No obvious differences...........

I love to mow the grass.

Not really the mowing part, but having a reason to abandon this house full of noisy fighting children who talk all.the.time and just go have some me time is what I love. Because I obviously can not pour a glass of chocolate milk, listen to your story, button your pants or google answers to homework while I am outside riding an increadible noisy lawnmower.

And since said mower doesn't require a bunch of mental energy (except the occassional 'oh crap- what was that I just ran over, a tennis ball or sand box shovel') I can steal away and hour or two for myself to, you know, think.

As a mother of small children who is with them 24/7, thoughts are something that rarely get a chance to be encouraged in my brain. It's the reason I do lots of things that make absolutely no sense and can not hold a reasonable adult conversation at all anymore. Because I don't get to think.

Except in the summer.

Not that I'm a better conversationalist then or anything. I basically spend all my time talking to adults wondering why my children are being so quiet and not interupting us 300 times- or telling them not to interupt me 300 times while talking to another adult.

Anyway. Back to my mowing.

One thing that always bothers me- other than trying to figure out how to tell Dan what I hit this time with the mower- is knowing where our yard stops and the neighbors starts.

When I was a kid, we had this concrete tower thing (like 4 inches tall) at the corner of the property so I knew exactly where to stop mowing. We don't have that at our house.

Basically I have to just guess as to when to stop mowing since there is obviously no other indicator as to whose yard is whose. It's a complete toss up. (smile)

P.S. Emily thinks it's sad that we get all the pretty yellow flowers in our yard and none of our neighbors do. Yeah- I bet they are pretty jealous.

And then the world laughed....in my face....and flipped me the bird!

I kid you not- within 3 hours of 'publishing' my last post about how hunky doree this week was going to be- Dan's work called and switched him to the evening/night shift. indefinantly.

How rude.

So now- he has to be at work at 6pm (which means leave for work at 4:45) and gets home at 3:30am (which means sleeps until noon each day).

My world...............totally going to suck this week. And apparently indefinantly.

That brown acronym company just took a big giant dump on my head, people. A big giant brown dump.

Last night, I was trying to keep it together. I was thankful that Dan has a job. A great high paying job that serves us very very well. And I'm grateful that he enjoys doing it. And I like the health insurance. Lets see, what else? That's about it I suppose- good company, good husband, good benefits. Thank you God for providing for us through this job. And thank you God for switching Dan back to his regular shift really quickly? I'm all about that 'your will, not mine, be done' but surely you didn't mean to move Dan to this really crappy shift and wreck my world, right God? Probably just a miscommunication. I'll hang in there until you get the wrinkles ironed out.

I can totally do this. I can. It will be awesome. It will be like I'm a bachelor.............with three kids, one dog, two guinea pigs, a fish and a minivan. A real live bachelor almost. Party on Wayne!

Uh, who am I kidding. I'm more like a single mom now. But without the perks. You know, the perks like getting every other weekend totally to myself and not having to wash stinky man laundry. I'm a married single mom with great health insurance and poop in my hair.

Reasons why this week isn't going to suck

Dan is working his regular shift this week- so although he can't help with the Saturday mayhem which includes the kids sale at church and me (potentially) with 3 kids in tow all day- he will be able to assist with the madness that starts in our schedules around 4:30 every.single.evening this week.

I kid you not- I just got an email adding in TWO more softball practices this week- one tonight and one Thursday night. That's in addition to the ones on Tues, Wed and Friday. Home run dude- we managed to hit one every night. That's in addition to all the 'other' stuff. Like art club, allyson's choir gig, 4-H meetings, pioneer day- throw in another field trip and whammo- you have a margharita!

Tonight I have an air show meeting- which means Dan is flying solo. Ally to practice at 6, emily to girlscouts at 6:30, back to the ball park to pick up ally at 7:30 and then hustle back to the airport to get emily at 7:30 too. I hope he doesn't loose one of our kids, I'm kind of partial to them.

