Mommy of Many™ » family life

More Vacation Fun for M.O.M. & the Lil Ones

mommy of many™ — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:56:56 +0000

Instead of writing a lengthy post about all we’ve done and the great people who have shared their time, homes and meals with us, I’ll tell the story of the last couple of days in pictures.

Jen and I had a birthday lunch at one of my favorite places in Old Town Auburn

We were invited to spend the afternoon at this beautiful pool with one of my closest friends from high school and her daughter.

At my Aunt and Uncle’s house the kids felt right at home. Gabi found a story doll and told us all the story of Little Red Riding Hood

There were lots of animals for the kids to “love”

Lex chased chickens. It not everyday a Lil Beach-Goer gets to even SEE chickens, let alone catch them! The boys loved it!

Then there were the goats! They spent plenty of time feeding and riding them. These kiddos smelled like livestock by the end of the evening. They couldn’t have been happier!

The boys, heading off to the water slide at the Roseville Aquatic Center

Lex and Alex have been so cute playing together. We’ve found them quietly in the sandbox or making up games. They enjoyed the Aquatic Center together.

Gabi’s been surrounded by boys this whole trip. She’s done a great job of just going along with the boy’s games and getting along with everyone (ok, there have been a few instances of girlyness with her brothers. But mostly she’s done really well).

It’s been a great trip! Today I get to visit with one of my closest friends from school and to meet her children. It’s been so nice to visit with people I shared parts of my life with and to watch our children play together. Today we’ll visit another new pool and soak up some more sun while catching up on the lives of the people who I’ve been away from for so long. Living the life of the Military Family has really kept me away from so many people. Along the way I’ve gotten to meet so many wonderful people who I hope to keep close to, but it’s really good to go “home” for a little bit and to share it with my kids.

Doing the Dance of the Children~

Wednesday Morning

mommy of many™ — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:07:49 +0000

When I went to bed last night I told myself I could sleep in. There’s no Boot Camp, no summer school, no early morning sports and no early morning appointments. When I woke and looked at the clock and saw that my body thought that 4:45 was “sleeping in” all I could do was sigh. After all I’ve been getting up at 4am for the last year, what should I have expected? I guess I was hoping to actually be woken by the sun and the sound of my children moving throughout the house. ~Sigh~

So, I’m making the most of my time. I checked my email, looked at websites and read articles, made the coffee, listened to the birds, wrote the Morning Memo and started lists for packing. Tomorrow morning I’m hitting the road with my 4 youngest kiddos. We’re heading to Nor Cal to visit friends and family. This will be the first time I’ve gotten to go up and visit for more than a couple days. I’m excited to have the time to visit friends and relatives that I almost never see and who really don’t know my kids. Prayers said and well-wishes sent for all that driving would be appreciated!

But before I start cleaning out my car and packing the bags, I get to enjoy the quiet of the morning. I love to hear everyone sleeping. I can sit here, at my computer, and look over at Gabi and Lex snoozing away in my bed.
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I heard the coffee pot go off and went in to pour a cup. I see that when I started it, I didn’t have the pot set “just right” onto the maker. Half the pot brewed onto the counter. Ok…quiet morning time over! The first mess of the day is calling my name and unfortunately I’m the one who made it!

Don’t forgot to check in to see how my travels with the 4 lil kiddos shape up!

Have a great day~

I Tried!

mommy of many™ — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:24:06 +0000

Gabi asked to run errands and go to an appointment with me this morning. About 1/2 way through the appointment she started telling me she was hungry and thirsty. For the rest of the time that we were out, she must have told me about 20 times. I decided to direct her to put her discomfort to good use.

Me-”Gabi I know you’re hungry and thirsty, but we’re going to wait till we’re home to eat and drink, so I suggest you take a minute to offer it up to God for something or someone. You could say, ‘God, I’m hungry right now and I have to wait to eat, so I offer my hunger to You so that Arianna does well at volleyball.’ Or, ‘God, I’m really hungry right now and I don’t get to eat until we’re home, so I offer it up to You so that we have a safe and fun trip to see our friends and family, later this week.’ See, you can focus your discomfort on something else and we’ll be home soon and then we’ll eat.”

