Thanksgiving, McGaha Style!

Thanksgiving is without a doubt always fun and usually crazy...this year was no exception!!!

This year was extra special as we had the whole family together. It was so fun to see all of the kids running around and playing. They all got along very well for the length of time we were all together... 9 1/2 hours! It was also fun to have Uncle D and Steph and their family show up for dinner as well! My heart was warm all day. It is so wonderful to be surrounded by loving family for an entire day while eating the most delicious food all day long ;)

The day however wasn't all giggles and laughs. Within the first hour I was awarded the "worst mother of the year award". My sweet Sunshine was sitting in the front room at the dining room table coloring with all of the other kids (which she has done a million times before) well of course out of all days, the chair fell back and my sweet baby was upside down hanging from the chair. I ran in to her crying, but it was not a horrific pain cry... it was her mad cry. It lasted all of 2 minutes! I was holding her when I realized she was bleeding from her mouth so I said, " oh gosh she busted her lip". I took her upstairs to wash her mouth out with a rag... when we all discovered my sweet baby was missing a tooth!!! She knocked out a bottom side tooth! I was almost in tears and very upset that my daughter will be missing this tooth until she is about 8 or 9 years old! Luckily though it is a side tooth and on the bottom. My sister in law found her tooth and oh my gosh it was the whole tooth, root and all. She did not chip, crack or break the tooth. It came out all in one piece... it was the longest tooth I have ever seen! We cleaned her up and went downstairs to eat. She had no problem eating and drinking. She acted like nothing happened, thank goodness! She was a trooper through what I thought was a traumatic event!

The rest of the day was full of eating, playing euchre, going through ads, football, lots of talking and of course more eating!!!! The day all in all was FABULOUS!!!! I love my life and my family!

So Many

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I can't stop thinking about everything and everyone I am thankful for. I wanted to list everyone and say a little something with it, but then I realized it would be the longest blog in the history of blogs. So instead, I am sending out a BIG thanks to all of my family and my dearest of friends.

I am always stating how crazy my wonderful life is, but without everyone that is in my life I wouldn't be who I am. All of you have shaped me into me in some way. They have all been there when I need a shoulder, a laugh, a scripture, a pick me up, to vent, a hug, an adult conversation... anything! I love everyone in my life and I think I am so blessed to know and receive the love from each and everyone of you! You all know who are and tonight I am giving you thanks!

I wish everyone a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

A lost thought

I like to think of myself as a good mother. I strive very hard to be the mother I always thought I would be. I want to be that Mom who is nurturing, loving, patient, respected, strong, in charge and seen through my kids' eyes as a great Mom.

As most of you know my house is NEVER clean. It is a daily battle that I fight... I am done fighting, my white flag is flying for all to see. I surrender! This is not me saying I give up on cleanliness, this is me saying I am done making my kids clean every time I turn around. What kind of memory is that creating, well not a good one let me tell ya!
Like I said before I thought I was a good Mom, yesterday my kids said otherwise. My kids are 8,6,3 and 1. They are not old enough to hate me yet, but they are young enough to soak these images in their little brains like a sponge and likely to bring them up 20 years from now to tell me how awful I was. I don't want that! I don't want to be that Mom who does nothing but nags!

My beautiful little Spitfire has been drawing me pictures lately and in them they always say, "Mom you are the best mom ever. I love you so so so so so much... you can be a littel rough sometimes, but I love you!" Ugh, knife in the heart, tears in the eye balls, you name it I feet it everytime I read it. Every thought crosses my mind when I read that awful sentence.

What am I doing so wrong that my 6 year old needs to tell me everyday that I am rough? I don't really spank or do time outs (unlessit is truly necessary and even then they are never fased by my hand to the butt swat), so I am not sure what she is really talking about. Maybe my yelling when everyone refuses to listen to me, when I cleaned the whole house and 10 minutes later it looks like I did nothing,when the kids are fighting and I refuse to take sides b/c I didn't see the whole fight or hear the entire argument, when they are being too rough on the dog and I yell she is going to bite you, when I say don't talk to me like that b/c my kids think they are older than what they are? What is it????

When I hear my kids say these things, like I am mean. I get kind of shocked. I am the one person I feel my kids can come to and tell me everything! I always think before I say or do anything. I truly think about what they are telling me and what the correct answer or punishment should be so they will always trust me. I try to be fun and hip, but at the same time their disciplinary. I try to make sure my kids get to see and do everything I think will shape them into the person they are and help make memories along the way. I try and I wish they knew how much I try. All they see is how rough I am, never any of the good... only the bad. Will they later in life see how hard I tried or will they only remember the nagging and chores I ask them to do?! Parenting is truly so difficult. I love it and wouldn't change a thing in my life but I wish there was someone out there to tell you what to do in every difficult situation as a parent!
I know this is all so petty compared to the struggles I will deal with as they all get into high school ,but until then I would like to think this is as bad as it is going to get, LOL!

