As Many as We're Given

What It Is Like: Feeding All of Us

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:33:00 +0000

Wow--what a response I got my post about driving a giant van! I still have not added a picture. I'll try to take one today and add it. I'll be sure to let y'all know it is there, since you seem so curious. Really, it is just a giant white van, but I'm here to please my readers, so consider it on the list of things to do.

Today I thought I would write about what it is like to keep a family of eight from biting each other out of hunger. I read several blogs written by moms of many, so a lot of this is not new information, but maybe y'all don't read the same blogs. Also, this is really long and needs pictures too. I don't think I have any though.

First, let me say that I am terrible about clipping coupons and really working the circulars to save money. I'm not going to talk numbers here, but trust me when I say our grocery spending is not insignificant. Now, I could get that number down, I know, but time is money in some regards and I have no desire to spend hours scouring ads and going to five different stores and so on. Also, although we are terrible at it, I try not to buy a bunch of processed food. And we all know that is what a lot (most) of the coupons are for. You're not going to see a coupon in the Sunday paper for buy 3 pounds of apples get 3 pounds free I don't think.

Okay, boring part over (I guess?).

Photo source

Breakfast: About two years ago I changed the way we do breakfast. I was giving the kids cereal every day for breakfast. And inevitably, the kids not at school would be asking for a snack about twenty minutes later. I'm not a morning person to begin with, and pleas for more food while I'm still trying to remember my own name do not help me put on a cheery face. And if the little kids at home were hungry, then the kids at school were probably hungry too. So, I decided we needed more protein and more substance in general. Now we have eggs almost every morning, with biscuits and sliced ham or bacon, or eggs and waffles. Taylor (10) doesn't love eggs, but she knows she doesn't get a choice. That is one reason we usually still have biscuits or some other carb though--to help fill her belly at least a little bit. So on a normal week we will go through two dozen eggs in five days. I still do cereal about once a week. I need a break! We do the same kinds of breakfasts on the weekends, sometimes with more food. Today they had peanut butter toast and a banana, which is not the best breakfast, but still better than cold cereal I think. Cooking breakfast has actually helped me get in the habit of eating breakfast more often too, which can only be good. Lily (3.5) doesn't always eat what she's given and Ben (21 months) sometimes misses the main meal and gets something else when he wakes up.

Lunch: Lunch is boring and plain and will probably make some of my more health-inclined friends cringe. I pack lunches in the morning for the school kids. They could do it themselves the night before, but I don't mind doing it and I like controlling portions. They get a fruit (applesauce, grapes, fruit cans, oranges, apple slices, or carrots (Timmy (6) doesn't like a lot of the fruit options)), peanut butter and jelly sandwich and chips. I use natural peanut butter and try to get natural jelly when I can. The chips are whatever is on sale and a small amount. They know if they come home with fruit still in their lunchbox but no chips I will not be happy. Fruit first, chips last. They are allowed to buy their lunch at school once a week. It is $2.50 a lunch, so more often than that would break the bank. I obviously can't see how much they eat then, and I know none of them eat all of the food they are served. I'm not losing any sleep over it. I'll admit I like the small break when several choose to buy on the same day. The kids at home eat the same thing for lunch. I usually skip lunch (bad, bad, bad) or just snack. I am way particular about my food and get bored with the same thing really easily. Good thing my kids aren't like that! On the weekends we eat leftovers a lot. Sometimes Travis will grill something for lunch on a weekend day. We go through 2-3 loaves of bread a week.

Dinner: I try to plan meals a week at a time. Sometimes I share my menu plans here. I try to serve a protein (almost always meat, but we're working on it) and vegetables and sometimes a starch or carb, but also sometimes more vegetables or fruit. I really try to avoid using cream of something soups and casseroles too often, but they definitely make appearances. Right now our kids still eat smaller portions, or at least some of them do, but we are approaching the need for making more at dinner and it is going to get tricky. I dream of a double oven and six or eight burner range. Last night we had hamburgers, beans and fruit. We used two pounds of ground beef and that was just enough to make burgers for all of us. One large can of beans was just enough. I sliced two cantaloupe and two small watermelons. We'll eat that through the weekend, although my kids have wiped out that much cantaloupe at one time before. If we eat pork tenderloin we need two to feed all of us. I usually make two boxes of macaroni and cheese if we're all eating (although I really only serve the box kind to my kids when we're going out because I don't like it and they love it). One pot roast feeds us one time, maybe one serving will be leftover to eat. I use two pounds of beef or turkey for chili and that only serves us one time, and last time Travis didn't even get any. My kids love Steam Fresh vegetables, but it takes us two bags for the whole family. Spaghetti is a favorite meal around here. We use 1.5-2 pounds of meat, the bulk size of sauce and a pound of noodles. Everyone gets a serving and a smaller second serving and there is usually none leftover. Soups are good because we do actually have leftovers from those usually. For a chicken meal, I'll use five breasts usually. One for Travis, one for me, and the kids split the others. But this will change soon because they are eating more. I look for meals that are easy on preparation because we have four kids doing homework after school and at least one or two activities in the evening during the week.

Snacks: I try to have fruit on hand as a first option. We go through 5 pounds of apples in a week probably. Some of the kids love yogurt. A bag of grapes will be gone in a day if I allow unlimited grazing. I do let them eat animal crackers or dry cereal for a snack. I get animal crackers and goldfish at Sam's and it will last a couple of weeks maybe. The applesauce and fruit cans are for lunches only and last about a month. The kids get one snack in the morning and one snack in the afternoon.

