Ch-ch-changes

Hey, y'all! It's been a minute! A few things have changed around here, but it's still just as chaotic!

First of all, our baby, RCC #6, turned ONE! 

She is SUCH a joy. 

And y'all know we used to be a homeschooling family, but now we are back in public school. What?! I know. Crazy, right? It was a HARD decision. I had to swallow my pride. My husband was 110% against public school, but I felt it had to be done. Our youngest son, Cash, was struggling so much with his reading and I couldn't seem to get his skills stronger. I was teaching 3 grades at a time, sometimes 4! 

First day back! All happy faces! Victory! Success! 

I'm extremely happy with our decision and our babies are doing excellent. We homeschooled just a tad over 4 years, and I LOVED having my babies home, but I knew it was time to throw in the towel and do what was best for their education. 

So now that we actually have a real summer and everyday isn't summer break anymore, I want to make the most of it! I started our summer off with a bang by taking the kids on a camping trip. One mom and 6 kids, I must be crazy? Well, obviously! Lol! 

I want to take the kiddos on lots of adventures this summer, so let me hear your ideas! Cool restaurants, water parks, fun ideas off Pinterest, hit me with your ideas. My husband is out of town a lot, but you know that doesn't stop us. Fun, here we come! 

Happy Memorial Day!

XO, Jenn

Mountains of Dishes and Marvelous Chocolate Cake

Good Monday morning, y'all! 

Fall makes me really want to blog! 

And cook. 

And bake. 

And eat. 

Some days I'm so productive that I amaze myself. Others I can't keep my eyes open and I'm like a milk drunk baby - sleepy! Today the coffee is working and I'm hoping I can get to the bottom of that laundry mountain. 

Roxie (RCC #5) is 3 today! That girl is a MESS. Sassy! Ooh, she's sassy. She's our little animal-loving cat lady and her Daddy made over. Prayers for her momma are much appreciated. lol!

Caleb is gone out of town, so we will just have a tiny little special day today. We will have her a party in a week of two. Did y'all see the birthday cinnamon rolls I posted on Instagram a while back for the boys? They're perfect for birthday mornings!

Cash (RCC #3) turned 8 in May

Rowdy (RCC #2) turned 10 in June!

In other news, the kids and I spent Saturday cleaning out junk from our rooms and got them in tip top shape. I'm considering having a garage sale; we'll see if that ever happens. 

So you know what happens when you stay in one part of your house for too long? Miraculously the other part of your house gets trashed. That's the price we pay for those productive days!

Exhibit A

What in tarnation?! Can you believe that there's even any dishes left in the cabinets?!

Most of the kids are at the ages where they can go in the kitchen and get what they want...63 times each day and OF COURSE get a new cup each time they do. 

TA-DA!

Straight up miracle worker, y'all! Tootin' my own horn over here. Yes, I even swept and mopped. 

Lots o' kids means lots o' dishes and lots o' laundry! 

I have similar pictures of my laundry room that I'll save for another day.

Before I get started on cinnamon rolls, I want to share a good cake recipe with y'all! 

Y'all, this is good. Real good. And SO easy. It came from the Mayben family of hat tells you anything. I didn't take a picture of it yesterday because I baked it before church and was running late. Then after church, I was so hungry once I got to my inlaws that I didn't even think about it. I'm still thinking about that dinner Caleb's momma cooked yesterday. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, sautéed green beans, corn, and fried cabbage. Good country cookin'. 

Here's an old picture from when I made this cake before. 

Looks good, huh?

Have a happy Monday, y'all! 

XOXO, Jenn

Fancy French Toast

Hey y'all! Who doesn't love a good breakfast? I love a breakfast that has a little sweet, some meat and a fruit. So I wanted to share a new recipe with y'all! 

French Toast

4 eggs

1 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 teaspoons of cinnamon 

Sliced white bread

Topping

1 cup of brown sugar

5 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of syrup

Powdered sugar

Dump brown sugar and butter into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and then stir in syrup. Boil until not grainy. Set aside. Get skillet hot and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Beat eggs and add in milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Dip bread in mixture, coating both sides. Cook bread on each side until it doesn't look runny or wet (about 1 minute each side). Once finished, drizzle a few spoonfuls of the syrup mixture over the top and lightly dust with powdered sugar. 

This is definitely a delicious French toast! It'd be great for Christmas morning or for a special breakfast. We had ours with bacon and fresh watermelon from my best friend's garden. Next time you have company stay over or its a special day that calls for a special breakfast, I hope you'll give this a try!

Y'all have a fantastic day!

XOXO, Jenn

A Half Dozen Babies

We just had our sixth baby and we couldn't be happier! She is such a blessing and we are over the moon for her! 

