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mmmm...chocolate

2006-11-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

Halloween if now behind us, and we have six plastic bags full of candy here at the healthiest house in Virginia! This is usually the time of year that I try to convince myself that I am a bit too maniacal about the whole health thing and lighten up on the rules and regs. After all, I remember when I was a kid. The week following Halloween was just a flurry of candy wrappers and stomachaches!! And I survived.

If you are a health nut like me and you are facing the same candy-up-to-your-ears dilemna, then just do what I do. Repeat to yourself, "everything in moderation." Of course, don't let the kids gorge themselves on sugar, but a few pieces after meals aren't going to do permanent damage.

I even indulged last night! The kids gave me their dark chocolate, and I practically inhaled it. Yummy! So remember, you're only a kid once, but you can keep acting like a kid for the rest of your life. Enjoy!!

Bedtime Mayhem

2006-10-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

Things are all mixed up around here, and it's driving me crazy. I have officially opened Pandora's box. And it all started with the bright idea of putting bunk beds in the boys' room. Okay, here it goes.

Blair: "Honey, why don't we move all the boys in together? Korben really wants to be with his big brothers."
Me: "Sure!"

That was the thread that unraveled the whole torrid story that I find myself in right now. We got out the bunk beds from the basement and put them in the boys' room. Kyler on top, Korben and Karis on the bottom.
But Karis wanted the top.
No, Kyler needed to be on top since he was the oldest.
Korben is on the bottom, but he doesn't want to share the bed.
Karis still has a problem with bed-wetting so he needs to be in a bed by himself.
So, now we have a full and twin bunk bed in the room in addition to the twin bed (and practically no floor space).
But now Korben wants Karis to share the bottom bed.
Karis wants to share it, but doesn't want to share it.

Now enter Klara.
Klara doesn't want to be alone in the room. She misses Korben.
So, now Klara sleeps in the twin bed, Korben and Karis on the bottom full bed, Kyler on top of the bunk bed, and we have a bedroom that is completely empty.
So, now enter Kenna.
Kenna can share the room with Klara and make her feel more comfortable. We should also paint it girly colors to make it more appealing.
But that means I move the crib out of my bedroom, and the sofa in.
The sofa doesn't match my bedroom. Painting would be cheaper than reupholstering.
$250 in paint, wallpaper, and comforters later....
My room is bright turquoise, paint is everywhere, the bedroom is still empty, eight loads of laundry need to be folded and put away, four children are in one bedroom listening to the "Over the Hedge" soundtrack, gold glitter is all over the floor, and one of the boys most definitely missed when he peed in the toilet, and I have eaten way more chocolate than any person has a right to.

Just for everyone's information, my two oldest girls are happily tucked away downstairs (awaiting their bedroom makeover that I promised them when I bought them two new comforters the same time I bought the paint...)

Well, I've got my work cut out for me, so I'll bring you up to date later.

Rainy Day Blahs

2006-10-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, there are nine of us, stuck inside this house, with the monotonous hum of rain beating against the windows.

I'm going crazy!

I know I should enjoy days like this...you know, just staying in my pj's with a cup of cocoa, thumbing through mags and such. But I have a restless spirt that torments me when I decide to put productivity on pause. Are any of you moms out there like me? I think that because I have to stay so busy teaching the kids, running my own business, and taking care of the house, that level of activity becomes the standard. If things start to slow down, then my psycho-mommy alarm goes off and I need to stir things up a bit. Subconsciously, I see "down" time as "wasted" time. Maybe I do need to get better at slacking off a bit.

Or maybe not.

I can say that I will slack off, but in ten minutes, I would be starting a novel or raking the yard. Oh well, for now I will just enjoy the rain...and the two articles that I just finished, and the laundry that I just folded...

Now it's on to those closets.

I have to admit, I drive my kids crazy (and my husband, too).

My Arms are Gooey!!

2006-09-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, friends...it happened. My son grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug and then remarked, "Your arms are GOOEY!"

He was refering, of course, to that "less than firm" underside of my arm. I was astonished! Could it be? Could it have happened? Am I now that woman shuffling through the grocery store with flabby arms? Should I go out and buy a pink floral housecoat to wear out in public? And maybe some curlers to go along with it?

Needless to say, I have refused to give in without a fight. I have always carried hand weights with me when I go on my morning walk, but now I put a little more "umph" into it. I also checked out a couple of new workout videos from the library, so I'll let you know how that goes. Hopefully, I can get rid of the goo and replace it with some lean muscle mass.

Yikes! Gooey arms! My kids are great at telling it like it is!

Off to an SMT...

2006-09-28T03:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm on my way to another satelite media tour for one of my clients. That's where you do live TV interviews with a 10 or 20 news stations around the country (from one location, of course) in less than three hours and talk about the clients product. Its a ton of fun to do and my client is awesome! Check them out at this site. They can really make your home healthier!

