and my beautiful little hometown here in VA!!

My first "old" moment

2008-05-28T20:20:00.003-04:00

For the first time in my life, I actually feel kinda, sorda, just a tad bit....OLD!! I have always felt pretty young...like I still can't really believe I am married with four children. I have always felt like people probably see me with all my kids and consider me to be a "young" mom. I know my husband looks quite a bit older than me (just kidding, Matt)....I still think you are still a pretty hot, young man.

Anyways, back to this "old" moment. I got a high school graduation card from a girl back in my hometown in VA. She is very special to me and I have pretty much babysat her since she was born. She was even the flower girl in my wedding. She included a picture of herself as a senior but they had photoshopped in a picture of her on her first day of school (which by the way, I think is an awesome idea and I will be stealing the idea when my kids graduate). What made me feel so old, was that I remember her as that little girl starting school...I even can still remember her in diapers. And now she is getting ready to start college. That means I am really getting to be an old woman!! Ok, so maybe that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but I really had a moment where I was like, "Wow, she grew up right in front of my eyes....It has been 18 years since I first started babysitting her."

All I know is that my kids better not even think about growing up that fast. I still cannot even believe I will have two kids in elementary school next year. I watched a show about weddings yesterday and started tearing up because I cannot even imagine Kenzie or Kassidy getting married...Or Micah going to college....Or Brody joining the circus - totally kidding....he says he is going to be a basketball player - we were thinking football would be more up his alley.

Well, now that I have totally gotten off the subject....I just had to share what I like to call my first "Wow, am I getting as old my parents?" momemt. (love ya mom & dad)

Embarrassing!!

2008-05-20T19:38:00.004-04:00

I was reading an article in a magazine the other day about people's most embarrassing moments. They were all pretty funny and some were definitely extremely embarrasing. So, it got me to thinking about what my most embarrassing moment has been to date (because I know there will be many more in my future!!). Well, without a doubt it would have to be my "treadmill" story.

I was running on a treadmill in a gym when I got the brilliant idea to say a quick prayer about something that was weighing heavy on my mind. Well, I shut my eyes really quickly ( I don't think that was a conscious decision, just a habit) and of course, I step off the moving belt like a quarter of an inch and I totally lose my footing. I fall down (very hard and very loud) and land on my back . All the while, the belt is still moving so not only do I fall down but when I land, the moving belt actually throws me off the back end of the treadmill and I pretty much slam into the wall....imagine me in sorta of a fetal position pinned between the wall and the still moving full speed treadmill. As I struggle to get up, this old guy beside me just kinda nonchalantly looks down at me and says, "It has happened to all of us." Meanwhile, I am thinking, "No it hasn't, you jerk, and why don't you offer to help me up or at least ask me if I am permanently injured...."

Anyway, I get up, wipe myself off and get back on the treadmill and start running again. And, I don't even have to start the treadmill back up, because it is still running full speed!! As I begin to run again, I look down at my elbow and it is bleeding pretty bad, but I refuse to stop running and get off the treadmill. So, I just wipe the blood on my shirt and keep on truckin'. In thinking back, I guess I thought I would look more calm, cool, & collected if I just wiped myself off and got back on. Although inside, my heart was racing, I was totally mortified, and I wanted to punch the old guy beside me. I can still remember the whole event like it happened yesterday (and it was like 9 years ago)....

So, what's the moral of this story...."Pray with your eyes open!!"

2008-05-19T08:16:00.003-04:00

We just got back from the beach and this trip just reaffirmed what I have always known - "I Love the beach!!" It is so peaceful and relaxing and just plain beautiful. The kids had a blast...I think their favorite part was the fact that we got to see some dolphins. Kenzie now loves dolphins - she even bought a book on dolphins so she could read up on them. It was funny because she was reading the book and she stopped to tell me "Mom, I know why dolphins are not fish, because if they were, they would eat themselves....they eat fish for their food." I thought that was a funny way to put it, but her logic made perfect sense.

The trip was pretty uneventful, which is good when you have four kids. I did lose a beach towel....but not the conventional way. I was sitting in some chairs by the pool and I left to go for a short walk. I came back to get my towel and there was this weirdo guy who was totally drying off his whole body with my towel. He dried off for a little bit then he put my towel back where it was and left. Matt wanted me to get my towel and I was like "No Way"...that is so gross. I will just count it as a loss and buy a new towel. I don't really like the idea of some strange man wiping his body off with my towel...

My new approach to photography

2008-05-11T20:30:00.003-04:00

I know that I just wrote about how frustrating taking pictures of four kids could be....but I am happy to say that I think I have discovered the solution!! Take your pictures from behind - that's right, just line them up and take a picture of their cute little booties. I was at the park with them today and they were walking in front of me and so I thought - "hey, this might work...." So, I pulled Kassidy out of her stroller and added her to the line-up and I got a really cute picture. I hope this wonderful insight solves all your photography problems....

You better smile for the camera, or else!!!!!

2008-05-06T19:54:00.006-04:00

Ok, so I love to take pictures. It is definitely one of my most favorites things to do. However, it is also one of the most frustrating things for me - the one activity that makes me lose my temper almost every time. You see, I have four kids, and it is extrememly difficult to get four kids to cooperate and smile all at the same time.

I took them all out to the backyard tonight to try to get a picture for my mom for Mother's Day. Matt was mowing the grass so he could not help me....which should have been my first tip off that this was a bad idea. So, I sit them all down in the freshly cut grass, with the sun shining so pretty in the background....but even the beautiful scenery could not make this situation any better. From the first snap of the camera, I am constantly yelling ("You better smile or I am going to beat your bottom"...."If you don't stop crying, I am going to spank you"...."Look at the camera - do you understand English??"...."Stop squinting your eyes and smiling like a weirdo.") I am sure you get the point. My poor neighbor probaby wanted to call DFACS on me and report me for "picture taking cruelty" or something like that.

I don't know why I am so set on getting the "perfect" picture. I wish I would just realize that they are kids and some of the best pictures are the candid, fun shots. I am embarrassed that I get so tense and sometimes just plain mean when I am taking their picture. So, I am making a commitment right now to no longer stress over getting that perfect picture - with four kids, it just isn't going to happen. I don't want my kids to run and hide every time thay see my get my camera out. Now, I will try my best to only be positive and say nice, encouraging, complimentary things to them when it is time for the dreaded photo shoot. After all, they are pretty cute kids and I think they look good no matter how the picture turns out!!

