A Little Bit Of Humor

I just discovered I can put up blog posts from my phone.
Isn't that crazy?
Maybe I will post more then? Or maybe not.
Life doesn't always allow time for me to share. So this is kind of like my test post. I will see if it turns out once I post this and then we will go from there. For now, I am pretty excited about this blogger app and the potential it has.
 So I will leave you with this bit of humor....;
Do your kids ever out of the blue just fall. Mine have and it's usually quite dramatic.
Last night, Aaron was in the kitchen fiddling around and I was sitting in the front room feeding the baby when I heard a huge clatter followed by a groan. I yelled into the kitchen to see if he was ok when all of the sudden he comes running into the front room plopping himself on the couch.

I looked him over to see if there was any sort of blood and found him to be intact. I asked him what happened and he said with a sigh that he'd taken a direct hit. Apparently, the kitchen is a dangerous place. One should take cover when entering such a place.

Gobble! Gobble!

No matter how much I try to sneak some new dishes in each holiday, the kids refuse to give up their stuffed eggs. Grace had the pleasure of making them this year and they were mmmm...mmm..good!

Aaron is our picky eater. There are only a few items in the whole wide world that he will eat. I remember when I said I will never have a picky eater and then, we got Aaron. Never say never....! A round of corn dogs for his special Thanksgiving meal and he was one happy kid.


Some people got a little nap before dinner. I know...I know...usually that happens after the yummy meal. Guess we are resting up so we have lots of energy to partake of the feast! Don't worry about the drool....he's only dreaming of the Turkey and double layer pumpkin pie!


Look who's cookin??!! Don't you just want to gobble her up?!!


Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Fall Birthdays

In all the hustle and bustle of my crazy life, I've failed to get the fall birthdays up on my blog. So in honor of winter arriving this week, let's take a moment and reminisce about warmer days and beautiful red and gold leaves....

Our beautiful Grace turned 12 this fall. She is now officially a pre-teen or in our family, a young lady would fit more appropriately. I have been telling my kids since they were wee little that we are not doing 'teenagers' here in this family. I am raising young ladies and young gentlemen. There is no reason for them to act all crazy-like as they find their way into adulthood.

Grace is developing into a lovely young lady. Her love of life and excitement for things around her is contagious. We've seen so much growth both spiritually and physically in her that has blown us away. God is amazing in how He creates our children, how they are put together in His image and how that all works together into this wonderful human being. Her compassion for people and her sensitivity to the heart of God is something to be treasured.

Unfortunately, the week her birthday fell upon was the same week we were moving. It was a crazy time but we managed a cake and had her birthday dinner much, much later. She was able to spend some time with her Grandma for their special birthday time together which is always a fun time.

Our spirited, fully animated Aaron who loves to be home turned 6. He is more of a homebody. We've found that he has about a 45 minute time limit on anywhere we go and that usually includes drive time. He is a joy and brings so much laughter to this family. He's a deep thinker and if you give him your full attention, he will talk your ear off about some pretty deep thoughts. Many of them pertain to God and what He is finding out about Him.

For his birthday, we had cake and ice cream. His dinner of choice was hot dogs. I always look forward to the day when they expand their horizon's and want something different. But for now, this is what he asked for and that is what he got.

We always have expectations that on these special days that we will receive gifts. I am proud of these two dear children because on both occasions, we were not able to shower them with any presents and they both handled it swimmingly well. To an adult, you reason and can understand that sometimes life just doesn't allow for that (unless your love language is gifts but that is for another time) but to a child or young person, it is difficult to deal with.

We've found out in the midst of our difficult situation, that much of what we use to do is a luxury and a blessing which we tend to take for granted but isn't really what our hearts should be about. God wants to shower us with blessings and He does but many times it is not physical gifts or presents. He showers us each day with His love, His mercy, His forgiveness and His provision. I pray that my children grow up understanding the love God has for us in all circumstances and that they never doubt that even when times are tough.

The Tooth Fairy

It's a happy day when the little guys lose a tooth around here. It means that the tooth fairy is coming to town. The kids come to me often to show me a loose tooth or what they think is a loose tooth. Kara, whose three, keeps wanting me to check her teeth because she is sure they are all loose.

Unfortunately, lately, the tooth fairy has been leaving I.O.U's instead of dollars. One time, the Grandma of the tooth fairy had to hook her up with a couple of dollars to meet the demand of the falling out of teeth in this family. It's a hard, hard job to keep this tooth fairy going. It's not like you can just recharge her battery so she keeps going and going and going, it's more like digging in the couch, looking in pockets, checking the laundry mug or on the dash of the car just to try to pull a dollar out of a hat. But that is all in the day and the life of a tooth fairy.

The kids have only one complaint about the tooth fairy that comes to our home. Sometimes.....she forgets. So then, they have to try again the next night hoping she will remember. She has many teeth to attend to so sometimes it takes her a little bit to show up. Persistence is the key. You just keep that little tooth under your pillow and one day....one day very soon she will show up with that special little dollar and the lovely note she leaves with it. Don't lose hope. Then, they look up at me with those beautiful blue eyes while placing their hands on their hips and I hear the words....Mom, we know it's you.

