Such Confidence

I just have to laugh at the confidence my children display sometimes. This time I am talking about my oldest son Z. Maybe it's because he is the oldest that he is so confident or maybe it's just his personality. But confidence he has in abundance and I hope he never loses it.

This week at his school they are taking the TAKS test. That is the state wide test that rates the schools and such. Z. has three tests this week. Yesterday was his first day of testing. He had to take the math test. Now he is usually pretty good in math so I don't doubt that he did well on the test.

When he came home from school yesterday I asked him how his test went. His response was fast and he informed me that "He aced the test and got a 100". I chuckled and asked him how he could be sure that he didn't miss even one question. He responded that when he double checked all his answers he always came up with the same answers so obviously none of them were wrong. Oh such confidence.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that there was still a chance that he didn't score a perfect 100. There will be plenty of time to burst his bubble with reality later. In the meantime, I hope his confidence and correct answers will carry him through the rest of the tests this week.

Three

Three, that is the number of times in the last week and a half that we have seen a snake in our back yard. Three is also the number of dead snakes in our backyard. Sorry, I'm not the granola type, if there is a snake in my yard then it will be killed. Especially if the last snake last night decided to sun itself on my back porch. So now we have examined the body of these headless creatures and surfed the Internet for pictures of snakes and we have come to the conclusion that we are being visited by one of these two types of snakes. It is either a water moccasin like we originally thought or it is a harmless garter snake who has had the misfortune of slithering into our yard. The problem is that since Hubs is chopping off the heads of these snakes I am unable to get a good look at the heads to determine if it truly is a water moccasin. So until I can determine for sure what the heads look like then I have to assume that they aren't garter snakes. So if any of you know what a baby water moccasin would look like without a head and can positively identify one then please let me know how to do it. Because I am sick of snakes in the back yard. Hubs is sick of mowing the grass every three days to keep it short so the snakes won't like it and I am sick of being told that I need a cat to keep the snakes away. Like I really need any more creatures or children to tend to right now. I don't think so. What I do need is to go and buy about a million bags of snake away and spread it around the house and yard.

7 Random things about me

I saw Lauren did this over at Baseball & Bows and since by doing this, it saves me from thinking of something new to write about I decided to do it. Not to mention it's always fun to share some of my strange quirks with ya'll.

1. I prefer to drink my coffee from one particular cup. If by chance I can't because my dad is in town and he always grabs my preferred cup than I have a second favorite cup. If that one is gone than no matter how much I try, my coffee experience is just not the same that morning.

2. I get completely crazy and anal and run around like a crazy woman if the toilet paper is not in the right direction for me. (the paper must come over the top for me to stay sane)

3. I can not do puzzles to save my life. Even some of the kids puzzles can be a bit challenging for me. Hubs family loves puzzles so I'm always odd man out when we go to his house and they all sit around putting those little pieces together. (Really, I don't understand the point of it... your just going to destroy it after your done)

4. I'm the worst person in the world about getting cards, presents, etc. into the mail on time for a birthday or holiday. I think my family has gotten used to my lateness and hopefully they don't take it personally. In return, I never expect a card or present to arrive for me until at least a week after the event.

5. When I park the car, the steering wheel must always be in a straightened out position. It makes it easier for me to back out next time I get in the car. Hubs will always tend to turn the wheel one direction or another when he parks so that I have very nearly taken out the garage door a time or two.

6. I am the worst morning mom you have probably ever met. I don't cook real breakfasts for the kids until after I have had two cups of coffee and even then it usually only happens on the weekends. During the week, my kids live off of cereal,waffles, bagels and cereal bars.

7. I love Snickers candy bars. If my kids ever get them for Halloween or in party goody bags then I will almost always eat them.

So there you have some more of my weird issues out there for all the world to see. If you decide to share some things about you, then let me know so I won't feel all alone.

Beware the Dead Battery

Normally I am very anal about charging my cell phone. But the last few days I haven't been able to find my phone charger so I haven't charged it. Today I started to get those little annoying beeps, you know the ones. They remind you about every ten seconds that your phone is about to die. It's so annoying that by the time the phone does die your actually quite happy about it. Because that means that those annoying little beeps finally stop.

This morning I knew I had two missed calls from my mom on my phone. I just kept thinking I'll call her right back. But then I had to run out and do some errands and grocery shopping. And the car is where I do most of my talking it seems. By the time I was in the frozen food section at the store my phone was on it's last beep. It's then that it somehow dredged up enough energy to ring again. And yes it was mom, again. I knew this without even taking the phone out of my purse. I'm physic like that (if it's an inconvenient time to answer the phone, it's guaranteed to be mom). So naturally I didn't answer it. That would have meant that I would have had to stop pushing the shopping cart and thus giving my kids an escape route from the big three seater basket I was pushing around for my cardio workout this morning. I also knew that the second I answered it, the phone would die... so why bother. I'll call her back when I get home I thought.

Now for most moms, they would just leave a message and not worry to much if the didn't get a call back right away. But I never said my mom was like most moms, did I? No, I was able to get home and finally locate the phone charger. All the while knowing the next call wasn't far off. And I was right. The phone rings and it's mom and she is very agitated and worried. What's wrong, where have you been, I couldn't reach you at all. So I explained about the battery and she finally settled down.

I guess I need to keep my battery charged from now on. If for no other reason than to save me from the six missed calls in less than four hours and the grief I get afterward from it.

Flowers Sheds and Snakes...Oh My

We have been busy the past few days. We now have lots of flowers planted in the front flowerbed. Hubs is putting the finishing touches on the shed as I type. And we have discovered that being this close to the lake means the snakes like to visit our yard. So far I haven't actually seen them, only Hubs. I'm not sure if it's just the harmless garden snake or not. I know that they had problems last summer with water moccasins so I hope it's not them slithering in my yard. Should be interesting if the dog finds one, she plays with anything that moves and would just love to have a snake I'm sure. As for me, I would just as soon figure out a way to keep them out of the backyard.

Not a Ligustrum Lover

What's a Ligustrum. It's a very cheap and inexpensive evergreen shrub/tree that the builders like to use. So they planted six of these things in front of my dining room windows. I don't care much for them. They have absolutely no shape to them until they get really big. And by really big I mean over twenty feet+ tall. You can keep them as a shrub if your willing to trim them about every ten days or so (yes that is a slight exaggeration) but they are really way to much work for what you get. So as you can see they are terrible to plant in front of any window, let alone mine and then you have six of them on top of that. So I decided that today was the day to dig them up. I went ahead and bought some dwarf holly bushes and some miniature rose bushes to plant there instead. Both are nice and poky for being in front of the window area. And when they are full size, they will never grow so tall as to obscure my view. So here is my before picture.

See how ugly they are, they just do nothing for me.


Now here they are lying in the back yard until I decide if I'm going to get rid of them or let Hubs do it. I'm leaning toward letting Hubs do it since technically I did the hard part of digging them up.


