3D Movie

We went and saw Bolt in 3D this weekend. Boy, 3D is MUCH better than it used to be. I was a little unsure about it-the last 3D movie we saw was Shark Boy and Lava Girl, quite possibly the WORST kid movie ever-but Bolt was great! It was too much fun to see all of the kids with glasses on, stuffing their faces with popcorn and giggling out loud. The little hamster, Rhino, stole the show. We saved the glasses so that when the movie comes out on video, we will all be able to watch it in 3D again.

On the down side, can you believe that it cost us around $90 for our family to go to the movie and get popcorn and drinks!?! We even went to the matinee and got the "Family Combo" popcorn pack! There was an additional charge for the movie due to the glasses. We didn't know that before we went. Once in Dover with 5 excited kids, we weren't going home until we had seen the movie! Now we know why we usually wait for movies to come out on video. It costs less to buy a DVD as it does for us to go out to the movie-and they get to watch it over and over! Oh well, it was worth it this time to see the kids enjoy the movie. At least it wasn't Shark Boy and Lava Girl (that was a dollar theater experience and we still paid too much!)

Thanksgiving Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving day with visiting family. Gary's parents, sister, her husband and son, Grandpa Dud and my Papa came to have a terrific meal with us. (Quick note: My mom isn't feeling well and didn't make it for more than about half an hour. Please send up a quick prayer on her behalf.) I actually had everything under control (It makes Gary REALLY crazy for me to get stressed out when we are having people over. As a result, I have to be calm, or at least fake being really calm so that he doesn't have to get upset with me.) for the day. The turkey-yes, the fresh turkey was worth it-took just a little longer than expected. (When you combine guests arriving early and the turkey late, well, I did get a little stressed. I don't mind guests arriving early, but I just had everything planned out for the turkey to be done at 1:30. It wasn't done until around 2:00. Not really a big deal to anyone but me!) It was delicious and worth the wait, though. Thankfully, I had a craft for the kids to do and appetizers to munch on while we were waiting for dinner to get ready. For dessert, we had plenty to choose from-cookies, pecan pie, apple pie and chocolate chip pound cake with/without ice cream and whipped cream. I had a special "fun" dessert for the kids. I made brown sugar cutout cookies and gave each kid icing and sprinkles to decorate their own cookies. They loved it! Everyone left the table full and happy. (Actually, I could really just have eaten appetizers and dessert and skipped the main meal all together.) After dinner, we had a great time visiting with Gary's family for the rest of the day. We really don't get together as much as we should! All in all, it was a delightful day. One that we can all be thankful for!

Oh, at bedtime, Claire lost a tooth. When it came out, after she had been tucked in for the night of course, she asked if I would take a picture and include it on the blog. My kids are really getting into the blog thing! So, here is a picture of Claire and her big hole on top!

What a Great Big Brother!

My oldest, Nathan, is growing like a really bad weed! He is tall for his age and loving the "power" it gives him. As mentioned previously, the other children would follow him off the Bay Bridge if he lead them there. (Great, just what he needed, more "power".) They think that he is really close to walking on water. Anyway, every once in a while he uses his new found powers for good. Tonight was one of those times. Check out the pictures of my big boy entertaining "the kids" as he has started calling the others.Then they decided that the tables would be turned. It took all four of the others to (almost) catch Big Nate! Aaaaaah, the fun of a big family!
PS-Yes, that is my evidence of Mt. Never Rest in the background. Please disregard!

Beautiful Flowers from Hubby

Yes, I already posted about my flowers, and really, I'm not bragging (much). There is a story that goes with the flowers. My wonderful Gary sent me not only 1 arrangement, but 2. I didn't get the second until later in the day. However, there was a SNAFU with the "order" of the flowers. Gary ordered the bouquets FTD online and most likely won't do that again.

This morning, the first bouquet was delivered. It was pretty, but really not Thanksgiving-y at all. I wasn't going to complain (he sent them all on his own with no prompting at all from me!), but they didn't look like something he would've chosen. Only later did I find out he DIDN'T. Here's what was delivered:

Again, pretty, but not really a fall arrangement. I found out when talking to him, here's what was ordered:

That's a HUGE difference! Not only that, but I only got one arrangement! He wanted to know where the other one was! (Ok, now picture me thinking, "The OTHER ONE!?! Really, there's ANOTHER one! Wow, he is really on the "Great husband" list today!) Well, I did get another one, from a totally different florist and it is BEAUTIFUL. Here it is:

Anyway, to make a long story short, he called back FTD and, after a long telephone discussion (Gary is NOT a telephone person for those of you that don't know him), we were reimbursed for the first arrangement since we weren't satisfied with it. The florist wouldn't admit they were wrong and deliver the correct flowers. (I was thrilled with the second florist, and would use them again.) I am just wondering if the first florist realizes that they have really screwed me for delivered flowers in the future. They made a wonderful, beautiful gesture into a huge hassle for my husband! (Gary says he doesn't like flower delivery now.) GREAT, thanks, *&#@$&* FTD!!!

