We had a great weekend in Baton Rouge full of good food, good shopping, and good football (if you happen to be an LSU fan)! We always look forward to going to Louisiana because of the veritable cornucopia of everything LSU that is for sale. And people, if they can make it, they can write LSU on it, believe me!
Anyway, we enjoyed stocking up on purple and gold and doing the "game day" things like visiting Mike the Tiger, sliding down the Indian Mounds (the children, not me...because I do have my limits) and watching the players, cheerleaders and band as they made their way to the stadium. Pictures will probably be coming soon.
Anywhoo, the highlight of the weekend, for me, was the potential for meeting one of my very first blogging friends. If you have a little girl, you NEED to visit her sewing website. Sewsensible. Go. Right now. I will wait. Okay, now, you can see she is very talented and before you start saying you can't sew, blah, blah, blah...neither can I. BUT I have made Dancer three of A's outfits and have more planned they really are "sew" easy! Anyway, as she was saving me from putting my daughter in clothes with words plastered across her booty, we began emailing some and I found that she is not only talented but super sweet. She really strives to be a godly mother to her eight (yes, eight) children. She and her husband have struggled with infertility and have adopted both in the states and internationally. In her spare time, she even has an adoption ministry! Now, go check out her family site...you won't regret it. See all those beautiful children!
Okay, back to the story. She lives close to Tigertown so I was really hoping to meet her. Originally, we hoped for Friday but that did not work out so imagine my excitement to find that she and her husband were GOING TO THE GAME!!! We talked and planned and were ready to meet on Saturday. Tigerfan laughingly asked if I was going to make him take our picture. Of COURSE! How could I blog about it, if I didn't have a picture? And so, game day rolled around, the meeting time came and I started calling her. No answer. Called her husband. Instant voice mail. Called her. No Answer. I waited. Nothing. After about an hour, we decided the phones were not working in the crazy crowd and gave up. My MIL and I left and went to the mall, the boys stayed and watched the game. I lamented the fact that something had gone wrong...the phones weren't working...who knows.
That evening when we got back to the house, Tigerfan called me. I had an email telling me to check my comments. Poor, A had transposed two numbers in my phone number. She had been calling me for hours! But had the wrong number. I tried to email her back. The email would not connect.
We did not get to talk again until Sunday morning when we were about to leave. And so...my first internet meeting never happened. But it will...one day, I know it will!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Answering the Call of the Tiger
The bags are packed, the car is painted, the flags are flying. It can only mean one thing! A trip to Tiger Stadium. We leave at lunch time today to let the boys get their LSU fix. This year, there is something in it for me. If all works out, I will get to meet, face to face, one of my first blogging friends! Yay. I'll tell ya all about it when I get back! Have a great weekend!
Monday, September 22, 2008
This Post Should Not Be Read By the Weak of Stomach!!!
It seems amusing to me, as I sit here and type that early on in Baby's young life, I actually called the doctor one day because he had not p**ped in over a week and I felt sure he had "problems". The doctor assured me that that was perfectly normal for breast-fed babies and that they had had babies go as long as 10 days so not to worry.
It only took solid food to change the course of his bowels forever. He now does his job with freakish regularity three times a day. Yes, three times. And, might I add, they are always jobs to be proud of!
If only I had known then what a job it was to change him, I would not have been so eager to help "move" things, if you will. In fact I am one of the only ones who can now change a diaper with a "package" because changing him is something akin to wrestling a greased pig. I, myself, have developed an effective method that involves a towel to lay him on, straddling him and putting one leg over his chest to hold him down. There is usually some screaming involved and often, well, it is just messy!
Oh, but today....Baby slept late this morning and only took a 30 minute morning nap. I now know why. Because despite the fact that I had not noticed a change in his regularity, he has apparently been storing up A LOT in that little body of his.
