I'm not the perfect mom, not that I ever thought I was or anything.........

13 days until school starts. I'm countin' em down people.

In a brief 13 days, there will be a calm quiet overtake our home each afternoon as just Sammy and I will be left here when the two older ones are out gettin' educated. And as hard as I think it is going to be to send ally on her last year of elementary school and emily on her first- the idea of some quiet, non-bickering time is more than I can handle.

13 days folks, 13 days.

Half Way Day!

It's Vacation Bible School week! I can only announce that now that it is officially half way over. I've been worried and nervous about this week for many weeks. It's the first time we've had VBS at our church since before Dan and I joined the church- over 10 years that I know of. In my mind, back in January, I was all "heck, vbs, cakewalk, no big deal" but as the week grew nearer, I began to worry about, well, everything. But with two days down, I can officially say it seems to be going beautifully! All the glory goes to God, this week must have been in his will because he has provided enough hands to work with the children, enough children to keep the hands busy, and materials to teach his word. My station, you ask, is the craft room. I am a sucker for all things glittery and glooey. So far so good. The crafts are simple and plain, but seem to be doing the trick for our 37 small wonders. Here's hoping the rest of the week goes just as well. Although I love VBS- I must say I will be relieved when it is over.

As far as today goes- it's a rainy day that has made my children a bit squirly. I am trying to work up the courage to take them out in public just to get them out of the house- the library maybe, and then to the grocery (yikes!) I'm supposed to go to work today, but there is NO WAY I am taking these three houligans into the office. I am not strong enough for that today.

And here is the surprise for the week- Dan is back on days! Hallelujah! I'm not sure how his schedule keeps getting all flipped around, but I am happy now. It makes it hard for me to try and work- even if it is just 12 hours a week- but who cares. For now, our life is a bit more back to 'normal'. I guess, for us, this is our normal : )

Good Grief Guinea Pigs!

So- as I mentioned earlier, we have another guinea pig now! Emily is holding Giblet, and the new one is in front of Allyson. His name is Chocolate. Why Chocolate for an all white guinea pig? Who knows, Allyson picked it and the other two agreed. Dan and I allowed Allyson to buy another guinea pig because, heck, we already had one and I was already changing the cage and buying the food- why not.

Here's the kicker.

Guinea pigs love companionship, right? That's what the 16 year old at the pet store said (in all fairness, the brochure said it too). Not Giblet. We gave them a week and poor Chocolate has the battle scars to prove it. They fight non stop, just like my children. Except they have sharp teeth and they have bitten and scared each other good. So now it's either find a home for Chocolate (can you hear my children crying?) or get another guinea pig cage. Hysterical.

For now, Chocolate is living in a huge plastic tub. Glamorous I know. We'll figure out some more permanent arrangements soon.

In the meantime, anyone looking for a sweet all white guinea pig??????

Ugg.

Today= Blah

I've cancelled today's post on the account of today being crappy.

I'll be back tomorrow with some witty (or not) non-sense about nothing.

YARD SALE!

One thing that sounds easier than it actually is to do with three children is have a yard sale. So of course we are having one, because there is not enough stress or dismay in my life.

Yea, good times.

A quiet evening...........

The kids played outside all last night until 9:20- when the sun began to set and I declared bath time. They were filthy dirty, so baths were a must.

It was nice to see them and the neighborhood kids just play. They rode bikes, played basketball, and paraded our guinea pigs around. Did I say pig's'? Yes- I haven't posted yet but we have another guinea pig now, his name is Chocolate. I will put some pictures on as soon as my lazy behind gets them off the old camera.

So back to playing. It was a great night here in old Indiana for outdoor playing. I noticed Sammy down the street at the 17 year olds house, sitting and chatting with her. When they returned I was informed that sam is her 'boyfriend'. He looked so giggly.

At one point I heard screaming. I looked up and here came Sam tearing up the road on his tricycle with Emily chasing behind him and screaching. There was no way she was going to catch him, so she was pretty far back. He came flying up the driveway, screeched to a hault and grabbed a guinea pig out of his bicycle basket. Ahhh, it all came into focus. He'd kidnapped one of the pigs. He proceeded to run up the driveway, carrying Chocolate upside down straight out in front of his body. Oh how I wish I would have taken my camera outside, it was hysterical. Needless to say, the pig got restored to it's rightful owner and all was well in our world again. The girls know better than to leave a pig unattended, Sam loves to grab them and put them places.

