It's the LITTLE things

Ok... so it's been a while... yes, a long long while but I'm here and I guess that means I am back. 
So much has been going on around here as one might expect but those are surely not excuses.  :)  Life is good and I am happily plugging along in the trenches of motherhood - somedays slugging it out is a more accurate description.  The kids are busy with school and activities and I'm busy just trying to keep them all clothed and feed and keep this house from being considered condemned!  I guess since it's been a while it's time for the "what we've been up to" post that I am starting to be famous for here in blogger land but since it's already late and I have other things on my mind, I'm going to save that for another time.  (I can hear the collective sigh of relief! - oh wait, maybe that was me! ;)  )

Anyway, I was inspired to come here and share a bit about the little things in life.  Perhaps I should actually put them down as the LITTLE things.  Because when raising a family it really is the little things that matter most.  Sure everyone loves and remembers the big things in life, like that once in a life time vacation or the welcoming of a new sibling.  But what I'm talking about is the things of life that really make life rich.  The things that I hear the kids talking about together later on, those kinds of things that adults do and might not really get the weight or value it adds to a childs life.  You see it all stems from the fundamental wish of a child to just spend time with his or her parents.  Just doing 'nothing' or 'hangin' out'.  These are the kinds of things that when life gets busy we tend to let slip and maybe don't realize what riches that are in these gems of moments.  One of these little big things we do is something that got named a Pizza Popcorn Pajama Party a number of years back... probably when we only had 3 kids.  It's now a Friday night tradition that the kids love and look forward to all week - and we do too!  Sure to us its just pizza and a movie on the living room floor but to them its a 'thing'.  You know one of those 'things' that will linger with them into adulthood and could manifest it's self into a family tradition of their own some day. 

Welcome NOLAN WILLIAM!

We welcomed our sixth child to the family on December 10th... a beautiful boy...

Here is a little bit about his birth:
We got to the hospital at 7:45am on Friday after waking all the kids and kissing everyone goodbye and happy school day. They got me situated in my room and then after all the paperwork the nurses started the ivs and monitors. They started the pitocin at 2 units per hour and we just waited... contractions were starting to get regular and they did up the amount to 4 and then 6... for a vbac they can't use more than 8-10 units (explained to me as drips per hour in the iv) where a regular induction they will go all the way up to 40! (That is why it took so long.)  It was actually a good thing that it was taking a long time as not only was the quiet day at the hospital heavenly given how busy and loud it is at home, it was much needed time to finally discuss what we would name this child.  And even as labor was picking up, we were still at a stand still with boys' names but had Regan Hannah ready for a girl.  At about 3pm the contractions were getting pretty painful and I was rocking and breathing and just battling through them. I guess I would say they were around an 8 (out of 10). Eventually I had had enough and asked for an epidural... by the time the epidural man came they were more like a 9 and I was pretty happy when the numbness took over. I was still only around 3-4 cm and the doc kept saying that once I got to 5 and 100% things would take off. Well a few hours passed and finally just before 8pm they checked me again and I was at 5. At this point I was starting to feel the pain in the contractions again despite the epi and I knew things were going to be happening quickly. Well, he came to check at 8:30 and I was ready! So they got all set up and turned off my epi so I could feel and push better and at just before 8:45 I started to push. Well let me tell you... I was missing that epi a bit but I pushed through 3 contractions and HE was born. 9lbs 3oz and 21inches.  So so big and cute! We still hadn't settled on a name!  They laid him right on me... I was in love! After he was all cleaned up and I was too they left us alone for that wonderful golden hour... ahh I missed that so much with my section! He latched and nursed right away. Bill followed him up to the nursery while I waited to feel my legs again enough to be brought to my room. On the way there we passed the nursery windows I could see Bill and Our baby Boy in there... poor little man was getting blood taken. I think they finally brought him back to me around midnight. I was so glad to get him back with me. Bill went home to relieve my mom and be home for the kids in the morning.  I held and loved up on our guys still trying names on him.  Finally at about 2am I spoke to Bill and we decided that Nolan William would be his name.  So about 5 hours after his birth we finally had name! 