One cool little thing the younger ones haven't figured out yet is the recycled dollar. Once they figure this out, the tooth fairy is in big time trouble and she will probably have to come up with a way to smooth the waters. But for now, she's safe with a couple kids. When one of the younger children who had recently been visited by this lovely tooth fairy lady forgets about their dollar and a certain mother finds it amongst the toys or on the floor, she gives it to the tooth fairy to use again when a tooth falls out. Thus...the recycled dollar. It's a cost savings and it keeps the overhead low.

Aaron recently lost a tooth, one of his front teeth. He excitedly ran down the stairs interestingly enough just after I had tucked him in for the night. My tooth fell out...my tooth fell out, he squealed with delight. So we put it in a baggie and placed it under his pillow. Well...the tooth fairy forgot. She kept reminding herself and reminding herself but she still went to bed without replacing the precious tooth with a note and a dollar. So in the morning as we were sitting at the table eating breakfast it dawned on her what she had once again done. She scrambled into the office to write a quick lovely note and scrounged to find a dollar which she is glad to report she had and ran up the stairs to do what tooth fairies do....leave it under a pillow.

Upon her calm entrance to the kitchen, the tooth fairy disguised as a mother nonchalantly asked Aaron if he checked under his pillow this morning. With a frown, he sadly answered that he had and the tooth fairy was late again. His mother quietly suggested that maybe he should check again. Off he ran with speed and vigor, to check to see if maybe...just maybe his prize was there. The laughter and the happy boy noises that oozed from this five year old was something to be cherished. It's here...it's here he yelled as he showed me his note and his prize, a recycled dollar.

The Dino Dig

Homeschooling is not for the faint at heart. It takes patience. It takes time and more time. It takes the strength of Goliath to meet each and every day with the curious minds of children and all their questions, not to mention what happens when someone is feeling particularly cranky. I have to laugh when I hear someone comment that homeschooling is 'safe' and that what my choice for education for my kids keeps them sheltered. It is not a 'safe' thing to do by any stretch of the imagination and they most certainly are not kept in a dark basement with out the hope of the light of day to shine forth. When I see them in action at a field trip or when they conquer a concept, or even when one of them is laying their head down on the table in agony because of a math problem, I know that they are just right where they are suppose to be...

Dinosaurs. There is something that is endearing to many elementary children about that topic. They are a bit mysterious. They are adventurous and they are BIG. From my seven year old's perspective, they look cool, they are so strong and it would be super awesome to ride one.

It happened to be that a field trip was formed and I signed the two younger boys up to participate. It was a beautiful sunshine-filled day. A perfect day to be outside digging for dinosaur bones. There were over 140 kids who were signed up for this trip. They were everywhere. I did notice a steady trail to the 'cookie' table which was a highlight for my two boys as well.

The mama Myasaura dinosaur bones were what were buried for the kids to dig up and clean off with a brush. They all had a chance to dig in the sand and to discover 'a treasure'. The instructor went over how to properly unbury a fossil so that nothing was broken off in their excited attempt to grab it up. After all the bones were discovered, the kids took them inside for the instructor to talk about the dinosaur and to put it together so the kid could see the skeleton as a whole.
The instructor had asked the kids how a mama takes care of her children. Aaron raised his hand and proudly announced that his mother took care of him by giving him food as he was rubbing his tummy and licking his lips. He also knew what the mystery bones were...the shoulder blades.
He is a pretty smart boy, if you ask me. It was neat watching them attentively interact with the instructor and what was being taught by her. Now if only they would do that at home....


You can't force all of your learning into four walls but need to provide moments for them to experience all that you are teaching them outside of that, to experience the adventure of it, to touch it, to see it, to feel it. It brings education alive and makes it real so that it not only is expanding their minds but also wrapping around their hearts.

The One Kid Rule

A long time ago, I made a new rule. It's called the one kid rule. It only applies to going to the store with Mom. It's for my sanity. It is for productivity. It is for safety. It's for budget control. It is for the opportunity to have one on one time with whichever child is with me at the time. It has been a beautiful thing in my life. It's just so....priceless.

Recently, though, I made an exception to the rule. One time. Here are the results:

Ryan is an energetic child with the attention span of a squirrel. He's usually good and obedient but he get's a little squirrely if we are gone for more than hour. So I make sure the store attending adventures he is a participant of is short and of quality.

Aaron is lovingly nicknamed 'houdini man' because he likes to disappear. Not a good thing when a certain parent is looking at the yogurt trying to decide which flavor and how many would be sufficient for each family member. Poof...he's no where to be found. Then a certain parent is yelling out his name running up and down the aisles in a crazed panic trying to locate and put an end to the disappearance act. At which point, her energy is all used up and is ready to go home. Very unproductive. Usually a trip to 7-eleven is about the right store trip for him. Small store. Small aisles. Slurpee machine. Need I say more?

I needed a few things for dinner. It was going to be a quick trip to store. It was a great time for Ryan to come along. As we were headed out the door, I caught a glimpse of the sad eyes of a five year old who has been getting left behind too often as of late. His plea to come along pulled at my heart and I gave in. How bad can it be with such a quick trip to the store, I asked myself.

