Ringing in 2023

Once upon a time, New Year’s Eve was a big celebration for us. I have never been a fan of New Year’s Eve, and we aren’t drinkers, so we shifted our focus. New Year’s Eve became a party with my big family, until everyone started doing their own thing. 

Soon after, a big New Year’s Eve party with friends became our thing. Over time, our group whittled away, families moved, and kids grew up. Finally, instead of going to a party, we became the hosts. It has been that way for several years now. 

I miss how it used to be, but as long as I’m with my immediate family and closest friends, I’m happy. I realize that our traditions will adapt and change over the years, so maybe one day, it will become a big celebration again! Nothing is forever. Maybe I will even start to love the holiday!

Welcome, baby! Introducing...Hayden Grant!

Hello, blog world! It has been a long while. When I last posted, I shared the news that we were expecting another baby. Since that post, we welcomed our sweet baby boy into our family, and he's now nearly 3 months old! 

The past few months have been a whirlwind, including a NICU stay, lots of appointments, and the holiday season. We are adjusting to life as a family of 8, and I feel like it's almost our new normal. Before I do anything else, I wanted to introduce the newest family member on our blog!

I plan on easing my way back into things, including posting regularly to my blog again. I missed it so much, but there simply wasn't time, and I wanted to enjoy our last baby as a newborn. He's still newborn sized, which I absolutely love, but I can't believe he's almost 3 months old. Time simply flies by when you're a parent!

Completing Phase Three: The Final Pregnancy Chapter with a TWIST

My husband and I started our parenting years when we were young. While everyone else we knew was in college or starting their careers, we were buying a house and having a baby. Two years later, we added another child to our family. Grant said he wanted one, maybe two, kids, so we thought that was it for us.

4 1/2 years later, we changed our minds. Lily was born, and a few days after she turned two, Liam joined our family. At that point we started referring to our kids as Phase One and Phase Two. We always said there would NEVER be a Phase Three!

Well, we all know how that turned out! Coen was our BIG surprise, coming into our lives after we donated most of our baby items. We were done. Phase Three would just be Coen, and we would move forward on our parenting journey. It turns out this chapter in our lives hadn't ended just yet...

A Dino-mite Jurassic Quest Drive Thru

When we found out the Jurassic Quest Drive Thru was in Pittsburgh, we knew we had to go! Our 2 year old, Coen, LOVES dinosaurs, and we had a feeling our older kids would enjoy it, too. So last Thursday, we piled into our SUV, and made the 45 minute drive to the Jurassic Quest location.

Jurassic Quest has over 100 animatronic, life size dinosaurs to experience. They do have an indoor event, where you can get up close and personal with the dinosaurs, which I know my kids would have loved. This time, however, it was a drive thru. 

Although I think the indoor event would have been a bit more interactive, the drive thru was still a fun experience. We drove through the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic periods, learning about each dinosaur or prehistoric creature along the way via the digital audio tour. Coen was mesmerized by all the 'saurs that he loves so much, and Liam was grinning the entire time. It was definitely a fun adventure my family will always remember!

A Week In Mom Life - The First Week of 2021

The first week of January has passed, the Christmas season is officially over, and we have returned to reality! In one short week, we went from holiday break to back to work/school/remote learning. We ended this first week of January by finding out that the rest of our kids can join Liam in going to school in person again!

Life lately has been a bit tough, but we're taking it one day at a time. Lexie is dealing with a terrible loss right now, and we can't do anything but help her through it. Liam is going through a scary health issue, and will be having surgery next week. We're hoping it's just a glitch in his otherwise excellent health history, but we are nervous about him going under general anesthesia, the doctors cutting into his neck, and receiving the biopsy results. 

Luckily, the busyness of big family life keeps us from overthinking things - it's those quiet moments that get us down. We do have some exciting things coming up, though! We're REALLY looking forward to some good!

Togetherness: The Word of The Year for 2021

Happy 2021! I'm not one to wish away time, but I do hope 2021 is an improvement over 2020. I'm realistic enough to know that change won't happen immediately, but I do hope we return to some sort of normal this year!

2020 wasn't an awful year. It was just different, and it had its good moments and bad moments. One of the best parts of 2020 was all the time we were able to spend together as a family. That is exactly what made me start thinking about togetherness for my word of the year. 