I'll check in tonight when I'm back (and probably half asleep).

Also, be sure to check out TotalMom.com and my vlog page at YouTube.com. We've mad a bunch of new short videos with tips and advice. More to come, too!!

What do you value?

2006-09-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

I saw this ad last night. I have no idea what magazine it was, or even the product being advertised, but I clearly remember the headline. It said, "what do you value?" The first thing that came to my mind, of course, was my family. I thought about how much time and effort I put into our days together, from meal preparation to homeschooling. Then, from out of the blue, I thought about our scrapbooks--the books that the kids keep looking at over and over again. Unfortunately, I have gotten far behind in my scrapbooking.
Then I thought again about that headline, "what do you value?" If I really valued the memories that we make, wouldn't I want to preserve them? Needless to say, I set aside the day to do some scrapbooking...and I have been LOVING it! I hardly ever set aside time to do things just for me, but today I did (in between diaper changes, nursing, taking the kids out for smoothies, folding laundry, dressing some baby dolls, and cleaning the bathrooms). It was so nice to see some pages come together. And it's even better knowing that I am doing something I enjoy as well as something that will enrich my family. Sure, I'm behind. But the catching up is so much fun.

We're Here... not MySpace

2006-09-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Total Moms!

I started a blog at MySpace.com earlier this week, and have decided to come back here. This blogging service is better for me and I hope to get into some great conversations with you here.

I'll write a bit more this weekend, so look for me then! I'm off to our weekly Fun Family Movie Night... look for my video blog on that this weekend! Just go back to my site and click the Hannah's Vlog button... or go here:

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bpkeeley

Thanks for your patience!!
Hannah

Still in Progress

2006-07-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, the project is still going on underfoot, literally, underfoot. I am working on putting in carpet and it is going surprisingly easy! I ordered carpet tiles from Flor (aren't they pretty?) and they are super easy to install. All you need to do is pull off the sticky tabs on the back and stick them in place. My son, Karis, who just turned eight, is actually doing a lot of the work right along with me. I can't wait until it's finished. It just seems as though I get started and a thousand distractions pop up to pull me away. I'm sure plenty of you moms out there understand what I'm talking about. I just have to remember what is really important here - building a family, not fixing up a house.

The "home" vacation is going splendidly as well. Today we all made an excursion to Chuck E. Cheese. Fortunately, there weren't many people there. I think our family doubled the number of people that were in the restaurant (kind of like a private booking - cool!). For a brief moment I thought that good ole Chuck was flirting with me but then I realized that he wasn't winking. His right eye was just busted. It was pretty funny looking. I wanted to buy one of those eye patches that they sell for 500 tickets and strap it to his face.

Tomorrow we are planning on hitting the science museum and the children's museum. We were going to do that today, but stayed a bit too long at the pool. They were just having so much fun, even Katie. I felt so sorry for her holding her arm out of the water with a trash bag tied around it. I will be so glad when her cast is off (but I bet she will be even happier!). She has truly got the best spirit imaginable. She never complains and always looks for something positive to say about the situation...any situation. I sure could learn a lot from her!

It's a zoo around here!

2006-07-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

This week, our family is doing our annual "vacation at home" vacation. We pick out fun spots in our hometown to enjoy and it's a blast! Today was the first day and we all went to the zoo. Believe it or not, we have lived in Richmond, VA for five years and have never been to the Richmond Zoo...well, until today! It's was hot and sweaty, but loads of fun! The giraffe got a little too friendly with my back (he snuck up behind me...giraffes can be sneaky like that). All of the kids (and the parents) had a great time. It proves that you don't need to schlep it across the country just to have a good time. After all, the vacation is about the experience, not the destination.

Tomorrow we are planning on going to the science museum and the children's museum. That is always a blast for us, and we haven't been in such a long time! I like to think that the kids are actually learning, but I know that is probably wishful thinking. Okay, okay, I'm deceiving myself. But, we're still going.

Try discovering your home town a little bit before the summer is over. There are probably countless treasures that are just waiting to be discovered, from a local thrift dive to a trendy cafe. See what you can find. You can also make it a family adventure and get everyone on board. It's cheap, it's easy, and it's a great way to enjoy the family bond.

My little girl broke her wrist!

2006-07-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

Who knew that when Katie left for soccer yesterday evening, she would be coming home in a cast! My precious little girl fell on her wrist and fractured it. Fortunately, Blair is the coach, so he was able to rush her to the emergency room to get treated. Isn't motherhood terrifying at times? You just have to let them go and pray, pray, and pray some more. I think that is the hardest part of parenting - the letting go. I saw her struggling with the cast today and it just made my stomach knot up. If only we could take upon ourselves every hardship they ever have to experience, I'm sure we would.

