Hello?…Hello?…Is this thing on?

Oh boy. I almost forgot how to even get in here to this blog. It's irritating how time passes and my kids continue to grow and do amazing things and be funny and cute and I want to capture and keep record of all of it, but really I'm simply managing to keep up with all of it.

How dare they? 

Here we are almost 3 years later…*sigh*…Before I get all regretty and shoulda woulda…I'm just going to pick my good intentions up off the floor and dust off my keyboard and start again. 

That's really what it's about anyway I guess. 

Just keep swimming…just keep swimming. It works for Dory.

I've let Facebook and Instagram take over but I feel like this is a little more permanent. 

So, we will try again here on the old Dibble Scribbles.

We'll tell funny stories, share happy days and also the total bummer days. 

We'll be serious and spiritual and silly and simple.

Hopefully the kids won't be too embarrassed to read this in 20 years.

Hopefully, they'll be glad that mom tried to keep up. 

Just keep swimming…just keep swimming…

Zzzzzzzzz.....

The kids love to fall asleep in our bed while watching movies.

It doesn't look comfortable to me at all. Too many monkeys sleeping in the bed.

I think their secret plan is to get Daddy to carry them to their beds.

Who didn't love that when they were a kid?

I remember falling asleep in the car and having my dad carry me in to my bed.

Until we got too big I guess, because I remember a few times waking up the next morning

in the car with a sibling's foot in my face and a sore neck.

Before I had kids I slept like a log. I would hit the pillow and be out in about 4 minutes. I was a deep sleeper...like wake up in the morning in the same spot with drool on the pillow deep sleeper.

Now, I sleep like a baby.

I always roll my eyes when people say this like it's a good thing. Really? you think it's fun to wake up every two or three hours during the night? Why do you think babies take 4 naps during the day? I can't take four naps during the day.

I hate interrupted sleep.

With the girls we had a queen bed and so we could feel them getting into bed with us during the night. I was one of those mean moms that told them to get a blanket and pillow and camp out on the floor. Interrupted sleep.

Now that we have the King bed the boys have perfected their Ninja skills and can sneak in without us even noticing. Usually around 3:30 a.m. I start having dreams about drowning and not being able to breath or kick my legs to get to the surface. That's when I wake up to the 3 year old laying across my chest with his hand over my mouth and the 6 year old laying across both legs. I swear there is some gravitational pull between mother's and children because it's always me they insist on lying right next to...never Greg.

Sometimes I get up and take them back into their beds but mostly I just push them off and turn over. Interrupted sleep.

Now I'm trying to drag my tired carcass out of bed even earlier to exercise with Greg in the morning. So yeah, that's workin' out well. Basically, I turn into 'Momzilla' by about 3:00.

I used to make fun of my dad because he could fall asleep anywhere, anytime. We thought it was the weirdest thing. I mean, how can you fall asleep sitting up?.....uhm...I woke up to a honk the other day. Yeah, I fell asleep waiting at the red light. Didn't even remember closing my eyes. I fell asleep in church today, (sorry Bishop) sitting up, holding Tyson in my lap.

I am fully aware and KNOW that I will miss this time with little ones sneaking into my bed to be near to me. I know waking up to a foot in my face is much easier than waiting up for a teenage daughter to come home from a date. I promise, I fully appreciate the fact that they are growing and changing before my eyes and every day is precious with them.

I would just love a nap! A really good, long, uninterrupted nap...or four. Hey! If I sleep like a baby I should be able to nap like one.

Happy Daylight Savings...whatever. Makes as much sense to me as Justin Beiber's baggy pants.

Perceptions

So I've noticed a lot of blogs that take Sunday pictures before church.
I thought that would be a cute idea to try and record the kids in their finery and have concrete
proof that they didn't look like orphans all of the time. (just most of the time).

Pretty cute huh? (minus the suckers hangin' out)

Yeah. Well, here's the 'perception' part.

What looks like a nice, almost perfect picture of 5 happy, willing children is actually just the best of a bunch of tear inducing, tantrum throwing, frustrating attempts.

People sometimes see only what they want to see.

They only view one of the many pictures without thinking that there may be a whole series of shots that are not so lovely.

Sometimes we're just not ready...

sometimes we just want to run away.

Sometimes we just have no control over the situation.

Sometimes we just get downright grumpy and mean.

Sometimes we simply put on our best pretend smile just to please everyone else.

Once in a while we get that 'great shot'. The shot that we want to show people.

The shot that everyone looks at and says,

"Your life is perfect, your kids are perfect, I wish I could be like that".

I do it all the time.

I need to remember that the perfect shot that I'm looking at

may just be the best out of a bunch of failed attempts.

I think it's perfectly acceptable for us to show each other our 'weak' shots or our 'vulnerable' poses. I think we'd all feel better about things if we knew that occasionally our eyes were closed or we're out of focus.

