Mom, the Repair Woman

I anticipated many facets of motherhood and the many roles a mom fits into on a daily basis, but one job I never imagined I would participate in so often is that of Repair Woman.  Over the years, my kids have broken or had precious items fall apart on them quite consistently and they always come to me to see if it can be fixed.  Many times I have been able to repair broken items with my favorite tools: hot glue, Crazy glue, and needle & thread.  For the times when the repair is impossible, I put the item in a hidden cupboard and wait to get rid of it until it has been forgotten.  Recently, a bigger "oopsie" occurred than usual which resulted in Arianna's Bitty Baby having one of her legs detached (and she wasn't the one responsible for it, either).  This definitely was not an easy repair as it is quite difficult to put a needle through the hard plastic leg (by pressing it on a flat, hard surface each time), pull it through with pliers, thread it through the cloth part of the doll, and repeat, all the while trying to keep the loops semi-tight where the cloth and plastic meet.  Thankfully, Bitty did get her leg back and the great joy of my daughter after seeing her doll returned to a better state was worth the effort. 

The detached leg.

Needle technique, rough though it may be.

The finished product; not terribly pretty, but re-attached, nonetheless.

A happy girl.

Bitty's cast.

Blogger Dilemma Update

I didn't seem to be making much progress on my picture storage issue on Picassaweb, but I did delete a few old pictures from a previous blog that I shut down and some unnecessary extra profile pics of myself.  I found some tips from others about exporting photos from Picassaweb and resizing them, but never really figured out how to make it work for me, at least not yet.  Then, I looked down at my Picassaweb account just not and it says I'm only using 19% or my available storage.  I have no idea how that happened as it said I was using 99.8% of it a few days ago, but as long as this lets me post pictures to my blog, I'm not complaining.  And, I'll be resizing them before posting so that hopefully I won't have this problem reoccur to soon in the near future. 

Blogger Dilemmas and Such

I'm feeling a bit stalled on my blogging right now and let me tell you why; then, maybe somebody will have some feedback or ideas for this problem of mine.

I have come up against the photo storage limit that Blogger has set (1GB); the photos are actually stored at Picasaweb which is part of Google, too.  I don't really know if the photo storage limit has always been in effect or is something newer that Google has done, but it is might annoying.  I think posting pictures with blog posts make things so much more interesting, but right now I might be able to post one more picture, and then I'm done for.  Here are the solutions I've thought of thus far.
1.  Erasing the oldest year of my blog posts, or just taking the pictures off the oldest year of my blog posts to free up some more space.  Of course, that will only last so long.  Also, I don't really like the idea of altering my blog because it is my personal online journal and I don't want to mess with the memories I've put there.
2.  I could just keep blogging on a different web address at Blogger, but then my "mamaoffivegirls" part of my blog address changes, too.  Is there any way that I can get my present blog to just automatically redirect a viewer to a different page? 
3.  I could just get a domain name and have an internet address that is mine.  I guess I'll check in with the hubby on how that works.  I just don't want to run into the same photo storage problems as before if it is a web hosting sight (I really don't even know what I'm talking about here; fortunately, I know people that do). 

So, I will try and fiddle some more with my pics so that I can keep posting for awhile longer, but I think I need a better solution long-term.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

In A Pinch . . .

. .  .  of the baking sort.

Before I start a recipe, I'll usually scan to see that I have all the major ingredients on hand.  But, when it comes to the usual ingredients such as baking soda and baking powder, I pretty much assume that they will be there in the cupboard when I need them.  Lately, though, my cupboards have been getting somewhat bare on the essentials; I do this on purpose to clean out a bit before summer vacation, but it has the effect of forcing myself to improvise in a pinch.  My hubby and I enjoy watching various cooking competition shows together and the contestants usually have wonderful ingredients at their fingertips and a variety of items that are practically impossible for the average person to keep in stock in their own pantry at all times.  Despite this, the art of improvisation is still necessary because inevitably, a team member will forget to buy something at the grocery store for them, time will be close to running out, or their idea will be about to fall through. 