Gabi-”But I’m hungry NOW!”

~sigh~ I tried!

Doing the Dance of the Children and hoping they get it~

The Blog Post that Wasn’t

mommy of many™ — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 04:18:26 +0000

It was a GREAT weekend! I just sat down to tell you all about it, with pictures and everything. But I discovered that my camera went home with Kateri.

So I guess we’ll talk tomorrow. Bummer, cuz I was ready to share!

Off to bed to get some decent sleep before tomorrow’s catch-up Kraze Boot Camp class.

I hope everyone’s weekend was awesome.

Doing the Dance of the Children and Wishing I had my Camera~

The Right Kind of Saturday Mornin

mommy of many™ — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:57:45 +0000

I wish every Saturday morning could be like this one!

Lex was the only one up for 2 hours. I gave him his bath, put some Bugs Bunny onto the AppleTV and made pancakes and sausages. I love it when things work out so that the kids wake to a breakfast that’s already made. It makes me feel on top of the day.

And check out that morning sky!

Welcome to Saturday in Pacific Beach! I hope the day continues to go the way it’s started. But even if it all falls apart, I’ll be able to hold onto the awesome morning. You’ve gotta grab these moments when they come along and tuck them away to draw from!

Doing the Dance of the Children on a beautiful and peaceful Saturday morn. I wish you all the same.

Teach Them to Love to Cook-Let Them Help

mommy of many™ — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:49:22 +0000

My girls love to cook. At least one of them is usually asking if she can plan and make dinner. This isn’t to say that my boys don’t like to get into the kitchen, they do. But the girls seem to always be planning something to bake or asking if they can create a meal. I chalk up their love of the kitchen to the fact that I’ve always been open to letting them help. Kids need to learn the basics of the kitchen to build confidence and know how to be safe while enjoying creating their meals and snacks. A few days ago I was peeling and cutting carrots to store for easy snacking and cooking and Gabi asked if she could help. I showed her how to hold the carrot and peeler and she ended up peeling all of the carrots while I did the cutting.

This morning when I asked the little kids what they wanted for breakfast, Gabi said, “squished up eggs”, meaning-scrambled eggs. She asked if she could help me and off we went to the kitchen. I told her she could crack the first egg. I figured if she got shell into the measuring cup, it would be easier to remove it if there was only 1 egg. She successfully cracked the first 2.

This egg exploded. I think she got nervous. We had to take a few moments to clean everything up. I was careful not to get upset or make the clean-up look difficult because those things would discourage her from trying in the future. Accidents happen. All of us have spilled at one point or another. Clean up and move on!

After the clean-up she was helpful with the mixing.

She was proud of her accomplishment and will be more likely to ask to help in the future, which means she’ll be learning valuable skills about how to be in the kitchen and be a “big girl”.

Don’t be afraid to allow your kids to help with household tasks. I know it can be easy to want to just do it for them and get it done quicker and without the mistakes that inevitably happen. But they can’t learn to be successful if they aren’t allowed to make mistakes. If we guide and encourage we will end up with successful kiddos!

Doing the Dance of the Children~

Don’t Judge a Book By it’s Cover…Or a Can of Soup By it’s Label

mommy of many™ — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 22:24:33 +0000

I was getting dinner into the crock pot and it called for a can of Cream of Mushroom soup. No problem! I went to the cupboard and pulled one out, opened it up and discovered Cream of Chicken inside. So I went back to the cupboard took out a can of Cream of Chicken, opened it up and discovered Cream of Chicken inside. I had to open 3 cans before I actually got Cream of Mushroom.

Hey Target-someone needs to check the product/label issue!

Doing the Dance of the Children and Just Trying to get some Dinner Made~

Saturday Morning

mommy of many™ — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:24:02 +0000

Saturday-no Boot Camp, no school, no work. I stayed in bed listening to the singing birds outside my window.