So, after lunch and a bottle, instead of drifting off to sleep, he hopped up and was ready to play. I put him down to cruise the furniture and heard the tell tale "toot". Knowing what was coming, I developed a plan. I had a headache so I decided to run up and get some Excedrin while he finished up his business and then I would change him. I knew things were proceeding well when I reached the top of the stairs after retrieving the pills and could already smell the evidence. It grew increasingly stronger. I walked through the kitchen, took the pills and headed to the living room where I was BOMBARDED with more p**p than I have ever seen in my life. And I do mean seen. There was a path, a yellow, blobby path from the couch, to the piano, to the little bug blanket he plays on (which, incidentally was not spared). P**p was everywhere. It was all the way up his neck and squishing out the top of his shirt and all the way down to his toes. And, I am sorry, you were warned, one leg was completely yellow. By the time I could disrobe him, I was also covered because there was not one square inch on his body to touch without getting covered.
I took him upstairs, bathed him and headed back to clean up the living room. The clothes, towel, blanket were put in the washing machine ahead of all the other piles awaiting their turn. And then, I began on the floor. I wiped, washed, and even was forced to get a toothpick to clean the cracks between the hardwood planks where it had smushed its way into. I have seen a lot of p**p in my day. I have four children. My grandmother owned a daycare that I went to and then worked at. I have taught kindergarten and pre-K. Never, NEVER, have I seen the likes of what my little guy did today. On the upside, he ought too take GREAT afternoon nap and my living room floor is the cleanest it had been in a long while. However, I now feel the strongest urge to go take another shower before we even do one more minute of school!
It only took solid food to change the course of his bowels forever. He now does his job with freakish regularity three times a day. Yes, three times. And, might I add, they are always jobs to be proud of!
If only I had known then what a job it was to change him, I would not have been so eager to help "move" things, if you will. In fact I am one of the only ones who can now change a diaper with a "package" because changing him is something akin to wrestling a greased pig. I, myself, have developed an effective method that involves a towel to lay him on, straddling him and putting one leg over his chest to hold him down. There is usually some screaming involved and often, well, it is just messy!
Oh, but today....Baby slept late this morning and only took a 30 minute morning nap. I now know why. Because despite the fact that I had not noticed a change in his regularity, he has apparently been storing up A LOT in that little body of his.
So, after lunch and a bottle, instead of drifting off to sleep, he hopped up and was ready to play. I put him down to cruise the furniture and heard the tell tale "toot". Knowing what was coming, I developed a plan. I had a headache so I decided to run up and get some Excedrin while he finished up his business and then I would change him. I knew things were proceeding well when I reached the top of the stairs after retrieving the pills and could already smell the evidence. It grew increasingly stronger. I walked through the kitchen, took the pills and headed to the living room where I was BOMBARDED with more p**p than I have ever seen in my life. And I do mean seen. There was a path, a yellow, blobby path from the couch, to the piano, to the little bug blanket he plays on (which, incidentally was not spared). P**p was everywhere. It was all the way up his neck and squishing out the top of his shirt and all the way down to his toes. And, I am sorry, you were warned, one leg was completely yellow. By the time I could disrobe him, I was also covered because there was not one square inch on his body to touch without getting covered.
I took him upstairs, bathed him and headed back to clean up the living room. The clothes, towel, blanket were put in the washing machine ahead of all the other piles awaiting their turn. And then, I began on the floor. I wiped, washed, and even was forced to get a toothpick to clean the cracks between the hardwood planks where it had smushed its way into. I have seen a lot of p**p in my day. I have four children. My grandmother owned a daycare that I went to and then worked at. I have taught kindergarten and pre-K. Never, NEVER, have I seen the likes of what my little guy did today. On the upside, he ought too take GREAT afternoon nap and my living room floor is the cleanest it had been in a long while. However, I now feel the strongest urge to go take another shower before we even do one more minute of school!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Where's My Playpen?
When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they're finished, I climb out. ~ Erma Bombeck
I look around my house and wonder...what do I do all day? I am home ALL THE TIME! My house SHOULD be clean. The laundry SHOULD be washed. And yet my house is in a continual state of chaos. Things go undone, things get lost, I forget things. So, today, I decided to pay a little attention.
Now, today was a little different. Fridays I try to schedule as "easy" days with the goal of being finished at lunch (yeah, right!) But today I also had a haircut scheduled and we were expecting a furniture delivery (the third, still trying to get a chair that doesn't have a screw drilled through the leg) so it was not a normally scheduled day.