Photo Source
Milk: We are averaging 3-4 gallons a week. I let Ben drink as much as he wants. Lily gets about 3 glasses a day. The other kids only get it at one meal most of the time. I don't drink milk and Travis drinks it sparingly. We choose to continue to drink whole milk, which is part of the reason I limit the big kids. I really wish milk prices would go back down.

So, I cook a hot breakfast 5-6 days a week (Travis often helps on the weekends). Lunches are the same almost every day and on the weekends we let the kids make their own. Dinner is cooked at home from "scratch" most nights but not all. By the end of a typical week we might have 3 or so servings of leftovers. I go to the store once a week, usually. We try to average about $200 a week for groceries, including diapers and toiletries some weeks. Try being the operative word. I know there are families out there doing better than us. We're working on it. I would love to eat out once a week, but that is usually not in the budget. Travis really helps a lot, usually grilling/smoking something once a week and helping with meal prep when he can.

So, I think we probably only eat the equivalent of one or two more servings than the average family most of the time, right now. But as I said, the kids are getting bigger and wanting to eat more and I'm going to have to start doubling some things.

What is your most challenging food issue at home? What is your family's favorite meal?

Linking up to Momma Made It Look Easy--I shared my awesome, you should too!

What I Wore Wednesday: Navy

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:58:00 +0000

Wednesday is here and I actually have a couple of outfits to share. I'll go ahead and tell you I feel ridiculous taking pictures of myself for my blog. I rarely like the pictures but I do a bit of editing (mainly cropping and exposure adjustments because that is all I can do) and put them out there anyway. Looking at other outfits has really helped me expand my wardrobe while still using things I already have.

Sweater and tank: Old Navy, Jeggings: Macy's, Belt: Target, Necklace: Noonday Collection, Boots: Macy's

I've had this navy cardigan for a year I think and had yet to wear it. It is a little big and has no closure, so it didn't look good on its own. I had also wanted to try a belted look for a long time, and finally realized I could put the two together. I felt really cute in this outfit and wore it to window shop at the mall. Sometimes Ben and I just need to take a stroll. It got really warm that day and I ended up changing into another outfit I like. But I forgot to take pictures.

Sheer blouse: Old Navy sale, Tank: Target, Jeans: JCPenney, Flats: Target, Pearl bracelets, earrings: Old Navy, Pearl Necklace: Charming Charlie's, Initial Necklace: The Vintage Pearl

I felt so pretty and feminine in this outfit! The picture is not altogether flattering, and later in the day I realized there was a button at the collar that made a cute keyhole feature. Oops. Anyway, next time I'll wear smaller pearl studs (all of my pearls are fake, by the way) because I like the necklaces and bracelets to be the stars. Also, I really need some better fitting jeans, but that is not currently in the budget. I originally bought the top to wear with jeggings and boots and I plan to wear it at Blissdom maybe, but some days you just want to wear regular jeans and flats, right? I wore this outfit on a very fancy grocery shopping trip to Target. The mundane things are sometimes more bearable when you feel pretty.

I did not plan for both outfits to feature navy this week, but I am kind of obsessed with the color right now, so maybe it was a subconscious effort.

Visit The Pleated Poppy for more outfit inspiration.

What It Is Really Like: A Giant Van

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:24:00 +0000

Hello Friday! I'm so excited the weekend is here. Date night tomorrow night! Woohoo!

People ask me questions fairly often about this life of mine. Having six kids is definitely not the norm, even though I feel like we know a lot of big families. So I though I might share some of my experiences here on the blog. If you have questions, ask away. I'll probably answer them.

I never expected I would be driving a 15-passenger van for my regular vehicle. I remember seeing the large families at church with their big vans and being so glad I didn't have to drive one. And now here I am. Humble pie is just as tasty as you think.

Truly, I have grown used to driving the Beast (as we so affectionately refer to it). I mean, even when I am on my own I usually drive the van because it is just what I am used to do doing. Occasionally though, I remember it is not normal to drive such a large vehicle on a daily basis.

A couple of months ago I had the privilege of attending a blogging event at the W Hotel in Dallas. This is a fancy place, y'all. I drove up to the valet stand (I was so glad I wouldn't have to figure out where to park downtown) and immediately two valets approached the vehicle. The first one opens the side doors and I immediately see his eyes widen as he takes in Ben and the general debris of a van used by a family of eight. "You're not a shuttle" he says. Um, no. Just me and my baby and some junk. By then another guy was at the back, thinking he would be getting luggage out of the van for the passengers they assumed I was hauling around. He sees the bumper sticker ("The bigger the van, the bigger the man, if you know what I'm saying" custom sticker ordered by Husband) and snickers and calls his friends over to laugh. So I get my baby out and in we go to the fancy hotel, me laughing about how I was just mistaken for a shuttle service.

So day-to-day I am not mistaken for a shuttle. But I do have to consider carefully where I will park. As much as possible I park where I won't have to back up. I feel like I have terrible depth perception and it is hard to see everything out of the back. So usually I park farther out in a parking lot so I can just pull through a space. My gym parking lot is tiny. There are really only a few places that I can park and get out of the space fairly easily. Last week I went to running club. We meet at 5:30 and I knew the gym would be crowded at that time. So I begged Travis to come home so I could drive the truck! What used to be a huge vehicle to me (the truck) is now our small one!