The holiday season was great, but 2020 did not end well. Lexie was with her best friend's family when they experienced a tragic loss. We spent the past week praying and crying, and we're absolutely heartbroken for their family. We are reminded that time spent with family and friends is a precious gift that should be treasured and made a priority. If this year taught me anything, it’s that loved ones are EVERYTHING, which is why togetherness became my word for 2021.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

One week of December is already behind us, and we have been busy! We decorated every nook and cranny for Christmas, we welcomed our elf back into our home, and we went to see zoo lights. Every December weekend ahead of us is full of Christmas fun, and we are thoroughly enjoying this season!

Each year, we try to put up our main Christmas tree on Black Friday, then decorate it within the next few days. Some years, real life gets in the way, and it gets put off a bit longer, but we managed to stick with our plan this year. The tree was up on Black Friday, fully lit on Saturday after fixing some light issues (I will never buy prelit again), and decorated on Sunday!

Decorating our tree is one of our favorite family Christmas traditions. We always work together to get it done, then get to enjoy our hard work for the next month and a half. There is nothing like the glow of a Christmas Tree to make our home feel happier and cozier. That's probably why we have one in every room!

Long Time No See

Hello, strangers! It has been a hot minute since the last time I really blogged about US. Back to school, a family vacation, a busy cheerleading schedule, a husband working from home, and juggling life and 5 kids takes up every single minute! 

I miss blogging so much, so I'm going to attempt to get back into it. I can't make promises anymore, though. This stage in our lives is just too busy right now, and my number one priority is spending time with my family, especially since my kids are growing up so fast. Guilt over not being able to put the time into writing has consumed me, but I refuse to let myself feel that way.

So here I am. I will write when I can. Sometimes I'll be able to blog more, while some weeks might be silent. I have so much to catch up on - Lily's birthday, Liam's birthday, our awesome beach vacation - as well as some new topics I want to tackle. For now, here's a look at life lately...kind of a reintroduction since we're pretty much strangers now!

The Most Boring June Recap Ever! (But the pictures are cute!)

Happy July! Can you even believe it's July? It feels like June went by in the flash, but it also feels like we're on the millionth day of Summer Break. (Who can relate?) 

The month of June is typically exciting for us! It's full of end of school year activities, the last day of school, dance recitals, the first day of Summer Break, going to the pool, going to playgrounds and the library, and weekend parties with friends. This year, June was nothing like we expected!

Sure, we had a last day of school...at home. We had a first day of Summer Break that didn't feel any different from the three previous months. A car almost hit our house, so there's that. We celebrated Father's Day. AND...that's about it! June 2020 was most definitely our most boring June ever, but I'm committing to a recap!

Social Distancing Through Summer with a Bajillion Kids

2020 has been quite a year! It was looking so good for the first 2 1/2 months, then it all went downhill from there. Just when things started looking up, the uncertainty hit again! After 3 full months of social distancing, we're now facing a very monotonous Summer of continued social distancing.

We have been very lucky where we live, because we haven't had many cases. In a sense, I feel like our community is sheltered, and doesn't understand the impact this virus is having around the rest of the country. Our state acted quickly with mandatory social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines, and I believe it helped protect us. A few weeks ago, we moved to the "green phase" with fewer restrictions, and now cases are rising again all over the country. Coincidence? I think not!

My family never really stopped practicing social distancing, but we were starting to cautiously spend time with some family and friends who are living similar social distancing lifestyles. Now, neighboring counties are starting to reinstate some restrictions, and I have a feeling we're next. The little hope I had for a "normal" Summer with our kids is rapidly disappearing!

Celebrating Father's Day 2020

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads! Our celebration today was a bit different from previous years due to continued social distancing. The world is in chaos, but we took a break to spend the day celebrating the awesome dads in our lives!

Grant is my co-ringmaster, and I couldn't run this circus without him! Parenting five kids, including a child with extra needs and a clingy baby is not easy. He always said he wanted one, maybe two, kids, but he wrangles the chaos quite well!

My own father has always been, and will always be, my rock! I always thought he was the best, but when I see him interact with my kids, I realize that he's an even better Papa. My kids adore him, and the feeling is mutual. All I could think about today was how blessed we are to have him in our lives! 