Wonderful Hubby!

My husband sent me flowers for Thanksgiving. He was so wonderful to think of and do it all himself! Thanks Honey, you're the best! I thank God for you!

Dancing with the Stars and Crickets? A must read!

The kids and I enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars. The kids only see the first couple dances, but they love them. (Misty May Trainer was their favorite-beach volleyball was really big in our house during the Olympics!-but she was hurt early on.) This season, Brooke Burke has been amazing. She is a wonderful dancer not to mention too beautiful for real life (She really makes the rest of us REAL MOMS look BAD. Come on, who really looks like that after 4 kids! Talk about GREAT genes! I did hear her ex-husband is a plastic surgeon. Maybe he does really good work?). Anyway, we are watching her dance tonight and you could've heard a pin drop. In a room with 3 preteen boys, the scraps of fabric called costumes can make a mom a little nervous. I am sitting there wondering just what kind of double sided tape Brooke uses on her top when Danny looks at me and says...

"Mom, what do crickets eat?"

WHAT!?! Again I say, WHAT!?! Aaaaahhhhh, I don't have nearly as much to worry about as I thought! Thank God for Danny!

Monday Thanks

Ok, yesterday were all the BIG thankfuls. Today, I have some smaller thanks, but still just as heartfelt.

• Modern medicine (granted, not so "small") and the ability to take the children to the pediatrician when needed. Today, I took Kaylyn and Collin to see our doctor for an awful cough that is making them, but more importantly me, crazy. He gave us meds that will soon make the kids better. I guess I'm thankful that we can afford the meds as well.
• A van large enough to get our whole family where we need to go. Yes, my dream is a large Suburban, but until then, I am thankful for our old van-stains and all.
• A washer and dryer that allows me to wash and dry LARGE loads. It sure beats beating clothes on a rock in the river! (I'd really never get through Mt. Never Rest!)
• A puppy that brightens my day. I HATE to be alone. When Mickey died, I was really sad that I would be alone while the kids were at school. No, dogs don't speak English, but they are great company. Gary, who really didn't want another dog especially in a new house, allowed me to get our puppy, Holly. She has a real love of Mt. Never Rest (clean or dirty) and makes it fun to try to keep the laundry put away. (If I don't get it upstairs, she will gladly unload the baskets one item at a time. She'll even play keep away if you are bored!) She is so happy to see me whether it's been 5 minutes or 5 hours apart. While it can sometimes be a pain in the tush to train and keep track of her, her happy spirit totally makes it worth it for me.

I sure hope that you have some "smaller" blessings to thank God for today. Spend a little time thinking about them!

Thanksgiving week

It is the first day of Thanksgiving week. I am going to try to post what I am especially thankful for each day this week.

• I am thankful for a God that sent his Son to Earth. My faith is one that has made me who I am today. God forgives me of all of my shortcomings-and there are many. I can only hope to be a reflection of the goodness He shines on me each and every day.
• I am thankful for 5 extra special children. Each one is a miracle in their own way. By all rights, none of them should be here nor should they be healthy. Each year I am more and more aware of how blessed we are. I had pre-eclampsia (sp?) with Nathan and it was a really touchy delivery. The triplets were high risk all the way around. They were born 8 weeks early yet have NO preemie issues. We were told by the doctors that we would never have 3 healthy children. They were wrong. Claire, the baby, was born with the cord wrapped around her neck. Although the doctor was worried, she was healthy as well.
• I am thankful for a wonderful husband that sees the value in my being at home and being available for the kids at all times. He travels a long way to work so that we can live in an environment that is wonderful for the children to grow up. He shares me with so many and rarely complains.
• I am thankful for a beautiful home in the country that we moved to about a year ago. It is really my dream home. There is enough room for all of us to have enough space that we don't kill each other. My grandfather was a true blessing in helping us afford it.
• I have a super extended family that I am very close to. I don't know anyone that has the kind of relationships with their family that I do. My children are loved above and beyond our wildest dreams. We are really blessed that Grammy and Grandpa Dud live next door and are willing to be daily parts of our lives. The other grandparents, while not as close geographically, love our children more than can ever be expressed. My brother is an amazing man that I know loves me and values me. He is so much more than just a brother, he is my friend as well.
• I am thankful for girlfriends that have seen the value in our friendship no matter how far we are apart. They support me in the down times and celebrate in the up. They allow me to be a part of their lives, even if it is long distance.

