Crazy Town

 There has become a familiar phrase at our house...it's "Crazy Town" that is where we live. Or it's also known as the "Suker Circus" I think it has to do with the fact we have five kids and they are all small. I think 4 of the 5 kids would greatly disagree with that statement of them being small, but sometimes it feels like a three ring circus trying to take care of them. I love them. I do. I'm totally grateful for the obvious blessings. But man alive I'm learning this motherhood thing is really.really.really.really.tough. Maybe it's taken me five kids to feel COMPLETELY overwhelmed. Or maybe it's because I'm finally realizing that breakfast lunch and dinner means I have to supply food, meals, etc. Or maybe it's summer and I'm used to having a few gone at school. Or maybe it's because I wish Jared was home more. Or maybe it's because this house is too messy and too big for me to keep up on...then there was the laundry! I think it's healthy we just stop there.
Pretty much "Crazy Town" is where ever we go. As hard as crazy town is, it's pretty awesome. I get to hang out with these "crazies" all day, everyday...every so often I get a few moments of peace. I just have to laugh because I disappear for 3 SECONDS and they find me. The only reason why I'm thinking about this is because my blog has had some serious issues. It won't upload, I thought I was out of space and so I started a new blog. I thought I have the perfect name...Crazy Town! Yup, so that's it. It appears my old blog really isn't strugging (today) but I think I might just want to start a new blog to see if it works and to just laugh at these five crazy kids. So that's the skinny on the new blog (www.fiveiscrazytown.blogspot.com) So when I switch over, don't be alarmed that is where you can find these crazies.
 Oh, but the GREAT part of the summer is a new implementation of chores, jobs, responsiblities, etc. (Because mom's are always good for switching up routine in HOPES we it the jack-pot job chart that actually gets our kids to work without whining, etc. And our house magically get's clean and we can just sit and read a book while they clean happily! ha.
Well, WE did implement something new, and it's working. I've realized a few things. I am super grateful to have learned. One, my kids are VERY capable and DO know how to clean. Second, I can raise boys to be gentleman. My youngest sister Krista really pushes this with her boys. I though my time has come and gone. But guess what, after a few weeks of reminding, asking, telling them how to be gentlemen, they are STARTING to get it! So I've learned it's NOT too late to change poor behavior. (Shocker I know) Third, I need to chill more and unwind and not be so uptight...I have created a new personal motto..."Just Breath" So I do just that. I breath. Oh, and my new favorite quote of the day..."Happiness is a choice...You Decide!" So there ya have it. That's my motherhood update. It's tough, but we are happy (Well besides all the screaming and yelling, and fighting, and all that real life family stuff that goes on all day long and we just pray our neighbors can't hear us!) ha ha ha

Here are some happy faces of cousins.

 Caleb LOVES legos. This is is sanity in life. Thankfully, we have an entire "Lego Room" I send him there to have his personal quiet time and space. This kid is 5 and ready to start Kindergarten in one week. Yeah!

It's official. Andrew can crawl. He crawled and hasn't stopped since yesterday. He caught on quick and there he goes! 

If she could, she would fill all her days with friends.

 If he could he would fill his days with his friends and cousins.

Summer reading checklist...100 different ways/places to read books. The kids will earn a snow cone they have been so creative and LOVED this.

They piled themselves together for a photo shoot. I mean who can't resist taking pictures instead of sorting laundry!

I love this baby.

Alayna is wanting to take pictures. So I told her to take pictures of me and Andrew, so I can remember loving this baby of mine. He's growing too fast, but at the same time I feel I have soaked him in. 

We have an angry elf at our house.

And then there was a nice elf.

And a sad elf.

8 months old baby. He love everything. And we love everything about him. He can roll, sit, roll and sit himself back up. Well done baby.

This is the naughty elf. And the grouchy elf. We call him Oscar the Grouch.

 He went missing for a few minutes...and he makes himself a cast of band-aids.

Too cute to get angry. I just had to take pictures. Because this is an on going battle I fight with this monkey. So a light bulb went off in my head. I moved the band-aids up high. Yup. So he can't reach them. But he just screams...I'm not sure what is worse. Hmmm.

Welcome to my Crazy Town.

