what we do for fun...

We have a few rituals here, some that sort of "appeared" due to our circumstances at the moment. One of those "circumstances" was finding things to do while Camryn attended speech. For 2 hours 2 times a week our foursome turns into a threesome. It's weird how in more ways than one that dynamic affects me. VERY VERY weird missing a child even if it's just for 2 hours twice a week! I almost have to re train my brain into believing they are triplets for the day. One of our new activities has been visiting our local zoo. Let me tell all those people out there that may think that they cannot afford it, buy a family pass! It is such a great deal for anyone, especially for families like ours PLUS it helps support the zoo! It's such a GREAT, GREAT deal! My how our tribe LOVE going to the Zoo!


Each child has their favorite animal that they have to visit while there. The child that is the most vocal about that would have to be Brendan. He has to see Mardi the White Alligator & the Malayan Tiger exhibit EVERY time we go there. In fact he makes a point of telling me that about 10 times each time we walk in their entrance. {Like he would even think I would not already know that! LOL!} One cool think about the Tiger exhibit is that for the 1st time in zoo history the mama tiger gave birth in captivity! Yes she recently became a mama to triplets! COOL huh?! Too bad she didn't have quads! =] They have a video monitor set up so we can see the cubs being cared for by their mama. Such a wonderful thing to witness!

Avery has taken to the Black Bear & Otter exhibit. On our most recent trip we happened upon the Black Bear talk at just the right time. The trainer told us how the bears are actually brothers, Lewis & Clark, whose Mama died when they were mere little cubs. That is why they can co exist here. I have to say that those Black Bears are pretty darn cute! I could not get over their massive size! One even stood up & scratched his back on the fence. It was funny to watch. Just down from the Black Bears is the River Otters & boy do they remind me of the tribe! They are cute, have a TON of energy & most of all are quite mischievous! Maybe that's why Avery LOVES them! hahah!

Then there's Lindsey, she LOVES the Koala Bears. The zoo has two koalas on exhibit who almost always are sleeping when we visit. It's weird how that happens! Each time I hope for them to be awake but nope they are fast asleep. One of these days I hope to see them awake! =] Either way she still loves them! Heck I love them too! In fact I wish they would let me snuggle one! They look SO cuddly & cute! Interestingly enough their "home" is on the way to where the Tigers live so we slip in for a visit each time we are there.

Want to know another one of the exhibits they absolutely LOVE?! The Python!! Yes they LOVE LOVE LOVE peeking in on the massive snake! It looks to be like 10 feet long! YIKES! While they check out the snake I check out the snakes living quarters. About 3 feet from this HUGE python are several turtles. I wonder if they could be his dinner at any point? If I were them I think I'd be scared! VERY SCARED! =] I really do not think there is an animal at the zoo that freaks them out! =] What can I say they are their father's children! LOL!

Besides all of these cool exhibits they also have a BIG fountain that the tribe can play in. Yes it's recycled water, yes they chlorinate it but most of all it is fun! Being that we live in S Florida that fountain sure does comes in handy on those extra HOT days! Some days we even make a return visit after picking up Camryn just so she can play too! This is just some of...

what we do for fun...

a hint of something FUN to come!...

I have a SUPER fun "thing" coming up soon for the tribe! It involves the following items & of course the tribe! When all is said & done we will have something awesome to share with everyone! Here's...



a hint of something FUN to come!...

What exactly is a STAY AT HOME Mommy?...

