The Dreaded Becomes the Memorable

I had myself so entirely worked up for something bad to happen during our vacation and believe me, it didn't start off so great. We left home later than usual, which is normal but then that damn curb jumped out at the husband while we were driving. Luckily it only gave me a mild heart attack and a good laugh but it was a bad omen. Then we stopped to get gas. Hubby left the radio on while he pumped and when he got back in the damn thing wouldn't start. Yes, we knew we needed a new battery but damn, I didn't realize it was that bad. The battery was running for not even 5 minutes and it died. The people behind us were really nice and jumped it for us and we were on our way out of town. Thankfully our bad luck ended there. We started our vacation off at John's aunt & uncle's house where the kids were awakened by goodies left by the "Easter Bunny" aka Uncle Rick. I think daddy enjoyed that surprise the most since it was mostly Cadbury Creme Eggs... his FAVORITE! Uncle Rick also made a yummy breakfast of french toast, bacon and sausage. What a great bed and breakfast :) On Monday we met with Tracy and her boys. I met Tracy through BabyCenter almost 6yrs ago and she is a part of a group of us girls that talk daily. This was the first time we met face to face and she is a great girl (just like all the others I have met from there). Her boys fit right in with my heathens and we had a good time together. No one embarrassed me at Legoland and we had a great day. It did end up with me getting a migraine but the hubby got me some meds and I slept good. Tuesday we headed into Chicago and the traffic in was alright. No heart attacks for me but I can't say the same for John. He does all the driving, especially in big cities cause I would freak! However, we made it to The Field Museum unscathed. The kids had a pretty good time, I think, but I was stressed. It must have been the museum atmosphere that drove me batty. I was on edge most of the day and the kids were worn out by the time we left. Wednesday was our last day and we headed back into the city to visit the Shedd Aquarium. Traffic was about the same going in but on the way back... GAH! We almost got squished by a big truck when two lanes went into one with NO warning. We were literally driving between cars. The day was good otherwise. The kids really enjoyed the shows we saw and all the fishies. I was much more relaxed than at the Field Museum but still on edge with all the people there. My kids did manage to embarrass me first thing in the morning when Lexi and Jacob started fighting and she shoved him to the ground but after separating them (and getting a few head shakes from other parents), all was well. We spent an insane amount of money on eating out and getting souvenirs but everyone had a great time. I am not looking forward to the next one but will revel in the fact that it won't be for a few more years. Maybe they will be a bit better behaved and we can fore go the "leashes" or we just use them for Lexi and Jacob instead of Adam and Sara. Our vacation might go off without a hitch if we go that route ;)

Family Vacation

We are getting ready to take the first real family vacation in a long while. The last time we took a vacation together was 2yrs ago when we went to Disney World over Valentine's Day weekend. While it was fun, it was stressful. Adam & Sara kept running off in opposite directions, Lexi had a full on meltdown while watching a live High School Musical show (still have no idea what the problem was) and Jacob and Kadie were just, well, Jacob and Kadie. You would think now that they are older that I would be looking forward to this and it wouldn't be as bad but I am still nervous. I am already anticipating the whining, the fighting, the overreacting by mom & dad and the feelings of embarrassment that I am sure to encounter. I am already stressing about forgetting something and the kids have been asking every hour what time we are leaving even though I have said it a million times already. These trips are supposed to be fun. The kids are supposed to have a good time and laugh and be carefree. I am supposed to smile as I watch my kids play with legos and ride rides at Legoland, learn about dinosaurs at the Field Museum and as they watch an assortment of fish at the Shedd Aquarium. But that isn't me. I am constantly on my toes waiting for one of my kids to lag behind as the rest of us are moving along or to try and climb up on something while all the other parents around are shaking their heads at my terrible parenting. I just want to enjoy myself but I am so afraid of being judged by the "perfect" parents that I keep myself on edge. Maybe my kids will surprise me and actually listen and not make me want to rip my hair out. However, I will not hold my breath. I won't set my expectations too high and if by chance I still have hair left when we get home I will consider that a good vacation.

No Good at Anything

That's right... I am admitting I have a problem. A problem with committment. I may still be with my husband after 10 long, crazy, emotional, amazing years... but I still have a problem keeping up with anything. I did a 30 day photo challenge... missing a day somehow, I start diets and exercise programs all the time but before long they are non-existant, I become the perfect housewife for a day or two then I am back to my lazy self (you know, as lazy as a person with 5 kids can be) and I love working outside of the home for a short period of time but after awhile I am done. I must say though, I didn't quit this time (for a change).