R.I.P. Ligustrums I'm sorry you weren't appreciated by your owners as you deserved to be.

The one thing I definitely found out while I was digging these suckers up and then replanting the Holly and Rose bushes is that my front flower bed is nothing but clay. I went through close to fifty pounds of potting soil just getting these things in the ground and giving them half a chance at survival. Well OK, maybe not fifty pounds but close enough.

So that now has me rethinking all my flower planting plans. Because anything I do in that flower bed is going to involve clay and lots of it. Which means lots more potting soil and lots more work on my part. And I hate to admit it, but I'm a lazy gardener. I don't like having to dig out huge globs of clay and over sized rocks from the flowerbeds. That's to much like manual labor for me. Wait that is manual labor, see this is a total contrast to my lazy gardener approach I try to follow. So now I'm back to the proverbial drawing board while I decide what else to plant. I'm leaning more and more to perennials with just a few annuals now that I know how much clay there is. I'll keep you posted since I'm sure your all dying to know all about this. Then again, maybe I'll just take up container gardening...it's sounding better and better by the minute.

Random bits and things.

It's seems like there are so many things taking up the hours of my days lately. Not just the kids but all the running around. Then I still have to do all the laundry that never seems to end and let's not forget about those dishes. I can't bear to think about them.

I have had these last four boxes just sitting in my dining room. I intentionally left them there because I knew they would drive me crazy looking at them until they were unpacked. Instead, they seem to have became part of the furniture in the room. They don't exactly match my formal dining room or my china and crystal ware, but still they remained. So I finally opened them up to unpack them and was able to get throughtwo of them without a problem. It's those last two that are still sitting there that I don't know what to do with. It's funny how I just don't have the right place to put these items. They are more of decorations than anything else but I still can't find the right place. So still they sit in my dining room.

The same thing seems to be happening with all the window treatments. They have sat in the office waiting to be hung for two months now. And finally today I washed them and ironed them and got ready to hang them. It's then that I realized the new windows are much to big for the old treatments. So that means I must now go shopping for new ones. Not really a big deal for the boys room but the girls rooms had some really cute ones that I'm hoping to find extra off. But in the meantime they will just have to go without for a while longer. I don't think they really noticed at all so it's not to much of a big deal.

And I must also admit that I've been spending a bit more time reading than blogging lately. But I can't really feel to bad for that. I feel like it's been ages since I had time to read and am enjoying it. So that's where I've been for the last few days. Nothing big or fun or important going on that's even all that exciting or worth mentioning. So that makes it a bit harder for me to come up with anything worthwhile to write about.

Photo Hunters

This weeks theme is twisted and I immedietely thought of this picture. I took it a few months back while the kids and I were out for a walk. It shows the tree trunks of two trees that have twisted around each other. My kids thought it was the "most coolest thing ever". And while I don't know if it really is that, I did find it pretty neat.




So there's my take on this weeks theme. For other views on this week's theme visit TNCHICK.com or PhotoHunt

Never To Big

Just when I think things are settling down a bit with the kids, we enter a new phase. Right now, Z. is the one that is going through his phase. He has a bit of a sassy mouth. Add to the sass a bit of tone and you are guaranteed to sound like my oldest. We have talked until we are blue in the face to him about his sass but it just doesn't seem to be making much of an impression. He is nine, almost ten and I know he is testing his limits. But this mom is ready for him to be done with this phase. Now we have Hoss, who thinks his big brother walks on water, doing the same thing just so he can be like his big brother. The other day, when I had heard enough out of the both of them, I layed down the law. Talk nicely or else I would start treating them to soap in the mouth. (I'm a mean mean mom, I know) For whatever reason, they didn't seem to believe me.

And sure enough in less than ten minutes time Z. had opened his sassy mouth again. He really tried to argue his way out of punishment. But when I told him he had a choice of opening up and taking it like the sailor man he sounds like or else having a double treatment, he for once clammed up and took his punishment. And boy was he ever mad. I mean, I was laughing so hard my sides hurt he was that mad. Naturally, Hoss soon had to follow his brother's lead and ended up in the same predicament. Only he didn't argue like his brother.

Once both boys were allowed out of their rooms Z. came storming down the stairs. (He does hold a grudge...hmmm I wonder where he got that from...) He came over and found the label for the soap and began to read. He obviously found what he was looking for since he brought it over to me and said here mom read this warning label it said, "Keep out of reach of children". And then began to tell me how dangerous it is for me to do this, I might cause permanent damage. I then told him to keep on reading where it says "if swallowed drink a glass of water" and pointed out that if he swallowed it then he could just have some water and not to worry about permanent damage since it leaves a nice fresh scent. The only thing I could think of was the movie "A Christmas Story" where Ralphie had gone blind after having his mouth washed out with soap. So I warned him that if he keeps it up I will just have to get the lye soap that may cause blindness next time he sasses me. (I still don't know if he believes me or not) But he stopped his arguing and I have seen a huge improvement the last few days. And for whatever reason both boys are getting along much better now that they have both suffered the soap treatment. They just look at each other and say, you don't want the soap it's the worst thing ever. As for me, I also have this terrible urge to watch "A Christmas Story" now, and I still can't help but laugh at the image of Ralphie (or Z.) becoming blind at what their mean moms did to them.

Two of a Kind

I know I promised pictures of A. and they are of course a day late. It is well worth the wait however, in my opinion anyways, and since I am her mama and this is my blog then it's settled and we all agree and I can continue on. (You can now catch your breath after that long run on sentence)

A. really enjoyed herself and her presents. I must admit to not being very sneaky when buying her presents this year. I figured she probably wouldn't remember and would still be surprised when she opened them. But I was wrong. She apparently has the memory of an elephant and did remember. She found one of her presents which had all her new beads and necklaces and before we were ready she had opened it up and was wearing them. But since it was her birthday and unless it's serious you never get into big trouble on your birthday (at least in our house) she just kept on wearing them and was completely ready for Mardi Gras just in case it should make a surprise appearance on the calender. (Wow, another run on) She got lots of pretty dress up things and a very pretty doll from her Grandmama. When she's wearing her dress she looks a bit like her doll so it's two of kind in the princess department. Now she has something to wear when big sister is playing dress up. She doesn't know it's just a nightgown and I'm not going to tell her. She can figure that out some other time. Then she proceeded to try and blow out her candle and lick as much icing off her pink cake as she could. She did have a bit of help in that department with the rest of the kids. I think I now have a big cake with all the icing licked off and nothing but white cake left. For most moms, this would mean throw the cake out but I know my kids and they will eventually want some cake even without icing and so it still remains in our kitchen.

Anyways that's how her day went and she loved every minute of it.

Turnin' Two Today

Today my baby turns two. We're planning on having a small family celebration this evening so I will post some pictures of Baby A. in the morning. Can I still call her Baby A if she is now two...I think so, since she is technically still my baby. I'm off to make a pink cake for my little princess.