As many of you know I work part time to keep my sanity in this CRAZY life I lead. Not only just it help my sanity but it helps create funds to pay for the expense of having soon to be three year old quadruplets as well as a soon to be fourteen old son. They could eat us out of house & home if we let them! LOL! Michael working FULL time & me working FULL time at home PLUS working PART time outside the home does not give us much "couple" time but we persevere! I try to stay active & get the tribe involved in MANY activities. Sometimes it is overwhelming but that's when I take a step back & choose my next activity wisely. I never thought about my "outside" career until the other day. Let's fast forward to a quick conversation I had with another mommy recently. She was telling me upcoming events for Halloween & then told me about a play group she attends with her child. Don't know why that came up but it did. I mentioned how I would LOVE to get the info so when I am in town I could maybe meet up with them. That is when those words I never thought I would hear came out of her mouth. "It's for stay at home moms". What exactly is a "Stay at home Mom" these days? In today's society & certainly with the economic struggles we all are having I cannot see how anyone makes it on just one income alone. I was rather hurt that she said that to me because I interpreted it as mom's that work outside the home are less important to those women. I feel that I can contribute just as much to conversation as those that stay home ALL the time. The fact that I work PART TIME excludes me from that group?!?. It's like segregation is back! Hello people it's almost 2010! We all need to help one another out & accept EVERYONE! Needless to say If asked I would not join that group if my life depended on it. Sad that one comment can dissuade me SO much. I just do not think if I ran a play group I would exclude people just because they chose to help out their family by working OUTSIDE the home. So I ask you...

What exactly is a STAY AT HOME Mommy?...

you gotta have friends...

It's amazing how things come full circle once you are an adult. How my friends have kids that now play with my children. Heck my friends children even babysit my children. CRAZY! I never thought this day would happen but it has & I'm loving it!Just the other day we had an unplanned "play date" at my good friend Kathy's house. Her oldest daughter Reyna is six months older than the tribe. We live like 25 min's away from one another however we rarely get together. Sad but true. Life with quads has really been rough that I pick my battles when it comes to activities. It was not until recently that I will venture out of my norm with them. I have been trying to get them involved in more things. So now that we joined My Gym which happens to be in the same town as Miss Kathy we are making a conscious effort to get together. I sort of hid out at her house after the bad exiting experience from My Gym. I was SO flustered and upset that I called Kathy up & asked if we could come over to her house to calm myself down. She was such the hostess, besides finding bathing suits for each of them she fed us all! What a friend! The tribe did exceptionally well especially with NOT having a nap! Their backyard is like a toddlers paradise. They have a swing set, a sand/water table & TWO kiddie pools. We slathered SPF 50 all over them & you would never know they were outside. She even had her hubby put the canopy up over one of them so my fair headed angels would not fry. SO thoughtful! They even put one of the pools at the end of the slide {DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION}& the kids slid into it. I really did not think my kids would do it but 3 out of 4 did. See how they amaze me every day! We ended up spending the ENTIRE afternoon & evening there. They played & played! I got to catch up with my dear friend & they made new one's. It was SO cute seeing Reyna with them. She would hold their hands & say come on kids, come in my room! The funnier part was that they actually listened to her! LOL! I hope these play dates form a lasting bond between them because...


you gotta have friends...

a multiples mommy in a singleton world....

Ok, I need to VENT! I find that almost always I am faced with dilemma after dilemma regarding activities to attend with my little one's. Almost EVERYTHING is geared towards a mommy of a single baby! Oh I'd love to get them swim lessons at the local pool but you need to have a parent per child, or take them to gymboree sessions, etc. It is always the same story, You need to either have a "helper"(what is that?? LOL!), or pay EXTRA because God gave me 4 babies to love. The latest activity I would LOVE to participate in is the "Mommy, Daddy & Me" class at our local Rec Center. They have a resident & non resident fee to attend the class, which they should. The resident fee listed is $80.00. I call them up just to make sure what the cost for us would be & they say it is PER child. What were they thinking?? I explain that I have quadruplets and they are 19 months old, etc. I ask is it $80.00 for each of them? She says Yes without hesitation. Needless to say I was flabbergasted! They expect me to pay $320.00 for my four to attend an 8 week session, that only meets 1x a week. I decided to put a call in to the Director of the Center just to see if he agrees some families are different & if they could work with me on the fee. I have yet to hear back from him. Trust me, I ALWAYS ask if there is a discount when you have multiples or a sibling. I have found a few businesses that will accomodate us but in this case they would not. I swear the world just does not think about families with multiples. This is why I have taken being a multiple mommy so seriously! It is now my "mission" to make sure we are all treated equally & fairly! There should be some exceptions when you are ...

a multiples mommy in a singleton world....