I haven’t posted in quite a while! It’s been a fun, busy summer so far. We’ve gone to the pool at least 4 times a week. Taj and Liv have gone to 2 different Vacation Bible Schools. I’ve been couponing. The older kids have been at the ex’s for 2 weeks.  I’ve been playing basketball twice a week.  Sei’s been working. And working some more.

Tristan, Alec and Isabel come home today. They will be home for a week and then go back to the ex’s for a week. Then come home for 2 weeks, then go back for 2 weeks… It sucks. And what sucks more is that they come home tonite, but Tristan and Alec leave for Boy Scout camp early in the morning. Thankfully we’re picking them up early on Thursday because Sei’s cousin is getting married in Oklahoma. So, at least I’ll get to see the boys for 3 days before they leave again… And it is better than them being gone 6 weeks in a row. They are only gone 5 total. Taj and Liv hate it though. Kelsea and Karlea won’t be coming this summer. That’s a long story… Can I just say that some people are the most selfish, miserable, sorry excuse for a human being? Misery really does love company. Well Misery, we aren’t hangin’ with you anymore.

Indy the dog is doing good, but she’s a punk. She’s mellow for the most part, but for some reason likes to eat my leg. Hard. I have 3 bruises from her biting me this week. BIG bruises that hurt. We’re working on that… And for some reason it’s only me she likes to eat. Boo! I have news for you Indy, if it wasn’t for me you would starve in a yard full of poop. Just sayin’…. She also ate 2 of my shoes, 1 of Liv’s and 1 of Taj’s. We took Livie to get new church shoes since she only had one left. It was so funny watching her try on shoes. She’d put them on, spin on one foot, and then tell me if they were “good s’finners.” (spinners)  She tried one on and said, “No, this isn’t good. It doesn’t s’fin.” She’s so entertaining. She’s also a pretty good swimmer now! And Taj is a fish. It’s nice to have all my kids potty trained and swimming!  

We had Father’s Day early for Sei since he had to work and the older kids would not be home either. He got a George Foreman grill, some goggles (lol!) and a massager thingy that goes in his carseat. The kids also all picked their own card to give him and wrote him really sweet things. He’s a lucky guy!

Oh! I forgot. I have lost OVER 20 pounds in 33 days. Yes- in 33 days. I’m on hcg drops and it’s been awesome. I fit in all my shorts. I bought a new swim suit. I feel healthy. I have energy. I am stoked. And Sei says I’m hot. You can read more about my hcg journey at: www.mattressbutt.blogspot.com . It’s truly been a lifesaver and I am DETERMINED to keep it off!!! I am exercising and I have learned to eat better. I can do this!!

We go on vacation to Utah soon. I am stoked to see Sei’s family and to see old friends!!! I miss Utah. A lot. I haven’t found my place here like I felt like I had there. I think we’re just now getting a chance to catch our breath here after all the court crap, so hopefully things will get better and this will seem like “home” again.

Y’all gon’a make me lose my mind up in HERE, up in here
Y’all gon’ make me go all out up in here, up in here
Y’all gon’ make me act a FOOL up in HERE, up in here
Y’all gon’ make me lose my cool up in here, up in here

(DMX – Party Up)

Let me preface this post by saying – I love Taj and Liv. I do. They are awesome and I am so thankful to have them. The summer Tristan, Alec and Isabel went to Texas and I was pregnant with Taj was the worst summer ever. I didn’t know what to do. I was bored to tears, lonely, and fat. I am so thankful I have Tajy and Livie & I don’t ever have to send them away to anyone for visitation. They’re awesome. But holy crap- I had forgotten what it’s like to have 2 small children- and no older ones. I’m so used to having and 3 year old and 17 month old at home during the day. But at 3pm I kinda get a break because the older kids come home from school. I take Izzy to gymnastics and can run to the grocery store without taking the little ones with me. There’s other kids home to take Taj outside to ride his bike, jump on the trampoline, play Transformers, etc…

The last 5 weeks with the older ones are gone…ugh. There is no 3pm break time. Whaa. I am so glad I only have 6 days until my kiddos come home. I am so bored. Sooooooooooo bored. And not motivated to do anything. (Except blog, but that’s important!) I don’t wanna cook dinner. I don’t wanna clean the house. I don’t wanna go outside- even with our new beautiful yard. I just wanna stay inside, drink diet Dr. Pepper, and sit on my butt. Could I be a little depressed? Quite possibly…
I’ve tried to be proactive and force myself out of the house. I signed Taj up for swim lessons and he absolutely loves it. Livie and I are taking a Mom & Me class. Holy Gay!! I feel so stupid singing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” as we walk along the pool wall. And Livie senses the gayness because she screams the entire time. Not because she’s scared of the water, but because she wants me to put her down. Since we’re in 3 feet water I can’t put her down. We’ve left “class” everyday early to play in the shallow water. She’s in heaven. But then she goes psycho when it’s time to leave. So, yeah, that’s always fun.
The kids come back next Thursday. They fly in a little after noon and then Kelsea and Karlea arrive about 3 hours later. So, we’ll go from 2 to 7 kids. And I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT! Am I crazy? Maybe. I’m realizing that I’m just a lame little kid mom now. With the 1st three I didn’t know how awesome it could be to have older kids, so I rocked at being a little kid mom. We went to the library. We played at McDonalds. I made felt books! (When you read that say it like Lloyd on Dumb and Dumber “Our pets heads are fallin’ off!!) Yeah, well, I don’t know what happened to that mom. She got old I guess. Or figured out you could just buy felt books. You don’t have to make them…