Feeling the Love

There are many times where I feel like no one even realizes what it is that I do everyday. And that if I stopped doing it, no one would miss it all that much. Let's face it, children are very demanding and not good at thanking us for all that we do for them. They just expect clean clothes to be in their drawers and food to be in the pantry. Well at least mine do. They take everything they have for granted including us moms. So there are some days when I just feel a bit drained by all the requests that seem to be never ending. But then every now and then, one of them will surprise you with something and suddenly your lifted back up and all is right with the world.

When my oldest was gone for Spring Break he went out to a ceramic shop and made something. I knew he had gone and had fun but just assumed he had made something cool for him like he had done the time before. Well, he hadn't, instead he made something for me. I don't know what made him decide to do this. It's not my birthday or Mother's Day or anything like that. I guess I will just assume that he was missing me a bit that day and if I'm wrong then please don't tell me. So after he returned home he came downstairs and said "Mom, I've got something for you". I just assumed it was trash or laundry and was completely surprised when he handed me a bag. Inside was this lovely vase he had picked out and painted for me. It has flowers all around it and says MOM with little hearts next to it. I immediately grabbed him and gave him a big hug and put it where I will see it everyday. It's there to remind me how much my children do love me, even if they aren't always bearing gifts to show it. I love my new vase!


And I know it's sideways but for whatever reason I am having a hard time fixing that right now so just tilt your head a bit and you'll see it.

Lapsing in my duty

I've been informed that I've been a bad blogger. I've not been posting everyday and sometimes not even every other day. I will try to do better, truly I will. It just seems like my computer time has gone completely by the wayside lately (but I have read a few books that I wanted to so I can't complain to much). So for those of you who want to know what is going on to make my blogging so erratic lately, just pick up the phone and call me. In the background you will probably here at least one (maybe two or three) of my children immediately start to scream and clamour for something or another. I will of course still try to talk to you on the phone because you most likely will be an adult and that would mean that I could use big words while I talk to you and I always enjoy using big words these days. But it will be difficult for an extended conversation with out any interruptions. That's just like here at the Juice Box household. Noisy and chaotic with a touch of lunacy. It's how mom gets through the day.

Opening Day

Today is opening day for our family. Tonight Z. has his first baseball game. Hoss has his first game on Saturday. We always have fun watching the boys play but we are pretty excited about tonight. It will be the first time Z. will be pitching. He'll still play his other positions during other innings (usually 1st and 3rd) but since we haven't seen him pitch in a game before, it should be fun.

Hoss is very excited for all of us to be at his first big T ball game on Saturday. I think he's more excited to have big brother there to cheer for him for a change. He hits pretty good and doesn't need the tee stand most times. Unfortunately his catching and throwing skills need a lot and I do mean a lot of work. He's getting there though. But it's to much fun to watch him and the other little boys playing. Definitely not nearly as serious a game as the bigger boys have.

Fenced in Again

When we bought this house, for some reason it didn't have a fence. The builder is one of the few in our area that doesn't include it. So we knew we would have an added expense of getting a fence put up. Well we have been moved in for over a month now. I have jumped through all the hoops that this ridiculous HOA required and we are now in the process of having our fence put up. I can't tell you how excited I am to be fenced in again. I will now be able to just let the dog out instead of having to actually stand outside with her while she does her business. The kids can now play outside freely without me worrying about them falling off the retaining wall again and again. (Some lessons are a bit harder to learn I guess) We can now start thinking about that shed that Hubs really needs so there will be more room in the garage. And now if we feel like it we can run around outside with the kids without every neighbor in the block laughing at our kids whipping us at tag or whatever game we are playing.

There is a drawback to our fence. It will now block our view of the lake from the backyard. For whatever reason, the HOA wouldn't allow wrought iron. But we will still see the view from all the windows inside and or course out front. Our crazy old bat lady of a neighbor who so rudely accosted Hubs about our fence will not be able to see the lake anymore. She will also not be able to see our "bunch of kids and dog" as she so eloquently put it in her crazed state of mind. I have thought of taping a picture of the view on her side of our fence just so she won't miss it so much. But I heard that she's considering moving now (apparently our fence was the final straw or something like that) so I'm really not to concerned about her keeping her view. I guess I shouldn't tell her that our new neighbors moving in next door our putting up a big fence also. When they do then her yard will essentially be fenced in on all sides. But I don't want to add to her fence burden anymore than I have. Some people are just not happy and I am sorry to say that she is one of them.

I however am a happy person. I'm happy that I am going to have my fence by the end of the weekend. Yes, that makes me happy. It makes my kids happy. It makes the dog happy and it makes Hubs happy. We are going to be such happy people to be around you won't be able to stand it.

And then there were three

Our house has been a bit off balanced the last two weeks and it continues on this week as well. This is because my parents have been taking each of the kids for a week to spend some one on one time with them at their home. First to go was Hoss, this was the first time he actually got to go all by himself. He had lots of fun and lots of milkshakes. I really missed him and the house was very quiet while he was gone. It was also a lot more clean. I soon realized who my two main mess makers are. And when he came home, he looked like this.


Next to go visit was Z. He actually bumped K. from her chosen week but since he was off from school on Spring Break she really didn't have a chance. He to enjoyed lots of milkshakes, movies and made lots of friends at their house. He spent lots of time playing basketball when he wasn't eating. I swear that child gained five pounds last week. The house was quiet and off balanced during his visit as well. But when they returned for the Easter weekend it was all good again. I had a few days with all my kids back home in their own beds like they are supposed to be.

But then K. had to get her visit in and so she hopped in their car when they left and got her first turn at Grandmama and Pappy's house all by herself. She will be a bit more work for them since she is still the youngest and I hope my parents make it through her week without to much trouble. If not, we will just meet at the halfway point and just shorten her trip a bit. My K. can be a bit clingy to her grandmama, kind of like this.


But it was something that both the kids and grandparents have been wanting to do. So we seized the opportunity while we could. I'm sure it will take me weeks to get them back into reality once they are all home again. Baby A. isn't going for a turn. She's still a bit to young for me to let go just yet. But someday she'll get to go. But for now, they are all noticing the difference it makes when just one of them isn't around.

Photo Hunters

This week the theme is metal and I had to look a bit to find one. But I did managae. We took some time out this week to visit the botanical gardens. While there the kids couldn't resist climbing up on this big metalish looking frog fountain. Where they proceeded to spray water everywhere causing anyone with a camera nearby to run. After all what's more fun than that?







So there's my take on this weeks theme. For other views on this week's theme visit TNCHICK.com or PhotoHunt

Wordless Wednesday

Camel Calisthenics



For other WW click here or else you can click here .

Spring Break This Week

This week is spring break along with Holy Week. So that means that I am going to try and spend a little extra time with my children and try to get the most out of Holy Week. I will be a bit sporadic at best.

Wordless Wednesday

Her first pair!




For other WW click here or else you can click here .

