Dear Santa,

Hey-ya pal!! How's it going?!? Heard you paid us a visit a few nights ago. Thanks for that! The kids really enjoyed the new stereo system and CD's you brought for them. The wanted to know how you knew to get such a perfect gift...since one of our gifts to the kids was re-doing the toy room for them. Huh...weird...

Anyway, on to the real reason I'm writing you tonight...

Last year I mailed you a letter regarding what I wanted for Christmas. All I asked for were two simple things. A fat wallet and skinny thighs. I waited anxiously Christmas Eve...waiting...wondering. Woke up on Christmas morning and...nothing...nodda! I forgave you. I did kinda mail the letter a little late. I figured you must not have had time, what with all the other children you had on your list. Or maybe I was a little naughty. Hadn't been as nice enough to Mr. Goose Poop as I should have been. Or maybe yelled at the gooslings a few too many times. At any rate, I forgave you and vowed to work harder in 2010.

And I did. I was much, much better. I was nicer to Mr. Goose Poop, even ask him. And I toned it down with the gooslings a notch or two. I even remembered to mail the letter on time this year. Didn't you get it? I gave you a little sumthan' sumthan' extra in the envelope to help you remember me. I was the one that wanted the fat wallet and skinny thighs!! Ahh, yes, that's me. Remember me now?!?

So, Christmas Eve I could hardly stand myself. For in the morning, I'd be rich and skinny. Surely you wouldn't forget me this year like you did last. What a horrible thing to do to someone on Christmas. So I waited, I tossed, I turned. I cuddled Mr. Goose Poop extra tight that night. I finally fell asleep after hours of trying.

Christmas morning's here...I sprang out of bed, run to the mirror. Sure as shit...thunder thighs are still hanging on like the smell on a sock. Ok, Ok...that was alot to ask for I guess. Must be you had to choose one or the other. Fat wallet or skinny thighs. You chose the fat wallet. I can live with that. I'll be rich now and can just buy the skinny thighs. No biggie.

I jog (thighs jiggling all the way!) down the stairs and to my purse. Flat as a pancake! No extra bills smiling at me. No Visa, Mastercard, or Discover hanging out waiting to be found. What the hell, dude?!? Seriously?!? That's two years in a row now. Two! Are you kidding me?!?

Look, Dear Santa Clause, I'm giving you one more year to get this right. By this time next year, if my wallet is skinny and my thighs are fat...I'm totally outing you to the kids, man! Try me! I'll so tell them you're a big fat fake! I'll take my credit where my credit is due. No more telling the kids the big fat guy in the red suit brought you those gifts you think mom and dad's can't afford! I'll let them know how we saved for months, and thought of just the right gift that they'd all love.

I'm warning you Mr. Clause...this is it. This is your last chance. I've hadituptohere with these games. For the last time....it's a fat wallet and skinny thighs. I'll be seein' ya round I guess. Keep me in mind. For next year buddy....that's it. Consider this your last warning, pal!

Love,
Mrs. Goose Poop

As much as I love putting up the Christmas decorations....

....I love taking them down just as much!!

I'm ready to have my house back. I'm ready to have a day where I don't have to vacuum up pine needles off my living room floor. I'm ready to have my ledges cleared off of all the santa's and snowmen. I'm ready to bring my big comfy chair back up from the basement. I'm ready to not knock down the garland every time I walk in a doorway. I'm ready to have my books back on my bookshelf instead of my village.

I think it's because we put the Christmas decorations up so early, I'm OK with taking them down so early.

It was a blessed Christmas, and I'll always have that to hang on to.

Good-bye holiday's...

...'Till next year!!

Merry Christmas Part 2

How every blessed we are!! I can't believe that it's the day after Christmas already. It seems like just last week we were trucking thru the Christmas Tree forest fighting over, I mean, trying to find, the perfect tree. And now here I am trying to find homes for gifts for 9 people from 3 different Christmas parties! Two weeks ago you couldn't fit another grain of rice in our house, and now I've got to find spots for 125,143 presents!! Yeesh....

Our Christmas traditions continued on Christmas Eve with our trip to my favorite place ever. Corunna. You see Corunna is a small dot on the map, but holds a special place in my heart. For some of my most favorite people can be found there. So on my favorite day of the year I got to go to my favorite place on the map to see my favorite people on earth. Though it just wasn't the same not having my parents join us this year, it was still a blessed night. Here's some pictures..

