Monday, June 28, 2010

Do you hear God?

This is a huge touchy subject for me. I still don't understand it when someone says God told them to do something. So to hear pray about it and see what God tells you to do is a very har reach. I certainly can't hear someone speak and signs, are very hard to understand. I usually joke that, this happened so it's a sign I shouldn't do it. On Saturday I was talking to my mother and discussing business ideas. I started my associates at a community college in my hometown and had plans to start off as a paralegal and then pay my way through to law school. Well I'm turning 27( I checked) in a few days and I can't even get back to the point of getting my associates. I keep looking back and feeling like it was a waste of time to
do all of the classes. Taking college courses is hard to do with four kids. Sadly I want to be super mom and get work and still have the ability to be able to be room mom and do all the field trips and parties for my kids. I want the best of working moms world and
stay at home moms world.


So I beleieve the only way to acheieve this is by starting my own business. I was telling my mother about the ad I had seen on craigslist about selling their consignment shop inventory. Basically they already have the shop up and open and they probably want to sell it all to move. This is exactly something I could see myself doing. A
childrens consignment shop. Of course I would need help but who better to help than my own mother. She would get the same. She would get to "work" but also get to be with her grand kids.

Another business idea I have is party planning. I am working on baby showering I am helping to host in August. Let me just say I am having a ball coming up with ideas. I would write
more about the ideas In this blog except the guest of honor has read my blog and I really want it to be a surprise. I am even hand making her invitations as soon as I get the rest of the information I need. I chose to hand make them because I did not find these anywhere else so far.
I don't even know where to begin with a party planning business. Not to mention I think it would have to be something I would need to do with someone else because I brainstorm with my sister or even my husband. My husband helped me out with the invitation idea for the baby shower. These are "jobs" I could see myself doing and keeping up with life itself. My life is already crazy with four kids.

so I have been told to pray about it and see what God says I should do. There was a time when my husband kept telling me I'm supposed to work in the nursery at the church. This was back at a time where I wanted my husband to leave the church. I am working in the nursery one Sunday a month and I'm doing it to help out. They are short nursery workers now. I'm usually in the nursery anyway because of nursing my daughter. Which I did gracefully ( and you could not see anything) yesterday whole wearing her in a new carrier I received from the latest MetroMom event I attended. But I do not "hear" from God and personally I think if I had I would be a bit freaked out by it. It is obviously just me because my husband has said he has been told to so things.
So the point is where do I begin?

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Fitness! It does a body good

I feel over weight! I probably am. I have had four kids all born by c-section. And all in the past 7 years. I just had my last child almost 3 months ago. when I started out my prEgnancy I had not lost much in the way of weight since having my third child so I did not gain much weight with her. However 3 months have passed and I don't think I have lost more than 10 pounds. So I am planning to start a new journey that may help other moms.

After I had my third son, before I was pregnant with my daughter, I joined the YMCA. For the first couple of weeks I went. After those first couple of weeks it became a chore to lug all the kids to the YMCA. Then I found out I was pregnant, and surely I couldn't keep it up. So needless to say eventually i cancelled our membership. Now I am being realistic. It is hard rounding up my kids To to a gym. Personally I find picking up my youngest two kids a work out itself. But that work out is not helping in thr areas I would like.

I need a routine that I can work on at home. My new motivation to keep anything going. My readers! I want to start blogging each day ( don't worry othertopics
will be on as well.

After each work out I do I am going to use my downtime to write about it. If anyone has tips or could help me in with what I am doing wron g please feel free to post. Tomorrow will start day 1.

Friday, June 25, 2010

25 has come and gone.

So my birthday is coming up, and surprisingly my oldest son knew that its next week, down to what day it is next week. (Top that one hubby) and (thanks Grammy). So I was thinking about it today. I have actually mistaken my age several times, and I've had to look to my husband to remind me which number I am, (or turning in this case). I have caught myself doing this a few times already and I am turning 27, and yes I asked my husband to be sure.