Well, this morning, I had to improvise, as well, and quickly, because I was making the girls muffins for breakfast before they left for school.  First of all, I didn't have 3 bananas; I only had 2.   So, I substituted a ripe pear for 1 of the bananas which worked just fine (I've also used applesauce in this situation or pumpkin puree when coming up short on the banana count).  Next, though, I realized that I was all out of baking soda, the key leavening agent in my muffins, and I had only about 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda left in the cupboard.  So, of course, I got immediately googled about this problem to see if there was a quick fix.  Here was a handy baking soda and baking powder substitution article I found. 
http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodchemistryfaqs/f/powdersoda.htm 
 As I didn't really have as much baking powder as I needed to make the muffins rise properly, though, at the last minute I threw in an extra egg white (there is already 1 egg in the recipe) to try and fluff up the muffins some, too.  Thankfully, my banana chocolate chip muffins turned out really well and I don't think the family would have even known the difference had I not mentioned it; as it was, the girls ate them up in record time and still got off to school in the nick of time.

Lessons I'm Learning From My Kids: If you don't laugh about it, you'll cry :-)

Today in the parking lot of Target was an absolute blow-out diaper moment, one of those that if you don't laugh about it and its comical nature, you might break down about instead.  Dakota was sick exactly a week ago on Sunday morning and it started with vomiting which ended soon thereafter.  But, the recurring diarrhea persisted the entire week.  I thought we were about done with it until we swung by Target to buy diapers, of all things (the irony!).  My hubby ran in with the older girls who needed to stop by the restroom and then shop for just a few items.  I immediately began to smell a strong, terrible odor after they left and got #5 out of her carseat to check out the situation.  Little D was wearing a cute light pink Anne Geddes T-shirt and a pair of jean overalls with pink rose buds all over them - quite cute, at least until I looked inside and saw what a disgusting sight it was to behold.  Needless to say, she was a mess; in fact, I had to take the diaper off by undoing it while still in the pants and using the pants to pull off the diaper and overalls as one unit because they were both so covered in poop.  I proceeded to drop them on the blacktop parking lot and then use about 5 more baby wipes to clean her up, dropping those on the blacktop as well.  Thankfully, I had the foresight to bring an extra outfit for the just-in-case bad poopy situation (learned from many a situation in the past in which I had not been quite so prepared and the baby rode home in just a diaper covered in a blanket in her carseat until she got home).  I managed to get #5 as clean as possible under the circumstances, re-dressed, and back in her carseat, and then found one spare plastic bag in the van in which to wrap up the offending diaper for the ride home.  The overalls and shirt are presently in the washing machine soaking up a liberal dose of Shout stain spray before receiving a good wash.  I'm sure I was a sight to behold while cleaning up the baby and people were wondering what in the world I was doing.  These are some of those situations that I will remember for a long time to come and laugh about how funny it really was (even if it didn't seem so at the time). 

'Tis the Season . . .

 . . . for one last bout of the flu.  At one point in the day, I'm pretty sure I had a lot more to say about this topic, but after 5 loads of laundry, multiple children vomiting and with diarrhea, girls arriving home from school with plenty of energy, and a husband arriving home sick, too, I've pretty much lost most of my words in regards to being home with sick kids.  Despite everything, though, I might add that I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to be home with my kids and be their Mommy, even when they are struggling through the flu.  And, I also realize that compared to the troubles of many in the world, this is a very easy burden to bear.  There isn't much that a good night's sleep won't fix, so it's off to bed early for me tonight.

Mary, Martha, or a bit of both?

