A Little Gliche....

Ok...I know that I left this blog in a very bad way, and I apologize to all 5 of you who follow us on here. After my last mean and self pitious entry my outlet to the world (aka my computer) went down and I was too lazy to try to figure out how to blog on Scooters Mac...I mean give me a break I have all one million pictures on this computer. Too time consuming!!! However, I am back and in a much better mood and I have a lot to catch you up on. We celebrated 6 birthdays complete with pictures and plenty of other photo ops that just need to be shared with the blog world. And for anyone who hasnt already heard, we have decided to increase our brood from 7 to 8...due to be delivered in April (hence the hormonal imbalance of the last blog). There are many other events that have happened or will be happening in the near future but for now I will leave with this blurp to let you know that the next 20 or so entries will be me playing catch up, so please bear with the fast fowarded past.

One of Those Days...

Have you ever just had one of those days where you just want to go back to bed the minute you wake up. Well, today is one of those days for me. I dont have really anywhere to turn to express myself except here, so here I am. I am feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and I really dont know why. I have a wonderful life and I really cant complain much, but today I just want to sleep. Maybe it is the 4th week into homeschooling blues, maybe its Scooter being gone, maybe its hormones, or maybe its just me dealing with the devil trying to rise up in me and tell people off. Im leaning toward the latter. I dont usually cry but today I just want to call all the people who have made me mad enough to cry and tell them where to go. Maybe I dont like being told what to do by every freakin person in my life and wish that everyone would just see that Im not an idiot and that I usually am smiling to keep my mouth shut and spare them the wrath that is welling up inside. My last post was my husbands song about his "angel". If only he knew the devil that lives inside of me he may not see me in such a sweet light. What?!? I have anger issues?!? You bet your sweet butt I do!!! I just usually let people and their stupid comments roll off my back, but then there are those days that it really bites and I have to really fight my inner self to keep from hurting others the way they seem to like to hurt me. Some smart person said to me that "you train the people in your life how to treat you" and that must be true, and I must have trained most everyone I know to be jerks. At least that is how it feels today....tomorrow I will wake up and the world will feel a little more endurable and I will return to my usual doormat role and lay there and take it until I just need to express my inner devil yet again! Till then Im going to bed!!!

A song for my wife

To My Hunkin Hotty

14!!! You changed my life 14 years ago when you whisked me off to that distant island and gave me your last name. Things have never been the same since. I love our life together...I love that we started out with no one other than ourselves to turn to...I love that we love each other even when things seem bigger than us...I love that you laugh at things that arent funny...I love that you make me laugh at things that I should be crying over...I love the joy I feel when we get those rare moments of being alone...I love that you have given me 7 wonderful children who remind me of you all the time...I love that when you're gone it hurts...I love that you are compulsive (or is it ADD)...I love that you have weird quirks with noises...I love that I can drive you up the wall with simply humming...I love that you always find the one sticky spot on the floor to put your foot in and look surprised everytime...I love that you are a hunkin hotty...I love that you dont get mad when I expose you on my blog...I love that you dance ghetto...its sexy...I love that even though we have been together 14 years, it seems like just yesterday we were that silly acting newlywed couple that made people vomit...shoot it makes me vomit to watch us flirkin' on our old videos, but it was new then and you have a way of making us feel new today (without the vomit). You are an amazingly wonderful husband but most of all you are my friend. I know you will always be there to keep me smiling even in the most inappropriate times. I love you Scooter Boo!!!

Happy 14th

Because you know how much I love math...heres a little math equation for you...
14 years /7 children = 1 child every other year

Love
Your Jenni Leigh

Happy B-Day Fal!!!

To my beautiful Fal, Happy Birthday!!! I cant believe that the years are moving this fast. You have blessed our lives for 8 years and it seems like just yesterday you were born. You were this teeny tiny thing with such delicate features.(In comparison to your sisters as babies) I just stared at you with amazement...to be so tiny you sure came into this world with a jolt...from that day foward you have been a mover and a shaker. A force to be reckoned with...I love that about you and have really learned that is how to stay afloat in this big family for you. You are never put to the back burner because you never let anyone miss your presence. What a beautiful girl you are and such a sweet love in my life. I love you sweet thing...Happy Birthday!!