2008-05-03T21:52:00.007-04:00

So, I recently signed up for a Facebook account and I had to list all my favorite movies and tv shows. I listed Dirty Dancing as my favorite all time movie from back in the day. Well, Matt kindly dropped a hint that I might want to take that movie off my list. Of course, being the Patrick Swayze fan that I am, I was like, "What? Are you crazy? That movie rocks." He went on to remind me that the movie has an abortion scene, lots of premarital sex, and - you guessed it- a lot of "dirty" dancing. And, once I really thought about it, I did have to sneak out and watch it at my friends house because I knew my parents would not let me watch it at our house. And it is probably safe to say that I would not want my kids to watch it. Although, I did come really close to buying Kassidy a onesie that said, "Nobody puts my baby in a corner." I just wasn't sure if anyone would get it.

So, I gave in and took it off my favorites list. But, I must admit, if I came across the movie on tv tonight, I would be forced to at least dvr it, so I could watch my all time favorite scenes and, of course, fast forward through anything questionable (I promise, Matt).

As far as the tv shows go, I love me some Kirk Cameron in Growing Pains. Matt bought me the first season on DVD and we watched the whole set in a couple of weeks. We would both catch ourselves laughing out loud....I mean, who doesn't love Mikey Seaver and his side kick, Boner?? I also listed Family Ties. Micheal J. Fox is hilarious in that show. I actually love pretty much the whole cast in that show. I wanted to name one of our girls Mallory, but Matt never went for it.

See if any of these pics bring back a smile to your face....

Say a little prayer

2008-04-30T22:25:00.003-04:00

So, not an awful lot has been going on here at the Walls house. It sounds funny to me to actually say that because people think that with four kids our life would be constant chaos. But, I guess it is possible that my "normal" days would be considered crazy in other households. Matt has even been out of town for a couple days...but I got to tag along for the first part of the trip, so maybe that day away kinda refreshed me and so things did not seem as hectic to me when I got back.

Anyways, even though things seem pretty smooth here at our house, I feel like I am surrounded by people who are really having a rough time right now. Weighing epecially heavy on my heart this week is a friend of ours that used to be in our small group. She has a child that was born with quite a few problems and he has been doing great but he had to have a pretty invasive surgery on his neck and he has really been struggling in the hospital trying to recover. They had to fly to Maryland for the surgery - away from their older children and all their family & friends. It is hard to even imagine what they are going through and how their hearts must be so heavy for their baby boy - all I can say is that I have been praying and thinking of them each and every day. I am going to post the link to their website because I know that some of you know Tom & Brandie and you may want to read about their journey and maybe even post some words of encouragement for them - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jamesmcneal

Just remember - be thankful for all that God has blessed you with and always lift those up who may be struggling....sometimes prayer and words of encouragement are the most precious thing you can offer a friend.

Brody the Great

2008-04-23T12:34:00.004-04:00

My 3 year old son Brody is one crazy dude. He can say the funniest things (usually at the worst times). For example, the other day, we were at Chick-fil-A (shocking, right?) and a cute little girl was sitting right across from us. She had the most beautiful brown skin and long black hair. Well, all of a sudden, Brody shouts out, "Look mom, its Mulan!!" And he said it very loudly - so, of course, I start the whole "Be quiet Brody - that is not Mulan...." Meanwhile, Matt is laughing so hard he is crying.

Later that day, I took Brody to Publix with me and he saw an older man walking toward us and he shouts out, "Look mom, its Dr. Phil." I had to laugh at that one. He has always had a slight obsession with Dr. Phil. Everytime I would watch it when he was little, he would point to the television and say, "PaPa!!" Is is just funny to me that he always has to associate the way someone looks or acts with a person that he knows.

Not only is he obsessed with the way a person looks, but with the way they are dressed. We came home yesterday and our neighbor was working in her yard in her bikini top and shorts - he yelled out that she was naked - so, of course, I had to lecture him and tell him not to yell that out loud when we get out of the car. He just started laughing and said, "She is naked, mom."

So, I often wonder what this obsession with people and their traits/characteristics is predicting about Brody's future?? Who knows - but for know it definitely keeps us alert, aware, & sometimes concerned about what he will say about the next person that walks by.....Gotta love little kids and their tendency to "blurt out" the obvious!!

Ebay Loser

2008-04-18T17:48:00.003-04:00

My CHI flatening iron broke the other day so I needed to buy a new one. I called my hairstylist and she said they run about $100....I was going to go ahead and order it, but I remembered that a friend of mine had found one on Ebay for around $70 - so, I decided to try and bid on one and get it for a little bit cheaper than $100. Well, I bid on a couple but I would always lose out in the last minute. I just was not fast enough with my mouse....I need to work out my "clicking" finger and get it in better shape if I am going to keep playing on Ebay.

Anyway, it looked like they always ended up going for between $60 & $70, so I just went to the "Buy it Now" store and found one for $60. I figured I might as well just buy it and quit messing with all the bidding nonsense. So, I was happy and I got my CHI for a great price. Well, I get on the computer today to check and make sure everything went through with the purchase and I see that I "won" another flat iron...What?? I guess we had bid on one and just assumed we would not win, but, of course, we did. And I won it for $59!! So, my goal of saving money was really shot because in the end I spent $140 (with shipping and all) - granted, I did get two CHI irons for that price but I did not really need two....

Oh, and by the way, does anyone know someone that needs a new flat iron :) :) :)

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!

2008-04-15T19:59:00.012-04:00

Well, since I am trying to avoid sugars and basically all food that tastes great, I thought I could at least write about my favorite "bad" treats. What inspired me to blog about tasty treats, was an awesome cake I had the other night. I mean this cake was rockin'!! I seriously could have eaten like 4 pieces....It was a key lime cake made by my friend Jennifer. I am hoping that she will be nice enough to leave me a comment which will include the recipe to this delicious cake. I doubt that I will ever seriously venture out and try to make it, but maybe one of you crafty mamas can make it as a treat for your family.

