Silly Sisters

Yesterday I stuck Kenna in the kitchen sink to take a bath after she was covered in dirt from gardening (if you missed yesterday's post, you've got to check it out. She started falling asleep on a bag of mulch!). She was playing in the stream of water coming from the faucet and started squirting her sister, Klara. It was so funny! Check out the video.

Hey, it's just water, and I needed to mop anyway!

Dozing off on a bag of mulch!!

It was a beautiful day here in Virginia, so of course I had to get outside and do some spring gardening. As a firm believer in giving kids plenty of fresh air and sunshine, I had them outside with me working away. They were raking, picking up sticks, spreading mulch, you name it. Even Kenna, my little two-year-old was getting in to the action. However, her idea of helping out was to grab big handfuls of mulch and throw it in the yard!

In the middle of working away on the garden I looked over and Kenna had curled up on a bag of mulch! It was absolutely adorable! Fortunately, I had my video camera close by and caught her dozing off on the mulch. I guess it was her own way of "connecting to the earth." She was so filthy and so beautiful. I'm sure you moms out there know what I'm talking about.

My Very Strange Nephews

Two of my nephews (I have a slew of them) were outside playing after we had our traditional Easter egg hunt. By the way, there are so many cousins that we had to divide them all into four different age groups! No kidding! Anyway, they started riding on each other shoulders which quickly turned into the idea of grabbing Grandma's nightgown to make it look like they were one big person. Sound strange? It is. Take a look.

My Gi-normous Family

I just returned from Easter vacation. We went to see my family--my huge family. We are southern to the core. We like to laugh, we like to eat, and we love to be together! There were so many kids dying Easter eggs that they had to go in shifts. Girls went first, of course! I reached for my video camera when things were beginning to settle down a little bit in the kitchen. Believe it or not, this is when things were calm. I just thought it would be neat to catch a video of my family doing what they do best--hanging out. I love coming home to visit. We all just fall right back in step together. There is nothing in this world better than family!

Kelsey's Driving Lesson

I thought I would never see the day when I would be teaching my children how to drive--but the day has come. With great fear and trepidation, we took to the streets yesterday. It was hilarious!

When she finally learned the difference between the brake pedal and the gas pedal, I knew we were well on the road to success. She is doing a great job, really. But it's so funny how it reminded me of my own driving lesson. My mom let me get behind the wheel of our old Volkswagon bug, and it was a stick shift! Watching my mom lurch back and forth in the passenger seat was almost too much to take. I was dying laughing. I could hardly see the road for the tears in my eyes!

Ah, the memories...they're all coming back to me.

Licking the Bowl

Kenna, Klara and I made a batch of chocolate chip bars--awesome recipe and so easy. I'll make sure it gets on the website next week. As usual, they enjoyed licking the bowl after I put the batter in the pan...Okay, okay, we ALL enjoyed licking the bowl.

I'm so glad I haven't grown out of good old cookie dough. After all, I'm pretty sure that's the best part of baking cookies.

Korben's Wild Wagon Ride

My two youngest boys got in my purse today and pulled out the little video camera that I carry around with me. I was holding my baby inside when I heard a shriek, followed by peals of laughter from both boys.

'This could be either very bad or very good,' I thought.

They came running in with my camera and said, "Check it out, Mama!" They could hardly talk because of laughing so hard. Korben, my little daredevil, was taking a wild ride in the wagon and Karis was there to capture it all on video.

You have GOT to check this out!

Jonas Brothers Concert

I took Kelsey, Katie, and a friend to the Jonas Brothers concert and it was absolutely crazy! Imagine 8000 screaming maniacal girls in one place. I still don't understand what the insane attraction is, but I'm there with him all the way. We even arrived two hours early to stand outside and shiver in the cold. My oldest wouldn't even put on her sweatshirt because it would hide her Jo Bros T-shirt!

Here's how I know I'm old:
They screamed when Jo Jonas slid across the floor.
I wondered how his skin-tight pants didn't rip.
They screamed when Nick Jonas tore his sleeves off.
I wondered if his mama sewed velcro on the seams.
They screamed when Kevin Jonas spun around with his guitar.
I wondered if he ever got nauseas.