Every night is kind of like that. I'm not kidding. That is why I am just glad that Dan is able to participate this week. Divide and conquer.

As a solution for the future. I'm teaching Allyson to drive. She's like 5 foot tall and kind of responsible, she can swing it. Anyone have a cheap little car for sale? She's going to have to pitch in on some of this running on nights Dan is unavailable.

And about the kid stuff sale (this saturday 9am-noon at church- come shop please-let me know if you want me to email you directions to our church) this weekend. I have basically mountains to climb to get ready for it. But that's okay, because I feel like I'm up for it. Not only do I have to finish getting the details of the plans for the sale done and plan out the booths- I have to personally gather all my stuff to sell for it. Which at this point I might just box up everything in the kids rooms and start fresh. There is so much chaos going on back there that it takes all my strength just to wade through it to kiss them goodnight. So not kidding. If I didn't have to price it all- it might be an option. But because I'm lazy and overcommitted and tired- the kids stuff is safe for yet another week.

In other news- I have been trying to be more active with the kids. I tried to start this back when we still had snow- hence the whole sledding thing. Now that it's getting prettier, we have more time to walk and such. I'm not going crazy- God knows we don't even have time to commit like a whole 20 minutes to exercise or anything outrageous like that- but just a little more here and there.

The dog is complaining- as I usually drag him along with me. I think it hurts his hips. Yeah- I hear ya Lew. However, walking 10 feet and then allowing the dog to rest for a few minutes before walking another 10 feet is probably not good exercise for me. I'm just guessing.

Last night I took the kids to the open swim night at the high school. Sunday nights for two hours you can swim for $1. Dan had his mens thing- so yes I took all 3 kids alone. To a pool that starts at 4foot 9inches. And no one drown. Yeah me. What I did learn though is that a lot of the kids friends (and parents) were there- and I was less than comfortable seeing them seeing me in my swimsuit. But being in the actual pool with my two small guys was probably safer than sitting on the bleachers and reading- so I bit it and got in.

I'm also trying to eat healthier. Nothing too far out there- just small better choices. Like putting tomato on my cheese quesadilla before slathering it in sour cream. And eating a bit more salad- even if I still use full regular wonderful salad dressing. Why- even just last night- I had a sweet tooth. Instead of ripping the head off of one of my children's chocolate bunnies- I showed will power. I instead chose a handful of small chocolate eggs with crispies. RICE crispies. See. It just takes a little bit of better decisions like this and soon the results will be undeniable.

I'm still waiting on those results by the way.

So to wrap up this train wreck of a post that has really no focus or story at all- I don't know why this week isn't going to suck, but it can't suck as bad as last week so that is something to look forward to. Hope yours doesn't suck either.

The first last Sunday after Easter..................

It has been the norm for our family for the past several years that the first Sunday after Easter we attend the kids preschool church. That is always the Sunday that the kids sing during their worship service.

I am on my last baby. Therefore, there will only be one more Sunday after Easter that we burn up the road to fly into that church to watch one of our children 'perform'.

Unless Sam flunks preschool. Which I'm not sure is possible.

Anywho- up to the front of the sanctuary they went. And the music started.And the kids began doing their 'moves' and singing their songs- except for Sam and that boy in the bottom right- for them it was a slow start.

But slowly- Sam kicked it into gear and started showing us about God's power and glory (just for the record- the bottom right corner boy never did move from his original position- in case you were wondering).
And I felt the warm tears filling my eyes and running down my cheeks- because up there on that step is the last of my babies- and he is in fact a biggie boy now. I then I noticed him longingly staring that that beautiful young woman...............for like ever.............and I wanted to jump up on my pew and snap my fingers while screaming what was in my heart "hey, hey, focus boy, get your eyes off that hussy- look at your momma".He must have heard my silent screams- for he then regrouped and finished his performance. And that gold digging cradle robber kept her womanly wiles at bay through the rest of the performance.And then it was over- and he went to watch a movie and color pictures. And the first last time we get to watch one of our preschool children perform with their class was over.And I was a proud momma.

