31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 23

This picture really has nothing to do with this post, however if you ever google "bad dye jobs" you get some interesting results! Oh and my hair didn't turn pink, it was however a wonderful shade of orangey reddish splotchy mess. :)

Day 23 - How'd you come up with the name for your blog?

This one was easy for me, I wanted something fun that described me. My husband and I have a running joke that I'm distracted by things. Like a lot. Super easy. Like talking and suddenly will stop in mid sentence and walk away easy. LOL! I say it's because I have so many things on my mind at any given moment, but whatever. Anyway we'll notice other people doing it as well, and we got in the habit of saying "shiiiiny" when we noticed it. It was a funny inside joke between us, that we've since included many friends and family members in on. Hilarious story. I decided that my hair was boring one day, and needed an immediate change. I thought perhaps coloring it would be fun. I enlisted the help of my dear friend Heather (poor Heather Feather gets caught up in lots of my ideas, lol). So she comes over and we head out to Target to grab a couple boxes of dye. No kidding on the way into the store I stopped so many times that she seriously wondered aloud how I managed to get anything done.....ever. The dollar section in the front (they have some cool stuff sometimes man!). Then I seen they had a couple of racks of girls clothes on clearance and I wanted to stop there (umm hello 5 girls!). I was redirected by Heather and reminded that we were there for dye ONLY! A few more isles down, I spy the cough drops, I make a sharp right to snag a couple bags for my brother since he'd been feeling under the weather. I then begin wondering aloud if I should pick up some medicine for him, openly having a debate with myself while she laughed hysterically at me. Finally we made it to the dye which was a huge deal in itself. We settled on some color that turned out to be awful and I still managed to grab some mascara and a soda and a candy bar on the way out of Target. Upon returning to our house Heather declared to The Boy that I have the attention span of a gold fish which makes it impossible to get in and out of the store. Knowing that it's true he laughs hysterically and asks what I stopped at and begins to explain the reasons why I stopped at each location.

Dollar Spot - no real reason, she just has to walk through it just in case there's something there that's great

Girls Clearance - ummm 5 girls that constantly grow and need clothes, need I say more

Cough drops/medicine - brother is sick and he needs to feel better

make up - lost mascara due to Spunky Girl "coloring" the walls with it and have been masacraless for over a week - crisis time!

soda - we have none at home since I neglected to go to the grocery store since I was busy schooling our bajillion children, lol

That my friends is why I love that man. He totally gets me and doesn't even mind that I'm distracted by shiny things. :)

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 22

Day 22 Your Favorite Holiday It's kind of hard to belive, but I don't really have a favorite. We literally celebrate almost every holiday through out the year since we've had kids. As hilarious as it is my kids actually know when Bastille Day is, lol. Even The Boy gets in on the fun sometimes, he's the one that insisted on St. Patrick's Day decorations this year. I was just gonna let that one pass since the girls hadn't said anything about it, but he insisted and they loved it. We might have been the only house on the block decked out in green, but whatever. :) I'm actually looking right now at crafts to do for Easter. I'm learning just how much they love something when they get to help with it's creation, even if it practically sends my OCD through the roof when the letters aren't perfectly lined up on the signs! I'll have to post some pictures of some of their crafty goodness. :) I'm thinking these look fun..... String Easter Eggs Beanie wants to make a wreath for the door. I can't decide which one looks easier, umm, I mean more fun! ;) Easter Egg Wreath with no grass Or a Wreath with Grass and possibly some extra goodies

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 21

Day 21 - Something I like about myself There are lots of things I like about myself, I suppose.

While I'm sure some people will always disagree with me I think I'm fun, friendly and fabulous! LOL!

No seriously, I have learned a lot over the last year, and I've taken back my old opinion that sometimes it's fun to dance in the rain and run against the wind I buried deep down when I thought I wasn't doing it right.

It doesn't matter what other people think about our family. What matters is that we are happy, healthy and love one another.