I think my patience is the key to this post. I need more patience and I know that. I pray for patience to deal with all things great and small everyday.

I just want everyone to know,including my babies... that as a mother, I really try! I try to make life for my children a life of happiness, filled with love, fun memories, respect, honesty and trust! I will fail sometimes, but as long as I know they will be right there to forgive me and help pick me up from the bottomless pit in which parents who are "rough" goes...I will be just fine!

My sweet baby

is not all that sweet! LOL :)

My sunshine is growing like a little weed, not only in height, but intellectually as well. She is now 20 months and she thinks she is one of the big kids! She tries her hardest to keep up with her brother and most of the time she does, but sometimes she stumbles and boy does she get MAD! She is absolutely beautiful... light brown hair... shoulder length, big greenish brown eyes, rubber band rolls on her thighs, a cute little belly and a smile that can melt your heart! She is truly a wonderful baby!!

She has (for quite sometime now) developed a little attitude. Most people love it... including me! She can be so loving one minute and the next she is throwing herself on the ground and telling me I am mean. I know it doesn't sound so cute, but I promise when the tantrum is over... it is!

She is also my little dare devil. I just want to add I have never had to deal with these dare devilish ways with any of my other babies. She is not afraid to climb on to the computer table and jump the 3ft to the couch ( a big NO, NO)!! She is not afraid to climb up the latter to sit on her sister's top bunk of the bunk beds ( another big NO,NO)! She is not afraid to stick up for herself when Wild Man is picking on her. She will retaliate with no hesitation. She falls almost everyday 15X's a day just running around, haha!!!

She is a little sneaky too! She will run off with my phone, the remote, anything she is not aloud to play with and hide! She normally runs into the playhouse that is in our living room and sits on whatever she has until I find her! She then fights with me (with the craziest baby strength) trying not to let me have it! She calls the phone, " my hewoah" and it is adorable! She sneaks off to go poop as well. It is so funny she will stand in the corner of a room that is empty, do her business and then come out as if nothing ever happened! TMI!? Oh well, she is 20 months, LOL!!!

My baby girl no matter how rotten will always be my baby. She is a hilarious, very smart, sneaky, beautiful, mean, but sweet baby! I love everything about her, tantrums and all!! LOL :)

Sunshine, you are at a wonderful age that I adore. You keep me on my toes, but laughing at the same time. You are the greatest completion to our family! I love you!

How did we do it?

She is so smart, kind hearted, respectful, loving, emotional and beautiful!

Today she brought home her mid-term and she has made straight A's. She brought her one B up to an A-! I was talking to a teacher yesterday outside in the car rider line and the teacher couldn't stop talking about how wonderful she was and how much she loved her...

MY Angel!

She is loved by everyone. She spreads this certain kind of love and spirit around everywhere she goes. She sees everyone as her friend or relative! She never judges anyone. She is so helpful to anyone who wants or needs help. She is a pet lover and all pets love her! She is so innocent, but yet so grown up for such a young age. She is all girl and loves everything that has to do with being a girl. She has shown me this year how much she has grown. She is that girl who won't leave the house without a cute pair of earrings on. She knows what she wants to wear and she could careless if her shoes match or not. She likes what she likes and I love that about her!

She hates anything sports related. She has tried them all and hated every minute of it. She is the girl who would rather go to the book store and get 5 books and sit on the couch and read every page of each book. She enjoys writing, doing crafts, riding her bike and playing school. She enjoys life and I thoroughly love watching her live it!

So to my question "how did we do it?". How did J and I produce such an amazing child?! We are two very good people so please don't get me wrong. The thing is, is that we were both terrible kids who happened to hate school and she is just SO the opposite! She is a fabulous role model for all of her younger siblings! I just want her to know ( and yes I told her) how proud she makes me to be her Mom! I love you!!!!!


My goal for all of my children is for each one of them to be happy and live the life God intended for them. Welcoming challenges, overcoming adversity, reaching for the stars no matter how far they might be, for them to be true to themselves and see how special they really are. My number one goal in my life is to make sure each one of my kids knows how much I love them and how wonderful they make my life... no matter how crazy this life is!

My Little Spitfire

She needs some prayers...