So on those days when I feel not ready, when I feel like running away, when things are out of control, when I get grumpy and I'm not myself...

I hope I can remember that if I just keep trying...we'll get a good shot.

After all, I have a really loving and patient photographer

who can see the whole picture.

Here's to sharing and accepting the whole photo shoot.

"Oh Fudge"

So Olivia pulled a "Ralphie" the other day.

She was walking home with the girls and said it..the big one...the one that makes me cringe.
Of course, she didn't know what it meant or that it was even bad. Once she found out that it was the worst bad swear you could say...she was inconsolable..she cried for almost an hour.
I felt bad. But not as bad as as I would have if she had thought it was funny.
It's good to know that you're kids feel remorse when they have done something wrong..even if they didn't know it was wrong.
She's been trying very hard lately to be more agreeable. She is aware immediately after when she has done or said something that she shouldn't.
My hair may stay the same color longer than I thought it would.

Flip Flops...I miss you.

This is what it looks like every day after school.

I hate winter....so much.

What a bunch of goofs!

The only way I can get a shot like this....

is to promise the opportunity for a shot like this....

It's a win/win for me.

What's wrong with this picture? Church Edition

So everyone knows that sometimes church can get boring right?
Oh stop it! You know it does.

Since Greg was put into the Bishopbric, I am now in charge of getting
5 children and myself ready and to church by 9:00 a.m.
It rarely happens. We usually stroll in around
9:04...ish.

So for those lucky people that get to sit by the Dibbles
at church, I have created a game to help them stay awake.
It's called the "What did Mindy forget today?" game.
It allows our fellow hard chair patrons the opportunity to
notice what is missing from either me or one or all of my children's wardrobes.
It's fun.

couldn't find Kenna's matching ribbon.


No tights for Olivia.

Where are Ethan's shoes?

Who ironed Lindsay's skirt?

Not me.

and no one's happy when Tyson's treats are forgotten.

(This was not part of the game and will never be ignored again!!)

I'm just trying to serve my fellow man.

I do what I can.

Your welcome.

I'm sure there will be many more editions to come.

In some countries, P.J.'s are considered work attire.

This is me.
I don't usually look like this.
Usually I am active and bubbly and happy to be here.
I am in a funk!
I don't know if it's been the late winter weather, my allergies
*I want to scratch my eyeballs out of my head*,
stress, or if my jammies are simply much too comfortable.
Whatever the reason, I just can't quite get it together.
My brain knows the game plan. My body has it's jersey on.
And my spirit's got the pom poms out and ready.
They're just not all being team players together.
They've all dropped the ball.
I have so many responsiblities and obligations that need to be met every day.
I know, without doubt that my greatest opportunity for growth is to be wife to Greg and mother to 5 beautiful children. I know that.
but there are days when I just wish I could go and hide in the corner for awhile.
That sounds so selfish and childish but sometimes it feels so much bigger than me.
It's just too much.
I just want to lay on my couch. I just know that Ryan Seacrest and his American Idols will make all of those bills get paid and the laundry will disappear if I'm too busy looking up meaningless nonsense on the internet....right? If I watch the Food Network, won't dinner magically appear?
It doesn't help that my husband is beginning to resemble "The Rock" since
he's been doing P90X.
I am looking a little less solid.
I just want all the yucky stuff to go away.
Of course, I am very aware that the Fairy Godmothers of the world are all on vacation in the Bahamas and I am on my own.
I know as women, and as mothers we expect ourselves to be 'Super-women'.
These amazing over-acheivers who can keep a perfect home, attend all field trips and PTA meetings, serve everyone, make gourmet meals and look fantastic.
It's just not realistic.
From the time I was young, I have always been concerned with how people perceive me.
I want people to like me and think I'm a good person.
I don't want anyone to think that I'm not good enough. That I don't do enough.
I guess over the years I have learned that it doesn't really matter what people think I am like,
it's what I knowI am like.
Does anyone else ever feel like this? Am I normal?

I know I do nothing but gush over my amazing husband on this blog
but yeah...he's somethin else. He has expertly walked the tightrope of letting me be a tantrum throwing 6 year old and encouraging me to be the woman we both know I can be.
He is a complete partner in every sense of the definition.

As a kid, if we were being lazy my dad would say to us, "Engage Maverick".
I just need to "engage" again.
So this morning, I deleted all my shows off the DVR.
I made homemade banana bread.
and I mated the two baskets of socks that have been sitting there for weeks.
(another reason to love summer.....flip flops)
Maybe I'll go get a spray on tan, because everyone knows that celulite looks better tanned. Right?
little steps.

p.s. I'm really okay.

Busted by The Population Police.