If Spunky Girl wants to wear brown polka dotted leggings with a red and black floral dress and her favorite pink snow boots one day, I can now let her. I'm not saying I'm not gonna laugh too, I'm just saying that I've learned to let things like that go. With my first 2 girls they never left the house without looking just so. Matching dresses with matching Mary Janes and their hair was done in perfect little bouncy pigtails. Over this last year I've learned to let the girls dress themselves, help out around the house more - even if it's not done *my way* and take people up on those offers of help. Overall what's that mean? Well to me it means that I've hung up the Super Mommy/Wife cape and I'm just me now. And you know what - I like that about myself! Besides I never got around to sewing up the matching spandex tights (do Spanx fit under those things?) and mod podeging the perfect glittery boots! ;)

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 18

Day 18 - something you're afraid of

I think my biggest fear would have to be losing my family. I could never imagine losing one of my children. I have the deepest heartfelt sympathy for parents who never get to hold their child in their arms again. The finality of it is heart wrenching for me. It's not a big secret that I read tons of blogs, and some of these bloggers have lost their child to serious illness or accident. Sometimes they were already bloggers, and other times they start blogging to help get through the intense pain that losing a child brings. As I read their words my heart aches for them and I can feel the pain coming off the screen. I long for them to find some kind of joy in their lives again. Not to forget their child, never ever would I wish that on anyone. Just something to help ease the pain so that they are stronger today than yesterday. So that getting out of bed is possible. So that they can feel the support they have found through this infinite space of the internet.

Losing a child would be horrible, and it is truly my greatest fear.

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 17

Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Post Challenge

Day 17 - Are you named after someone?

I am actually named after my uncle. My parents grew up in a tiny town, and my uncle and mom were close friends waaaaay before my parents declared their undieing teenage love for one another. One day at the only hang out in town, the old arcade, while playing a video game my mom declared that if she ever had a girl she would name her Randi. She loved the thought of naming her children after someone she was so close to, and she thought it would be a "hip, cool" name.

Yea, I'm thinking that she may not have thought that one all the way through. Don't get me wrong in a world of Jennifer's and Jason's I am happy that I have a unique name. It does get annoying repeating to everyone my corrected name. Nope, not Brandy, Randi, R-A-N-D-I. Nope, not short for Miranda. No, my mom didn't think I was a boy. Yes, they wanted a girl. Yep, I'm the only girl. Yes, I have actually said every one of those sentences. Repeatedly.

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 16

Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Post Challenge

Day 16 - your least favorite chore

Washing dishes.

Scouring pots.

Scrubbing pans.

Worst chore ever!

Now my brother actually doesn't mind doing dishes. He says that he just zones out and thinks about stuff when he's doing them. Hmmm, I'm working on that one, but so far it's not going well. All I can think about is how much I dislike them and want to scrub as fast as possible to get done. The good news is that I have plenty of time to work on it since we make so many dirty dishes every day.

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 13

Day 13 - how I relax

For a long time I thought that I would never be able to balance my family duties, working, and sleep let alone relaxing time. Now I wouldn't say that I've mastered it now, but I'm working on it.

About every four months or so The Boy and I go out with a group of friends. We usually go to a bar/club spot fairly close and dance and have fun. Until recently I was always nursing so I never drank, but once I relinquish the title of Designated Driver and get crazy with a drink. Since I still have to be mommy the next day I know better than to have more than one though, ohhhh that was a hard lesson learned. ::wink::



There are two bands that we frequent and we love them both! They are both so much fun. Both bands are cover bands. They go all out and make it so much fun. We always have a blast, and spend the next few days with sore leg muscles from dancing all night. Seriously if you like 80's music and ever have a chance to see them live, you have to do it. Grab some of your fun friends (you know the one's I'm talking about) and head out to a show. You'll be hooked too!


I couldn't believe how refreshed I felt after the first time I went. It was like I had a week off, I was so full of life and patience the next day. Since mommy's need major amounts of patience I was hooked, lol. There's nothing quite like being able to act crazy with a bunch of your closest friends to get you back in a happy mood.

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 14

Day 14 - a few things I want to do before I die

Honestly there's a ton of things that I would like to do before I croak, and since I plan that to be a long, long time from now I think it's alright that my list be a little crazy. :)

- buy a Mark II camera and have a camera bag full of beautiful lenses to coordinate

- take my kids to Disney World, Disneyland was awesome and I hear DW is even better

- get an entire years worth of lessons completed and ready to go over the summer

- build a picnic table (once you get to my size of family the table choices aren't as cool, lol)

- visit the beautiful beaches in Florida. I lived there when I was a little girl and I loved them, I just hope that they are still as pretty as I remember them

- watch my girls get married

- be blessed with beautiful grandchildren

- get the tattoo that I've been talking about forever

- go with my husband to every Major League Baseball park in the United States (shhhh, I get to hit up all the fabric stores and flea markets on the way, so this will actually be super fun for me!)

