Big Family Life Lately

Happy Monday! Another January week flew by in our usual whirlwind of chaos and busyness. It's hard to believe we're rapidly approaching the end of the first month of 2019!

We're currently enjoying our second three day weekend in a row. I could REALLY get used to these! I had high hopes to post more to the blog this week, but four kids, pregnancy, and a cold took up most of my time and energy. I have a drafts folder full of almost finished posts, so I hope to get those posted this week. I also hope to pull out my real camera more often this week, because I only took a few pictures over the past week. I'm beginning to think that the constant busyness of my family just isn't going to change!

Here's a glimpse of life over the past week...

12 Pregnancy Essentials

It's hard to believe that there are only two months left until my due date! My 5th and final pregnancy is going by so quickly. Between juggling four kids, and dealing with horrible morning sickness throughout my entire pregnancy, my hands have been more than full!

When you have multiple kids, you reach the point where you know exactly what you need during pregnancy, and what is a complete waste of time! This time around, a few new items came into my life, and I was very grateful to have them. I brainstormed, and decided to share the 12 pregnancy essentials that I can't live without!

Here are the 12 items that every pregnant mama needs...

The Chaos Crew's Weekly Recap

Happy Monday! It actually IS a happy Monday, because my kids are off of school today, and my husband is off of work. I would love to say that we're having a relaxing day off, but Dylan has a date with his girlfriend (hold me), and I have a date with the grocery store. BUT...we get to sleep in, and that's a wonderful thing!

The second week of 2019 flew by in a whirlwind of busyness! Germs hit our home this week, too. Stomach cramps hit Lexie on Monday, and Lily on Tuesday. Thankfully, it only lasted a few hours for both of them, and didn't turn into anything else! On Wednesday night, I felt body aches and cold symptoms coming on, and I'm still fighting cold germs. Because I'm pregnant, it's hitting me hard, but it doesn't slow me down one bit! Then again, there's no time to slow down with 4 kids!

Here's a glimpse at our week... 

The Best Tools To Organize Your Life

As 2019 begins, I'm really focusing on staying organized. Juggling the schedules of 6 - soon to be 7 - busy people can be very overwhelming! I always seem to start the year off strong, and end up slacking at some point along the way. This year, I'm determined to organize my life, and stick with it so I'm not as stressed and overwhelmed!

I know many people prefer everything to be digital, but I'm a bit old school. I prefer a mix of digital organization tools and physical tools. I'm not ashamed to admit that I am firmly on Team Paper Planner and Wall Calendar! There are definitely some apps that I absolutely love, though!

Here are a few of my "Organize Your Life" favorites right now...

The First Week of the New Year

We are only six days into 2019, and my crew is exhausted! There was no easing back into a routine after a relaxing winter break. Instead, we just jumped back into it! 

Reality hit on Wednesday. The kids headed back to school, Grant headed back to work, and the holiday bliss was over. Life returned to its usual busyness, complete with basketball practice, dance classes, appointments, early morning basketball games, family dinners, and birthdays!

Here's how the first week of the new year played out...

10 HEALTHY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR KIDS

This post is sponsored by Keurig Dr Pepper but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

With the start of the new year, many people are making resolutions or goals to improve themselves and their lives. Although I set goals for myself each year, I also try to make some family goals. This year, I’m doing something different: I’m encouraging my children to come up with their own goals to work toward in 2019!

Getting back into a regular routine while adding healthy changes can be a challenge after a long Holiday Break! It can, however, be a very positive experience if families work together and make it fun. After all, we do need encouragement if we want to succeed!

Although I want my kids to come up with some of their own goals, I did suggest a few “healthy” goals for the new year to inspire them...

Be The Best "YOU" You Can Be

Happy New Year! 2019 is here, and we're already hitting the ground running! Like many people, I'm thinking a lot about the year ahead, and focusing on a fresh start. This year, I decided not to make resolutions or goals, or choose a special word to live by. I feel like that just sets me up for failure at some point during the year. Instead, I'm taking the advice I frequently give my children: Be the best "you" you can be!

I'm trying to be realistic this year. Although I would love to fill my year with huge changes that will make my life run better, I know that isn't going to happen. I'm going to skip washing my face one night. I will forget to pay a bill or two. I will run late no matter how hard I try to always be on time. I'm not going to exercise 5 days a week. I WILL lose my temper and yell at my kids. My reality is that I'm a mom of four - soon to be FIVE - kids, and life with little ones is chaotic and things happen unexpectedly. Sometimes life gets in the way, plans and goals get pushed aside, and I have to accept that!

When I thought about what I really want to focus on this year, a few things came to mind. I want to manage the little time I have better so I can eliminate some stress from my life. I feel like time management is often a big struggle for moms. It's definitely my most difficult issue, and the leading cause of my stress! If I focus on simplifying things and staying organized, and making small yet doable changes in my life, I think I will be able to manage my time much better!

Perhaps if there's one word to live by this year, it will be TRY. As long as I try, accept mistakes I make and move on (because I am only human), and never give up, 2019 will be a success!

Here's how I plan on being the best ME I can possibly be and make my life run better...

2018 - Oh What A Year!

It's the last day of 2018, and I can't help but remininisce! Just like any other year, it had its ups and downs, but for the most part, it was a great year for my family. I know I say it every single year at this time, but this year FLEW BY! 

Sometimes it's so easy to get stuck on what went wrong during the year, but I choose to focus on the positive. We ended the year with everybody we love still in our lives, so that's an instant win! Yes, there were difficult moments, but the year was filled with so much love, happiness, and lasting memories! 2018 was an exciting year for us. Not only did we add a puppy to our family, but we found out we were expecting one more baby...SURPRISE!

Here are the biggest moments of 2018...

A Christmas Breakfast and Elf on the Shelf Adventures

At the beginning of December, our Elf on the Shelf returned from the North Pole, and surprised our kids with a Christmas Breakfast! Our Elf, Christopher, has been a part of our Christmas traditions since he arrived a few years ago. Although our kids know the reason for the season, and focus on giving, our Elf adds a bit more fun and excitement to the weeks leading up to Christmas!

This year, our Elf arrived on the evening of December 1st, and set up a Christmas Breakfast for our kids to wake up to the following morning. The North Pole Breakfast is one of our more recent traditions, and the kids always enjoy it. This year, we were down one kid, but next year there will be another seat filled at our table! (We're running out of room!) Since then, our Elf has been entertaining our family each day with his Elf-ish Adventures!

Holiday Gift Guide For Men

I was compensated for some of the items mentioned below or received them complimentary.

Every year, when the Christmas catalogs start arriving, I immediately start flipping through them to get gift ideas for our four kids, and begin making lists. Weeks later, I find myself staring blankly at the gift list I’m trying to make for my husband. After 18 years of marriage, we’ve reached the point where we just buy what we want or need when we need it, which makes gift-buying a challenging task!

This Christmas, I want to do things differently. I want to fill those packages under the tree with gifts that are functional, fun, and unique, rather than give my husband the same things I give him every year!

Need some inspiration for the men in your life? Here are a few things I think the men in my life will love...