eightloves

Laundry Schmaundry

2010-10-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a busy mother of little ones doesn't get to the laundry as she had planned.

Walk in My Shoes... or not.

2010-09-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

My little Leah...

My Dad

2010-09-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

My dad has a great sense of humor and is a very talented cartoonist. His style is unique and very much his own. I googled his name once and found this cartoon online:

My Review of Potty Watchâ¢

2010-09-18T20:20:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at One Step Ahead

Half the challenge of potty training: reminding kids when it's time to go! Potty Watch does it for you, alerting kids with music and lights that truly gets their attention. Set at regular 30, 60, or 90-minute intervals. Bonus: in "play" mode kids can sing along with the music while th...

Love this product.

By Eightloves from Lehi, UT on 9/18/2010

Pros: Playful Design

Cons: Not waterproof

Best Uses: Toilet Training

Describe Yourself: Parent of Two or More Children

I have seven kids and wish I had found this for the three kids I have already potty trained. I am working on my 3 year old now and am really looking forward to using it again when my 2 year old and 16 month old twins are ready to potty train. My 3 year old LOVES it and her excitement is incredibly contagious!

(legalese)

Once Upon a Time

2010-07-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there were three beautiful girls named Ashley, Haley and Kyra. They loved getting together as often as possible so they could giggle and share their treasures and do things little girls do when they're together. These three girls were the luckiest little girls around because not only did they get to be the best of friends, but they got to be COUSINS. This, of course, means that they can continue to giggle and share treasures and do things little girls do for a long, long time... The end.

Cleaner Hands and Better Views

2010-07-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

I can't think of a much cuter sight than two beautiful baby girls learning to walk with their arms spread wide, their faces deep in concentration and their curls bouncing all over the place.

West Yellowstone

2010-07-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

We recently returned from a very spontaneous & quick trip to Montana. Rich's family has a log cabin there and there was some work that needed to be done on it.

I have been very hesitant to travel with so many little ones, and especially little ones that are not yet walking. Going to a park is hard enough when they're crawling & eating mouthfuls of icky non-edibles (some might be edible, but ICK!). And TWO of them crawling in seperate directions keeps this mommy VERY busy.

So taking crawling twins to a mouse infested log cabin with not so clean floors was not very exciting to me.

Well, I decided we would give it a go anyway and packed everyone up. I am so glad we went after all because I found a large playpen and the twins loved playing in it and I was able to get some good cabin work done.

And I was worried about MOUSE infestation???

Sadie Baby

2010-05-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

Her name is Sadie but sadly, I usually end up calling her Ma-Sadie. I can't keep up with all these names. I have gotten better, however, at disguising this all too common parental error. I start out by saying "Mah" and then I quickly add "I" so I say instead, "My Sadie". Isn't that great and aren't I so clever? And my reward for being so clever? Madi and Sadie fight over me all the time. "My mommy!" "No, my mommy!" Every day someone is fighting over little ol' me and it makes me feel special.

So here is My Sadie in all her glory. She is beautiful. And she is mine.

The New "Playdate"

2010-04-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Ashley and her friend couldn't get to each other's home's yesterday because of transportation issues mostly, but usually it's 'busy-mom' issues.

So her and her cute friend instead read books to each other over the phone. Ashley loves reading and on a daily basis will read to whomever will listen.

So that is the new playdate around our house and I love it for various reasons. One of which is that it's entertaining without me being the entertainer. It's kind of like when a kid learns to hold a bottle, eat, potty, dress themselves, entertain themselves, etc, etc. Now when Ashley wants to play with a friend and I'm busy I'll just hand her the phone and a book.

The Heart Magnet

2010-04-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I look at this photo it brings back memories of us in Hawaii with our sun-bleached hair and good 'ol Kahuku High School.

Other times it brings back memories of my place in our large family and how happy I feel to be the only one in the picture being pointed at. Like I'm the favorite or something. Sigh...

I Have Green Eyes

2010-03-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

It was St. Patrick's day and Spencer wasn't wearing green. He told me he had green eyes. I told him that what would happen is he would still get a lot of pinches cause explaining about his green eyes would happen after he was already pinched. So we came up with the idea of making a shirt that would hopefully stop all pinchers in their tracks. And then we ate green muffins and green milk.

Swiper no Swiping!

2010-03-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

Innocently playing... Leah eyes the prize... She swipes it while Ava isn't looking! Poor Ava!

What is it With This Kid?