Ok, that's the "big" list. As the week continues, I am sure that there will be many other "smaller" everyday things. I hope that you take the time this week to count all you have to be thankful for. It's just that time of year!

I am a Godmother

Today, my brother's baby was christened in the Catholic church. He asked me to be the Godmother. Not being Catholic, I wasn't sure what to expect. I think it means that I get to be a special person in his life. It is a great honor! I am also expected to help with his christian education. Ok, I can do that. He is the most beautiful baby and was WONDERFUL during the ceremony. After the ceremony, we had a delicious dinner at a local restaurant. He made sure that there was pizza on the menu for my kids (they are really picky eaters!). That was really thoughtful of him and I so appreciate it! As we were sitting there, I looked around at all that had come to celebrate this special occasion (one that he really doesn't understand having been raised in a Baptist church) and realized that my brother is a very blessed man. (I am blessed as well, but I have always known that!) He is really surrounded by so many that love and respect him. I hope that he felt loved today. If you are reading this, I love you, Baby! (Yes, my brother is 6'2", 29 years old and a father, but to me, he is still my "Baby"!)

It is Finished

I went to Dover and finished my shopping today. Yes, I did have a Blast! The card works once again, YAY!!!! (I know you were all on the edge of your seat wondering! You can sleep tonight knowing that all is well.)

Before I set off to Dover, I went to the neighbor's farm to pick up our fresh turkey for Thanksgiving. I hope it's as good as expected. Free range, all natural turkey. Can it possibly compete with Butterball? I hope so because free range, all natural, is 3 times the cost of a barn cramped, hormone and preservative filled turkey!! Oh well, I get the added benefit of knowing that my farmer friend appreciates the business. He's so sweet, and I always learn something new about farming from him. You know, in case I ever need to start farming for some reason.

Now I am just really tired and wondering if 4:30 is too early to put all the kids to bed? Hope you had a great day!

Dover Day-Foiled! (a little long, sorry)

Today was a Dover Day. (If you don't know what that means, read previous "Beware I'm Feeling ..." post first.) I actually was ok with that this morning. Since last Dover Day, I have computerized my list. This was Gary's idea: Make a computerized list with everything that I might commonly buy. When it is time to go shopping, check the list and cross out anything I don't need to purchase. This prevents me from forgetting something that I might not put on the list. I have come home without toothpaste, paper plates or toilet paper in the past because I haven't put it on the list. (He often has good ideas about how to organize me. I, on the other hand, resist organization for some unknown reason! One of my many faults!) I also sat down and cut/organized all coupons (a blight on shopping if ever there was one! Just reduce prices and stop making us poor CRAZY people cut out, carry around and remember to hand this tiny scrap of paper to the check out lady to get our 55 cents off-PLEASE!!) before I left this morning. I made my menu, my Thanksgiving menu and a small list for Christmas gifts-trying to spread that out a little-so that I knew just what I needed. I actually felt VERY ready for today's trip.

PFFFFFLT, should've known better! Bylers-no problem, Food Lion-fine except for the one coupon that I had to go back and get my money for at the service desk, Target-ouch, how much? but fine, Pet Smart-TROUBLE!!!!! Yes, Pet Smart was my downfall for today. I only needed dog food (poor Holly didn't even get breakfast this morning-we were OUT). What could be so bad? A computer glitch.

As you can imagine, I don't take cash for all of the shopping I need to do. I would be really scared to loose my purse or something. I use my check card-same as cash you know!-to make most of my purchases. Well, at Pet Smart, there was some computer glitch and it would only pay for $19.64 of my $23.99 purchase. Why? I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!! Thank God that I did have a little cash with me, so I was able to pay (yes, Holly did thank me!) and leave. I, of course, am freaking out. Are we out of money already? Did I really spend THAT much? Has someone stolen my identity (and having more fun than me with it, I'm sure!)? Did Gary call the bank and cut me off? What happened?

