I have answers

Finally I have my pathology back. My tumor is a Large cell tumor with Sarcoma Markers. It is benign, but came from my bone and has cancer Markers. Sarcomas are recurring tumors that come from the bone. A form of bone cancer I am told. I have yet to investigate, the news it is too fresh. So this tumor while not an immediate threat to my life has thankfully opened our eyes to a condition I will always have to watch. I am in no mood to randomly grow tumors the rest of my life. I am not being flippant. That is frightening, especially after what I have just been through! Dr G said it's great news with a cloud hanging over it. I will see the oncologist next week and go from there. I am told he may prescribe a treatment as a precaution. At any rate he will more than likely be my friend for a long time to come due to those markers. I hope he's as great as Dr G. I am told I will have to be watched very closely. I am okay with that! I feel relieved and more than blessed. How grateful I am for every prayer said on my behalf. I have felt their power and I am so grateful for a Loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers each one. Life is full of miracles. A huge tumor that grew so fast and no cancer but the markers are there so I know to be watched. I do not believe that is a coincidence!

On a lighter note, life is never boring around here and if just getting better is not enough my little Bubba was running through the retention basin by our home today trying to catch a lizard he said and did not see the hole in the drain cover (calling the city first thing tomorrow) and his right leg went right in. It of coarse swelled and he was stuck. His friends Grandma sat with him till me and  the paramedics could get there. I am slow, think distracted toddler..... I went to their house first from Wild Things crazy directions and when no one answered the door I got panicked and asked again. This time I knew where to look and when I finally got there I found my sweet neighbor lady pouring ice water on his leg to keep it from burning and to hopefully keep the swelling down. A metal drain cover, 115 or more outside. My poor boy! The paramedics came had him out in 10 minutes and I drove him to the ER (bad idea, ouch) On the way there he went from being worried to asking for a quad if he was brave. A quad, a boy can dream big right? He got a new wii game. Another sweet friend met me their to carry Bubba. I could not. His knee was super swollen and cut up. Sorry no pics.... I had nightmares of casts and two semi invalids hobbling around our house. Luckily for us both, he has a bad knee sprain and will be just fine. I on the other hand was just starting to feel human again and boy am I hurting. Nothing a goods night sleep won't fix (fingers crossed). I think I have turned a corner and the old me will be in full swing soon. I am not pushing myself though. I am no lover of pain.

T-Ball

Bubba and Wild Thing discovered they actually like baseball this year. I don't know why I didn't sign Bubba up last year, but I didn't.  Mr. M pulled some strings and got them on the same team even though Bubba is too old and should be in Coach pitch. The same team was easier for me. The best thing about T-ball is just watching them get used to the game, where is 1st base? My boys like to stick together.

This(iPhone)photo cracked me up. He has zero skills but tons of gusto. Love this kid!

The best part, the trophy's. They sleep with them. So cute.

Let's not forget the cheering section who really just come for the treats

Oh and the official glove holder, poor baby.... never left alone
The season was short due to lack of teams and I forgot my big camera except for one game . I got there too late to get any shots, I am slacking. So maybe I will do better next year.

Better

Things are much better around here. Still crazy, but back to a manageable crazy. I do not think we are out of the woods by a long shot, but so much better. We have a team in place and new medication and it is improving daily. It improved enough for me and Mr M to be able to farm out a few kiddos and get a sitter for the rest (THANK YOU Heidi!) and get the heck out of dodge. It was only two days. I want more, but I am grateful for what I can get. I got my time share to cover the room and gas, when are they going to start covering child care? Asking to much, maybe? It would be so nice though wouldn't it? We snuck off to Sedona again.


We have enjoyed the food in Sedona before so we wanted something new. Mr. M loves to ask the locals where to find the best grub. They usually know best.  So we left Sedona behind and headed to down town Cottonwood.


I just love small town America, don't you? We ate at a fun little place called The Tavern. It did not disappoint. Oh and the shops, I just love the shops, and even better Mr. M does not mind taggin along with me. He may not like to shop, but he finds a friend along the way every time. There is no such thing as a stranger to him. It was a great trip. Spring anywhere is good for me.

We came home to resume life as normal and went straight into Birthday mode.These three boys have Birthdays two weeks apart beginning mid March.


There Birthdays happen in the order they are sitting in. They all pretty much wear the same size clothes and there is a 3 year gap between Tankster and Wild thing. My Tankster is going to live up to his name.
Bubba is obsessed.....well, with lots of things.


Right now though these birds and all that goes with them tops the list.
For the Tankster it was a bike.