To start the day in the best possible way, Miss Fal dressed in her favorite dress and readied herself for her lunch date with Daddy. Look at the smile that comes over her face when she is ready to leave. Of course, the guys at the shop do a good job of making the kids feel special when they come to the shop.

After lunch we set forth to begin the cake making tradition. Fal adorned in her daddy's sweatshirt (to protect her pretty dress) went to work and had a blast pretty much going solo this year. It makes me laugh how much my kids find joy in this simple task. It just goes to show, no matter how much you want to make you kids happy, its usually the sweet and simple things that go the furthest.

Its party time...Fal invited a girl down the road to join in the festivities and we began cake, ice cream, presents and the movie.

Trick candles...what!?! This was our first attempt at these things and it became a little annoying after a while. Lets just say again...simple is better! Fal decorated her cake with the entire container of sprinkles (sometimes More is More!!!)

Hey how did you know I wanted this? It was present time and that is always fun around here. You would be surprised what these kids find at the dollar store for their sisters. Whats even more surprising is how the b-day girl likes those gifts best. If only we all could appreciate the silly things in life. It might make life more fun for all of us.

Happy Birthday Fal and thanks for reminding us what really makes people happy. You really do look beautiful in your party dress!!!

100 Degrees...Lets Go To The Park...

On one of the hottest days this summer we decided to give ourselves heat exhaustion at the park!! Its funny how when you are at home and you tell the kids to go outside they say "It's too hot" but if you offer to take them to a park they get all excited and cant wait to sit in the 199 degree sun. We packed water and fruit snacks and headed on our way and by the end of our adventure this is where I found all my girls plus 2 neighbors who tagged along...and Lyndon. They were pretty as a picture and I just so happened to have my camera. But wait a minute...where's "O"?

...never giving into the heat Super "O" was polishing his muscles on this amazingly hard to handle jumpy thing. To be a little guy I thought he was controlling it pretty well. You go Super "O"!!! but next time take a little time to jump in the picture with your sisters so it doesnt look incomplete.

Happy B-Day Super "O"....

This is my little super hero...Super "O"!!! He has the power to melt his mommy's heart in one sweet kiss and has mastered the power of wrapping everyone around his little finger. This little guy has charm and pizazz to die for. He is such a character to be around and keeps us all watching to see what he will say or do next. I thank God for the opportunity to be his mommy. I always wondered how the moms of the superheros felt knowing that their child was so amazing. Well now I know.

Of course you all know that you cant have a b-day in this house and not make a cake with your own hands...boy was Super "O" thrilled with this task this year. Last year was fun to watch him but this year he thought he was the coolest, holding that cool kitchen tool, making all that noise and shooting chocolate across the room when he lifted it out of the bowl too soon. He said "Mommy, this is the most funnest day ever!" and I truly believe he meant it.

Next was the traditional Daddy lunch and a trip to Daddy's work. "O"s birthday fell on Sunday this year so no one was at work, but it didnt matter it was the fact that he got to go with Daddy. They ate Zaxby's and went and messed with all the cool equipment on base and just had guy time. This was "O"s first time going on the traditional birthday lunch and he is already talking about next year when he gets to go again.

For anyone who does not recognize the amazing artistry demonstrated there on the cake, Super "O" requested a Spider Man cake! Really?!? I thought I had at least a few more years before he would even think about super heros. WRONG!!! Thats all this little guy talks about. He has never even seen a super hero movie except "Astro Boy" and Astro Boy looks nothing like Spider Man. Maybe it is just inborn in little boys, maybe thats how all that crazy comic book stuff even got started. Its just a natural born need in little boys! Anyway enough ranting....TaDah here's the Amazing Spider Man Cake!!!

Party Time.....As you can see the cake was a hit and everyone couldnt wait to eat it!!! We love cake around here, especially Super "O". Dont ask me how he manages to will his body to not have severe allergic reactions from the milk and eggs in it but he eats it and enjoys ever last bite of it.

If ever you wanted to see a truly appreciative gift receiver...here he is!!! This kid loves presents, and it doesnt matter what it is! He loves them all!!! Of course he loved all the spider man stuff and candy the most but everyone received such gracious hugs from him after each gift. Graciousness makes everyone have a good time!!!