Here's Mr. Goose Poop and I...

The Gooslings....All hocked up on too much sugar and too little sleep! I have no idea what McKenzie is doing with her smile?!? And Dylan's mouth looks 2 sizes too big!

All together now... (Who's Dylan looking at??)

Here's my "Just John" and I.

And here are 3 reason's I love Corunna so much...

My cousin Cathy, me, cousin Yvonne, and cousin Randi

I look like the Jolly Green Giant in this picture, and it looks like Uncle Dave wanted in the picture too! Haa Haa!!

And the 4th reason I love Corunna so very much. "MY" (as in no one else's) Aunt Mary!! She's my heart of Corunna. The reason it's more than just a dot on the map. It's true, she has a sweatshirt to prove it!!

OK, seriously now!!

Here we are on the way home! Smooooooshed like grapes in the van!! Notice Kenz in the back seat. Every picture I have of here she's got the hand sign's going on....

And a funny picture! On our way home I told Mr. Goose Poop I wanted a picture of the sign saying welcome to Corunna. But because we were on our way out of Corunna, the sign would be facing the other way. I thought I saw it, so whipped around the block and pulled into the Rite Aid parking lot. The kids are wondering what the heck I'm doing. I tell them this is what happens when they have a bloggy mom who lives for pictures. So I get out, walk along the side of the road, and aim the camera...and this is the sign I turned around for....


Caledonia Charter Township?!? Epic Fail!!! Totally thought this was the "Welcome to Corunna" sign. Nope! Wasn't!

Anyway, this was a special Christmas for us. On our way home from Corunna, we stopped in St. John's to pick up Mr. Goose Poop's dad. He followed us back to mom and dad's and stayed the night there with us. Meaning, he got to wake up on Christmas morning with us. Not by himself like he usually does. The kids thought it was totally awesome to have 2 grandpa's there on Christmas morning!

We got home from Corunna, well to mom and dad's, around midnight and put all the gooslings in bed. Then proceeded to stay up until 2:00 drinking wine and putting stockings together. Why oh why?!! The night before Christmas morning?? 2 am?!? Jeez....

Christmas morning was everything it was supposed to be. Since my father-in-law is a photographer, I didn't have to follow everyone around with the camera this year. He did it for me!!! Here's the one picture I did get though....

How precious is this picture?!? It's the Christmas Story being read to the kids by Grandpa before presents! It happens every year, but I've never gotten a picture of it. I love this picture so very much!!

We had such a wonderful holiday this year. We hope you did too...

Now it's off for pizza dinner (cuz who ever makes dinner the day after Christmas?!) and putting the house back together. While Mr. Goose Poop returns from his second trip to Lowe's because he's attempting to hook a water supply up to our new fridge.

Merry Christmas to all!!

And always remember "Love was Born on Christmas Morn!"

Merry Christmas Part 1

The Christmas celebrations are well under way here at the Goose Poop household!

I haven't gotten as many pictures as I'd like to have gotten, but here a few of the ones I did get...

Last Saturday we celebrated Christmas with Shawn's mom, step-dad, and his two sisters. I had really good intentions of getting some great shots, but with all the chaos it just didn't happen! Here's the only picture I got.

My niece Kayla, niece Gracie, and daughter Kenz.

With 15 grandkids there, it just got a little out of control! But I've got to tell you all about the absolutely, wonderfully, fantastic gifts we got....