- take my girls to Hawaii

- watch my Aspie nephew walk across the stage at his college graduation


- snorkle in Hawaii and take a TON of photographs

- catch up on all my scrapbooking

- renew my wedding vows to the man of my dreams (good thing I already have that one partially done!

- watch my oldest brother live sober and happy

- buy a house that I can paint whatever crazy color I want

- convince The Boy that the crazy colors are fabulous

- find some crafting time, that's not at 3 am like it is now, lol

- relearn the piano, I took lessons when I was a kid and in theory it'd be easy to pick up again, but who knows

Hmm, that's all I have for now, since my list is always changing we'll see how long this one sticks. :)

31 Day Photo and Post Challenge - Day 15

Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Post Challenge

Day 15 - something that annoys me

Okay I'll be the first to admit that lots of things annoy me and given the fact that I recently returned to working part time I can say that the first thing that came to mind was poor driving habits. Seriously people that little knob on the side of the big wheel you're holding, it's called a blinker and you use it to let other drivers know what your next move is. Oh and for the record Mr. I'm Too Good To Follow The Law, it's not okay to talk on your cell phone and drive. In fact here in sunny California, it's actually illegal. Now don't think I'm excusing the ladies out there, put the make up down and stay in your dang lane already. The other day driving to work some lady was putting on mascara driving down the freeway going at least 70mph. Come on! If it's that big of a deal to have loucious lashes then pull over for the 3 minutes it takes to get them on.

The Alphabet One Letter At A Time

On the blog Finding My Life In Faith I read about a fabulous linky party over at

They are blogging Monday through Saturday for the month of April, the topic A - Z. So the first Monday you start on April and you work your way through the alphabet. The best part --

it's totally you're choice!

Pictures, essays, how to's, receipes whatever! How easy is that?

I'm pretty excited about this and since I finally figured out how to schedule posts I think I'll be able to keep up even if the flu rolls through the Jones house. ;)

31 Day Photo & Prompt Challenge Day 9

**Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge**

Day 9 - my most treasured item

Undoubtedly my photos.

Hands down, no questions asked.

I mean of course if some sort of disaster was to occur I would grab kids, pets then photos. I've lost 2 entire years worth of pictures due to hard drive failures and now I am careful to burn them all to a disk. With our latest crash I did lose a handful of pictures, but nothing major. Nothing like 2 years worth. When the tech came out he said I should run, not walk to the nearest store to buy an external hard drive. He said everyone should really have one, because you're computer gives no warnings, it just dies.

Now if only I had the time to sort and scrap them all.

Fundraising For Kids

So at our Little White Church we reignited the youth group and have begun doing various activities together. The kids are having a BLAST! They love just about anything to do with it, even the hard work.


Every month we are doing some sort of fundraiser to help pay for the kids to spend a week at Church Camp this summer. Sadly, only those that have completed 3rd grade will be eligible to attend, but none the less we are all helping out. After some number crunching we found out that we will have about 10 kids attending this year. Now considering that we are a very small congregation this is very exciting for us. This also means a ton more money to raise.


10 kids x 430.00 = 4300.00 (kind of a scary thought!)


Well last year there wasn't a whole lot of fundraising done, so this year I want to kick it into high gear. I'm experiencing some resistance from some of the other adults on the committee, but I think the kids will win them over in the end. ;)

For February we had a bake sale. We spent about 5 hours baking and decorating cakes, cookies and brownies the Saturday before Valentine's Day. Initially we sold what we had at church, but we were sooooo excited about how generous everyone was that the kids talked us into selling more out in front of Wal Mart.






While that didn't go over as well as we thought it would, (who knew you had to have a permit now?) A big THANKS goes out to Anna's Linens which is located RIGHT next door to Wally World who said they would love for us to use their door step.





We set up shop there and the kids politely asked folks passing by to donate any amount they'd like and in exchange they could have any of the goodies on the table. I was amazed at how well the kids all worked together and how they persevered over all the "No thank yous" and "not nows" they received.

We had two young men, about 13 or 14 each, actually walk over to us and give us the change they had in the pockets, and not take anything. They said that they just wanted to help the kids get to camp. All kids should be able to go to church camp. Amazing isn't it.

So many people gave us what they could to help, and we appreciated it so very much. In the short 2 hours we were out there they made another $70.00 to help fund camp. Totalled in with the 227.00 we had donated from our congregation, they earned over $300.00 in one day.