Movie Meme

Updated with the Answers

Okay I figure it's been long enough and I can give my answers now.

Only three movie quotes left, can you figure them out. I've added a few more hints.

I saw this movie meme that Lauren did over at Baseball and Bows and thought it was fun. So decided to do it.

Here are the rules:

1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. No Googling or IMDb-ing. That's cheating, and that's no fun!

So lets see if you guys can figure out my choices.


1. I love this movie, It's The Bourne Identity. I love the character Jason Bourne and if he really existed I'd probably have to leave my husband in search of him. Well unless Hubs wants to come since he likes this character also.

How could I forget about you? You're the only person I know.

2. Amber guessed this one right. It's French Kiss, I love this movie and could watch it over and over and never get tired of it.

(I couldn't pick just one quote from this movie so I had to include my two favorite quotes. )

I like you. But I don't like the way you say with your face all scrunched up, "you're French, aren't you?" And then I don't like how you say, with your eyes all squinty, "all men are bastards."

You'll be one of those grumpy old men sitting in the corner of a crowded cafe, mumbling to yourself, "My ass is twitching. Your people make my ass twitch."

3. Yay Kellan guessed it right. It's Under the Tuscan Sun. This movie is guaranteed to make my husband leave the room.

There's something strange about these trees. It's like they know.
And they know that we know that they know.
They're creepy. Creepy Italian trees. Of course, the baby's going to like them cause it's going to be a creepy Italian baby who goes around saying things like 'Ciao mama' and doing that weird backward hand wave thing. Life is strange. !

4. Nicole guessed this one right. It's Shakespeare in Love. Another film guaranteed to get my husband to leave the room. But how could you not love the beauty of this film.
You are an eager boy. Did you like the play?
I liked it when she stabbed herself, Your Majesty.

5. Lauren guessed this one right first. It's Steel Magnolias. I just love this movie, they have so many favorite quotes to choose from.

Oh! He's a real gentleman! I bet he takes the dishes out of the sink before he PEES in it!

6. Kellan got this one right also. It's meet the Fockers. Nothing says funny like Robert DeNiro and a rubber boob.

I'm wondering why you run around with a rubber boob strapped to your chest!

7. Every year I watch White Christmas over and over. I never get tired of it.

I want you to get married. I want you to have nine children. And if you only spend five minutes a day with each kid, that's forty-five minutes, and I'd at least have time to go out and get a massage or something.

8.Jen guessed this one right. It's Rocky. I don't know why I like this one so much but I do. Guess I have a lot of pent up emotions and want to beat a side of beef or something.

You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!

9. This one is My Blue Heaven. It's Steve Martin who is a mobster put into the witness relocation program. It's an absolute riot. Go rent it now and enjoy a few laughs.

I never touched a gun in my life. That and that alone forever doomed me to middle management.

10. Amber got this one also. It's The Pacifier with Vin Diesel. This is one of my kids favorites and I can't help but laugh along with them. Besides who wouldn't dream of having a buff nanny like that around.

I'm never gonna be able to remember your names because there's not enough time so you're Red One, you're Red Two, you're Red Three, and you're Red Baby.


Have fun and let me know if you play along!

Photo Hunters

This week the theme is different. So I thought I'd show a picture of three of my children. All with very different personalities, likes and dislikes. They have been out playing in what was left of the snow. The snow we got in Texas this past week is also very different from the norm. We very seldom get snow so the fact that we have so much of it in March is definetely out of the norm and different. So there you go, two very different things.



So there's my take on this weeks theme. For other views on this week's theme visit TNCHICK.com or PhotoHunt

Not your typical Texas day

It's March 6. That usually means that for those of us in Texas, spring is here, or well on it's way. And last weekend it was a beautiful 70 degrees outside. But since it is Texas we get fluke weather sometimes. And it appears that this is one of those times. We actually have snow for the second time this week. My children are in snow heaven. I even pulled out the old snowsuit my oldest used to wear while we lived in Finland. It's a bit short for Hoss, but he is nice and warm and somewhat dry so he doesn't care about the high water look so much. Instead all they can do is play in the snow.



And for us in Texas, especially in March, this is proving to be a regular blizzard. Look at how much snow has fallen on my angel in the last two hours. I don't think it's snowed this fast and this much in years.


Okay all you true snow bunnies, you can stop laughing at how excited we are over what to you looks like a dusting of snow. I can hear the pleading for Hot Chocolate aleady.

Wordless Wednesday

Mom, it's stuck!





For other WW click here or else you can click here .

Look Who's Forty

Hubs turned 40 on Sunday. And there is no way that I could let it pass quietly by. Even though we are still unpacking, I decided to call a few friends and have them come celebrated Hubs getting older. So I thought I'd share a few pictures of our good times.

Even though he's old, I still held him responsible for the grill. But he had lots of chaperone's to make sure he didn't forget to take them off the grill.

And since he had some great friends, he had lots of teasing about his age. No matter what his argument was, he was still older than 99% of the guests there. And we reminded him at every opportunity.


After our geriatric grill master finished our dinner. We had to sit around and visit for a long while. At least as long as the kids would let us. They were begging for cake. So we decided to light his candles. But not to worry, we kept a fire extinguisher close by just in case it was needed. Hubs took it all in good fun.



He has promised to pay me back when I turn forty. But since I know his memory is slipping I doubt he will remember it when the time comes.


The only two guys not picking on Hubs to bad were our good friends Greg (he turns forty in two weeks) and Mike (black hair in the picture below) who has already reached that milestone.




It was a fun night with the three F's, friends, family and forty year old Hubs. It ended a bit earlier than the parties in our heyday, but since it was a school night and we really are all old now, nobody complained.

Doing the Dishes

Since moving to our new home, doing the dishes just got a bit nicer. I still have way to many dirty dishes to even want to talk about though. We still have a great dishwasher which I couldn't live without either. (Well maybe technically I could but I really don't want to risk it). So while none of this is any different than what doing the dishes was like at my old house, my perspective has changed a bit.

Now when I am stuck at the sink washing those dishes that can't go in the dishwasher (Whether it's because it's full and I forgot to run it or because it's full and I need to unload it whatever the case may be) I have a window to look out of. And for the last six plus years I haven't had a window to look out while I'm doing the dishes. And now that I have a window I can fully appreciate the view that is something besides dirty dishes.

So I thought I'd show you the view. But to make it authentic, I decided that it needed to show the actual view from my sink inside the house. So that meant that I had to move all those before mentioned dirty dishes out of the way. Then I had to drag a chair over to the counter so I could climb up on it, in order to pull up the blinds, and since I was already there I just stood on the counter to get a higher angle (something my kids would get in big trouble for). Then I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures.

So now you can see what it is that I'm looking at when I do those piles and towers of dishes.


It's beautiful isn't it? It almost makes me forget all those dishes are there. Well at least until I look down from the window into the sink. But then I try to look away again as soon as I can. Anything to avoid those dishes a minute longer.