The key lime cake recently took over my number one spot in my favorite desserts, but another treat that comes in a close second is Ghirardelli brownies - really anything Ghirardelli is soooo yummy, but these brownies are the best. They are called double chocolate brownies and you can get them at pretty much any supermarket. I became such a big fan of Ghirardelli chocolate because they have a store in Downtown Disney and they serve a chocolate brownie sundae that is out of this world. I make sure to get one (or two) each time we go to Disney. So, instead of actually eating all this stuff, I just wrote about them, posted pictures of them, thought about how awesome they taste....man, I am really hungry right now :) :) :)

Gag me with a spoon

2008-04-14T17:52:00.003-04:00

Ok, so I decided that I wanted to try to lose a few more pounds before we head to the beach next month - probably because I went swimsuit shopping and I left the store totally depressed. Especially when I tried on one tankini top and I could not for the life of me get it back over my head. Then I looked at the tag and it was two sizes smaller than what I thought - talk about a total freak out moment. I just knew I would have to call Matt and tell him I was stuck in a really small swimsuit and I could not get out of it. I actually left Kohl's and headed straight to Kroger to get "healthy" food. Well, I decided to try Slimfast for the first week....and it was totally disgusting. I got the cappucino kind and I seriously thought I would hurl if I took another drink. I mean I want to look good and all but I am not willing to drink that nasty stuff in order to do it. Just thinking of the taste makes me shudder.

So, since I don't really do diets, I am just eating more fruits and healthy snacks. Trying my best to avoid all the sugars (that should last like 2 days). But, I did get some Fiber One bars and let me recommend those to you guys. They were so good - just like a candy bar to me. I am always searching for healthy snacks that actually taste good. I am thinking of trying some smoothies made with low fat yogurt & fruit. That sounds yummy to my somewhat hungry tummy. Any healthy (but yummy) snack recommendations would be great....and I will share if I come across any other good finds.

2008-04-11T23:05:00.005-04:00

I got to have dinner with one of my best friends the other night in Atlanta. We have been friends since college and have somehow managed to stay in touch and see each other a few times a year. We have so many great memories from college including fun times with karaoke, making fun of all of our roommates, dyeing each other's hair one too many times, and meeting our husbands to be around the same time (which meant a lot of double dates). I doubt many people would really get our humor (including our husbands), but we always have a great time when we get together.

We ate at Carrabas and I doubt it will ever be the same again - with all 6 of our crazy kids. We were also eating with my husband's best friend from college (who is still single) and we were joking about how he would probably never want kids after having dinner with all of us. Oh well, we had fun and I am thankful for our old friends (although they probably know way too much about us) because there are so many fun memories to talk about and hopefully lots of new fun times ahead of us.

Be thankful

2008-04-11T22:25:00.006-04:00

I talked to one of my friends tonight who is going through a really tough time in her life right now. I won't really go into specific details but my heart is really broken for her right now. I aked her is there was anything I could do for her and she said, "Yeah, you could switch lives with me..." After talking with her, I had to stop and take an inventory on my own life and realize how blessed Matt and I really are in our lives right now. It seems like sometimes I let the little things get me down and it really takes a phone call like the one I had tonight to really make me put things in perspective. I just wished I could remember this great life lesson when it is 2am and Kassidy won't stop crying (at least she is a healthy, happy baby).....or when I am running back & forth to the doctor for ear infections or asthma problems (my kids could be seriously ill)....or even when Matt is getting on my last nerve (we could have a struggling marriage that lacks love & real commitment). I am sure you get the point....so, I encourage you to stop and think about how blessed you really are and then say a prayer of thanks for all that God has blessed you with (and take a minute to say a prayer for my friend - she could really use it tonight!!)

"Dear Tooth Fairy" - take two

2008-04-04T22:00:00.003-04:00

Well, for the faithful few of you that keep up with my blog, you might remember that Kenzie accidentally swallowed her first tooth - so, we had to write a note to let the tooth fairy know what was up. Well, I am writing another note to the tooth fairy tonight. Why, you ask?? Well, my poor little girl fell from the top of our swingset/treehouse and majorly busted her face up. She was screaming and I ran outside to find her face covered in blood. It was coming out of both her nose and her mouth. Very scary moment. It turns out all is well - except for a busted-up lip & nose and a tooth that was unfortunately knocked out. It is still MIA. Who knows if she swallowed it or if it somewhere in our backyard. Her papa, daddy, and brothers were outside searching for the tooth, but - no luck!! The good news is that she fell so hard that she knocked another tooth loose (is that really "good news?") and we are just hoping and praying that this time she will lose the tooth in a somewhat "normal" manner and she will finally get to experience placing an actual tooth under her pillow....this tooth fairy is tired of all these "excuse" notes :) :) :) :)

American Idol Fever

2008-04-02T17:07:00.003-04:00

How many of you remember this crying machine from last season's American Idol?? I read somewhere that she is back - but this year she is turning on the waterworks for Jason Castro (the dreadlocks dude). This little girl absolutely drove me insane last season....literally, I had to change the channel or get up and leave whenever they would keep putting up shots of her in the audience just a boohooing. Still don't know why she bugged me so much but when I read that she was back I was not excited....

Anyway, as most of you know, my husband is an American Idol freak - it is so funny to me how he really gets so into each performance and now he even critiques each person right when they finish. He usually gives a "too self-indulgent" (Simon favorite) or "little bit pitchy" (Randy's catch phrase) or now if someone is really bad, we know to say "you look really nice tonight" (Paula's compliment when no other can be found). His favorite for this season is David Archuleta- the kid who looks like he is 12 and always about to cry. I like Brooke White - she has such a unique voice and she is just so geniune. I never have really cared for Kristy Lee Cook or even Carly Smithson ( I know she is a great singer but for some reason she just annoys me.)

Oh well, I guess I have just given into the fact that American Idol fever is now a part of the Walls household...I used to tease Matt about it but then I realized that he seriously loves this show. In fact, he might give the "crying girl" a run for her money after some of David Archuleta's performances. Ok, I'm in trouble now..........

The Walls Family Loves Jesus!!

2008-03-28T20:27:00.003-04:00

Well, today was a Great day at the Walls house - our little girl, Kenzie, asked Jesus to come into her heart today!! We are so excited for her. She talked with her dad and he said she asked him so many questions and he could tell she was more than ready to become a Christian. She has been very curious for a while now, but we wanted to make sure that she understood what it meant and how very important it was. She came running up to tell me and she said that she could not stop smiling - she said she might just smile the rest of the day.

So, we got to see our oldest son, Micah, baptized last Sunday and now we get to share the news that our oldest daughter, Kenzie, has accepted Jesus as her Savior! I would say this has been a pretty great week for us!!!

