Two whole weeks?

It's been almost two weeks since my last post. (I know all seven of you have missed me.) In the past two weeks, I've been too busy to post because we won the lottery. It was the first time in my life to play, and we hit the jack pot! $84 MILLION!

That's a lie.

Actually, we have been traveling the world. We pulled Her Highness and Thunder out of school and decided to home school as we travel with all five kids and visit all seven continents over the next two years.

That's an even bigger lie.

Truth is, my reasons for not blogging are extremely unexciting, and some of the details are rather gross. And since I only like to gross out and whine to my own family... Oh, who am I kidding. I'm just in a lying mood today apparently.

I've been siiiiiicccckkkk. (Read that in a super whiny tone. Kinda like the one Calliou would use to tell Grandma why he can't clean his room.) It all started two weeks ago when I came down with strep throat for the FOURTH TIME this year. And this time I was lucky enough to experience uvulitis on top of the strep. Never heard of uvulitis?? Well, imagine your uvula (that dangly ball thingy that hangs at the back of your throat) swelling up to the size of a light bulb, and TOUCHING both of your tonsils while LAYING ON YOUR TONGUE. I gagged on it 84,000 times. And I'm gagging now just thinking about it. I couldn't eat anything solid. At all. It was the nastiest feeling I've ever felt.

I nearly volunteered my throat to be scraped for germs, to pass along to terrorists. Trust me, they would tell all they knew if you were holding a dose of antibiotics over their heads. It was miserable.

Soon after that cleared up, Thunder started with a 3 day stomach virus.

In between those two illnesses, when I wasn't busy texting pictures of my over-sized infected uvula to my immediate family, and whining to my husband/kids/friends/dogs/anyone who dared to ask "How are you." I was chasing this monkey...



...who, in the time it took me to type those paragraphs above, climbed onto the kitchen table, unpacked several bags of clothes to be donated to the tornado victims, and also got into a few bags of groceries. That was a total of like 34 seconds. (What? I type really fast.)

Flash Flood is into EVERYTHING. All. Day. Long. He's a nut. He's learning how to talk and stringing real sentences together. He also speaks in third person. If any of the bigger kids are playing with something he wants, he'll start by saying, "Pwease. Pwease! PWAY!! PWAY WIF DAT! PWWWEEEAAASSSSEEE!!" We're working on manners. But Flash Flood thinks saying please means we HAVE to give it to him, right then. If screaming please doesn't work, he will scream over and over, "DAT'S FLASH FLOODS! DAT'S FLASH FLOODS!!" Which is really funny because usually it's not even an item that belongs to him.

Her Highness and Thunder are wrapping up the school year. We've only got seven days of school left, and I couldn't be more excited. I love lazy summer days, hanging by the pool and scheduling playdates with friends with only 20 minutes notice.

We're so burnt out on school. Recently, I scheduled a skip day for my kids, and checked them out at lunch. Then, I was a bad influence and talked a few other friends into doing the same. We ditched school and had a picnic by the pool, followed by swimming until everybody was exhausted. I was indeed punished for scheduling a truancy party... I meticulously slathered sunscreen on all five children, then got too busy passing out lunches and chasing Flash Flood, so I forgot to sunscreen myself. Now I'm itching like crazy and peeling like a snake, but it was worth it.

We've also been busy with softball, t-ball, dance, and end of the year school programs. I hope to post pictures soon, with more fun stories of all the things our Storm has gotten into lately.

Until then, I'm off to peel some more skin from my shoulders (I can't help myself.) and to get Flash Flood out of the trash can for the 12th time today. Sigh. Good times. Good times.

Alabama, the Beautiful.

On Wednesday, April 27, as a monstrous tornado ripped through much of the southeast, Alabama the Beautiful became Alabama the Devastated.
For many residents in our beautiful state, it will be a day that lives in infamy. So many lives have been lost. The death toll now topping 300. And still, so very many lives that have yet to be found. Families, teams of professionals, and volunteers are searching frantically for anyone who might still be alive under the rubble. And to recover their loved ones' bodies, so they can have closure and a proper burial.


