Katelyn-The Artist

Last week Katelyn went to a birthday party at It's this great place where they teach you how to paint a preselected picture. For adults, you bring in your own drinks, from pop to wine to whatever you want. Pretty fun place! Katelyn had a blast and created this masterpiece that is hanging proudly in our hallway. I can't wait to sign the other kids up for a class to see what they come up with as well.

You call this "Spring Break"??

Our quarter at school ended last Friday and after a horribly stressful quarter, I was really looking forward to the break. Here is it Friday night, a whole week later, and we start back to school in just 2 short days. It has been cold and rainy all week so there's been no hiking, no long walks, no relaxing outside in the sun! I had planned on doing a garage sale this weekend but the weather has been so nasty that I haven't been able to set it up, especially being that I can't actually use the garage and have to do a 'yard sale' instead. Tim and I start back early Monday morning....and the kids get the week off for THEIR spring break! Looking at the forecast, they get warmer weather and more sunshine that we did. I guess that's a good thing because they can be outside and run off the extra energy. I'm just NOT ready to go back to school yet and really wish we could have another week. My house hasn't gotten spring cleaned like I hoped, I haven't done the reading I had wanted to do and I haven't gotten to sleep in a single day. Seriously...this is spring break??? I guess this is what spring break is like as a mom of 5.

Tuesday Tantrum

I'm in a pretty goofy mood today so it's hard to find something to throw a tantrum about. HOWEVER, mornings always rank top on the list! Getting up at 5:15 so that I can get myself ready, in order to get the kids up at 6:15 and get them dressed and hair done so that they can be eating breakfast when I have to race out the door at 6:30 to get to class by 7, is making me C~R~A~Z~Y! I hear so many students complain about their 7am classes, then hear that they got up at 6;45 and raced to class. No getting up at the butt crack of dawn, with only 3-4 hours of sleep because they were up all night studying for the exams they have later in the day. They just get themselves up and race to school. I need a coffee, but that would entail leaving 10 minutes earlier than I already do so that I can swing by Caribou on the way in. No breakfast or coffee until I've already been in class for 2 hours. Today, no lunch until almost 3:00 because I go to class from 7-9, 9-11 and 11-1 in class than have a patient to see from 1-3. Yes, I'm complaining. That's what Tuesdays are for!

And the weather! UGH! It has been so cold here in Georgia this year. We had the snow and ice in January that kept us out of school for an entire week because it never got about freezing and the ice couldn't melt. We expected, and embrassed, this weather in Michigan, but this is the south! It's not "supposed" to do this here! I'm so ready for some 55 & 60 degree days!

And stupid people! I have to say that stupid people who continue to make stupid decisions over and over and over irritate me. But stupid people who make the SAME stupid decisions over and over and over make me freaking want to hit something! I hate watching people make the same mistakes, being hurt by the same people and then opening themselves back up to those same people time and time again and then say "Things have changed" or "I've grown since then. It won't happen again"....only to sit and watch it happen again! When will these stupid people ever learn????

Friday Funnies ~*~1/28/11~*~

Another Jacob funny! The kids keeps us laughing almost all the time!

This week, Tim's dad was not feeling well and his blood pressure was pretty low. Jacob came over and gave him a hug and papa (Tim's dad) immediately lit up. When you realize the energy field that the heart gives off, it makes perfect sense that Jacob's heart sort of 'jump started' papa's heart. Anyways, Papa lit up, got his energy back and was fine. He said "Jacob, you gave me energy! to which Jacob then ran from person to person in the kitchen, arms outstretched for a hug, saying "Do you want energy too?" We couldn't help but stand and laugh because it was so cute and innocent.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tantrum

I hate that I am so stressed this quarter! I hate that we had a week off of school because Georgia isn't prepared for ice, despite getting it every year since I've moved here 3 years ago. The ice shut down half the state for an entire week so we didn't go back to school after our winter break. Due to that, the teachers were told by administration that they needed to give assignments, readings, etc to get us 'caught up' and not lose all that class time. Truth of the matter is that many of the teachers only lost an hour or time as it's either an hour or class, or they always let out so early anyways. I have my OSCE test (it's a competancy test to show that I'm ready for outpatient clinic) and am stressed enough about that as it is. Add to that, that we lost that week of review classes for the test and all the work that the teachers piled on us. They should move the test to week 5 but are insisting on keeping it week 4, despite requests by the students. So, for the next couple of weeks I'll be living a stressed life! The week after OSCE, we start midterms, followed by the physiology board retake I have and then finals. ARGH!!!! Why in the world did I do this to myself???

Not Me Monday ~*~1-24-11~*~

Well, Monday is here. Where in the world did this weekend go?? It seems that the weekends go 100x faster than the other days of the week. I did not forget to write a single blog since the "Resolutions" type post I posted over a week ago! I didn't forget all about this being here and let the stresses of my life overtake me to where I never even gave it a single thought. So, I did not break the only 'Non-Resolution' I set for myself.

I did not get frustrated this morning that I was going to be late for school, AGAIN! I have not been in school for a full week and been late EVERY single day!

I did not just about freak out when I realized that this professor starts class exactly on time and that I had missed his quiz! I didn't almost burst into tears and decide to throw in the towel.