Love and Kindness Begins At Home

I love. I love fiercely and I love unconditionally. My family taught me to love others, no matter their race, gender, religion, political affiliation, or sexual orientation. They taught me to always be kind and respectful. They also taught me to speak up when something is wrong. Love and kindness filled my childhood, and I carried that with me as I grew. Now I put my all into raising kind, loving children, because it is my duty as their mother. Love and Kindness begin at home.

There is so much hatred surrounding us right now. It is weighing heavily on me, and I simply can't understand how or why people feel this way. Sometimes I just want to run away from it all, but I know I have to do my part to help change the world: to speak up, to speak out, to do better, to be better, and to teach my kids to always be GOOD human beings. 

I traded writing for personal reflection over the past few weeks, and also immersed myself in research. I was always a "neutral" person who did everything I could to ease tensions, and help people get along. I avoided serious topics like the plague. But now, more than ever, I need to lift up my voice with so many others. I'm still kind. But I will speak up about injustice. I will speak up about how change needs to occur. And I will speak up about how important it is to start that change within your home, with yourself and with your own family.

Life At Home 24/7

As we head into the gazillionth week at home, life still seems so surreal! Nine weeks ago today was our last "normal" day, but as the day came to an end, we began to realize that life as we knew it was changing fast. I still can't seem to grasp the concept that THIS is our life now. 

Our area wasn't hit hard at all, so the quarantine seemed very strange, but we are slowly starting to open up. A lot of restrictions, like wearing masks in public, are still in place, and many people will continue to work from home for months to come. School is nearing an end, and at this point,  I am honestly praying that kids are able to return in the Fall! Truthfully, Welcome to the Sh*&show is pretty much our home motto these days!

I can't seem to bring myself to refer to this as our new normal anymore, because NOTHING about this is normal. We are getting by, and I am so thankful that my family and I are healthy and safe in our little bubble, but I still feel sadness over how everyday life came to an abrupt end. At this point, I just want this all to be over, and I want to return to life as we knew it. 

Menu Planning: The Big Family Way

One of the many things my husband and I agree about is the importance of family dinners! It's no surprise that taking a family of 7 out to eat is incredibly expensive, so we save eating out for special occasions. Takeout can also add up very quickly, so we rely on menu planning for our almost daily family dinners!

I have been planning our meals for many years, and it's a way of life now. It just comes easily, and naturally! Before I started, I thought it was unnecessary, and I didn't think it would work for us. I can honestly say that it was life changing! I save so much time and energy, and we really save a lot of money compared to what we would spend eating out and getting take out once a week!

In our family, we have a picky eater (GRANT), a child who has Celiac Disease (Liam), a non-meat eater (me), and a baby who is now eating the same meals, but somehow, I manage to please everyone with each dinner. It really isn't difficult to juggle, and we usually end up with leftovers. (Hello, lunches!) After years of trial and error, I perfected my method for menu planning for a big family with dietary concerns, and I plan to share my tricks with all of you!

How To Set Up a Simple & Fun Homeschooling Corner

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We are on week five of remote learning, and we've finally found our groove! Just kidding...every day is a new adventure around here. Some days are really good, and some days are REALLY bad. (I didn't sign up for this!!!) The homeschooling corner, however, is my A+ project!

BSC (Before Social Distancing), I was a homeschooling mom to a 15 year old, and I didn't have much to do other than to oversee his education. Now, I'm overseeing four educations, actively assisting my 8 year old, fully supporting my 6 year old, who has Down syndrome, and "attending" daily circle time, and 5 additional teletherapies a week for him...all with a needy baby on my hip. The terms OCI, remote learning, Zoom meetings, and teletherapy are a part of my daily lingo.  (I repeat...I didn't sign up for this!) 

After the first few weeks of trial and error, it became apparent that we needed a homeschooling space. 3 of my 4 school-age kids will be returning to school in the Fall (PLEASE!), and Dylan only needs a laptop and a shelf for supplies, so I didn't want to do anything major. A homeschooling corner was the solution, and guess what? I think we'll keep it!

How We Teach Our Kids To Love and Respect the Earth

I think this year, on Earth Day, we're all appreciating our planet just a bit more! With nowhere to go, many of us are relying on the great outdoors to keep us busy. Sometimes I feel like this was Earth's way of saying, "I need a break!!!"

