Mommy of Many®

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I’m alone in the house to clean and get some work done, while my family enjoys a day at Knott’s Berry Farm during their annual Salute to the Military.

So I’ve got the music playing (I love it when Rod Stewart sings to me while I clean!) and I was hanging up clothes. I heard jingling, so I stared checking pockets. Nothing. More jingling. More checking of pockets. After turning items inside out and upside down, only to find nothing in the pockets that could possibly be jingling, did I finally realized that it was my bracelets.

*knock, knock* Anyone home?

Today I’m thankful that no one is sending me to a home for better care

Doing the Dance of the Children and Jingling All the Way~

What a great, full and exhausting weekend! It’s taken me this long to be able to get my bearings enough to even write about it.

I got to start my weekend on Thursday night, by flying up to Washington state to meet up with a good friend, spend the night and then the 2 of us would head to the concert.  I had already had a regular M.O.M. day at home…wake-up @ 4:15, morning routine, took kids to the beach, packed, etc. Now, here I am in another state at 9pm and I’m feeling my second wind!  We started talking, drinking wine and laughing our heads off.  Then we decided a movie was in order.  So…2:30 am rolls around and it’s suddenly time for bed. Yikes!  We spent Friday driving…and driving…and driving some more.  We finally got checked into our hotel and headed to the concert.  We were like giggly school girls! I had forgotten to bring my iPod adapter of the car, so we each had an ear bud and laid the iPod between us (shhhhh…I’m not sure this is the BEST way to drive!). By the time we got to the concert, we had visited many songs that we hoped we’d hear and had decided that Maggie May would, most likely be the encore. We found our seats and settled in.  After the first few songs we realized that we had purchased tickets in the “Please Don’t Act Like You Want To Be Here” section.  Seriously! The whole place was having a great time and we were surrounded by serious-faced, arms-crossed, cotton-in-ears, old fogies! It made us giggle which was REALLY not appreciated.  We were even called “Very rude, young ladies”. Yeah, that made us giggle even more!  But, the concert was GREAT!!!!  Pilar had liked Rod’s music before but I do believe that now she is a bona fide FAN. Yes!!! As for me, well, I was caught swooning…just a little. And we called it correctly, Maggie May was, if fact, the encore.  ~sigh~ I can’t wait until I can go again!

But then it was onto the Dance of the Weekend! We drove back to the hotel, listened to a man across the hall yelling and yelling and yelling and finally fell asleep with the music of the night playing through our heads. A few hours later it was up and out to the airport so I could head to Sacramento and revisit my high school days.  My 20 year reunion had arrived. 20 years!

I gave that reunion a lot of thought. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the whole thing.  Yes, there were people I wanted to catch up with, but so much time had passed and my life had been so full over those years.  I got married, had 8 more kiddos (I delivered Kateri in April of my graduating year, so everyone knew I had at least one kiddo), lived in 3 states, started Mommy of Many, etc. etc. Who were these people and were we going to have anything to talk about?  When I think back to high school, I really don’t get the warm, fuzzy feelings that I hear a lot of people talk about.  I always felt like I was struggling through each day.  The school work seemed to overwhelm me and the social aspect was a game I didn’t always understand the rules to.  But, something inside me still wanted to go and give it a try.

I must say, I’m glad I did! Yes, a lot of time has passed and a lot of life has been lived, but we were a room full of people who had shared (however loosely) a few years of our lives in the same place. There were many faces that instantly brought back memories. There were people whom I had forgotten had touched my life.  I enjoyed conversation with a couple of people who I am sure I had never had a conversation with before.  All-in-all, it was a really nice night and I’m glad that I carved out the time to go.  I look forward to keeping in touch with some of the people that I was able to reconnect with. Unfortunately it didn’t work out for me to have my kids with me for the family picnic that was the next day.  I needed to get to the airport and head home!

