Summer is HERE!

So, it has begun- the "lazy" days of summer....although, there isn't one sign of "lazy" around here-- unless you account for the disarray of our home.  I saw a quote that said "Please excuse the mess, BUT we live here." And another I know we've ALL seen, "Cleaning the house with kids is like shoveling the walk while it is still snowing!"
I know you can't chalk EVERYTHING up to that reasoning, however, I have recently (it's been evolving since #4 joined our world) adopted those quotes as my "get out of jail FREE" card that I keep in my back pocket.
We have a chore list with each child being assigned a certain duty, 

This has been the schedule for a while-- may need to rethink it.

and I'm constantly looking for new ideas and incentives to keep the children engaged and willing.
The latest incentive was Daddy was gone to the ACCS conference in Dallas for a few days, so I encouraged them to help me get the "living" area of the house in tip-top shape for his return.  They did (mostly happily hearted), and the gasp of surprise and awe from Daddy brought a huge smile to everyone's face.  SUCCESS!
So, that worked...this time.  But what about tomorrow?  or the next day?
What are some of your ideas to get kids engaged and keeping up with their chores?

OY!

Ok, so I think I am a glutton for....no, not punishment....TORTURE!  That's right...I'm going to outline my last few weeks:
May 25: eldest daughters b'day, last day of school.  Start finishing up yearbook design.  Planning on doing a garage sale the next Sat.
May 26: finish moving the final items from old house to new house- a 6 month experience that is finally over.  Still working on yearbook, still planning that garage sale.
May 27: church and family time (I think- hard to remember that far back- HA!) separated some stuff out for the garage sale, did some laundry, and worked on yearbook some more.
May 28: Memorial Day- 5K run (about killed myself due to not training enough) more organizing and separating for the garage sale and yearbook- it is due tomorrow!
May 29: Swim Team practice starts: I have 4 kids on the team- there are 3 practice times; I have 1 in the first, 1 in the second and 2 in the third...although the youngest Monjure swim teamer isn't really swimming yet and causing me all kinds of angst.
May 30: Close on the house we lived in for 8 years, brought 3 babies home to, and made countless memories in. :o(
May 31: More Swim Team practice, VBS meeting at lunch time, Swim Meet that night- but my kids didn't get to swim due to my unorganized self-- FUNNY STORY (not really): I had to turn in copies of their Birth Certificate in order for them to swim.  I had known about this for a while, but after trying to order them online and realizing that at $84 each (I needed 4) that I would just go to the Vital Records office and get them.  I did that the Wed. before school got out, however, needed to get my eldests certificate from the old house.  Time passed, bla, bla, bla, the deadline came and went.  So my kids didn't get to swim in their first swim meet EVER because I didn't get their certs turned in on time.  And you know what the kicker is???  When I went to put the original Birth Certs in our fireproof safe....I ALREADY HAD A COPY OF THEM!!!!!  UGH- @ $25 each, that is $100 I'll never get back!  OH YEAH- the garage sale- SHOOT!
June 1: Swim Team donut celebration and "play time".  Scoot home to fix lunch and then head over to the school to make copies and mail report cards.  TOTALLY forgot about watching my BFF's kids while she goes to an appt.  SHOOT!!!  Forget the garage sale....it ain't happenin' this week!
June 2: Finally a day to relax- NOPE!  Can't get my van in the garage, so MUST GET GARAGE SALE STUFF READY!
June 3: Church and then to the park for our Church Picnic.  Home to rest (HA).
June 4: ST practice, getting ready for the school Consignment Sale....and the garage sale.
June 5: ST practice, getting ready for the school Consignment Slae....and the garage sale.
June 6: My youngest turned 3!!!  WHAT??!!  How did THAT happen?  There couldn't have been a worse day to have a b'day....with such a distracted mommy..UGH!  between ST practice, consignment sale prep, Abigail's violin lesson, getting Ethan to Youth, my worship team rehearsal- SIGH!  At least big sister made him a "dinohoar train cake".
June 7: ST practice, set up for consignment sale, kids first EVER swim meet
June 8: ST donut celebration, consignment sale, clean up of consignment sale, get tables for garage sale, home to set up for garage sale, out to dinner for Nate's belated b'day, over to Nana's for ice cream sundaes.
June 9: GARAGE SALE!!!  Thank goodness it was worth it! :o)
June 10: Sang at church, lunch at Rico's, memorize VBS skit, etc.
June 11: ST practice, return tables to church, make dinner for sweet friend who just had her 5th, FIRST DAY OF VBS!!!