A little while later, here came Emily with one of the neighborhood girls driving in a two seater jeep. Where on earth are the guinea pigs I asked. They had squeezed them into a small narrow compartment in the back of the jeep, of course, and were taking them for a ride.

I need to take more time to sit in the front yard and watch the kids play. It was refreshing and enjoyable. I just need to focus on how to relax. That is my downfall, I constantly feel like I should be doing something. But just sitting there was nice. And since none of my children are young enough to eat strange things they find in the yard, I can actually sit down now. I have apparently lost my ability to just sit, so I am going to work on that.

Culture

Because I am a mother who believes in introducing my children to the arts, I desperately try to constantly introduce my children to different types of theater, arts and such.

So of course, we spent the evening at the demolition derby! There is nothing like the experience of that culture. Old crunched up cars, men chewing tobacco, t-shirts and whootin and hollarin! I'm a good mother like that, learn from me people.

It was a fun evening and my children seemed to love it. Not only was it loud and destructive, tractors were involved so even Sam was enthralled. Despite the last hour and a half of emily and sam poking and picking on each other, we had a blast and I can't wait to go again next year. Allyson, suprisingly, was the biggest advocate for staying until the end (she was worried it would be boring- ha!) What a loud crazy night, full of mud and noise! Fun I tell ya!

A whole bunch of nothin!

I feel like I should post an update, but I have nothing to report. Nothing exciting going on over here, I tell ya.

Just the same old 'run yourself ragged bologna' that keeps me feeling like I'm loosin' my ever loving mind. We moved kids to a new doctor this week, so we had 3 well checks (which I might add our insurance does not cover- ka ching!), two playdates, work as usual, a committee meeting, run run run run all over the town I tell ya.

And today I am blah. But tonight is demolition derby. Nothing gets my blood pumping like watching grown men tear the crap out of their vehicles. I love it. I'm taking all three kids by myself- I love it that much. Hope they love it too, or this could get ugly.

So that's it- from my world to yours- nothing much.

Obedience...........

After spending the entire day at the dog show, I couldn't help but reflect on what I had witnessed.

These kids spend countless hours training their trusty steeds to walk only on the left side, to sit automatically when their 'master' stops walking, to wait for direction before getting up, to sit and stay even though their trainer has left them, to stay seated before retrieving the dumbell, and to 'finish' by walking a full circle around the child and then sitting down on the left. Some on the leash, some off. Some even participated in the agility section where they had to fully trust their trainer to tell them where to go and when (up ramps, into tunnels, jump over hurdles, etc.).

Meanwhile, I was wrestling three (yes three- the 9 year old was the biggest offender) children in the bleachers who failed to listen to a single command. Climing up and down off the bleachers, playing with trash on the floor, splashing in the puddles from the rain storm, rolling, wiggling, poking, fighting. They were hot, bored and like wild little animals. Not like the animals in the show, they were actually listening to their owners.

Next to me sat a mom with two little ones who didn't move. They just sat and watched. They too were hot and bored, but they sat still and waited for direction from their mom as to when to move.

I couldn't help but reflect on if there was a child obedience show. I would have lost no doubt. I have not much control over my children, which is what gives me hot sweats when we are out in public. My kids seem to be so high energy, they just wiggle non stop. And now there is this thing with Sam hitting people with his shoes- both on and off his feet. It seems to be unbearable to me.

So here is the conclusion that I have come to. I need three choker chains.

Have a great week!

The Great Amazing Dog Show

Well, our first year of dog obedience at the dog show for the county fair is under our belts.

I should interject that it was like 95 degrees in the sheep pins where we were for the day. And humid. Probably made it feel like it was 196 degrees. I'm not exaggerating.

Never the less, it was a good day. Despite the fact that Lew is not obedient. Which became evident in the ring. Poor Ally, she sure tried, and Lew Lew, well, he didn't.

But could part of that been due to the 5 1/2 hours we had been trapped in a sheep pin waiting for our turn? Could be.

Want to know what the folks in the stands do while waiting their turn?

They chew lots of gum..................

They lay down and sing............

And watch intently while they hold their breath, hoping that dog will sit........and stay. Which he didn't.

