the things my children say...

Are there a lot of pencils in Pennsylvania mom?


the things my children say...

road tripping adventure....

Road trips are about the only way this family of ours can get around these days. Our trusty 7 seater is packed to the gills with anything & everything a Floridian visiting a COLD climate might need over our seven day adventure. In my next life I'm investing in a car carrier! With each road trip we take we grow a little more wiser yet never wise enough. There's always something we forgot to pack (like a 4th pair of headphones) or a better way to do things (have each child have their own bin & that's all they can bring-NO EXCEPTIONS!). Why don't I remember these helpful tidbits of information when our next road trip arrives? With every road trip there's always moments when personalities clash or we're just plain crabby (I get crabby too! ;) ) and yes mommy has had to referee way too many times than I care to remember! Yet with all that being said I wouldn't change a thing! We are making memories people & for this I am extremely grateful! I cannot wait for our next...

road tripping adventure....

just bracelets...

Having four children the same age sometimes means some things slide a bit. There are times when I get a glance of their fingernails and realize it's been WAY too long since their last clipping or better yet it takes them saying "What?" WAY too many times for me to get that I may not have cleaned their ears out this month let alone this millennium.. (The ear wax they create can be quite DISGUSTING!). Well, today I took a good look at Camryn's teeth, I mean a really good look. This girl has only lost TWO teeth &there's not a loose tooth in sight. She is almost seven and a half, something just does not seem right with that. Upon further observation the mommy in me realized two things, First thing being that this girl has a small mouth even though she runs it WAY too often! ha! & second thing being she is most likely going to need braces. There does not seem to be very much room in that mouth for her big teeth to grow into. So I proceed to say "Cami I think you are going to get braces". She replies "Ooh I want bracelets". At first I was not quite sure if she heard me or better yet even knew what "braces" were. So I repeat myself, "You might need BRACES". That's when she replied like I thought she should have by saying "Oh what's that Mommy?". I tell her it's something that widens your smile and straightens your teeth. Little did she know that I once wished I could get braces but the dentist told my mom that my teeth would straighten out on their own.There's just something about a mouth full of metal. ha! It sure would be nice and a whole lot cheaper if it was...

just bracelets...

wants vs needs...

This is an important topic that goes around in our home. When you have four little ones that constantly ask for stuff you have to put it into perspective. What it is that we want vs what we actually need. Sometimes they go hand in hand but other times, OK, most of the time we do not really need what we want! Weird how that happens! [=  We have been SO blessed with so many hand me down clothes, shoes & toys that we really need for nothing. SO the next time you are about to make that purchase just think of your...

wants vs needs...

wiggle it just a little bit...

The tribe went to the dentist recently & learned that they are no longer "babies" any more. Our "baby", Miss Linz, has two BIG teeth coming thru behind her baby teeth. How did I miss this?! How could I miss such a monumental thing?!? These teeth are not just breaking through the skin either. Man am I slacking! I need to have my "A Game" on to prepare for the big "tooth out" moment. Oh do I remember loosing my own baby teeth. I disliked the feel of a wiggly tooth so much that I practically pulled each one of them! I'm not sure if they will take after their mama in the dept. or not. We have been prepared for this moment with special tooth fairy pillows & a little tooth box to put the tooth in now we just need to get her to...



wiggle it just a little bit...

cannot find the words...

After hearing about the tragic events that unfolded in New town, CT yesterday all I want to do is cry. Being a parent of four kindergardners made it even harder on my emotions. Why would anyone harm any innocent child? These parents did what they did every school day when they dropped their children off at school. Who would have thought that morning would be the last time they saw them alive? They go to school to learn, not to die. School should be a safe haven, a place where children should not have to worry about who might bust through the door wanting to harm them! Police officers are the ones that carry guns to protect us not a deranged man on a mission to kill. So I still sit here trying to wrap my brain around it. I have had many moments where all I do is cry. I don't know what to say to my children when they ask me why I'm crying. I don't know how or better yet what to tell my soon to be six year old children about this tragedy. I want to reassure them and myself that each day that we send them to school that they will be safe. I want to believe that senseless acts like this will never happen again & that no parent will have to deal with this again. I just...

cannot find the words...

Read my lips, "NO MORE SAND!"...

