Big Family is Packing, Cleaning & Remodeling

You never realize how much stuff you have until you go to sell your house...or move...For the past two months, we have been going through closets, under beds, in the attic, and the basement.  I have found that we have entirely too much stuff.  Stuff we didn't even know we had.  Big Daddy has been finishing up small remodeling jobs that never were finished in our 12 years of living in this small town.

Grandma Grace came down and helped me go through the kitchen cupboards.  We spent about 6 hours organizing and packing and aren't done yet!  I'm ready to throw in the towel and stay where we are.  It's so much work!  Not that I don't like to work and love a clean home, but the thoughts of keeping it that way while it's on the market with 5 children creating mini-tornadoes everywhere they go, is a daunting thought!

Well, please say a prayer for The Queen Mama to stick it out and that we are able to list our house shortly!

Football Sign-ups Today

Wow! Even though baseball practice is just starting, Football sign-ups are already here in our neck of the woods for Little Big Man.  The Queen Mama does not want him to play because I cringe every time he makes a tackle or gets tackled!!!  BUT, Big Daddy says let him cause he loves it and he's good at it.  Word is that he is going to be the quarterback this year!  Yep, that's my boy!

                                                      Little Big Man after a game last year.

                                           Little Big Man has this Nike football and loves it!!!                                                    

Check Out Foster Adoption Mommy

                                        Visit my new blog:  www.fosteradoptionmommy.blogspot.com

Moving Madness

Well, we have decided to do it.  Sell our home, that is.  We have been working fiercely trying to get extra things packed away and finish our attic into a bedroom.  We were planning on doing it anyway for The Rock Star, and the realtor said it would help sell the house.  It's one of the highest priced in the neighborhood, so we have to do everything we can to make it sell.  We are still finishing up from our remodel and we have to have the house ready to list by May 1st.  Can you say stressful?    We are hoping to move from our small town to another small town, but we will see what happens.  I do enjoy being able to sit down at the computer at the end of a busy day and writing to all of you.  It helps keep things in perspective.
Blessings to you,
The Queen Mama

The Champ Didn't Make the Team

The Champ didn't make his high school baseball team, along with 39 other kids.  He's disappointed but not too upset, thank goodness.  Baseball is his life, though, and I'm wondering if he's not hiding his feelings from us. This is our son who we have carted and flown to 7 different states to play in tournaments on super competitive teams that he had to try out for.   55 kids tried out.  Seems crazy to me.  Why not make two teams or separate grades? We know most of the kids from him playing in this area since he was 4.  Some great kids on team.  However, have been told about 7 out of the 16 made it because of sports "politics".   Oh well, who am I to say?  Just a protective Mama Bear who can't stand to see her son suffer. How to deal with these kinds of things are not in the baby books.
So, I made him a special dinner and apple pie and ice cream, and let him play his favorite video game that I despise.  These teenage years can be heart wrenching!
Blessings,
The Queen Mama

Can I Please Have a Refrigerator, Bathroom, and Bed in my Car?

So today was one of those crazy days where I spent more time in my vehicle than I did anywhere else.  My Mom had invited me and my two youngest to breakfast at a restaurant we love, and I was looking forward to enjoying a Belgian waffle and a cup of hot tea AND having someone make and bring me breakfast for a change.  I should have known that Murphy would raise his hand and say, "I don't think so, sister!"

The Champ came to me last night and said "Mom, I think I'm wheezing.  I have guck".  Great.  He was wheezing, so after we dropped Little Big Man off at school the next morning, off to the Doctor we went.  Yep, wheezing.  Asthma treatments every 4 hours.  Well, the prescription would take awhile to electronically get to the pharmacy and be filled, so I totally took advantage of having my big strapping boy and took him to the grocery store.  He pushed the cart with food while I pushed the cart with the babies.  Then, off to the pharmacy.  Then home to unload groceries.  Then to the school to pick up Little Big Man.  Then took Little Big Man 1/2 hour away to the orthodontist while Big Daddy took the Princess to dance class.  Then had to hit a drive-thru on the way home since I was basically never home to prepare dinner.

It is times like these where I wish my already monstrous vehicle was equipped with a refrigerator, a bathroom, and a bed.  And, as I plop into my seat in front of the computer, I realize baseball season is only a couple months away, and I will be living in my car daily.  Perhaps I should rent or buy a Winnebago for the summer?  At least I could relax between stops!!!!

Kid Sleepovers~Why Do We Torture Ourselves?

Well, The Rock Star had a sleepover last night for his 13th birthday.  The Champ went to a friend's house for a sleepover, so that left us with 7 tween/teenage boys, one Little Big Man who thought he should be able to hang out with the tween/teenage boys, one Little Princess who thinks she is a boy and didn't understand why she couldn't hang out with them (and showed us by kicking, screaming, and crying), and one sweet baby who didn't like all the noise from the tween/teenage boys, Little Big Man, and the screaming Princess.

We tried to talk The Rock Star out of having a sleepover for exactly those reasons, but he wouldn't waiver.  We offered a skating party, bowling party, laser tag party, shopping, turning our attic into his own bedroom, BUT all to no avail.  Nope, he was bound and determined to have a sleepover.  "Mom, it's the only thing that will make me happy, and you said you just wanted me to be happy, and I could choose anything for my birthday party."

