All is quiet on the Western Front! I fear even saying those words will jinx me....but it feels so good that I cannot resist sharing it!

R "divided" up the kids this morning. His 2 children went to his sister’s house, DB went to Grandma's house, and the two feuding nephews went to their grandparent’s house. He got them all fed and dressed this morning and packed up and out the door by 10:00. I was in awe of his organizational skills in the matter. Kinda feel like the boy deserves a medal or a brownie button.

I went and had my nails done this morning after they all left. It was nice to give my toes and hands a little TLC. It was a little slice of heaven.

R and I went and did the weekly grocery shopping without the five million interruptions we had last week. It amazes me that we spent almost $350.00 at the grocery store last week and one week later we spent the same! Lord have mercy!

I dare say we aren't feeding children but some exotic breed of garbage disposals. Not sure where those skinny little kids put the pounds of food they shovel into their mouths daily. It's a mystery to say the least!

So I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon doing NOTHING! I am sitting here with the lap top, watching cheesy TV, and enjoying the beauty of silence.

R is puttering around out in the garage. Not sure what he's doing but I think he's crazy for being outside in this miserable heat. What is it about men and their garages anyway? What the Hell do they really do out there? If I wasn't feeling so darn lazy I might go check it out, but that would require moving from the comfy place on the couch I have claimed as my own.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday and that you all have a wonderful weekend. I am going to chill until it is time to get ready for date night. Then again R may never get me off of this couch!

Later Taters! Take care out there!


AM

This morning when I awoke I made the usual mad dash for the bathroom. I awake most mornings with a queasiness that is overpowering to say the least.

There I was taking care of the morning sickness "business"; my head hanging over the toilet like I had just had an all night bender. I may or may not have been cussing into the toilet bowl (I'm pleading the 5th) and I was interrupted by the sound of a little voice.

Little One: Morning.

I lift my head from the toilet to see R's youngest standing in the bathroom. He's smiling at me. I quickly sit upright and try and "gather" myself. I wondered how long he had been standing there in his little PJ's watching his future Step-Mother puke her guts out with her new found morning sickness.

AM: Morning Sweetie. Whatcha doin?

Little One: Daddy wants to know what you want for breakfast?

He smiled again as he swung his little arms back and forth.
R had been making the herd of cattle breakfast and as much as I appreciated it the mere thought of food literally made my mouth water in that way it does before you "toss your cookies"!

AM: Tell Daddy I will be there in a minute okay?

He nodded at me and walked out of the bathroom. As I got up to close the door I could hear the little one using his stadium voice:

Little One: She said she will be here in a minute cuz right now she has her head stuck in the toilet.

AM:

Moments later R is standing in the bathroom with his grin.

R: How ya doin'?

AM: Stop it.

R: You usually lock the bathroom door to prevent "visitors". Are you losing your touch already?

AM: *gives him the bird* There was no time. I barely made it from the bed to the bathroom.

He's laughing now. I feel like flicking toilet water on him, but I refrain.

R: What do you want to eat?

AM: Nothing.

R: You have to eat.

AM: Not hungry now.

R: I'm going to ask you again what do you want to eat?

AM: Ugh! It doesn't matter what I eat this baby is just going to have me throwing it up in ten minutes.

R: Oh well. So what should I make you?

I was getting frustrated. He means well, but when your stomach feels like it's on the rolling seas the last thing you want to do is eat. Yet, I have lost this battle a million times with him. I was too tired to fight about it. I agreed to eat dry toast.

Later this morning after we had dropped all the kids off at school we were talking in the car.

R: I have planned a date night for us tomorrow night.

AM: Really? A date night huh?

R: Yup, I think we need a date night.

AM: Honey did you forget we have five kids under our roof right now?

R: No.

AM: Well we can't just take off for date night who is going to watch the kids?

R: Taken care of...no worries.

AM: Honey, did you auction the kids off on eBay?

R: Funny, AM.

AM: Who did you find that would be crazy enough to watch your 2 kids, my daughter and your two feuding nephews?

R: I divided them up.

He grins at me and I can tell he is proud of his accomplishment in "taking" care of the babysitting for the kids.

AM: Divided them how?

R: You needn't worry about it.