The kids are opening their gifts from Nonnie and Poppie (Mr. Goose Poop's parents), I can't remember who I saw open theirs first, but it was a blue hooded U of M sweatshirt. It must have been one of the boys, because I remember thinking to myself "Cool, he'll love that!" Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw another one emerging from a box. And another. And another. And then I said "Awesome, matching U of M sweatshirts!" (You have to know me, I'm one of those annoying mom's that has to have the kids "matching" in some way, shape, or form!) As Christian is folding his back up it looks like something was stuck on the back of the sweatshirt. I told him to unfold it, and let me see it. Then I really see it! Right there, on the back of his sweatshirt is fabric painted "Goose Poop 6" (He's the 6th kid, ya know!) So I tell all the kids to show me the backs of their shirts...and sure as the snow is white....my mother in law had stenciled "Goose Poop" with their kid number on all of the backs of their shirts. So, Jonah is "Goose Poop 1", McKenzie is "Goose Poop 2" and so on and so forth!! And not only that, she got Mr. Goose Poop and I matching U of M sweatshirts, and you guessed it...on the back of his it says "Mr Goose Poop" and on the back on mine it says "Mrs Goose Poop"!! I almost cried! I can't even explain how cool they look! I promise to post pictures as soon as I get some taken. We just haven't all been together long enough to get a picture of them taken. But, trust me when I say this, they are the coolest thing ever! I told Mr. Goose Poop I don't ever want the kids to grow up now, because that means they won't fit in their Goose Poop sweatshirts. Either that, or I'll have to beg, bribe, and guilt my mother in law into making us new ones every 3 years. We are gong to where these E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E!!

It was such a thoughtful gift, and I can't thank her enough for doing that for us!

We also did our family Christmas over the weekend. Like as in Mr. Goose Poop, the gooslings, and I. Long story, but it was the only time it was going to work this year. Mr. Goose Poop started snapping shot of all the kids, but I told him he didn't have to. As long as I have one for their scrapbook, I'm good! Here's a couple...

Tyler playing with his beloved "Poppies" also known as loaders and dump trucks!

Tyler opening his first present. Those are the front of the "Goose Poop" sweatshirts!

Here's Christian wearing his favorite gift. It was a bug explorer kit! He hasn't taken it off yet!! And do you know how hard it was finding a bug catcher kit in December?? I looked at all the toy stores, and nothing!! I finally found one at Walmart of all places.

Here's Christian opening the bug catcher...

Here's Carter and one of his favorite gifts. They were wrestling guys!

Dylan's so into fishing this year, so here was his favorite present. A fishing vest and hat! To go with his new fishing pole like dad's (open real! <---Is that how you spell that word? What ev, you know what I mean!).

One of Jake's fav's. His Fox flat brim fitted hat!! Whew...how hard it was finding a fitted hat that fit his bite size head!!

Jacob and Jonah with Jacob's ever begged for zip up sweatshirt.

The only picture I have of McKenzie. But it's a special one. You see, Jacob and Jonah made these special clock plaques in Cadets and were able to give them to anyone they wanted. When I handed Jonah the pen to fill out the tag, he sat there for awhile. Thinking. Finally he declared he was giving it to McKenzie because he thought she'd really like it. I thought that was awesome. So here she is opening it.

Jonah wearing his Adrian Peterson jersey. Who's Adrian Peterson you might ask?! I've got no frickin clue. But I know he's been begging and begging for one. And he must have loved it, because he made a cute little squeal when he opened it!

And here's his other jersey. It's University of Michigan...

They had a great Christmas. And I'm so happy they did.

Now tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and my favorite day of the year might I add! Though it won't be the same this year. My parent's won't be in Corunna to celebrate Christmas with the Smith Family. You see, Christmas Eve is also my Great Grandmother's birthday. She turns 90 this year. So my parent's will be spending the day with her. I don't blame them, I'd hate to have her be alone on her birthday. And her 90th of all!! But the selfish side of me wants them in Corunna. With me. And my Aunt Mary. And my cousins! Especially since, I've heard thru the grapevine, this may be the last time we celebrate Christmas in Corunna on Christmas Eve. I've heard it may change days next year. I'd rather not think about that though. I'm not good with change. Especially changing my most favorite day of the year. But I'll pull on my big girl panties and deal. Next year, though, ok?!? Thanks!

As for today, on this Christmas Eve Eve, we'll scarf burgers and fries. Watch movies, and pack for the weekend. Read books and play Uno. For tomorrow is the day I've waiting 364 days for!

'Tis the season...

...for messy kitchens.....

...and naughty kids!!!

Today we are going to my sister's to celebrate Christmas with Shawn's side of the family. It's going to be low key, so I was put in charge of the desserts. So...I dessert-ed!! All. Day. Long!

...and loved it!