As all three of us walked into the store, I was feeling pretty confident that this was going to be painless and easy. I grabbed the cart and off we went. We cruised the hot dog bun aisle. Each boy had to grab their 'own' package and then Aaron said we needed a third one because we always run out which I agreed was correct so it went into the cart. As we headed over to the hot dogs, each boy ran to them and announced that they were getting them, shoving the other aside. I settled that as we need two packages...one for each boy. I had a painful thought that a pattern was being set right before my eyes.

As we headed over to the chips, guess what happened? Yep, each boy was in desperate need of a different flavor and since they had about crushed the bags in their little hands, I felt responsible to purchase both bags. (Grace thinks I bought faulty bags of chips but really it was a five year old and a seven year old that had a hand in crumbly them up properly.) Then, we headed over to the juice aisle. Yep, we ended up with two.

Now let me tell you about the ice cream which I had promised the children we would get since I made them pass up the first ice cream truck cruise down our street this season. We took the cart down the fun aisle, the land of rainbows and lollipops. One boy wanted ice cream sandwiches, the other wanted Jell-o pops. The next thing I saw was both boys on the floor in a scuffle. One in a headlock and the other with his arms wrapped around his brother trying to break free. (Note to self: do not ever, ever, ever bring both boys at the same time to store ever, ever, ever...again unless one needs to remember how much fun it REALLY is.)

As I lovingly and gently took them by the arm to break up the cute little squabble. I told them since we were going to purchase two packages, each would get to choose. Perhaps, mommy should have thrown something darkish, chocolatish Hagen dazish into the cart or maybe twoish for me to eat before I got home!

We, then, went to the cashier to check out. Both boys started grabbing things out of the cart to throw onto the conveyor belt before the other one could grab it. The buns were a bit more mangled, the chips were more crumbly and so on. As I was trying to save the merchandise from any more evidence that is was handled with such care, I heard the lady behind me softly say in a relieved sort of way that she was glad she left her boys at home.

It was quite an eventful trip. One I won't forget for a long, long, long time. It's always an adventure with two very lively boys. Now to explain to my husband why we have two of everything....

Brokenhearted

Revelation 21:4 (NLT): He will remove all of the sorrows and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever....

It's been a really rough week. This is a tough post to write as my heart is once again liquefied and broken. This seems to be a familiar state for us and I wonder just exactly what God is trying to do as far as molding us and shaping us into what He needs us to be. It hurts. It's agonizing. It's gut wrenching awful. Yet, I know that as we go through these experiences that He is producing so much in us, helping it to take root and to grow. Changing who we are.

Over Easter weekend, I had some issues with our baby which led to a doctor visit and an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that there was no heartbeat and that our baby had died around 8.5 weeks. A D&C was scheduled and I am now on the recuperating end of things. I am experiencing all the pleasantries of postpartum only with no baby and that makes this super hard.

Some may dismiss early miscarriages as easy to 'get over' but it isn't. Somehow God integrated a mother with her child at conception. Her emotions, her physical and her mental all are connected to the baby even before she ever lays her eyes on the child. I have lost two before this one between Grace and Ryan. It still makes my heart ache remembering. It is comforting to know that they are in heaven and I will get to meet them one day. But for today, I need all the courage and comfort I can receive from our Lord. The one who knows the pain and agony of losing a loved one. God promises to be close to the brokenhearted. He has shown me that comfort through many friends and family who have also lost.

Our Aaron has been an amazing source of encouragement to me. At five, he amazes me with his astute understanding and compassion. I know that God has placed that in him and is developing it. We all are given gifts and it astounds me how God uses them to minister to others. What is even more astounding is watching a child use those gifts. One day as I was laying on the couch, I realized that he had cuddled up to me, folded his hands, closed his eyes and was praying for his mother and our baby. The tears ran down my face as I listened to his prayer and the compassionate understanding he was sharing with God. It was a short prayer but it was powerful. He also had asked me where it hurt. I gently told him that my heart was where it hurt the most. He's been cuddling up to me, off and on throughout the day, blowing kisses to my heart because kisses make boo-boo's better.

One of the questions we struggle with is...Why? Why did this baby have to die? One of our children came to me questioning why God would take a baby from us when we prayed for it. I struggled to answer that. How do you answer your child when you struggle with the answer yourself?

Sometimes there just aren't any answers. You have to continue believing and trusting that God knew best. Isn't that what faith is? Believing without being able to see. I believe this is just another experience in our lives right now that is strengthening our faith, taking that faith to a new level and making us believe and trust even when we just don't understand and nothing makes any sense.

The battle is on. We are in a fight for our faith. Satan doesn't care about us but he does care about the faith we have in God. If you have that faith, he is determined to smack it down until you give up and turn your back on God. Then he has succeeded. God didn't take our baby away to be hurtful or as his judgment on us but He did allow it to happen because He cares about my faith and the strength that it has. He cares about whether my faith is real and whether I can trust Him no matter what is happening to me and around me. Is my faith authentic?

My husband asked me, the other night, whether I was trusting God because we have no other choice or if I was trusting God because I wanted to. The answer was heart breaking to me. I think, sometimes, that I am trusting God because we have no other choice, because we are not able to help ourselves, because I have no control over what is happening. It's hard looking at your heart in the mirror and finding out how wretched and sinful it is.