I did not secretly hope that the lady at the bus stop wouldn't show up this morning so I didn't have to hear her deep smokers voice, hear her gruff laugh and do my typical morning eye roll as she carry's all her 4th grader daughters stuff for her so she doesn't have to do it herself. And I for sure didn't do the eye roll, just as planned. ;)


I did not decide that a chocolate Hershey bar and a Diet Coke would make the perfect breakfast for my overstressed morning. What better way to decrease stress than CHOCOLATE???

Resolutions

So, I hate resolutions. In my attempts at having tried to be Super Mom, I've been known to make all sorts of outlandish promises to myself, all of which fall by the wayside, usually within a week. I've tried Fly Lady and promised to be a better domestic engineer, but failed horribly! Who has the time to scrub their sink every night before bed? My husband has other ideas for that time. ;) I've made a resolution that I was going to read the Bible through in a year, but when I get to Leviticus, it got too tedious and, honestly, boring. And the geneologies...OY VEY! Yeah, that didn't last long. I've resolved to be a better wife, only to throw that out the window a couple days later when, for the MILLIONTH time, I had to pick up his dirty underwear or put his plates in the sink. I promised to be a better mom, which never lasted long either. And then there are the diet and weight loss resolutions. That usually works really good for about a week, then someone has a birthday, chocolate cake is presented and that's the end of that!

So, this year I am making a resolution to stop making resolutions!! I'm pretty sure this is one I can succeed at! Instead, I'm going to work to simply be the best me I can be. I'm going to be real and honest, tell people what I think and not be ashamed of my cellulite and stretch marks! I'm going to not beat myself up for the extra piece of candy or brownie. I'm going to work hard in school and put my best foot forward, but not going to stress out over it or be disappointed and angry at myself for my grades. I'm going to not worry about dishes in the sink, floors that may need to be vacuumed or laundry that is piling up. Instead, we will live by the 5 second rule! As long as the floors are clean enough that food can stay on it for 5 seconds and still be eaten, I'll be happy!

And the last one is I'm going to work harder at this blog. I started it to let normal moms know that it's ok to not be Supermom and that they are perfectly fine with snotty nose kids, unmade beds and bread, not made from scratch! In attempting to accomplish this, I think I may have gone over board. In my attempt to NOT be Supermom, I failed at being Supermom. :) I didn't maintain the perfect blog. Definitely an epic fail. But the lesson is the same...I'm NOT supermom and I won't pretend to be! I'm real, I'm down to earth and I'm NORMAL! ;) I hope you will again join me on this crazy ride of motherhood and womanhood!

School has started

It doesn't seen right that school here in Georgia starts so early! In Michigan, we wouldn't have started for 4 more weeks, but here in Georgia, despite the 95* temperatures everyday, the kids have gone back to school. Unfortunately, none of my kids who are in elementary are in class with their best friends, but Mikayla and Micah both got the teacher they wanted! Katelyn didn't know hers but seems to really like her. I can't believe that Seth is starting 7th grade! Where in the world does time go and am I really old enough to have a 7th grader??? I remember 7th grade like it was just yesterday....I remember my 'boyfriend', my first locker. I remember teachers and the excitement of switching classes. For him, he started at the middle school last year, so we are used to that routine and so 7th grade isn't quite the same for him as it was for me when I started "Junior High". Seth was just glad to be in 7th grade and not be the low man on the totem pole anymore. He was joking about teasing the 6th graders, telling them they need to see the school pool (which they don't have) and telling them the wrong hallways for their classrooms. Typical 7th grader!!!! He didn't even want to go to the bus stop a few minutes early because it was all 6th graders standing and waiting. haha!

Here are a couple pictures from the kids first day. They are getting so big!!!








Day 2. The kids love their new clothes so wanted pictures again.

They're home!!!

After a LONG summer, the kids are finally home from Michigan. A little taller, a little older, and a little more independent. For those of you who don't already know, we took the kids up to Michigan on Memorial Day weekend to visit family for the summer. We left 4 of the 5 there and brought just Jacob home with us. The last week of June, we went back up to visit for a week and then left Jacob there with the rest of them. He was so lonely here without them that it just seemed like it would be better for him to be with them instead of with us. Tim and I came back to Georgia and spent the summer studying for boards, which we will take in just about 6 more weeks! It was a crazy time without the kids, but there was also some enjoyment to it too. It was nice to be able to 'date' my husband again, something that is difficult to do with 5 kids in tow. We were able to go out to dinner several times, went to a few movies, went to bed late and slept in even later!

But I'm so thankful that the kids are home safe and sound. It's hard having them gone and feeling totally helpless if something were to happen. It's hard when one of them calls you to tell you that they got grounded or lost a privilege, when it's not something YOU would have grounded them for. Even though it's family, it's hard having to trust someone 100% with your children.

The kids all start school tomorrow, bright and early. I know they are ready to see their friends again and to get back into a routine. Tim's parents are going to be here for the next 3-4 weeks to help out while we continue to study for Boards. Boards is a VERY scary thing for me, but I'm starting to feel a bit better about them. We will need to stay out late a few nights a week with study groups and will be having 'Board Review" start in a week that will be Friday night, all day Saturday and all day Sunday, for 3 weekends in a row! Talk about a crazy life!!!

So, while I took the summer off of blogging, I'm hoping to jump back into it now that the kids are home and I'll have more to talk about. :)