Happy Anniversary, Baby

Today is mine and my husband's 7th anniversary. This is always a big deal for us, because we've been one HELL of a ride! But we've managed to survive. We've been through all the nitty gritty things that most young couples encounter (especially young couples with kids), and it's brought us even closer and made me even more sure that I want to spend the rest of my days with him. Today, 7 years after our wedding, I'm still as excited as I was that day to spend the rest of my life with him.

I love you, Dayton. Happy Anniversary, baby.

Fan questions

So, without further adieu, I'll be answering "fan questions". In order:

1. What is the first song that got you into music?
I would say It's Been Awhile by Staind, but it got even deeper once I heard "Outside".

2. What does peace mean to you?
That's a tough one! I think that, to me, peace means letting go and enjoying the now.

3. Is blood actually thicker than water?
Absolutely not. I won't elaborate here. That's a whole different blog post.

4. What impact are you wanting to leave on the world?
I want to leave a safe place for my daughter...a place where she and her own daughters (if she has them) are free to make their own decisions. I want to leave the idea that monitoring your children and teens for depression is a basic step of parenting in people's minds. I want to leave my boys knowing how to treat their girlfriends or wives. I want to know that I made SOME sort of a difference, even in just one person's life.

5. When do you feel most alive?
I feel most alive when I have a carefree day with my family, when my husband has the chance to be with us, and we're soaking up life together.

6. What is your favorite time of year and why?
My favorite time of year is from the end of September, forward. That's when Phoenix's birthday is, and from there, we go to Dayton and my anniversary, Halloween, Michael's birthday, Thanksgiving, ZoeJane's birthday, and then Christmas. It's an exciting time.

7. Do you believe in an afterlife?
Yes.

8. What's your favorite quote?
One of two: "I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."-Augusten Buroughs (This will be my next tattoo). And "A life with no risk is no life at all."-Sophia from The Golden Girls

9. Are your dreams usually good or bad?
They're usually very detailed, based on the past, and extremely disturbing.

10. What is the one thing you like most about yourself?
That I feel so strongly about women's rights. I hope to instill the same feeling about them into my own daughter, though I will understand if she chooses a different route.

Questions!

So a few days ago, I posted on the blog's facebook page that this week, I'd be answering questions. As of yesterday, I had only gotten one, which was related to a politician's recent comments about God intending rape to happen or something of the sort. But last night, my inbox got bombed with some pretty great questions. I'll be answering them at some point today. Stay tuned!

An explosion of fun facts

As promised earlier, here is an explosion of fun facts about your's truly. Because, as previously stated, we all know that I'm the most interesting girl in the world (note epic eye roll).

• I do NOT fly. I have had a fear of flying for as long as I can remember. I tried to conquer the fear back in 2006, about three weeks after ZoeJane was born. Of course, the universe decided to play a joke on me and put us on a dinky Delta connection plane. It did not end well. 
• I'm a sociology major (I get my nerd on, yo).
• Yes, I am aware, I am 25 years old and have three children. In fact, I had three BEFORE the age of 24. And that's the way we wanted it.
• I have 9 tattoos.
• There are two more that I want.
• I am very traditional in the sense that you will not mess with my man in any way, shape, or form without getting a bitch fit from me.
• I love the "f" word. But I'll refrain from using it in this particular post because I have a feeling my dad may be reading. Hi, dad! (You know you love me)
• I'm the youngest of EIGHT (count 'em, EIGHT!) kids. Think: real life Brady bunch, dysfunctional style.
• With each baby, I attempted to go natural. I ended up taking the drugs every time. Though, I made it to 6 cm with NO drugs (not even a dose of damn TYLENOL) with Michael. But only because my midwife refused me pain meds when I asked for them, stating "epidural or nothing". She's still somewhere on my shit list. 
• As a teenager, I was the virginal, anti-drug, anti-alcohol, anti-sneaking-out, pro-life, non-cussing, do-as-I-was-told-even-if-I-was-rebelling-hardcore-on-the-inside girl next door. Mom and dad, you're welcome.
• I've smoked weed once in my life. It did nothing for me.
• I enjoy unwinding and getting a little boozy. I can also throw back vodka and tequila shots better than most men. Is that a bad thing?
• My bad-ass Marine corp husband was too scared to take off my garter at our wedding reception. Dad, you've still got it.
• I was a very quiet, shy, reserved young lady...until I had children. With that first positive pregnancy test, a bitch was born. And because of that, all three of my children are happy, healthy, and well taken care of wherever they go.
• I still have all the poetry that I wrote as a teenager. I still like it.
• I've had the same best friend since I was 5 and she was 7. We've had our ups and downs, but she's my ride or die bitch, yo. 
• If I had my way (and my uterus would allow it), I would have had 5.
• My shit list is short, and I'd like to start shortening it, because frankly, I don't have the brain space to hold a grudge anymore.
• I'd love to write a book, but I have too damn much to say.
• If I wasn't such a puss, I'd have 6 piercings instead of just my ears and a hole where my tongue ring used to be. Still need to get that one re-done. 
• I am a HUGE (repeat: huge) Britney Spears fan.
• I am FIERCELY pro-choice.
• You can find out just how pro-choice I am, here.
• You can direct your hate mail for the above fun fact to carakline@gmail.com =) You're welcome.