My huge van is just one of the things that surprises me about my life these days. I hope to share more about what life with six kids is like, if y'all are interested. Please let me know what you want to know!

Also, linking up with Jen at Momma Made it Look Easy for Share Your Awesome.

Just Write: Grouchy

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Oh my word am I grouchy this morning. The kind of grouchy that has no rhyme or reason, that started the instant my eyes opened. The kind of grouchy not helped by someone screaming at the wind and someone else admonishing their brother for an imagined offense.

It is so frustrating to feel this way and know there is no reason for it. And even if there was reason for it, aren't I mature enough to not give in to it? Whose life or day is improved by my petulance? Certainly not mine.

So.

Perhaps I will soak up the grouchiness in a book or a nap or both. Five of the six kids go to school today and I surely won't punish the baby (yes, nearly 21 months old, but don't you dare tell me not to call him baby) with my poor attitude. I'll seek out little bursts of happy and good and let them build up until there is no room for grouchy.

To start: I ran 3 miles Sunday and did a 30 minute workout at home yesterday. That is good. The family loved dinner last night. That is also good. I bought the new EP from All Sons and Daughters. Good.

Slightly less grouchy already.

Visit The Extraordinary Ordinary for more (less grouchy most likely) writing.

Just Write: What I Don't Write

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:22:00 +0000

This is my blog, I should be able to write what I want, yes? No. I censor myself. For a million reasons and for no reason. In true middle-child fashion I want to avoid conflict or tension at all costs. I want you to like me and I want everyone to get along.

So I compensate by venting to Travis maybe. Or talking to a friend off-line. I tell myself that my life and the words I do choose to share give insight into who I am and what I might believe. I reveal little pieces, the ones that I think will be welcomed and understood and not judged.

I don't write about what lays heavy on my heart, whether it be something going on in my own life or in the world at large. I keep things light and fun and shallow. Then I read someone else's blog and I think they are so brave for writing what they do. And then I get all harsh with myself and wonder if I am taking the easy way out, if I'm falling short where I could be doing more.

But this is my blog. I can write what I want. So it might be light and shallow and not too revealing, but even that is part of me. I don't have to have a place or an identity to write here. People can read or not read it. This isn't my life. This is one part of it.

And so what I don't write becomes as revealing as what I do write, except I'm the only one who knows what it is. And I think that is precisely what it needs to be. Writing here helps me to see what I need to write just for me.

Linking up with Heather of the EO.

Thankful on Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:35:00 +0000

I asked Twitter for inspiration to write today. Bari over at Live Laugh Run Breathe said she usually writes about something she is thankful for on Thursdays. What a great idea!

I was also inspired by myself. Ego anyone? No really, I was inspired while exercising. I did two classes today!

So what am I thankful for?

My gym membership. My gym. The childcare at the gym. A husband that works and is able to support our family so I can stay home and exercise at my leisure. If I had to get up and work out early in the morning or after a long day of work it wouldn't happen. I can exercise regularly because I don't have to sacrifice sleep or family time to do it. My gym is affordable and less than or right at a mile from my house. Almost (maybe all) of the classes offered are included in the membership, as is childcare. Now, the childcare is not spectacular, but my kids like going. They are safe, I know where they are, and I get a little break. Win for everyone.

I'm thankful for my health. Despite my lazy inclinations my body still works just fine. I could power through kickboxing and Zumba today because my body works the way it should. I'm thankful that I am a regular at my gym, even if I take a break now and then, and that exercise is a normal part of my life.

Finally, I'm thankful for friends (real life and online) that are encouraging and supportive. People that cheer me on and don't beat me up when I get in a rut. People are good.

What are you thankful for today?

Menu Plan Monday

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000

That's right. A new year and I'm starting it off right. Organized and stuff. At least for today. Some of my meals will be Pinterest inspired. So far that is what I use the wonderfulness of Pinterest for the most.

I'm not a resolutions type of girl, but I am setting some small goals month to month. One of the things I want to do for my family is get us in the habit of eating meatless meals more often. I'm starting out with a goal of one meatless meal a week. We'll see how it goes.

Monday: Foil Packed Chicken

Source: bigoven.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Tuesday: Chicken Noodle Soup
No picture, because this is something I've been making since before Pinterest. It is not an especially healthy version of the soup, but my kids really love it and it is a great use of leftover smoked chicken.

Wednesday: Taco Roast
Again no picture. I use a seasoning mix that was originally made by Homemade Gourmet and is now from Tastefully Simple. I just add tomato juice and water and put the roast in the crock pot. We'll eat it with corn tortillas. I'll probably serve fruit with it. I teach religion every other Wednesday evening, so I need a meal that can cook while we're at church.

Thursday: Pork Chops, zucchini chips, roasted potatoes

Source: dashingdish.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Friday: Cheesy potato soup in the crock pot

Source: bettycrocker.com via Nicole on Pinterest

Saturday: Leftovers! Hooray! I'm not much of a leftover eater, but my family is, and I will eat leftover soup.

Sunday: Hot ham and cheese sliders

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Nicole on Pinterest

There you have it, a week's worth of meals. Check out Organizing Junkie for more menus.