2010-03-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

He is my third child and after two angels, one of my sisters said I need to have a challenging kid. So then along came Joshy. He wasn't fussy or anything like that, but as soon as he could crawl or walk, he was getting into things and making messes. I put in cabinet safety locks and got those plastic thingy's that go on the door handles. What I really needed was a large cage... er, playpen. He was and is just a curious little thing and if I wasn't closely supervising, he was into something. So much so, as a matter of fact, I started documenting everything so I could remember and laugh about it later. I do, by the way, laugh about it. Cause it is later.

But that is what did it... the goofy faces every time a camera gets pointed in his direction. I did it to him... I know I did. He is the star and I am the paparazzi. Most of his mischief has been documented, which means I have taken many, many photos of this little guy. I would hope if he ever did become a star he would put on a little bit more of a dignified face...

He is my Joshy and I wouldn't change a thing or have him any other way.

Why Eightloves?

2010-03-03T22:45:00.000-08:00

Why the name 'Eightloves'? Because there are eight people in my life that I love more than I could ever explain... sometimes more than I, myself, can comprehend. It is difficult to explain the enormity of the love experienced when you have a child of your own. It is enormous... it is overwhelming... it is unconditional... it is endless...

I remember I was pregnant with Ashley (my second), and I was EXTREMELY concerned and stressed wondering how I could possibly love another child as much as I loved Spencer. It was, and is, very important to me not to show favoritism to any of my children. They will all be loved equally at all times. Then I had Ashley and the love was just there. It came naturally. For each child I've had since, the same exact amount of love is always there. Who knew that so much love was ever possible?

It made me understand just a tiny portion of the love Heavenly Father feels for his children... for each one of us. He really does love ALL of us, and he loves us unconditionally. Because I am also a parent, I know it is so and experience this amazing love towards my kids every day.

So when I thought of the name 'Eightloves', I just knew it was perfect. I love my children and I love my husband so incredibly much. They are my universe and bring me more happiness than I could ever have doing anything else or being in any other place. This incredible love towards another human being is something I will always cherish.

And that is why... 'Eightloves'.

Bag-Lady-ish

2010-03-01T22:46:00.001-08:00

My sister and I wanted to do something with the kids today... something other than what we have been doing, which has been nothing particularly exciting, yet still always busy.

We decided on a walk and then thought we would kill two birds with one stone, and get a few groceries at the same time.
So now you can visualize...

This is how we looked heading home. And to think that we ran into two people I knew!!! How embarrassing!

I got a cute princess sleeping bag for Madi's b-day in two days and it hung in true bag-lady style off the side of my stroller.

I won't be doing this again anytime soon, but for what it's worth, I did get a good workout pushing a gazillion tons today... and now, in non-bagger-lady-ish style, I gratefully go to my nice, warm bed... G'NIGHT!

Wanna Smile?

2010-02-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

New Phone = New Tricks

2010-02-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

Doppleganger Week

2010-02-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

It was Doppleganger week on Facebook recently and I enjoyed seeing everyone's celebrity twin. I noticed that everyone was posting photos of the most gorgeous celebrity version of themselves so I, of course, had to also...

Chelsea's Farewell

2010-02-23T06:49:00.000-08:00

I recently returned from a quick, one night trip to Mountain Home, Idaho for my niece, Chelsea's, mission farewell. She will be serving a mission for 1 1/2 years in Honduras. She enters the MTC on March 3rd. Whoohoo! I am so excited for her and the incredible experiences she'll have! I served a mission in Argentina from '95-'97 and still think about some aspect of my mission experience every day. It is a life changing experience and I am extremely grateful I had the opportunity and that I TOOK the opportunity to serve. I love the people of Argentina so incredibly much and know that Chelsea will gain a love for the people of Honduras also.

Chelsea's farewell was wonderful - she did such a great job and let her personality shine through. She will make a great missionary and will accomplish great things.

It was a lot of fun driving down with Jessi and Mom and staying with the McKenzies. We ate at Wingers and rented some CleanFlick (edited) movies Saturday night... White Out and Public Enemy. So much fun watching movies till the wee hours of the morning! The McKenzies are a really fun bunch and I always wish they lived closer.