Sometimes, in the beginning, a pregnancy can seem like a financial burden. We were in no position to add another baby to our family when I got pregnant with Reese, but God knows. Looking back now I can't believe I ever even worried. Money can sometimes steal the joy and happiness from a situation. 

The Saturday before she was born, I was just barely 35 weeks pregnant. I was sitting at my inlaws' around 3:30pm and I had a weird feeling. I had just drank a 32 ounce Coke and I felt like I was "leaking". I went to the restroom, but it wouldn't stop even after I had emptied my bladder. Gross, I know. I thought, "This is going to be the longest month if I am going to be doing this crap." I continued to "pee" on myself so I decided I better go home so I could wet my pants in the privacy of my own home! I continued to "pee myself" for a good 4 hours. I changed pants 3 times. (Teenage girls, this is what you have to look forward to. Don't have sex. Don't get pregnant for a very long time. Stay cool. Don't let this be you.) In the meantime I decided I'd get my house clean real quick just in case. I called the doctor around 8pm and they told me to go to labor and delivery and let them check it out. 

Surprise! My water had broke! Yay! I WASN'T peeing on myself. What a relief lol! Even though my sack had only tore a just a teeny bit, but they couldn't let me go home due to risk of infection. I was excited, yet scared because it was too soon for Reese. Caleb was trying to get his truck put back together so he could leave out to go to work. We could not afford for him to miss work. I had so many worries going through my mind. 

They gave me steroids to help Reese's lungs. So they were hoping I wouldn't actually go into labor for at least 24 hours and her lungs would have time to develop a little more. 

So there I was, just laid up in the hospital, hanging out with my buddies, taking crazy pictures and eating good food. Basically I was on vacation with room service. My mother-in-law had our five babies, my husband was working like a mad man to finish his truck. He kept telling me not to go into labor. "Jenn, don't you have that baby until Monday!" Um, ok??? Like I could help that lol! 

She's here! 63" inches long, 125 pounds, head full of black hair and looks nothing like the daddy! 

Just kidding!

They started my induction Monday morning and she was here that afternoon! (I'll spare you the gory details of a cervix that wouldn't cooperate) She was 5 weeks early and weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces and was 18" long. She had no breathing troubles, required no oxygen and was absolutely perfect! Praise Jesus! 

But we weren't completely out of the woods. 

After we got her home and everything was perfect, she had a doctor's appointment that Friday. I was so proud and felt amazing. Then they put her on the scale and she had lost a lot of weight. Too much. She had lost down to 6 pounds. The doctor was pretty concerned about that. Suddenly I wasn't so happy and I got really worried. They gave me special formula to feed her and that broke my heart because I was breastfeeding her. The pediatrician scheduled me an appointment with a lactation specialist the next morning. 

After a wonderful appointment with the lactation specialist, it was a little better. She didn't have to drink the formula, but I had to pump around the clock and feed her from a bottle. Her jaw wasn't strong enough to get enough milk from the breast. So she would just get a little milk and fall asleep. She hadn't been getting enough milk. Also, she was tongue tied and we had to get her frenulum released. That was so scary for me, but turned out to be a piece of cake. 

After three weeks of worrying about weight and feeding her as much as possible, her weight has taken off! She gained 13 ounces in 8 days and is eating like a champ! She no longer had to go back to lactation on a weekly basis and I didn't have to pump anymore. 

She now weighs 7 pounds 8 ounces and we are ecstatic!

So when these moms get so impatient and do anything they can to make themselves go into early labor, I don't understand it. YOUR BABY IS NOT READY TO BE BORN! Let them stay in and finish growing! Reese had a hard time eating and keeping weight on because she was underdeveloped. Just because they think you will have a big baby, doesn't mean your baby is done developing. Reese was big for her age and she still had a hard time. Take it from me, just enjoy those last weeks of pregnancy. I know it's hard, but it's best for baby. 

Reese would be due one week from today. I'm beyond thankful that she is doing so great now. 

I can't believe Caleb and I have SIX kids. Wow. We are so blessed and thank God everyday. 

I LOVE being a momma to our babies! Could it possibly get any better than this?! I hope y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Be good to your momma; you don't know what she's went through for you. 

XOXO, Jenn❤️

Why Mom's Phone Has 6 Billion Photos On It

I haven't printed off pictures from my phone or camera in about 4 years. Why, you ask? Just go print them at Walmart, you say?

Well, last night I did just that. 

Rylie Cole had brought it to my attention that we don't have any "new" pictures in our frames and that I never print out the pictures I take. 

I plan on it, I just never get around to it. 