I may have said this before, but sometimes I just need to pour on the self pity to get myself out of a rut I am in. I hate when people worry about me. I hate when people try to cheer me up when I am in a bad mood. I hate being told to calm down or smile or unwind when all I want to do is scream at the top of my lungs. Some days I am in such a bad place that the littlest things set me off. Everything and everyone annoys me. I am afraid on those days that I will say things that I don't mean... or worse, that I do mean. And I know you all know what I mean by that.

Today is just one those days where everything is okay but nothing feels right. I feel like the worst mom for yelling at her kids on their way out the door to school. I feel like a terrible wife for not wanting to kiss her husband because that is how bad my mood is but doing so out of obligation. I feel like a crappy friend for not wanting to talk or hang out or really do anything that involves people. I feel like everyone and everything in my life is suffering because every other day I am in a foul mood that is unexplainable.

I don't have a problem or feel bad when I am all pissy for a reason. Had I not slept all night or I was fighting with my husband or everything was going wrong, then I wouldn't feel like dirty dishwater. And to top it off, I'm not even sure what the means.

Maybe I am just stressed out because of the move. We finally found out we are moving to Washington State this summer and it is going to be a big move. But that's a subject for a future post. So while I am no good at keeping up with this blog, I do have plans to get back to it. I hope everyone can bear with me as I continue on this rollercoaster ride of a life I am living. And I hope at least some of you are glad to have me back :)

Veteran's Day

Days like today seems to bring out all the patriots we have among us. Those people that respect the military and their families and all that they do for this great nation. There are discounts at restaurants (some even give away free meals) and there are church services and flag ceremonies and an outpouring of gratitude shown to the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.

My husband is one of those brave men. He puts on his combat boots and goes to work every day in honor of the freedoms that were bestowed upon us by the great leaders of yester years. He protects the freedoms we take for granted when he is called to do so. He may not be fighting a war today, tomorrow or any other day but he is still willing to stand there on the front lines for you and everyone else in this country as needed.

There is a saying in the Army that I think reflects what it means to be a soldier, a veteran. "There is strong. Then there is Army strong." You can be strong but that does not make you Army strong. I think this can be applied to anyone in the Armed Forces. These men and women face challenges that the rest of us hope to never have to face. They fight the battles on enemy land rather than putting us in harm's way. They leave their families for weeks on end to train for such instances, and then for months at a time to fight for our freedoms. Sometimes they even pay the ultimate sacrifice... their life. They do this for you... for all of us. There is no I in team, there is no I in Army and there is no I in Freedom.

So today and all days we say thanks to our military for laying their lives on the line in the name of freedom. We are the land of the free because of the brave. Remember...

30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge

Facebook is a source of many things... and this month for me, it is a source of accountability.

I saw quite a few people doing a 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge for the month of November and embraced the idea. I have been very good about keeping up with it and I know it is because of the people I have on facebook.

Now I don't know if they really want to know what I am thankful for but knowing there are people out there reading my status updates makes me keep up with it. Quite the opposite from this blog. I mean, I know there are people that were reading it but I didn't feel like I was held accountable enough, I guess. No excuse, really, because I should hold myself accountable. Anyway, I digress.

The point of the blog, really, was to tell you of this challenge and challenge YOU to join in... either on facebook, your blog or twitter... or just write it in a journal for reflection at the end of the month. It may be hard but you will be grateful for the daily reminder of all the little things to be thankful for.

Remember Me?

Yah, probably not! So here is a quick intro...

My name is Brianna but most people call me Bri. In fact, it is easier to introduce myself as Bri because half the time I cannot say my own name right. Everyone always asks, "Is it Bri-Ah-Na or Bri-Anne-Uh?" So guess what, it's neither. It's Bri (actually it's Bri-Ah-Na, but I think you get my point).

I have 5 kids. Yup, you read that right. FIVE! I know I am by far not the only mom out there with lots of kids and 5 doesn't seem like a lot anymore when so many people have 3 and 4 kids nowadays. I know moms with 6, 7, 8 and more kids. It is more common now than in past years where 2 kids was the norm and if you had one of each (a girl and a boy) then you were expected to be done since you now had the "perfect" combination. Well, I will tell you... I had a girl, then a boy so I was supposed to be done, right?! HA! I then had another girl, then another boy... done again, right?! NOT! Then came #5, my baby girl. Girl, boy, girl, boy, girl and no plans for another to even it out especially since our luck it would be another girl.

