Sunday, May 31, 2009

The week in review...................

So school is officially out for all of my children. I hear moms asking about if I'm excited and happy and all that other joyful crap. Is it wrong to not be doing cartwheels? I mean, I am on a certain level excited to get to enjoy my children and get to do summer things with them- museums, zoo, sidewalk chalk, toad hunt, pool playage, all that stuff. But they fight, and they bicker, and they want their friends over ALL.THE.TIME. and they eat, so I cook, and they mess, so I clean, and they fight, and they bicker. It just makes for some crazy days. That's all. So it is bitter sweet I suppose. But no, I'm not excited. I even fought for summer school but apparently they don't offer that in preschool : )

I will be happier when the air show is over and I am not working 43 hours a day. I love being involved with the event, but this time of year it really takes long hours and that means less time at home and lots of time there. Only one more week, that is doable. Then summer is here and we can work on finding our summer groove. Whatever that is.

Field day was friday. Notice no pictures? Yeah, mom of the year here. But at least I got to go, that counts for something.

Today Emily had a birthday party for a friend at a pottery place. What, no pictures again? Yeah, I know. I just sat back and enjoyed watching the 18, yes I did say 18, children paint their masterpieces. And what I think I enjoyed more was watching certain mommas paint their kids pieces for them. The kids would be sitting, painting away, mom would take the brush to 'touch up' and never give it back. Before you knew it the kid is up running amok and the mommas are very seriously painting perfect little kitties and unicorns. It was hysterical. Not me man, Emily painted a beautiful black zebra with blue and green polka dots. Gorgeous! Meanwhile I sat on my heiny and visited with the other non-painting moms.

Focus back for a moment on 18 kids. I felt sorry for the girl working in the pottery place. Until she texted from behind the counter the entire time we were there and let the parents get paint, clean up, wash tables, rinse sponges and clean the paint trays. Man, she wasn't selling me on a future party there, I'll tell you that. Get up off your behind and work girl. Us mommas are tired, and we need all the young help we can get.

My nephew graduated high school this week. More on that later.

And finally, allyson was allowed some friendage this afternoon while emily partied. We now have drama because no one is spending the night. Uhggg. I tell you what, it is always something.

I'm off to prepare a nutritious dinner for my family. Corn on the cob and something to go with that. Enjoy your week.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

16 years ago today............

Just a breath ago, 16 mighty fast years ago, I graduated from High School. I know this because my sister managed to give birth to my nephew on the same day. She always had a way to 'one up' me. I can say that because she doesn't read this. But it is true. The day Dan's parents were to meet mine at our new apartment we were moving into sin together in- yup, you guessed it, she birthed my niece. Baby trumps parent meeting. I guess I should be grateful she didn't manage to produce anyone on my wedding day: )

All joking aside- I was graduating 16 years ago. I had been accepted to college, had no boyfriend, had lots of bestfriends who I now hardly even talk to (amazing how life takes us in different directions), I knew Jesus but hadn't really embraced the gift He had provided for me, I had a full time job at an advertising agency (yup- had to take off early so I could graduate from high school), and I was thinner. In fact, I look back at photos and I was kind of pretty.

In just 16 short, fast years I managed to drop out of college, cycle through a couple of 'careers' trying to find a fit, met my husband, gained a ton of weight, quit doing my hair at all, birthed 3 children and now own a house and the mortgage that goes with it.

It's just funny how quickly I have become old. And how happy I am about it.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Snippity, Snappity, Clappity

So Dan asked if I could trim his hair. Sure, of course I will. How hard can it be. So I gathered my tools...............No comb? Oh well. Combs are for babies. I can do this solo.And so I began my career in hairdressing. Until 'whoops'. There was no going back.
The aftermath. And the end result. Not too bad, in fact I kind of like it. But I still don't think Dan will let me near him with the clippers again.Dan's mom is going to KILL me.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

What's New?

I haven't posted in a couple of days, news flash, right? It's just been hectic and I have been a bit under the weather. And life, life is just zoom zoom zoom.

So what's new? I will tell you...........