This past weekend was definitely a Mary weekend for me.  For those of you familiar with the Gospels in the New Testament, I am referring to the sisters Mary and Martha that were friends of Jesus.  In one of the many times, I'm sure, that Jesus was a guest in their home, Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet listening to Him and just soaking up all that was going on around her while her sister Martha was fussing about the details (dinner, Mary not helping out, etc.) of having a guest in her home.  Jesus gently admonishes Martha and tells her that she doesn't need to be worried and upset by so many things, but that really only one thing is necessary - being in relationship to her Lord.  It's not that the things that Martha was doing were bad - in fact, they were good and necessary - but that which Mary was doing was better.  I think that this is so applicable to my everyday life.  There is always a balance that needs to be struck between all the chores and tasks that need to be accomplished and the things that need to be experienced in that given day, opportunities to love others and thus love God in the process.

So, as I first stated, my past weekend struck me as being more Mary than Martha.  My house ended up looking like a complete disaster for a few days and the chores went almost completely neglected, but in exchange we spent a lovely day at the beach marveling at God's creation, the girls were thrilled at their train ride to the beach on public transportation, we had a lovely morning at church on Sunday, lunch out with friends afterward, and several extended Valentine's making sessions at the diningroom table throughout the weekend.  God keeps showing me that I love Him by investing my time and energy into loving those around me and being in relationship with them (not that I always do this well or willingly, but I am learning nonetheless). 

Of course, Monday and Tuesday have been spent in more of a Martha mode in attempts to bring some sanity back to the homestead and make room for the necessities like counterspace for cooking and a clearer diningroom table at which to eat meals.  It is apparent that without some of this daily or near-daily organization and profitable work around the house, most other activities would become nearly impossible to achieve over time.  The day-to-day tasks of our life are good, meaningful, and part of what God has given us to do.  But, when an opportunity arises to pause and be present in a relational moment, it is so important to grasp that and jump in feet first without being distressed and obsessed with "all that still needs to be done".  Some of these moments today for me were stopping to have a cup of coffee and chat with my mother-in-law out in the morning sunshine, helping my 2-year-old and 4-year-old plant their mini pots with strawberry seeds, making the girls a pot of tea in #3's "old-fashioned (porcelain)" tea set, painting a few sets of finger and toenails, and tickling a giggling baby. 

I'm both a Mary and a Martha, as are most of us, some more than the other depending on the day.  But in the end, I think it is so important to remember the Lord's words to Martha on that day (found in the Gospel of Luke).
 
⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Life in the Country

Our barn-shaped house with an already fenced-in yard for the dog.

Well, a new phase has begun in the life of our family.  We have made the move out to the country - a new house, a new school for the kids, a new and longer commute for the hubby, and all the new differences from living in the middle of a city to living further out in an unincorporarted part of the county.  And, as you can see, I am finally reconnected to the internet - albeit via wireless internet because that is the only type of service available to us in our location (who would have thought?).  


I've missed blogging for the past couple of weeks, but to be honest, daily life just took over anyway and I'm sure I wouldn't have had time to blog even if I had wanted to.  The first couple of days of the move were very stressful for me.  I do pretty well managing day-to-day stress with 5 kids and staying calm through most situations, but when it comes to big transitions and major upheaval, I am quite the opposite.  I feel very tense, stressed out, and almost immobilized for a day or two wondering where I should begin to tackle the monumental new task.  For me, this was compounded by my stove not having arrived (and it still hasn't) and having to rely on 1 electric burner, a toaster, and foods I can keep in the fridge that don't need to be cooked.  Thankfully, I have my parents close by and they are very involved in our family's life; they sensed that I needed not just the physical help to get my house to look more like a home, but also the emotional help that this would bring.  So, God bless them, they came over two days in a row and helped whip all my major rooms into shape by cleaning, helping me re-arrange furniture, unpack boxes, and generally make it more livable while I continue to unpack.  Then, the day after, they came back with me to the old house to clean that out some more as it needs to get ready to be rented.  So, this week I have come full circle from wondering, "What in the world did we move for?", to "I'm so glad we made this move; this is such a blessing!".  Now as before, home is where a new page of our story will begin to be written.   