Merry Christmas 2011

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from our crew of crazy kids!

What I Wore Wednesday: Jeggings!

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Most (maybe all) of these outfits are from two weeks ago, I believe.I just didn't post them last week. I bought some jeggings because I was tired of the way my skinny jeans were bunching up in my boots. I had to go to the Juniors section to find some that I liked. I felt a little silly with my baby in a stroller in that department, but whatever.

Obviously not jeggings in this photo, and I also didn't feel like editing this morning. Green ruffle top from Old Navy, navy tank also Old Navy. Usual jeans, pink Converse from Target and huge paper beads necklace from Noonday Collection. We were obviously going to dance.

Jeggings are Levis from Macy's. Printed peasant top from Target. Sweater is an old maternity sweater that I held on to because I knew I would wear it again eventually, even though not pregnant. I like this outfit because I'm not quite comfortable wearing a shirt that hits my waist with such fitted pants, so the sweater gives me some coverage. Turquoise necklace and earrings from Francesca. I felt really cute in this outfit (I posted it last Friday but you couldn't really see the colors). I wore it to run errands.

Gray hooded sweater from Target, as is the long sleeve white shirt. Pink necklace from Allora Handmade. Jeggings and boots from Macy's. I was looking to try gray and brown together. It looked better than this picture makes it look. I wore this to I don't know where. I wore the outfit again on my trip, but instead of the necklace I wore a pink scarf and I liked that better, especially if I chose to not wear the sweater. Comfortable.

And this outfit is just to keep it real and keep me humble. This was my road trip wear when I went to Houston. The yoga pants and light-weight hoodie are from Old Navy. Tee shirt from Target. Pink Converse. I wanted to be comfortable for the 4+ hour drive, but also presentable should we need to make any stops.

Visit The Pleated Poppy for more outfit inspiration. I know looking at what other people are wearing has definitely helped me try new looks.

Just Write: Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:18:00 +0000

5 days until Christmas. I'm certainly not the only one writing about this today. I vacillate between ready and peaceful and overwhelmed and restless. Did I remember everything? Am I focusing enough on the right things? Am I getting it right?

This week we will do our annual tradition of driving to Meunster and buying steaks and pork chops for Christmas dinner. I'll buy some cheese and jams too. We could probably find similar things in town, but it is the trip that makes it special. On the way home we'll eat at Babe's, the fried chicken place that is so good. None of it is actually about Christmas yet it is all about Christmas for us. Our kids have asked every day when we are going. I love that they look forward to it and associate it with Christmas.

We'll also watch Polar Express and eat popcorn and drink hot chocolate. The kids will drink the hot chocolate from the Santa mugs my grandmother gave us. She gave them to us when we had four kids. Six mugs for six people; four kids and two parents. Now it is six mugs for six kids. The kids wonder what will Mommy and Daddy drink out of? (Of course the baby doesn't actually use one yet.) We'll happily sip from regular mugs. They'll sleep in their sleeping bags and it will be magical, despite the fussing and the warnings from mom and dad to settle down. And again, it is not really about Christmas (or not about Jesus anyway) but it is about it for us.

And isn't spending time together, making meaningful memories, enough? Or part of enough? I get so worn out and bothered by the constant cacophony of voices telling us to make it more holy and more this and more that and less about that. Can't we work our way towards our Savior in our own way? Does my way have to look just like yours?

I'll walk in Hope the way I feel led, knowing there is growing to be done and improvements to be made. And I'll hope you are doing the same, in your way, trusting that the One who knows it all loves you (and me) regardless of how we get there.

Merry Christmas! (picture from last year)

Linking up to Just Write at The Extraordinary Ordinary.

Friday Funbag

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:49:00 +0000

It is Friday! Also, last day of school for a couple of weeks! Right now I am excited about that. By next Wednesday I may be on the brink of insanity, but for now I am looking forward to no alarms (and no surprises--can you name the band?) and a relaxed schedule.

So, what is a funbag? A word I just made up, but also an indicator that you are about to get a big dose of random. Travis hates these posts, but sometimes I don't have one long, coherent post ready to go.

Last weekend I got to go to Houston with my girlfriends. It was wonderful. We were going to love on one of our friends who needed some comfort. All of us that went from our area have two or more children, with the exception of one friend, so a weekend without our kids was very welcome. It felt to indulgent to wake up Saturday morning and take my time getting out of bed (or off the couch, whatever) and just doing things at my own pace. We laughed and ate and laughed some more. There was shopping and game playing. We all went to Mass together on Sunday and it was just beautiful. Two of the girls had their babies with them (including a 7 week old!) so I got to hold other babies and snuggle and then give them back. Pretty sweet.

On the highway to Houston there is a giant statue of Sam Houston. So of course we stopped. For some reason there is a second, smaller statue of just his head. I don't know why it is there, but I took a picture next to it. But what do you when standing next to a giant head? I didn't know and I think it shows.

It was a truly great weekend, and I'm so glad Travis was so supportive in making it work. I'm a lucky girl.

So, if you read here you know I take pictures of myself for the blog on a regular basis. I also sometimes take pictures with my phone while I am standing on the edge of my bathtub. It is the only way I can see most of myself and sometime I want to send a picture to a friend to get their opinion. I am always worried I will fall off and the light is often too bright. But I also usually end up feeling like I look very skinny in the pictures, so I have no reason to stop doing it. Next week you will see this outfit in better light, but here is a recent picture I really like.