My kiddos had been home and under the guidance and competent supervision of Kateri.  But I think everyone’s patience and tolerance was wearing thin.  It was time for Mom to get home and get things back in order.  I got in, had a cup of coffee with Kateri and braced myself for all the happy bombardment of being home.  Whew!

What a great, whirlwind of a weekend! I now feel a little more connected with my past and the people who were a part of it and am ready for the VERY NEXT Rod Stewart concert that I can manage to get to. Good Stuff!

Have a great day~

There’s no denying what time of year it is around here.  We’re packing everyday with fun and friends.  Our schedule is completely out the window and I keep forgetting what day of the week it is.  I’m so used to being on a tight schedule during the school year that I always know just what needs to happen, at what time of each day and what’s coming up to prepare for.  Over the last week and 1/2, I’ve loosened the grip on all things “calendar”.  BUT beware!…if you’ve booked a babysitting job with one of my kids, PLEASE send me a reminder.  I was so out of the routine yesterday, that I loaded everyone up for a trip into La Jolla and we spent a couple hours enjoying a beautiful day, along the beach, when my phone rang and I was reminded that I’d dropped the ball on knowing what day or time it was.  After much apologizing a replacement was brought in.  But other than that, I”m loving the freedom that summer brings!  Last night I took the kids to the store for ice cream at 10pm.  Yes, less of a schedule can be exhausting, but if we don’t take advantage of long days and open schedules during the summer, we’ll never get to!  

Some of our fun has included

Gabi getting her ears pierced (she was very excited and brave!)

our trip into La Jolla for a peek at seals

btw-JJ is doing a GREAT job of helping out with his brothers and giving them some male guidance while Clay is deployed. The younger boys are really listening to him and enjoying their time with him.  

and even silliness in the tub.  When you’re on a tight schedule, there’s a lot less time for goofiness.  We’re enjoying taking our time with things right now.  

I will admit to falling into bed SUPER tired, each night, but it’s worth it!  

I hope you’re each enjoying what summer brings!

Good night~

and  let’s not forget that it’s less than a month until I get to travel to Wash for this summer’s Rod Stewart concert!  Yes! See, the calendar is SO out the window that I’ve forgotten to talk about it until now!

It’s been a long and tiring day, but it was worth every minute!

We got the house and kids in order and the sitter came in the afternoon. Once the kiddos were on their way to the beach with the sitter (God bless her for taking them out!), Maggie and I hit the road. We only had a drive of about an hour and 1/2, so we had time to stop in San Juan Capistrano for something to eat and to walk around a bit. I made a mental note to go back soon because it’s been too long since I have brought the kids up there for the day.

We got up to Irvine with plenty of time to spare. We got to our seats (there was a bit of a hike involved) and looked around at the vast emptiness of the amphitheater. We brainstormed and daydreamed about how to be in a better spot (not that ours was bad, just up, up, up). We noticed that the stage was set but looked a little plain and very masculine. We kept wondering who the opening act was. We realized that nowhere, had we read who was opening. It was a sweet surprise! Once the place had filled up and the music began, we got a little trip down memory lane with Bryan Adams. Whoo Hoo! He was great! Actually, he was so good that we had to remember that we were there to see Rod Stewart. ~Big Breath~ Oh yeah…….Rod Stewart!

The stage was changed into a white wonder with a HUGE screen across the center. Yes! We knew it was going to be good. He did not disappoint! We had talked about what songs we hoped to hear and which ones would totally make the show. There was truly only one song that we didn’t hear that we were hoping for. It was SO good! We actually left talking about how we couldn’t wait to get home to the computer so we could look up the other stops on the tour. Well, it seems that Irvine was the only stop for California, so we will have to be content with my iPod full of Rod Stewart songs, spanning his career. Today the kids had to put up with all Rod, all day. They were fairly gracious about it.

So ends my little journey to finally see Rod Stewart in concert. I know that people go to concerts all the time, but this was really special to me because all the times in the past that I’ve had the chance to see his show, I was unable to leave a new or nursing baby behind. It was a little mile-stone for me and it was FABULOUS!