My heart's desire is to fully trust and believe in God's promises no matter what my circumstances are. That, when I look in the mirror, that my heart will reveal the character and Christ-like behavior that is pleasing and acceptable to my Abba Father. I've got a long ways to go. A lot of work still needs to be done in my life and in my heart but I am so thankful that my eyes have been opened so that those changes can be made and that I am willing.

God gives me the faith and the courage to meet each day no matter how difficult it is to face. He gives me the hope to share with other's as we walk this journey. He is our strength, our courage, our provider and the lifter of our heads.

Romans 8:18-19 (NLT): Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

Easter 2009

The kids love Easter time. They love coloring eggs. They love the anticipation of the loot (candy). Along with the candy, we make sure they know why Easter is a very special time to celebrate. Not only did Christ offer us the most precious Easter present, Salvation, but He also showed us through that how much He loves us. What could possibly be more of an example of that love than to die for my sinfulness.

One of the most exciting things that we are celebrating this year is that through Christ's blood God has offered each of us the gift of salvation which my five year old has accepted this very Easter. It is amazing to me to watch each of my children give their hearts to God in acceptance of His precious gift. It is the most precious aspect of me being parent who has been entrusted with these children to raise to love the Lord. When they finally come to the point of understanding and they give their hearts fully to God, I am so proud of them and the choice they've made. I continue to pray that each will make this relationship between them and God their very own throughout their lives.

It is amazing to me to watch how God has taken this relationship with our oldest and has lead him through a series of events just this past year to make it real to him. I pray that new understanding continues to grow and flourish as he lives his life and develops that relationship with Christ.

This year I found this cool Easter egg glitter pack for the kids to dye their eggs. I think Grace and I ended up doing all the glitter part. It took a little longer than some the kids were willing to wait for. So they put their order in for what color of glitter paper they wanted on their egg. Grace and I sat there and finished all the eggs up. Brad didn't want to participate this year which was sad for me. I do acknowledge that perhaps at some point, a teen may consider egg dying lame. Ah, time. It flies before your very eyes. At least, I have one last picture of him from last year which he reminds me that I 'forced' him into. Poor kid!

In Aaron and Ryan's little Easter bag, I got these really cool looking eggs that are suppose to hatch and grow a duck or a chick. Unfortunately, I didn't read the directions on the back which said that it takes about 72 hours. Aaron's hatched into this slimy duck in about 48 hours but only because I dropped it before placing it in the water, therefore, pre-cracking it. Ryan's, on the otherhand, is still in the water trying it's very best to hatch. I think we are going to have to help it along. I must admit that they were more patient with it than I anticipated.

I am so very excited that Spring is here and with it, the reminder that Jesus is ALIVE!

He's a funny one....

Aaron is an amazing child. He likes to use the words hideous, sewage and delirious. He also is a tease. He loves to get his two year old sister in a whirl. He gets that twinkle in his eye and you know he's up to something. One of my favorite things about this kid is his one-eyed pirate grin. He kind of squints one eye closed and tilts his head to one side and then, you know he's gonna say something profound. We call him our very own fortune cookie. You just never know what wise words are going to come out.

Yesterday he was teasing his little sister until she was in a screaming fit. I calmly told him that I was going to send him to the moon if he didn't stop. He looks up at me with his one-eyed pirate look and said, Mooooom, that would take a rocket ship!

Ok, so he's got me there. He's a pretty smart kid in my opinion.

A Birthday Celebration

We recently celebrated number four's fifth birthday! We went to Yate's Cider Mill for some yummy donuts and apple cider which seems to becoming a tradition. How else would you celebrate a Fall birthday?!

It is amazing to me how God has created each individual child. As I look at all five of mine, I am blown away at God's creativity. Have you ever just sat in amazement at how your children's mind's each work uniquely and how they grow and develop. Each one is so different, created with different personalities and sensitivities, created to love, dream and grow into what God has in mind. It's like a mystery unfolded before your eye's as God reveals each one.

I am so thankful for my five year old. He is such a blessing to those around him, touching them with the compassion he has in his heart. He is quick to apologize and quick to forgive. He tells me how much he loves me sixty times a day. He is all boy and loves to make boy noises that I swear the neighbor's can hear down the street. He is a thinker and comes up with interesting discussions. For example, did you know that putting your nose on the door hurts your nose and that spankings aren't on the top ten list either. So he informed me that he had been thinking about that and was wondering if I would consider putting his fanny on the couch or making him go to his bed for just a little while but not too long?? Like I said....interesting.

He, at four, used words like hideous and unfortunate, hysterical and ridiculous. One of my personal favorites was when he asked for a cup of kool-aid that would be an excellent choice for his 'refreshment'. Where does he come up with this stuff?? Now, I do realize that I am his mother and I may be a bit partial. However, I do think he is an amazing gift that God has blessed me with and I don't ever want to take him for granted....along with any of my other children.

I look forward to what this new year will bring him, all the learning and new words he'll lay on us. I can't wait for the discussions to continue. He tickles me so.

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

Boys...will I ever understand them?

I was sitting at Mom's Night Out last night with some great friends and what do you think we were talking about? Our kids, of course! We were comparing the differences between girls and boys.

I just had to share one of my many stories that I have of being the mother of Aaron, Ryan and Brad.