Naturally there have been class parties this week for school. I volunteered to bring cookies to two of the parties, and water and juice to two of them. I knew not to volunteer to make 80 sugar cookies. Making 48 was enough crazy for one week. I finally attempted royal icing and flood icing. I was fairly impressed with myself, although I still have some learning to do. My fingers were a food coloring mess when it was all done. Of course, the class yesterday had way too much food and my cookies weren't even served. Madeleine did give some to classmates at the end of the day, but I was a little frustrated that I went to all the effort only to have them not needed. I followed tips from from Bridget Bake at 350 and it really was easier than I thought it would be once I got going. Here is a blurry shot of my work, which makes me absurdly proud (the cookies, not the blurriness).

Finally, Benjamin is in full mischief mode these days. One disaster after another. He has colored on our computer desk (in pencil at least), emptied a box of toothpicks, pulled eleven million ornaments off the tree, and so on and so forth. Good think he is the cutest kid ever. (I say that about all of my kids of course.)

Have a good weekend!

My Favorite

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:15:00 +0000

The fun Jo-Lynne went old-school today, bringing back the blogging meme. She wants us to share our favorite things. So here you go.

My Favorite New Song: I don't have one song, but I am loving All Sons and Daughters. They are a "Christian" group, lovely harmonies, kind of a modern country pop feel. Really, they sound much better than I am describing here.

My favorite new toy: I don't have any new toys. I still love my ninja phone. I'll say my favorite is Travis's new smoker, because it has made him want to cook a lot and I love that!

My favorite new app: Like Jo-Lynne I love Instagram. I take more pictures than ever. I love sharing them with the community and Twitter with ease. I like to see what other people are sharing. It is just a fun app. And, I discovered StickyGram thanks to Pinterest. It allows you to easily choose photos from your IG feed and have them made into magnets! I'm giving some to a few of the godparents this year.

Favorite Christmas Story: Mortimer's Christmas Manger A sweet little story about a mouse who finds out about Jesus when he is looking for a place to sleep. I love the words and the drawings. (the link to the book might be an affiliate link)

Favorite new snack: I like to eat pretzels and cheese. It is a very filling snack that is not too bad for me.

Favorite new recipe: This delicious broccoli chicken bake that I found via Pinterest (again). It is creamy and savory and good. I usually use leftover smoked chicken to make it. I love that it is a recipe that does not use any cream soups; you make a simple white sauce instead. It is a regular on our menu rotation now.

Favorite new TV show: I don't have one. We don't watch many shows, and what we do watch is not new. We watch The Biggest Loser, the Office and Community. Otherwise it is sports around here. My favorite book series right now is A Song of Ice and Fire saga, otherwise known as Game of Thrones, by George R. R. Martin. The series is also not new, although the 5th book was just released. We don't have HBO so I haven't seen the TV show, although I really want to see it.

Favorite new lipstick: I'm still wearing Yummy Plummy from Revlon. Have been for a long time. I did start using new mascara this fall, Lash Love by Mary Kay. And I love it. I've never paid much attention to my mascara, but this actually makes a noticeable difference in my eyelashes.

Favorite new accessory: Fun, cheap jewelry from Charming Charlie. I'm much more willing to try new trends when I can do inexpensively. My favorite right now is a huge silver flower ring. Travis thinks it is obnoxious and I think it is perfect. It is similar to this one, with a sparkly pink center.

Favorite Christmas tradition: On Christmas Eve we go to the early Mass (usually 4:00 p.m.). When we come home we stay in our nice church clothes for dinner. We will have purchased some nice steaks and pork chops from a market in a nearby town. We use real plates for the kids (instead of plastic) and wine glasses for the milk. After dinner we put on our pjs and get in the car and go look at Christmas lights. Our kids get so excited about the trip to get the food for our dinner (the town is about 40 minutes away) and then all the stuff on Christmas Eve. It is a lot of fun for us.

Favorite new beverage: No new favorite here. I still have a deep and abiding love for unsweet iced tea. My adult beverage of choice is a classic rum and coke.

Thanks for the inspiration Jo-Lynne! To read her favorites, follow the link at the top of the post.

Just Write: Books and Wreaths

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:48:00 +0000

We've had an Advent wreath at least as long as we have had kids, so 10 years. Every year Advent comes around and I am determined that we will faithfully light the candles and say the prayers and make each day meaningful and holy. Except I fail in the first week. Every time. And like we do, I beat myself up about it and I read about this family that has it all together and their kids say insightful, beautiful words and I let that voice in my head that says all the negative run loose and wild.

This year I decided we would also do the Christmas book countdown. I looked for cheap books so that we had enough. I didn't even have it ready to go on December 1, but we opened our Elf on the Shelf and so I counted that book. I sat and wrapped all the books and kept shooing the baby out of the room while I wrapped and was generally not very charitable. But the books got wrapped and so on December 2 there we were, lighting the candle on the wreath and saying the short prayer and then opening the book.

Last night we did it again, and we have done it every day in between. And so then I let my mind wander and I almost tripped head-first back into that negative space. Wondering why it takes wrapping and reading a book to get me to remember to do the Advent wreath too. Where are my priorities? Why do I need this worldly exercise to get me to do the spiritual exercise?

