A Week In The Life of a Big Family {Week 1}

We are one week into 2020, and life is just as busy as ever! I honestly don't think it will ever NOT be busy. When you have a big family, there's literally never a dull moment!

Remember when I used to do weekly recap posts? They slowed down last year as I adjusted to life with five kids, but I plan to bring them back this year, and hopefully, stick with it! Time goes by so quickly, and I just want to remember all the little things that made my days with my kids so special! (Plus a few followers asked if I could share more of my family, so that's my plan!)

It's hard to believe that two weeks have already passed since Christmas, and that everybody is already back to work and school. The holiday break is my favorite time of the year, and I was sorry to see it go. The first few days of the new year were a bit rough, but we're back on track this week, and the year is off to a good start. 

Splash Award

Theta Mom passed on the Splash Award to me a few weeks ago! I am so sorry that I'm just getting around to posting it, and passing it on. Thank you, Theta Mom! I'm honored!

The Splash Award is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring blogs.

When you receive this award, you must:
• Put the logo on your blog/post.
• Nominate & link up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
• Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog.
• Remember to link to the person from whom you received your Splash Award.

It is so hard for me to pick blogs to nominate! I love all the blogs I read!

I'm going to pass on the Splash Award to:

1. Brittany
2. Kimber
3. Erica
4. Elizabeth
5. Rhonda
6. Kelly
7. Candice

Thanks again, Theta Mom, for thinking of me!

Blog Award

I received this award from Erin at Every Day Brings Something New. Thanks, Erin! I love your blog, and appreciate the award!

What I have to do is confess up to five of my current obsessions, and then pass on the award to five bloggers.

* I am obsessed with lip balm/vaseline/lip gloss. My lips can never be bare. If whatever I have on them starts to wear off, I have to reapply immediately, before I go crazy! I have a large tub of vaseline that I take into the living room when I wake up, and keep next to my side while I sleep. On top of that, I always have at least 3 lip balms/glosses in my purse, and 1 in my pocket, at all times.

*I am obsessed with sweets. I could eat them all day long. I have a stash of Swiss Cake Rolls, Banana Twins, and Cosmic Brownies in my closet, and I eat one of those every day!

*I am obsessed with taking pictures. Really. I'm the mamarazzi. I have taken 3000 pictures in the past 6 weeks. I love my current SLR, but I'm ready to upgrade!

*I am obsessed with reading. I always have two magazines and one book going at the same time.

*I am obsessed with buying clothes for my kids. As long as they have closets filled with cute clothes, I'm happy.

Thanks again, Erin, for the award! You are so sweet!

I'd like to pass this award on to:

Jenny at Beyond Our Wildest Dreams

Tiffany at Paging Doctor Mommy

Emily at The Pilot's Wife

Erica at Scottsville

Elizabeth at Small Town Blessings

Honest Scrap/10 Things About Me

I received this award from Ali at The Blessed Country Mom. Thanks, Ali!!!

Here's what you have to do: First, you have to tell your readers 10 things about you they may not already know, but are true. Second, you have to tag 10 people with the award. Third, you have to let the people you've given the award to, know that they've received this award from you. Finally, make sure you link back to the person who awarded you.

So, 10 things about me...

1. My 6 sisters named me. My mom wanted to name me Alexandra Kathryn or Kathryn Alexandra, but handed it over to my siblings. I don't think my lone brother cared to be involved. My sisters picked Stefanie Kathryn. I loved the name Alexandra, but gave it a twist: Alexandria. Grant and I had our daughter's named decided on before we were even engaged...and 8 years before she was born!

2. I am closer in age to one of my nephews and two of my nieces than I am to my next youngest sibling. I really was the baby, and became an aunt at the young age of 5.

3. I have a hard time swallowing pills/vitamins. I gag them up. I can usually get one down, but if I have to take more than one, things get difficult. Same goes for liquid medication.

4. I was a vegetarian from the time I was 8 until I was almost 20. Grant convinced me to try meat again. To this day, I eat very little of it, and prefer fruits and vegetables. I also stick to just a few kinds of meat.

5. I am a fainter. Lots of blood? I faint. Bad injury? I faint. Some medical procedures? I faint. I have actually fainted during Dylan's big head wound incident, and after my horse stepped on my toes. With my kids present. I fainted when my dad told me he cut his thumb off. I didn't even see it, but I was imagining it. I have to struggle to keep myself from fainting when my kids get hurt.

6. I have a weak stomach. If I am chewing something and I find an unknown substance, I have to spit it out before I vomit. Say, an eggshell in a cooked egg...that's a common culprit. Or a hard broccoli stem in cream of broccoli soup. I also can't stomach the gross movies my husband watches...they make my stomach turn, and I have to leave the room.

7. I'm not a drinker. I have less than 5 alcoholic drinks a year. I'm just not into drinking, and don't like the taste.

8. My pregnancies were HORRIBLE. I had hyperemesis through both pregnancies, lasting the entire way through. My contractions started before 18 weeks with Dylan, I was in the hospital with pre-term labor at 30 weeks, and had to struggle to keep him in until 35 1/2 weeks. The contractions started at 14 weeks with Lexie, and got progressively worse. Had several scares, but made it until 38 weeks. So, bad morning sickness, early dilation, and pre term labor seem to be my thing.

9. I got great grades in high school, had a GPA over 4.0, and was accepted to many colleges. I hardly ever studied, either. I just did my homework, and had a really good memory. I never actually attended college. It was a last minute decision, which worked out for the best...

10. While taking the year off, to have fun with acting and modeling, I met my husband. We were cast as Adam and Eve in the musical "The Apple Tree, " and our relationship took off. We started dating on 3-21-99...we were engaged on 5-17-99. A little over a year later, in September 2000, we got married. Our minister said that we truly met in the Garden of Eden. We will be celebrating our 9th anniversary this year, and we have two, amazing kids. I'd say that things worked out for the best. ;)

I want to pass on the Honest Scrap Award to (it was so hard narrowing it down to just 10...can I give it to everyone?):

1. Kameron at A Wrinkle in Time
2. Kylee at The Kerby Family
3. Becky at The Holloway Clan
4. Elizabeth at Small Town Blessings
5. Sara at Domestically Challenged
6. Kimmy at baby yahyah
7. Tiffany at Paging Doctor Mommy
8. Erica at Scottsville
9. Julie at Tales of Two Ts
10. Erin at Every Day Brings Something New

I realize that some of you have probably received this award already, and summer is busy, so no pressure. I just didn't want you to go unrecognized! I look forward to reading your blogs every day!

Thanks again, Ali!