I love to bake. I found some yummy new recipes, and couldn't wait to make them. I made 24 mini apple pies, a batch of Rocky Roads, about a thousand "S" shaped cookies, and about 50 Cherry Almond Sweetie Pies! Yum-O!!

But why does it always seem like my kitchen is a disaster area the whole month of December, and my kids seem to have forgotten what the rules are around here and turn into little brats?!? Riddle me that riddler! I even had to pull out all the Christmas receipts yesterday and tell them that I'm not afraid to return everything under that tree!! I'd so do it, too.

Having a clean kitchen is the only thing I look forward to when Christmas is done. The day after Christmas is like the most depressing day ever, but damn it...my kitchen is clean!

But for now I cook...I bake...I make a mess of my kitchen. And I welcome it. Because it means we're cooking for family that we get to spend time with.

Speaking of...I better go get the rest of the Cherry Sweetie Pies done before it's time for the first of many Christmas Parties. This is the one where my sister Angie will succeed at giving me too much wine, and I don't DO wine. There's just something about slamming, I mean, sipping wine with Angie and Morgan. It'll get ya every time!

Who ever started "Slug Bug"...

...should be shot! Twice! Right between the eyes!! And I'm so not joking here!
(OK, maybe I am, I don't ever want to see someone shot..but who ever it is should be seriously injured!)

You see, every time we see a VW Bug, this is the conversation in the van....

*SLUG*
"Slug-bug Green!"

"Owe!! Why do you hit so hard?!"

"I didn't!"

"Yes, you did too!"

"No I did not. Besides, you always hit that hard!"

"No I don't. You punched me! I don't punch!"

"Yes you do, you always punch me when you see a bug. And I didn't hit hard. Baby!"

"I'm not a baby, and yes you do too hit hard! Next time I'm going to hit you just as hard as you hit me!"

"What ever!"

Every time we see a bug I hear that conversation! EVERY. TIME!!!

Then there are the kids in the back...

*Slug*
"Slug-bug Green!"

"That wasn't green, it was blue!"
*Slug*
"So, slug-bug blue!"

*Slug*
"Nut-Augh, it was Green! Slug bug green!"

*Slug*
"No, slug bug blue!"

*Slug*
"No, green!"

*Slug*
"No, blue!"

"Owe...mom....he hit me!"

"Well, he hit me first!"

"No, I slug-bugged you, and then you hit me back!"

"Yea, cuz you hit me first!"


I mean, really? Who invented this "game"? Who ever it was surely didn't have kids. And certainly not *7* of them!! What a stupid game! Oh...Oh...Oh...look a car...punch! Dummies! Don't even get me started on the "Cadillac Whack"!! And Jonah just informed me of the "PT Cruiser Bruiser!" Goodness...what's next? The "Van Slam"?!? The "Car That's Going Too Slow Blow"?!?

Yup....who ever started this game should be shot...or injured at the very least!

Today is my Anniversary!!

And what a big anniversary it is! It's not just any anniversary...it's my 10 year anniversary...

...of being a mom!!

As of today, I've officially been a mom for 10 whole years. It's really hard to believe...

I like to think of myself as a sentimental person. I tear up at the lost kitten on a commercial, I can't bear to see my husband cry, if I know I hurt some one's feelings I can't sleep at night. But when it comes to trying to write my feelings down about one of my loved ones, I seem to choke up. I have all these emotions floating around in my head, but spitting them out becomes a problem. I'd rather just sit here and think about them over a good cry, than trying to put them into understandable words.

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I met my sweet daughter. I absolutely remember everything about her tiny precious little face the day she was born.

I hated being pregnant. Hated it. As in, said I'd never do it again hated it. I gained almost 90 pounds and my nose exploded half way across my face. Morning sickness? No, I didn't have that...I had "all day sickness"! I think I threw up in every parking lot in Grand Rapids! I saw all my food twice...once on the way in my mouth, and once on the way outta my mouth!! I haven't the slightest clue how I gained so much weight since I couldn't keep anything down. Heartburn? Oh jeez, did I ever. I had never had heartburn before. Didn't even know what it was. Sure found out what it was real quick like! I'd blow thru a bottle of Tums and a gallon of milk in 2 days. Oh pregnancy....how I hated the! How I said I'd never do it again!