My heart aches for these people. So many of whom lost EVERYTHING. As the days have passed, and the media moves on to other news, many emotions have welled up inside. I have survivors guilt. My area was untouched. And yet, so many of the wonderful people of this state are suffering, and trying desperately to pick up the pieces and move on. How does one even do such a thing??

In the days since, I've found myself tearing up during our usual daily routines. Trying to imagine what a young mom would be going through after such a life altering event. Explaining over and over and over again to her preschoolers, why they can't go home. Why they can't find that special blankie. Why everything that precious child once knew as normal was taken away in the blink of an eye.

My heart has also been filled with pride for our great state. I've seen many interviews on national programs where the person being interviewed had lost absolutely every material thing they had owned, yet still went on to ask for prayers for their neighbors, not themselves. I saw one interview with Jim Cantore on The Weather Channel, where a precious lady being interviewed in Tuscaloosa ended with, "I just hope y'all can get some rest. Thanks so much for coming. God bless you." That's true southern hospitality. This lady was standing in front of a town she grew up in, and now where nothing was recognizable, she was taking the time to thank the camera crew, and wish for them to get some rest. I've seen many other instances as well, and it makes my heart swell with love and pride.

I haven't yet been able to witness any of this damage for myself. But I have tons of friends and family who have seen it all first hand. They all say the same thing: PICTURES DO NOT DO THESE AREAS JUSTICE.

Which is why I'm now coming to you, pleading for your HELP. Prayers would be greatly appreciated. As well as donations to any of the charitable organizations listed on the TIME website. They have a page titled "How You Can Help the Tornado Victims in the South." (Click here to read)

Many items are needed, such as bottled water, toiletries, diapers (for babies and adults), wipes, non-perishable food items, blankets, clothing, gift cards, the list goes on and on and on. And hospitals are in desperate need of blood donors. Please, please consider making a donation of some type to our sweet home, Alabama.

Something tells me The Storm has been to Jupiter a time or two..

Hail loves learning songs from his partners in crime. Here's the latest.
I'm so proud...



The following video was shot on our back porch, after Flash Flood had played in the hose for a solid hour, teeth chattering, lips turning purple. I had asked him several times was he cold and he kept saying, through shivers, "Naaaah-no. Naaaa-no!" I thought it was funny he kept denying being cold. When I broke out the camera though, he admitted to it finally....



Silly boys. Quit spending so much time on Jupiter!

Hodge Podge-- Hudson Style

A VERY MERRY FINAL DAY OF TAX SEASON TO YOU ALL!!! We survived another year, with no visible scars. And hopefully not too many emotional scars. As always, Tax Season is a reminder to me of what a wonderful group of girl friends I have. And that all of you single moms out there have a super tough job. To all you ladies whose husbands are away protecting our country... THANK-YOU for what you do. And tell your husbands thank-you too. To all the other women who are single mothers for various reasons, I think the world of you. I don't know how any of you do it.

During the months of February, March and April, I always realize just how much I take Bert for granted. So, thanks Big Poppa. I do appreciate you and all the hard work you do for our family. I love you more than I love Ruffles Sour Cream and Chives potato chips, which is a whole lot. And just so you know... I'm taking a sabbatical and should be home sometime next Thursday. Always yours, Big Momma

Here are some pics of what we've been up to lately....
~Her Highness' School Field Day-- Lightning, Hail and Flash Flood could NOT understand why they weren't allowed to compete against the elementary school kids, hence the looks of disgust...

~Her Highness was awarded the GAME BALL after their last game. She's enjoyed playing softball this year, and has made a few good plays and gotten several good hits, all while keeping her ponytail and ribbon centered just like she likes it. She's as girly-girl as they come, but a decent ball player too. Which makes us super proud of our lone princess.

~Checking out a new (to us) playground near by...