I believe once I had turned 25 I started forgetting my age. I mean what exactly do you have to lo
k forward to after 25. 18 is you're legal. 21 means you can drink, and 25 is the insurance break they finally deem you mature enough to get. So what is after 25?

I figure that is my story, and I'm going to stick to it.

Here's to another year of forgetting my age!!
Oh and Happy 28th is it? to my wonderful Husband who will turn 28 the week after I turn 27.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

NGR Workout Shoes Giveaway

While I can't personally give a review on these shoes, here's a great review from another busy mom, plus a giveaway! I know I could use a pair, there is no time for the gym in this house hold with four kids!

http://www.shopwithmemama.com/blog/entry/718671/ngr-no-gym-required-shoes-review-giveaway

Handmade party Supplies Giveaway

Over at The frugal homeschooling mom She has a give away for handmade party supplies. Ends today! Go enter!

Kung zhu pets review and giveaway

Give away Ended-Winner Saundra Post 3

Last Christmas you may recall the zhu zhu pets rage with our children. My kids were given several of them as of course it was the hottest toy. Sadly though it was my youngest son who enjoyed them the most. My oldest two played for a little while. It may be because we didn't get them the accesories though.
Just recently I recieved the new Kung Zhu pets. Now in this lots I was sent several accessories. To paint you a picture of how the evening started ( and continued) my oldest two nearly ripped all of thr boxes to get these toys out. My boys had already seen the commercials for the Kung Zhu pets. I believe for my boys the main attraction to the pets are because they battle. I'm sure one of thr biggest things that appeal to boys is anything that fights.
With the pets we recieved some accessories to go with it. The battle Center, and some shields and armor. They had a blast for that evening with these.

My boys are ages 6 1/2, 4 and 18 months old. My oldest was interested that evening, and played for hours before bed time. Longer than he does with some toys. He has gotten into the age of video games though, so toys don't appeal to him often, or for very long, despite how we now give him a time limit on television or movie watching and video game playing. He would never move from the couch if it was his choice. Now my 4 year old did continue to play with the toys, although it wasn't as much fun for him after his older brother stopped playing with them.
And of course my 18 month old has a ball pushing the button down and making them go. He gets giddy every time. He was also the one who enjoyed the regular zhu zhu pets.

Now my point of view on the Kung Zhu Pets. My boys have transformers, power rangers, and play swords and play guns. Now here's my take on these things. I tried to keep these type of toys away from my children, however it didn't take. I think my oldest son had a foam sword by the time he was 18 months old. And watched Power rangers by age 15 months. He was a early developer.

The Kung Zhu pets, are harmless in my opinion. The battling, is very much light and although it encourages fighting to a small degree. I'd prefer these over Transformers.
So in my book. They get an B +.

The Kung Zhu pets would be a great gift for a child around the ages 3 to 4 because there are small parts to the armor. I would think most kids over the age of 5 may find them a bit young for them depending on their interests of course. You can find these pets at Toys R Us.

Now you can win it for your son (or daughter). A great gift for a summer birthday.
One lucky mom or dad can win a Giant Battle Arena, two battle Hamsters, Two battle Armors, a ninja training ground and a missle attack tower. (approximate value $110)
To enter You MUST be a subscriber or a follower to my blog.
Leave a comment letting me know who you would like this for, and if you are a
subscriber or follower. All Entries must be received by July 1st 2010 12:00 noon.

Double stroller hunt

I have a not so full sized SUV. I also have four kids and all seats are filled literally. Unless my husband is not with us every seat in thr back is filled with a car seat. I have been on the hunt for the perfect double stroller to fit in the back of my car and maybe leave a little room for a bag to be kept in there. My youngest two children need a stroller but they need seperate things. My youngest needs to be in something that will either hold her carrier, or recline her as she's still very little. My second youngest, needs something that he can sit up in but yet he may need to recline some if he falls asleep. Oh and this has to fit in the back of an suv. This suv doesn't have the
nice dip in the back area which leaves alot of extra room for a stroller and so on. This is so much smaller.