Lets not even get started on labor. I pushed, and pushed, and pushed! Thought I'd be pushing the rest of my life! Hours I was pushing. Hours I say!

Then I saw her....my beautiful baby girl. Big brown eyes and a head full of brown hair. And pregnancy? Hell yea I'd do it again! Labor? Piece of cake!! (OK, maybe not, but it was all worth it anyway)

I can't believe she's 10 already. I mean 10!! She's a decade old already!

What a wonderful girl she is becoming. She's sweet, kind, and thoughtful. She's smart, thankful, and loving. She's been through some tough times in her short 10 years. But I can now see how they have molded her into the young girl she is.

She's taught me alot of lessons along the way. She's got a heart of gold. She's such a great helper and teacher to her siblings.

I don't know if I'm excited or scared for the teenage years that our coming our way, but I better start preparing myself now because they are right around the corner!!

Happy Birthday to my fun loving, heart of gold, double ear pierced, double digit daughter. Life just wouldn't be the same without you in it!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that!!

I haven't really been keeping up on the blog lately. I know excuses are like...well, you know, so I'm not going to give you any. Lets just say, I've again, over scheduled, over booked, and over volunteered my time. What's new, huh? What ev, I thrive on this crap! If I keep telling myself that, it'll be true right? Right?!? C'mon, someone tell me I'm right!!

We've been busy. Like, real busy. Like I can hardly remember what my handsome Mr. Goose Poop looks like. Ahhh...being a mom to 7, what a life!

Here's a funny conversation McKenzie and I had the other night. I was doing the dishes after dinner last Tuesday. We were waiting for my parents to come over to watch the kids because Mr. Goose Poop and I had the kids' school conferences. You know, where you go to see how justified you are for beating them?!? Anyway, so I'm standing there, doing dishes, McKenzie has been asking me, more like begging me, for weeks to cut her hair. I keep telling her no. She keep begging me more (stop laughing mom!). I had no real reason to tell her no. Other than I just didn't feel like cutting her hair. Oh yea, and it's just plain fun saying no to your kids! But, really, no good reason to say no. I mean, it's her hair. As long as it's there and not green/purple/blue or any other color of the rainbow, I don't really give a damn. So she asks, I say no. She asks again. I say no again. She begs, and begs, and begs. She says Gretchen got her hair cut, and it's so cute, and she wanted it cut like Gretchen's. I look down, think to myself there is no good reason not to, and before I could stop myself, I heard me say "Sure I'll cut your hair...if you finish the dinner dishes, and give your little brother a bath tonight so Grandma doesn't have to!" That's right folks...I bribed my daughter. And I'm not ashamed! I totally did it.

It started like this....

And ended like this...

It's cute. I like it. And the little twerp didn't even give her little bro a bath, Grandma did it after all! Stinker!

And by the way, just for the record, all kids are still alive after conferences! They may have even been able to stay up late that night. I'm such a sucker...

Weekend was busy. Friday night Kenz rode the bus home with her girlfriend. For a kid that doesn't ride the bus, riding the bus home with a friend is the shiz-nit. Especially it being the friend that had that cool hair cut, that you just had to have. Plus it didn't hurt that it made your 6 brothers jealous!! So she goes to her friends, and the other 6 boys go to a pj party from 5:00-9:30 at school. Kenz and the girlfriend go too, by the way. They got to wear pj's, run around the school, and have the teachers "babysit" them. And, the cost was only $30!! $30 for 7 kids, for 4-1/2 hours. We (and in "we" I mean "my parents"!) gave them $40 instead. Still, that's like a steal. Those teachers...suckers!! HaaHaa!!

Saturday I went and picked up McKenzie and said girlfriend with the cool haircut for a sleepover at our house. But first, a majestic trip to the holy ground...the mall. What. The. Hell. Was. I. Thinking?!? A trip to the mall on December 4th?!? Oh yea, I wasn't!! I was reminded why I don't do the mall. Especially in December. Trying to find a parking spot!?! Pffft...I was almost to the point of parking in a handicap spot and telling McKenzie to limp!! Nuts! Totally and unquestionably, put me in a nut-house crazy! McKenzie walked in the mall with 2 holes in her ears, and walked out of the mall with 4 holes in her ears!