Rich took care of all the kids while I was gone and did a TERRIFIC job. They were alive when I came home and the house was not a disaster. :) It is too bad I don't enjoy getting away overnight more! I do NEED and look forward to getting away from the craziness having seven kids entails, BUT... in 1-5 hour increments. :)

PINK EYE

2010-02-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

So we are all good now, but the dreaded PINK EYE visited the last several weeks. My nephew had it, then Madi had it, then Jessi, then Sadie, then the twins, then me... UGH. Luckily I started the ointment/drops immediately. That is one very contagious and very unwelcome irritation!!! We are done putting drops in our eyes I think tomorrow. HURRAY! It is like torture pinning the little kids arms down and prying their eyes open to put those drops in. They screamed, they cried, they thrashed and tried their hardest to escape. It was torture for them and it was torture for us!

I tried a new (AND WONDERFUL) method yesterday... I lay each baby down and put a book over them so they had something to look at. While they were looking up at the book, I took aim and quickly dropped the medicine in their eyes. They blinked and squirmed a little, but there was no crying at all! I did this method in the morning and last night and am extremely happy they don't have to go through the trauma we inflicted on them previously. Sigh... I am such a genius. ;) Hehehehe...

Potty Training...

2010-02-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Madison asked for her potty seat. I had attempted potty training a few months ago, but found myself not completely dedicated to the rigor of it all. It is very time consuming and requires commitment and dedication and patience. I decided I will NEVER potty train unless I have the patience to do it.

So after a few weeks it kind of fizzled and that was fine with me. I did decide, however, that on Madison's 3rd birthday I would completely dedicate myself to doing away with diapers for Madi and making it a really HUGE and EXCITING deal. Her birthday is on March 3rd and so her interest yesterday was encouraging.

The older kids are extremely helpful and always want to take Madi potty... I know getting a gumball each time they help has A LOT to do with it. :)

Ready to Historify!

2010-02-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

I am a slacker, BUT I really need to historify my life and all that it encompasses because there are WAY too many great things going on and I don't want to forget any of them! (And with the rate my brain cells are dying I had better get going on this.)

So... I am ready to HISTORIFY!!!

First of all, I don't want to forget this cute thing Madison does when she finds a toy she hasn't seen in a while. Her tiny princess Dora toy disappeared for a while and when she found it, it was a REALLY big deal. She held it up to her cheek and kind of hugged it with her shoulder, and with her eyes closed said; "Awwww, I fown it! My Cincess Dora! I fown it! Awwww..." (Note: when she says 'awwww', her voice goes up and down and then up again...)

Tribute to Grandma Nova Jackson

2009-12-18T22:57:00.000-08:00

It's late so my brain isn't going to be functioning at it's highest capacity (like it usually is... haha), but I just wanted to write a tribute to Rich's sweet Grandma Nova, who is right now finishing this life and heading to the next.

Lonely and searching Grandma Nova... baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just last year by her grandson, Rich (my husband).

Talkative Nova... talked and talked whether we listened or not. She had lots of stories about her parents, siblings, etc. How I wish I had recorded some of them. Nova would talk and talk even with so much going on... I would feel pulled in so many directions as baby or babies cried, kids needed Mommy for this or that and still, Grandma Nova would continue on with her stories. Makes me smile. :)

Macaroni and Cheese Nova... famous for her homemade mac and cheese. Rich, Alicia and Candice rave about it with it's homemade appeal and bacon on top. She always had cookies in the cookie jar. Soda in the fridge. Icecream in the freezer.

Naive? Overly generous Nova... always giving, giving... she couldn't say no.

Tim is on the phone calling to tell us Grandma just passed away. It is 12:10 AM.

Motherly Nova... Phil, Mike, Beverly, Tim, Pat, Shelly and Randy. She loves her kids and she loves her grandkids. She loves company. She talked often of how much she loved her kids and who would call her and visit her. Phil lives in California. Mike is a stranger to the family after distancing himself (per his wife's request?) for so many years. Beverly - so loyal and caring. She took care of Grandma her last several months. Tim - I liked how he joked with her. He took her in the last several months and helped Beverly take care of her. Pat - in and out of jail... Shelly - interesting personality. Addicted. Randy - in prison for life. She loved them and they could do no wrong. (According to her of course).

Loving Nova... she loved so many people. She was the last of I think 13 siblings who I'm sure are meeting her on the other side.

There is a sweet feeling in the room. Is she here? Perhaps. The feeling here definately did change and I feel peace and love.

We will miss you Grandma Nova. You have a special place in all of our hearts and we will cherish the memories we have. I'm sorry we didn't visit as often as we should have. I did think of you often and wished visiting you in your small apartment with 7 kids was easier.