The good news: Gary, my hero that didn't cut me off, called the bank and there was some computer glitch that locked me out from using my card anymore today. Somehow there was a hiccup in the connection exactly when my transaction was going through which caused me to be declined for the rest of the amount and any other charges for today. Thank God it should reset for tomorrow.

The bad news: I didn't get to finish shopping today. I get to go back to Dover to finish tomorrow, assuming my card works again.

Oh well, I guess you sometimes have days like that! I'll just have to run to Sonic for a Reeses Blast to ease my day tomorrow.

Middle School Field trip

Cough, cough, cough. Yes, that is me coughing up the money to go on Nathan's field trip. I did, I went, I am home (despite the NASCAR bus driver). I must say that middle school trips are much more relaxed than elementary trips. I wasn't even assigned a group nor did I need to sign in or out! We made it into DC without any problems (again, despite the NASCAR bus driver). The plays were pretty good, although I still don't like Edger Allen Poe-thank God they were 5 short plays, not a whole EAP play. Nathan didn't really enjoy that one either. There was something REALLY wrong with that man-EAP, not Nathan (mental illness to the 1000 degree!). After the play we ate on the bus and went straight to the wax museum. That was cool. It was neat to see just how real the figures look. Did you know that you can touch all of the figures? Really cool pictures to come-like a bonehead I forgot my digital camera and had to buy a disposable one! Nate liked the different "people". He also liked parading around dressed up in Jackie Kennedy's fur coat holding a Jonas Brother's guitar with a Civil War wig on his head-OH YES, therapy is coming just not sure if it's for me or him! It was really great to talk to his teachers and hear the great things they had to say about him. One teacher even wants her kids to be just like Nate if she ever has any! Pretty high praise from a middle school teacher!

A quick shout to Misty for her birthday yesterday and to Tina who's is today. I can only hope that you both had super days. I was thinking about you!

I Have Failed-Again!

I love food. I love cooking. I love to play with food and to make it fun. I love the whole art of making a meal a pleasurable experience. I have taught other women pieces of this art, including table place settings, napkin folding (which I admit I am NOT great at), meal planning, budgeting, cooking and baking. I guess I thought I had taught the children some of these things as well.

Tonight I realized once again (unfortunately it's not the first time!), just how much I have failed to pass things onto the children. It was specifically place settings tonight. We were finishing up a nice dinner (around the table, not sitting in front of the tv, which we do upon occasion) when Collin asks the nightly question, "What's for dessert?" (I usually keep jello, pudding or yogurt in the frig for nights I haven't made a special dessert.) Gary's answer, "Nothing. There is no dessert tonight." GASP, grumpy faces and disbelief all around. Then, after a moment, Collin's reply.

"Well, then what is this spoon at my seat for?" Then Danny joins it, "Yea, why do we need a spoon if we can't use it?"

Great question. Why have a spoon at your seat if there isn't a reason to use it? Just to have more to clean up? Leave it to my kids to point out the silliness of convention!

By the way, after we were done laughing, there was jello for all tonight!

Are You There?

Just wondering if anyone reads this thing. Maybe I've board you all to death? PLEASE, feel free to leave a comment to let me know that you enjoy (or not) our little blog. Our hope is that if we don't get to see/talk to you everyday this keeps you up to date. It also serves as a journal for the kids later-so they can see that we really did have a happy life. Or maybe it can serve as cliff notes for their therapy later in life! Anyway, hope that you are having a great weekend!

My Little Chef

Kaylyn is learning to love to cook. This past summer she took two week long cooking camps at the local community college. One she loved, the other not so much. It had a lot to do with the teacher at camp. (One was a cute, college aged girl working her way through culinary school, one was a grandmother that taught the kids to make vegetables. Which one do you think Kaylyn liked?) Well, earlier this fall (in the midst of soccer season so I'm surprised that I even read it!) we received a flier about some cooking classes that the young chef is doing on Saturday afternoons for Halloween and Christmas. We signed her up much to Kaylyn's delight! She could see Ms. Amanda again and learn some more cooking! Yea! Kaylyn did the Halloween class and came home to make wonderful creations like "green slime"-a punch type drink, "mummies"-a hot dog in crescent rolls, and a wonderful spiced popcorn. (There were others, but these were our favorites.) At the end of class, she had her own cookbook. It's been a lot of fun for her.

Well, today she started her Christmas class. Here are some of the creations from today's class. The mice were adorable and the cookies, although a little brown, were delicious. It is so much fun to see her so proud of her creations. She just can't wait to share them with us when she gets home. I am so proud and excited that she is enjoying an activity on which I spend so much time and energy. Now I just have to learn to give up some control in the kitchen!!! Stay tuned for future Kaylyn Creations!