But I stopped my thoughts. I told myself I would never be critical of a friend making the same effort. I need to speak kindness to myself too. And as I sat reading the book (St. Nicholas book, carefully planned to be opened on his feast day) with five of the kids around me, I decided to just appreciate that moment. It was quiet and they were all sitting and listening and maybe we make a lot of mistakes, but this was not one of them. God doesn't care what it takes to get me to pause, even for a moment, and if it is a book to go with a candle, then be grateful for the book. So I am.

Linking up with Heather of the EO.

What I Wore Wednesday: Need More Color

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:46:00 +0000

Hello again! I hope your Thanksgiving was just what you wanted it to be. We spent the holiday visiting my parents and my sister's family. Nine kids 10 and under make a lot of noise! We had a great holiday. The outfits I'm sharing today are actually not from last week, but they are from since I last posted for WIWW. They feature too much black and not enough color, so I will work on that (and again, I wore cute clothes other days and just failed to take pictures).

I wore this to run errands. Lily was going to school that day and did not wear my brown boots out of the house. She is good at the photobombing obviously. The boots are from 6pm.com and were a great price. They are a little wider in the calf than I would like but I know I won't find anything else at a competitive price. They are soft and comfy. The cowl neck oversized sweatshirt is from Target (can't find a link). It is so comfortable! I feel like with the right accessories and coordinating pieces it is not sloppy but cute. It is also warm. My jeans are skinny jeans from Old Navy that seem to not be skinny enough. Might look for new ones eventually. Allora Handmade necklace, silver cascade earrings, and a cute ring you can't see.

I don't remember where I wore this outfit. I think to take Caleb to sacrament class, and would then wear to Mass, except half of us were sick and we ended up sleeping through Mass. Oops. White shirt from Target, as is the cape/sweater thing. (I clearly don't know what to call it.) Jeans are Common Genes from JCPenney. I've had them forever and need new ones, but we all know the appeal of those jeans that are perfectly broken in. Turquoise necklace and earrings from Francesca's Collections. I had been looking for a simple, plain turquoise necklace for a long time and was so excited to finally find one. I like that it adds a bit of color to the outfit. Oh, and my boots are a few years old and I still love them. Michelle D from Dillard's.

Visit the Pleated Poppy for more outfit inspiration.

Just Write: Not Sick

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:16:00 +0000

I was doing that thing where I was sick but not acknowledging the sick. You know the one, that mothers (and sometimes dads and sometimes anyone who just can't be sick) do. I was powering through the needs to be done and putting on the not-sick face.

I took 3 pretty girls for haircuts and smiled and enjoyed the few minutes of watching each one alone while also standing in the middle of the salon so I could see all of them. I couldn't believe how long the oldest girl's hair was. Even when we cut it it is long and shiny and who is this grown girl in the chair? Still needing a booster, so not so grown but oh so close.

And so I went through the weekend. Not sick, not sick. Except I was and so Travis stepped in and did all the stuff. Made the meals, kept the kids quiet, gave me the rest that I needed but wouldn't admit to needing, at least some of the time.

And my family hummed around me, being a family that is large and loud and busy and normal, but also startlingly miraculous, in little ways and big ways that we don't even notice most of the time. A gentle word here, a trick to make the baby laugh there. Somehow knowing what was needed and doing it.

And in the sickness that wasn't sick I slowed down and let them be and it was just what was wanted. Not perfect, but perfectly us.

Go to The Extraordinary Ordinary for more writing.

Just Write: Writing about Writing

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:08:00 +0000

I missed writing and linking up last week. I had thoughts swirling in my head. I wrote bits and pieces of things in my head as I went through my days. I never slowed down enough to write them though. Or if I did, I judged them unworthy of publishing. Silly, since this exercise is all about just putting the words out there, rough and imperfect.

It still startles me that I can miss writing. I've never kept a diary or journal. I've rarely felt a build up of words, waiting to tumble down and out. But lately, they are there. Unformed, vague, but thoughts that want looking at, that want release.

I love reading other entries, seeing what has sparked a stream of words for someone else. I seek inspiration and encouragement. Sometimes just a feeling of "me too" or "I have been there" and less isolation.

It's all still so new to me, this writing thing.

Visit Heather of the EO for more entries.

What I Wore Wednesday: One Cute Outfit

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:21:00 +0000

I only have one picture to share for this link-up, but it is a cute one, I think. I have figured out how to use the timer on my camera. so maybe I'll have more in the future. You can visit The Pleated Poppy for more outfit inspiration. The idea is to encourage us to put a little effort into our wardrobe, even on days when we are not doing much outside the house.

I wore this outfit to a baby shower. It was a cool day, although I was a little warm by the end. The skinny jeans are from Old Navy, the white tee is from Target, the sweater and boots are from Macy's. Sweater this year, boots last year.

I'm trying to find more outfits for my boots. I love them, but I didn't wear them enough last year. I like the sweater trend, but I have to look for things that don't overwhelm my somewhat petite frame.

Quick Takes: As Random as it Gets

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Good morning friends. The whole idea of a Quick Takes post is to write short entries that do not warrant their own blog post. Sometimes mine have a theme, or are connected, but not so much today. Consider yourselves fairly warned.