Besides that, we are evened out already. We have a male dog to round things out. His name is Buckeye. Yes we are Ohio State fans... yes we are from Ohio... and yes we HATE Michigan (but still love all our friends and family that chose the wrong path). Anyway, Buckeye is a great dog. A german shepherd/rottweiler mixed beast but the biggest baby you will ever meet. He wishes he could be a lap dog and he loves people, especially my husband.

Speaking of that man of mine... he is my Sugar Daddy. HA! He makes all the money by playing a soldier by day and by night he is a soccer coach and scout master. He is a better man than I ever deserved and his kids are lucky that he is their daddy.

It's a great little family we have here in Iowa. Our home for now since that is where the Army sent us. Next year we will be elsewhere but that destination has yet to be determined. Our ideal location would be Ft Campbell, KY which puts us 8hrs from our hometown of Toledo, Ohio, 8hrs from our besties here in Iowa and 8hrs from our besties in Savannah, GA. We like to stay close to our family and friends while the kids are young. It helps so much, especially when daddy has to go overseas.

Anyway, that is us in a nutshell... the nutty Buckeyes we are. Hope you stick around to see the craziness we get into and I promise to make no promises of being a good blogger. After all, I never finish anything I...

Lisa Leonard Giveaway

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lisa Leonard!

Second, how great is it to celebrate with a fantastic giveaway?! Not only is she giving away $100 to shop her line of products but also $100 to Target as well.


http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/blog/2010/08/19/birthday-giveaway/

So go, enter and maybe you could win. You don't even have to share your winnings with me :)

Haunted

Ever since I turned 18 and moved out of my parents' house, I have felt haunted. Actually, it was even before that.

When I was in junior high I had a couple of incidents with hauntings. My horror movie loving best friend was always around when these things occurred, so I blame her. She once showed me the ashes of her dog and as she was putting them away I felt something brush across my leg. It was fast, too. I remember turning around to see what it was and nothing was there. The cat wasn't around, the dog wasn't around and the iguana wasn't around. Of course, it couldn't have been the iguana because it was way too fast so there was only one solution... GHOST DOG! Another time, with that same friend, we saw a ghost floating down the street. It could have been a plastic bag but it wasn't windy and it disappeared just after passing the house (if I am remembering correctly). Needless to say, it was a little bit freaky.

Anyway, when I lived on my own for the first time I had a haunting experience. Nothing scary, and nothing blatantly ghostly but it was still weird. I had recently lost a child and I had just set her memory cabinet up in my new room just the way I had wanted it. I left my room for some time and when I went back, the baby blanket was spread out over my dresser instead of folded up nicely over the top of the curio cabinet. My roommates swear they were not in my room and I believe them. Why would they mess with something like that anyway?!

The next time I remember having an out of this world experience was after I had bought a touch lamp from Goodwill. It was a gorgeous lamp and I couldn't pass it up for only $2.50. I swear I brought home a spirit with it though. I would be sleeping and the lamp would turn on all by itself waking me up. Sometimes I would just be sitting there reading and the light would cycle through the settings before stopping back where I had it. I am no electrician, so I suppose it could have been a wiring issue or even a static issue but I am not convinced. I was sad to part with it when we moved but I also didn't want to take any spirits with us either.

When I was younger, I had liked the Child's Play movies but then I realized that they were NOT funny anymore when they came out with My Buddy and it looked too much like Chucky for my tastes. My siblings and cousins thought it would be funny to hang the doll from the top bunk one morning while I was sleeping and it scared the living daylights out of me. This fear of mine would come back to haunt me years later.

As I was sleeping in bed next to my husband with all three kids in my room I heard a strange noise coming from the other side of the house. I sat up and listened intently. It was one of the kids' dolls TALKING! I immediately woke my husband up and sent him to get the demon toy. He asked what to do with it and I told him it was going in the garbage... it was not staying in my house. Thankfully the next day was garbage day!

I don't recall having many (if any) haunting experiences while living in Georgia which seems pretty strange considering all the haunted tours that you can take there. It wasn't until we moved to Iowa that I started feeling haunted again. This time it is just random noises. My upstairs floor creaks when no one is up there and my bedroom ceiling fan makes noises in a rhythmic fashion as if someone were playing music. My husband thinks I am crazy but I swear I am not (at least not THAT crazy).