I will be the first one to admit that I DISLIKE sand! I dislike it so much that if I can help it the tribe would never go to a park with sand. One might say that's wrong of a mother to feel that way but when you have four sets of feet tracking the dirt into YOUR car you might feel differently. When we hit the beach we rinse off competely to help limit what mama needs to cean up. Seriously a bottle of hand sanitizer & a mini vac are this mama's best friends! =) I have on SEVERAL occasions arrived to a park only to see sand & promptly pull away in search of a "sand-free park". Not only is it GROSS because who knows what animals & even children have done their business in it. DISGUSTING!! I know, I know I'm a bad mommy for not embracing it but seriously I really really do NOT like sand!...


Read my lips, "NO MORE SAND!"...

on their way to Temple...

Last week while down in Miami Beach visiting "Grammy", aka Aunt Judy, in rehab we had a Fulton "funny" occur. It was a Saturday almost noon and we were searching ALL over downtown Miami for a place that sold soup. I never thought soup would be so hard to find but it was. Apparently it's too hot in Miami Beach for them to sell soup during the day. LOL! Well during our trek around town Linz notices these people by a bridge all dressed up. She proceeds to say "Look Mom they are getting married!". I am a sucker for a wedding so I looked up from playing "Bejeweled Blitz" on my iPhone (love that game!). Do I see a bride & groom? No. I sort of chuckle to myself and then proceed to explain that these people that are all dressed up were not getting married but walking to church. Yes you guessed it they were orthodox Jews...

on their way to Temple...

year of being 5...

The #5 has many meanings in our home. It's their Mamas favorite #, it also happens to be the # of children in our tribe and most importantly it's how old our four little fultons just turned. Yes, they turned the ripe 'ol age of FIVE! Can you believe that they are FIVE already?! Time sure has flown by now hasn't it?! It's been a WILD ride that I am so very grateful for even if I do have a few more gray hairs for it! LOL! Each and every day they give me plenty of strife but also a TON to smile over. Life just wouldn't be the same without them. I cannot wait to see what sort of adventures they allow to me tag along with them on in their...

year of being 5...

CHRISTmas 2011...

CHRISTmas 2011...

MIA in 2011...

SO much has happened in the Fulton house over the last 4 months or so. The biggest being that we have not had a computer! I know what is a momma to do without a computer right?! I think it bothered me more that everyone else since I had to use my phone to do pretty much everything. sigh... I know that is not an excuse to not blog but it is what it is. So before Momma posted a 2011 CHRISTmas pic she thought she should at least explain where we've been. The tribe started PK4 in October at a new school & in a new town. Since Grandma fell & broke her leg on Father's Day we have basically uprooted our lives to take care of her. It's been an adjustment but we would not have it any other way! The tribe LOVES their new school. Just when we were sort of getting used to a schedule or what one would look like Momma's work changed. She had to go back FULL time a week after they started school. If we did not adjust before we did after that. Arranging people to take them to & from school was CrAzY! Let's just say it truly does take a village to raise a tribe!! We thank all that make that possible! In November we traveled back up to GA to attend their cousin Mikes wedding. Not only did we get to see Mike & April get married but the tribe participated in the wedding! VERY cool! For the first time in what I think was forever we had Thanksgiving away from home & stayed up in GA to celebrate with the GA Mechtly's. It was a real "adventure" not just for us but for them too! These are just a few of the reasons we were...

MIA in 2011...

a kiss on the head before bed...

I'm sure having three sisters can be quite challenging for anyone & probably even more so when you are the lone brother! Our boy Brendan sure does put up with a lot in that dept. but in the end he has such love for the little ladies, aka sisters, in his life. He has such a sweet side to him that I get to witness it almost every night. You see each night just before bed, before actually getting under the covers himself he walks around their bed & gives each one of his sisters a kiss. He does have "rules" because he makes sure they are in bed when he does it, maybe so they cannot swat the kiss away. LOL! On occasion I have seen him chase them down & make them lay down just so he can give them...

a kiss on the head before bed...

way down yonder on the Chattahoochee...

This was a SUPER fun time of our 10 day adventure. We took an hour or so ride from Atlanta N to the cool German town of Helen, GA. It is SO quaint & VERY German! One of the best attractions there tubing down the Chattahoochee River.