It is all he has talked about for months now. I had to drag him off of it so we could move on with his big day.
Wild thing is just chompin at the bit for his turn. Something dinosaur is in his future.
I am glad things are calming down and life is good and we are moving on one a day at time. That is how it should be.

Cheap and Easy

I am a mother of  8 and  these words mean a lot to the family budget and my sanity. When school Valentines come due I do not want to spend a mint on candy or cards. Candy is what 4 to 5 dollars a bag these days and 2 for 5 if you are lucky? This is how I do it cheaply. I did it all at home other than a few supplies picked up while I was already out on errands.
Sheets: $10.00 Target
Frame:$5.00 Target Sign in frame printed at home.
Clothes:Let's be real, just grab something that works from their closet. Not many of their friends give a hoot about what they are wearing, they just want the candy.
Candy: Dumb Dumb's, purchased at Target $7
I always use the " I'm a sucker for you" saying because suckers are cheap.
Printing: Costco $20.86 Mr.M. just brings them home for me.
Chairs: They are from my game table and a time out chair.
So Valentines for 5 kids cost me $42.86
 I dont know maybe that is not cheap at all but I like homemade Valentines and this is how I do it and keep it low budget. My other kiddos never want to be left out of a good time so here are some fun outakes. They even made poor Daisy pose with them. Reluctantly as you can tell.
 

Tankster had a slight warddrobe malfunction.
Speaking of cheap I found new shoes for all the kids at $3 dollars a pair the other day. Some kids got 2 pairs and some kids got one or two for later and I spent a whoppin $51.00 I love a bargain!

LOVE these boys of mine!

This week

I sat back and just listened when I could.
 Some inconsequential thing happened, but I new I was being lied to. I hate that, so I sent my Irish triplets to their rooms until some one could tell the truth. Little H came down swearing her innocence. I knew she was in the clear so I sent her off to play. I announced to the hoodlums left in their rooms that Little H was off the hook. They were surprisingly calm, so I listened,

Bubba, " So what are we going to tell her?
Wild Thing, "I didn't do it!"
Bubba, " Yeah, but Mom is mad."
Wild Thing, "I DIDN'T Do it!"
Bubba, "FINE, I will just go tell the truth!"
Negotiations over........... He was so sad when we were all swimming and he was stuck in quiet time for lying. Hope he enjoyed his nap.

My kids were amazed a lady as old as me could actually swim.
I was amazed at how few laps I could do, yikes...

I left a child at home, SCARY! I was misinformed of a baseball playoffs games starting time.(Duh, the messenger is a 10 yr old boy!) So when the coach called frantic telling me my son would be the reason they forfeited. I threw the kids in the car and drove off. We were halfway to the ballfeild when  Sweet K screams, "We forgot Miss M!"  I dropped off my half dressed baseball player just in time and drove home. The front door was wide open. This is where the what kind of Mother am I doubts started screaming through my brain. Who runs off with out a child? The door being opened sent me into panic mode. Mind you it has only been 8-10 minutes. My mind went crazy, I ran in the house and down the stairs and there sat Miss M in all her 7 year old glory watching Mickey Mouse Club House. She was totally oblivious to her plight. My only thought was maybe I need to pummel one 10 Year old boy into learning to close doors! Okay, I don't pummel my kids but I wanted to right about then. Really it's my fault for not counting kids. I Know I over reacted a little, but it scared me that the next time we would be on vacation, it would be a gas station in the middle of Idaho and I wouldn't notice for over an hour or more. My folks did that to my brother. It's funny now but my parents were not laughing at the time.

We have an adoption day and time for Tankster!!! Yippee!!!! Now we pray every day and night and any prayer in between that some bio relatives do not file a motion to intervene. He won't leave, it will just delay the adoption and we do not want that or the legal hassle.

10 Reasons I Love my Redneck Swimmimg Pool

1, It is a hole, and is filled with cool refreshing chlorinated water.
2, It makes even the grumpiest of small people smile.

3, It promotes sibling interactions that are sparse.

4, It provides a learning tool for slave labor work ethic.

5, Keeps bored kids from complaining.
6, Has the possibility of removing pasty white coloring from the resident lifeguard.
7, Helps me coin new Mom phrases I am sure to repeat until I am blue in the face,  "Walking feet, walking feet, I said, NO RUNNING!"
8,It increases creativity.

9, Makes the kiddos so tired that sleep comes five minutes after their heads hit the pillow.
10, Summer entertainment without sopping wet car seats.