1. I'm getting my hair cut and colored today! I usually get it cut every six weeks, but budgetary concerns forced me to reschedule so that it has now been 8 weeks since I got it cut. When you have short hair like mine it is important to keep it cut often. And my color is definitely ready for a refresher. I only highlight, so I can manage the longer time between colorings without it looking too terrible. I always think I am going to change the color and/or the cut and then I never really do. I'm too afraid to go really short and that is really my only big change option, since I already have short hair. Anyway, I know I'll feel like a new woman regardless of how big a change I make.

2. Tomorrow night we are having our first ever sleepover birthday party. We don't do individual parties for the kids because it is just too expensive and impossible to plan. We have a big family celebration in October (except this year in November) and the kids get plenty of presents from grandparents and cousins. But, we decided that a 10th birthday gets the full party treatment. Taylor turned 10 last month and we are finally having her party. 10 girls were invited and they are all coming! I was surprised there were no conflicts. We plan to decorate cupcakes, I'll do nails, and they can watch movies. Nothing too fancy because I'm just not that kind of mom. Taylor and Madeleine are very excited (Madeleine is friends with all the girls too and of course included) and have made a few plans of their own. Travis and the other kids will stay out of the house for a few hours and then come home and go to bed in our room, so as to not crash the party. I'm pretty sure I'll need lots of coffee on Sunday.

3. I did some browsing around the mall yesterday. I'm on the hunt for things to wear with the brown boots I bought last year to wear with skinny jeans tucked into them. I tried on several sweater dresses/tunics but there was not anything that I just had to have. Target had a dress I liked, but I didn't buy it. I did go to DSW and looked at all the pretty shoes that I have no reason to buy and wear. I wish I had a need for fancy heels, there are some really beautiful shoes out there.

4. I'm going to Blissdom 2012!!! This is very exciting for me. I've wanted to go for the last couple of years, but it has not possible. I was hoping to pay for it this year with my extra income, but circumstances have led to that not happening. However, after some talking with Travis we have decided to make it work. You have likely noticed that my most frequent posts have been the Just Write exercise. I am really trying to develop that style of writing more and I think Blissdom will be a great source of inspiration and direction. So, in February I will go to Nashville for 3 nights! It will take a bit of coordinating to get it all worked out for Travis but we have good friends and family who will help I'm sure. I'm just so excited. I hope to finally meet some of my favorite bloggers that I've been reading for 5 years now!

5. I'm still in a baseball depression. My Rangers lost the World Series. They were one strike away from winning it twice in the same game. Just when I thought I was moving on I read an article about it in a magazine and got all sad again. I'm fairly certain I take my sports too seriously.

6. I have cooked a real dinner every weeknight this week. I know many of you do that all the time. But with sports going on we always had at least one night where dinner was sandwiches. This week Travis and I have made grilled pork tenderloin and sides, tacos, smoked sausage and sides, and smoked chicken and sides. I think tonight we will have spaghetti. All easy meals, but still hot and fresh and planned. It feels good. I've found a lot of great recipes via Pinterest.

7. Benjamin is 18 months old tomorrow. I'm in complete denial. I still call him the baby. I think I always will. He is walking and sort of talking and just generally being a joy. We are blessed.

Works for Me Wednesday: Amazon Wish List

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:48:00 +0000

I can't get the code for the cute graphic to work, but I'm joining Works for me Wednesday at We are THAT Family. See the link at the bottom of my post!

Hello. Probably a lot of you already know about Amazon Wish Lists, but I just discovered the feature. Or I just started using it. So we have six kids and generous family that likes to give them gifts. I used to send links to individual items in an email to each person, but that is tedious and hard to keep track of. Enter the Amazon Wish List.

You create a list and when you find an item you want to put on the list, you just click the "Add to Wishlist" button. Easy! And, you can install a button on your browser toolbar that allows you to add items from other websites to your Amazon Wish List. So I can easily add American Girl items to the list. There is a place under each item in the list to put comments, so I can make a note of who would like the item and what size they would need if it is clothing. I shared the link to the list with the interested parties and hopefully holiday shopping is easier for everyone (including me!).

Go visit Kristen for more great tips.

Just Write: My Lily

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Her whiney-ness had been at 11 for oh so many days. And I wondered if I counted how many times she says "Momma" in one day what the number would be. A lot. Really a lot. And I know it is a gift and a treasure that I have her little voice calling to me. But don't you sometimes want to shed yourself of the "Momma" title? Maybe just for a few minutes?

Whining turned to just plain hyped-up, three year old girl energy yesterday. Oh so much laughing and silly jokes and questions and even more "Momma." We went trick-or-treating and at every house "TRICK OR TREAT, HALLOWEEN!" said in the loudest voice possible. I think people on other streets could hear her. And the people with candy laughed and maybe gave her extra and every time she had to show me what she got, as she ran away from the door with a "Thank You" tossed back towards the generous soul.

And then this morning she is already planning what she will be next year. A butterfly, I mean a fairy, and she holds her arms out and moves them up and down every time she says "butterfly" or "fairy" and I smile and put the image in my mind, savoring the enthusiasm and urgency for a day that is now a year away.

Tomorrow, or even later today, we will butt heads and I'll be frustrated and then I'll see those little arms moving up and down in my mind and hopefully I'll see that Lily and put away my frustration. She is so full of life. I need to let her life fill me up.

Read more writing at The Extraordinary Ordinary.