Not everyone who has four kids can run out and buy a full sized suv. I know we can't, we had just gotten our Saturn outlook just a few month after our third was born and of course a few months before we found out we would have number four. The reason we moved from our minivan to an suv, well we needed a newer car, my husband really wanted an suv, so we got an suv. It's a nice car, just doesn't fit us very well. But we are making it work for us. We took a trip this last weekend for a family reunion on my husbands side. For this trip we took all four
kids, each one in a car seat. Four smaller bags, one for each child. A bag for my husband and I, this was also a bigger bag. Food items for our cabin that I picked up and packed.My husbands guitar and amp, a play pen, the fisher price rocker that folds almost flat, and our quinny zapp stroller. I did use a cargo bag which really didn't prove to do much for us. On the way there i managed to fit everything in my car with the exception of the playpen stroller and thr big bag on top of the car. Somehow the packing on the way home was a bit harder despite having less food to bring back, not to mention one less kid.
I have the ability to pack rather well when it comes to traveling, the military wife in me I assume.
I have only a few ideas on what stroller will fit the description. Some of you may say the Phil and Ted double would work. It doesn't work for us. Yes it does fit in the back with a little room to spare for diaper bag. To fully recline my daughter I have to place my son on top. Which isn't an issue until she gets a little bigger. See most strollers don't account for bigger babies. My boys are quite the chunks but so far, my daughter is still quite little, despite the ladies hovering ( and touching her foot ugh!) and telling me oh she's so big. My daughter is tiny! At a mere 11 pounds at 11 weeks, we are on a roll still wearing the size we were meant! 0 to 3. My boys, all of them in 3 months clothes and quickly moved up to 6 to 9 months shortly after. The Phil and Ted stroller was great when my youngest son was finally sitting up. Because my second and third son were and are so close in weight, they evened each other out in the stroller. My youngest son and my daughter will never even out each other, which leaves me only to put my daughter on the bottom seat (toddler seat). There is no recline . Now don't get me wrong thr Phil and Ted sport double is a great stroller, but so is the bumbleride and it is so bulky that it won't fit in the back. There needs to be a double stroller that has all the features but still be able to fit in those SUVs. Would someone with just two kids want to leave the back row laying flat just so they could fit a comfortable stroller for their kids?