Common Sense?

We live in an area that doesn't get much snow. We don't get tornadoes. We don't get a lot of hail. What we do get is fog-a lot of fog, especially in the spring and fall. We have the bay and several rivers really close, so there is a lot of moisture in the air. When temperatures change quickly, we get fog. Ok, enough science, but there is a point. This fog creates fog delay for our schools. No problem, after 11 months and one trip to school when there was a delay and I was unaware, I know to check the computer before I wake children on foggy mornings.

Today we had a fog delay. Yea, I get to sleep in and the children do too! Now, here is the crazy part. The kids already had ANOTHER half day today for "professional development". (I swear that they almost NEVER have a full week of school, but that's another blog altogether!) They get out 2 1/2 hours early for half days. Surely, I think, if they go in late, they will not still have early dismissal. WRONG! They went into school 1 1/2 hours late and are coming home 2 1/2 hours early. The kids are in school for 3 hours today. WHY ARE THEY GOING TO SCHOOL TODAY? Really, how much can a teacher get done on a day like this? More than that, how can this day count as a full day? Is this really cost effective? Bus drivers have to drop off kids only to turn around and pick them back up right away! What do working (outside of the home-all of us work inside the home) parents do on days like these? Does this make sense to anyone? Where is the common sense of those in charge of the school system? I think someone has lost the big picture here! This has to be a huge cosmic joke!

Collin's Pockets

Tonight at dinner, Collin was playing with a large metal washer. We took it from him, of course-we're trying to eat you know! (This is the same washer that he and Danny were tossing back and forth at the orthodontist today. He got in trouble with it once already-you'd think he would really want to hide it!) Not even a minute later, he's playing with a penny. We took that too. The next thing you know, he's got an eraser! Where did he get this stuff? His pocket. Here are the contents of Collin's pocket at dinner this evening.

Yes, that is an ENTIRE deck of cards. Can you imagine just how much fun it would've been for Collin to take them out one at a time at dinner? Or just how much fun it would have been to take them away one at a time at dinner? How can my boy have so much junk in one pocket? I see a junk yard in Collin's future! Ahhh, the dream every momma has for her son! The funniest part is that he wanted the junk back before he went up to get ready for bed! You know that it will only get him in trouble later.

To Field Trip or Not to Field Trip

Nathan has a field trip to DC next week to see several short plays at George Washington University and then onto the new wax museum. (This sounds like a cool trip to me!) We got the permission slip over a month ago and I thought that I had signed up to chaperon. This was a HUGE "discussion" in our house because Kaylyn, Danny and Collin came home with field trip slips the same week (to Annapolis) and Claire came home with one the next week (to the Baltimore Science Center). Between all of the field trip fees for the kids and for chaperons it was over $250 in two weeks. Gary, who is usually supportive of the kids activities, had a problem with the cost of all of the trips (understandably). I, as usual, took it all in stride as in "well, kids cost a lot and they HAVE to go on the trip". Anyway-I am off track-I THOUGHT that I had signed up to go on Nate's trip. I THOUGHT I had sent in my payment. Well, yesterday, I got a call from one of Nate's teachers asking me if I wanted to go on the trip-they now had space available if I did. If I do, please send in a check for $40.00 to cover my cost. WHAT!?! I had that on my calender already! I had already fought with Nathan over going (he wants his independence and WHY do I have to go on all of the trips?)! I THOUGHT THE FIELD TRIP DILEMMA WAS OVER-at least until spring trips!!!! Worse yet, Gary overheard the message. Great, now we have to "discuss" this all over again! Surely there is a mistake. I DON'T want to revisit this "discussion"! Picture me scurrying over to the checkbook ledgers sure that I had already paid for this #*!#&# trip! NOPE! I sent in money for Nathan, but I guess not me-my "we'll decide later" compromise. Now, do I go or do I stay? Do I let Nathan, my wonderful first born child in sixth grade, go on the trip over the Bay Bridge into the PIT known as Washington DC without me (under supervision of wonderful teachers and other parents, I'm sure, but come on! I go on all of the trips! I watch over my kid WAY better than anyone else!) or do I cough up another $40 for a field trip that Nathan's going to ignore me on anyway? Do I take a day that I could be doing other things (picture Mt. Never Rest or 4 dirty bathrooms) and sit on a diesel fuel fumed bus crammed full of hormonal sixth graders? Do I REALLY have to talk to Gary about this AGAIN? Am I a really good momma and go even though Nathan said, "whatever you want Momma-I don't care". Good Grief, WHAT do I do?