WHEW- no wonder I don't feel like summer has started yet.  Well, now that the first day of VBS is over, I can relax and enjoy the rest of the week and look forward to the beginning of my summer! :o)
A HUGE SHOUT OUT to EVERYONE who has made these last couple weeks possible: My hubby, my Mom & Dad, Jill, Beka, Keri, Kristi, my kiddos and so many others.
Through this I've learned a couple things: LEARN TO SAY "NO." and LEARN TO ACCEPT HELP!
We shall see if those lessons will stick with me. ;o)

OGC- in action

Oh, my....not sure I'm so good at this blogging business.  I had grand plans of trying to do a post everyday, and of course, found quickly that THAT was a bit overindulgent!  So, now, one day shy of a month between posts, here I sit to write.  ABOUT WHAT??!!
My mind is a bit cluttered with sounds of violin practice in the room next to me, a train track being assembled by the two youngest yunguns-- trying their best to get along, but not quite hitting the mark, (the train is battery powered and makes "real live train noises"), and a crying 7 year old.  All that to say, I couldn't even think!  I had a "to do" item for work that I intended to do when I got home this afternoon, and among all the glorious cacophony, I couldn't remember, nor clear my head enough to recall what it was I intended to do.  {THANKFUL FOR QUICK TEXT REPLIES}
Now, a couple hours later, 3 youngest upstairs playing, eldest cleaning up the kitchen {bless his heart!} and hubby and eldest daughter at violin practice, I have a moment to sit and compose....although the big THUD I just witnessed coming from upstairs CAN. NOT. BE. GOOD.....wait for it......no crying- SHEW! I may continue.
So, I'm finding it hard to come up with stuff to write, because frankly, I am a people pleaser and I don't want to offend anyone or leave anyone out or hurt anyone's feelings.  Lord help me!  What do I write about?
Then, it hits me....uuummmm, this is MY blog and I can write about whatever I feel like typing out at the moment....so please bear with me, and know that opinions are like belly buttons-- everybody's got one! and just because I express mine, doesn't mean that I don't agree with yours, or yours is wrong or I am mad at you, etc.  We are all grown-ups right?.....well, for the most part.  I read a quote recently that said "my opinions are solely my own," and I hold tight to that philosophy with this blog.
Well, so much for the quiet....now I have 2 running laps around the downstairs yelling and trying to scare and roar at each other, one on the piano playing her own version of AMAZING GRACE, and the eldest is STILL cleaning the kitchen with earbuds firmly placed deep in his ears to block out any of this glorious cacophony!

Ahh, the "TO DO" list

Well, it is Thursday of Spring Break and I find myself wondering "Where did the week go?"  I had all these grand plans of fun activities to do with the kids, and I haven't done any of them.  We did take the older 3 to see October Baby on Tuesday evening.  We dropped the youngest two at my mom's (THANKS, MOM!) and ventured over to Rico's World Kitchen....afterall, KIDS EAT FREE on Tuesday.  Some of the yummiest nibbling I've done in a while, and their sangria was divine!
The movie was good; a tear jerker for sure--take a hankie or two...or a whole box.
Now, I'm faced with 3 days to squeeze in a week's worth of fun, purchase Easter outfits, stock up on groceries for the next week and continue to whittle down my laundry pile-- fun times!
Wish me luck. :o)

3.....2.....1......LIFTOFF!

Well, I've said for a long time that I wanted to do a blog and, well, here goes nothing!  My hope is that by journaling my crazy days-- the good, the bad and the ugly-- somehow the bad and ugly will be filtered  leaving only lessons learned and the good will be stored in my memory to recall years down the road, at family gatherings, late night phone calls and the like.
As an introduction- I am Christy, I'm married to Derek (for almost 16 years) and we have 5 kids- Ethan (13), Abigail (9), Bridgid (7), Katie (4) and Nate (2).  I am the Office Manager for the classical school my husband and close friend began back in 2006: Dominion Classical Christian Academy.  I have recently started working out again after taking a 5 year hiatus from being a group fitness instructor and full time baby making machine.
I am a Christian and love Jesus with all my heart, desiring to help guide my kids into a deep relationship with Him, and understanding that EVERYTHING we have, know and do revolves around Christ our Foundation.
I love my Husband; I love my family; I love my PEEPS/BUENA TATS/FRIENDS (without whom I would be curled up into the fetal position unable to face life <insert WINKY>); I love tennis (although I just had to quit my Ladies and Mixed teams due to too many commitments); I ooze that sickening cheerleader disposition-- I can't help it-- it is ingrained; I enjoy being a wanna be foodie; I HATE LAUNDRY and the endless job it is-- you know, 'cause we can't walk around naked!
So, I guess that is me in a nutshell.  3.....2......1.....LIFTOFF-- Here we go--just a peek into this One Glorious Cacophony!