I am IMPORTANT!

Isn't that what blogging says?  It says that I think I'm important enough to put my musings up to the interwebs?  If you saw this and thought "OOH, Raising Royalty!  Inside scoops on Prince William and What's-her-name", I am sorry.  Its not.  So, if that's what you were hoping for, you can leave now.  Go ahead, little red "x" buttons are your friend anyway, aren't they?

I'm Jess.  I'm 31.  I'm a mom and a wife and a child raising machine.  My family and I reside in the little western Tennessee metropolis of Memphis.  AKA "Where Bass Pro Shops will eventually be", AKA "That city that's always in the news for fighting with itself", AKA "That city that single handedly kept the TV show First 48 on the air for its first full season" and finally AKA "That's where Graceland is".  We hail from the amazing state of South Carolina originally.  AKA "Where those 4 laughing babies come from" AKA "Where politicians disappear to Argentina" AKA "That state that single handedly keeps late night comedy writers from having to come up with their own stuff", and finally AKA "The whoopie cushion of the USA" (Thanks Jon Stewart for that one!)  We're proud.  Its fun moving from one big joke to another, isn't it?

Here in Memphis, my husband, Clark Kent (yeah, he's my Superman) and I have been married 10 years and have four amazing children.  I tell my children all the time that they are important.  My daughters are Princesses.  My sons are Princes.  Always.  In God's eyes, in my eyes, and well, in your eyes too.  Just so you know.  They are.  I tell them so.  Just like in Corrina, Corrina, when Corrina teaches Molly to say "My name is Molly Singer, and there is no one in the world more important than me!"  They need to know that.  Every child should know that.  They are the most important person in the world. Its confidence, its self esteem, its moxie.

Let me introduce my four amazing kiddos.

Peanut -- Peanut is 8 1/2 years old.  She will be 9 in July, as she will remind any person within earshot every chance she gets.  She's a competitive gymnast.  Read here "Mom and Dad fork out lots, put in tons of hours and travel to all sorts of places so I can continue to win medals and have this smile on my face."  Its important.  She loves gymnastics.  She loves competing. She doesn't care about getting first place.  That's the best part.  

Bean -- Bean is 5 1/2.  She will be 6 in August.  She doesn't feel the need to tell everyone on the planet.  She's cool like that.  Easy going most of the time.  Bean is a dancer.  Mostly because I force her to be.  Why?  She loves ballet.  She loves dance.  She loves music.  But she wants to take gymnastics.  Yup. Monkey See, Monkey Do reigns supreme in my house.  But she loves her dance class.  Its amazing.  I'll share the amazingness that is Miss Peggy later.  Its fully amazing.  And its dance.

Monkey Man -- Monkey Man is 2 1/2 (well, 34.5 months for those of you who ridiculously count months after the first year.  Yeah, you know who you are).  He's a 100% typical boy who tries to annoy all older children with every given chance.  As he will tell you at every chance you give him, he will play soccer when he's three.  Or in August, which is the actual time he's going to play.  He loves sports, cars, and all things boyish.  Of course, he still thinks Spiderman is cooler than Superman, but every kid has his flaws.  We're still training him in the ways of why Superman is the greatest super hero of all times. 

Little Frog -- Actually, he doesn't really have a nickname yet.  He's still pretty new.  I'm working on it.  On Thursday he'll be 2 months old.  At which point I can quit counting weeks.  Which is annoying.  Especially when people say things like "He's 36 weeks".  Not necessary, and annoying.  He enjoys eating, sleeping, pooping and crying.  He smiles and coos, and that is the extent of his entertaining prowess.  He's quiet.  But one has to be in a house with this many people.  

That's them.  My family.  Plus three dogs.  Yeah, we're one of those families.  We have too many dogs.  Don't hate.  Its who we are.  And I wouldn't trade it for anything!  This is my life, my adventures.  Sometimes they are funny, sometimes sad, often boring, but there they are.  My life is always going 100mph, and I just hold on and enjoy the ride.  You can too.  Follow me in all my adventures.  Its important!  Its on the internet, so it must be.