A lot of children.
It's hilarious.
And hard.
I ALWAYS have the baby with me. Even to go to the bathroom. There is a chair for her in the bathroom that stays there so she can always be with me.
I ALWAYS get a knock on the door every time I go in to the bathroom. Because right then, questions need answered, etc. etc.
Today I walked around to every child. I told each one that I was feeding the baby in my room with the door shut so I could put her in bed. I asked them to stay out and I would be quick. Do you think that worked?! Nope. Ha.
I bought a cute little cup for Ruby. Several children have decided it is really cool and taken way too much interest in that cup today.
There have been at least three radios going at the same time today. Loud. Kids have done jobs and messed up their jobs. They all want friends over. Two cousins called to ask if two of my boys could play, but not at their house. What does that mean?!! Ha!! I'd rather my kids be here anyway.
One friend for each of my kids = a lot of kids.
Ruby is asleep. I have a loud fan going in my room to try to drown out the sounds in our house. I still beg every 2-3 minutes for everyone to be quiet. It's fun.
The TV gets turned on and no one watches. I turn it off. Magically it's back on and no one is watching again.
The door opens and closes far too many times for my air conditioner.
My kids like to be right by me most of the time. That's a good thing. But sometimes it feels like little bugs crawling all over my skin. Isn't that a nice way of putting it? ha.
My boys made pancakes for lunch. I said ONLY if they cleaned up their mess. That's usually my answer. They NEVER clean up their mess. Popcorn is the worst. John wishes I wouldn't allow it in my house. I keep letting them try.
I'm tired. Worn out. Exhausted most......all of the time.
I still choose this. Mothering children. A lot of children. It suits me just fine.
Just don't come into my home and think that it should be cleaner and more organized. I try. Every day. I have choices to make. It's in me..... I want it cleaner. I want it more organized. But I have 7 children. And I'm not Jolie. Ha. It is what it is. One day it will get better.
I want field trips with my kids. I want exercise. I want daily devotional. I want quiet. I want to teach my kids cooking and laundry and hard work and being kind.
It's going okay. They are doing their jobs. I hope one day to see that it all will pay off.
They are good kids. I like them a lot. And I like spending my hard, long, HOT, summer days with them.
Every day I want a vacation. I CRAVE vacation. I don't care where. I just want to somehow have my house really clean and leave on vacation.
It would take at least two days to pack for vacation and get my house clean. That's by myself. With no children around. When children are around, the house gets messier as I clean it to leave. Last two vacations I finally just had to say "we just have to leave. it's not going to be as clean as I'd like to leave it." And we go. At least one of those times, a fairy came and cleaned it up. I am lucky. I have a magical fairy that does that sometimes. It helps. And I'm grateful.
I used to plan far in advance for vacations and make lists. I still try to do that but my life is so FULL, sometimes I forget and it's a half hearted try. Which leads to half being ready.
Yesterday I went to Costco BY MYSELF. Ha. It was great. I came home and the baby was still asleep. Leah was still playing across the street in the front yard with my neighbors granddaughter. I unloaded and left for WalMart. I came home and the baby was just waking up.
Last night, I got to go on a walk with a great friend. I was gone for two hours. WoW. Another neighbor saw me and couldn't believe I was without my baby.
My friend who works at Costco always comments when I don't have the baby or a kid with me. Because I always do. I'm not complaining.
I hate the heat. HATE. It makes me feel yucky.
The summer is already flying by. July is next week. WHAT?!!!
My mind is gearing up for school shopping. Which means cleaning out first.
Thoughts of Christmas happen to me every summer. It started last week. happened again today.
An example of that is....one of the kids was holding Ruby today and showing her a little laughing Elmo doll. They told me to see how cute. I instantly had that excited feeling you feel at Christmas and imagined Ruby at Christmas. She will be 1. Whoa.
It's just a little glimpse that starts every June or July and happens periodically throughout the summer.
I'm a planner so once our school shopping is done and we're back to school, I will automatically start thinking Christmas. And Thanksgiving. What a great time of year.
Fall is my favorite.
I have no idea what I've just written here. It's probably a jumbled mess. Ha. Like my life.
I rarely get on my computer. It was on and I was sitting in a room, by myself, seeing and hearing my children and started writing. My kids are all here with me now.
Leah burps like a man and it just happens. None of us can believe it. She does it everywhere. In the middle of sacrament. In her primary class. With family. Friends. Neighbors.
We've told her to stop over and over and over. It's not working.
Our new tactic is to ignore. Hopefully that will work.
Ruby is adored by all. Really. She's a doll.
I asked John why everyone at church loves her so much and he said probably because we sit near the front at church so everyone sees. And because she's darling.
I try to sit further back but we keep getting pushed to the front.
I better stop. I could go on forever.
