Welcome to the jungle, We've got fun and games!

I feel as though Guns N' Roses should be the anthem of our home. It's kind of amazing how well the song lyrically describes our day: "Welcome to the jungle, we take it day by day." Or better yet, "Ya learn to live like an animal, in the jungle where we play." Unfortunately, if you know the song at all, you're probably aware that it's about drugs. Lots of drugs. Straight addiction. So - I will sing it in my head and my head only and giggle at the irony.

Becoming a parent was a decision I made long before I had someone to procreate with. I always knew I wanted to share my life - and my steak - with little people. Luckily for me, I found someone equally as eager to throw caution to the wind and embark on the parental journey. 8 1/2 years of marriage, 3 dogs, 2 cats, God only knows how many fish (RIP, don't judge), a house, and 4 gorgeous gremlins later, I'd have to say we're pretty much livin' the life.

Danny's best man sealed our fate when he asked to be made an uncle as soon as possible. Buckets full of Bud Light and some ridiculously delicious concoction called a Miami Vice gave way to the perfect honeymoon setting for baby making, and nine months and one day after our wedding, our daughter was born. Affectionately called Kika, she was a little pale bundle of joy with red fuzz for hair - we couldn't have been more blessed. She's now 7 and finishing up first grade.

 






























2 years later, we were blessed with our first son. A kind soul - a lover of nature and animals - and a master of the bitch slap, Little Man showed us how much fun it would be to have a little boy in the home. He's 5 now and will be going to Kindergarten in the Fall.

After our first son was born, we were extremely pleased to learn we were expecting again. Terribly, that pregnancy ended at just 16 weeks and we learned that I had a blood disorder that required special care in subsequent pregnancies. 6 months later, we found out we were expecting again, and after careful and constant care, our second son Boo Boo was born in the summer of 2012. We will be celebrating his 2nd birthday next week. A true Gemini, we are never quite sure what child we are going to wake up to every day. Again, welcome to the jungle.

And last but certainly never least is our newest bundle of joy, Peanut. It's amazing how something so incredibly tiny can play such a huge role in your life. It's safe to say I'm obsessed with him.

Alright, let's recap. Four kids, my husband is a massage therapist, I stay home and try to keep everyone alive, and on top of all of that, my husband and I are both in graduate programs. I'm earning my master's degree in school counseling, hoping not to screw some kids up one day. And he's studying to be a special ed teacher, because well, he's a saint.

So, by all accounts, in the eyes of society today we are insane for having four munchkins. We are constantly asked "How do you do it?" and "How do you find time for everything?" And to be honest, I have no idea how to answer such a question. Because I don't have an answer. Ask yourself how you do the things you do. Can you answer? We just - do. A little bit of organization, a whole lot of caffeine, and a Xanax or two and well, we make it work.

I find the time to do fun things for my family and I enjoy taking care of them. Because of that, I'm often asked how I do it. Typically, with a little "happy juice", also known as wine, all things are possible. I plan to share the fun things I do with you, the reader, so that I can prove once and for all how NOT original I am and how easy it is to do fun things for your family, even if you think you don't have a creative bone at all.

Keep in touch. Hopefully it will be fun. Thanks for reading. :)