Hey Rod, thanks for the great show! I hope to be able to catch another in the future.

Good night~

So…..if you’ve been following the blog, you might have gotten the idea that I’m a Rod Stewart fan and that I just might be looking forward to going to his concert. Yep (giggling)! I guess I’m so excited because I just never get to do this kind of thing.

My sister, Maggie, has been staying with me since late May and it’s been a chance to connect with her and to a part of myself that I never was able to before. I am the oldest sister and she and her twin are the youngest sisters and there are 6 sisters in between. They were still little when I had Kateri and left the house. This has been our first, real, chance to get to know each other and it’s been GREAT! But-big sigh-she has to leave, next week and go back to her “real” life and I will refocus all of this silly energy that I’ve had, back into my daily routine and getting things ready for Clay to come home and the kids to go back to school.

So, this concert is not only an amazing chance to hear and see a singer whose music I’ve loved for, for, well, forever, but the end of a wonderful visit with my sister. So, I am SUPER EXCITED! Today I’m Doing the Dance, but it’s a whole different one that usual!

May Good Fortune Be With You, May You’re Guiding Light Be Strong~

So…..my favorite vidcaster…Chassy Cat (Wonderwoman AND Technogenius) was asking for videos awhile back and though I thought of obvious things to submit (you know, singing, dancing and the like), what I actually came up with was an idea on how to use her “One Click Server” idea to help deployed service members and their families keep in touch. So, Luke-Xavier and I sat down and made a little video about it and sent it in. Guess what?! It’s up! Go check out Chassy Cat’s Podcast O’ Technogeekery and watch me and Luke-Xavier in our video debut. And hey, while you’re over there, don’t forget to subscribe to her show. She has some seriously great ideas AND she’s too much fun to watch!

Good night~

P.S. if you came here looking for Rod Stewart info and you feel led astray…..never fear! Just click HERE

Today was shopping day. I HATE shopping day! The job is so huge and takes up so much time! There’s GOT to be a better method for grocery shopping. Think about how many times we touch our groceries before we actually use them;

1. Take them off the shelf and put them into the basket
2. Take them out of the basket and put them onto the check out
3. Put them into bags
4. Put the bags into the cart
5. Take bags from cart and put them into the car
6. Take bags out of car and load into kitchen
7. Unload each item from the bag and put it where it belongs

It’s not until the 8th time that you touch an item that you actually use it! Insanity! Try doing that with HUNDREDS of items every two weeks.

Today I went to Trader Joes, Henry’s and Vons. It went something like this;

Trader Joes-45 minutes of shopping and looking for the stuffed fish named Pokey, so that Luke-Xavier could earn a lollypop. Carts full-1, Items purchases-63, $ spent-$179.13

Henry’s-45 minutes of shopping, tasting and removing items from Luke-Xavier’s hands. Carts full-1, Items purchased-many, $ spent-$104.25

Vons-Over 1 hour of shopping. I left Luke-Xavier at home to nap. Carts full-2, $ spent-$391.91

Normally I would go to the commissary, but I am trying to cut down on driving and figured that with coupons and shopping sales, I could break even and still hit Vons. Costco has also been a staple for me, but am skipping it this time around.

So, to recap- Today I spent nearly 3 hours and over $600 on grocery shopping for the next 2 weeks! Hate It! And, I’ve already started the list of forgotten or still needed items. After reviewing my items and my receipts I thought I’d share some of the fun grocery facts with you.