So the kids are off-track (joy) and we need something from Costco (curse those Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts). We decide to meet Greg for lunch. Now I hardly ever take all 5 of the kids to any store, let alone Costco for fear of getting the "It's called Birth Control" look from random strangers. My other favorite: "Are they all yours"?.....Really? You think I would bring neighbor kids to Costco?
We had lunch with Greg and the kids were great. I even got a salad instead of a slice of that evil Costco pizza. Whatever.
While shopping we got a few looks and one lady even sighed out loud when she had to wait 3.4 seconds for us to get out of her way.
Now Greg thinks I imagine these looks, sighs, eye-rolls. But it's like I can feel them turn around and look at us as we pass by. And I'm sure he may be right.
But today, it was very real.

After we were done shopping (The kids were almost angelic by the way) we were out in the parking lot. As we got to our rockin' mini-van,
this pulls up next to us.

and then this gets out
and she's carrying this
and wearing theseAnd then this gets out of the back seat.

We're parked next to the shopping cart return so while she is putting her 'tot of perfection' into their cart, I see him point in our direction (most likely at the plethora of kid food) and innocently say, "Mommy, what is that?"

Trendy mom answers "That is someone who has too many children."
Robot Tot says, "Too many children?
Wannabe Paris says, "Yes, more than she can handle".



Oh yes, she did.
You know that filter that we have in the brain? The one that keeps you from saying inappropriate or offensive things? Yeah, I not only got mine but I think
Simon Cowell's and Kathy Griffin's were thrown in too.
I must have gotten this 'ladies' as well because I didn't say anything....
What!?! You didn't say anything Mindy?
I know, I know.
First of all, I was so stunned I didn't know what to say.
I hate confrontation and I don't want anybody's feelings hurt. If my food isn't exactly the way I ordered it, I just keep it and eat it and say "oh well". Most of the time I don't go back if the drivethru girl forgot part of my order. Whatever. I don't know why I do this.

What should I have said? What would you have said?

I couldn't believe she had said it. I mean, I wasn't judging her that she looked like 'Plastic Mom Barbie'. Okay, so I just did but hey, I didn't say it to her in front of her kid.
She can keep her Fendi bag and her bad attitude. And the van may look and smell like a rained out soccer game but at least I don't care if my hair gets wet at said game.
And besides, those shoes wouldn't look good on me anyway.
I should have had the devil pizza.

Self-esteem, your table is ready.

So lately I've been feeling a little blah, blah, bleeh about myself.

My hair is giving me this "you're not the boss of me" attitude and I just can't regain control. Not that I'm not used to this. I get it every single day from Olivia. She recently perfected the "over the shoulder, eye-roll as she's walking away" look.


She's five. No kidding I did not prompt her. I simply asked her to clean her room while I was holding the camera and this is what she did.

Every day is pretty much a really bad hair day. Right around 4 months after I have a baby, my hair decides it no longer wants to be a part of my life and packs it's bags and storms off in a childish huff. It's an ugly break-up for everyone involved. It falls out by the handfuls and it causes me daily stress and anxiety.
But, as bad as I think it is, it is not this nightmare.







On top of that I just can't seem to shake the extra baby poundage. I know, I know...I can hear you saying it. "You've just had your 5th baby, relax, give it a minute, you'll lose it, don't worry." I know all that and it sounds good and all but in the back of my mind there is this annoying little creature running around saying things like "neener, neener..you'll never fit into that fav swim suit again" or the equally depressing, "hello, meet your new best friend, the swimsuit cover-up. You'll never go anywhere without her."




If only that little creature would run around in other people's minds as well.



I've also felt a teeny tiny bit...okay TOTALLY, COMPLETELY disorganized with my time. It's noon or later sometimes when I finally hop in the shower. And don't tell, but sometimes I jump in and *gasp* I don't wash my hair. And then there are days when I simply throw on some clean clothes and spray myself with Fabreeze and then avoid close proximity with anyone who smells like strawberries or coconut.

Still, I am not attracting insects who's sole purpose in life is to eat as much rotting matter as possible before they die.
You can go throw up now.......really...I'll wait.




And then there's the brain damage that has apparently occurred. I find myself having difficulty with the simplest of tasks. And it seems that recently they started introducing Rocket Science to 2nd graders and trying to pass it off as simple math. How dare they. And my memory..don't even get me started on that. Uhm...what were we just talking about? Hmm.
But at least I get to be stupid and forgetful in the privacy of my home in front of small children. This sad lady got to be stupid and do so for a much larger and harsher audience. Poor thing. I wonder how many times Regis asked her if that was her final answer.


For quite a while after I have a baby I feel like I look pretty Frumpy most of the time. I try my best but I just don't feel like the Fashion Diva I would like to be.
But then just when I'm afraid I've hit rock-bottom with the fashion sense and good taste......





Yep ladies. That's just what you think it is.
My question is this. SERIOUSLY???




So even though I'm feeling a little like a slug at the moment, at least I can be grateful there's not a snot-nosed 7 year old boy standing over me with a giant salt shaker.

Hope you feel good today.
Here's to common sense and good taste.