Okay, the boy is a great Dad and right now I admire him greatly for taking in his two nephews....yet I sat there wondering if he was really capable of making "arrangements" for five kids. I decided to just trust him...I also felt way too tired to ask anymore questions.

AM: What are we going to do for our date night?

R: I made reservations at your favorite restaurant.

AM: Honey I really don't think you should spend all that money on a dinner that I will just end up offering up to the porcelain gods.

R: Then the gods will eat well tomorrow night.

We both laugh. It appears we will have a much needed kid-free date night tomorrow night. Dinner and then a quiet evening out by the pool listening to some music.

R: When we get home I will have some wine and a cigar. You can have a Shirley Temple and some carrot sticks.

AM: Can't wait.

Just another day in the exciting house of AM and R. I am hoping that our date night goes off without a hitch and that his babysitting arrangements are good ones.

I wonder if R came into the Stream and "divided" up the kids? Anyone expecting an unruly visit from 5 little "darlings" tomorrow night?

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Take care out there ya'll!


AM

Today I have a true hormonal "party" going on. It ain't pretty, and is almost down right pathetic. It started last night and those darn little buggers won't quiet down.

I warn you that I have a "Sybil" thing going on! AM one minute, cry baby the next, Super Bitch the next, and there is always room for Miss Sleepy. So...you should read at your own risk.

I don't know why it started or how it started. Quite frankly I was cooking dinner last night and just started crying. Nothing had happened...I just started crying like a baby. R bless his heart handled the ridiculous episode with ease and grace. I am certain he was really thinking....."What the Hell is wrong with her???"

I went to bed early last night as I thought perhaps I was just tired. R took over bedtime duty. When he finally came into the bedroom after 10 PM and finally getting the 2 teenagers to bed....he looked a wee bit tired. I felt bad...for a second...and then just started crying again. Poor guy. I am sure he thought about going to sleep in one of the kid’s rooms to avoid the hormone "party", but he didn't. R is either brave or really stupid.

The little party has continued all day long. I cry on and off and then I get pissy. Lord my mood swings are bigger than the Great Divide. Every hour seems to bring on a new emotion. I don't recall being this sappy and grumpy when I was pregnant with DB. This baby experience feels so much different than last time. Or did I just forget???

The kids are all doing their homework right now...quietly. I think it's because they think I might start crying again and I think they have had their fill of the tears and sappy stuff. They all even offered to help with dinner. Hmmmmm...maybe this hormone thing has a positive side????

R joked today that perhaps I am so up and down with my emotions because I am having twins. The boy is funny isn't he? I think he has a future in Stand Up Comedy. Is it wrong to give your fiancée the "bird" when he tells his super duper funny jokes???

So Streamers pass the Kleenex...the hormones are on a bender! Stay away from the water people....I may have contaminated the Stream! Take care out there....


AM

Is it Monday again? I think in some alternate universe it's Monday. I am certain of it.

The past week has been like a constant tornado. I am still waiting for the "winds" to stop blowing so I can catch my breath.

We have had a house full to say the least. R's 2 nephews are here with us for the next several weeks until their Mother moves back down here. She is in the middle of a nasty divorce and somehow we got "elected" to care for the two teenagers.

They are good kids but have had little or no direction in their lives and sadly more fathers than they can recall. We are glad the boys will be back in Texas and hopeful that we will be able to have a positive and good influence in their lives. Yet, we have had 5 KIDS in our house since Friday. I am teetering on the "batty" side.

All the kids started school this week. This should be a good thing, but I had forgotten how long it takes to get back into the school groove. I am not sure who is more tired....me or the kiddos.

I am not used to having teenagers around either who fight like freaking dogs. I literally have had to separate them a million times and R had to have a "chat" with them last night as their bickering is making us a bit crazy!

I have also realized I am unhip to their language and what's cool etc... Upon doing their laundry I realized that it must be "cool" to wear pants that fall down your butt and have enough room for three of your friends to hang out in as well. Heaven forbid I offer to get them hair cuts before the first day of school...what the Hell was I thinking?

R and I were stupid enough to take all 5 of the "little darlings" with us to look at houses this weekend. NEVER EVER EVER again. That was about as fun as jabbing a pencil in my eye.