Congratulations

I just have to share with my few readers the excitement I have right now. My friend Nicole just had her fifth baby this morning. It's a beautiful baby girl. So go wish her and her husband Travis a big congratultions.

One room left

I am proud to say that we only have one room left with boxes. It's our office. But it's filled with boxes of things that I can't put away until we get some new shelves put up. I'm thinking I can actually have Hubs start hanging things on the wall this weekend. Then I can finally relax a bit. I truly hate having things in boxes and not in their right place. But since I had to have the majority of the house put back together for the cleaners, I had major incentive to get it all done. And now because I just LOVE LOVE LOVE Elsa and her magic Dyson I can now enjoy a clean house tonight. Yay for almost being done with everything involved with unpacking. Yay for having my house Elsafied.

And I'm sure your saying yay that such a petty and non substantial post such as this is now over.

To my fellow shoppers

To my fellow shoppers at the grocery store today.

Yes, that was my youngest 22 month old daughter you heard screaming through out the aisles. Yes, it was me that did not pick her up out of the basket like she really wanted. Yes, I am mean enough to let her have a temper tantrum for at least fifteen to twenty minutes. You see, I was trying to finish my shopping as quickly as I could so that me and my three children could leave that store. I really couldn't carry her at the same time as trying to shop and push the cart. And no I really didn't feel like letting her walk, since I was in a bit of a hurry and a tad bit frustrated with her behaviour. So if my screaming child disturbed you while you were talking on the phone or otherwise just looking through your coupon book it really was just unfortunate for you. And to my fellow shopper who actually had the nerve to comment on my screaming daughter, you are truly lucky that I didn't grab your cane from you and tell my children you were a pinata. I'm sure that would have stopped the screaming immediately. (Well at least until they realized you weren't going to provide any candy) My daughter is almost two, but you were well over fifty and definitely know better so shame on you.

But unless you think I'm just a mean stressed out, hateful woman I would like to thank the other mom's that were out shopping at the same time as me. Your sweet encouraging smiles that showed me we have all been there at some point were appreciated and I thank you for that.

Found

I have finally found the missing dance shoes. They were in a box hiding in the boxes in the garage. A very safe place indeed. Now K. is very excited to be going back to her dance class tommorow. After two weeks of quiet tapping she is ready to make some noise.

Cost Breakdown and reality check

I've mentioned how our family has been fighting one thing or another this past winter ever since Christmas. So I thought I'd break it down a bit. I'd just like to add that I'm very thankful that we do have insurance which generally covers most of the basic things and then some. But still we do have our share to pay. Over the last two months we have had about thirteen or fourteen office visits which is right around $280 in co pays. Add in the cost of various prescriptions both preventative and antibiotics and you can add in at least another $250 plus. Now for some of you that $530 total over the last two months may not seem like much but for us it is.

But it has really hit home for poor Z. since it now means he will have to wait just a bit longer for that flat screen he wants so badly for his room. I don't know how he got the idea in his head that he needed one. After telling him how much we have spent on keeping this family somewhat healthy this winter he sadly admitted defeat at getting one anytime soon. He is still pretty hopeful that this spring will prove to be a better season for him. Oh, to have such optimism.

Lost in the Boxes

Well we are offically in our new home. I can proudly say that we are all sleeping in our own beds again. Our pantry is now restocked and the kitchen is pretty much organized. The office is half way done along with the master closet. That's all the great news.

Now here's the reality of the rest of it. I have no idea for the second week now where K.'s dance shoes are. She keeps going to her tap and ballet class barefoot and doesn't think it's fun anymore. I think the kids have some quiet activities to keep them occupied while I try to unpack, but I don't know what box they are in. I think they are in the same box with the baby wipes and diapers. I have yet to find a heavy jacket for the kids so I can only hope the weather stays mild. I have only found half of the medicine cabinet but I'm not to worried about that, Baby A. should find it for me when I'm not looking (she's helpful like that). We are surrounded by boxes everywhere.

I must admit to being a bit discouraged at how much we have done and yet still seeing so many boxes left. But between all the sick kids we have been dealing with during this move, I have made progress. But I am sure that I will soon be able to see the floors again and maybe one day be able to park in the garage, once we get rid of all these boxes.

Wordless Wednesday

"Leaf Love"




For other WW click here or else you can click here .

To Much Happening

I have a lot to do this week since we are moving. Also, Hoss has strep throat and major problems with his asthma right now and Baby A. isn't doing much better. I will be sporadic at best in the blogging world but hopefully will be back full force sometime next week.

Photo Hunters

This weeks theme is heavy. So since we are in the middle of moving right now I decided to save myself a bit of time and go through some of my old photos. Here is a picture of my youngest this past fall. As you can see, she was determined to pick up the "ball", but it proved to be a bit to heavy for her. She sat there straining, huffing and puffing for quite a while. Such a determined young thing. And mean mommy that I am, I just sat there and took pictures instead of helping her.



So there's my take on this weeks theme. For other views on this week's theme visit TNCHICK.com or PhotoHunt

I spilled it

I am trying to win a Wii. Not for me mind you but for the kids (Hubs is included in this category). Well Ree over at Pioneer Woman is having one of her famous giveaways but she wants us to share an embarrassing moment.

Well I can't very well share it with her and not share it with you guys. After all, it's always more fun to have a really embarrasing moment and then have everyone point and laugh at you.

So without further ado, I'll share one of my many embarrasing moments. Hubs and I are recent Catholics. We joined the church about three years ago. At that time we both had to do our First Holy Communion. This is where we eat the communion wafer (Body of Christ) and drink the wine (Blood of Christ). We had been instructed to be very careful not to drop the wafer so naturally I was very nervous about this. But I handled it just fine. No shakes or slip ups there.

But then I moved over to the wine. I don't know what happened, I really don't. I went and reached for the cup and it all seemed just fine. I put the cup to my lips and prepared to take a sip. Then it happened. I spilled the wine (Blood of Christ) all down the front of my white blouse. I just froze, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move and I couldn't hand the cup back to the Eucharistic Minister. And I most certainly couldn't let the priest see that I now had all of God's Blood down the front of my shirt, let alone the 200+ people that were there for Easter Vigil. As I'm standing there I am wondering what was the Father going to say to me or do. Will I be doomed to a million Hail Mary's for this? Well the Eucharistic Minister assured me I was okay and prompted me out of the way. At which point I found my feet and rushed back to my seat.

I can still feel the embarrassment creeping up my face years later. And as for me spilling or dropping anything since then, it hasn't happened. I'm extra carefull now.

Sweet Dreams

You may recall how I was lucky enough to head out of town a few weeks back. A friend and I hopped in the car and drove the four hours to Austin. We left Friday afternoon after school let out and ended up driving through rainy weather most the time. But since I wasn't the one driving, it didn't really bother me. Except for the fact that as a passenger I get sleepy. I didn't used to be this way but I seemed to have picked it up somewhere along the way. Now being a good passenger I didn't actually fall asleep. Instead I just yawned a bit, well okay a lot and talked about everything that came up with Linda.