Loaves of bread purchased-7
Bags of frozen “pasta medley”-3
Diapers-1 case, size 5 (really need to get the potty-training going!)
Goodnights-2 sizes and 2 kinds
Cheeses-5 kinds
Gallons of milk-6 (this will have to be supplemented, but there is only so much storage space)
Cans of soup-15
Rolls of TP-12
Rolls of Paper towels-8
Bottles of wine-0 (DANG! Forgot the wine! Putting it on the “still needed list!”)
Bottles of beer-6 (enough to get me through until I buy the wine
Boxes of cereal-6
Boxes of hot cereal pkgs-4
Boxes of crackers-6
Cookies-2 kinds
Bagels-3 kinds
Cream cheese-2 kinds
Edemame-6 bags
Steaks-6 (kids can share!)
Cantalope-6
Bananas-3 bunches
Applesauce-2 jars
Tortillas-2 pkgs of 30

Alright, I’ll spare you the entire list, but that’s an idea of what is gone through.

As soon as I figure out a better way to shop, I’ll be sure to share.

I hope you each had a great day and Clay, when you read this do me a favor and DON’T add up the totals!

Good night~

*I wonder who does Rod Stewart’s shopping*

Since summer started and my older kids came home, I’ve been trying REALLY hard to listen to their ideas and put them into play. The other day, Kateri suggested we have a beach day and let the kiddos run wild and enjoy the sand and water. We did it and it was (of course) a lot of fun. Well, two days ago, JJ suggested that we have a family bike ride to a big park on the bay that the kids would really like to play at, but that I NEVER go to. It’s so big that I’m always afraid that I’ll lose someone. But, JJ planned out who would watch which little kiddo and that I would pack a lunch and that it would all be tons of fun. Guess what?…..It was! I’m always looking at the beautiful places around us and wishing that there was more time to enjoy them. Thanks to my older kiddos and their great ideas and desire to share something as a family, we’ve been having a great time.

I’m just so glad that after all the years of taking the older kiddos to do fun stuff, that they are here to help me make sure that the little ones get the same experience! I love that it all trickles down like that!

Good night~

*Only 2 weeks to the goodness of the Rod Stewart show. This permagrin is going to leave some serious lines on my face!*

Well, it’s been a couple of crazy weeks, as you know, but I am pulling it together and getting back in the groove. It’s amazing how easily things can fall apart when you walk away from the routine. I’ve stopped writing the morning memo and the daily schedule and have been winging it (you know, trying to be flexible) and now I look around and realize how important that structure is in our lives. So, today the morning memo will be up and our day will be planned out. Luckily, it’s an easy schedule to write because we’ve been invited by friends, to come and enjoy their pool. Hmmm…I think I can write that schedule;

Wake up
Eat Breakfast
Get bathing suit on
Leave for pool
Have a great day, away from the house and chores
Eat dinner
Get ready for bed

Yep! Sounds good to me! I am feeling grateful to the wonderful people that are involved with our family. Thanks to everyone who checked in while JJ was ill. He’s feeling better, but still taking it easy.

I hope you each have a great day~

*Rod Stewart update-Sooooo…….I have tickets to see Rod Stewart’s show on August 1st! Very excited! VERY excited! Come with me!

It was only days ago that I was telling us all to be flexible and enjoy the days as they come. Today, I am trying to take my own advice. This has been a challenging week and a few bumps were put in my path. So, I’m trying to take a deep breath and remember that I may be behind, but that it will all come together and work out fine. This also means that the show for this week will be here a little later today. I ran into technical difficulties but didn’t know they existed until yesterday. Ignorance is bliss? NO! Ignorance is making me late!

I hope you each have a happy Sunday and that you check back for the show.

P.S. You know what would make it better? That’s right……Rod Stewart tickets! Heh! I feel better just thinkin’ about it!

Here is a good example of this dance I do;

This morning I took Arianna and Tristan to the dentist for extractions and fillings (yuck!). While I was there, my sister called and I could hear Gabi and Luke-Xavier crying in the background. Gabi had gotten her knee stuck in the rungs of one of the dining chairs and my assistance was needed. So…..I leave the kids who are having needles stuck into their mouths and teeth removed from their heads and jump into the van to run home and rescue Gabi’s knee. Maggie had an ice pack on Gabi’s knee because it was swelling and had turned red. After trying to pull the rungs apart to release her and having no luck, I decided there was only one thing to do…..I gave it a swift and hearty slam and VOILA! no more stuck knee. Kisses, hugs and wiping away tears and then I jumped back into the van and continued to attend the children at the dentist.