As I type this, I can hear my children outside playing and I am thankful for Spring. But not thankful that I have to work this afternoon. Ick.

oscar the grouch

It is 5:04 pm on a Friday afternoon.................and I am still in my pajamas.

Or I could look at it like I'm already in my pajamas.

But that would be a complete lie.

Yesterday was one of those days- where tears flowed dang near all evening and I apparently just wore myself out.

So other than folding a couple loads of laundry and painting a sign white- I have nothing else to show for this day that is almost over.

Except for the fact that I am feeling a wee bit better emotionally. Maybe curling up in that giant chair and having Sammy fall asleep next to me what exactly the therapy I needed.

I fail at a lot of things. I don't really have many mad skillz to speak of. But the one thing that I so desperately don't want to fail at, I think I am. Parenting. More than that- mothering.

I get over committed, over stressed and over anxious- and then I get all grouchy and mean.

I hate that part of me.

And last night, I lost it with all of my children, and the night ended with all four of us in tears just cuddling in their beds with me telling them how sorry I was for being such a grouchy momma.

So see, I really needed today I suppose. And they probably have enjoyed having not much to do today as well.

I'm feeling far less grouchy now.

Branson..............the duck boat day

While looking through websites prior to our trip, Sam and I stumbled upon something called a duck boat ride. He was sold. I don't know if it was the word duck, or boat, but either way he wanted on that thing.

Upon investigation, we discovered that it was in fact a car and a boat. It would drive around the streets of Branson and give us a little tour of the area and the lakes- and then drive down a ramp really really fast and 'splash' float around on the water.Regardless- Sam was pumped and we checked into it the first day we could. Armed with a fistfull of cash we bought our tickets and were given these handy dandy duck whistle things. Branson was not exactly filled with folks during spring break (bonus- we are not crowd people) but the people who were there were more the MCL crowd- if you catch my drift.
So we were in fact the only children on the entire duck boat ride. And I'm thinking everyone on the boat might have paid the tourguide to save the whistles for the END of the ride- versus prior to boarding. But that is just a hunch.


Once we splashed onto the water- the driver asked if anyone would like to drive the boat. I kid you not- a completely gray haired man jumped up and beat my kids to the driver seat. I was dying laughing- it was awesome!

But once the tourguide booted the old man out of the front- all kid Gobles did in fact get a turn.
Which was also awesome.

They really enjoyed it- and no body hit anything. Bonus.

Part of the tour involved driving way up in the woods- where they had the biggest butterflies I have ever seen!

The ride was more like a show- the Driver was light hearted and hysterical. He popped nice clean jokes the entire time while also pointing out this and that. Even Dan commented about how enjoyable it actually was............ About half way through the ride- I thought to myself 'boy I hope no one has to use the bathroom' and then Sam said 'I have to go potty'. Great. Dan says- hold it bub. Me, being the mom to this frequently peeing child who doesn't speak 'hold it' knew I had to figure something out.

In my purse- a ziplock filled with batteries (I know- what the heck?). Stragegically we tried to pull out his 'thing' and pee into a baggie while not drawing attention to ourselves. We actually did it. Then I only had to worry about getting the urine filled bag out of the boat and into a trashcan without being discovered.

Which actually turned out to not be a problem as the bag apparently had a hole in it and, being the woman that I am, managed to pour it into the lake while on our ride. So then all I had to discard was a wet baggie- which didn't draw any attention to my relief.

It was either that or continue letting it trickle out on our seat.

There are many times in my life I wish I still carried wet wipes in my purse- this was one of them.This child- I tell ya. While tooling along back to the duck boat place- I noticed Sam carefully studying his fingers.........Sometimes I wish I could get into that little blonde head and see what is going on in there.

A really bad metaphor

Sam has attached a pair of handcuffs to one of the kitchen drawers.

The kid has more insight into my life than I do.