Super "O" even gave hugs to his Baby "L" who we were all afraid would be jealous, but he enjoyed the gifts and hugs just as much as the rest of us. They even had fun shooting each other with the dart gun and locking each other up in Super "O"s new handcuffs.

All in all, it was a wonderful day full of fun and excitement and Super "O" had a super birthday. Happy Birthday to my Little Super Hero!!!

I'm An Aunt Again....

We were so excited when Auntie "T" had her new baby girl in May! We couldnt wait for the opportunity to rush to the hospital and take a peek at this beautiful princess. I believe the nickname given to her at this time is JuJu bean. Of course she's 2 months old now but to the girls and me she is a new gift to the family.

Lil' Gangsta' "O"

I am not really good at letting my kids listen to music that seems derogatory or implicit of different meanings, but we have been very intrigued by the song Jump On It (thanks to youtube's videos of military guys spoof dancing to the song). Well, I am assuming that we watch the dances a little too much because my Little "O" has decided that this is his new theme song (with a slight change of wording). As he dances he sings Jump Off It and then takes a dive for the couch. I know bad parenting 101 says dont allow children to stand on tables or jump off tables to other furniture but sometimes a mom just gets such a kick out of her kids spontaneity that anything (almost anything) goes. This kid cracks me up!!!

Little Miss Six....

My Little "D" is 6!!! I cant believe she has grown this fast. She is my baby girl!!! I guess shes not such a baby anymore, but it is hard for me to swallow that she is getting older. Thankfully she is the one that will probably always want to be the baby. She may have 2 brothers under her but she will always be "the baby girl"!!

All the kids look foward to their birthdays because they get to enjoy a daddy/daughter lunch and a trip to the base for the guys there to dote over them. You know they arent babies anymore when they tell you that 2 of the guys were cute. Lord help us!!!

Of course, next came the birthday cake making tradition. Little "D" has talked about making her cake since Christmas. I guess there is something about being able to do something so messy and gooey without having to share the task with your 6 siblings. I must say, in one year "D"s abilities have really improved. We had a minimal mess and the cake turned out excellent!!!!

See!! I think it looks pretty good!!! It was very tasty and everyone was happy because half was chocolate and the other half was vanilla.

After a quick trip to Ryan's for dinner (this girl loves Ryan's & they sang happy birthday to her...which she loved!!), we came back to the house for cake and ice cream and a little present action.....present time, present time, open the present and see whats inside!

And what would a birthday party with Memaw and Pepaw be without a conga line? Not a real birthday party!!! Happy, Happy Birthday....Happy, Happy Birthday.....

Of course the best part of all was Little "D"s new bike!!! She was tired of being the baby in the bike line when the girls and the neighbors go bike riding. She wanted a bike that was big not little. Well, she got it and the smile has not come off her face yet. Happy Birthday "D"!!

Now a love note from Mommy...

My Little "D" I know in a big family you can feel a little lost and when you are the youngest of the five girls, it can seem a little overwhelming trying to make your mark on this world, but always remember that we just want to keep you safe and hidden from the ugly things that are out there. Dont grow up too fast and remember that my arms are always open wide and even when I cant lift you off the ground I am holding you in my heart! You will always be my Baby Girl!!! I love you!!!

What If....

What if the red hair would have passed into my kids? And what if Baby L would have been a girl? Well, here is what you would get! Lets just say thank goodness we dont live in the what if world.

All The Baby Daddyz...

For anyone who thinks they know my Scooter Boo...here's a little video to make you rethink your thoughts!!! This is the man I live with everyday and grow deeper and deeper in love with because he is always game to make me laugh. Scooter this is for you..."you make me RaRaRaugh!!!"

For those of you confused about this video...go to www.youtube.com and key in 'baby mamas put a sling on them' and you will see what we are spoofing. We love our sling time with Baby L and this song says it all.

A Look Back At The Beginning...