If there is anything else that you would like to know, suck it up and wait for the next installment. Maybe I'll do a mommy-fun-facts next. ;)

A night on the town-kid-less!

It's our first night to ourselves in over a year now. It's funny, I kept checking the backseat to check on the kids on the way home, and now, I keep turning down the tv to listen to what they're up to, before I realize they're not here. I'm all gussied up and waiting for the hubbs to get home. We're off to a fondue dinner (well, apps and dessert) and a movie. I'm going to try to not call every 30 minutes to check on the kids. Wish me luck.

Annnnnd, why am I sideways? I've only had one glass of wine...;)

A few months back, Amanda Todd posted a video on YouTube. Her cue cards told a story of how she had been bullied because of one mistake. After a while, she drank bleach in an attempt to kill herself. On October 10th, she decided that it was all too much, and she hung herself. She was a month shy of 16 years old. This breaks my heart. And even worse, it terrifies my for my own daughter. Girls are mean. It makes me wonder; What if my baby girl messes up, and people torment her? How will I help heal her heart? How will I keep her strong? How will I survive if she tries something? It would kill me. If my boys are bullied,  it would break my heart...but how do you protect kids in today's world? Kids are mean. How do I protect them?

Annnnnd, We're Back!

So, last week, Dayton comes home and has decided we're taking off to Michigan for 4 days. I had about 2 days to get ready. We went, and now we're back. For some reason, being gone those 5 days feels like we were gone for a year. We went up to check on the Grandpa's (and I think the hubbs was a little homesick). It's going to take a week to recover from this! Ha. In the meantime (as always), here's the evidence:

Road trip essential.

I'm managing to look decent even though I've been up all night.

The girls. Yeah, we got crazy.

Phoenix was good to go in his monster jammies.

Michael is always ready.

Something was funny.

I've died and gone to confection heaven. (The insides were green)

Welcome to Cincinnati! 

Open a can!

Overall, it was a good trip (though exhausting). I took the time to get acquainted with Fifty Shades of Grey. Phoenix managed to break another tooth during the trip (didn't make for the happiest baby ever...). ZoeJane became our first child to fall victim to car sickness (what fun!). And we discovered on the way back that the Chattanooga mall is one DAMN big mall! I think we walked 3 miles in there!

More later, guys and gals!

Alas, I couldn't stop time.

So, Phoenix's first birthday has come and gone. It was heartbreaking, but he had a good time..and the grandmothers behaved themselves (long story for another post). Now it's time for a photo bomb. These are pictures of the party and the morning after.

This one is without a doubt my favorite. This was the morning after. 

The set-up

A very sleepy birthday boy.

Balloons!

He'll kill me for this picture when he's older.

He wasn't crazy about the mess...at first.

Then he got into it...

Sweet daddy making sure he got to enjoy some of the cake. <3 p="p">

Testing out the goods the next morning.

A trinket box "cupcake" that came on his cake.

I can't believe that I forgot to get "before" pictures of the cakes. I think I was too nervous about having both of our moms in the same house (for the first time since my baby shower) to think about much else. But lo and behold, I think the pictures I got were adorable. And it turned out to be a nice day. Now, excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out over the fact that my sweet baby boy is a baby no more...

Yesterday, we had Phoenix's first birthday party. My heart is still breaking. Michael also went home with my parents for his first overnight trip away on his own. He came home today (he wasn't supposed to until Tuesday night). I have to say, it felt pretty good for my mom to call and say that he wanted mommy. I stayed on the kitchen floor all morning (before my mom called) playing with Phoenix and his new toys (from his party). I saw my MIL for the first time in almost a year yesterday. Awkward, since it was the first time since the baby shower since my mom and his have been in the same place at the same time. Talk about eggshells?

On another note, there are bridges that I need to...unburn. They're taking me over and I hate it. I hate having enemies. I want to be able to understand everyone...I want to be able to understand everyone's point of view. The problem is, I'm a fucking PUSS when it comes to confronting people. So if they'd all message me, I'd be good to go! lol. 

Meanwhile, this is a mere update. Making new friends. Doing new interviews. Overall, I'm a happy girl!