"No, I crazy!"

 Sometimes I can get my girl to look this cute...

...but most of the time she looks like this!

(her hair is always so crazy and messy).

Snot, fevers, and coughing...Happy Birthday to me!

So...today is my birthday...and I get a day full of snot rubbed all over me, coughs thrown at my direction, and hot bodies clinging to me...my baby's are sick :(

Poor Gentry has never been this sick before and doesn't know how to handle it. She is so congested, woke up every 2 hours last night, and wouldn't fall asleep and stay asleep today unless I was holding her. But life must still go on and we had to pick the boys up from school (different times) and fortunately she fell asleep while picking Reid up and has stayed asleep. Maybe I can get something accomplished today...

Fortunately Jed is home early and will be making dinner (because it's my birthday and I don't want to do it), although he'd probably make dinner anyways...he's a culinary genius! Last night he made pulled pork...delicious!!!

We will be playing this weekend for my birthday...it's a surprise...for everyone else but me!

Oh...and my throat hurts...bummer.

Watch Out! He's got PoWeR!!!

Reid was able to be Vice Principal for the day on Tuesday and LOVED every minute of it!

 He has a small tendency to get hyper when he is excited, so I came up with putting a heart on his hand to help him remember to calm down. Every time he would see the heart he would tell himself to stay calm...I think it worked!

 At the end of the school day he was able to help control the annoying parents who drive in to the parking lot to pick their kids up (they aren't supposed to, everyone is supposed to park and walk to pick their kids up but there are some parents who feel they are too  important/good for those kind of rules).

 Reid with Mr. Canfield.

Reid with Mrs. Hobbs and the Principal for the day.

He was so excited when he learned that he could keep the badge and whistle!! I was excited about the fact that we needed 1 more whistle for our 72 hr. kit and I had an excuse to take it from Reid! (Now he will be able to keep it forever and never loose it!)

All I need to do is SURVIVE!

This new year has brought a lot of realizations to the surface for me, the biggest one is the fact that I have been on survival mode for the last 4 1/2 years! Ever since Jed started going to school full time and I nannied, plus took care of my two boys, plus started my own education...all I was able to do was live day by day and survive. I never had time to look to the future and see what may come, I never had time to plan and prepare for the future. Things got randomly placed and food was randomly prepared (not always the healthiest of choices); my kids grew before my eyes without me catching every milestone. What's worse is that my spiritual part of life got neglected the worse, probably when I needed it the most.

Fortunately, I have ALWAYS been able to see what I can improve on and this year is definitely no different! What does makes it different than other years though is the fact that I am ready to get out of survival mode and into actually LIVING MY LIFE and ENJOYING it! I can notice my kids and learn what makes them tick, I can see my husband for EVERYTHING he is (good and bad), and most importantly, I can focus on myself and improve the skills and knowledge I desire to gain.

I look forward to the future; I am excited for what is to come (a little apprehensive...but excited). I am learning to step away from the computer when my family needs me and I am learning to be there for my family, especially if it means ignoring what NEEDS to be done (there's always something) and just enjoying the time together.

I now have a bazillion projects I want to do, some to improve our home and life and others just because I want to create it! We are working on our 72 hr. kits the next two weeks and then moving on to finalizing our 3 month supply (I am using this site for the 72 hr. kits).
I also want to make this by Valentine's Day (I have the frame, just need to repaint it and get the paint off the glass).

And I want to make this as well for my girls...they need a place for all of their accessories!

 On top of these fun projects I am reorganizing the rooms in my house. I have started with the kid's room and am mostly done (pictures to come soon). We have also started on the kitchen (the busiest room in the house)! I'll post pictures as we organize that room also!

And because I don't want to leave this post on everything I WANT to do, I'll leave it with my crazies!

Mess-a-holic

Hello, my name is Leona...and I'm a mess-a-holic. :(

There is something I have been realizing more and more these past couple of weeks...I tend to make a big mess in my house. Having 4 kids, I am constantly being pulled in every direction imaginable! After I finished a task, for example, changing Gentry's clothes, I would stand up, pick Gentry up, then sit on the chair to feed her...leaving the pajamas on the floor to be picked up by someone else (or myself...but later on in the day). In so doing this...I have trained myself to clutter the house up quite fast (and it does happen fast in our little home). I also HATE doing the dishes and tend to leave it alone until either the pile is too big to fit on the counter...we've ran out of dishes...or something starts to stink. My goal to change my horrible habits is to ALWAYS put what I have in my hands away where it belongs (not just set it down somewhere else) and to ALWAYS do a load of dishes every day (I'm still working on cleaning up after we have finished eating, I know it would make my next day a lot easier...but I am just too tired at the end of the day).