When we finally arrive at the hotel, it was cold and rainy. And we were hungry. But since Linda didn't want to get out and drive around anymore we decided to just get some snacks in the sports bar that was in the hotel. And it worked out fine. By the time we had eaten and finished off the drinks we ordered it was getting a bit late. (For me at least because you see I turn into a pumpkin at 10pm everynight) We went back to our room and got ready for bed since we had to be at our conference at 8 the next morning. While washing our faces and brushing our teeth we noticed there had been a leak in the ceiling at some time and commented on how bad the roof was stained. And that was that so then we went to sleep.

Silly me thought that by being four hours away from my children, in a hotel room, would mean that I would get an entire nights sleep without interruption. I was wrong. I was very worried about snoring...either from me or from Linda. You see we hadn't ever shared a room before so it was all new territory. But I had warned her so she at least was prepared for some noise during the night. I was not. So there I am sleeping as soundly as I can and I assume that Linda is doing the same.

That's when I hear this amazing crash and rumble. I jump up and it's completely dark. I'm automatically thinking it's Linda and that she has somehow fallen and hurt herself. But it wasn't she is still in the next bed looking just as startled as I am. So brave girls that we are we turn on the light and go off in search of what that awful noise is that woke us up at 5 a.m. We didn't have to go far. When we got to the sink area we saw that the entire area was a mess and everything was covered in water. It turns out that the stained ceiling we noticed earlier had collapsed.




Why would it collapse just like that? Well whoever had gone in to fix the leak before had just put a big bucket up in the ceiling and then put the ceiling tile back in place. So when this big bucket filled up with water and began to overflow, it got to heavy for the ceiling and it all came crashing down.

So there went my chance at a good night of uninterrupted sleep. Instead I had to deal with wet makeup and clothes and even worse than that wet carpet. We did call down there and get a new room but by that time, sleep was elusive. We did get a free breakfast while we stayed there and they discounted the room that came crashing down from our bill. But still, I think I would have preferred the sleep. As for the guy who put the bucket up there in the first place, I think he needs a lesson in gravity.

Wordless Wednesday

"Just like Pappy"



For other WW click here or else you can click here .

My Soul Mate

I just love my Hubs. He's normally such a quiet sort who will only cut up around those that know him best. But don't be fooled, he does have a fun side that you will see in him every now and then. Take for example the day Hoss came home from preschool with some googly eyed glasses a few months back. I had already been playing around with them with the kids but Hubs decided to join in the fun. And I was quick enough to get a few photos.

Here you see my hottie of a man all googley eyed over Me...



Then I put the googley eyes on and found some redneck teeth to go along with them. Then I struck my best love struck over you pose and Hubs snapped a picture.



So now you can see why Hubs was so googley eyed over Me... I'm quite the looker in this picture. In fact Hubs thought it was so great he took another picture of me on his camera phone. Just to have with him at all times. But for whatever reason, when he showed my beautiful picture to his friends at work, they all cringed.

Some guys don't know a good thing when they see it...that's all I can say. But thankfully Hubs does. Nothing like googley eyes and redneck teeth to make you fall in love all over again.

Only if your Hot

A Conversation with Hoss:


Hoss: Mom, when I get big can I go jogging and running and doing exercise in the neighborhood outside without my shirt on?

Me: You want to run outside without a shirt on when you get big?

Hoss: yeah, Can I?

Me: Only if your Hot and handsome.

Hoss: Yeah, I will be.

Can you feel my redneck pride in my son rising up in my chest.

What are they teaching him?

***UPDATED*** With his teacher's response.


Z. gets home from school today and since he hasn't been feeling well I ask him how he's doing. He says fine but that he has a lot of homework. So off he goes to start working on it. A little while later he comes out and ask me and Hubs if we know how to do Mexican Division? Both of us just look at each other and try not to laugh and say what, since we were expecting a joke? And he says do you know how to do the Mexican division? So this is how the conversation played out.

Me: What do you mean by the Mexican division?

Z: You know where you do division and it looks like your playing hangman.

Me: Well I know how do a kind of division with a box that looks kind of like hangman. But I call it long division. Let me show you. And I do.

Z: No mom, that's different than Mexican Division but it's kind of the same. And he takes the paper from me.

So he shows me a "new" way of doing what I know as long division with some tweaks here and there. It's definetely not the same way I did long division but it comes up with the same answer. I just can't get past the name it was given, "Mexican Division". Z. isn't any help since he just said he thought that must be how they do it in Mexico.

I know this may upset some of you but I truly do find this whole thing funny. And I can hardly wait to get the answer from his teacher as to why it's called "Mexican Division". And just to be sure I wasn't old or anything I googled Mexican Division and nothing came up. So now I really am anxiously awaiting the answer from his math teacher as to why in the world it is called Mexican Division? And I did tell Z. that I'm sure that it's not called Mexican Division because that's the way they do it in Mexico.

Alright for those of you who are actually still curious as to his teachers response I'd thought I'd share it with you.

Z. is correct; we are learning "partial quotients" which is how they divide in Mexico. It helps make division easier for the students who can get stuck very easily on the traditional method of long division. It is where the students break apart the dividend by using multiples of 10, and subtract those pieces from the whole.

Mmmm...okaaay! Since I technically never learned math IN Mexico (just the border town across the Rio Grande) I truly can't 100% contradict her on this one. But I really do kind of want to. ;)

Because I'm really at a loss here

I'm to tired to think of anything interesting to write about. So this is what you get instead. A quiz on the kind of American English I speak.

Your Linguistic Profile:

55% General American English 20% Dixie 20% Yankee 0% Midwestern 0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

I can understand all the scores except the 20% Yankee one. I'm not a Yankee and haven't even been further north than Virginia. So how in the world did I score a twenty percent there? I'm curious as to how you guys score, so if you take the quiz let me know.

So then I'm looking at other quizzes to take and I come acorss this one called "What's my Girl Smell"? Well how could I resist that one. I've always been curious about what my girl smell is ya know and here it is:

Your Scent is Mango

Sultry, sweet, and mellow You enjoy every moment of life!

What's Your Girl Smell?

Mango...never would have guessed that one in a million years. No I was thinking more of the soap smell, wearing the same shirt the kids wiped thier hands on yesterday smell but instead I got mango. I don't even care for mango's that much but apparently it's my smell. Who would have thought it?

So there you have it. My thoughts are not working today so instead you get worthless quizzes and what I think of them. I'm sorry about it, really I am.

What are they trying to tell me

I'm driving in the car this morning and K. looks at me and says so sweetly "I like your Zebra shirt". So I look at my red and white striped shirt and just say thank you sweetie.

Then this afternoon, Hoss is in the kitchen and says "Whoa, Mom, you look just like a zebra".