Then reality set in and I got up and decided to make oatmeal for breakfast. I spent a little time picking the raisins and cranberries from our trail mix and transferring them to the oatmeal. Next it was time to make a copy of JJ’s birth certificate so he could play in today’s rugby tournament. I went to the garage, got out his file and looked for the document. What I found was an empty envelope! Then I remembered-I handed over his birth certificate when we got his passport. I remembered receiving it in the mail…what did I DO with it?! It MUST be in the paperwork piles and bags that I’ve been trying to make my way through. I broke the news to him and we started tackling the piles. FOUND IT! He and Clay ran out the door to meet up with the team.

This was a reminder of how badly I need more time in this house. My usually organized abode has turned into a cluttered mass of confusion. I hate it! So…I’m hoping to spend the day in the house, with garbage bags and filing folders.

Wish me luck!

Doing the Dance of the Children Around a Bonfire Size Pile of Papers and Confusion~

Doing the Dance of the Children on a Gloomy, Summer Day

mommy of many™ — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:13:37 +0000

Summer…Oh Summer! Where are you?

It hasn’t looked much like summer around here. I keep waiting to wake to the bright sky and the warmth of a day that’s just gonna get warmer and call you down to the beach. Hasn’t happened yet. This morning it was drizzling and the sky is totally grey. Last I checked, it was 64 degrees. It makes me want to put on some soup and curl up with a movie. But it is, in fact, summer and I don’t have the luxury of curling up and doing anything!

Today’s Dance goes something like this-

4:30am-wake up, check email and get ready to leave the house at 5:30 for Boot Camp
6am-Kraze Boot Camp
7am-Drive home
7:20-Start breakfast, listen to Max and Lex “play songs” on their toy piano, give Lex 2 timeouts for bad behavior, feed everyone, make coffee
8am-Shower and answer emails
9:40am-Leave to pick Maddi and Anna up from Summer School
10:30-Sports Therapy, Massage and Chiropractic for JJ and me
12pm-Make lunch
12:40-Take Mariah to work
2pm-Hair appt for me
4:10pm-Have kids and food packed and ready to leave for JJ”s rugby game, drop him off, take kids for walk until game starts

After the game, we’ll come home and get ready for the nighttime routine. I’m beat! The last 2 days of Boot Camp have kicked me hard! I better eat some “energy” foods and take my vitamins cuz I’ve got NO time for feeling tired!

Doing the Dance of the Children and Hoping not to Trip~

Back to Normal

mommy of many™ — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:39:15 +0000

Yesterday evening the rest of the family arrived back from their trip out to Nevada. I had gotten all the laundry done and some other household tasks completed, knowing that once they walked through the door, there would be a whole bunch of new work to be done. I was right.

The laundry’s been going since 4:30 this morning. There are plenty of bags to be unpacked. Gramma and Papa sent lots of snacks that needed to be put away.

The kids had a great trip! They haven’t visited with Clay’s family in a few years and it sounds like Gramma and Papa did it up right. These San Diego kiddos went for a hike and ate snow. SNOW! in July! Definitely not something you can do here.

So, it’s back to the full-time Dance of being M.O.M. It’s good to wake up to Gabi’s curly head in my bed again and to hear the constant hum that is the sound of the kids talking throughout the house.

But I will admit that the quiet was a really nice thing to have. I moved through the house, doing chores, with only my thoughts. A really nice thing to have every once in awhile.

Doing the Dance of the Children~

Snikiddy® Baked Fries-A Mommy of Many™ Review

mommy of many™ — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:37:20 +0000

Getting things in the mail is always fun (except bills, of course!). A few days ago I opened the mail to find a sample of Snikiddy® Baked Fries for the kids and I to try out. I was impressed with the fact that these were a baked snack that contained no preservatives, no corn syrup, no trans fat, no hydrogenated oils AND are gluten and wheat free. I try hard to stay away from corn syrup in all of my children’s foods, so I was excited to have them try something new that fit that criteria!

I think my 7 yr. old, Max, gives the best review of this snack. After he ate a handful of the baked cheddar cheese fries, he said, “Mom, those are really good! Can you please email them and ask them to send you some more?”.