Allyson was proud, and I was proud of her. She put in the work, week after week at meetings and in the yard and earned her time to show her dog. Even if he is obstinate.

But loved.

Did I mention we were held hostage in a sheep pin for 11 hours? Makes me glad it will be a whole year until we might possibly have to do this again : ) It also gives me a lot of respect for the families that show farm animals and basically camp out for a week. Although fun, it is hot and dirty and cramped and hot. But at least we had somewhere to hang out, otherwise the waiting would have been unbearable.

Should I mention the cinnamon sugar doughnuts and hot buttered corn on the cob we consumed while at the fair? Oh how I love the fair. I'm like templeton the rat man, I love fair food!

Victory is MINE................

The kids are home, which means I must once again nurish them.
And of course what I prepared was 'gross' and they wouldn't eat it.

But I stuck to my guns, and low and behold, Miss Emily finally conceeded.

I win. This time.

Strange noise.............

There is a terrible noise that has overcome my home. A strange, yet sweet, noise. What is that odd noise you ask? Silence. A quiet has overtaken my house, an odd experience that only rears it's head when- you guessed it- the children are absent.

Grandma has taken my children for a few days and has left me in a trail of sticky drips, scattered crumbs, and this wonderful 'quiet' thing. Ahhhhhh.

Needless to say I miss the noise (kind of) and will look forward to it's happy return. But for the next couple of days I am going to embrace it and cherish it for what it is................rare.

On another note- my garden is flourishing. At this rate, I may have to request help when harvest comes. No photos- but I will just tell you. It has some kind of vining something or other my mom planted- gourds I believe, two sunflowers, and 5 tomato plants. Yep- the rest is just grass that I mow down once every couple of weeks. Sad, I know. Perhaps we'll slap in some pumpkins or something for the Fall. But this is all I have managed to muster this year. It saddens me. I really really really want to have a huge well tended garden, but I don't. I just don't have it to give. If anything is going to be well tended this year, it will have to be my house. Which is also not well tended. I must focus. Press on. Dedicate the time. Then my children will return and trash it. Perfection. I love that my children can simulate a tornado in our home at a moments notice. I really do. They are perfect little creatures who accept me, their non-perfect home keeping, non-flourishing garden having, barely able to keep clean clothes in the closets mom.

The love is mutual.

Bouncing Baby Buggies!

They've hatched! Somehow I thought when these tiny bugs produced themselves from their eggs I would become aware as to what they actually are- but that it not the case. They look like tiny dots with 6 little leggs. Best guess, ticks. Yes folks, perhaps I have allowed ticks to grow and procreate on my door. Who knows what they are. And they have all already flown the coop, so I suppose we'll never know. And Sam, being the gentleman that he is, drug a chair to the door, climbed up and scraped off the egg patch. So no excuses now, back to washing windows I go. (Yes- just to confirm- I do think I have lost my ever loving mind- but these little eggs were interesting, you have to admit!)

Happy Fourth of July!

Nothing like a good 'fourth of the july' parade to get you in the mood..................

Baby #4

It's true- I am birthing my next child. At least that's how it feels. I mean, if I had ever felt labor, this is what I assume it would feel like. That's right- my next baby is a big bad kidney stone.

It hit me at midnight Monday, pain.........Pain...........PAIN. I've heard kidney stones hurt, and now I know, that is correct.

I got an all expense paid trip to the ER, a CT scan, and a lot of morphine. Then I got sent home. Perhaps that doctor wasn't aware that my husband works nights, that I have three children, that my home is a wreck, that meals don't prepare themselves, or that bedrest wasn't an option while sucking down prescription pain killers. But my mom did. And my husband did. They both came to my rescue yesterday and allowed me to just sleep all.day.long. Mom came prepared with an overnight bag so that when Dan had to leave, she could take over. And my good friend Julie showed up with a premade meal at my door step. She knew. And another good friend, Ronda, took over for a meeting we were supposed to both be responsible for. She also knew.

I am a blessed woman. Even if I have a nasty kidney stone making it's way through the southern most region of my body. The pain is better, perhaps I passed it???? Who knows. I wanted to make a piece of jewelry out of it, but it may have snuck out without my knowing it. Although I can't say that 'kidney stone' and 'sneak' should EVER be in the same sentence.