Have you always heard that pools are money pits? We had heard similar. When we found our new house that met all our criteria and it just happened to have a pool that was outdated and in need of a complete overhaul. What were we to do?  Fill it in? Pay thousands to bring it up to date? Not buy the house?  I loved the idea of a pool with 8 small kids to entertain. Mr. M. Not so much. It could have been a deal breaker.  Well a money pit it is..... whether we fill it in or remodel/re-do it. It is still usable so until all plans are final we are taking advantage and just livin with it's issues. We are hoping to have it all spruced up by the actual true beginning of summer. We will see...

Bubba, My adoption story

Bubba had a birthday. We love this kid!

Whats not to love?
He is funny.
He is LOUD.
He loves with all his heart.
He has an addiction to anything Lightning Mc Queen or Toy Story.
His hugs are meaningful and tight.
He is sneaky.
He is always dirty, hands and feet all the time.
He is smart.
He can read.
He is a south Paw
He loves his brothers and sisters.
When he came to our family he stole my heart. I had just had to say goodbye to Little H for a while and my heart was breaking. They brought over this small 6 month old boy with a funny head  and no muscle control. He had a bulging belly and eyes and his head was sunken in on one side. The most angering part is he came from a foster home. He had been in care from birth. Born premature and drug exposed. they told us right off the bat that he would more than likely stay with our family.

It did not take long for us to have him holding up his head and then sitting and then crawling. He never cried for attention and that made me sad. We fixed that too...... It is amazing how children realize so quickly what they were missing. He slept through the night from the get go. We had to watch his weight. He has never gained weight easily, still doesn't. We went from thinking he would for sure be ours quickly to sending him to his birth parents 3 to 4 days a week shortly after he turned one. They were having another baby (our Wild Thing) and CPS thought they could make it. He hated it, he screamed for them and was so sullen when he was home. I prayed and cried a lot. How can they do this to these kids, my kids? How do they think these kids can possibly cope at such young ages with all this change. He had never lived with his bio parents and had no bond.One day I received a frantic call from Bio Mom that all was not well at their house and she was frantic. It was ugly the things she told me. I was horrified my boy had been exposed  to such things. Bubba was home for good that day and Wild thing became a part of our family full time too.As it turns out his birth Mom has always been honest and accepted responsibility for her choices. When confronted with suspicion by the case worker she fessed up to having slipped.  I Love his bio Mom. I respect her for recognizing that she could not be the parent he needed, she told me this.  " I am too young, I am an addict and I had no business having children. I want to do what is best and I know you can give my boys a better life." She stopped fighting and her and Bio Father sat down in a mediation with us and both signed off parental rights to Bubba only. I email her and and I let the boys see her once a year. She has come full circle, is doing well and is in collage.  We are grateful every day for our Bubba.

He is truly a hoot. So full of life and laughter. He was adopted at the same time Sweet K was and sealed to us on two days later. This kid may single handidly make me crazy, but I would not trade a moment of him for anything. Love you Bubba!!

Words and Pictures

This was our week.
Green crayon all over the basement bathroom toilet. Not the canvas I would have chosen, but it sure beats my walls.
A bath tub full of toilet paper while two girls were bathing. That means two heads of hair full of soggy shredded toilet paper. That was not the most fun I had all week.Thanks Bubba and Wild thing, sure hope you liked your no bath, early bedtime consequence.
Lots of time playing with friends
A new bike rack for the garage.
Bedroom painted and new beds put up (pics later) Oh, that was the week before oops.....
2 games of Uno won, one of Golf and one of Phase 10, I rock!!
Lunch with a great friend.
A fabulous lazy start to our Saturday morning.

Sometimes it is so nice just to hang with them on my bed. Sorry Dad you had leave for work so early.

This week I did Birthday pics as per the post below with my resident tattle tale, and the bossy one. Can you guess who's who?

The kids played with their food. This is an every day occurance, this is play I am actually ok with.



They really are a very entertaining bunch!

You should stop by some time or just sit behind us in church. That is a show all on it's own.
They do more than just perform tricks. This little tyke got awarded the "Winning Worker" award at school this week. Great job Miss M, we are so proud of you!

It has been a good week.

Back in the saddle

In more than one way. I have my camera back. I am so grateful it did not take as long as predicted. Mr. M even came home with a new filter for me.
I guess this means more blogging to. You know since I am all about documenting this year. When my camera was returned to me good as new it made me realize how much I really do document already just by what I knew I had missed. So this begins a little day in the life project for my family this year. Who cares if the image is perfectly exposed, who cares if the moment is flawed. They are mine and I want to remember them. So here goes a camera happy, blog happy year.
Speaking of saddles and cowboys. My kids love preschool and especially love the day they get to dress up like cowboys and cowgirls and shoot marshmallows at each other.The guns painted, holstered, and ready for the shoot out to begin.

