You asked, I'm answering

If you still have a question you would like to ask feel free to leave a comment here or in my previous entry. So without further ado..

From Tanya:
OK since I totally admire your wife/mommy skills...can you please teach me how you keep calm and collected while dealing with 3 kids during the day and keeping your house clean? I am super obsessive about my house being clean and can't keep up with it plus my kids...

OK.. so firstly.. I have my moments (days!) where I am far from calm and collected. I get my feathers ruffled on more than one occasion throughout any given day and some days I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew. I mean really, who has 3 kids in a matter of 3.5 years!?!? What I do though is I strive to stick to a routine. I think it makes things easier on the kids to know what to expect on any given day. The kids know that I am all for playing with them, doing crafts, etc. but there is a time in the morning where they have to play on their own (which I think is good and healthy for them). During that time I try to get some clothes washed, kitchen cleaned, etc. I also use nap time to get some heavy cleaning done. I'm also blessed to have family who take the kids in the afternoons for a couple hours. There are days though that the house work just has to go out the window. It's taken me over 4 years to come to terms with the fact that my house is a material thing, but the time with my kids is something sacred and will be gone far sooner than I would care to admit to. I still have my days where I think the house has to be perfect, but I ask myself which is more important.. the house or my kids and that usually puts things back into focus for me.

From Erin:
I've got one for you...So this one time I was driving through Alabama on my way to Florida... and this guy was selling "Boiled Peanuts" at a roadside stand.He looked a little road hard and put away wet... but very polite with thick southern charm.We bought some... and YUCK!I've talked to some southerners who LOVE them...What are boiled peanuts and why are they so appealing in the south?

I had to laugh when I read this. I LOVE me some boiled peanuts, but you are right some do taste nasty. I guess it really depends on who you buy them from. My favorite "homemade" boiled peanuts come from a place that is along side the road going toward Boaz, Alabama. They have some good ones. But my all time favorite boiled peanuts would come from a can. The brand name escapes me currently. They are really good. Salty, but good. To answer your question about "what are boiled peanuts" well.. they are peanuts.. hmm.. boiled. LOL. Really, I don't know how to make them as in the ingredients, etc. And I guess why I like them is more because of the memories attached to them. Like the road side ones my parents would always get us some on the way to shopping at the outlets in Boaz. The canned ones is because my best friend and I would eat them during sleep overs.

From Mary:
If you could change one thing about the last year(2008) what would it be? Why? ~Mary Happy Father's Day to Kent.

OK, I could be so cliche about this and say, "Oh there is nothing that I would change about last year. It all made me who I am today". And that would be total bull. I rarely believe anyone who says that. But for me, it would have to be the way I just was.. blah last summer. I felt since I had such a little baby that I couldn't get out and do stuff with the kids. It really made for a boring, uneventful summer. While we had some good days it wasn't the summer I wanted for them. Like the summer that we are so far having this time. I looked back at some pictures of the kids last summer and they didn't even have little tans. I would just make excuse after excuse as to why we had to stay inside and play. I was so afraid of getting out of the house, alone, with three kids in tow. I really regret that and wish it could have been different. But I did learn from that and have since just bitten the bullet. We will go out and have a good time and if it goes smoothly, great.. if it doesn't well.. there is always next time.

From Bridgett:
If you could spend an entire summer any place in the world, where would it be?Also...favorite season? Favorite color? FAvorite food? LOL

Hawaii!! Or maybe Ireland. I have always wanted to go there, since I'm part Irish. But totally would love to lay on a beach in Hawaii and just soak up the sun and relax. My favorite season is Fall following close in second is Summer. Favorite color.. depends. I like pink and purple, but love how red looks on me. Favorite food.. steak with potatoes. Like literally dipping my steak into mashed potatoes. Yummy!

From Brandi:
What is one thing that you like to do for yourself?

First off, I want to tell everyone that Brandi JUST had a baby boy 3 days ago. Go over and check out all his little baby cuteness!!
OK, I like to lay out. Not so much for the sun, but just for the peacefulness of it. I also like to surf the computer or take a long bath. OH and buy a new nail polish and paint my toes. Simple stuff really.

From Tiffany:
If you could live anywhere, where would that be?

This is a hard one. I really like the area we are fixing to be moving to. It has a lot of different activities for the kids to do, Kent and myself to do, for us to take visiting family to, etc. But I would still love to live on or near a beach. As long as the sand was pretty and the water was clear I would be happy there.

From Katie:
Hey Miss Em, you know you get more comments when you say people won't comment!!How much harder was it going from 1 kid to 2 and then from 2 to 3?

It was a BREEZE going from 1 to 2 kids. At least for me it was. With Jon Kent being so little and still such a baby himself when Zoey came along it wasn't hard readjusting to having a baby in the house. We were still in baby mode. But going from 2 to 3, that was harder for me. I guess because we had gotten to where we would just pick up and go. And each of us would take one and have things under control. But then when Nathan came along we were out numbered. There are still days, even now, that I feel overwhelmed with three and think to myself.. "What was I thinking!?!?". But I know things will even out eventually and we will be able to just pick up and go again. It does help that Jon Kent and Zoey are older now. They help with the little things, like getting a diaper or bringing me something I need while I'm tending to Nathan.

From Karen:
What kind of car do you drive?

I currently drive a 2003 Ford Expedition. I did have a 2004 Honda Element, which I LOVED, but it didn't have enough seating for 5. With the Expedition we can fit all three kids in the middle row and have the whole back opened for all our crap much needed things.

Well, that was fun for me.. was it for you? ;o) If there are any other questions you would like to ask feel free and I'll post them with answers later.