hey!

we are back!!!! update coming! thanks for sticking around waiting on me!!!!!!!!

travel post

Ok everyone!!!! We are about to embark on the travel of the century. I am so nervous, yet kind of excited now. We are going to achieve so much on this trip. I will update with pics and info as I am able. We are taking a computer with us, but if I have anything to say about it, it won't get opened. I am all about the abstaining from electronics thing. My husband may have issues with that though. Please pray!!!!! Keep my family in your thoughts. For safe travel, for getting along, for my back to not go out sleeping in a tent (which i have NEVER done...) and to pray for answers about Rachel. Thank you all, and God bless!!!!!

Monday evening musings....

I have no idea how these bloggers (yes, you...Della) have time to write a post or 3 every day! I am scrounging some days just for something to write about. We really aren't doing much these days...just cleaning, and getting ready to pack. I really have such trepidation about this trip. I mean, driving in California??? What the heck am I thinking? It is bad, right? Like 6 lanes of traffic or some crazy thing like that? The convention is in Costa Mesa...right by the ocean. There is a lot of traffic by the ocean. Man!! I gotta move on to a different conversation. My heart is beating fast just thinking about it.

We walked 4 miles the other day. Went to the library, then to eat, and then back home. I was pooped! It felt nice, but definitely not something I am used to. Then we got home, loaded up in the van and went to watch a free outdoor band concert. My kids liked that. I didn't like the smells of everyone's bug spray, but then again...I don't like many smells. Anyone out there like me? Dislike smells, loud noises, certain textures, bitter tasting things, bright lights? I am on sensory overload at any given time, hence the California anguish.

Could still use a little more donations, if anyone were interested in helping out. Rest assured, I am doing this whole thing with the thrifty plan. I will not be throwing anyone's money around at all. I hate donating to things where I think they will misuse the funds, so I would be a hypocrit to do that myself. A hypocrit I am not. I am my own worst critic. If I tell my kids not to do something, most times it is something I wouldn't do either. It is such a bad example if I did. Now, I know that I am an adult, and there is some things adults do that kids can't, but that isn't what I mean...I do not drink, smoke, watch horror movies, listen to bad music, etc. :)

Well, Rachel is NOT wanting to go to bed tonight, so I need to go help. She is emerging with a little attitude this week. Which is a good thing, but then again, a not so good thing. I wonder how she will camp..........

wal mart and drunk folk

Just got back from a rousing trip to the Wal Mart. I hate shopping there. It's not that I hate Wal Mart in particular, it's just that it is so huge, and my feet hurt when I get done. And we always spend too much money. I am such a tightwad... This could be TMI, and if so, I apologize. I own one bra. That bra finally bit the dust. So I HAD to go get another one. Can't think about going to church tomorrow without it, can I? LOL. So, got that, a battery for a lantern, and a bunch of food. These kids eat way too much food.

In the line at the check out, there were these two drunk guys buying more beer. One of them was so disgusting that he spit on the floor!!! ICK! We mentioned to the cashier that she might should have not sold it to them, and she said it was hard to tell the difference between drunk and stupid. I see her point. I only pray that they made it to their destination without killing someone. Drunk driving is always bad.

In other, non related to Wal Mart news, we found out that we all fit in one tent! I am so excited. It gives us way more room in the van to only have to carry one tent. We have our full/queen? blowup bed, and 4 littles sleeping with us, and then in the other room, the 4 big kids. It's not even cramped. We won't have to pay for 2 tent spots everywhere we go now. Tightwad rejoices. LOL!

10 things I love and hate about a big family

Loves
1. Never a dull moment here. Always someone to make you laugh, or to play with. (The first pic is Nathan, being Nathan!)
2. Always some leftovers (from the little kids anyway...and sometimes, that is my dinner)
3. Always someone to hug you or kiss you for no reason
4. Seeing the older ones exhibit patience with a younger child (it does happen, occasionally)
5. Always having another go 'round with that baby smell....ahh! They should bottle that one up and sell it at the wal-mart. Always having another go 'round with the itty bitty tiny baby clothes.
6. The excitement when we do something as a surprise is always great! They are so expressive and put the joy in whatever it is we are doing. (the pic is Braydon learning that we were going to an amusement park! Woo hoo!
7. Whenever I need help, there is always someone willing to pitch in with me.
8. We have a basketball team, a soccer team, and almost a baseball team.
9. I love being able to say, yep, they are all mine....or, that isn't all of them, there are (blank) more at home, and seeing the shocked look on their faces
10. Seeing each and every personality blossom and grow...