No She Didn't!!

2008-03-25T18:53:00.003-04:00

We just got back from Stevie B's pizza and I am still a little in shock - Why, you ask?? Well, some older lady decided that she would come over and talk to Kassidy-which is great, fine, nice....But, then she decided to stick her finger in her ice cream bowl and then stick her nasty, ice cream covered finger in Kassidy's mouth - GROSS!! I could not even respond because I was so shocked that she would do such a disgusting thing to my baby...I do not even want to know what kind of fungus she had growing on her finger or even when the last time she washed her finger was - Ewwww......

I never really understood why people feel like they have the right to do that kind of stuff to babies....you would never even consider doing that to another adult. My friend said I should have put ice cream on my finger and then stuck it in the old lady's mouth....I bet she would have just loved that :) :) :)

My girls on Easter

2008-03-24T22:15:00.001-04:00

My Boys on Easter

2008-03-24T21:59:00.002-04:00

An awesome Easter!!!

2008-03-24T21:44:00.003-04:00

We had a great Easter here at the Walls house...sometimes our Easters tend to be a bit hectic and I expected this year to be a little hard because it was my first go at it with four kids. Matt is never here to help on Easter morning because he has so many responsibilities at the church so I struggle trying to get everyone dressed and there on time. But we made a couple of changes that seemed to help out with the time management issue....we gave them their Easter baskets on Saturday night and I dressed them all up and took all my pictures on Saturday afternoon. So, on Sunday morning, it was pretty much a normal church morning - except trying to dress them up a little nicer that usual. Of course, the church was packed out - which is great - but finding a seat was a bit tricky. The highlight of the morning was that our oldest son, Micah, got baptized!! And Matt was able to baptize him - which was so great. But, the poor little guy was freezing because the water was accidentally let out of the baptistry and they had to refill it only minutes before he had to get in it....it literally took his breath away (just look at the expression on his face). But he did it and we are so proud of our little guy!!

Too many hard choices

2008-03-18T21:25:00.003-04:00

Today, I got a little bit stressed out...I was at my husband's office and somehow we got on the topic of vaccines. Weird topic to somehow end up on...but we did. There were some other people around and the topic got a little bit heated. (Ok, my husband would say it was not heated, but when I get that nervous/anxious feeling, I say it is heated.) We were talking about my son and his asthma/allergies and whether or not getting him vaccinated has any role in his condition. Of course, some people there were saying that vaccines were just a way for doctors to make money and they are the reason so many kids are sick and have so many problems... And then there were those that said it was crazy to even consider not vaccinating and risking your child getting a fatal disease or just becoming very ill. And of course we got to the topics of organic food and nutritionists vs. doctors...

Anyway, it just stresses me out because it seems like there are so many different choices and paths that you can take as a parent these days and how in the world am I supposed to know if I am making the best choice for my children?? My husband told me to "chill out" and have confidence in the decisions I have made and am still making each and every day. I guess anytime anyone seems to be questioning your choices as a parent, you tend to begin questioning yourself...but after talking it out some and thinking it through, I came to the conclusion that I have always - without a doubt- had my children's best interest at heart and I know I always did the best with the information I had at the time the choice needed to be made. So, I am now a happy mom who is at peace with herself (at least for the next hour or so).

Squeeze those buttocks!!

2008-03-15T17:13:00.003-04:00

So, I decided that I would start doing pilates everyday - just to add a little something different to my routine. The first time I put in the dvd, Kenzie comes in the room and starts working out with me. It was really cute. Then, the next time I decided to work out, Micah, Brody, & Kenzie wanted to do the video with me. It was really cute, so I told Matt to snap a picture. Well, as soon as he took the picture, he laid on the floor with Kassidy on his stomach and our whole family was doing pilates together. Funny thing to try and picture, huh?

Anyway, what was really funny, was how the kids would just laugh and giggle every time the instructor said, "Ok, let's squeeze those buttocks." Or she would talk about how great your "tush" was going to look when you were finished. It was priceless to hear them get so tickled and of course, Kenzie has used the word "buttocks" more than once today. All I can say, is that they need to start putting a rating on those workout dvds :) :) :)

That's a lot of kiddos!!

2008-03-13T20:17:00.009-04:00

We went to the park today with a couple of friends - actually it was my sister-in-law, Angie (that's my kids and her kids in the picture) and my friend, Danielle. It was pretty funny because between the 3 of us, we have 12 (yes, that's right) - 12 kids. So, it was fine at the park because no one can tell how many kids are actually with you because there are other kids and everyone is all over the place. Well, when we got to Chick-fil-a, it was funny because you can just tell people are staring and counting all the kids that keep filing in through the doors. We had told the kids they could play on the playground at Chick-fil-a, but once we got there, we realized that we actually had too many kids (mixed in with the kids that were already there) and the playground just wouldn't hold us all :) Pretty funny, huh?

Oh well, we ended up eating outside and for that, everyone inside was extremely thankful!!! It was fun and it is actually nice to be with other moms who really are in the same boat as you. And, by the way, I love having four kids - it keeps my life extremely interesting and so much fun.

The Walls Boys

2008-03-11T10:38:00.010-04:00

Well, it looks like I may have two little "stud muffins" on my hands. My two boys are already working it with the ladies at the mere ages of 8 and 3. (Do you think they get this from their daddy??)

Anyway, I'll start with Micah. I was cleaning his book bag out and I found a very interesting note. It was from a little girl who calls herself his "girlfriend." The note went a little like this, "I haven't been saying hey to you because you haven't been saying hey to me. So, do you want to spend some time together? If you do, meet me outside. I will get my girls and you get your boys. So, please do it, because we will be there." (I found it hilarious that they already have a "posse" that follows them around.) He is only in 2nd grade and he already has a girl telling him what to do!

Then, on to little Brody-man. Last week after church, I was picking up the kids and I hear people cheering and clapping. I look over to see Brody sitting on a bench with his little friend, Lanna, and he has his arms around her neck and he is planting a huge kiss on her lips. Of course, everyone is like "That's a pastor's kid for you......" And the clapping & cheering only encourages Brody because he loves to be in the spotlight. So, now in his mind, kissing = attention...which for me means only one thing - Trouble!!

All things Disney!!