Betcha Didn't Know...

2009-12-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

Betcha didn't know that not only am I extremely talented and quick at changing diapers (minimum of 12 a day), wiping boogery noses and all the other 'magical' things a mom of seven must master... but I am also... ready to hear this? Brace yourselves... a HORSE. Yes, sometimes, when I have the energy, I turn myself into a horse. I do it for them. Because they are worth it.

Digging up Plates and Being Gooder

2009-11-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

Now that Thanksgiving is over it's time to get ready for CHRISTMAS!!! My favorite holiday... Christmas card updates... Cinnamon smells... and the music. I love Christmas music.

Getting the Christmas stuff out today meant removing every single box from the storage under the stairs. The Christmas tree was at the very back! But get it I did and tomorrow we will set up the tree while we play Christmas music. Sigh. Doesn't it just sound lovely? I wrote 'play Christmas music' instead of 'listen to Christmas music' because with our noisy brood we probably won't hear much music at all.

Ash was gone playing with Andrea for a lot of the afternoon. I was so caught up with dinner, a sick baby, baths and bedtime that I didn't get a chance to respond to the message she left that the Huggins 'digged' her up a plate so was it okay for her to eat dinner there? I haven't had a chance to ask her what she ate... potatoes or worms?

Joshy was testing me over and over again today. Finally, at 6:30 pm, I just sent him to bed. It's just easier that way sometimes. After I got everyone else to bed I went in to snuggle with him and talk to him about things. I told him that it really frustrates me when he does things he knows he shouldn't be doing. I told him that even though I get angry sometimes, I love him no matter what. He promised me that tomorrow he's going to be a 'gooder' boy. And I need to work on being a gooder mom.

What is Your Favorite Word?

2009-11-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Spencer asked me what my favorite word was. Taking advantage of a great teaching moment, I told him my favorite word was 'LOVE'. I started to explain why my favorite word was love when he interrupted and said his favorite word was 'KERSPLUNCH'... he said he liked it because it was 'kersplat' and 'crunch' mixed.

It was then that I saw my teaching moment sprout wings and fly out the door.

Do you really want to know what I did today?

2009-11-17T17:55:00.000-08:00

I really don't like it when people ask me what I did all day.

As much as I would love to have some incredibly exciting answer, usually when I am asked that question it has been a normal MOM day.

Wouldn't it be so exciting, however, to be able to have an answer like; "Me and the kids went skydiving into the jungles of the Amazon and had a picnic there. When the gorillas smelled our picnic and tried to join us we Tae-bo'd them away. After that we swam in the Amazon river with the boa constrictors and luckily I had my pocket knife for when one of them tried to squish Joshy..." Well, you get the picture.

My normal MOM day answer instead, would be something like this; "well, first we woke up and had breakfast and then I cleaned up breakfast and after that I changed four dirty bums and got the kids dressed. After that I cleaned up the mess the kids made while I was cleaning up the breakfast mess. Then I carpooled and made lunch and cleaned up that mess. Then I cleaned up the mess the kids made while I was cleaning up the lunch mess. Then I changed four dirty bums. Then the older kids came home from school and I supervised jobs and homework. Then I made dinner and cleaned up that mess. Then I got kids bathed and ready for bed and cleaned up the mess they made while I was cleaning up the dinner mess. Then I changed four dirty bums. What did you do today?"

And if they ever answer that they had a picnic in the Amazon with the gorillas and the boa constrictors I will be very, very jealous.

Motherhood becomes me

2009-11-11T22:16:00.000-08:00

Motherhood becomes me. I really think it does. I think it brings out the best in me and of course it very occasionally (haha) brings out the worst.

I have seven wonderful children. Sometimes dinner gets a little crazy and I get impatient and overwhelmed with too much noise. Little things begin to set me off and I blow up when otherwise I probably wouldn't. You can compare my temperament in the morning to late afternoon and you will find that I am indeed a morning person.

A few nights ago I threw out a "you don't want to know what will happen" threat to my 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son. Someone had left markers out in reach of my 1 and 2 year old 'marker monsters'. Not good. So I throw out my threat and went about making dinner. A few minutes later a very tearful Ashley tells me she knows what I'm going to do to them. She says; "you're going to kidnap us!" She was serious. I was too up until she said that.

Good job Ashley. You made my bad mood dissipate and dinner pleasantries were enjoyed... Sigh...