These bad habits...I blame on the kids and my husband ;) However, it is I who needs to change and change I will!

Wasting Time

I have come to the awful realization that I waste too much time on Facebook and Pinterest...yes those are my two evils. I'm not much of a stalker on Facebook, however I pretty much check my newsfeed multiple times a day. Pathetic? Yes, yes it is. So, I am now going to waste my time updating my blog! I really want to start a journal and since I am already on the computer I may as well use it wisely.

These past few years have been a roller-coaster ride of an experience! The first two years were definitely the hardest ones from thoughts of being cheated on to being a single mom. I was warned ahead of time that I would be considered a widow and that raising the children and keeping up with the house will be all on me. I thought I was prepared for that, however I don't think anyone could fully prepare for graduate school with children :) The biggest thing I was not prepared for was the drastic downfall in the emotional relationship between Jed and I. For me, I NEED face time with those who I have any kind of relationship with, if I don't get it often enough I start to worry and wonder if something is wrong between me and the other person. In mine and Jed's case, he would leave early in the morning and not come home until 1:00AM the next day. I RARELY saw him. I started to worry and get thoughts about why he was staying so late (let me add a side note here and let you know that Jed  would NEVER cheat on me, he loves me too much, and if he ever did his family would disown him and keep me). I always told him that if he needed to study then he needed to stay at the school, because once he was home then his attention needed to be on me and the kids (not school), which explains why he was always gone those first two year (and boy were they intense...he was basically going to medical school on top of dental school).

However, throughout those two years Jed did the best he could to spend as much time with the kids and myself as he could. When he was home, he was with the kids and gave them as much attention as they needed. He would also stay home in the evenings when he was able to so I can have a girls night here and there (I think he realized I was a much happier wife when he did that).

We had some enjoyable moments as well, gaining a German daughter (foreign exchange student), being a tourist in LA, enjoying the Aquarium of the Pacific, Disneyland, the beach, camping, fishing, crabbing, and so much more!

This past year Jed has been home a lot more and I am having to adjust my way of doing things. You change what you do in order to get things done when there is just one of you, now that there are two of us every now and then, I need to let Jed do more to help out. However, I have learned that I have fallen into a few bad habits and will be taking this year to change them.Most importantly, I am focusing on organizing my home and keeping it clean. I understand this process will take awhile (probably a whole year) and by the time we need to move I will hopefully be happy with how my home looks and feels! I plan on posting often how I have managed to squeeze 4 children and 2 adults into our tiny little 2 bedroom home. I have already started on the kids room and once we get our printer working again I can get it finished (printing labels). I have dejunked their toys and clothes and re-organized how everything is set up. So far 3 of the kids are there but we will soon be getting Adaire out of the crib and moving Gentry into it (so ALL 4 kids will be in 1 room and hopefully Jed and I will get more sleep than we usually do).

I plan on posting often, just telling about our days and how things are going with my crazy family. Hopefully I will keep this habit up, it is definitely one that I want to continue.

Chores...Ugghhhh

I have tried many different ways to get my kids to clean up, I have taken away ALL of their toys (which is what has currently happened...again). I have grounded them from T.V. and video games (they have just recently been able to watch t.v. again but are still grounded from video games for another month). I have tried bribing them with money, making them wash walls, making them do extra chores...but NOTHING seems to work.

I believe my problem has always been that I have not been very consistent in making them clean up regularly...like on a daily basis, or possibly not instantly following through with the consequence. So, I have created 6 daily chores that need to be done every day...

1. Kids bedroom: put everything away

2. Bathroom: put everything away, wipe down the counter top, and clean the mirror

3. Hall: put everything away and take laundry out (our laundry hamper is in the hall)

4. T.V. Room: put everything away and clean the couches (inside and under)

5. Office: put everything away and clean off desk

6. Kitchen: Clean up floor, wipe down counter tops, and put away clean dishes

Tuesdays are early out days which means the boys have more time to do chores, so I added 2 more chores for these days...

1. Laundry: help put laundry away (Tuesdays have now become our main laundry day)

2. Sweep and mop the floors (kitchen and bathroom)

Every night the boys 'draw' a chore (they don't know which one they are getting) for the next day. However, they also draw a consequence also. If they do not get their chore done by the time it is bedtime...a consequence will happen. The 8 consequences I choose are...