After the concert, we descended from the nosebleed section and wandered the halls, sneaking in and out of doorways hoping to catch a peek of the action. We ran into Valora, the band that opened for the Jonas Brothers and they were so nice! It really put the cherry on top.

No, I'll probably never understand the fascination but I understand my daughters. I'll be there to ride the wave with them. They definitely have a serious case of OJD (Obsessive Jonas Disorder)!

Hubby's Wrinkles

I was bemoaning my wrinkles yesterday and my husband and I started playing around in the kitchen, pretending to de-wrinkle our faces. This is what happens when you have seven kids and you don't have any money for actual entertainment like movies and date nights. Instead, you smush your faces around, have your kids video tape it, and call it fun.

Here's me de-wrinkling my husband's face. Who needs botox?

Kenna finds my $$$$ lotion

I'm not usually one for the pricey stuff. If Wal-mart or Target doesn't sell it, then you can forget it. I was in New York last week and indulged in a tiny little 1/4 oz bottle of nice, thick, indulgent lotion to carry in my purse.

I guess I should have known better.

It wasn't four hours after I got home that Kenna got in my purse and pulled out the lotion. And, subsequently rubbed it all over her face and hands (and hair, and dress, and feet...).

Back to my old philosophy. If you don't want it messed with then it doesn't belong in your home. Ahhh, the family home. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Rockefeller Center

I flew up to New York the other day to be on the Today show. It was a lot of fun. I got to discuss "Momnesia," the incidence when a new mother feels totally forgetful and scatterbrained (which is me, 87% of the time). I actually called my husband after talking with one of the producers and asked him, "Honey, can you help me remember a time when I was forgetful?" He just laughed. What kind of question is THAT?

I had some time before getting picked up to go to the airport and I thought I would check out the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center (that's where NBC studio is). There were a few people skating on the rink, but one man in particular caught my eye. He was an older man, and walked very slowly to the rink, as if age had definitely taken a toll on him. He seemed to struggle with his skates a bit and the entire time I'm thinking, 'I'm going to have to run out there and drag that poor old man off the ice!'

But when his feet touched the ice it was as if something magical happened. He didn't just skate, he skated beautifully. He was truly in his element and it was hypnotic to watch him on the ice.

I feel like that at home. When I'm off in New York I feel like a fish out of water, gasping for breath. I was invited to go to the Caribbean with some friends but the thought of leaving home felt like I was going to prison. Doing laundry, cooking meals, bathing kids, some would say it was drudgery. But I have found my element. It's called home.

Baby Einstein Rocks!

There are a few names a mom just knows and loves. "Baby Einstein" is one of them. At a time when everyone and their brother jumps on the kid-friendly production wagon, churning out videos upon videos for kids and preying off of every mom's fear that she is not doing enough for her child, it's nice to know there is a name you can trust.

I recently had the pleasure of trying out a Baby Einstein video. Although I would normally never recommend television viewing for a baby, sometimes it's just nice for new moms to take a breather every now and then. Baby Einstein is just perfect for that. It doesn't just occupy a baby's time, but it engages them and sets the stage for some great learning. It's something I can feel good about. And leave it up to Baby Einstein to give me something I can trust in.

I love you, you love me...

Now all seven of my children have officially gone through a "Barney" phase. My youngest, Kenna, just discovered Barney and is in love. Her favorite song is "I love you, you love me." As a matter of fact, when she wants to watch it, she says, "More I love me?" It's so cute!

I got an adorable video of her singing with me so check it out.

Oh, by the way, the reason more videos weren't loaded this week is because my camera was broken. Or at least I thought it was broken. My husband put in new batteries and, what do you know, it works!

Baby Einstein Rocks!

There are a few names a mom just knows and loves. "Baby Einstein" is one of them. At a time when everyone and their brother jumps on the kid-friendly production wagon, churning out videos upon videos for kids and preying off of every mom's fear that she is not doing enough for her child, it's nice to know there is a name you can trust.

I recently had the pleasure of trying out a Baby Einstein video. Although I would normally never recommend television viewing for a baby, sometimes it's just nice for new moms to take a breather every now and then. Baby Einstein is just perfect for that. It doesn't just occupy a baby's time, but it engages them and sets the stage for some great learning. It's something I can feel good about. And leave it up to Baby Einstein to give me something I can trust in.