Veteran's Day

Today the elementary school had a Veteran's Day assembly. Gary was off and we were able to go and see the kids' assembly. There were about 15 veterans from the community (parents, grandparents, etc.) in attendance. It was so wonderful to see a room full of children that have been taught the importance of this day. Each grade did a different thing to honor the vets. Fourth grade read patriotic poems and Kaylyn was asked to read one that another girl held up for her. First grade sang "Your a Grand Old Flag". It was really neat to see those that have fought for our country being honored.

Too Sweet

On Mondays I try to visit Claire's class and help fill Monday folders. I try to be invisible, but enjoy watching the kids in the classroom. Today, the kids were a little excited because they were practicing their part in the Veteran's Day assembly for tomorrow. Like most classrooms, the teacher has a system to warn children about their unacceptable behavior. Claire's class has a traffic light-everyone had a clothespin with their name that starts on green, moves to yellow for a warning, and the dreaded RED for really bad days. (Ok, if you have a kid in school, your kid has a similar thing in their classroom, I promise.) Well, today, there were several children that had to "MOVE THEIR CLIP". (insert gasp here!) No problem, good classroom management I thought. As Claire gets in line to go to practice, she makes a detour over to where I am. I get a super hug, and then Claire whispers, "Momma, I am so sorry that so many kids had to move their clip. I'm kinda embarrassed about that." How SWEET is that? She didn't have to move her clip! As if she could control the other kids actions! I am so amazed at her sweetness. I don't know anyone more blessed than I am!

Easy Days

Thank God for easy, lazy days. We went to church this morning, came home and did NOTHING today. I am a true believer that we need to take some "time out" and recharge. Often Sundays are our days to do that-not all Sundays, but as many as possible. It is amazing just how much smoother our weeks go when we have a true restful Sunday. So....I hope that when your days are crazy and you feel like someone has turned your personal or family treadmill up too high, call a family time out. Veg watching football, read a good book, take a snuggly nap (or do it all!) and watch your week smooth out! It works at Robin's Nest!

What Happens...

...when you you don't allow boys to watch tv, play computer games or the PS2? They become creative! We hadn't heard from Collin and Danny for a while. This is what I found when I responded to, "Momma, come quick!"...

(Click on photo to enlarge pictures)

Fear not, no children were harmed in this little activity and Collin escaped without a scratch!

Rainy Saturdays

It's a rainy Saturday. Soccer season is over. I don't have to stand out in the rain screaming like a crazy woman. There is an unread book next to my warm, snuggly bed. I am one happy woman!

Of course there is that unresolved little Mt. Never Rest, but it'll wait!

Posters on the Wall

Back in 80's I LOVED the movie The Outsiders-don't watch it now, it's awful-but in the 80's when I was 14/15 it was WONDERFUL. It had all of the Brat Pack guys in it (Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio and Diane Lane). As a result, all of the teen mags had posters of them. My VERY patient mom allowed me to put them up all over my walls even though she had decorated my room as cute as could be.

Today's equivalent is High School Musical (1, 2 and 3). My kids love HSM. There are MANY magazines about HSM, the actors in HSM, and the other teen actors in the Disney franchise. We have a few. Well, today-while I was doing laundry-the girls tore out all of the posters and taped them to their walls-even though their momma tried to decorate their room as cute as could be! They have to be too young for this! Oh well, what goes around comes around!

The Joy of Laundry

I promised a post about laundry for yesterday, but I didn't get to all of the laundry yesterday. Between the conferences, running into town for prescriptions, making little pudding and jello snacks (TIP: they are much cheaper to make in large batches and put in little Rubbermaid cups than to buy them in little cups already made! Great snacks for the "I'm hungry kids"!), lunch, dinner and dishes, I only managed to wash and dry 3 loads. Today, I have done 5 loads-done means washed, dried and PUT AWAY that's the key-and have about 4-5 more to do. These loads include clothes, my sheets, all towels, but not the kids sheets. That's for another day. Why is it that no matter how many loads I do, the laundry-or Mt. Never Rest as it's called in our house-is NEVER DONE? Not only that, but when I do the all the laundry, I don't get to leave the house! Then there is the vacuuming in between loads. The fun never ends! Gee, I wonder just what I do with all of my time?