2008-03-05T17:30:00.004-05:00

These are the stickers you will find on the back of our car...it perfectly describes our family and what we all love - you guessed it - Disneyworld! Our family absolutely loves to travel to Orlando and spend as much time as we can afford at Disneyworld. We try to go at least once a year. We have yet to find another vacation destination that even compares to our trips to Disney.

I thought I would share some of our favorite things about Disney and even a few of the ways we save some money on our trips. Hopefully, some of you are Disney fanatics and you can share some interesting things about your travels to Orlando too!

1. We have a Disney Visa card that lets you earn points toward your next trip to Disneyworld. We pretty much pay for everything with it, but we make sure we pay it off each month. These points really helped out a lot on our last trip.

2. We had our first visit to Chef Mickey's last trip. It was awesome. We got to eat breakfast with all the characters and guess how we paid for it - with our Disney Visa points....

3. We always stay in a really nice 2 or 3 bedroom condo that is off property....we get our room through the Air Force Vacation Club (you just have to know someone in the Air Force). We can stay a whole week for around $350....

4. We only go to the parks like 2 or 3 days - we have learned that this is really all our kids can handle - not to mention all our wallets can handle!!

5. Finally, we spend a lot of time at Downtown Disney - it is free, unless you feel the need to shop or eat (which we do occasionally)....but there are plenty of things there that do not cost money that keep our kids very entertained.

Well, all this talk about Disney has got me itching for another trip to see Mickey...but I will have to wait a few more months until it is time for our annual trip!!

A mind of his own

2008-03-04T21:42:00.004-05:00

Well, things around the Walls house have been pretty low key these last few days....that is, except for Brody-man. He is definitely going through "a stage" - exactly what stage, that I am not quite sure of. He is so strong-willed and so determined to do things his way. He is the type of child that is either being cute, sweet, and hilarious or he is being mean, disobedient, and defiant. There is really no inbetween for him.

Things seemed to have gotten a little more intense since Kassidy has been around. He definitely seems jealous of her and so he is always doing things to get our attention - like hitting her, pushing her, pinching her....whatever it takes to get us all upset and flustered. He is so starved for attention - now, he even refuses to be out of my sight for more than 5 minutes. Of course, I feel guilty and I know that I do focus more on the baby and he gets less attention than he is accustomed to, but his tactics to get my attention are so very frustrating. So, we are trying very hard to find a happy medium where we can spend more one on one time with him, but at the same time make him realize that his behavior is not at all acceptable and there are definitely better ways to get our attention. We pray about it a lot and are seeking wisdom from God on how to teach him and raise him in a way in which he feels secure and is also a respectful & obedient little boy. I know that if we work together and make sure that we give him enough love & enough discipline, things will eventually start to smooth out for us. Like I said in the beginning, I know it is just "a stage" and one day I will look back and smile about just how mischievous Brody really was :) :) :)

Chick-fil-A Rocks!!

2008-02-28T11:58:00.004-05:00

I LOVE Chick-fil-A!! It is my absolute favorite place to eat. I know I probably eat there at least twice a week. I am definitely an "addict." And, luckily my husband loves to eat there too, so we are always in agreement when it is time to grab a quick bite to eat. I even went there for breakfast this morning, because they were giving away free sausage biscuits today. (And, FYI, they are giving away a free breakfast item every Thursday morning for the next four weeks.)

When my mom came to stay for a few weeks after Kassidy was born, she said she was actually tired of Chick-fil-A food by the time she left. WHAT??? The town she lives in does not even have a Chick-fil-A (which makes me really sad for her) and so I do not understand how she was tired of it in a couple weeks, when I have been chowing on it for a few years!! Hopefully, I have made your mouth water for a big chicken sandwich and a huge cup of sweet tea. Just be sure and give me a call before you head out :) :) :)

I'm a big boy now!!!

2008-02-26T09:50:00.003-05:00

Well, we did it...we got our little guys some bunk beds. I know I said that we probably would not because of the whole falling off the top bunk story, but he had his little heart set on bunk beds and he promised that he would never jump/fall off again. And, he has been true to his word - considering that he will not even climb up the ladder to the top bunk. I guess he really got scared the one time he fell and so, now he is totally content hanging out on the bottom bunk. I even ask him to sit on the top bunk with his brother and sisters so that I could take a picture and he refused to get up there!! Fine with me...he can stay away from the top bunk as long as he needs to.

So, my little boy now sleeps in a big boy bed...and he even gave up his nightime pacifier (which I know we let him keep way too long....but I like to pick and choose my battles with Brody). I had always told him that kids did not use pacifiers in big boy beds and sure enough, the first night in his bed, he did not even ask for it. He has never even ask me about it since that night. So, a success story at the Walls house - Brody is officially a"Big Boy" now :) :) :)

The Little Tornado

2008-02-21T16:15:00.002-05:00

Well, my parents are in town for a visit and they got to see what it is really like to go out to lunch with 4 kiddos. We all went to Sonnys to grab a bite to eat and while we were getting seated, I saw a couple guys from church and I told them to be sure and sit far, far away. I was really just joking but it turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy today.

I made the mistake of taking Kassidy out of her seat and holding her while everyone finished up. I tend to forget how far and how fast they can reach and grab just about anything within a few feet of them. Her first successful grab was for a handful of coleslaw from my dad's plate. She put it in her mouth and cringed at how nasty she thought it tasted. Then I guess she thought she needed a drink to help wash away the bad taste, so she grabbed my tea glass and dumped the whole thing out....(I am still pulling ice cubes out of my diaper bag!) Well, when I turned my back to try to clean up some of the mess, she grabbed any empty salad plate and proceeded to throw it on the floor. Her last successful grab was for her empty car seat (which was sitting on the table - dumb move, I know) and it flipped over off the table, but my dad was fast enough to catch it before it hit the floor. But half of the restaurant had a heart attack because they thought a baby was in the seat and had flipped off the table. The people beside us looked at me and said, "Man, she is a little tornado, isn't she??" That's when you just smile politely and see how fast you can pack up your bag and get the heck up out of that place :) :) :)

Well, in the middle of all this, I had turned around to look at the guys from church and they were both just grinning and waving and looking very thankful that they had chosen to sit far, far away!!

Deal or No Deal???