That, my fellow mommies and faithful readers is the Dance!

Good night~

P.S. I can dance to Rod Stewart’s music pretty, darn well, too!

After a long and tiring day, where I was bitten by the “must clean and organize” bug, I decided to unwind and go down to the beach. I hardly EVER do this, which is ridiculous! We live SO close to the beach and I always find a reason not to go. I think I’m afraid that if I go too often that I will give up housekeeping and paperwork and laundry all together and become a beach-bum. It’s really the only reason I can come up with, because the second that I get close enough to smell and feel the change in the air, something comes alive in me! I am completely drawn to the water which might explain why I’m married to a Navy man. I also think it’s in my blood because I am the descendant of Portuguese fishermen. I wish I could bottle the feel I get from seeing the water.

I truly hope that each of you have something in your lives that makes you feel as good as the ocean makes me feel and that you get to enjoy it from time to time!

Good night~

P.S. I must admit that seeing Rod Stewart in concert would SURELY compare to the feeling that the ocean gives me. I just know it!

This week’s show is sponsored by Aveeno Baby!

I learned a valuable lesson this week! I often get so locked into the plan of the day that I can’t enjoy a nice surprise or change of plans. When I realized that I had forgotten to write down plans with one of my sisters I had to decided that visiting with family and enjoying the yard and the kids was more important than well-laid plans. Guess what?…..it all worked out beautifully. With a little flexibility and a big breath, I was able to enjoy my company and still get the things done that had to be done.

Be flexible! It’ll all work out!

Thank you for visiting MommyofMany.com and for listening to the show.

Please take a minute to visit our sponsor, Aveeno Baby!

 

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A little P.S.-If you HAPPEN to think that dreams are important and that a Mommy of Many and military spouse (of a deployed service member) should have a dream come true AND you can help get Mommy of Many to be able to see Rod Stewart in concert in Irvine, Ca. on August 1st…….for goodness sake!…….use the “contact” link and let’s make it happen!

Wow! Time has really gotten away from me this week! It was the first week of summer and I had set it aside to plow through the paperwork that’s built up over the last couple of months (yes, months!) and to try to catch up on the laundry (“try” being the operative word, here).

Well, the table is still covered in the paperwork that I spread out on Monday. The biggest accomplishment in the paperwork was to fill 2 bags with expired offers and junk mail and to find a stack of odd bills that I need to figure out.

Now, the week’s over and I still feel behind!
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Yesterday was JJ’s 16th birthday. We had some friends over for water play and cake. His actual present was getting his bike back in working order and joining a gym where he can train Jiu Jitsu and box. Here are a few pics of the fun;

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Today was beautiful, sunny and hot. So, as we do on most summer days, we took out the water toys and everyone cooled off and enjoyed the yard

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This all leads me to the fact that my show will be posted a little late this week. Check back tomorrow evening or Monday morning (at the latest). I can see that I’m going to need a better schedule for the summer, to ensure I stay on task and on time!

Thank you for visiting and for being forgiving of me falling behind.
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One final note:

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a DEEP love of Rod Stewart’s music. Guess what?…..He’s touring this summer! He’ll be very close to me the 1st of August, sooooooo……let’s all look into the night sky and wish on the first star we see, that Mommy of Many can make it work to go see him!!!!!! And if anyone reading this happens to know how to make dreams come true, don’t hesitate to use the “contact” link on the right of the page (just over there……….). Just think of the good it will do my family to have me SOOOOO happy! The good vibes could easily carry us through until Clay’s deployment is over!

Good night~

(Don’t forget *Mommy of Many LOVES Rod Stewart and wants to go to his Irvine show*)