1. No T.V. for 1 week

2. No video games for 1 week

3. Clean the toilet

4. Do someone else chore the next day

5/6 Wash 5 walls and baseboards

7/8 Mom/Dad chooses

Mom and Dad have chores as well and the kids were able to choose our consequences (they enjoyed doing that). Since Daddy is so busy, his main chore is the trash (and taking it out on trash day). His consequences are, no video games for 1 week and no soda for 2 weeks. My main chore is the kitchen, to have ALL of the dishes washed and my consequences are 10 walls and baseboard and no t.v. for 2 weeks.

Today is Day 1 and so far so good. We talked about helping each other out and that it is ok to remind each other to get their chore done. Reid volunteered to take the recycling can out to the curb for daddy and Lliam volunteered to clean the couches for Reid. PLUS...Reid reminded me that they needed to draw chores for tomorrow...I think this just might work. Granted it is the first day, but it got me to get ALL of the dishes washed!

WHAT?! I have a blog?!

For Labor Day we checked out a new place called Adventure City with my parents and we loved it! The rides were perfect for all of my kids, but there could have been more. This is a video I took of my little girl on the roller coaster. It looks more jerky than it was (although it was a bit jerky), but this girl didn't care!

(Oh, and I promise to blog more)

Gratitude Day 19: My amazing, talented husband!

I am grateful for Jed and for how talented he is when it comes to cooking! He loves to try new recipes and always encourages me to try new food. I've even started enjoying cooking with him and trying new recipes (albeit simpler than his) on my own! 

Peking Duck, 2 ways...in the oven and on the grill!

 Both turned out really yummy! Although the skin wasn't as crispy enough to call it worthy...so according to Jed, he failed.Oh well, I guess he'll just have to try it again!

Moussaka! Super, duper yummy! We LOVE it!

 Pollock Panier...an Indian cheese/spinach dish. Another favorite of ours! (These pix only show the cheese tho).

Graham Marsala...again, yummy dish!

Can't forget our desserts! Sugar-free blueberry cheesecake with homemade nut crust. Mmm, Mmmm, delicious!

 Me! Making Plum sauce for the Peking Duck

 

Jed caught a ton of squid...we love calamari!

Gratitude Days catch-up! (17, 18)

 Gratitude Day 18: Today I am grateful for vacations!!! I am so excited to be able to spend a week with my kiddos and not have to worry about homework (theirs and mine) and just enjoy our time together! I am also grateful for my parents, Doug Gentry and Becky, who I get to spend a week with and not worry about being the only one who will clean up after my children ;)

Gratitude Day 17: Today I am grateful that I am a stay-at-home mother and if I feel like it's going to be a lazy, get nothing done day...I can! (Although I feel so guilty because Jed can't ever have one of these day right now...especially these next couple of weeks). I think I'm just exhausted from the party yesterday...yeah, that's it.

Gratitude Days catch-up! (14, 15, 16)

 Gratitude Day 16: Today I am grateful for a fun birthday party that went well! Everything was done in time, the weather was PERFECT, I had wonderful Moms who helped me, the bounce house occupied the kids so I only had to plan 2 games, Lliam received some totally cool toys....AND it's over!!!!

 (Notice the placement of the animals. I told Lliam he can tell me where he wants them to be!)

Gratitude Day 15: Today I am grateful for Reid's teacher, Ms Woolum! She is an amazing teacher and does so much for her kids! Reid loves going to school and loves his teacher. She is also able to challenge him and the other students who are more advanced and I am grateful that she takes the time to help those few children advance as well as keep the others working hard at improving as well. I am also grateful for every teacher everywhere! For all of the sacrifices they make in order to teach our children. Thank you!

 

Gratitude Day 14: Today I am grateful for my wonderful husband, Jed Burton. He sacrifices so much and goes through so much stress so that one day we will be able to live comfortably and without worry. He still finds time for me during all of his craziness but most importantly, he understands that our children need his time and attention as well. He always has a shadow when he is home (baby girl) and steals time between studying to wrestle with the kids, play peek-a-boo, or chase. Thank you babe for working as hard as you do and still manage to make time for all of us! I love you!

Gratitude Days catch-up! (11, 12, 13)

 Gratitude Day 13: Today I am grateful for Christmas music...I know it's early but 1 month is just not enough to listen to it!

Gratitude Day 12: Today I am grateful for washing machines, I know it's not very personable...but I don't know how I would wash all the laundry we have every week by hand.

 

 I am dedicating this post to a friend of mine who was killed while fighting for our freedom, Rowan Walter.
Gratitude Day 11: Today I am grateful for everyone who have fought and are still fighting for my freedom. Thank you for all of the sacrifices you have made so I can be free. I am also grateful for the sacrifices their spouses make so they can go to war.