Thursday, June 17, 2010

The difference between girls and boys is not just in the parts

We are now approaching three months old with my little girl. She is amazing to me in so many ways. I see so many of my family memebers in her. I see my grandmother who passed away 10 months ago. August 12 th 2009. The day we were leaving to make the drive to see her for the very last time I found out my little maiya was on her way. I had no plans to have another child. I mean the last time I had seen my grandmother was thr January before just after my third was born. My daughter is an amazing add on to our family. We were lucky to have three boys even though while pregnant we had hoped for girls. But our life is supposed to have three boys. It was a daughter I thought I wasn't supposed to have. Now I love my boys dearly. All of them have been mamas boys and the youngest son still is very much so. I am comfortable with boys. I have learned how they think, those three sneaky little guys. I don't worry as much as I have when I first had them. I am not as paranoid about SIDS or them jumping off the playground ( no I just run to keep my youngest son from doin it as he is still little) but I don't have the same reaction. After three boys I am a pro at motherhood! A fourth shoukd be no problem then. Over the last two in a half months I have learned that I have been in a mindset tha is totally wrong! I am not a pro. I thought it would be easy having four. My life wouldn't be as hectic as everyone who would pass m and stop and say wow three boys and a fourth child on the way you will have your hands full. My thought then was a fourth boy a piece of cake. A side note for those who are just reading my blog for the first time, I really didn't believe them when they said girl). Adding a fourth boy was yes going to take up the rest of the room in my car but for the most part life would be easy peasy. I figured he would weigh closeto his brothers so the stroller issue I have wouldn't have been an issue. I thought well they would share everything so no worries about having another diaper bAg, I had a blue bassinet that would fit a larger baby as it fit my third son till nearly 9 months then he started sitting up in and it was time for the play pen to be moved into our room. I also thought well two and two in a room leaving the other room as my guest/ parents room and of course not overcrowding the older boys room. I'm not even sure how this is going to work when our bird comes out of the crib. He's not going to sleep Ina room on his own. And the older two, they won't be able to seperate either, they really are too close. But of course their room needs new drawers and Beds but I don't have a clue how to fit three In there without putting a bunk bed that I would have to worry about the youngest climbing up abd falling off of it. Having a girl changed all of those plans. Now The room that used to have my youngest sons crib in it is pink and green and holds a beautiful round crib just waiting for my daughter to start sleeping in it. Now please don't get me wrong rgarding how i was thinking I love this room. I had always dreamed and asked if this baby is a girl can we get a round crib. It was something I had always wanted for a little girl. We chose a four bedroom house because we were not planning two more kids but one more. We will be needing a bigger house in a few years along with some land for us as well. And that will come when the time is right. Having four boys wouldn't have been too different from having the three. But now three boys and one girl. I think I'm more exhausted. Not just because I have a newborn but because I can really wash all of their clothes together. Our washer and dryer have issues keeping up with the amount of laundry. My dream house will have the biggest laundry room ever with two washers and two dryers and enough room to have one basket for each child so all I have to do is sort and give them to them to put Away. Oh and having the boys learn to keep heir clean clothes in their drawers and dirty clothes off the floor and in the laundry baskets. A dream that has been crushed lately with them. But I will not give in and they will learn the lesson. Their clothes are no longer in their room. I have put my foot down. So yes it is so much different having a little girl and so many plans have changed. but I would not trade the order my kids were born in nor the fact that I have three handsome energetic sneaky little men ( who might I add will be taller than me probably by age 10) for any other number or order of kids. Despite my melt downs and believe me after you have realized leaving two older boys in the very back of the car pretty much without us being able to see what they brought in the car with them bc they are in the back you realize they have ruined that car, and you get upset and I believe I'm entitled to be upset once in awhile. it was a task keeping the house clean with three kids and I was able to keep the car clean when I could reach to the back of my car because all seats weren't filled with a car seat. And having four kids will not change my mind about having my older children in five point harness seats or having my youngest son Still rearfacing so it could be easier for me. Yes it would be easier, but burying my child is not. And if your answer is it is unlikely to happen and you are probably right but those who have had it happen to them wouldn't agree either. my motto is I did not carry my babies for 9 months and have a csection to have each one of them for me to lose one of them because of something I could have possibly prevented. What works for one family may not work for another. So please do not take my preferences as yours are the wrong choice. These are parents decisions and the only thing I believe others can do is to give facts so each and every parent may make the decision for themselves. Over the last few months I have cotemplated moving my oldest to a seatbbelt booster so it would make more room
for a third seat in the back row. But my 6 year old can't seem to keepthe straps in place on his five pony harness car seat and he is well beyond the weight and age for the law but in my opinion he is not mature enough to sit correctly in a belt positioning booster seat. So he will stay in his seat until I feel he can. Even if it is afterthe law says they don't have to. Here in Texas the passed the law that a child underthe age of 8 is to sit In a booster seat no matter what. And if they are over 8 but under the height requirments they still have to. And if they are under 13 they must be in the backseat and no in the front. My children will probably not sit inthe front seat until they are well over the age. It Does bother me that i see kids sitting in the front seat and they are not old enough by law but yet cop drives right by and does nothing. I know these kids are not old enough bEcause they are in elementary school. This school sent home flyers on the new law but yet it does nothing or means nothing to parents here.