What Was That?

As a mom, most times we understand what our kids are saying but there are still times where we hear ourselves saying "WHAT?!" over and over again and still not realizing what the kids are saying. And then suddenly we understand and it is hilarious.

Adam, my 4 year old, for some reason cannot say oatmeal. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. it comes out as meatloaf. We have had meatloaf before and he knows what it is so for him to call oatmeal, meatloaf is just plain hilarious. Now, if I tell him to say "oatmeal" he will say it right but he calls it meatloaf so often that when the kids tell him to say oatmeal, he says meatloaf just to make them laugh.

Sara, my 3 year old, is even funnier. She actually talks better than Adam does and can pronounce stuff with a little coaching but the things she says just throw me for a loop all the time. She cannot say bubblegum... so it comes out as "buggledum" and it is too cute to correct. Remember the "bubblegum, bubblegum" song we would sing to figure out who was "it" yah, well, my kids do that all the time and you can just imagine how cute it sounds to hear, "Buggledum, buggledum, in a dish" coming from Miss Sara Bear.

This girl is also known for funny statements she comes up with. Just yesterday she told me that she could not wait to be "Big Sara" so she could have a baby and have big boobs like me. SHE. IS. THREE. This one scares me HAHAHA. And then as we were lying in bed, she noticed I had a little underarm stubble and says, "You not have that, that for dads." For being just three, this girl knows her do's and dont's. She just cracks me up.

All of my kids have had an issue with saying cookie... or anything that starts with K or a hard C. It always comes out as a T sound. This is normal! That hard C and K sound are just hard to get. The sound comes from the back of your mouth instead of the front so it is difficult to imitate. Ever since I can remember my in-laws and husband have tried correcting my kids and this is the first time it has made me laugh. Sara was trying to say "cookie" and it was coming out as "tookie." My husband and his parents were coaching her, telling her it was "cuh-cookie" and she could say it correctly. That would be fine and dandy if every time we walked into a store she didn't start shouting, "I want some cuh-cookies" over, and over, and over. She doesn't just say "cookies", it is "cuh-cookies" and it drives me a little batty LoL

I am sure there are more funnies coming from my kids but my poor mommy-brain will not let me recall anymore at the moment. What are some funny things/pronunciations your kids say?

Decisions of an Army Wife

Being an Army wife is tough work but making decisions as an Army wife is even tougher. Most times we don't have much of a say. When we do, though, it is important to consider everything. All the pros, all the cons, all the negatives and the positives... Sometimes thinking about what others might think or say make those decisions even harder.

Our first PCS we were given a list of possible duty stations and were allowed to choose where we wanted to go. John left it up to me after narrowing it down to two. He wanted Ft. Carson, Colorado and he knew I did not. The other option was Ft. Stewart, Georgia... and if you know me, you know where I picked. Not sure why he let me choose, but I took the opportunity and ran with it. We spent almost four years down south.

This last PCS was much like the first. We were, again, given a list of possible duty stations and the choice was ours. We didn't have nearly as much time to discuss it as we had the first go around and this time we had about 5 options (a 6th option was Ft. Carson but they were deploying soon and that was not an option we were looking for).

Option 1: Ft. Huachuca, Arizona
Option 2: Indianapolis, Indiana (Recruiter Duty)
Option 3: Hawaii (Schoffield Barracks)
Option 4: Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois (Non-Deployable)
Option 5: Ft. Jackson, South Carolina

It was quite easy to narrow it down. There was no way I was moving to Arizona. I do not think I could handle the heat. Ft. Jackson was still in the south and I wanted out... plus, John didn't care much for the area and I didn't care much for the schools. John didn't really want recruiter duty so that left us with island duty Hawaii or a midwest tour.

Hawaii was a great opportunity. How often would that option come up, right? But I wasn't sure. I researched both areas and came up with a clear answer to my pressing dilemma. Hawaii was not right for us. Everyone thought I was nuts. Who in their right mind turns down Hawaii??? Well, I don't ever claim to be in my right mind, but my left mind knew better.