One precious afternoon, Aaron who was then three, decided to go out in the backyard to play. This always makes me breathe a sigh of relief as the noise level goes down so much when even just one child decides to take his/her liveliness outside. All of the sudden, I realized how very quiet it was. I went outside to check on what was going on.

Upon not finding this cute little guy in the backyard, I entered the garage to see if he was in there. What do you think I found? I found this little brown boy sitting in there playing with a can of varnish. Now I ask you and it still remains a mystery....just how exactly did he get the lid off?

Fortunately, I found him and the mess before it dried on completely and was able to wash him back to whiteness but he never would tell me what his secret was. He did have a distinct smell about him for a few days though.

So now we move to this morning.....

Aaron who is now four, almost five, came running up to me crying that his nose hurt. I was trying to figure out what was going on because he was jumping up and down crying and carrying on about something I couldn't understand. Then it hit me what he was saying. He stuck a white, little, round lego up his nose. Why, why why...did you do this, I asked him? Of course, all I got was a shrug of his shoulders along with a I don't know.

My husband swooped into the living room with his super cape with just the right tool to remove the object....needle-nose pliers. Do you think that is why they call them that? Perhaps, the inventor was a boy and knew that he was going to need such a tool to remove an object from the nose of one of his boys? I wonder....hmmmm. I also wonder if perhaps I should be giving tools like this as baby gifts to all new mothers. Apparently, they are a necessity right up there with the poison control number. Ooooh, maybe I should put a magnetic strip on the back of these pliers and keep them on the fridge right next to it.

A Helping Hand...

How a child can get into so much and make such an incredible mess while your back is turned for only a moment is still beyond my comprehension. This has happened in our household on numerous occasions and to this day still has me stunned into speechlessness.

On this very night, Aaron (our four year old) requested some kool-aid. He was very thirsty he said and milk just wasn't what he wanted. I whipped up some Berry Cherry goodness just for his royal cuteness, poured his drink and watched him suck it down quicker than you can say slow down. He promptly placed his cup on the table and off he went with a run and a bounce.

I left the kitchen to go check on *ahem* my email. I swear I was only gone a few seconds. I know this because I didn't get any email in my inbox *sniff*. When I went back out there, Aaron was on the couch and all he said was...I'm sorry, Mom. I was just trying to help! I asked him what he was sorry about but all he did was stare at me with those puss 'n boots big eyes and sucked his infamous two middle fingers. I thought, hmmmm....wonder what's going on.

Then I entered the kitchen. What to my wondering eyes should appear, but a tilting kool-aid pitcher along with a gigantic puddle of RED kool-aid.....everywhere. When I say everywhere....that is what I found. It covered the counter top, ran down into all the drawers and down the fronts of the cupboard, down beside the stove and so on. I sat down on a kitchen chair with a sigh. Rats! I thought to myself. A kid struck again.

Now I need to explain something before I go further. I have had this complete disaster of a refrigerator for quite a few years. It has even been replaced with a brand new one from the store we originally bought it from under their 'lemon law'. Only....the new one still has the same issues the old one had. It has now been 8 years that I have been living with this devil of a appliance. I long ago gave up the hope and dream that it would work the way it was meant to. I am clinging to hope that one day, one day soon I'll be the proud owner of a double wide fridge just like Ty gives his Extreme Home Makeover recipients. But alas....I'm still in the hopes and dreams stage. Reality is still sitting there peeing on my kitchen floor.

What the heck am I talking about? Let me explain. In the last year or maybe two (time flies when you are having fun) it has taken up the activity of leaking. I fondly yell out that the fridge is 'peeing' again and the kids just think that is the funniest thing. It helps me get out some of my frustration. Sigh. However, what happens when you have a fridge that leaks periodically throughout the day? You have a puddle or stream that runs under your cupboards, stove and so on.

As I pulled the one movable cabinet that happens to be right next to the fridge to clean up this wonderfully red kool-aid spill, the bottom of the cupboard leaves a trail of disintegrated fiberboard that has left some plastered to the floor. I guess when you mix disintegrated fiberboard and water you get cement. Science lesson. (Why do science lessons happen when the kids aren't around?) Can you feel the tension building as I am writing this? If one was ever thinking of words to describe this mess in a creative form, it probably would have been right about now.

I scrubbed and scrubbed and Oh, how I scrubbed. Did I mention the stupid, stupid mop that I currently own? Let me tell you about that. First of all, let me just mention that I think the store is against me. Everytime I buy a new mop, they discontinue the mop head that goes along with it. So I then purchase another mop and the same scenario happens again. So here I am with this stupid mop that has the stupid mop head hanging on by a stupid thread and I literally mean a spongy stupid thread trying to mop this stupid mess up. This is so NOT what I had planned for my evening.

After I put everything back into it's place and I realized that my cupboard is being held up by the lousy fridge and the stove, I emphatically announced to the walls that my new kitchen was indeed in the near future plans right next to my diamond ring. Do you think they will listen cause I don't think anybody else is hearing me....except maybe the neighbors.

My Tree

We have this beautiful tree in our backyard. When we first came to view this house when we were looking for a home, this tree is what really drew me to it. It was in full bloom at the time. However, I am clueless as to what it is. If anybody has any ideas, please comment.