As a mom, I want my children to succeed and do big things. More importantly, I want them to be kind and respectful, to love equally, and realize they CAN make a difference. Kindness is not just for our fellow human beings. It also should be directed at the world we live in!

It's our job to teach our kids to love and respect our planet. We started teaching our kids early, but there is always work to do. As adults, WE are still learning, so we're in this together!

Currently...in Quarantine

We just began our sixth week of social distancing, and our fourth week of online learning! When this all began, I thought for sure we would be back to normal life within 2-3 weeks, and definitely 6 weeks tops, but as the days went by, I began to suspect that it would be much longer. Now, I'm starting to worry this is going to extend through Summer. 

Life sure is different now. We don't go anywhere, but our days are long and busy! Some days it feels like we've got this, and other days our emotions are all over the place. I'm beginning to think we could have our own reality show at this point: Quarantine with 5 Crazy Kids!

I have been sharing snippets of our everyday lives on social media, and so many people have told me that it either makes them laugh, or that they can relate so much. Yes, we have "normal" days and incredible moments with our sweet kids, but when you put 7 people together in a 4 bedroom house, things can escalate QUICKLY!

My Birthday in Quarantine During a Pandemic

Today was my birthday. When I envisioned this birthday, I imagined it would be my usual day of driving my kids around, breakfast or lunch with a sibling or friend, going out for dinner with my husband, and a little party with my family in the evening. In reality, my birthday was much different. I never imagined I would be celebrating it in quarantine, during the coronavirus pandemic!

I would say that my birthday felt just like any other day, but that isn't quite accurate. Nothing is ordinary right now! Instead, it was just like every other day we spent social distancing. It was a bizarre birthday, but definitely one I will never forget!

There wasn't a doughnut breakfast, I didn't have to drive kids to school, I didn't meet a friend or sister for lunch, my husband and I didn't have date night, the presents came from my Amazon wishlist, and there wasn't a party. This was the first time I didn't get to see my mom on my birthday. Heck, I didn't even leave the house except to get the mail! Birthdays in quarantine, during a pandemic, are definitely out of the ordinary! Despite the circumstances, I still felt the love!

Social Distancing the Big Family Way

It's unbelievable how much life can change so quickly. Two weeks ago, I had no idea that our lives were going to change so drastically as I dropped my kids off at school on a perfectly normal Friday morning. Two weeks later, my family is finishing our second week in quarantine like most of the country, and "social distancing" is now an everyday term. 

Life still feels so surreal, but the threat of coronavirus is very real. We are missing our normal, busy life, and I'm realizing just how much we took for granted, but the safest place for my family right now is home. In two short weeks, so much happened. Our schools initially closed for two weeks, by the order of the governor, until March 30th, but it was extended until the Monday after Easter. (That being said, I doubt they will go back then since the virus just hit our county.) My husband ended up working from home, because his office is closed due to the governor ordering that all non-essential businesses close. And as of Friday, our county officially has a stay home order. No going out unless it's to exercise, go to the grocery store, check on family members, or (safely) drop off or pick up essentials from another home.

Our health and safety, and choosing to protect others by staying isolated, is the most important thing right now. Life in isolation is definitely tough, though. It's so difficult not seeing our family and friends, we are worrying about our health and the health of our loved ones, we are trying to explain to the kids about what's going on, and our kids are dealing with the disappointment over school being closed and so many important events and activities being canceled. There is so much uncertainty and fear right now, but we're just trying our hardest to stay positive during this incredibly difficult time!

The Busyness of a Big Family

I didn't really consider us a big family until baby #5 joined our world. Now that we're officially one year into having five children, I get it. I understand exactly why there aren't very many big family bloggers out there!

The issue is time. Or more accurately, the LACK of time. My day starts at 6 AM, and I literally don't get a break from parenting until my head hits the pillow at 11 PM (or later). And really, it doesn't end. I have a big problem with turning my thought process off so I can sleep!

I miss blogging. SO much. It was a part of my life for so long. I don't want to give it up just yet, and I have so many posts waiting in my queue. I had big plans to post 2-3 times a week, and I was doing so well until the busyness that comes with big family life got in the way. See, over the past 4 weeks, a LOT has come up that threw us off track!