Do you ever sit down with new friends and they ask you how you met your husband or wife? Well, since we moved here a year ago I have become good friends with a fellow homeschooler. While at her house last week the question was presented as to how I met my Scooter Boo. (Of course they dont call him that) As I began the story of the Scooter Boo/Jenni Leigh romance I began to fall even more in love with my husband!! Weird... because I know the story and how it plays out, but my heart was pounding as I spoke as if I were there again. I think most people ask the 'in the beginning' question because they are confused how the two of us decided we would make a good team. Most people would compare us to things that seem as opposites in life...(salt & pepper, oil & vinegar)...but in reality these so called opposites are really compliments of each other. Big Papa makes me even better than I was before. When I pms he makes fun of me (indirectly), and I am able to see the light side of hormones. When I stress he makes me laugh! When I need a lift he shows up with whatever food treat he thinks will make me happy (by the way my favorite is a caramel sunday!!!)...if any of you know my Boo that takes a lot of love because he struggles with food obsessions! He's a good man that keeps life full of LIFE!!! I laugh more when we are together and he knows that is my love language!!! Thats what makes him so great...he speaks my language!!!! I love this man!!! It doesnt hurt that he is one handsome devil as well! He is sexy from head to toe (ok maybe he has a little flaw on his toe). Piercing blue eyes, muscles that any man would die to have, with those muscles comes strength that makes me feel safe, his sexy bald head, not to mention he makes clothes look really good too. Shoot, I could have married him for just his looks and still come away in the good, but the truth of the matter is that this man is the perfect man for me. Yes, we may appear to be an odd couple to some but if you were a fly on the wall in my house you would see this is a perfect connection. ( then you would die because Big Papa hates flies, ask the girls).

The G-Side Talent Show

On Christmas Day everyone was challenged to bring a family talent to perform for the rest of the family, and for the most part it was a great success. We had talent from the full range of acts. We had singers, guitar players, comedians, musical spoons, poetry reading, dancing, and the art of having out in out fun. If ever you need a theme for a party try a talent show it may surprise you.


Cousin "A" played the guitar as Pepaw read his Christmas poem and Memaw reminded us how happy she was to be blessed so greatly this year!

Cousin "M" sang a sweet rendition of the solo she sang for her church Christmas program. She represented her family strong and proud and did a great job!!!

Uncle "J", Aunt "M", and cousins "N" and "I" were the comedians in the group. They each had funny Christmas jokes that started us off with laughter. Thanks for adding to the fun guys!!!

My "B" sang Joy To The World and it was great!!! To be so shy and timid she sure has a heart to sing in front of crowds. We also put together a musical spoons production but because I was in the program with the kids we have no pictures or videos. Even Little "O" and Baby "L" played the spoons with us. It was so fun!!

Then there is the one member of the family whose talent comes natural....Baby "J" has the talent of being Super Cute!!! He doesnt even have to try, he just is!! Keep up the good work Baby "J"!!!

And last but certainly not least Big Bro "J" represented his family with a lovely rendition of "Bad To The Bone"! Sing it brotha'!!! With cousin "A" on the guitar Uncle "J" broke into his soulful self and out came a star. See the G-Side's got talent!!!

Merry After Christmas From the G-Side Kids!!!

If you ever want to be around some pretty wonderful kids...take a pit stop into Memaw and Pepaws house on any given holiday and you will find this awesome group of the G-Side Kids!! One brother has 6, the other brother has 3, my sister has 1, and we have 7. When these guys get together they are such a joy to be around, and anyone who knows anything about the G-Side...we love music!!! Can you imagine 17 brains thinking of 17 different songs. Some are on the guitar, some are beating out a beat either on the drums or on the sofa pillows, some are singing their favorite tunes while some are listening to theirs on their ipods, mp3s, (any electronic device that will play music). Needless to say you walk away with a song in your heart and more than likely one stuck in your head. I cant wait for the next holiday!!! I love these kids!!!

By the way Merry After Christmas!!!

Happy New Year!!!! 2010

I am amazed to say that out of 7 children we only had one snoozer when the ball dropped on New Years Rockin' Eve!!! You would think this night was the pivot night for something great to come. The kids were so excited!!! We ate the traditional summer sausage and cheese and crackers, and cream cheese and olive dip on little tiny rye bread. The kids couldnt wait until the celebration foods were set out because that meant the official countdown was on. Sweet "D" asked every 30 minutes beginning yesterday morning "is it time for the ball yet"? Of course as it always happens she fell off into dreamland 20 minutes before the ball fell and we had to wake her to let her see the ball hit then she was back off into never-never land.

The video is for you my Scooter Boo! They were all sad to not be kissed by you so they sent you a kiss via the blog!!! Ill save my kiss for when you walk off that plane! So hurry up!!! These lips have been missing you for quite a while!