My little spitfire is a fun and spunky little 6 year old, but right now she has the wind knocked out of her sails, so to speak. She is my runner, my energizer bunny, always smiling, always laughing, she is full of love and life.

Since the beginning of summer she has been sick often. It always comes in the form of a fever. Sometimes it is just an upset stomach that wipes the smile right off of her face. It wilts my little flower. She is out of energy, out of smiles and out of laughter when the sicknesses hit her ( as it would anyone), but she is 6! She has always been my sickly child and that started when she was 3 weeks old. She had RSV and sleep apnea as a very little infant. Every time someone is sick, it is without a doubt that she will get whatever it is and 10X's worse than anyone else. Again all of our kids had H1N1, well all of our kiddos were better within 3-5 days. My poor spitfire had it for 8 days.

She is sick now. She has been fighting an upset stomach and fever for 4 days. The fever faded quickly, but her stomach is tear jerking pain. All she does is sleep. I took her to the pediatrician today and she didn't have all of her medical records so I am to get those faxed over tomorrow. While we were there the Dr. checked her for all common reasons to go to the doctor... ears, throat, strep throat, flu and even mono. She was negative on everything which is great news, but yet bad news. The doctor made me schedule another appointment to see her in 2 weeks. She needs time to get and look over all of her medical history and she said we will go from there. I might ad that every time my poor spitfire is sick no one else gets what she has. It is never contagious and that raises red flags to me and her Dr.

So as I sit here at a loss on what could possibly be wrong with my baby girl, I ask you to please pray for her. Pray for healing, pray for answers, pray for her immune system to stay strong and continue fighting, pray for her energy level to raise, pray for her to be able to go to school tomorrow. He hears all of us and the more people praying for specific requests the better.

God is listening so please pray...

Counting Down

I am counting down to my favorite Holiday... Thanksgiving!

Most people say Christmas is their favorite Holiday. I love Christmas too, but not like I love Thanksgiving. I enjoy waking up Thanksgiving morning getting the kids dressed and packed for the entire day. I know that when we leave our house that morning we won't be home until bedtime.
We head over to my in laws, my kids run around and play and us adults chat and get ready for the food to finish cooking! We all eat and it is fabulous. I of course have 3 different plates because I can't let any of my food touch or take the chance of juice from one food running into another... it is quite the challenge to get 3 plates and a drink to one seat, lol!!! Anyway, we always have all of my favorites and my father in law always makes me a pumpkin pie and sometimes my pineapple upside down cake, it is truly heavenly!

After our tummies are so full that we are all going to explode, we bust out my favorite part, the ads! I love going through all of the ads with everyone. We all circle what we want, from where. I always have a tablet and pen to write down who wants want, how much it is and what store it will be at. Some years I pack up the kiddos and we head out to my step dad's family's house to see my Mom and visit with a family who welcomes us with open arms! It is always a fun time over there and of course more food!!! After a couple of hours over there we head back to my in-laws where I then proceed to make my favorite list of all...My BLACK FRIDAY list!

Black Friday is most definitely my favorite day of the year! I enjoy everything about that day! I love the fact that J loves shopping with me that day. It is a day for just us! I love that you hear nothing but Christmas music on the radio, sitting in traffic, but for a fun reason! I love walking into a store knowing I need to be somewhere and looking around to see everyone has the same objective that we do. People galore, Christmas music playing in all stores, employees coming over the intercom announcing what is where and what is on sale. Everyone rushing from store to store trying to beat the early bird sales, that are always fabulous! You name it I love it, this day is fabulous!!!!

Let the countdown begin...

12 more days!!!!! Woo Hoo!

The sap that I am

For anyone who knows me, knows I can cry at the drop of a hat. Last Night was no exception!

J and I decided we would go out to dinner as a family. Well of course no one could decide what they wanted so we decided to go to the Mall. We figured we could all eat something different and then do a little window shopping!

We had dinner and of course it was just as crazy as you would think a family of 6 with 4 kids all under the ages of 8 would be. The people all around us were probably thrilled when we were done :). Dinner with my family is always an adventure!
Anyway, we decided to go walking around. As we were walking around we realized everyone had their Christmas decor up and working! I was kind of shocked ( why I don't know, they do it every year) that everything was up and out already. We haven't even had Thanksgiving yet. So we are walking, la di da... and Wild Man sees stickers on the floor and of course they are stickers with Santa's face and arrows pointing to his set.

