I’ve gotten a lot of new followers here on the blog in the past month and The Hubs revamped my site so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce our tribe again. For you long time readers, you’ll get all up to date on us too. Our family is a little wacky but we’re fun. I use nicknames for everyone here just to be on the safe side. The kids love their nicknames and we actually use them regularly.
The Hubs:
My husband is a big hairy biker man who’s recently developed an obsession with our yard. He’s super smart, very creative, funny, loving, and strong. He’s a Combat Veteran and sometimes struggles with the effects of PTSD. He is usually covered in dirt, grease, oil, or some other funky substance. He’s a great Daddy and an incredibly supportive Husband. We met five years ago and never looked back. I tell him that I love him because he looks intimidating to people who don’t know him but really that’s just a small piece of the puzzle. He says he loves me because of my butt.
Our Five Kids:
Let me preface this by saying, that I am fortunate to have only had one pregnancy in all of this. As far as Bonus Kids go, I hit the jackpot. I don’t often make the distinction between “my kids” and “my bonus kids” because, as far as I’m concerned, they’re my kids. I’m not their Moms, nor would I want to replace them, but I love them just like the monsters that I carried in my belly.
Our Oldest:
She won’t come up in my writing very often as, unfortunately, we don’t get to see her or talk to her anymore. That’s a long story and this isn’t the right place for it. What’s important to know is that we love her and care about her. She’s from my Husband’s first marriage and we only met her for the first time a year ago. It’s an odd situation. We both are happy that we had the opportunity to meet her and hope that we’ll be able to have a relationship with her someday. All of the kids know about her and love her. She’s their big sister regardless of how far away she is. She is an essential part of our story and therefore we always remember to say that we have five children not four.
The Boy:
Our sweet Boy is the only Boy in the whole brood. Poor baby still asks me when I’m going to give him a brother. I always tell him that the baby factory is shut down here and that he should ask his Mom for one. I tell him all the time that he’s my favorite son and he always laughs at me and reminds me that he’s my only son. He’s 8. He is fiercely protective of his little sisters, loves to draw and learn new things, and enjoys driving me crazy. He is his father made over. He’s empathetic and soft hearted though. He cried for hours when our fish died. He has a bad habit of talking back because he hates being wrong. He comes by it honestly between his Dad and Me. Poor kid. He’s working on it. I did an interview with him here on the blog for his birthday the other day. If I had to have only one son in a sea of daughters I’m so happy that it’s him.
Crazy Eyes:
Our middle daughter is our wild thing. She’s a tough girl with a huge personality. She’s 6 going on 21, complete with blue eyeshadow and tiara. We started calling her Crazy Eyes when she was little because her eyes were practically bigger than her head and as blue as the sky. She still likes to bug them out at people. She loves to play her guitar, dress up, and treat her sisters like walking, talking baby dolls. She is stubborn, funny, and thoughtful (when she wants to be). She’s definitely a force to be reckoned with. She makes up for her ferocity with her loving heart. It’s not unusual to find her taking time to color pictures for the people she loves. One day she’s going to take this world by storm.
The Conqueror
The Conqueror is one half of our two year old identical twin pair. She’s our Twin A. Her nickname and her twin’s started as goofy commentary on their constant grouchy faces as babies and stuck. She’s usually the one in charge of the two. She loves to play with her dolls, try to boss me around, and is very protective of her twin and me. She also really enjoys snuggling and ends up in our bed at least twice a week. At home she’s super independent but when we go places she wants to be in my lap the whole time. She enjoys helping me cook and tasting things as the meal progresses. You’ll often find her playing dress up and being sassy. She loves a good purse and pair of shoes or jewelry.
The Hun
Our youngest kid (by a whole four minutes) is our funniest. She’s got a wild imagination and loves to snuggle and play. She has a great smile but can mean mug like crazy. (Hence the name.) While she loves to play dress up, you’re more likely to find her playing in the dirt. The Hun is our nature baby. She’s never met an animal, plant, or mud puddle that she didn’t want to be friends with. She and her sister both call themselves by The Conqueror’s actual name but she knows that it’s not her name. She always makes sure that The Conqueror has her juice or snack before she enjoys her own. When we go places she’s the first to start talking to people and have fun. She’s the cuddliest of all our kiddos but has very little interest in being snuggled at bed time. She’s also the world’s messiest eater.
Me:
I’m the matriarch of this weird little crew. I’m a manager at a children’s museum where I’m fortunate enough to run the best team in the business. (Okay so that’s not proven but I refuse to let anyone even try to convince me otherwise.) I love to read, cook, and draw among other things. I recently started making and selling my own soaps. I’m a bit of a free range parent and believe that children learn through play. I’m a terrible housekeeper. I blog about our adventures and my thoughts and any other oddities that come along. It’s not easy juggling kids, marriage, pets, side hustles, blogging, mental health, and work. Life is weird. It’s wild and it’s fun. I’m so happy that I get to spend my life with the family that I’ve been blessed with.
Thanks for coming along on our crazy ride. I hope you enjoy our stories and learn from our adventures.
Mom Van Confessions 