Hates
1. Laundry.. 'nuff said
2. Cooking
3. Cleaning. I have never been a clean person by nature. I am always surrounded by piles, and boxes and books...It just got worse with each kiddo. I am working on that.
4. Remembering all their names. My memory is bad enough, but when you throw in a large family and a mom trying to get the attention of a misbehaving child, and she is flustered? You get Au-Ad-Conn-NATHAN!! Stop that. :)
5. The ever pressing need to always rearrange something...a room, the toys, the homeschool stuff....it works for awhile, and then it just doesn't anymore.
6. Not getting to use the bathroom sometimes, when I really need to go!!! There are two bathrooms, back to back and sometimes, they are both occupied! Can you believe that? LOL
7. Having to always share any little treat I get, or meal for that matter. They have such cute little faces, I can't say no...
8. Getting up early. I have NEVER been an early bird....So, while I have always gotten up early with the kids, I have never liked it. Not ever......
9. Not being able to run to the store for a quick shopping trip. Someone always wants to go, and you just can't be quick, even for a couple of meals worth, when you are feeding 10.
10. Paying a small fortune for fast food. That alone has almost broken the habit. So, maybe that should be in the things I love category?

Ultimately, I love my big family....I wouldn't change it for the world. Even with all the things I dislike, there is so much more that I cherish. God has blessed me and I fully appreciate those blessings. :)

can anyone help me with a dilemma?

I know...I know. I keep asking for stuff. First, donations to go on this trip, then camping tips. But now...I need help getting rid of things. How do any of you decide what to get rid of and what to keep? I am a sentimental junkie and with 8 kids, I always want things on hand for any of them. That leads to too much clutter. I want tips for organizing and purging. Motivation for purging. Something!!!

Works for me Wednesday WFMW....boredom

How do you keep children from getting bored? Well, I am not an expert, because I hear it quite frequently. However, there are some things we use to help keep them at bay. We take advantage of the summer library programs. They are usually 2 times a week. Reading is always good for boredom.

We go to the park at least once or twice. Lots of kids and fun equipment equals fun!

The kids just recently got a club penguin account. The base account is free, and for the free one, you can play some of the games and chat with other penguin kids around the world. There is safe chat, and regular chat. It is basically an online community for children, that is totally safe. I read an article the other day saying that club penguin was one of the very few online places that are very safe for kids, because there are moderators and strict filters. We just paid for a month for each kid and it costs just under 6.00 each account for the paid version. It unlocks more options if you pay, but the free one was fun too! They get a half an hour a day, sometimes twice if I deem it necessary. Oh, and parents can monitor the accounts too! You can also set time limits, and it will just turn off when the time is up.



They go outside and play watergun fights, do chalk drawings, play in the mud, climb the tree in the front yard, play on the swingsets in the back, and ride bikes or scooters. Play legos, legos, legos in the house. Is there any reason to keep any other toy??! I should just get rid of the rest. We read a ton....I have so many books that our house is a fire hazard. Board games are also good, but our boys tend to fight over them, which annoys me to no end.

Ultimately, any child will still get bored, so it is just a part of life. Just move on to the next thing. We really don't suffer for thinking of things to do in the summer, because we homeschool. We actually do some work over the summer, but really....except for the school part, they have the potential to be bored at any time of the year.

Trip advice needed....got any???

Well, let's see....what is going on this week? We found 3 sleeping bags and a couple of cookware type items for our camping adventure. Trying to figure out whether or not KOA's are worth the extra expense. I want to ensure that the kids have things to do when we stop for the day, but do not like the idea of paying the same type of price that we would pay for a motel. Is there good camping locations between oklahoma and california that do not cost a fortune?

Hubby had a really bad migraine today. It was a big one...He has them every now and again. I think the stress of this trip has him all tied in knots. There is just sooo much to do planning a huge trip with 8 children!!! Thank goodness it finally subsided.

Trying to sell an entertainment center, to raise more money. Still needing some of that, if anyone is wondering (smile). A big ole wind gust grabs the glass door and tears it off the hinges. CRASH!! Glass all over the driveway now. The person interested still wants it, but due to the broken glass and messed up wood, she only wants to pay 10.00 for it! Oh well....Better than hauling it off now, huh?

Still trying to figure out what we want to do while on this trip. Being that we are spending so much time and money anyway, we might as well do something fun, right? We are going to the ocean...free I think. We are camping at the Grand Canyon...only paying to enter the park and camp I think. Umm, staying at a couple of churches hopefully. There are church groups that are connected to ours, so maybe they will have somewhere to stay for us. That will be free. I am trying so hard to find frugal things to do. I think Disney is out, even though they got us good rates from the convention. Knotts Berry Farm is good rates, but the reviews are horrible. San Diego Zoo is too big and not really better than our zoo here, someone said. They told us Sea World, but not sure how much it is.

I need help here, people! Anyone with any ideas. Must be frugal...I am a cheapskate by nature, and being that this is funded with donations partly, I don't want to feel like I am wasting someone's money. But, I do want my children to have fun and remember this, because it may be another few years before we get to do it again.