Baby was up early, too early so I did not get to exercise. BUT, by 6:30, he was back down for a nap so the other kids were drug out of bed and by the time he awoke, the day was in full swing. It began like this:
So sweet!
We did a little school, got a haircut...this is what baby did:
I look around my house and wonder...what do I do all day? I am home ALL THE TIME! My house SHOULD be clean. The laundry SHOULD be washed. And yet my house is in a continual state of chaos. Things go undone, things get lost, I forget things. So, today, I decided to pay a little attention.
Now, today was a little different. Fridays I try to schedule as "easy" days with the goal of being finished at lunch (yeah, right!) But today I also had a haircut scheduled and we were expecting a furniture delivery (the third, still trying to get a chair that doesn't have a screw drilled through the leg) so it was not a normally scheduled day.
Baby was up early, too early so I did not get to exercise. BUT, by 6:30, he was back down for a nap so the other kids were drug out of bed and by the time he awoke, the day was in full swing. It began like this:
So sweet!We did a little school, got a haircut...this is what baby did:
Who needs a playground?
And this:
Anyone want to join me in a trip to the library?
And this:
Oh! This is Sissy's box?
Her toys are soooo much better!
And this:
WHAT, I can't even study Bubbie's books...I tell you, this place is no fun!
And, suddenly, I think I realize why I am always so tired!
Now ,can someone please tell me why I don't look like this:
By the way, is anyone else impressed at my ability to post pictures. Thank you blogger and Football boy!!!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Because Obviously, I Have Too Much Time on My Hands
It is Wednesday and I LOVE Wednesday. I know that is weird, but it means Bible Study and I LOVE Bible Study. Each week a different lady brings snacks for the group. This was my week. Now, I love bringing snacks because I like to cook, bake, etc. but my family is PICKY! So, when I find an interesting new recipe, I will save it and use my ladies as guinnea pigs.
So, today I tried to make Mini Caramel Apples. They should have looked like this. They did not look like that. Apparently I should have gone on-line BEFORE the fact and read the comments. You know, like about how the toppings DO NOT STICK! Now, according to one commenter, if I had rolled them in flour first, all would have been good. But, alas, I did not. We had a wonderful time making them. Dancer helped out choosing nuts, and chocolate, and sprinkles, and coconut to roll in...sounds yummy, huh!
Unfortunately, the finished product does not look quite as good as that glossy magazine photo. It looks more like...disaster! caramel, sprinkles, chocolate, nuts all in a blobby puddle at the bottom of a little apple scoop!
One wonders, what made me do this to begin with? Like I do not have enough to do...and I think we have well established in the past weeks that I am not handling my normal duties with a whole lot of grace. Why oh why would I add something like this to my schedule. On a school day. When Baby is sickly. I am a sick woman!
And, I am not even getting to go! Tigerfan is delivering for me because I am staying home with the baby! Who, by the way, is apparently taking after his mother in the weird things he likes because he has turned down almost all forms of nourishment today. EXCEPT plain, unflavored Pedialyte. He is drinking that nasty stuff like water in a desert! I guess I should be glad that he is consuming something, but I have really got to work with him on his choices!
Totally meant to add a picture of the end result...took it, can't get it off camera. It is 9:00 and we haven't eaten supper, so the picture is going by the wayside...use your imagination!!! :)
So, today I tried to make Mini Caramel Apples. They should have looked like this. They did not look like that. Apparently I should have gone on-line BEFORE the fact and read the comments. You know, like about how the toppings DO NOT STICK! Now, according to one commenter, if I had rolled them in flour first, all would have been good. But, alas, I did not. We had a wonderful time making them. Dancer helped out choosing nuts, and chocolate, and sprinkles, and coconut to roll in...sounds yummy, huh!
Unfortunately, the finished product does not look quite as good as that glossy magazine photo. It looks more like...disaster! caramel, sprinkles, chocolate, nuts all in a blobby puddle at the bottom of a little apple scoop!