What is it exactly my kids are trying to tell me. I'm feeling very self conscious in a zebray kind of way. And I'm just not sure I will wear this again.

Basket Gremlin Strikes Again

It happened again today. That darn basket gremlin stuck me at the grocery store. Normally I am able to keep most of his mischievous purchases out of my basket. But today for some reason I missed what was put in the basket. And since I had the help of three of my kids to put the groceries onto the cash register belt, I missed them there as well. When I was unloading my groceries at home. I found an abundance of extra cookies and crackers. I also found an extra box of juice bags. But since we go through those so quickly I really don't care about that one to much. But unless you think that gremlin was only after junk food, I also found a poked in kiwi. But that little guy wasn't actually in a bag, he was found left alone in the basket while I was loading the car. Still not sure how he ended up there since he wasn't there while I was paying. All I can say is that those darn gremlins were definitely moving faster than I was today.

Photo Hunters

This weeks theme is old fashioned. And there is nothing more fun to do as a child than swing. So here is a picture of my kids having some old fashioned fun. Big brother Z. is winding up little sister K. so she can spin around is circles until she is dizzy.



So there's my take on this weeks theme. For other views on this week's theme visit TNCHICK.com or PhotoHunt

I'm a spring/summer gal

I am officially here to declare myself a warm weather person. That means that I'm tired of the cold. I'm ready for the warmer weather to start back up. I'm ready for spring. And it's not like I even have a lot of winter weather to deal with living in Texas. But I am tired of being cold during the little cold weather that we do have. So here you have it I'm no longer going to deny it. I'm a spring/summer girl. But if you ask me in August when it's hotter than heck, I may just declare that I am a cold weather person. Guess we will just have to wait and see.

The First Tooth Fairy Visit

Hoss lost his first tooth on Monday. He was eating an apple and it pretty much came out then. He was torn between laughing with excitement and eagerness at the idea of the tooth fairy along with fear that it would hurt to actually get the tooth all the way out. So I just had him open his mouth and told him that I didn't think it would hurt at all for it to come out. And during that time I was able to pull the last little bit to get it, Hoss didn't even realize I had it until I showed it to him in my hand.

He was even more excited the next morning when he found some money under his pillow. Now if I can just come up with a good reason for the tooth fairy to keep his tooth maybe he'll stop asking me why she kept it. Here he is in all his toothless glory.

Wordless Wednesday

Anticipation



For other WW click here or else you can click here .

Had a Blast

I had a wonderful time this weekend in Austin. My friend and I drove down there in no time at all. Lots of good conversation and a few laughs. We both learned so much from our weekend course. I can't wait to start trying out some of what I learned. I wish I had more time to go into details of all that was taught but even now I'm sure I am forgetting stuff as I sit here. All I can say is that if you ever get a chance to go to any of the courses with RMSP then by all means do it. You will not be disappointed.

Now I really should go off and take care of some of the things that need to be done.

My Foot Warmer

It's been colder than usual lately. Which means that my feet have been colder than usual. Even with my thick socks and slippers they are cold.

In fact about the only time my feet aren't cold is when I can sneak them underneath someone sitting next to me. Hubs really doesn't like this much and the kids never sit long enough for the chill to completely leave my feet. Which leaves me with one choice. Our dog Gigi. This dog just emits body heat like you wouldn't believe so my feet warm up pretty quick if they are underneath her. The only problem is that in order for my feet to remain warm and snug under her, I have to also pet her. Normally this wouldn't be a problem but Gigi is one of those dogs where if you give a scratch, she expects a belly rub. And then next thing you know she'll be trying to sleep in your bed with you. Now that's just not something I can do.

So as you can see, every night about the time my feet are freezing, I'm faced with the same dilemma. Do I let the dog warm them and then have her pushy dog self try to climb into our bed later in the night or do I just deal with my cold feet on my own and sleep without the dog trying to sneak into bed with us. It really is a trivial problem to have I know. And any true dog lover would just let Gigi warm her feet and then sleep in her bed afterwards. The thing is I am more of a dog liker than a dog lover. This means that my like has it's limitations which means I am doomed to suffer from cold feet. Until I get this look from her every night. It's kind of like this one in which her expression says...


Hey let's make a deal, I warm your feet in exchange for sleeping on the soft bed. So then I warm my feet on her and later that night I shut the door so she can't come in. And then I feel guilt for about two seconds and then I fall asleep. Until the next night when we do it all over again. Gigi isn't really a good negotiator but at least she keeps trying.

Wordless Wednesday

"Ice Poinsetta"


For other WW click here or else you can click here .

Driving the Roller Coaster

One of the many things that I truly dislike is a roller coaster ride. They just make me sick. Hubs and the kids though, they just love them. So whenever we go to Six Flags or any other amusement park I always pass on the big rides and just look forward to the kiddie rides which I am able to stomach.

But I've discovered another roller coaster ride that I just love. Since I live in a fairly large metroplex area we have lots of bridges and overpasses that go up pretty high. And like me as a child, my kids love it when we go on the highest one. But they have taken it a step further than I ever did as a child. They pester me nonstop until I tell them we are about to drive up on the big overpass at which point they all stick their arms up in the air and start telling each other excitedly, we are almost to the top...hold on here it comes. Then once I peak at the top and we start to descend, the screams and laughter break out and for them it's just like a roller coaster ride (well okay I'm sure my nine year old Z. doesn't really think that but he participates just the same). So here I am driving in my minivan chugging along anywhere from 60-70mph depending on how late I am, and it's complete roller coaster chaos in the car. Anyone looking in our van would see one thirty something mom speeding down the road trying not to laugh. While at the same time four pairs of arms are waving around in the air and four mouths are screaming in roller coaster like joy.

For me it's the best of both worlds, I get a part of the excitement of what my kids experience when dad takes them on a real roller coaster but I never actually have to get on one. Instead I can stick with the smaller rides that don't make me sick. What could be better than that?

Four Days and Counting

I have four days left until I get to enjoy my last Christmas present from Hubs. And I am getting so excited.

I will head out Friday evening just me and another friend and we will drive our excited selves down to Austin. Where we will both then spend the remainder of the weekend cooped up in a hotel conference room attending one photography class after another. Yes, I know this doesn't sound like fun for some of you. But for me, this is BIG stuff. I'm hoping to come away from these courses with just a little bit better knowledge of what I am capable of doing with my camera. Because at this point it's all user error.

So that gives me four days to work my tail off. so that when I get home after a brief two days, the house won't be falling down around me. I can dream can't I?

Oh My..

Some days I just feel like I go from one mess to another.

A. is currently on her third top of the day and it's barely naptime now.

Touch the Clouds

I took the girls to the park this morning since it was a nice day. While there we spent a very long time on the swings. But as K. is begging me to push her higher on the swings I got to thinking about how all the kids love to swing. It must be an age thing because both boys before K. used to say the same thing, push me high enough to touch the trees and then they move on to push me high enough to touch the clouds.