PS-The kids are home today (again for another conference day), making the little task of Mt. Never Rest just that much more challenging. Actually they are great to haul loads up and down the stairs and to put their piles of clean things away. It's just not their choice of fun for their day off.

Conferences

I just came back from elementary school conferences. As it turns out, I have 4 wonderful, kind, above average kids (the 5th is in middle school and doesn't get conferences unless he has been BAD). Who knew? Actually, I did. These conferences are funny because there is nothing shared that I didn't already know. It is nice to get the affirmation and know that others see it too.

Here is the funny thing. The teachers had to keep note as to whether Mom, Dad or Mom and Dad showed up. They had a tally sheet to keep track of such a thing! Why would they possibly need to keep track of that? Does that mean if Dad didn't take off work he doesn't care about his kids? Does it mean that if both show up you're overprotective-helicopter parents hovering too much over your kid? What if for some reason you couldn't make the conference-do you not love your kid? I mean really, what is the reason for tracking such a thing?

Another crazy thing! I had to sign a paper stating that I would be aware of the kids attendance-making sure they were in school when school was open, make sure that they did their homework, look over their graded classwork, and read all papers that came home-I call that being a PARENT. The teacher signed a part stating that she would TEACH the children and the kids had to sign a part stating they would do their best to LEARN. Now I ask you, was this really necessary? What kind of a world is it that you have to sign a paper stating that you will fulfill your responsibility as a parent, teacher and student?

GOOD GRIEF, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

The Hubby Saves the Day

My wonderful husband, knowing that it was a Dover Day called on the way home and let me know that he was bringing pizza home. What a WONDERFUL man! That's HUGE points for him! Love ya, Honey.

Beware, I'm feeling...

...a little mean today. That means that if you are easily offended, you might want to skip today's post. Today was a "Dover Day". That means nothing to you, so I will fill you in. Since we have moved to the country we have no stores close by. The closest grocery is about 12-15 minutes away. Not a problem unless you are used to visiting the grocery 2-3 times a day before you moved. This has been a life altering situation for me. I am not naturally organized (Sadly, Dad didn't pass that little trait onto me. He is amazingly organized as is his wife! Not fair that there are two of them in one relationship, but I digress.) thus it has been a challenge to be so far away from "civilization". I, over the past 11 months, have gotten much better at making lists and trying to go all of the stores in Dover (the closest "city") once a pay-every other week. There is quite a list of stores (Bylers, Food Lion, Target, Pet Smart, Sam's Club, Wonder Bread Outlet and the Amish farm for eggs each week. Throw in Michael's, Lowes, etc. on any given trip and it is a long day!) since I am trying to save money where I can. Now, this seems on the surface to be an efficient way to do things-and it is! I save on gas, time and money (I am not in stores as often so it cuts down on impulse buys and now I use a list-one I don't loose!).

However, about half way through my Dover Day-it was raining and I think it rubbed off on me-I got to thinking about those wonderful, well meaning people that have said to me, "Robin, now that all of the kids are in school, what do you do with all of your time?" I want to respond with, "Well, didn't you know that I am now President of Bon Bon of the Month Club? Would you like to join?" I TOLD you I was feeling mean! Since my first thoughts are not appropriate, I am always stumped as to what to say. I decided to blog some of my daily activities. Lord HELP the next sweet, unsuspecting person that asks me what I do with my time!

Once I get home I have to unpack the car and put all of the things away! Here is the kitchen when all bags have been unpacked. Yes, all three cooler bags are full of cold/frozen food. That means I have to find room in the frig/freezer. Oh, the excitement!

Tomorrow, the joys of laundry!

Haircuts for Boys 2

BEFORE:

We did it! I am shocked at how Nathan asked to have his hair cut. Guess I didn't need to say anything! Now I'm not sure that I like their hair short. I really got used to them with longer hair. GRRRRRRR, I'm never happy!