One wonders, what made me do this to begin with? Like I do not have enough to do...and I think we have well established in the past weeks that I am not handling my normal duties with a whole lot of grace. Why oh why would I add something like this to my schedule. On a school day. When Baby is sickly. I am a sick woman!
And, I am not even getting to go! Tigerfan is delivering for me because I am staying home with the baby! Who, by the way, is apparently taking after his mother in the weird things he likes because he has turned down almost all forms of nourishment today. EXCEPT plain, unflavored Pedialyte. He is drinking that nasty stuff like water in a desert! I guess I should be glad that he is consuming something, but I have really got to work with him on his choices!
Totally meant to add a picture of the end result...took it, can't get it off camera. It is 9:00 and we haven't eaten supper, so the picture is going by the wayside...use your imagination!!! :)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Merciful Meme
In an extraordinarily merciful turn of events, The Mother Load, has tagged me for a meme. I LOVE her for many reasons including her highly entertaining posts, the fact that she has four children her youngest being only about 1 month difference in age than mine, and the fact that she (unlike some of us) is so positive! Anyway, this is just what I needed this Monday morning (okay, Monday evening now)! So here goes:
1. Post a picture of you with your kids.
Unfortunately this picture is from Mother's day so is several months old and Baby has changed a lot! However, I look freakishly skinny in this picture, so this is what you get!
2. How many children do you have?
Four: Boy, boy, girl, boy
3. What are their ages?
11, 8, 5, 8 months
4. What do you eat for breakfast?
I am trying to be a good little "spark" so I usually have 1 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch or Cheerios with 1 cup of milk, a piece of fruit and water. Sometimes I change it up and go with two pieces of whole wheat toast with sugar free strawberry preserves, yogurt, a piece of fruit and water.
The children eat a wide variety from the ultra healthy pop tarts and breakfast bars to cheerios, eggs, pancakes, waffles. It varies from day to day.
5. Do they watch TV?
Not as much as they would like. They are not huge T.V. watchers although Dancer loves Playhouse Disney and has been known to be "babysat" by it during a rough school morning (Don't judge me!) All of the kids LOVE "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" it makes our house seem sane! So I DVR it and we watch that every week. The boys sometimes watch Saturday cartoons and during the summer sometimes watch Disney channel in bed, but they are not too bad. They would much rather choose an activity with high mommy involvement that makes a huge mess!
6. What are their favorite activities?
Football Boy-baseball and he would claim football although he has never played on a team. Loves playmobil and putting on shows for us.
Baseball Boy-baseball, playmobil, drawing, jumping all over the house for seemingly no reason and, as strange as it sounds, tickle torture
Dancer-Dance, playing baby dolls, helping me cook
Baby-sleeping, eating, unrolling toilet paper, playing in the toilet, pulling expensive technological equipment off shelves, totally ignoring anything appropriate for a baby
7. Do you get a break from them during the day?
Rarely. I homeschool. And on Tues. and Thurs. when I send them to tutorial, I teach 5th grade so even though it is technically a break, it does not feel like it. I do have a wonderful MIL, however that is usually to help out on days that I am desperate!
8. How do you end your day?
On Mondays and Wednesdays, I iron. On Thursdays, Tigerfan and I have popcorn and House Hunter's night. The rest of the week--who knows? Hopefully with a little peace and quiet cuddling with Tigerfan.
9. What is your best parenting tip or advice?
Well, I usually do not take my own advice but if I was giving myself any I would say, slow down and enjoy the moment you are in. I look at baby and cannot believe he is 8 months old. He will be walking soon and talking...I do not want to miss even one more smile or laugh because I am stressed about the house or schoolwork, or whatever. I really wish I would sit down and play more, laugh more, talk more and not feel guilty or worry about what is left undone.
And now, on the business, I must tag 5 other people. I will tag Purple Diva, because she always has something fun to say, Happy Mommy, Growin' With It, P.S. He Loves You, and You--play along if you would like!
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The day started with such promise. I overslept. By two hours. Yes, I did not get out of bed until 7:00 and the world, it did not stop spinning! I took Baby downstairs and checked the email and had the sweetest note I have ever had from a student...this is the reason I teach (well.., that and so I can afford for MY kids to go to tutorial!). I am attaching a portion of the email (not to toot my own horn or anything, but there is no other way to describe the preciousness of this note!