Emily ditched her training wheels yesterday and despite a couple of good crashes, she is still going strong on her 'new' bike.

Sam discovered that Emily's pees through her pooper (aka- she doesn't have a penis).

Allyson competed in the T races representing her class. She didn't win, but we were still so very proud of her for making it to the finals. (T races are a math competetion, by the way- geesh)

Dan completed two weeks on nights and is now back to days, yeah!

There is an airshow in two weeks, apparently, so I am up to my armpits in all that stuff.

And last but not least- Dan took the children to camp with his parents, so I am alone. You got it, ALONE. Right now I am enjoying it, but I can see that this would be a very lonely place if not for the brewd I call my family. But for today, I am just playing catch up and trying to put back all that they get out. They'll be home tomorrow, so I doubt the loneliness will have time to set in : )

Have a wonderful Memorial Day.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Normal

The other night, in a fit of fighting the bedtime ritual, my eldest spits out "Why can't we be like a normal family?" Normal. Huh? I'd not realized we are not like the normal family.

Are there other families who's children don't use a huge dumptruck as a wheelchair?

Doesn't every mom spend an afternoon digging guinea pig litter and hay from the vacume?

Are there not bandaids stuck to the floor of every bathroom in America?

Don't all families run over toys strewn through the yard with the lawnmower while cussing?

What third grader is not wearing a necklace of broccoli?

Normal. What the heck is this and how do I find it? I too cry out for normal, even though I know that there is no such thing.

I break my back trying to maintain a household for a family who doesn't even blink an eye at all the work it takes to stock clean laundry, fill cabinets with clean dishes, pay bills kind of on time most of the time so that we have the things we like- like electricity, purchase gifts that are of appropriate selection for every.single.occassion and produce them in a somewhat attractive wrapping presentation, sort toys (and more toys), run circles around town trying to provide opportunities for my children and somehow manage to make sure we kind of have what we need most of the time to put a meal on the table. I had no idea what motherhood and wifehood was going to involve, and at times it feels like an overwhelming burden- like today. I know this is nothing out of the ordinary, nothing all of you are not doing if you haven't already done it. But right now, I wonder how on earth I will ever be able to continue to do this.

You want normal- dude, she's got it!

I'm making a schedule of everyones time. Just like super nanny. We are going to plan out our days so that everyone has plenty of opportunity to assist our family in being normal. Because I am freakin' exhausted and I'm apparently doing it all for nothing.

Normal.

Whatever. Don't misunderstand me, I love my children and my family. But one woman can only do so much. And I think I am done. For tonight at least. Tomorrow- back to the basics.

Hope you all have a normal day : )

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The mouths of babes...........

We got to spend some time with one of Allyson's friends this weekend. Here are her political views. She shared them with us on our way to McDonalds:

"Obama said he would lower taxes, all he's done is raise them"

"Obama is going to bankrupt our country and leave nothing for our children" keep in mind she is 9.
"Obama is going to take all the money from the people who earn it and give it to those who don't work"

"Obama is going to change all the schools to military schools to prepare us for war" at this point Emily begins to cry big crocodile tears saying she doesn't want to go to military school, she wants to go to kindergarten.

Wonder if her parents are Republicans or Democrats? hardeeharhar

Isn't it funny how our kids take everything we say and repeat it to everyone we know, except all the good stuff?

Thursday, May 14, 2009

A month in photos

It's been a busy month already- I will now proceed to bore you to death with my mediocre photography:The Fort Wayne Children's ZooEmily's Wonder Walk for the March of Dimes at preschool. Going door to door and bugging all family members, this little girl was able to raise over $70! And this year she didn't digest any of it (if you remember, this time last year we were at the emergency room waiting to see if the nickle she swallowed would pass. Her fundraising effort last year was short five cents. I consider it a victory that she didn't eat a single penny this year!)
There you have it. May is dang near half over and we have already had lots to do. Did I just say May is HALF over? Where is the year going?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Yak Yak Yak

I have nothing nothing repeat nothing exciting to report from my neck of the woods. So I will bother you with some more complaining, I wouldn't want to disappoint : )

Today we have Sam's stitches removed, yeah. But we could only get a 9am appointment, booo. Don't these office people know early morning appointments are MURDER?