View from my kitchen window.

View from the front of the house.

Dog playing behind the house.

Looking down the driveway to the bridge and creek.

View from the bridge up to the road.

Packing and Moving

We are in the process of packing up our current household and moving everything to our new house.  In the meantime, my hubby is also remodeling part of my new kitchen and doing repairs on our current place as it will become a rental.  So, if my appearance on my blog seems rather sporadic in the coming weeks, please forgive me.  My brain is most likely in 10 different places at once and I will be in the midst of upheaval and re-adjustment.  But, I will be back and at it, as usual, as soon as possible.

When It Rains, It Pours . . .

. . . today, both literally and figuratively.  We are getting a bit of much needed rain in southern California and I'm completely feeling the effects of sickness that has hit me and my kids.  We have had some kind of virus (or two) circulating through the house for about 4 weeks now that started with flu-like symptoms, namely vomiting, and now a nasty cold accompanied by fever.  The last 3 days, 3 of the 5 kids and I have all been sick.  There are so many things I love about having a big family, and I definitely think the benefits outweigh the negatives, but any kind of sickness is a definite challenge to the bigger family.  It usually makes it rounds with each of the children and many times the parents, as well.  It takes longer to get out of the house.  And the energy necessary to go through this situation can be monumental, at times.  These are a few of my reflections at times like this.  

1.  I have to take the day one step at a time.  I have all sorts of things I want to accomplish, even on days when half the kids are sick, but it doesn't always happen "right now".  Sometimes it is interrupted by finding the 2-year-old in the bathroom having taken off her poopy diaper and attempting to be helpful by wiping the poop out of the diaper into the toilet with toilet paper (this is true and just happened yesterday); 20 minutes later, after an impromptu bath, new diaper, and outfit, I can finally get back to whatever it was that I was trying to do.  I just have to take a deep breath and realize that the laundry and dishes will get done . . . eventually, and that is okay.

2.  When the baby is sick and cries, drop everything and hold her.  The one language a baby understands fully is love and when Dakota needs me, I have to make it a priority, no matter what.  I have a sore back right now from having held her so often in the last few days, but it is worth it knowing that I can give my baby comfort, love, and security when she desperately needs it.  Plus, years from now she will not need or depend on me in this way, so I should enjoy this stage that is so fleeting while it lasts.

3.  My body is capable of more than I think it is.  Even when I have been woken up 5 of 6 times a night for 3 night in a row, I can still do what I need to do to make it through the day.  I may not be at my absolute best, but as long as the kids are safe, clean, taken care of, and do what they need to do that day, then it is still a success.  

4.  I am learning, more and more, to accept help when it is offered.  When I came down with this nasty cold a few nights ago, I mentioned it to my parents and the next day my dad was over with soups, mac n' cheese for the kids, and ginger ale.  I am so thankful to have parents close by that step in and help, especially when I'm feeling rotten.  The next day, he showed up again with a few "extra's " from Costco that he knew I could use and dropped them off.  Then, he ran up to the school and picked up Isabella from school so that I would be able to keep the sick ones at home resting.  More than one friend has called in the last couple of days as well to offer help, as well.  Even if it doesn't fit into my schedule or I already have what I need right then, it is so touching and meaningful to receive an offer of help and an encouraging word (Thanks Laura and Carla!)


5.  I try to keep the end in sight and know that this too shall pass.  


6.  God's grace is sufficient for me at all times.  He gives me what I need to get through tough times and gives me stores of energy and resiliency that I didn't think I possessed.  And in the end, that is what will get me through until tomorrow.

The Case of the Lost Sunglasses

Livia and a different pair of sunglasses when she was only 9 months old.