Was it worth going to the mall? In December? Hell no! I'da given the girl $100 if she let me wait until January to take her. But she wasn't waiting one more second to get those second holes shot in her ears! She's been waiting since she was 7, and I told her when she turned 10 she could get a second hole. Well, she'll be 10 next week, and she wasn't waiting. Hence, the trip to the mall. In December.

On home we go. Since she had a friend over, I couldn't let the friend (who by the way I'm close with! She's in my Girl Scout troop, plus I'm friend's with her mom!) think I was some boring lame mom. So we crafted. A fun craft.

The boys did it too. And notice the twinner cool hair cuts! So totally awesome dude! Like, totally rad man!

Sunday was a mad dash around the house. My parents and my grandma were coming over to celebrate McKenzie and Dylan's birthday's.

It's not "actually" their birthday's yet. We just celebrate them now since they are so close to the holiday. So I won't go gettin' all sappy and teary eyed on ya yet!

Lame-O cakes. I didn't even have time to get them cool cakes. Family Fare pre-made cakes had to save the day 25 minutes before the "party"!

Kenz got a homemade "snuggie". Why she wanted a sunggie? I have no idea. But she's wanted one for a long time now, so her GiGi made her one!

The ever loved, ever prayed for American Girl! She was totally surprised, and totally geeked about getting her!

Here's Dylan's ever loved, ever prayed for gift. His MP3 player. See, we have a rule at our house that you can't have a "real" MP3 player until you turn 7. He's turning 7 in a few weeks, so it was his turn to get an MP3 player.

And now it's 10:30. The kids are in bed, Mr. Goose Poop is playing a video game, the dinner dishes are still in the sink, and I'm dead-dog tired. But there is no rest for the weary. Or is it no rest for the idiots who can't learn to say "no"?!? Next week is the school's Christmas Shop that I run/organize. It's bound to be a busy week, it always is. Plus, my poor Carter has to get his tooth pulled in the morning. Boo-hoo!

And hey dad, by the way, now I know why you never use a napkin from my house!!

You may want to bring your own next time you come to dinner!! Yup, that's totally Raven taking a little napper in the napkin holder! Ahh haa haa haa haa!!!

Better Late than never, I always say!!

I know, Thanksgiving was almost a week ago and I'm just now getting around to posting! Sorry...

Today will be more of a picture post than usual. Not just because I won't explain every step of our Thanksgiving, but because I'm also racing the clock here. Gotta go get the gooslings from school here in about 10 minutes.

So here we go....

The table mom did. Isn't it gorgeous?? Like out of a freakin' magazine, right? She did a wonderful job. I love that she makes sure we all sit at the same table. And this wasn't even everyone. We were missing a few of my kids, and my Uncle John and his family.

Center pieces...

Matched the table cloth of course!!

More center pieces. They said "Giving Thanks"

See? Beautiful, huh? She did an awesome job!

Here's dad getting ready to pull the turkey out of the oven!

Isn't he the cutest, most lovable dad in the whole wide world?? I just love him with all my heart!

Turkey's out!

I don't know how long ago it started, but for the past 3 or 4 years now, dad and I have carved the turkey together. I love it, it's one of my favorite parts of the day. Getting all greasy with dad!!

Time to eat!! Doesn't mom do such a beautiful job??

We ate, we laughed, we were merry! I love my family, and have so much to be thankful for.

After we ate at my mom and dad's, we went over to Mr. Goose Poop sister, Angie's, house for dessert. I sprayed whip cream straight out of the can into my 2 year old niece's mouth while sis wasn't watching. We drank wine, stuffed ourselves full of wonderful pumpkin and apple pie.

Here's us three girls. We had Mr. Goose Poop take the picture about 6 times. For some reason I think I look like a fool!! I look like I'm leaning out like crazy, but actually I'm sitting straight as a board. I asked Mr. Goose Poop to take another one, and finally after the 6th time, he said no. So this is the best one we got...

And just for shits and giggles, here's my famous Uncle Jimmy from Virginia...not to be confused with West Virginia I learned this weekend! Big, big no, no!!!

Why yes, yes he is drinking Captain and Coke out of a (big ass) Mason Jar! That he brought from home I might add!! Yup...that's him. He's got some wicked eye brows, too! Check him out...