2008-02-14T18:41:00.003-05:00

Does anyone else watch this show?? Well, I happen to like to watch it...but only because the level of greediness/stupidity is amazing to me. I always DVR it and then watch it later so that I can fast forward through all the parts that I consider useless. Matt and I will watch it together sometimes and I always end up getting so mad and saying "Ok, if he does not take the deal, I am never watching this show again." Of course, the guy does not take the deal and ends up leaving with like $10, when he could have left with $300,000. For some reason, it just really burns me up. It just amazes me that people get so caught up in the moment that they lose all sensibility. They are offered a ton of money but just knowing that there is a chance (no matter how slight) that they could leave with more makes them risk it all and usually end up leaving with a minimal amount.

Greed is a crazy thing that can totally change a person and the way they think/make decisions. I would hope that I would never let greed get the best of me (because it can be an ugly thing), but I am sure there have already been numerous time when greediness got to me and I made some really dumb choices. I just hope that I can learn from each situation and learn to be satisfied with what God has already blessed me with. And most importantly, I hope I can teach my kids how ugly greediness is and at the same time instill in them a geniune spirit of thankfulness. It sometimes seems like an overwhelming task (because kids by nature just tend to be greedy) but I know if I constantly remind them to be thankful for what they have, it will eventually sink in - at least by the time to go to college, right???

Give me Patience, Lord!!!

2008-02-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

Still no computer here at our house...but I do feel like I am getting more accomplished around the house. Well, that is until today. Kassidy has probably cried more in the last 24 hours than she has ever cried in her whole life. She is usually the most content, sweet little girl who just spends all day exploring around the house. So, when I say she has cried a lot, I guess it may just feel like a lot because I really have rarely ever heard her cry. And I am so blessed to have a content, easy baby because I do not handle a lot of crying/fussing very well (which I am not proud of and I am constantly praying for more patience). I really struggle with having enough patience and realizing that she is crying because it is really her only way to communicate at this point. I usually end up calling for Matt as my backup because he has so much patience and always seems to calm her down in no time. Some of our friends jokingly refer to him as the Baby Whisperer.

Anyway, back to Kassidy's crying spells - I know that she is cutting her top two teeth. I can see them but they just have not made it all the way through. And on top of that, she is congested and has a runny nose/cough. So, basically, I think she is just miserable and can't get comfortable when it is time to lay down and sleep. So, hopefully, she will have a much better night tonight, but if not, I just pray that I can be a patient mom that can give her hugs & kisses at 2:30am!!

Always something

2008-02-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

Well, I am sitting here on my husband's laptop because our computer has died...It has been "sick" for a couple months but we kinda ignored all the signs of impending doom and now it is officially dead. It is so funny because we just turned in all our tax info and we are anxiously awaiting our return - and I just told my husband that this year we only really had one little project that we needed to get done with the extra money. But, it seems like something always creeps up right around the time we get our return back.

Of course, a computer is by no means a necessity. I would probably be much more productive during the day if I would not surf the net and check my email. It may actually be a blessing in disguise. Maybe if we just use the laptop, I can learn to just get on the computer once a day and cut back on a lot of wasted time. So, when I signed on to write this blog update, I was kinda bummed about our computer, but now I see that there is actually something positive that can come out of this!! I can actually spend more time cleaning the house, washing clothes, picking up toys...wait a minute, maybe this is not as positive as I thought :) :)

Just for a laugh!!

2008-02-07T19:06:00.000-05:00

This is a really funny clip that plays off the song "Jesus take the wheel." Matt and I really got a kick out of this one. Hope you enjoy!!

Time for Medicine???

2008-02-06T13:30:00.001-05:00

I have spent the morning struggling with whether or not to give my sick little girl antibiotics....you probably think it would be an easy decision - usually when you have a sick kid, you give them medicine. But, Kenzie is a different story. She is highly allergic to both penicillin and omniceph, so there is really only one or two antibiotics that she can take. And I try so hard to save them up and only use the when she is really sick. I don't want her to build up a resistance to those couple she can take.

Anyway, she has been running a fever since Saturday, along with a nasty cough. I took her in on Monday and the doctor decided it was just a virus but to call her in a couple days if she did not get better. Fast forward to today - still not better. So, the doctor said it was time to try antibiotics. I went back and forth this morning on whether I should wait it out or just give her the medicine. Well, when she said she wanted me to go get the medicine (as she lay on the couch all pale and coughing), I decided to just do it and hope that I was making the best decision. Now, I feel so much better - the decision has been made and hopefully she will be up dancing and singing her Hannah Montana songs in no time.

A Homeschool Family

2008-02-05T22:35:00.000-05:00

Well, with all that talk about homeschooling, I came across a very "insightful" video about what your basic homeschool family might look like....please know that this is totally a joke and in no way am I making fun of people that homeschool - because as you know I have considered it as an option for my family!!

What really is best??

2008-02-05T10:34:00.000-05:00

Do you ever struggle with what is the "right" thing to do for your kids?? Lately, I have really been struggling with my kids and how much of "the world" I really want to expose them to. My son is in 2nd grade at a local public school. So far, everything has gone rather smoothly and he has not come home cursing like a litte sailor yet :) :) But almost on a daily basis, I wonder if I am doing the right thing by sending him to public school. It is not really these early grades that I stress about, but it is the next few years to come that have me stressing out.

I wonder if I should step out on faith and try the whole "homeschooling" deal...I am a stay at home mom with a college education and I know I could teach him what he needs to know at this age while adding in Christian values and morals. I know it is the early years that are crucial in helping him form his core values and develop who he will become in future years.

But then I wonder if that is placing him in a "bubble" that excludes him from the outside world. I want him to grow up with the ability to make the right choice in a rough world...I don't want him to finish school and then just throw him to the wolves when it come to college and the workplace. And, of course, I want him to be an example/a witness to other kids at school. He would not really have that opportunity if I kept him at home each day.

As you can tell, I have really been thinking (and praying) about this a lot lately. Not to mention the fact that I have 3 more kids that I will have to make this decision for in the years to come. Maybe I will never really know what the "right" decision is...I think it is different for each family. But I can hope to find peace and reach the decision that is best for my kids and our family.

I am your brother!!

2008-02-02T20:26:00.000-05:00

This is a very special video for my friends from small group....I hope this song is in your head all night.

Stand up!!