One of the agents in the model home looked R and I up and down the whole time we were looking at the house. She kept smiling at us weird. Finally as we were walking out she looked at me and said, "I don't know how you do it."

I gave her a puzzled look and asked her what she was talking about.

"Five kids. I could never do it, no way. And you look great."

I wanted to slap her. The kids all kind of stared at her. R smiled his devilish grin and played into her hand.

“I know she does look great and we have another one on the way. We are hoping to have 8 by the time we are 40."

She gave him an awkward smile, and said, "Wow!" or something like that. I couldn't help but laugh as the poor woman looked like she was going to have a heart attack right then and there. Then our little "family" walked out to the car.

After two days of house hunting with our little dysfunctional family I decided I'd had enough. I looked at R and said, "So, you really
want to build a house huh?"

He smiled at me as if this hellish experience had all been part of his master plan to get his way on the subject. He nodded. "How bout you AM? You wanna build a house or keep looking weekend after weekend after weekend?"

Call it exhaustion, call it crazy...but I gave into him without a word or a whimper. Looks like we will be building our dream home and as much "fun" as that will be...anything will be better than spending the next few weekends looking at houses with my FIVE FREAKING children.

I am working at home today and have two more hours of peace and quiet before the kids get home from school and all Hell breaks loose again. I think I am going to sit here and veg for a while and see how much NOTHING I can accomplish before the troops arrive.

Hope all of you are doing well. Going to catch up with ya'll. Anyone want to "borrow" five kids for a few weeks? Didn't think so, but it was worth a try!

,

AM

So, anyone out there have a quiet corner that I can hang out in for a while? I won't take up much space and promise not to be a bother!

Life is simply going a million miles an hour. My body and mind are starting to resemble something out of an old zombie movie. Be afraid, be very afraid!

R told me last night that I need to slow down. I felt like throwing the mashed potatoes across the table at him. Instead I gave him a smile and "inquired" what he thought I should do to "slow" down.

There is so much going on in our lives right now that we seem to be constantly spinning in circles!

So, he apparently has been thinking that by the end of the year I should quit my job. My reaction was pretty simple: WHAT???

He seems to think that it would be best if in a few months I was at home more and had time to "tend" to everything else in our lives without being worn out all of the time.

In theory this sounds like a good plan, but in reality it scares the crap out of me. I have been working a long while now. I have not stayed at home in a very long time. The idea is foreign to me.

His intentions are good. I know we would all do very well on his income, but that is not the point. I have become used to being financially independent. I like my job (except on Mondays! LOL) and the flexibility my job offers. Am I really ready to walk away from all that I have worked for in a few months?

Yes, it would be great to be home with the new baby when he or she arrives. Yet, I was in the mind set that I would work part-time from home and go into the office when needed. Yet, here he goes throwing a curve ball at me long before I am ready.

Yes, I am a walking, talking, sleep-deprived, puking human being at the moment. Yes, we have tons to do in the next several months. Yes, being home more often would be a good deal for the body and soul...but all the time???? Not thinking so.

He continued with his reasons for suggesting it throughout dinner. I listened intently and tried my best to understand his point of view. Because I was feeling a bit tired (maybe grumpy) and it was a "heavy" topic I informed the boy that I would think about it.

I'm thinking about it. Yet, 99.9% of me has already decided my answer is no. I will allow myself to ponder it a bit more...perhaps in-between my bonding moments with Mr. Toilet. I know he will not force the issue either way, so I feel I owe it to him to at least mull it over for a day or two....or 120.

Yes, I am excited about the changes life is offering up right now. They are wonderful and happy, but I am not sure what I think about walking away from a career I have worked damn hard to build. Maybe that is selfish of me? Not sure. Perhaps you insightful and inspirational Streamers can offer up some advice on the matter??


Any of your feedback would be appreciated very much. Am I being stupid about this? Maybe stubborn? Could I really be a Stay-At-Home kind of Mom? Inquiring minds want to know. I will anxiously await your responses.

Gotta go. I have a ton of emails to respond to...don't even get me started on why people can't pick up the phone instead of flooding your email inbox with two line emails.

Later Taters! Take care out there!

Ya'll,

AM