AFTER:

Haircuts for Boys

Well, we are off to get haircuts for the boys. In a normal life, this wouldn't be something to warrant a post, but in OUR lives, haircuts have become a source of much debate. Nathan's hair is, arguably, much too long. It has also become very much a defining feature for my 11 1/2 year old son. He has to shower every morning so his hair looks "good". When we are out, I often hear, "How does my hair look, Mom?". Usually my answer to him is "Fine, Honey" while in my head a little voice screams "TOO LONG! I want to SEE your face!". Of course, being younger brothers that would follow Nathan off the Bay Bridge, Collin and Danny want hair just like Nate's. The problem is that their hair is a totally different texture and never gets longer-theirs gets BIGGER (picture two identical adorable boys with Q-tips on the top of their heads. Yep, that's Danny and Collin)! I guess I have determined that this isn't an issue I am willing to live and die on. Thus, we are going to see the woman that cuts MY hair so that my BOYS can have their hair not just cut, but styled (The last time they went to the barber with Dad like normal boys, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when the boys came home. NOT WORTH IT!!)! Good grief, what kinda boys are these? The real problem is that I am jealous because it's been MONTHS since I've had my hair cut. Maybe I can make an appointment while I'm there. I'll keep you posted.

It Never Fails

Oh my, it never fails. I made plans to go to lunch with a friend that has also moved to the eastern shore (she is south, I am north and we were going to meet in the middle) today. MISTAKE!!! I should know better, but I haven't been out much since we moved, so I was really looking forward to it. Why was it a mistake you ask? Because whenever I make plans, it NEVER FAILS that one of the children get sick! Poor Collin woke up this morning with a tummy ache. Collin's not a complainer, so I was pretty sure that he was sick. Sure enough, we now have "the throw ups" in our home. This is bad news on so many different levels! The first (and arguably the most selfish), I don't get to go to lunch. The second (and should probably be the first!), Collin feels all around yucky. The third (and the most scary), Collin spent the evening at Grammy's last night and could've exposed Grammy, Grandpa Dud and Papa to the stomach flu. The fourth (and really the worst in my world), the stomach flu tends to enter and STAY at our house. Seven people exposed to "the throw ups" is a nightmare for any sane person! One year it stayed for over a month as it made it's way through everyone one at a time; another year it hit all of us at once. I can't really say which is worse-they were both REALLY awful. Please, pray for us!

You don't see this in Reisterstown!

The other morning, while the kids were getting ready for school, I heard a bunch of excited chatter, followed by, "Momma, Momma, MOM, come quick!". In general, this is enough to send any smart mom flying in the direction of the call. Of course, I came running with an overload of adrenaline rushing through my veins ready to do battle, settle a skirmish, administer first aid, or clean up the worst mess imaginable. Thankfully none of those responses were needed as all of my kids were all plastered against the back windows. What could they possibly be so excited about?

There were 32 VERY large wild birds grazing in our back yard (the kids think they were turkeys, but I have NO idea). I am so thankful that my children are able to grow up where they are exposed to so many different wild animals! Not only that, they are still excited by such a thing! Last year we had "snow geese" come by the thousands! I so hope they come again this year so I can share them with you. They were just amazing-they looked like a white tornado coming in for a landing! At this time of year all you hear outside are the migrating birds. It's amazing! We are just so blessed!

The End of our Soccer Season

Well, it has come to an end. Our crazy soccer season is now over with a sad tournament day. We have been SUPER crazy since the end of August with soccer 5-6 days a week. I feel like we haven't done anything but soccer, but now, I fear I might miss it a little.

Our day started with Collin and Danny's team that Gary coaches. They have had a tough year with no offensive players. When Gary moved Collin and Danny up on offense we were missing a defense and the other team would score. Poor Gary has lost his voice more than once trying to get the kids to do in the game what they have worked on in practice. It was great for Collin and Danny to be the MVPs and the team ended up seeded 5th. They just didn't have it today. There's always next year!

Then we moved to Claire's team. Oh, what a mess this team was. I will just say, 5-6 year olds have to REALLY want to play in order to have a successful team. That being said, Claire and about 2 other kids really wanted to play. When you combine that with a head coach that didn't know a thing about soccer, really didn't want to practice, and had a daughter that hated playing, well, they didn't win a game all season. Claire and her buddies, Ben and Savannah, really tried, but just couldn't overcome the odds. Oh well, I just hope she wants to try again next year.

Our final hope for the day was Nate's team. His team was seeded 2nd so we expected they might win today. He has improved so much this year and we're really proud of him. Unfortunately he wasn't feeling great (an upset tummy from too much popcorn and s'mores maybe?) and had sore knees (a problem that has come up several times this season-maybe from growing so much this last year?). I knew we were in trouble when he was raising his hand to come out after about 10 minutes. He was in and out for the first half but played goalie the second half (I HATE when he plays goal!). Well, it was close until the end of the second half. They lost. Bummer. He now want to play basketball, Lord help me!

All in all, I am glad to get our family time back, but I think I will be ready to pull out the cleats, shin guards and soccer balls by next August!