Many times, my day will start off ho-hum and things will just go uphill from there and my day will end great!  Funny how this morning was just the opposite.  It started off for me at 5:15 a.m. when I rolled out of bed, managed to make it to the kitchen and throw together a batch of oatmeal chocolate chunk muffins, get the kids dressed and ready to go, and have everyone in the van at 6:55 a.m.  We headed off to the dentist, 15 miles away in Encinitas, so that Isabella could have a cavity filled.  As we were driving along on our merry way, I was thinking how nice it was to start off the morning so wonderfully!  I had somehow managed to have a smoothly running morning, get 5 kids out the door and on their way an hour earlier than usual, no major fights or breakdowns had taken place prior to leaving, everyone was fed, and we were going to arrive to the dentist office ahead of time.  Not bad.  Once we arrived, everything went as planned.  The girls began to play on the indoor playhouse (thank goodness for a great pediatric dentist!), Isabella went back to the exam room and got set up with the nitrous oxide and her movie, and the dentist got to work.  I was hoping for everything to go quickly because we needed to make it 25 minutes back to Escondido and get Isabella back in school so that we could run Arianna to gymnastics by 10:00 a.m.  As we waited, I did the girls' hair in the waiting room (always a great place to beautify your daughters when running short on time), they played, and we made a bathroom trip.  It seemed like no time at all and Isabella was done, I had paid, it was only 8:45 (perfect timing!), and we were ready to go. 

Then, disaster struck!  We began to gather all our belongings and the girls gathered up their brand new sunglasses that their uncle had sent to them and had arrived in the mail the night before.  Only to find that Livia's darling lilac Dora the Explorer sunglasses were no where to be found.  I had seen them not that long before and was sure they were either in the stroller or the playhouse.  We checked every couch we had sat on, the playhouse a minimum of 4 times, the entire area on the floor, the bathroom, and the examination room to no avail.  We even thought maybe another little girl that had been in earlier might have accidentally picked them up and we asked the receptionist to keep her eye out for them.  In the end, after now running short on time, we had to leave without them, tell Livia that her glasses had gone "bye-bye", and head off to school.  

Now, logically, I know that this pair of sunglasses was only an object, a "thing", that could be replaced and doesn't hold a lot of actual value in this world.  But, emotionally I just wasn't feeling that.  I'm not an obsessive-compulsive person, but I was definitely having an OCD moment.  I was frantic in my search for these glasses and as I drove the kids on our way, it was all I could think about despite the many other peripheral conversations that I was holding simultaneously with the kids and the low murmur of the radio in the background.  I wonder sometimes why I have such dificulty letting these seemingly "little" things go.  In this case, I guess it really comes back to relationships, something that does hold real value to me.  I felt horribly when thinking of my brother, that this cute gift from him was so quickly lost.  I felt badly for Livia thinking that she might be very upset later on when she realized that they were missing.  And, I felt badly about the decision I made as a mom to let her bring the glasses along in the first place, knowing that 2-year-olds can easily misplace items.  Sometimes I'm very emotionally drawn into a situation - the lump-in-my-throat, knot-in-my-stomach kind of feeling - and wonder if it is to my detriment.  But, to feel is to be human; I wouldn't exchange that for a cold passivity in viewing the world go by me in a detached way.

All in all, the rest of the scheduled time panned out fairly well in the end.  Isabella was delivered tired and not feeling her best to school for which I also felt sad, but I thought she needed to be there despite recovering from her dental work.  Arianna arrived at gymnastics at 10:00 a.m. on the dot, Selah was delivered to school by Grandma on time at 11:15, and #3, #4, #5, and I all made it back home for lunch by 11:45.  Not a bad morning, all in all.  The lovely euphoria of the morning was unrecoverable, but after laughing at the antics of a very silly puppy and hilarious toddler (accompanied by a release of endorphins, no doubt), I felt that the day could be salvaged.  And, I'm still praying to God for a small miracle - that the purple Dora sunglasses will make an appearance in the dentist's office by day's end.