Three Hundred Dollars!

We were ELATED! Isn't it amazing how a handful of change or a few crumpled dollar bills can change a life. The giver because they get to feel the joy of helping others and the receiver, because in this case they get to go to camp and experience something wonderful.


PS See that cute little wooden heart sign? I won it! You can find it here if you'd like your very own. She's even got a bunch of other super cute signs up for grabs too!

31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge

**Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge**

Day 8 - a birthday celebration

Since we just had to replace our hard drive finding pictures was a little bit of a challenge. These are from last year, but it was one of my favorite parties because my little girl picked it out completely on her own, and it didn't contain a character.

We were getting ready to go to Disneyland so The Boy and I gave her the option of having a big, lavish (read expensive) party at a pizza place or some other kiddie land or having a bbq at home and getting to spend some of the money we'd be saving in Disneyland. Nanner's made a very wise decision and was able to spend an extra $40 bucks on vacation. Smart girl!

We traced plates, saucers and a big can of food on contruction paper of all different colors. I literally cut out hundreds of them. The good news is that you can cut about 10-12 sheets at a time without mangling the paper. To add to her polka dot theme we taped pictures of her through the years to some of the dots. She helped pick out the pictures and tape them on. We stapled the dots all over the fence and taped them up where we could. We asked guests to wear polka dots if they had them. She chose a polka dotted cake. We got tangled up in a game of Twister. We had confetti dots sprinkled everywhere. We served polka dot burgers, or you know just regular burgers since they are round anyway. :) Most importantly she loved it!

31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge

**Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge**

Day 7 - something you use everyday

Hmm, I stuggled with this one a bit since there are so many things I use everyday. Then I decided a list might be the best way to go about this. So here are my top 3 used daily use items...

- computer or Galaxy Tab (aka "map" as named by Baby Big Girl)


- books - tons and tons of books!


- washer and dryer - seriously I don't know what I would do without them! Between 5 kids, 3 adults and 3 cats in our house these are the machines that take a lickin and keep on a tickin!

31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge - Day 5

**Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge**

Day 5 - Your Day (written on Friday)

Since we are a homeschooling family and our days vary so much I decided to show what we did today.

We had our annual Science Fair and Curriculum Show. Beanie decided not to participate this year, so we only had Nanners. (Who's lovin' the bright orange shirt she earned for participating?)

She chose to do a

Fantastic Foamy Fountain!

Sounds like fun, huh? Of couse it was! We got the idea off Science Bob's site. They have tons of other great ideas too, a friend of ours used the ketchup one for his experiment. If you are interested in making this awesome project yourself head over to Science Bob's site and you'll find it. Simple, fun and inexpensive - AKA awsome for mommy and kid!

Oh and what did Baby Big Girl find...a gymnastics vendor and their cool mats! She spents so much time there that the girls running the table knew her name before the day ended. Seriously thinking we might need one of those foam triangle thingies at home. It looks like she's just sliding down, but she actually just landed her "roll".

So for today's recap:

~Stress over sick Spunky Girl who kept me up until 5 am!

~Attend Science Fair only because of my motherly duties and a large Frappe (thanks to some friends on facebook suggesting it)

~Stop off and hang out with friend for several hours

~Come home and blog :)

31 Day Photo & Prompt Challenge Day 4

**Linking up with It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo & Prompt Challenge**

Day 4 - An experience that made me who I am today

Well like most of the mother's in the world, giving birth to my children were life altering events. For the better, if I do say so myself. That's not the first thing I think of when I think of the biggest experience in life that made me the person I am today.

My brothers and I spent our childhood bouncing from place to place, never really having anything of our own. We lived with various family members, while my Mom did whatever she did. Well, I know what she did, she ran the streets. You see she was so far into the horrible depths of a drug and alcohol addiction that she didn't have the strength to drag herself up, and take the proper care of her kids that she should. Sometimes I wouldn't see her for weeks. Sometimes I would live with her. Sometimes it was "her" apartment. It was always clean, and most of the time we had food. It was never safe. It was never home. I never enjoyed being there, I existed. I took summer school to get away from it all. I stayed with friends as much as possible. I loved school days. They were like freedom for me.