There are some hidden benefits, though. A few days ago, I was giving Korben (4 yrs. old) and Klara (2 yrs. old) their bath and was washing their hair and playing with them. It made me think back to when Kelsey and Katie were little and I washed their hair every night. Now they are 11 and 13, so those days of bathing them are long gone. I was pondering this, and the thought occured to me that I have no idea when that last time was that I washed their hair. When was the last hair washing? What day did it occur? If I had only known, I would have marked it in my mind somehow by lingering a bit longer or putting an extra coat of conditioner on. But I have no idea. It's kind of like that last lullaby or the last time you tie their shoes. Motherhood is such a blur that little things slip by us. All of sudden, they no longer need our help...even when we want so badly to give it.

Anyway, I got the supreme bliss today of washing Katie's long, beautiful hair once more. She laid back on the counter with her head in the kitchen sink while I brushed out the tangles, washed her hair, and then braided it. She probably wondered why it took me so long. Between you and me, I wasn't washing an eleven-year-old's hair. I was transported back to those new days of motherhood, bathing my little girls, and waiting for my husband to get back from work. I was hearing their giggles and splashes and seeing the drenched barbies and plastic fish floating around in the tub.

I know everyone says it, but embrace this time. They won't always need our help. Smile and dish it out. And the next time you bathe your little one, take a bit longer and relish the moment. Don't wait for a broken wrist. Enjoy it now!

Phase One of Operation: Basement

2006-07-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Operation: Basement

Welcome to Phase One. For some reason, many moms think I am Superwoman. You know, the woman whose home always looks "guest ready." Well, just so you can know the real me, I decided to blog about my new project. It's called Operation: Basement. For the past four years, we have used the basement as our school room. But, it seems we have evolved to a new chapter of family life. The younger kids need more help from parents, the older kids need a place to hang out, and with the every growing appetites around here, I need to spend more time in the kitchen.

So here we are with our newest project - turning the basement into a lounge. I began cleaning out some clutter from the craft closet and the bookshelves and emptied out four big, fat bags full of trash! I couldn't believe how much junk I had! But, this is only the beginning. I wanted to bring all of you along for the journey, so you can see how it is all working out. I'm posting some "before" pictures for everyone to see. I would also love to get some opinions from you, so let me know if you have any great ideas.

Eating Feet and Popping Noses

2006-07-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am. The very first of my new blog - a day in the life kind of thing. I figure so many moms ask me "how I do it," that I may as well show everyone the crazy, but brutal honesty of it all.

But first, I have to catch everyone up. Blair and I are working like crazy, as always. I just finished turning in all of the copy for my next book - "Hannah Keeley's Total Mom Makeover. " HOORAY FOR ME! Of course, I still have about three months of edits, but that's just gravy. The tough part is over. Most people would celebrate by wining and dining, but such is not my lot in life. Blair asked me, "How should we celebrate?" I thought for a moment and replied, "I guess we could go to Sam's and stock up on groceries..." Wow! What a party!!!

The kids are all enjoying summer. We go to the pool every morning. While the other women are sitting around enjoying their pool reads, or sticking their feet in the kiddie pool, I'm either nursing a baby or playing "mommy train" with the little ones. I lucked out one day this week. Kenna was at home with Blair, Klara decided she wanted to eat muffins at the table, so I got the rare opportunity to do cannonballs with Kyler off of the side of the pool. Scary! It was like a tsunami. All the women who were sticking their feet in the kiddie pool got their do's soaked! But honestly, who does their hair to go to the pool, anyway?!

And speaking of Kenna, she has just found her feet. I just had to include a picture so that everyone could appreciate the beauty of a five-month-old baby girl chewing on her toes.

Okay, and now the "nose" part of this blog. It has been excruciating hot here in Virginia, but not like the heat I grew to appreciate when we lived in Arizona. This is a sticky, moist, high school boys locker room kind of heat...nasty! Anyway, the kids were getting bored and restless, and didn't want to play outside because of the heat, so I did what any good, American mom would do. I packed them all into the van and took them to the dollar store. I told them they could each pick out one thing, and we were having a great time going up and down the aisles checking out all of the goods. The boys got holed up in the toy aisle, and of course, I was right there with them holding Kenna. All of a sudden, I looked up and this flat, spinning green thing was sailing over the aisle coming right at me! I couldn't block it because I was holding Kenna, and before I knew it, I got popped right square in the nose with a green frisbee! Some kids were playing with it in the next aisle, and their aim was a little off. It was hilarious! I must have looked like the ultimate dork!! The only thing I regret is that I didn't get to see it. I had to experience it!

Well, that's life for now from the Keeley home. For everyone concerned, my nose is doing just fine! Kenna's toes, however, are getting a bit wrinkly!