Grace

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:12:00 +0000

We settled in to our seats. Or as settled as we could be, with a busy preschooler and active toddler. I was determined to not get frustrated at the kids at Mass today. Husband was playing with the band, so we would sit on that side so he could see us and keep an eye on big kids if I had to leave with little kids. Church Grandma comes to our rescue, happily taking the baby (toddler but I'm sticking with baby) off my hands for the duration of the service.

I don't want to be grouchy or tense. I want people to see me sitting with my many children and see a mother aware of her blessings. So when the noisy and busy 3 year old girl is acting like the firecracker she is I try to calmly remind her to tone it down. She finds her way to my lap and climbs up. We stand for a song. I sway the mommy sway, so automatic a motion that I don't even know I'm doing it. She lays her head down and then instantly it is right back up because we must resist sleep.

We sit and listen. She lays her head down again, this time not resisting. Another child leans in and rests his head on my side. Slowly eyes close and breathing evens and before you know it we have synchronized snoring. Bound by two peaceful babes I can't stand or kneel with the congregation. Gentle reminders to the big kids that they can still participate. A soothing hand on a back, a kiss on the head, I remind myself to stay awake.

So maybe I didn't engage the way I wanted to or should. Or maybe I did exactly what we all needed. And I was that mother looking content and at peace with the life she's been given, if only for a small time. Grace.

Grace.

Linking up with Heather again. Go read more!

Accent Vlog!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:39:00 +0000

Hello friends! I have decided to join the world of vloggers, or video bloggers. This will not be a regular feature, but I had to do this one. See, Aimee and I have been reading each others blogs for five years but we've never heard each others voice! We even exchange text messages. Our husbands find it quite amusing, but I know my fellow bloggers don't think it is weird at all.

So anyway, this accent vlog has been going around for awhile now. Lee posted hers today and I decided it was time to do my own. You'll see me looking off to the side a lot--that is to read the list of words and questions we're supposed to use to reveal our accents if we have them. Oh, and I mistakenly said that Lee says pajamas the same way I do, but I'm not about to record the whole thing again for one small mistake. I hope you like it!

Yes, I absolutely did put on lipstick before recording. I was already wearing jewelry and cute clothes, for my trip to the fancy Wal-Mart. And it is quiet in the background because Lily is at Mother's Day Out and Ben is sleeping and the big kids are at school. And you can't see the massive mess, although the bookshelf behind me gives you a clue.

The Well

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:14:00 +0000

Linking up to Just Write again. Thanks for the push Heather!

So I've done this little writing exercise four times now. And I've enjoyed every one. I've felt inspired and challenged and the words have come fairly easily. Until today.

Yesterday was a day of elation, in my sports world. A day of guilt in my mom world. I was at a riveting playoff baseball game and my 9 yo daughter was home, puking. Thank goodness our sitter was a friend from church with grown kids of her own. She handled it all and told us we better not leave the game. So we didn't. It was a great game. I thought maybe I would write about that.

Today I took cupcakes to my 10 yo daughter at school. Her birthday was yesterday. We celebrated Sunday. She got her ears pierced. I am feeling wildly unprepared for this stage of parenting. This is when we all start to remember the hurts and petty jealousies that people can thoughtlessly inflict on each other. So my heart hurts a little bit already, before it even begins. Lord, help me be the Mom she needs.

I didn't know what I would write today. I still don't know what I want to write. I have words somewhere, waiting to get out. Maybe I need to step away to find them.

Momma Got Messy

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:45:00 +0000

I meant to write about my mud run experience a couple of weeks ago, but life got in the way.

That's me. Covered in mud.

A few of my college girlfriends decided to the Jailbreak (loud video on the front page, fyi) this past September. One girl had done a mud run in the spring and had so much fun that she somehow convinced more of us to try it. Considering I hate to get dirty and am really rather prissy, this is no small task.

The race was a 5K. I was prepared for stretches of mud, but this race was mud from beginning to end. In between the obstacles the course was just mud. I found it rather hard to run in mud, I guess I'm not light of foot, because of the slipping and sliding. Some of the obstacles included an army crawl through mud under police tape, sliding down a mud hill into a giant mud puddle, climbing a ramp using a rope (the ramp was covered in mud), climbing a cargo net hung over a metal frame (totally shaking when I got done with that one because I hate heights) and various other things.

It was so fun! We weren't worried about our time at all and waited for each other along the way. We cheered each other on. I didn't skip a single obstacle, even though it took me a few tries to complete a couple of them. This race was all about doing something new and overcoming challenges.

I can't wait to do another one!

We Need

noreply@blogger.com (nicole) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:49:00 +0000

Something on the calendar every day. Practice here, meeting there, drive, drive, drive. We need to eat. We need to play. We need.

Everyone in the house was in bed and asleep by 9:00 on Sunday night. What an indulgence! I hoped I would wake up refreshed and renewed. I woke up sneezing and even more tired. Thankfully seemed to be allergies and I found the energy to get done what needed to get done.

I happily took a meal to another family with a new baby. (Thank goodness for friends with babies for me to hold!)

Rangers win! Hooray! We watched Mad Men. I was reminded to be grateful.

And then this morning. Arguing, crying, wishing for a different family (not me). Assurances that this is precisely the family we need, chosen by God, not us. Hugs and words of affirmation.

Prayers and pleas. We need.

Please join Heather for more Just Write entries.