One afternoon I came home from school, and she started her verbal assault on me. It lead to a physical assault, and I suddenly realized that I didn't have to stand there and take it. I don't know why or what came over me at that moment, but I felt stronger than I ever had. I told her what I thought of her "parenting", I told her that I was leaving. She threatened to call the cops, I screamed, I didn't care, heck I wanted them to come. Right then I decided that if I was ever going to make, ever going to get out of the ever widening ravine that she was digging for me I was going to have to do it myself. Once she could see that I wasn't going to bow to her hard hand or harsh words, she told me to leave. She demanded that I get out. I couldn't even allow myself to feel anything. I always knew that one day it would come to this, it was only a matter of time.

I left. I packed my stuff into a back pack, a bag and a pillow case. Everything I owned I could carry. I walked out and didn't look back. I hated the sight of that place. I hated the sound, the smell, the very feeling that you got being near it.

I LOVED the feeling I felt walking away. Like I was shedding the baggage of a thousand men. It fell from my shoulders with ease, and I loved every single step into the future that I took. I think back to being 15 years old and moving out into the real world, alone. On my own, with no help from my parents. I had to lie to get a job. I lied about a lot of things so I could keep afloat. Looking back I know that it was the right thing - for me. Not for everyone.

It was hard. It made me appreciate all of the things I worked so hard to earn. It was a struggle. Plenty of times I wanted to give up. It forced me to be strong. Stronger than I ever thought I could be. It made me who I am today.

31 Day Photo & Prompt Challenge - Day 3

Day 3 - Your favorite show

Hmmm, this one is kind of a toughie since I don't watch very much tv. I do like reality tv, lol. I like 19 kids and counting and I like medical shows. You know the real ER shows, you know the gross ones that other people don't like them.

Anyone remember ER? I was sooo sad when it ended!

The Boy and I do like....

and since I'm considered a "large family", I have to get pointers from one of the best out there...

31 Photo & Prompt Challenge - Day 2

Linking up to It's Gravy Baby's 31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge

Day 2 - the person or people that make your world go round

Easy peasy! I love these people, they make my world spin round and round and round!

These pictures were from our trip to Disneyland in September. We had a blast and can't wait to go back!

31 Day Photo & Prompt Challenge Day 1

While running through the blogs I read tonight I found a cool linky to a project that I'm pretty sure I can keep up with, lol. I am running on about 3 1/2 hours of sleep right now, so I might just be crazy too. We'll see!








I decided to take part in the 31 Day Photo and Prompt Challenge over at It's Gravy Baby, who I found through Musing Maine-iac. Musing Maine-iac has awesome deals and giveaways posted all the time. So the just of the challenge is that we post daily (something that I know I am terrible about) and we post pictures. Everyone that knows me, knows that I have tons of pictures of my girls floating around.




Here's hoping that at the end of March I have 31 days full of fun here on the blog! :)



Day 1 -




A photo of myself with 10 facts about me....hmmmm

Okay, so this took some digging, but I found one, lol

That's me being ganged up on by my teenage neice and nephew last summer at the river. I had no intentions of swimming hence the jeans and tank top. It was totally worth it in the end! Even though I had to drive home SOAKED!











1. I'm about to be 30, holy cow I realized the other day I need to get on to checking off my must do by 30 yrs list. Almost out of time!

2. Today is my 9 year anniversary with my husband. I keep telling people it's been 10 years, but really at this point does it matter? lol

3. I have 5 daughters. I seriously want more children, and no I'm not crazy. I've never had an epidural.

4. I hate to cook. Actually I hate cleaning up after cooking. It makes a mess and that annoys me.

5. I played the piano, drums, keyboard, clarinet, flute, bass guitar and electric guitar when I was in school. I can't play any of them now. I know, that sucks!

6. I can't grow anything. Like seriously anything. I've killed a cactus before. I try, I read the tips, I test my soil, I simply have a black thumb.

7. I hate the smell of onions. My best friend's back yard is covered in wild onions. They just won't die. My kids stink like onions after playing back there. Hmmm, maybe I should go over and try to grow them, they'd surely die then.

8. I almost never answer my phone. I'm busy and the phone is distracting. I get distracted easily as is, really do I need another thing.

9. I'm terrified of needles. Very, very terrified. My Grandma takes insulin shots and I had to help her get started the first 5 or 6 times and I thought I was going to throw up every time I had to inject her.

10. I am a homeschooling mommy. A title I wear proudly!

**edited to add - I found another one! Whoo hoo! I totally forgot that The Boy took this while we were in Disneyland. Look I do exist! LOL! The running joke around here is that I don't really exist since there is no photographic proof, lol.