 
I definitely think tubing in July is WAY under rated! The river may have been a little low but it was SO much fun! There was a bunch of us so each child had a "chaperone" which they LOVED!  

 

Good think Uncle Jim brought along his river sticks aka old golf club poles, to help steer us through the low parts of the river. ** NOTE ** if they sell sticks where you go tubing BUY THEM! They truly come in handy! ** I think the entire ride took us about 2 1/2 hours give or take. We even enjoyed a rainstorm in the middle which really helped cool us off because it was HOT out!! Here's some of the photos I took that day!

They had theses decorated trees. One named the tree of "lost soles"! I'm sure it was given it's name for every lost shoe they found floating down the river! {There was a TON!} LOL! 

And they had a tree decorated with of all things GUM! It was disgusting yet interesting all the same! Being able to get yourself over to this tree just to stick your ABC gum has to be a feat within itself. Take a look at that creation! =] I wonder how old the oldest piece of gum there actually is. YUCK!

Somehow we all lost each other that day so once I got to the end, second behind the hubby, I took pic's of everyone as they had it to the "finish line"! It was funny to see my scrawny children standing up on their tubes! Good thing the tubes had bottoms in them! =]

 

 

I will definitely make another trip up to Helen to go tubing...



way down yonder on the Chattahoochee...

Lake Toxaway adventure 2011...

We are SO lucky to have such WONDERFUL relatives that allowed us to invade their home over the summer. Invading is just what a tribe like ours does! My cousin Lori has a second home in Lake Toxaway, a beautiful place in the NC mountains. It's on a lake, so beautiful & most of all PEACEFUL! That is when the tribe behaved & didn't argue! LOL! I'm SO very blessed to get to spend any time with Lori away from our "normal" lives. It just meant a lot to get to visit in the first place! It truly was just what the Doctor ordered, away from the "rat race" & some peace & quiet! With all the drama that we have been dealing with back in FL this was pure Heaven! She took us out tubing on the lake, hiking in the woods & even took in a little shopping in downtown Brevard. LOVE LOVE LOVE that town! The tribe thoroughly enjoyed themselves as did our "helper" Caitlynn. This was her first time in NC. Her first time tubing on a lake, first time hiking to see a waterfall, heck it was just a week full of "firsts" for her! SO happy to be able to be there for that!

 

and that was our...

Lake Toxaway adventure 2011...

in their Sunday best...

This trip we visited Uncle Jim & Aunt Haidee's church for Sunday services. It was different & the tribe, ok Lindsey, did not want me to leave her. SO sad!! But I knew no matter how much she cried she/they would be fine! The church reminded me a lot of something out of Disney World, so much wood molding & white banisters! Such a beautiful church! Sadly when we decided to take their picture it was AFTER giving them a lollipop! LOL! Here they are...

in their Sunday best...

Stone Mountain....

One of our first stops on this "adventure" of ours was in Atlanta, GA. We have family there so visiting some of the attractions there made perfect sense! Lucky for us my brother, their Uncle Jim, took off from work on what I think was one of thee HOTTEST days of July to hit the trails of Stone Mountain. If you have never heard of or been there you really need to go. It is said that it's the largest piece of exposed granite in the world. The most interesting part is that we only get to see 1/3 of the "mountain" because the other 2/3 of it is underground! They say it continues almost 10 miles below! AMAZING!!

They have a little theme park going on there, most of which were for children older than the tribe however I would definitely go back one day for them to enjoy. Besides the theme park there are camp sites, a train, a sky ride to to the" top of the rock", a night time laser show that makes the carving come to life & much much more. This is one of my most favorite photos from our trip! & I have to say that I still think Uncle Jim sort of looks like a park ranger! Must be the hat! hahah!

** One unadvertised tidbit of info for those wishing to lug their family there you do NOT have to buy admission to the theme park if you just want to see "Stone Mountain" **. Yep the "mountain" is FREE, you do however have to pay for parking but that is a HUGE savings when all you want to do is see God's creation! You can hike to the top for FREE or pay to ride the sky way. Pretty much everything extra costs $ so if you live in the Atlanta area it just might pay to get a seasonal pass. That way you can visit & do whatever you want whenever you want!

So this mama of quads highly recommends that while in Atlanta you make sure you stop and visit...

Stone Mountain...