Blended is Splendid

Have you ever heard the saying, "Blended is Splendid" concerning blending families? I had someone say it to me once when Tanner and I got married and I liked it. It is splendid but.... it's also really hard. 

I think that I was a pretty good single mom to one girl... I would probably give myself an 8 out of 10 (I docked myself down two points since I havn't  been the most stellar at getting along with Boston's dad). Adding on three extra kids is hard.... but, not in the bad way hard just it's a different way hard. And there is sooooo many schedules to try to work around. Then there is two moms for this child and two dads for this one and it's confusing even for the adults. And, boundaries, that's a big one.... I don't want to discipline the three that are my stepdaughters and I find myself being harder on Boston. And, Tanner doesn't want to discipline Boston..... ya know... we just don't know how the best way to handle things is yet. And, when our four adorable (and sometimes naughty) girls are all together they can be so much. Last Sunday Tanner was digging Barbie's out of the very clogged toilet and I was cloroxing the floor while we were trying to make them help clean as well. Two four year old and a set of three year old twins... we basically have two sets of twins. They out-number us.  A observant older woman at Angie's told me that we were the, "most reproductive people" she had seen in a while when we had breakfast there last with our whole tribe.

I went over the hard parts... but, honestly they are nothing in comparison to the good parts! Our house is fun! Boston is in heaven with three sisters! Our family Halloween party had so much added to it with three more girls and my handsome husband. As a parent I am always getting some cuddles from someone. That saying about if my hands look full you should see how full my heart is... it is so true! I love all the love that is in our home. They filled a gap in my life I didn't even know existed. 

So, it's hard and fun and stressful and amazing all at the same time. But, it is soooo worth it. I love our family, I love that Tanner and I know that in the next year we want to add to our already large tribe of small people. Life has been giving me so many blessing lately and I am so happy. But... still send advice. Just the nice kind, ya know.

Also, life is super fun with our big crew and I want to share all of our experiences... but, this blog needs some revamping....new website name ideas are soooo welcome and give me holler if you want to help design it new for me.... Mandi Christensen, I'm looking at you.

XO:
Ashlynn Bronson Smith

 I LOVE how this shows how different they all are.