~SWIMMING!!! The water temp is probably only 52 degrees, but that doesn't stop these nuts...

~My bff, Jara just had baby #4. She now has two boys and two girls. Guess she can join the "ARE YOU CRAZY" comments club with me.

~Our late night ball schedules have The Storm falling asleep in random places...

~Life in the Peanut Gallery...

~Go on and roll your eyes about this last one... Today I made my own laundry detergent. Yes, I did.

I love reading Mandy's blog, Life's About a Dream. We've connected for many reasons, and as we've gotten to know each other (in the blog realm) I've realized how much we are alike. So, when Mandy posted that she had tried and succeeded, I thought I'd give it a whirl. (Click HERE to get the recipe I used.) Y'all, if Mandy and I can do it, anybody can. (Sorry, Mandy! Please don't take that as a knock!) For real though. It smells super fresh, it was super-duper easy-peasy to make, and it's CHEAP. And since gas now cost $84 per gallon, I need to save all the moolah I can. I just finished my first load washed in the new detergent. The towels smell clean and were left just as soft as with any other detergent. And the best part is-- I made a TON of detergent (you only use 3 TBSP of this kind, instead of a CUP of the store brand) that will last a long time, and all the materials were bought at Publix for around $8.00. Yep. It's true! When you're finished rolling your eyes, and making fun of me, give it a try.

Happy End of Tax Season to YOU!!

Love, Big Momma

"Careful the tale you tell-- That is the spell... Children will listen."

I get asked all the time, "How do you do it all??" And my answer is simply, "I don't."

The truth?? My house is almost always a wreck. I laugh (at myself) when I hear people comment that someday the kids will be grown and I'll have all the time in the world to clean/organize/do laundry. I laugh because, I have this vision of Bert and me celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary... I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, because as usual, we're late to our own party, and I'm digging through the laundry pile, trying to find my favorite shawl, and Bert's medical stocking for his right leg. I pause in the middle of the chaos, to promise, "One of these days I'm going to get my act together." And Bert laughs because I've never, in 50 years of marriage, had my act together.

Approximately 11 loads of clean laundry is almost always piled up at the foot of our bed. I wish it bothered me more. I really do. For me, I hate folding and putting away clothes more than I like having them folded and put away. Eventually, as the way it goes, Bert will get sick of digging through the pile for two black dress socks and underwear, and he'll suggest we tag-team the mess. I'll agree to it, begrudgingly. We'll sit up, watching a movie, and talk about how it really doesn't take that long to fold and put away three months worth of laundry, so why don't we do it more often.

Besides the never-ending mountain of laundry, our kitchen sink is always piled high with dishes and our living room littered with an array of kiddy cereals and toys. Inevitably, when my house is at it's worst, a friend/neighbor will drop by, and I'll make excuses: "Oh, it's tax season... plus we've been at the ball park four nights in a row... Oh, and we were held hostage this weekend by terrorists. They tied us up on the couch, then dumped out every snack from the pantry, stepped on them, emptied all the toy boxes, then ran off. Uhhh... yeah, that's why my house is a mess."

Often, I joke that it's part of my ministry, to let others see my house for what it is. Several of my friends have confessed that seeing my mess makes them feel better. And I'm okay with that. There is, after all, something quite liberating about letting others see you at your worst. Almost as if, once they've seen that, and they're still willing to hang out with you, you know they must truly love you. Besides, those are the friends that are keepers. The others aren't worth it.

"You're SUPER MOM!"
No. Super Mom I am absolutely NOT.
(See all the above.)
Having a big family does not make me, nor anyone, a super mom. They didn't all just show up one day. We chose to have these kids. We chose to bring them into the world. And now, we're simply doing our civic duty by feeding and bathing them occasionally.

More proof that I'm NO super-mom... I lose my temper daily, I sometimes feed my children Cheeze-its for breakfast, and I allow them to watch Sponge Bob. (gasp!)