Summer Happenings

We love this baby face. He is 7 months old. Getting chubby weighing in around 18 lbs. He eats, sleeps, giggles, smiles, rolls over, sits up by himself, and just melts all of our hearts. We love you our little blue eyed angel baby!

Seriously....he's the cutest thing ever!

Summer = cousins and fun!

We couldn't be happier with our investment for the summer months! LOVE IT! I'm not sure we will be loving our water bill, but man alive it entertains the kids for HOURS!

Oh, Benny. I love you. I love you because your adorable one second and the grumpiest two year old the next second. You always manage to use manners, which melts my heart, even if your mad as heck you still say please when your screaming or crying. I love that face. I love your smile. You ask the cutest questions like..."Mom, What's your name?" I'm at the phase with you I've started telling you not to grow up....somehow Caleb has grown up, he's five now. He didn't listen to me. I have to be honest 2 year olds drive me absolutely batty...I can't decide if I want to join in the tears with you or pull my hair out. But at the end of the day I want to freeze this phase because there is nothing cuter than you!

Mr. Caleb. Oh, your growing up. You are the light and spunk of our family. You truly add a pazazz that only exists when your around. Your sensitive and tender hearted. You calm down with a hug, and you can be as angry as all get out if you want to. But with in seconds your a puddle of tears and so sweet and sincere with your apologies it gives me hope you are understanding life. During family scripture study the other night we were reading about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and we discussed what are our "weapons of rebellion" keeping us becoming closer to God. WITH OUT any provoking each of my children listed something they wanted to "bury" and try to become better. It was a tender sweet moment. Caleb said, "my Angry Mouth" ...I realized he's getting it. It was a sweet moment. Alayna chose to "be more grateful" and say "Yes, Mother" It's been amazing. She has been so freely saying thank you, I even cried once I was so shocked by her gratitude. 

Jake decided all on his own to bury his "non-listening ears!" Amazing yet again, how our kids grasp the simple principles of the gospel and just want to be better. To be more like our Saviour. I love having these kids. They teach me so much about being teachable, humble and willing to realign myself with my Heavenly Father and Savior. 

These kids are amazing. I love them all. I'm one overwhelmed mom of 5. It's a busy household. Hence the reason my blog goes months without any activity. But we are happy and enjoying this crazy life. Oh, and the one accomplishment for me is I ran my half marathon on Saturday. It was awesome...First because I ran it with so many dear friends, and my sister Shandra, and it was her FIRST one ever. She rocked!!!! and Second, I even beat my post-pregnancy running goal by 6 minutes. Whoop Whoop! Anyways, it's all good over here we have so much to be grateful for. 

Life...

So, I've been reading some great parenting/motherhood books. You know the kinds that make you feel a tad depressed, or overwhelmed that your not being enough. Well, today I decided to implement one of the many (too many) great ideas. It suggested we look at our days as mothers with wonder and excitement...saying, "I wonder what will happen today?" Instead of thinking, "Oh, what do I have to do today?"

Okay, so today for a brief moment I decided to change my thinking. Surprisingly, I laughed more and enjoyed a few moments of this two year old....Yes, this is where I found him getting a drink and saying, "But Mom, it's soooo good!" 

I decided to take a picture because this is truly my life. Unbalanced and totally mixed up. Just like Ben. He's unbalanced and mixed up. And yet, we are happy at trying to solve our own problems and life. 

But, what a I learned is that it really doesn't matter being unbalanced and mixed up. Because guess what, he's totally taken care of and he's no longer thirsty! It might be the gross soaking dish from last nights dinner...but that doesn't matter! Truly, this made my day, and looking back at the pictures I will cherish this feeling of five little monkies even more. Thanks for this mothering parenting book to actually help!! I don't want to forget either that Ben totally wore those same clothes yesterday, and slept in them, and woke up and wore them again. After he played in the sink water, I thought on the offense (another great tip from this book) and decided to suggest him to go play in the bath. And guess what, he LOVED his afternoon bath time...it lasted for a long time until he said his water was too cold. So I avoided a mess and a super great memory! And, yes....he is wearing clean pajamas! 

And here is my next little angel. Seriously, all of this crazy mixed up life is TOTALLY worth it for this baby. 