Which is why I had to laugh when a half hour after the party started, he came upstairs and said "Mom, can I open my presents now?"  NO, I said.  We do that later when it's time for cake.  "But MOM, everyone is kind of wild and they don't want to play video games, and Little Big Man and Little Princess won't leave us alone, and I need something for everyone to do to calm them down!"  After that statement, as I was beaming with pride that I actually instilled my dislike of loud, wild acting children into my teenage son, I let him open his presents.  Of course I had to add, "Do you see why we didn't want you to have a sleepover?"  Yes, Mom.....

Check out my Foster Adoption Blog!

Hey everybody~thought I would give a shout out to my other blog- Foster Adoption Mommy  www.fosteradoptionmommy.blogspot.com.  For those of you who may be interested in adopting through foster care, but aren't sure what to expect, you can follow our journey through the process.  It is a roller coaster experience, but I would do it all over again for my daughter~and I am!

More Christmas Happenings

The Queen Mama ventured to preschool with the Little Princess to make a gingerbread house.  We had so much fun icing and decorating.  We snuck a few of the goodies into our mouths when no one was looking, tee hee!

                                                      How sweeeeet is this picture?!!!

I love the look on Little Big Man's face, like "Did he just tell me I'm on the naughty list???"

My Sweet Princess at her Preschool Christmas Program in front of the Church Altar.  I am so thankful a Christian Preschool is available in my small town!

 

Miss B and I at her Preschool Christmas Program Celebration Reception.

We traveled to a store that puts on wonderful Christmas displays.  It was so crowded, this was the only picture I managed to get.

Christmas in Our Small Town

I hope you all had a Blessed Christmas.  We certainly did!  Our small town gathers around the Christmas tree in our tiny town square and celebrates the arrival of Santa Claus. He arrived this year in his new sleigh which was atop a flat bed truck! He got a police escort with sirens blaring and lights flaring.  The children were overcome with awe and joy!  Santa lit the town tree and then we followed him half a block to the fire station where the kids sat on his knee and whispered their Christmas wishes to him.  Everyone was given a special ornament commemorating the town for their tree.

Love these pictures~can't believe how fast time has flown and that The Champ and The Rock Star no longer sit on Santa's lap. Brings a tear to my eye!
Many blessings to you,
The Queen Mama

More Fall Small Town Living Fun

These are some great pics of the kids at another pumpkin patch, picking their pumpkins, going in a corn maze, and playing in the leaves at Grandma's house.  What a fun family day we had!

 These lovely flowers are from Princess B's field trip.  I love that farm!

 Look at the Pure JOY on their faces! Anticipating their jumping into the leaves at Grandma's!

 Forever a ham, The Rock Star!

 Go Little Big Man!

 My sweet oldest boy~Always meticulous at finding just the right pumpkin!

 Little Big Man could barely pick up his pumpkin, but he insisted on carrying it himself!

My favorite bunch of cuties at the end of the maze.

More Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Look at the fabulous antique wagon Princess is standing beside.  What a great display!

 Grandma and Little Princess walking through the corn maze.  This picture softens my heart every time I look at it.  They love each other so much!

 What a wonderful little country store they have for their patrons right on the farm! Look at all the fall goodies!  PS-I LOVE twinkle lights any time of the year!  They add that special something to nooks and crannies!

 Princess B playing in the kids' grain house.  She's right at home with the trucks~she's always playing with her brothers' toys at home!

 Yes, I let her pet the donkey, and Yes, we doused her with hand sanitizer as soon as she walked away!

Is that Princess B milking a real cow?  Nope, just looks that way!  How cute is that?!!!

And finally, a hay ride around the farm with lots of kid friendly Halloween displays along the way.  What a perfect ending to a perfect day! I LOVE small town living!
I hope you enjoyed your fall season, and if you don't have a change of seasons where you live, I hope you enjoyed my day on the farm!
Blessings to you and yours,
The Queen Mama

Fall Fun at the Pumpkin Patch Farm

Little Princess had a preschool field trip to the Pumpkin Patch.  It's located on a wonderful family owned farm about 25 minutes from our home.  My Mom and I took her and had a fantastic time! Enjoy the pictures of our small town day trip!

 Princess B~always happy to pose for the camera!

And me, The Queen Mama, loving some Fall Small Town Fun!

  Grandma even got in on the fun!

 

A Baby Changes Everything...

My dear friends, I am so sorry I have not kept you up to date since summer! Life has been wonderfully busy, and I have the best news ever!  We have a new baby in the house! We picked her up straight from the hospital at 17 days old.  She was going through methadone withdrawals, but is absolutely fine! We don't know how long she will be with us, but she is 1 month now, and we will love and cherish her as long as we have her!  I can't post a pic because of confidentiality reasons, but I will tell you that she is so precious and sweet and a true blessing to our family.  God is Good!  Please keep checking back for some great small town fall and christmas photos!
Blessings to you and yours,
The Queen Mama