Some of the best advice I have ever been given came from a precious lady at church. Mrs. Batchelor raised her own biological children, and was a foster/adoptive mom to many, many more over the years. One day, while discussing the craziness of life with little ones, Mrs. Batchelor said to me, "People always tell you to just take it one day at a time. But let me tell you something... There are going to be days when even that is overwhelming. At times, you need to take it just one hour at a time. Look around and ask yourself, 'What MUST be done right here, right now?' and only worry about accomplishing that, in that moment. If your children know they are loved, and feel safe, then you're doing a great job."

Mrs. Batchelor's words have stuck with me over the years. And often, I find myself doing just that... facing the day hour by hour.

There are many people who have crossed our paths over the years, helping to clear the trail, and make our journey that much easier and more pleasant. These are the people whom I will forever be grateful. Their guidance and words of wisdom have truly been a God send.

My point of this post is to say, please don't ever look at another mother and assume she's got it all together, leaving you with feelings of inadequacy and doubt in your heart. Worrying over all the ways you don't "do it all" isn't good for you or your children.

Just as Mrs. Batchelor said, if your children know they are loved, and feel safe, then you're doing a great job. The rest doesn't matter. A spotless house and freshly-ironed clothes are not memories your children will grow up and reminisce. The lazy days in the backyard, searching for four-leaf clovers and eating sloppily made pb&j's on a blanket while looking for shapes in the clouds are what they will someday mimic with their own children.

One of my most favorite songs comes from the musical, Into The Woods. These lyrics are from the song Children Will Listen, sung (click here) by Bernadette Peters. I love when inspiration comes to me through song.

Careful the things you say,

Children will listen.

Careful the things you do,

Children will see and learn.

Children may not obey, but children will listen.

Children will look to you for which way to turn,

Co learn what to be.

Careful before you say "Listen to me."

Children will listen.

Careful the wish you make,

Wishes are children.

Careful the path they take,

Wishes come true, not free.

Careful the spell you cast,

Not just on children.

Sometimes the spell may last,

Past what you can see

And turn against you.

Careful the tale you tell--

That is the spell.

Children will listen.

To all my fellow perfectly imperfect, non-super mommas, I'm sending you warm hugs. This motherhood gig is too hard on our own. We have to ban together. Happy Monday, and hang in there. It's 9:45 here. And between now and 10:45, I plan to snuggle on the couch with my silly boys. From there, I'll figure out the rest of our day, one hour at a time. Love, ~Holly

Hail's Humor

Hail (pointing out a college-aged girl jogging): See, Momma! See!!! Mommies CAN do exercise too! Dat Momma is doing her exercisin', so now you know you can do yours!

Me: Ummm, are you trying to tell me I NEED to exercise??

Hail: Yeah, actuawawee you do.

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Me (fussing at Hail for still talking after being put to bed): Quit talking and go to sleep!

Hail: Momma, why you always bossin' everybody around all da times??

Me: 'Cause I AM THE BOSS!

Hail: Well, yous not da boss of God! God is da boss of everfang. And He not say I haff to go to sweep!

Me: You're going to meet God, face to face, if you don't hush!

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Hail (interrupting a book I was reading to him about farmers): When I grow up, I'm gonna be a farma!.. and a firemans... and a basebaw coach... and a fixer mans... and a PIRATE and a...."

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And speaking of farmers.... One from Her Highness...

Her Highness: Madison's Dad is a cow-poker.

Me: Huh?? A cow-poker?? What exactly is a cow-poker??

Her Highness: I'm not really sure. I guess some type of farmer.

(After talking with Madison's Mom, I learned her Dad was a chiropractor.)

Monkey See, Monkey Do...

He comes by it honestly, I do realize...

And while I know my mother-in-law prayed for Bert to someday have a child just like him...

I often wonder why God felt the need to answer her prayer FOUR. TIMES. IN. A. ROW.

Oh, why can't they stay little longer??

Sigh.