Yah, Hawaii sounds cool and EVERYONE would have come to visit us there {insert eye roll} but think about it. Be realistic and really think about it. Would YOU want to take 5 small children to Hawaii? To me, that did not sound like fun. Add that on top of the many other reasons for NOT going to Hawaii. The schools were not good enough for our standards, the cost of living is outrageous (our BAH wouldn't even cover a decent place for us to live) and our dog would have been quarantined. Also, the Army would only ship one of our vehicles, we would never be able to afford to come home for Christmas and even though everyone says they would visit, I don't want to only be visited because I live in Hawaii.

So while Hawaii sounds like the perfect place to be stationed on the Army's dime... it was not the place for our family. Those are the kinds of decisions and sacrifices Army wives have to make all the time. We have to think of our family, our children, our pets, our every day lives and make tough decisions based on those factors. It isn't just cut and dry. Hawaii may not ever come up again but that is ok because I know that I made the right decision... no matter how crazy it seems or how difficult it was.

And yes, the hubby let me have the choice again... and if we get a choice next year, I bet he puts the weight on my shoulders. Unless of course he gets the option to PCS to Ft. Carson because then he will gladly take it. Third times a charm, right?

Movie Review Monday

Recently, I had the urge to watch the Jaws movies so I scoured Netflix for them. I was in luck! They had all 4 of the movies. Did you know there was four?! And not only did they have them available... they had them available to watch instantly.

I watched the first one from my computer while I was in Ohio. The second I waited and watched at home via Netflix Wii with the kids and much to my surprise, they loved it. Next was either Jaws 3 or Jaws: The Revenge. I couldn't remember which I had seen and it turned out it was Jaws: The Revenge, so we went with that one first. I had heard that Jaws 3 was one of the most terrible movies of all time so I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to watch it or not. Yesterday, though, I broke down and watched it.

Jaws 3 was originally made to be in 3-D. I am guessing it just isn't the same without those special effects. The floating arm, the severed fish head and the exploding guts probably looked so much cooler popping out of the screen in your face. The plot of this third installment of the Jaws franchise was set in an Orlando theme park. Michael Brody was an employee of Sea World and his little brother Sean came down for a visit. All grown up now, the two brothers must face yet another shark attack when a baby shark is captured and mama shark is none too happy. The effects are terrible, there are so many parts that could not/would not happen, and the shark was as fake as it gets. Of the four movies, I would say this is the worst. That being said, it does not make the series any less appealing. Shark movies are all about the gore and the unrealistic plot, IMO. No one wants to think that these shark attacks would actually happen, so the more fiction the better. We know sharks are not vengeful and don't come back time and time again but still we watch because Jaws is just an epic movie. Gotta love the Brody family!

If you like Jaws and haven't seen this one, give it a try. It is very laughable but still another shark notch in the Brody boys' belts. Can't just skip over it.

Six Word Saturday

***Swimming without kids... oh sooooo nice***

Fun Photo Friday

Cheater, Cheater

Once a cheater, always a cheater... that is what they say, isn't it? Well... it's true. I am a cheater and there isn't anything anyone can do about that.

I am quick, smooth and fly under the radar. No one suspects a thing. I seem like such a devoted person and you do not deserve to be lied to. What is there to say? I am not sorry... and it is probably gonna happen again.

And now that I have your attention... today's post will actually have been typed out a day late and then backdated. Such a cheater, I am.

Remember

Why is it so hard for me to remember things? I am not talking your usual forgetfulness like "Did I close the garage before I left?" NO! I am talking about my kids' names! Which child is missing! MY WHOLE LIFE! My memories are few and far between and it is very frustrating.

My dr says there is nothing wrong with me but I am not convinced that this is just your old run of the mill mommy brain. Who goes through all the kids' names and sometimes the dog's before getting the right one?! I mean, yah eventually I will get it but should it take that long? I also don't remember conversations I have had, things that I have said just seconds before. It is annoying to say the least.

My memories of my life, my childhood, are so few... maybe one from every year. I never remember specifics, just bits and pieces thrown together to form some sort of memory. Sometimes I am not even sure if they are real memories. I have this one where someone tells me that my dad isn't my real dad but I have asked around and even to this day (at age 29) no one admits to that. My guess is that is one of those false memories... a dream of sorts, I guess.

Anyway, just frustrated with this thing I call mush. My brain does not work correctly these days and even simple words evade me. Am I alone? Should I just chalk it up to mommy brain or do you think it could be something more? I am probably just crazy and a bit of a hypochondriac but still... it worries me to be so forgetful. At least I haven't forgotten any kids anywhere!