There you have it! Kiddo tested-M.O.M. approved~

Quiet House-Still Lots to Do

mommy of many™ — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:16:23 +0000

Clay and most of the kids have been gone for several days now. I’ve attacked the laundry, had the carpets cleaned, cleaned up the back yard and have started to attack the piles of paperwork and odds and ends that have been lying around since I went to work in the Fall. I believe I have 2 more days before they’re back and I’m hoping I can really tackle what’s left in that time. While I miss cuddling up with the little ones and hearing all the that the others have to say in a day, I have to admit that I’m loving the quiet, work-time. I’ve needed this! It’s the uninterrupted time to just work that us mama’s never get.

Dang! Why do I feel guilty for liking that?!

Doing the Dance of FINALLY Making Some Real Progress in This House~

Annnnnd…They’re Off!

mommy of many™ — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:16:52 +0000

Summertime in the Lang house has officially started! Never mind that we’ve been out of school and off of work for a couple of weeks. It’s just not summer until there’s a trip! 6 of the kiddos, a friend of Clay’s and Clay have pulled away from the curb and have begun the 1st trip of summer 2010. They’re heading out to Clay’s parents’ house in Nevada. Long drive!

JJ brought some juggling equipment. Fun for the 4th of July!

I’m home to get this house in order, continue Boot Camp and get Anna and Maddi to and from summer school (with a lil help from my brother).

Yea for summer! Yea for trips! Yea for time to get things in order! Yea for stealing a lil time for M.O.M! Yea! Yea! Yea!

Doing the Dance of the Children-in Summertime~

Mommy of Many™ Goes To Boot Camp-Week 2/Day 2

mommy of many™ — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:39:23 +0000

Today should be called “Procrastination Day” instead of Tuesday. I woke up with almost no drive and feeling emotional. I putted around until the LAST minute then headed out to my Kraze Boot Camp class, knowing that if I didn’t show up, Aaron (my trainer and Boot Camp Master) would likely show up at my door and I’d be drug to one of the other classes that are held during the day. No thank you!

Kateri and I got our sleepy behinds to class and the work-out definitely did me good. Something was different about today’s class. I can’t say exactly what it was, but it was good. There was running (there’s ALWAYS running), but it was more broken up. I liked that. We did 1/2 a lap and then stopped for push-ups and then finished the lap…with more push-ups. The time just seemed to go by quicker today.

Kateri’s friend, Jez, who’s been joining us in the mornings didn’t make it out today. Instead, she chose to go to the 6pm class and Kateri (mad woman!) joined her! Way to go Kateri! 2 classes in one day! I hope your legs hold up tomorrow morn! Mariah (my 16 yr. old) also went with them to check it out. From what I’ve heard she really liked the work-out. Whoo Hoo! Way to go girls!

Ok, I’m off to bed and hoping to wake up with a more energy than I did this morning. I felt like Eeyore, with the little rain cloud following me around. No good!

What am I gonna do if my kids keep joining?! Can you imagine trying to discipline a bunch of kids/young adults who do Boot Camp 5 days a week?! Talk about being overpowered. This could be the start of a mutiny!

Have a great night~

Birthdays and Boot Camp

mommy of many™ — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:04:00 +0000

It’s Monday and the week is full of good stuff! Arianna turns 15 today, Maddi turns 14 on Thursday, the kids and Clay are heading out for a trip to his parent’s house later in the week and it’s back to Kraze Boot Camps for me (I think there’s a haircut and some wine and chit chat with a friend thrown in there too!). A good and busy week!

I’m trying to stay focused on all the good things because I’m starting this morning a little tired. Lex was sick last night and it cut into my sleep. Poor lil guy! I’m also worried about going back to Boot Camp and being sore again. I haven’t been sore since Thursday and I’ve enjoyed being able to walk without a waddle. I did stay active, but not nearly at the level of the classes. I walked the 3 littlest Langs thru downtown, on Saturday and yesterday I took a bike ride. I quickly found out that the muscles I’d been using in Boot Camp were not the same muscles it takes to ride a beach cruiser with slightly low tires.

So, here’s to Monday! It’s gonna be a good week full of lots of good stuff!

Happy Birthday Anna! I hope this is a great year!