The "Year Long Project" (Part 2)

So...Base Crazy House.  Crazy is an understatement at this point...and the story continues.

Last night we sat all 10 kids down (yes, the 18 year old was sitting too) and the 3 adults currently home laid out the rules...

First we went over the bedtime schedule.  There were groans and complaints.  A lot of "Why do I have to go to bed first?" questions.  That took about 20 min to explain.

Then we went over the bedtime rules.  Now fits are being thrown..."What if I have to go pee?!"  Please see rule #2 which reads you will do it BEFORE going to bed.  Not after you are in bed!

"What if mommy doesn't kiss me when she gets home?"  See rules #6, 7, and 8...that covers it.

"What if there is no school?"  You will STILL go to bed ON TIME.  NO EXCUSES. 

OMG...talk about fits being thrown.  But, we weren't done yet!

Next up was the chore list.  "But that isn't fair!!!!"  "I didn't make that mess!!"...oh you name it, we heard it.  It took about 30 min to get them to understand that each child will be expected to do his or her chores every day.  While they were arguing and complaining.  (Do Army recruits complain that much?)

 

Then the reality of bedtime set it.  Talk about pushing the limits.  I thought for sure we were going to have to start spanking kids.  And of course they refused to go to sleep till late.  Which was a very rude awakening when they got ran out of bed at 8am. (just wait till tomorrow...I will run them out at 7am!!!).  There were "go away!", "I'm still tired", "I don't want to get up"...all were answered "GET UP NOW!!!"

 

Then the fights, complaints, and arguments all started when chores were started.  Talk about 1/2 assing them.  I got them to get them about 90% done, but I'm trying to finish the last of it.  Which is hard with 8 of them fighting like cats and dogs.

Just wait until the House Rules are posted!  I was going to go over them and post them last night...but while dealing with the broken window, fighting kids, and it being bedtime, I accidently closed my word file without saving.  UGH!!!  Fortunately for me, I had been Facebook messaging them to my sister so we could work on them together.  So, I need to copy, paste, and repair what we have so far.

Anyway, as soon as chores were done the kids started clamoring for electronic devices (PS4, computer, etc.).  Nope, not getting them this early.  Especially when you did such a horrid job on your chores!  Can we go outside?  Yes, all of you get out!  Can we jump on the trampoline? Yes!  Only TWO at a time...oh wait?  Not what you wanted to hear?  No, you will not alienate one child just so the 3 of you can jump without them...let the arguing commence!!!!  Meanwhile this drill sergeant (i.e. mommy) heard from an old high school friend on Facebook...so, she caught up with her old friend...until #3 of 6 was stung by a wasp.

Oh, #3 of 6...let me explain that one.  I LOVE Star Trek. My favorite series is Voyager and the introduction of Seven of Nine...the Borg.  I love Borg designations.  So, to keep my children's names (and my nieces and nephews names) private for their safety...the children now have Borg designations.  My children are #1-6 of 6 and my sisters children are #1-4 of 4.  And I am the glorious Borg Queen!

If you don't understand Star Trek you won't get it...others will!!!!

But, back to #3 of 6.  He got stung.  He has never been stung before.  We have problems with wasps, but of course we have clover, so it could have been a honey bee.  But, thankfully no major reaction...just slight swollen around the sting site and itchy.

Oh, and here is a funny story about #3 of 4.  He came in and asked if he could go downstairs and get a bouncy ball to play with outside.  I of course gave him permission, he runs down, gets it, and proceeds to try to go out the front door...Um, no, back door usage only!!! I go and see why he is trying to go out the front door.  Little shit is trying to sneak his DSI out with the bouncy ball.  BUSTED!!! 

Not happening.  Out the back door...lock the front door. Back to my attempt at cleaning...

Now #1 of 4 went over town with Sis' Man (ain't no ring yet!) and bought suckers for all the kids with her own money...how sweet...until she gave #3 of 4 and #5 of 6 a pink one...heaven forbid...talk about fitting being a boy and getting pink!!!  Problem solved....the queen dictates "You will take what you get and you won't throw a fit"...they all shut up and ate their suckers.



Well, off here again for the next battle.  Let you know how the new house rules go next time...
TTFN!

The "Year Long Project" (Part 1)

I am starting a new blog with what I will refer to as the "year long project"  Why?  Well...long story if you want to stick around.

For those of you who don't know about me and my family we are originally a family of 8 living in Southern California.  San Diego County if you would like a more narrow area.

My husband travels a LOT.  Being a former military family, moving into a 100% civilian neighborhood, it has been hard for me to make friends.  So, I have very few; and none close.  Well, one very close friend...but she lives in NM!  And my family?  They are all in West Virginia.  My husbands family are in Arkansas.

So, virtually...I was alone with 6 children.  It gets kinda lonely!

So, my husband and I made the decision to move our family back to the beautiful hills of West Virginia.  We both longed for the quiet, country life we grew up in.  We wanted to hunt, grow a garden, raise our own animals.  And we wanted our children to have what we had as children...being surrounded by all of this and an extended family that loves them (and hell, who doesn't want to be with their cousins!  They are your second childhood playmate!)

And with the cost of living rising, and the deterioration of our neighborhood and community...we decided it was time to get out of there...fast.

Putting our house on the market we moved across the United States and moved in with my sister...who is currently a single mother of 4 (currently meaning there is a man in the picture that looks like a keeper!!! hehe). 

 

(Will he propose?)

Anyway, back to my story, we are all living under one roof for approximately the next year.  We have to sell our house and save up for our new place.  So, sis is helping us out by not charging us rent.  We are helping her out by...well, I take care of the kids, house, cooking, etc.  Hubby does odd jobs when he is home (just like my sis' man).  It is kinda like Sister Wives...but we don't share our men.  Ain't gonna happen.

So, that is why I call it The "year long project"...because we will be here for about a year and oh boy...this is a project...9 children and 5 adults.  I want to keep saying 10 children, but my oldest son just turned 18 and will be leaving for school soon...but that is another story.

(Did I really say college??!?! NO!!!!)

 

 

We have been here for 3 weeks today and it has been an experience.  I don't know what made me think I would be able to jump in and have it running 100% smoothly.  OMG...it has been insane!  I feel like I'm loosing my mind most days.  But, we are implementing new rules, schedules, and chore charts.  We are going to have this house running like an Army base...with so many kids we are basically raising a small army.  So, lets call our house Army Base Crazy House.

 

Speaking of Base Crazy House...we just had our first major casualty...a broken window.  ~sigh~  Boys are chasing zombies and the youngest boy put his Lego gun through the glass on the back door screen window (on accident).

 

And now it is dinner time and I'm off to feed the masses...I'll try to get to the rest of the story later....