A New Start

I just realized it's been over two years since I posted anything in this blog. I think I want to start again, but you know me. I've decided to try and take my blog in a little different direction, mostly about parenting, and the craziness that goes on in my house. I affectionately call our house a zoo, it's very loud and chaotic around here pretty much all the time between the hours of 8 AM - midnight.

Since I'm starting anew, I'll reintroduce myself. I'm Paula, 28 year old sahm (stay-at-home mother) to four kids. My husband, Darrell, and I have been married for 11.5 years. I've been a sahm the vast majority of that time. I worked part time at a video rental store from June '06 through March '07. There's a long story in there, but I don't feel like going into it.

Now, for the ones that my blog will mostly revolve around, my children:

My oldest, and only son, Hunter, is 11. He's at that adolescent angsty, full of attitude age. As far as he is concerned, life is so unfair if he doesn't get to do 100% of the things he would like to do. I think he's hitting puberty full on and it's showing. I can let him do 8 out of 10 things he asks to do, and he'll just complain about the two things he wasn't allowed to do. But he does have his moments. He is very sweet, giving and loving. When he wants to be.

My oldest daughter is 10. She and her brother are only 11 months apart, and they were our only children for 5 years. Mackenzie is a pretty typical ten year old. She loves to read, and play with her toys, and fight with her siblings. She is hitting that moody sort of age, where she can't decide whether she likes us or hates us. If we don't let her do something she wants to do, then we hate her. See how that works?

Shelby is 5. She is very hard to describe. She's a very independent, mischeivous, strong willed, sneaky little girl. She and her little sister are the ones that really keep me on my toes. She gets into everything. She's the child you have to watch 24 hours a day to keep her out of trouble. She is also very smart, inventive, and hilarious.

Maggie is 2.5. She's a pretty typical toddler. Shelby is teaching her everything she knows, and they love to tag team me. She's too smart for her own good. She idolizes Shelby and will do anything Shelby asks her to do. Or tells her, mostly. We're currently working on potty training Maggie. I will be glad to have this done, then I can be finished with diapers for good. I think she's ready, it's more dependent on me to take her.

As you can see, I pretty much have my hands full. I will start attending classes at a community college in August, and I'm scared about dealing with regular household things, class, and the kids. I plan to use this blog as a place for venting, and helping me to get through these next few years while going to school full-time and parenting four active children.