Last year, I noticed that the blossoms were not as vibrant nor were there as many flowers. I sloughed it off and thought maybe it had something to do with the kind of winter we had. Then last summer, one of the kids was trying to climb it and the whole limb just snapped off with hardly any effort. I thought, uh oh, something is not right.

My husband then went there to see what he could see. He was able to snap another limb off. As far as we can tell, it's dying. I want to cry. I love that tree. This Spring, it still bloomed but again, not very vibrantly.....just enough to bring out the bumble bees.

Aaron came running in the house sobbing. I inquired as to what all the fuss was about. He told me that the neighbor kid said if he looked right at the queen bumble bee which he informed him was what was out there hanging around my tree, the bee would chase him down and sting him. I love neighbor kids. I ask myself daily why we don't have a few more of them on our street. (note: sarcasm)

It just wouldn't be Spring, if I didn't have one child decide he was crazy scared of bugs, spiders or bees. My Spring is now complete along with the sassy neighborhood kids who have now come out of hibernation.

Shhh...The Night Roamer Is Sleeping

Our four year old is our 'night roamer'. On many nights, he gets up at 2 or 4 or 3:30. We are not certain why he does this, but this is how he has been since he was born. It's not quite so disconcerting now as he is a little older and knows what to do when he gets up. Notice I said, 'not quite so' meaning he still does things that scare me like...this but not as much.

Usually, he will get up and turn the television on and curl up on the couch. Of course, he has to tell one of his parents which may or may not sink in depending on what degree of dead to the world we are in. So whoever is the last one to go to bed, it is their responsibility to make sure the TV is set to the appropriate channel. We also have parental controls in hopes to avoid any nasty stuff that could potentially hurt his young mind. He also knows when it's a bad show and will come get us. Of course, his terminology of bad is a show he is just not interested in. Depending on his mood, The Wonder Pets could potentially be a 'bad' show. (Warning: once the 'Wonder Pets' song gets into your head, it's hard to shake. You'll find yourself humming it for a long time to come.)

Well, today he got up at five. We were ecstatic or should I say my husband was ecstatic because he's the one that usually gets to take care of him. By nine this morning, I kept telling Aaron how tired he was looking but he would never admit it. His opinion was that the sun was burning his eyes.

I was talking on the phone in the office after lunch and he came in and sat in the swivel chair next to me. He was explaining to me while I was talking (apparently forgetting the rule of not bothering mommy when she's on the phone unless there is blood involved) all about his need for paint. Next thing I heard was the soft sound of snoring. He had fallen asleep. See, Mom's really do have a sixth sense about these things!

Springtime

I got a glimpse of Spring yesterday. The sun was out warming everything it touched, the breeze was a balmy 50 degrees and my backyard was full of m-u-d.

For whatever reason, a love of that mucky, squishy, let's see what it does if I put it all over me m-u-d was placed in the hearts of all my children. Every Spring, I think perhaps, perhaps I'll eek by and they won't notice that lovely stuff calling their names. Once again, my hopes and dreams were dashed.

Ryan begged to go outside. Please, please, Mom. I just love it out there. As I took a gander out into the yard, I cringed. Can you wait till perhaps the end of May when it dries up, I asked him. He looked so incredibly sad. He slumped over and put his head down on the table. He just wanted to be able to ride his bike. So I caved. What parent would deny their child the opportunity to get some fresh air?

A little while later, Aaron came to me wanting me to help him put his shoes on because he wanted to go outside with Ryan. Total amnesia must have hit me at that point because all I could think of was both the rambunctious boys being outside leaving a semblance of quiet in the house.

As I was sitting on the couch relaxing, I got a glimpse of a mud-caked child, through the open door. A groan of pure misery escaped my very being. I just don't want to look....I just can't look....I refuse to look. So I sent Brad out there in a scurry to get those boys out of the mud. As I removed my hand that was covering my eyes, what appeared before was something that resembled a couple of snowmen only instead of snow, they used mud.

The words, get-to-the-bathroom, rang out through the house. What was I thinking, I scolded myself. As I gathered my composure and tromped off after them, I realized they had left a wake of mud all over the floor, along side my furniture as they dragged their hands on it while heading where "I" told them to go, caked the bathroom knob and covered the bathroom floor.

I promptly put them in the shower and scrubbed them down. After we were finished, I looked as wet as they were because boy, is it fun to watch the shower spray and boy, is it even funner (yes, I used that word) to see what happens when the shower spray hits Mama.

After changing into some dry clothes, cleaning up the mess on the floor, on my 'cream' colored furniture, wiping down the knobs on the doors and sink, and listening to how way cool that was, I was so thankful it was bedtime for them. I was in need of a serious chocolate fix and I was in no mood to share.

Off to bed they went, laughing all the way. I ran into the kitchen to pop a caramel treasure in my mouth. As I turned to head upstairs to tuck them in, I noticed the mud caked shoes that were thrown in the laundry room leaving yet another mess and I also noticed the beautifully decorated garage door that exhibited a mud painting that Picaso would be proud of. This is going to take some more chocolate or it's not going to be pretty.

Past mud fun

Randomness

I have writer's block. I'd love to write a hysterically funny post right about now but I got nothing. Perhaps it's the dreary weather or perhaps its my dreary state of mind. So here I sit before my screen hoping that something is going to just inspire me. So I guess I could do this: I'll share a couple of random things the kids have done or said....