My husband is back on nights. Of course he is, as it is now crunch time at the air show and I really need to be there as much as possible.

The dog appears to have lost complete control of himself during the night, what a way to wake up. Please don't let this poor dog be sick, he has to make it to doggie obedience at the fair this summer with Allyson.

My house is filthy. It's a filthy wreck. It's a filthy, messy, wreck. Whatever.

The doctor upped my medicine that makes me feel like a nervous wreck that can't sit down. Maybe that will take care of the messy house thing. I hope this side effect goes away.

I did manage to loose 4 pounds. 4 pounds in two weeks. Yuck. At least it was something, but I do wish it were more. Heck, I could gain 4 pounds in about 20 minutes so I suppose it doesn't seem like much of a victory.

On the upside, I slept with my hair in a bun and now this morning I have these beautiful bouncy curls like a movie star. So me and my 'lucious' hair are going to go to the pediatricians office now. And then, possibly to Meijer. I'm crazy like that.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mothers Day.

First- let me remind you all that my sense of humor is, at best, different.

Second- I will reinforce that I am a christian.

That being said, we were once in a bible study, reflecting on Genesis, and this is the passage that was read:

Genesis 3:16- I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing: with pain you will give birth to children.

I burst out laughing. I was the only one, and even after stumbling around trying to explain why I found humor, no one else even chuckled.

See, I spend my mornings breaking up fights, digging strange stuff out of register vents, some mornings are spent in the ER getting stitches, I have to remind everyone to brush their teeth and then listen to constand whining about it, I make beds, I make multiple breakfasts to keep from hearing the protests from the tribe, and basically run myself into the ground just trying to get everyone out of the door. I can only imagine the pains that we will incur as mothers as we continue to raise our now little ones. Watching them move schools, break a friendship, fail tests, learn to drive, crash our family vehicle (hope not- but probably), start college, move away, get married, birth their own- gosh it goes on and on.

So I feel the pain of having children : )

Surely I jest. They are the loves of my life and I praise our Lord everyday for giving them to me- and for the good bad and the ugly that comes along with motherhood. But that day, it just cracked me up to think that this is my punishment for Eve's sin- the pain of motherhood.

Happy Mothers Day.

Friday, May 8, 2009

3 and counting................


Somehow I knew the day would come when one of the horrible 'whacks' I hear would lead to stitches, I just didn't imagine it would be yesterday. You just can't plan this kind of chaos.
Sammy landed on a toybox and in turn, landed himself a trip to the emergency room. He was a brave little burrito (they wrapped his arms up in a sheet) and smiled all the way through 3 stitches to his eye.
Poor little man.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

In the headlines..............

Bank of America needs $33.2 billion cushion.

Me too.

This world we are living in, yikes!

I'm going to plant a lot more vegetables this summer. If this is the end of the world, I want a fresh tomato to chew on while we watch it all go down ; )

Monday, May 4, 2009

I love me a cheeseburger...................

Who really likes salad? Anyone? Anyone? Oh sure, a bunch of skinny girls will chime right in about their love for salad. Some will even throw in a 'it's even better without the dressing and cheese' but lets be real, salad is basically just grass. And I'm not even sure we're supposed to be eating it.

Afterall, what makes a salad good is the 'stuff'- you know what I'm talking about. The fried chicken pieces, the croutons, the eggs, the cheese and the dressing. Ohhhh the dressing- don't even get me started. But the salad- yuck.

This new way of eating is going to kill me. You watch, someday I will die and the death certificate will read Cause of death- saladopitimus.

I won't lie, I like a salad, while I'm waiting on my 'real' food. The deep dish pizza with pepperoni, or the cheeseburger without the grass on it.

Eating is my problem. It's what got me into this horrible mess of too big buttitus and bodily chemical off balancedinus. It's not going to change the fact that salad is not good, and surely is not a substitute for real food.

Amen.