How many times during the past nine years have I heard that one request? I really don't know, all I know is that it's a lot. And I know I will hear it for a few more years to come since A. isn't far behind her sister in that department. And every time I hear one of them ask me to push them high enough to touch the clouds, I am able to envision all my children's faces at the same age asking me the same thing.

It's really a sweet memory that I tend to forget about until the next time I'm at the park. And each time I really stop to think about all their little faces begging for more it puts a lump in my throat.

Wordless Wednesday

The first winter bulbs to appear.

For other WW click here or else you can click here .

My Winter Blue Toes

What do you think was it a bit to wild and crazy for an old gal like myself?

Hubs wasn't to excited about my blue toes but since it really is only me that sees them this time of year I thought why not? I was just disappointed that the girl that paints on all the designs wasn't there otherwise I would have added a cute snowman to them as well.

I can't believe I said that

There are just some things that come out of my mouth and I can't believe I actually said them. Or that I really needed to. I seem to be saying things in this category more often than not lately. Let me enlighten you on my latest I can't believe I had to say that moment.

I am in the bathroom putting my makeup on. Baby A. comes in to help like she does every morning and reaches for my makeup brushes. I take one look at her and have to say "A, you can't use my makeup brushes until your boogers are gone". To which she replies....Noooooo!

Some days I really wonder how I ever got in this position.

Pee Faster

I was on the phone last night with my brother. During that time of complete chaos where I am finishing making dinner, setting the table and getting food in front of my starving children I attempted to carry on an adult conversation. That really was a bad choice on my part. Why would I ever think I should be able to talk on the phone while my four children are still living at home.

But I digress, let me get back to my story, I really do have one. I finally had all the kids at the table happily (if not quietly) eating and watching TV at the same time (bad mommy I know, but I was trying to talk on the phone). When it happened. K. had to go potty. Nothing new there. The kids always have to go to the bathroom once dinner is served. I don't know why it's that way but it is. So K. gets up from the table and stops just long enough to grab the remote control and then she paused the show (gotta love DVR) so she could go potty and not miss anything. Well bedlam ensued and I soon had an uprising on my hands of all the other kids screaming that she paused it and they were watching that and it's not fair that she always pauses the TV when she has to go to the bathroom. So I did what any good mom trying to have a phone conversation would do, I walked into the bathroom and told her to pee faster and ran off with the remote control. I then had three happy kids and one unhappy girl crying in the bathroom that she can't pee faster. But she was almost done so by the time I got there to help her I really wasn't needed anymore.

Yep, my brother sure was lucky he got to talk to me on the phone last night. I've enlightened him beyond what he probably felt was necessary and I have reached a new level of mothering where I now order my children to pee faster.

My Commando Girl

I have a daughter who surprised me the other morning. I won't name names but it's the only daughter I have who still wears diapers. At least she was wearing one when I put her to bed the other night. When I heard her stirring in the morning I went in to get her and my sweet girl had gone commando on me. She had pulled down her pj pants and somehow removed her diaper. Then she slept that way all night long. And it was cold that night, my poor baby must have froze her bottom off. When I went in to get my commando girl there was a big wet spot in the middle of her crib sheet. At this point I was just glad it was only wet and nothing more. She was so proud of herself, I could see it in her eyes. So I scooped her up and redressed her in all the appropriate attire, then I changed her sheet. I hope I never wake up to that kind of surprise again. I mean I am all for losing the diaper but not really in that way.

My new BFF

I'm never far from my new BFF. My drops help me get through the days and night with hardly a cringe, cough or tear in sight. Honey Lemom your my new best friend, until back to the medicine cabinet I put you again.

To Paint or not To Paint

that is the question. Right now Hubs and I are trying to decide if we want to paint. When we bought our home six years ago we painted it completely on the inside. I just picked a neutral beige color and away we went with the paintbrush. Now we are thinking it's time to paint again. The decision is now do we change the color? I have always loved this color we currently have but Hubs hasn't really cared to much for it. He likes a lighter color (read into that white) while I prefer it darker. So now have to pick a color we can both agree on. And you would think it would be easy but it's not. Then I get to thinking, what about adding some new color. It would be easy enough to do but then if I don't like it then poor Hubs has to paint again and I'm sure he won't like that. As you can tell I am no Martha Stewart. So I guess I am going to be spending alot of time in the paint section getting lots of those paper things with paint colors on them.

Wish me luck as I try and make up my mind. Just think, none of this would have even been an issue if we hadn't gotten a new TV and opened up an entire wall in the family room. It just suddenly looked like it needed some new paint. Funny how one simple change can cause so much additional work. But at least I can blame that part on Hubs. I was after all completely happy with the previous setup until he went and changed it. Now it's going to cost him some serious elbow grease.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my friends and fellow bloggers. The past year has been a very fun one for me and my family. And as I look back at some of what I wrote about during the past year I realize something. We are BORING! Our family never did anything really big that could count as a milestone. Nope not us, we stayed home and didn't vacation anywhere. But even in all of our Boringness we still enjoyed ourselves. We revelled in all the small ordinary things like snotty noses and Popsicles. And even though I'm sure it's boring for millions of people for our family it was just right. And hopefully for you few readers that come around our boringness didn't do you in to much. I can't promise not to be equally as Boring in the future but I hope to improve on it a tad bit. So Cheers to you my friends and raise your juice boxes to a Happy Healthy and Fun New Year!

Glad to Humor Him

I have to admit to being to the doctors office five separate times this past week. Four of them were to the kids doctor. So this morning on my latest visit my kind pediatrician, who has a personality like my brothers, walks in sees me and just laughs. As I am pleading my case that I am really not one of those freak moms who likes to be in the doctors office just because, he reassures me that it's fine. Its just been funny for him to see me come in four separate times with a different kid in tow each time all in one week. So I'm glad that I am able to humor him. That is my job after all, to provide other people a brief bit of laughter at my expense. Especially when I can really see the humor in it also. I guess I can just be thankful that we only have four children otherwise we would be back there again soon.

Man of the Year

It has been quite the week around here. We had family in for Christmas so were all set to enjoy ourselves. But then it happened, the dreaded virus struck. First one and then another started to feel bad. By the time Christmas morning rolled around, only half of us were even healthy. But even those numbers couldn't last. From what I can tell only my Hubs has stayed healthy. Which is quite unusual in itself since he always catches what the kids have. My family went home and took with them a very unwelcome present. And this Christmas goes down in history as the germiest one ever. And my sweet Hubs is definitely up for man of the year. He's taken such good care of all of us and the house at the same time. After a week of feeling terrible I am finally coming out of the worst of it so can now only fully appreciate all he has had to put up with. He has even kept up with the laundry which is hard enough to do when your not dealing with a bunch of sick people. As well as taking down all the Christmas decorations so I wouldn't have to do it. Yep, he's definitely up for Man of the Year. Where is that write in ballot?