A couple weeks ago, I purchased some popcorn chicken from Kentucky Fried Chicken. Ryan decided he was full so I told him we could save the rest for the next day. A baggie would do the trick to save those yummy little morsels for later. Well, just the other day I was rummaging through my cupboard looking for something and I came across this baggie with something kind of furry and green in it. I thought to myself, what in the world? Then it dawned on me. Those are Ryan's popcorn chicken he's was trying to save. Ooops....I guess I forgot to make it known that they were to go in the fridge and not the cupboard.

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Our little 22 month old has discovered the world of nakedness. She just loves, loves, loves to take her clothes off and now she's added the removal of the diaper too. She thinks that if she's in need of a diaper change, she can just take off her clothes and her diaper and run around the house stark naked occasionally leaving a little puddle. Who needs a puppy? She also thinks that she should have a clean set of clothes to put on after each diaper change. Oh, she's such a little stinker. The other day when she was done with her nap, off came the clothes and the diaper. When I sent Grace up to get her, I heard squealing. Grace came running down the stairs yelling I can't do it! I asked her what in the world was going on. What I found was a naked baby who had tinkled all over her bed. That's my little pee pot....cute as can be.

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Ryan's been quite caught up in marrying his mother lately. He says when he gets older and taller, he's going to marry me. I told him that I was married to daddy so that kind of wouldn't work. He thought about that for a little bit and then he says to me, well, when you are through with dad, I'll marry you then.

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I was sitting on the couch having a good ol' conversation with my four year old. We were chatting about this and that...whatever came into his cute little head. He was sitting on my lap facing me and loving every moment he had my undivided attention. All of the sudden he decides to look down the inside of my shirt. He looks up with a googly look on his face and he says, "those are beautiful, Mom". I about fell of the couch in shock.

The Night Roamer Strikes Again....

We have our very own superhero (villain?). He only strikes during the night when you are sound asleep. When all is dark and everyone is next to unconscious, that is when it happens. He grabs my face to see if I'm listening to him and often in the distance I can hear him playing with the matchbox cars or whatever toy strikes his fancy.....either that or it's all a bad dream. Children not sleeping through the night can be nightmarish.

Sometimes, he decides he 'needs' to watch his show which has been difficult in the past due to the Noggin channel singing it's goodbye song every night at 6:00 p.m. But we recently got a wonderful surprise for our little superhero....the Noggin channel is now on 24 hours a day, giving us the option to finally watch Diego or the Backyardigans in the dark of night.

On this particular night, the night roamer decided to explore what was on my dresser. He came across quite a find. One that he knows is simply off limits. As his curious little fingers came across this particular item, he threw caution to the wind, grabbed them and ran back to his own room to examine this special treasure without getting caught red-handed.

The morning sun peeked through my blinds letting me know it was time to rise and shine. Upon putting my feet on the floor and shuffling over to my dresser to get my glasses that I really need in order to see, I found them missing. I thought to myself in a sing-songy kind of way, oh Mr. night roamer, you have struck again and your opponent is going to send you to the moon. But then I thought, I'd better hold my irritation in because if he knows I'm upset, he'll never tell me where they are.

After sending out the search party and nothing was coming back that resembled my glasses, I asked him just where he might have put them. He kept showing me lego after lego to which he claimed he put my glasses right by and they were there just a minute ago. I think one calls this a wild goose chase.

Finally, after everyone had pretty much given up and I had pulled my awful, out-of-date glasses that I had from many years ago, I sat on his bedroom floor next to his car garage. When I sat down, I accidentally tipped it over. Out came my glasses. I was so very relieved! Relieved...that I didn't have to choke the boy (oh, I mean Mr. night roamer), relieved....that I didn't have to go out in public with those awful glasses from the past that scream that I look like a dork, relieved....that I didn't have to come up with the money to get a new pair.

Beware of Mr. Night Roamer....who knows what his curious little fingers will find next.

The Big F-O-U-R

Aaron is now four. I told him that he was growing up too fast and that he was turning into quite a big boy. He looks at me and says....Mom, I'm already big. See...he just proved my point.

Aaron had breakfast with Dad to begin his big day. They went to the Coney Island. He had his favorite which are scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, toast and apple juice.

Later that afternoon, we took the kids to Yate's Cider Mill for the best cider in town and warm, melt-in-your-mouth donuts. The kids got to see the goats and sheep, visit the fudge shop and run around rechecking everything out.

We then headed on back over to the Coney Island for dinner with the whole family. Do you see a pattern? He loves this place. I actually like it myself because it's fast and friendly. You've got to be quick in this business when there are seven hungry kids waiting so very impatiently.

However, on this very evening, we get a waitress who was on her second day so things were slow. I also made a very grave error. She had gone around the opposite end of the table from me taking what I thought was only drink orders. So after giving the drink orders for my side of the table, she left. A little while later, she came back with food for the kids on the other side of the table leaving the ones near me empty handed. This did NOT go over well at all. Sharlene and Aaron were very upset and I received a proper scolding.

I quickly gave our order to the waitress including a second order for Grace who was in the bathroom with Sharlene which I had not realized that Bob had already done. So when the waitress came out with the food, Grace ended up with two dinners. No worries there.....Ryan said he's help us out and eat that one up for us. How thoughtful.