2008-02-02T19:32:00.000-05:00

Well, we just realized that Kassidy Beth can stand up on her own. (For those of you who remember, I discovered she could sit up because I was on the phone and I put her down on the floor and she just sat there - all balanced and secure.) It is so funny because with your fourth child, you are so busy with all the other kids, that you kinda forget to watch for things like rolling over, sitting up, cruising, and standing. With your first kid, you are checking on a daily basis to see if they can do any new "tricks." I told someone that one day Kassidy will walk in the kitchen and ask for some juice and I will be like - "Wow, you can walk!!"

Anyway, back to the whole standing up incident...Matt was helping her stand and he let go for a second and she continued to stand on her own!! She looked so big and so proud. I feel like she is growing up way too fast (she'll be 8 months in just a few days). Looks like she may be an early walker...but I am not pushing for that. I know that walking all day for her means chasing all day for me!!

I did it!

2008-02-01T09:35:00.000-05:00

I finally saw my pre-pregnancy weight on the scale today! For those of you with kids, you know what a great feeling of accomplishment this is. However, I need to specify that this is my weight from before my 4th child...I will NEVER see my pre-pregnancy weight from before my 1st child. I have just accepted that. But when I look at what I got in exchange for a few added pounds, I considered myself very blessed.

I told my husband that I had lost the weight, and I said "time for my $100 shopping spree..." But, he followed with, "I thought we agreed on $50." Sweet. I was actually just joking about the whole shopping deal, but it looks like I just joked my way into a new outfit :) :) :)

No Bunk Beds for you!!

2008-01-30T15:34:00.000-05:00

For those of you that know Brody, this post will not come as a surprise. He is one crazy kid that is always full-speed ahead. When he was two years old, he fell out of a shopping cart at Target and broke both of the bones in his wrist. That is one of the few times that I have actually seen him be very still - only because he was in so much pain. Which brings me to today. My friend invited Brody to come over and play with her little girl today. She said everything went fine except for the fact that he fell off one of her bar stool because he was standing up on it and lost his footing. She has tile floors and so I assumed it probably hurt pretty bad, but she said he only cried for a minute and then went on to play more.

Well, while we were there eating lunch, I heard Kenzie kinda gasp and come running to get me. She said Brody had fallen from the top bunk bed...I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach and went running to check on him. But, before I could even get to him, he met me at the bottom of the stairs and was whining a little bit, but he was fine. I am serious when I say that Brody is so full of spunk, energy, and adventure, that it takes a major incident to really make him stop and slow down. But that is one of the qualities we love about him - his great ability to roll with the punches.

After the whole falling from the bed incident, my husband came to check on Brody, and the first thing I said was, "Well, I guess we are not getting bunk beds." We had been debating on whether we should buy them and our main reason for waiting was because we both assumed that Brody would inevitably fall from the top bunk or would voluntarily jump from the top. Guess we were right!!

She can crawl!!

2008-01-27T22:15:00.000-05:00

Well, my little baby girl is now an official crawler...she is all over the place. It is so cute to watch her explore anything and everything she sees. I fed her earlier and I left the jar of food on the floor while I ran to the kitchen. Well, my husband found her with baby food smeared in her hair and I remembered - Oh yeah, I guess I can't leave things lying around anymore. Later, I found her laying on the floor finishing off her brother's apple juice. (I guess she knows how to drink from a sippy cup!)

It is so funny to me - because we always want our little ones to reach the next milestone, but once they actually get there, you always think about how it was a little bit easier before - like I was thinking today - "wow, it was a lot easier when I could just sit her in one place and she would actually stay there..." But, in the next couple of weeks, we will start to think about how cute it will be when she walks - not stopping to think how much time we will spend chasing her all around the house :) :) ;)

Waiting on the tooth fairy

2008-01-25T21:13:00.000-05:00

Kenzie has been waiting for days to lose her first tooth. It has been so wiggly and we even tried to pull it out, but it just would not cooperate. Well, she finally lost it tonight BUT she accidentally swallowed it!! She was so disappointed. Of course her first question to Matt was would the tooth fairy still come if she did not have a tooth to put under the pillow? He reassured her that the tooth fairy would still come, but I had to write a note to put under the pillow that explained the situation (just in case the tooth fairy was confused).

So, she is in bed right now - continuously checking to see if the note is still there :) :) :) It is so fun to have kids and to get to experience all the fun and excitement of things like waiting on their first visit from the tooth fairy with them.

Love ya Micah

2008-01-24T21:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it is so hard to know when you are being "too soft" with your kids or when you are being "too tough" on them. Micah has asthma and this past weekend, he started his usual asthma symptoms (couging, tired, sensitive)....so we started his inhalers and tried to get things under control. We sent him to his b-ball game Saturday and he seemed tired and just not his usual competitive self. He even came running off the court and said he could not breath and did not feel good. Well, the next day, he said he did not want to go to church, but we made him go. His teacher sent him to me and said he was not feeling well. We did keep him home from Awana that night but we stuck him in his room and let him cough his little head off while we hosted small groups.

Anyway, we finally called the doctor and got a chest x-ray (4 days later) and we find out he had a lung infection and needed antibiotics and steriods. Matt and I felt terrible. We had been pushing him and telling him he was being dramatic and overly sensitive. I had even sent him to school and got the results of the chest x-ray just before I went to pick him up. Needless to say, I took him straight to the mall and bought him a "webkin toy" and took him to get a big slice of pizza. Maybe it was wrong to go buy him stuff but it sure made me feel better...I learned a valuable "mom" lesson - I need to listen to my kids...I would much rather err on the side of being too soft & sensitive than feel like the worst mom ever for letting my kid walk around sick and upset.

Sorry, Micah....hope you are feeling so much better. :) :) :)

Happy Birthday Matt

2008-01-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

Well, today is my husbands 33rd birthday!! I wanted to wish him a great day. He is so important to me and I am so thankful that God chose him to be my husband. He is an awesome dad and our kids have so much fun with him...probably because he is just a big kid himself. (If you have ever seen his office at work, you know exactly what I am talking about - all the legos, potato heads, spiderman toys....)

Anyway, I love you Matt, and I hope you have an awesome birthday!!

Time for Myself???