So, yesterday evening while she was in cheer and I went to Walmart to buy groceries, I decided I'd try to print JUST TWO of our Easter pictures to put in a frame. 

Picture it, me pushing one of those big two seater kid buggies entering Walmart with four of my five babies, happy as can be, smiling, saying hello to passing strangers, ya know, happy mom! We don't look the best because I didn't realize it was time to leave the house, so we didn't have time to spruce up before we left. No problem. We'll drop Rylie off at cheer and we will be in and out. Piece of cake. 

Then we got to the picture kiosk. Rowdy and Cash were begging to go look at some fancy new yoyos they had displayed just far enough away from the photo lab to make me uncomfortable about letting them go look. "No, boys! Just wait. You want to get kidnapped? This won't take but a minute." Boys are now irritated because those yoyos are begging them to come take a look. 

Remmi and Roxie, one of them fixed their own hair (equivalent to a ponytail made by Ray Charles with arthritis) and the other decided she didn't really need that cute little braid Momma had put in right before we left the house. Their hair was lived-in to put it nicely, but it went well with their Go-Gurt mustaches and sandy flip flop feet. You know when your kids got that filthy baby look going on? They can't act up while they look like that. No sir, only when they are cute and clean, or people will think you are one of "those" families that goes grocery shopping in pajamas and no bra.) 

I'm trying to figure out the photo machine, a lot has changed since I last used one, and the kids start to get restless. 

So does Mom. 

"Get over here!"

"Keep your shoes on."

"Don't stand up in the buggy."

"No, you're not buying another knife."

"Hang on, one second and I'll take you to the bathroom."

That was a big mistake. 

At this point, Remmi is lying under the seat of the buggy and Roxie is sitting down. I've got my two photos selected and ready to print out. 

Then it happens. 

Remmi, while giggling and snickering, "Momma, Roxie is teeteeing on me."

I look down. 

Sure enough. Roxie is sitting in the seat and letting it go. Dripping straight down to where Remmi is laying. 

Ughhhhhhhhh!

I quickly unplug my phone from the machine and start looking for one of those Spill Station poles. I send Rowdy over to grab the roll or paper towels. (He's super shy.) He can't walk over to the pole without Cash. "Just go get the paper towels, Rowdy! Hurry!" Rowdy, looking at Cash like, 'c'mon, I can't go 10 feet alone'. I run over and grab the towels myself. There's some guy walking past and he's looking at the huge puddle. Now I'm embarrassed. Keep moving, buddy, nothing to see here. At this point I'm not smiling or making eye contact with anyone and I'm cleaning the floor and buggy as fast as I can, hoping no one sees. I get the puddle clean and we head back to the bathroom. The girls' dresses are light pink and where they're wet is now super bright. Super obvious. 

Now I'm like, I don't care, I'm printing out the two pictures. We go back to the photo kiosk, after washing up the girls the best I can and wrapping them up in paper towels. I successfully print out the two pictures. Yes! Victory!!! But my thrill from the pictures is short lived. The girls are still wet. I'm feeling like a horrible mom and try to decide if I should go buy new panties and outfits for them, or just high tail it to the checkout and leave. But we still need groceries!

I quickly grabbed the little bit of groceries that I knew we had to have. All the action has made me lose track of time. (I knew I should have worn my watch today!) It's now time to pick up Rylie. What?! I still have to get some produce and stand in line and check out! We rush to checkout. Hurry up, lady in front of me! Doesn't that conveyer belt move any faster? "No you can't have candy!" I'm pretty sure I may have growled and gritted my teeth when I said that. We just have to get out of here. It's now past the time I'm supposed to have picked up Rylie and I'm getting texts from the dance teacher asking if I'm on my way. I pay and get to my car as fast as I can. We load the car and buckle and peel out of the parking lot. We finally make it to the cheer studio eleven minutes late. Dang it! 

I was feeling pretty frazzled and was certain we fit right in with those People Of Walmart (If you don't know what that is, Google 'people of Walmart'), but I got my two pictures! That ought to do for another four years. 

So, that's why I have 6 billion pictures on my phone and don't have any "new" pictures in my frames! 

XO, Jennifer 

They're Just Kids

Kids. Sometimes they're angels. It's rare, but sometimes. Sometimes they're like rabid raccoons that just ate a 5 gallon bucket of Pixy Stix. And that's most of the time! ::wink:: 

The other day I was about to fly off the handle and lose all my grace. I had been getting on to one of my sons repeatedly because he was in his own world and there were chores to be done before we could leave. Hello! Doesn't he know we have places to go before it's the two year old's nap time? We're on limited time here!