The night before, Grandpa and Grandma had come over for cake and ice cream because it was Grandpa's birthday so we celebrated both with them. Grace made masks for everyone making it a mask party. The kids loved it! Grandma and Grandpa even got one. I did end up sending the kids to play upstairs for a little bit because I couldn't hear Grandpa talking above the excited children noises. I can only imagine the quiet ride home they had in their car!

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

Another Day With A Three Year Old

Just the other day I was thinking to myself that it had been awhile since Aaron had given me a fright. That should have been a warning right there. An alarm should have been going off for all to hear. But instead, I just bounced off to my merry life.

I had gone off into the office for a quick look at my email. Usually when I say that, my children whine and groan because they know my quick second usually turns into a more than a quick second as I easily get involved in responding to a friend or something that catches my fancy. I rationalize my addiction to my email as a 'Mommy just needs five minutes' to refresh. Seriously, it does help. Every five minutes can make a difference. I recommend it to all Mom's out there who are feeling on the edge and need some contact with people over four feet tall and over the age of 25. Being that I'm 27, that should about work for me.

Getting back to my story.....

I heard choking coming from the livingroom so I quickly ran to see what was going on. Low and behold, my three year old son, Aaron, was choking. Thoughts of do I remember how to do the Heimlich remover (yes, I know what it's really called) were dancing through my head along with the pounding of my heart. Fortunately, after a moment which seemed like an eternity, he was coughing and started talking about how that hurt his throat. I heard somewhere that if they are coughing and talking that I didn't have to to the next step of mouth to mouth. What a relief!

For the rest of the evening, Aaron, with only the look on his face that he can do (those of you who have seen it, know what I'm talking about) followed me around with many comments:

The doctor can't take my tongue out!

If I burp, the penny will be free.

I feel different now that I swallowed a penny.

I think I feel the penny in my legs.

I'm gonna poop it out a big one (laughing hysterically).

We have been fortunate enough to not have had any of our kids swallow money. So now that we've checked that off the list of things to do before my mother is completely gray, I am glad that we got through it without too much trauma...well, maybe there was trauma. The adrenaline levels in my body would beg to differ with the not so much trauma comment. We could just say this, at least it didn't lead us to taking a trip to the ER.

Guess we've got something to watch for, for the next 24-48 hours. I won't say any more on that subject.

Home, Home on the Range....

It all began with a little boy named Aaron...

We were out with some very important people...I like to call them friends. I had left the children home in the care of their loving Grandmother with strict instructions that they were to in no shape or form cause Grandma grief. An hour into our lovely evening, I hear my cell phone ringing insistently. I thought to myself...oh no. I don't want to answer that because I just have a feeling that there is one of two things that I am going to hear. Door number one being an eleven year old boy nagging me about something he wants to do or eat or door number two which leads to information on a two year old that he could potentially be AWOL or has finally succeeded at 'bringing down the house!'

After answering the phone most cautiously, I found that I was to take door number two. In the process of getting his cuteness to bed, he decided to, once again, try to pack the toilet full of anything he could get his paws on. I was told there was toilet paper, cardboard, Grace's toys and hair pieces and who knows what else. I was also told that the 'wee ones' decided to flush it which led to it overflowing. Of course, my initial response was spoken with a knot in my stomach and a desperate feeling to run screaming into the night....please, I said, please just tell me it wasn't the 'new' bathroom. The bathroom we agonized over with State Farm to repair after the damage done to it in November. Please just let it not be that bathroom. To my utter dismay, the answer came with a quiet voice that it was indeed the 'new' bathroom.

They assured me that they had gotten it all cleaned up with minimal damage, however, it was not usable...a clog of all clogs. We ended the conversation with locking the bathroom door and that Daddy would check it out when he got home. Upon arrival to our home, Bob went upstairs to plunge and snake out the toilet, all the while muttering that he loves his kids. After awhile it seemed to be in working order.

Monday morning happened. The downstairs toilet had been used and up it came into the bathtub. After taking a deep breathe and counting to ten...(million), I yelled to Bob that we had an urgent problem. We immediately called some friends that were willing to swing by and fix it. I am so very thankful that these kinds of problems seem to happen before Bob leaves for work. I am sure that he thinks differently.

After super snaking out the toilet, you will never guess what they found. Previously, I had blogged about a certain spiderman outfit that was well-loved and worn day after day. Yep, you guessed it. They pulled up a piece of the mask...at least, I think it was the mask. I haven't found the outfit yet which leads me to wonder what else got flushed. Oh my goodness, I thought to myself....the possibilities are endless in this house.

After reassembling the toilet and returning the rented machinery, we found that the upstairs toilet was still not working properly. Off Bob went for the fifth time that day to Home Depot, to now purchase a new toilet. Our choice, you may ask, was the 'champion' of all toilets. I believe it sucks down golf balls, toys and small children in 10 seconds flat. And that is what we purchased. If you are ever in the area, swing by for a look-see. It is something of a phenomenon.

$550 later for parts, labor and rentals, I only have one question.....

How am I going to tell our five year old, that his beloved spiderman mask has left this world never to be seen again?

...at least, I think it was the mask.