2008-01-14T14:29:00.000-05:00

It is soooo quiet at my house right now - my baby is sleeping, Kenzie & Brody are at their Grammy's house, and Micah is at school. And you know what is weird?? I almost don't know what to do with myself. My house is clean because we had small groups here last night. I am not really tired, so I am not feeling like a nap right now. There is really nothing on tv.....So, do you think this means that I may actually miss all the noise and chaos of my children?? Hey, I think it sounds crazy too. But sometimes I think we get so used to taking care of the kids, that when they are not around, we almost feel lost - kinda like, what do I do now? Don't get me wrong - I am never going to turn down the chance to have some "me" time or a chance to have a date night with my husband. I am just saying that I can kinda understand the whole "empty nest" thing and why some women are kinda in crisis when all their kids grow up and move out. But, according to Kenzie, we will never have that problem, because she said she plans on living with us for the rest of her life :) :) :)

Well, I just heard the baby crying, so I guess my dilema of what to do has been magically solved....somehow it seems like that always happens.

Shedding the pounds

2008-01-12T17:44:00.001-05:00

I once had a boss who was a fitness fanatic and he said something that has stuck with me forever. In reference to gaining weight, he said "You know, most people are happy if they only gain 3 or 4 pounds in a year, but what I always say is - Just think what you are going to look like in 10 years when you are forty pounds heavier."

And on that note, Matt and I have been trying so hard to get healthy this year...we actually started back before Christmas. And we survived the holidays without really gaining any weight (major accomplishment for us!). But what is totally baffling to me is how fast men can their lose excess weight. Matt has lost a total of @ 20 lbs so far and I have lost an amazing 6 lbs. We have basically the same routine (exercise 4 or 5 times a week, eating healthy-add more fruits and veggies...) but he just seems to shed the pounds so much faster. I have even given up soda and only drink diet if I get the urge....and that is a sacrifice that I swore I would never make!! My goal for myself was to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight by Kassidy's one year birthday (June 11th) - I only have four more pounds to go....Now, I will be bound and determined to make that goal because I have let everyone know what my goal is!! I guess it is time to go grab a bottle of water and a rice cake - Yummy.............

Grocery store no more!!!

2008-01-10T14:21:00.000-05:00

I had to take some time to sit down and write about my latest trip to the grocery store. I had picked up my son from school with all my other kids along for the ride. Well, I started feeling really brave and adventurous...I decided that I would go to the grocery store with all four kids. This may not seem like a big "adventure" to you, but unless you have four kids, you will never really understand. I began the trip with the lecture about how they better be on their best behavior because mommy does not usually bring all four kids and they will get a spanking if they don't listen and obey (you moms know the drill.) Well, it started out pretty good - except for the two or three times that Brody decided to try to run out in traffic. But, luckily, Micah was there to pull him (by the collar of his shirt) back to safety.

I get inside to grab a cart and of course they are stuck together. So, I have to sit Kassidy down in her seat...not realizing she is blocking the electric doors making them permanently stay open. Anyway, as I go to load Brody in the front, he begins throwing a fit - "I wanna walk...I wanna shop...I wanna look at stuff." And, of course a church member is entering the door as the tantrum hits its peak (I saw her at church later that day and she proceeded to say with an evil grin "Man, you REALLY have your hands full these days.) So, after a few idle threats and the final threat of "I am going to call your dad", he finally sits and decides to cooperate. But, as I begin to shop, I realize that I have no room in the cart for groceries - due to Kassidy's car seat in the back and Brody in the front. So, I begin shoving things under the car seat, under the cart....at one point, I even had Kassidy hold a few small groceries. I finally made Micah get a little basket and start helping me carry things - and you know he just LOVED that. Especially since Kenzie kept secretly adding things to the basket to make it too heavy for him to carry. I then hear Kassidy screaming and I turn around to see that Brody is squeezing Kassidy's nose as hard as he can. Go figure - why would he think to turn all the way around in the cart and squeeze his baby sister's nose??

We finally made it to the checkout and I asked Micah to push the cart with the grocery bags while I push the cart with the kids - only I did not realize there was an incline on the way out and he could not hold onto the cart as it went down the hill (and into oncoming traffic). So, as it hits me in the back and I try to hold onto the kids and the groceries, I finally make it to the truck. And, I won't even get into the constant, "You better get into your seat right now before I call the police and they take you to jail for not wearing your seat belt" conversation. I made it home saying "I will NEVER do that again" but it never fails, I will feel brave and adventurous again next week - and the kids will look so sweet and obedient all locked up in their seats - and I will hit the store again only to leave flustered, sweaty, and mumbling "What was I thinking, Will I ever learn my lesson????"

What's up with the kiddos

2008-01-10T10:53:00.001-05:00

Well, with four kids, it seems like there is always something going on in each of their lives and I want to always do my best to keep up with what is important to them. Micah has just started another season of basketball and he scored a basket at his first game of the season!! My parents (who live in VA) were there and he was determined to score some points for them. His determination showed because he had to shoot it three times in a row but it finally went in. I love when people have the characteristic of determination/dedication...so, of course, I was soooo proud that he did not give up and was able to achieve his goal. Mackenzie came home from school with the news that a "boy" likes her. All I can say is "here we go....." And, then Brody has just been jamming on his drum set - I told someome that my parents got him a drum set for Christmas and their response was, "What did you do to them??" What's funny is, I could actually see him growing up to be a drummer in a band - a positive way to release ALL that energy. Finally, there is our baby girl, Kassidy. She is growing and changing every day. But her lastest accomplishment is sleeping through the night. Wow, what a difference it makes when we are all actually sleeping at night. I think now we all wake up smiling :) :) :) The other morning, Matt looked at me and said, "I think we may have actually made it through the crazy years, babe." I just laughed. Has he forgotten that they grow up to be teenagers????

First time blogger

2008-01-06T18:28:00.000-05:00

Well, I decided to start blogging - just another task to add to my already crazy days. But, I wanted to be able to keep up with all the wonderful memories that fill each of my days as a mother of four. Each day the kids do or say something that is either totally hilarious or totally profound. Hopefully, now I will be able to share all these moments with my friends and family through this blog. People always say that we must be crazy for having four kids but I always say that it just adds to the fun and good times. Just think - if you have a wonderful time with two kids...imagine how much excitement we have with four. Each child is so uniquely different and they each bring us so much joy - but each in their own special way. Micah is so caring, sensitive, and smart. Kenzie is such a girly-girl, so pretty and sweet. Brody is just plain crazy, but so entertaining. And Kassidy is so laid-back and smiles all the time. I never imagined that I would be a stay at home mom to four children by the age of 30...but here I am - loving every minute of the life God has chosen for me!!