I love him. Because seriously, he's the cutest. Ever!

He has a headache again...are we surprised...not me!

I love this picture. I love his blue eyes. I love everything about him.

He's starting to want to roll over. 

I love him...oh, I want to go wake him up right now and squeeze him!

He loves his fingers. yikes...

Oh, hes' adorable and so patient with this crazy household of monkies!

Update...on the same crazy life...

Well, life around here...has kept on going. With or without a blog. I can't upload picts the easy way, so I have to upload them the old-school way...one...at...a...time...needless to say it takes like an hour. So while I was working on a few other things I decided to take the time to update a few things. Sorry for the delay my oh so avid blog readers!! (Just kidding...there might be two of you out there)

Sweet Andrew. Man, I sure love this guy. He's 4 months old. And we are still head over hills in love with this baby. He's becoming so fun. He smiles, giggles, coo's and is just over all adorable. He's sleeping through the night....can I get a whoop whoop....or a HALLELUJAH!!!! He's such a great sleeping. Two LONG naps a day 3-4 hours. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Oh, he's a dream. How did I get so lucky to have him in my life. I love you Andrew. Oh, and did I mention he has blue eyes. That helps my love for him too...

Ben is all BOY. His current love is his "Space-board" aka skateboard. He rides it down on his tummy, down...down...down...the drive way. Like he's flying. Thankfully the "space-board" doesn't travel too fast so he stays pretty safe. Well as safe as a two year old can going down a hill face first...he's preparing for the skeleton for the olympics. Funny thing, when he finally figured out how to do it his first time, I was in the front weeding and I hear him say while giggling in the happiest voice ever..."Oh, FUN MOM, my space-board FUN, MOM!"

St. Patrick's Day...Same traditions, different house this year! The kids were thrilled the leprechaun still came. The older kids were so cute to try and convince them that "Mom, really doesn't tape the feet up on the wall....she really doesn't!" Either way the kids very favorite is the individual packs of gum. Oh, the joys kids have when me, their really mean mom has a NO GUM RULE. Seriously, these are deprived kids. Yup, I'm mean. But come on, it only takes one piece of gum to destroy...wait the car, the carpet, etc. Nope, I won't give in. Sorry kids. 

The leprechaun brought me a lime yogurt!

This is a standard pose for Andrew...we think he must suffer from headaches because of all the yelling kids (and Mom). So cute!

Ben, was scared Papi (my dad) was going to get him. Funny enough I just mentioned Papi was coming over, he wasn't even in our home and he was scared to have him tickle him. Funny kid!

This is his most recent battle wound. He slammed his OWN finger in the sliding back door TWICE just hours apart. Poor kid. It was the saddest cry the first time, and then the 2nd time it was the VERY MOST SADDEST CRY I've ever heard. Poor kid. 

Seriously, could a messy two year old be any cuter. Come on, those jeans have been well loved from his two prior brothers. 

Then here is my angel Andrew. Love this happy guy.

He's got some crazy hair.

Ben loves his brother. Notice the undies in the picture. Yeah, so I gave potty training my best effort for EIGHT DAYS...yeah, you heard me. He was awesome.....EXCEPT for the fact he NEVER not ONE time EVER told me he HAD to use the potty. I would just remind him, pick him up and take him, blah blah blah. Well one after noon I said, AHHHH that's enough. Back to a diaper we went. I was done. Totally done. So annoyed. I couldn't handle doing it one more day. He didn't have accidents as long as I reminded him in time. But come on, there is a baby to feed, messes to clean up, kids to chase, etc. I couldn't be bothered with him NOT catching on to the simple task of going potty. So back to diapers he went. Funny enough, now that he's back in diapers he announces EVERY SINGLE TIME he has used the potty in is diaper...AHHHHH Oh, well. The only thing I miss is him calling underwear...Um-blue-wear...It was adorable. Not to mention to pinch his little cheeks all the day long. I'll try again in a few months. But not right now!

His crazy puff hair.

The kids, well mainly Jake. They are in LOVE with the idea that they can now feed Andrew from a bottle. I couldn't be more pleased with the idea either! 

Here's an early morning football game with Jared. The kids sure love playing with their daddy. I love Jake's genuinely happy smiling face in this picture.