After telling him to straighten his room up, and walking by it to see zero progress, I was fed up. I had had it. I was ready to get his attention and let him know Momma means business. 

Then it hit me. 

HE IS JUST A LITTLE BOY. 

He is seven. 

He laughs when somebody says 'butt'.

He still sleeps with a nightlight. 

His favorite animal is a bunny. 

He's still missing his front teeth. 

He still believes in the Tooth Fairy. 

He still wears superhero underwear. 

He still wants a bedtime story every night. 

He is not an adult who can spotlessly clean a room in 20 minutes, while simultaneously getting ready to go to town. He gets distracted. Even I still do and I'm 30!

What stopped me dead in my tracks before I laid into him was what he was wearing. He had on his little boots and some Wrangler jeans with the knees knocked out of them, with his favorite Santa Claus t-shirt (even though it was well after Christmas. It's his favorite :) Then I noticed a little Mickey Mouse flashlight hooked on his belt loop. That did it for me. HE IS JUST A LITTLE BOY. It made me stop and think. Wow. He's just a little fella. Ease up. 

That little Mickey Mouse flashlight and Santa Claus shirt served as a reminder. An eye-opener. Sometimes I expect too much. I can let things go. I can choose my battles. Do I think he will be a horrible adult because I let him occasionally slide and treat him like the child he is? No. Absolutely not. He gets plenty of love and hugs and discipline to even it all out. And IF he is a horrible adult it is because he has too much Caleb Crawley in him. ::wink::

I tend to treat the boys like twins and expect the very same from both of them. Rowdy is 9 and Cash is 7. That two years makes a big difference! But I often forget that. They may can do some impressive things physically, but they're still young. 

I'm thankful I was distracted and noticed his outfit before I might have gotten mad at him for just being seven!

He still is expected to do his fair share and behave like a little gentleman, but that doesn't mean I have to be a drill sergeant and make my children afraid of me to make respect me. 

For the record, I am all for spankings and discipline, but not for every little thing they do wrong. HE IS JUST A LITTLE BOY. They're just kids! 

Overall, I think -scratch that- I KNOW I have good kids. 

Kids. 

Not adults. 

Not robots. 

They're just kids and they mean the world to me. 

They remind us to say the blessing before supper if we forget. They hold the doors open for ladies. They carry their little sisters to the car when it's raining. 

They'll be ok.

That's a fact.

I pray for them, take them to church, smother them with kisses, give them a good example and correct their bad behavior. That's all I can do. 

I do my best. 

They'll be ok. 

I know they will. 

But for now, THEY'RE JUST KIDS. 

XOXO, Jenn

Tired Momma Reminder

Hey y'all! I have gotten out of the habit of blogging, but here I am!

Have you saw the pins on Pinterest and the shared posts on Facebook about kids growing up and not needing Momma anymore?

They crush me. 

I live for my kids and a momma is all that I am. Who will I be when my kids no longer need me?

Time is fleeting. 

I love spending time with the kids. I love just being with the kids. 

Do they drive me absolutely insane? Yes, almost daily!

A few evenings ago, Remmi brought me a book while I was washing dishes.

"You read me dis?" 

I told her I would before bed and I finished up the dishes. An hour or so later it was time for the kids to get in bed.

I was tired. Like, real tired. 

Tired of telling kids more than once to do their bedtime chores and things not getting done. I just wanted to get in my bed. I was making my rounds giving kisses and hugs and I came to Remmi. She was laying in her bed, holding the book. Not a short board book. This was one of those looong books. She asked me again if I would read it to her. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I instantly regretted saying them. 

"No, not tonight, baby. Momma is SO tired." 

Why did I say that?! No, I didn't mean that! Please don't let me get away with this. There's no way I could just go get in my bed after doing that to her. I felt like a piece of crap mom. This isn't how I want to end our day.

"But you said you would read it to me." 

Yep, you're right. I did - AND I WILL. 

I sat on her bed with her and the other kids came running in as soon as they heard me start the story. I LOVE reading to my kids at bedtime. Maybe to them it just puts off having to go to sleep right away. I don't care. I'm going to do it as long as they ask. For how long do kids want Momma to read to them? Not long at all. 

This is a good reminder. 

Our babies are growing up. Fast! 

I know I sound repetitive at times, but kids just don't stay little for long! I want my kids to have good memories. Not memories of a mom who was too busy or too tired to keep her word. 

Embrace today. Linger a little longer tonight at bedtime. You won't get that moment back. You may have another chance to read the book tomorrow night, but then again, they may never ask for a bedtime story again. It could be the last time. Choose wisely.

Pick up a new book at Walmart. Make sweet memories before it's too late. 

Enjoy those babies. 

XOXO, Jenn