The next morning Bill and all the kids and also both sets of grandparents came to the hospital all at once. It was a bit crazy but so so good to have all the kids together. Haley was just so thrilled to see him and she couldn't get enough of Nolan. Colin was a little sad but came around quickly and was really cute and sweet with Nolan. Braden couldn't contain his excitement about having a brother... he was just thrilled but a little upset that we didn't name him Bradley. Sydney just wanted to be hugged by me and we cuddled a bunch. She looked at Nolan and said nice baby and that was about it. Payton was ignoring me and it took her a while to want to come and hug me. Finally she did but was pretty busy being busy and running about. 

And here is our first crazy picture as a family of 8!  I just love it!  :) 

We got home on Sunday around 3pm. Nolan did great on the 40 minute ride home and seemed undisturbed by all the noise and commotion. We celebrated with a big family dinner for all 8 of us with sushi and chinese take out... so fun!

Overall everything is going so well. It is hard to believe that he is almost 1 week old already. Every morning the kids kiss him before they head out to school and can't wait to hold him when they get home. So sweet to see them so interested in and in love with their baby brother.   It make my heart melt! 

 

It's a Muffin Morning!!

 It's a rainy morning here and I thought that it would be a good morning to bake some muffins.  Heck, any morning is a good morning for muffins, rain or not but today just seemed extra perfect with the gloomy weather.  So with fall in the air and a willing assistant at my side (who I think was more interested in getting to lick the bowl at the end), I made some Apple Crumb Muffins for the family to enjoy.  This recipe starts with a basic Applesauce Muffin recipe and then gets diced apples and a crumb topping.  The regular applesauce muffins are delicious on their own and when I don't feel like the crumb topping (??!!??) or the kids have eaten all the apples (that's more likely) then we just make them plain.  I hope you enjoy them too! 


Applesauce Muffins

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup butter melted (or half butter half vegetable oil)
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat to 375, grease 12 muffin tin. Mix egg, butter, sugar and applesauce well. Then add flour, powder, cinnamon, salt. Mix until just combined. Spoon into muffin tin. Bake 18-20 minutes until done. 

I usually sprinkle on cinnamon & sugar prior to baking too.

To make Apple Crumb Muffins, add 1 chopped apple to the muffin mix and top with: 

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold butter in cubes

Cut butter into the other ingredients above and put on muffins prior to baking.   

 Let me know how you like them if you try out this recipe!  :)

Bathroom report...

Work in the bathroom continues today. Bill has completed the first
coat of spackle on the walls and is now grouting that new tile floor.

I'm so happy for the progress. The twins have been popping in now and
then to help Daddy with his work. They seem pleased and excited by the
progress too.

Payton's Ponytail

Payton and Sydney's hair has grown so much and although they both are
sporting the 'baby mullet', I haven't been able to bring myself to cut
their pretty hair. Payton has beautiful full curls at the ends of her
hair while Sydney has stick straight locks. This morning Payton let me
pull hers up for the first time since they were sporting baby sprouts
when they were just little ones. I think she looks pretty cute!

Bathroom Update

Well, it's officially been 72 days that we've been at the bathroom
remodel and I am happy to be able to post a picture that shows some
real progress! As you can see we now have a tile floor!! Sydney was
excited to go in and check it out stopping to pose and "cheese" for
the iPhone.

So we now have new Sheetrock and cement board (which is in need of
tape & spackle), a new tub (still awaiting a drain connection), and a
tile floor (which will hopefully be grouted soon).

I guess we are getting somewhere just a bit slowly. ;)

Outstanding Oatmeal Muffins

It's a muffin morning here at our home and these tasty super easy
muffins are always a big hit!

So I thought I would share the recipe! 

Oatmeal Muffins

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat to 375 - grease 12 muffins tins. Mix egg, oil, sugar and milk. Add flour, oatmeal, soda, powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden and tooth pick comes out clean when put in center. 

* I sprinkled the tops with cinnamon and sugar before baking. *

Please let me know what you think!