Let me go back a week and tell you my sons excitement to know Santa comes to the Mall every year. He sees toys and games on TV and of course wants everything. He not only says he wants it, he yells at the top of his lungs, jumps up and down and says "Mom you hab to see dis"! It is a hoot and I LOVE it. So I tell him "hey buddy in a month Santa will be at the Mall and we can go see him and tell him all of the fun stuff you want"! He obviously has no concept of time and took that has lets get dressed and go! He put his clothes on faster than he ever has and brought me his jacket. I was so sad to tell him it will be a long time before Santa comes, I then apologized 100X's!

So back to last night... he sees the stickers. My bright idea was to follow the stickers (FYI, he is no longer by Von Maur) down past Vicotoria Secret and Gymboree. I kept saying to everyone I just want show Wild Man where Santa is going to be when he comes. Usually this is not until AFTER Thanksgiving, well this year they have him here SUPER early. He was there, talking to children. I almost died seeing him there, I wasn't prepared for him to be there. I thought they have him come on Black Friday or the Saturday after. So we are continuing to walk by, I say look buddy he is here. His eyes grew bigger than I have ever seen them before, he couldn't make his smile any bigger. Then this when the tears started building up. I didn't want anyone to see me crying over the fact that my son was seeing this Magical guy who will be bringing him great toys! He was so anxious to see and express his love for EVERY toy on T.V and in magazines. So I look away for a second for the tears to suck back into the ducts they came out of and we walk over to the side where Wild Man can have a great look at Santa. He looked at me with such excitment and shock that this was the moment... one tear rolled down my cheek. I couldn't stop saying I can't believe he is here already. So I look at J and ask him if it is ok to let him in and just talk to him ( NO pictures yet, too early). I wouldn't have even asked due to it being so early, but with my Wild Man getting dressed and handing me his jacket last week... I had to let him. So I ask him" do you want to go see him and tell him about your Dragon Castle"? He of course says "yes", so I proceed to get him out of the stroller and he freaked out. He wanted to go see Santa, but not sit on his lap or even get too close. He started crying and wanted to go home. We then get him back in the stroller and head back the way we came, lol :) The funniest thing of it all was when my Wild Man said, " Mom will you buy my Dragon Castle?". He no longer wanted anything to do with Santa!. I again filled with tears just because he is such a handsome and funny boy!

A great evening

So last night my soon to be Sister in law, Nina, invited me over for a fun little party. I was so thrilled she even invited me. I was concerned however that I wouldn't be able to go, due to a sitter issue. J had to work part time and it was a school night ( normally we never get a sitter on a school night) but my wonderful brother offered to babysit so I could go. I was gone 2 and 1/2 hours. Home by 9pm to tuck the girls in :)

When my brother showed up I think I rambled for what felt like forever on the rules and schedule of the kids. I was telling him, when and what they ate, what they can and can't do, when bedtime is, how to lay the Baby down, etc. After I finally gave all my kisses and hugs...I left. As I pulled out of the driveway I was thinking can he really handle watching The Baby. He has taken the older kids out and I knew he could handle them, but he had never had to do anything with The Baby before, so I was worried! I made it to Nina's party and decided I was not going to let worry bother me, he has my number if he needs me. Lets just hope he doesn't... kinda feeling!

I mingled with a few of Nina's friends and I got to meet her mom as well. It was a nice girls night out! My brother called one time and asked a question and that was it. I left the party and headed home. J was home by the time I walked in, but most importantly my brother was still alive, lol :) The girls were going to bed, the baby was asleep and wild man was waiting on me. Everyone was good. My brother went home shortly there after. I went to talk to the girls and they could not stop talking about how fun Daniel was. He made them ice cream, played games with them and had a good time. They asked me when he can babysit again, of course my responce was anytime he wants too! I am so thankful for the relationship my kids and him share. It is something I hope they never loose. Great Uncle Daniel!!!

My reason

Today I woke up and decided to start a blog. Why you might ask. Well I live this crazy wonderful life and can't remember everything from everyday. I want to keep my thoughts, my reactions, my reasoning for things, my childrens achievements in a place that I will one day be able to come back to and read. I want to read what my thoughts were on my daughters 29th day of school. I want to read how J loved me at a certain time. I want to read it all, my life, my craziness that I deal with on a daily basis a year from now and say " oh wow what a great day, I can't believe we did that" kind of thing. I want to journal my life and feelings for when the Lord takes me home, my children and anyone else who cares can read how amazing, how crazy and how wonderful my life was. I do it all for my kids and anyone who knows me...knows this! To my 4 fabulous children, this is for you!

So here is to day 1 of my blogging experience :) *raises glass and takes a sip*