When they get home I am the target. This kid must have some pent up aggression towards me, he was a little to excited to hit me with those marshmallows. Should I be worried?
Aim, Fire.....

Gotcha!!

This little man has not graduated to marshmallow guns, but hats are a different story and boy isn't he cute in one. He may have to give up the blankie habit by the time girls start coming around, but for now they are both cute.

Sweet K may not be able to conquer her need to pout and put ice packs on tiny scratches, but I think she finally got tired of waiting around for others to tie her shoes and did it herself. Two missing teeth and tying your own shoes not bad for one week. She is finally conquering some speech issues and just in time to pick up that cute toothless lisp.

The best is ending a couple of hectic weeks with a low key Saturday. No surprises, no commitments to any one but ourselves. Doesn't happen very often around here. it was eerily quiet at one point. I was so happy to see it was not mischief that had them occupied.

The T.V. stayed off for most of the day. I call that Heaven. No fighting, and all the chores were done early. If I weren't so close to heading to bed I would still be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe my washing machine screaming some error code and not finishing a cycle is the other shoe.Hope it's an easy fix! Keep those fingers crossed.

I just want to bottle it up and sell it.

Can you sell cuteness? Really I do not want to sell it, just keep it all for myself because I am selfish and because I know I will miss it.

I  have this internal war with my self every day. Wishing they would grow up in some way or another. You know, always ways that make my life even a little bit easier for me, and then I find my self pining  for the days when they were even a tiny bit littler.
This one and her male same aged counter part are killin me.

Don't be fooled by the sweet innocence. That is really just lurking in the background only coming out when  it is really needed. You  know, right after she has done something wrong, or is going to beg candy off of me. I am sad every time she does something sneaky and underhanded or even begins to fib. What happened to my sweet babies? I am just grateful this one will still crawl in to bed with me in the morning and cuddle. I am grateful she will always quietly came and hug and cuddle. She loves to be by me.

 Bubba on the other hand ....  Do not underestimate his sneakiness...... How do you even begin to bottle all his enthusiasm and mischief? His eyes emanate trouble, they just do. He is scheming all day long and sometimes in the night. He's larger than life and that's what defines him, and will surely kill me! I worry about him when he is with me and when he is not. When he is home he is getting into trouble constantly. Climbing and letting the dogs and the babies out of the side gate. Ever chased down two babies and two dogs at once? Breaks everything whines, oh he can whine. Makes all sorts of annoying boy noises and loud.  Even when he talks  there are no lower decibels. I am often asked if he has hearing loss. Nope, just no volume control. When he is at preschool or with a babysitter nothing changes, The rules are meant to be broken and he does not seem to care the cost. Yikes, I am in for it.What happened to my angel baby? He really was the perfect little baby. If we can manage to direct all this energy for good, he will be a force to reckon with.

Coming up for air...

I should not be doing this. Blogging that is. I really should be editing photos and designing Christmas cards I owe people. I have not comented on very many blogs because I force myself to stay away. Can't comment if you don't read. My google reader may rebel against me any day now.I tell myself  I can when life slows down. I feel like I just can't catch up. If I concentrate on my house my kids and photography suffer, and if I concentrate on my kids I am up all night long playing catch up. I have tried to strike a happy medium. Not there yet, but close. Had to finally get rid of my November header. I NEVER want to do a November like this last one again! I finally took a break from all my other demands to put up Christmas decor around here. My kids kept saying "Mommy everyone else has Christmas but us!" said in their best whiney voices. What's a girl to do? If I can dig in for the next couple days I will be caught up.I want to enjoy this season with my kids and that is something that is totally up to me, so after this week  if no one throws a monkey wrench in my carefully laid plans I might get back to MY life and my pre- move schedule. That schedule makes me happy and leaves room for extras and rest. I need a three day nap badly, and I am no loafer. Do I sound like I am whining? May be I am.....I mean to just state the facts, it is what it is........

P.S I did manage to get my Christmas cards done amid the chaos. Didn't even have to leave my house, best plan evah!!

Pumpkins, Pigs, and Packing

That sums up my week.
Pumpkins,

Pumpkins,

and more pumpkins...

Pigs,

and a friendly hay munching goat who looks a little possessed if you ask me.

Did I mention Pumpkins?

Oh yeah, packing.... use your imagination, we have all been there and it's not fun.