I wanted to let you know that you are the best teacher I have EVER had. I say that about alot of teachers but you are byfar the best! You make it SO much easyer for me to learn. I told my mom that and she said "great teachers are like that,they make it so much easyer for you to learn, and Miss Star is a great teacher".And I said yes mam, she sure is.
Wow, I am tearing up again!
Anyway, then I began checking some blogs and upon reading one of my favorites The Mother Load, I discovered she had given me this award:
I wanted to let you know that you are the best teacher I have EVER had. I say that about alot of teachers but you are byfar the best! You make it SO much easyer for me to learn. I told my mom that and she said "great teachers are like that,they make it so much easyer for you to learn, and Miss Star is a great teacher".And I said yes mam, she sure is.
Wow, I am tearing up again!
Anyway, then I began checking some blogs and upon reading one of my favorites The Mother Load, I discovered she had given me this award:
How great is that! I am really excited...I mean it is even a Gold card. Now, I must make an aside to say I need to award this to a few others. The rules are as follows:
You may choose 5 awardees
Choose 4 faithful readers of your blog.
1 should be someone new or someone far away.
So, I would like to award The Purple Diva, Happy Mommy, Four Little Penguins, Adopted as His Own, and P.S. He Loves You. All of them qualify because they are all faithful readers and they all live pretty far from me. So I am NOT breaking the rules because, if anything, I am a rule follower to a fault!
Anyway, back to the post. The day began with such promise. I have found myself very stressed lately and very focused on circumstances. I have really felt the burden of my children's education deeply this year and felt like it will be totally my fault if they grow up warped because not only am I mothering them but I am schooling them. This is an ongoing feeling for many homeschoolers, but it has PLAGUED me this year. Anyway, in my Wed. night Bible study we talked a little about this when studying Ruth. How Naomi and Elimelech left Bethlehem (The house of Bread) to go to Moab ( a place almost cursed by God's people). They left with good reason, a famine. And yet instead of focusing on God and His promise to take care of His people, they chose to take care of themselves.
This was SO convicting to me, because that is what I do. I KNOW God wants me to home school. So instead of looking at all my shortcomings and inadequacies, I should just focus on a God who is able to overcome those things. And so, I began today with a promise to not stress. To enjoy my children and not freak out about every little thing, to bask in the honor of having my babies at home. And I started out good. I didn't stress about starting late. I didn't blast the kids out of bed at 6:30 (I couldn't, I was still in bed). We laughed and played and enjoyed one another.
Until I got a phone call before 9:00 about an issue that happened yeaterday at tutorial. An issue I am involved with only because it concerns my son's best friend and another good friend of his. They, apparently got in a fight yesterday, about what no one knows and it has blown into mountainous proportions! I have talked to both other parents, the parent of another child in their class, their teacher...and my child was not involved other than being friends with them both. As the morning progressed, and the calls continued and my own children fussed with one another, I felt the stress rising.
Then, we noticed a strange smell. I pretty much brushed it off until Tigerfan came home for lunch and declared it was gas. And told our highly paranoid 11 year old that it could cause the house to explode. We checked all the gas in the house and have decided that the kids may have wiggled a knob on the stove causing some gas to leak out...we are not sure. BUT because we don't know and because my son WILL be medicated some day, he is now outside and refuses to come in because (I can only imagine) he is sure of his impending demise if he does. And, while I am enjoying the peace of it. It stresses me!
I think, perhaps, that Satan has figured out that this is my area of weakness and man does he know how to get me. Here I am again. Muscles tight, headache coming on, and close to tears feeling so out of control and so frustrated and all I can see are the circumstances of right now, not how God can deliver me in time. Has anyone been there? Because I could really use someone telling me that I don't need to give up and go to Moab and then PLEASE tell me how. I know I am in the wrong place because I have eaten everything that hasn't jumped up and RUN out of my way the past two days. Despite my hard work and progress, I cannot resist sticking anything and everything into my mouth and as I do, I am telling myself: Self, you should not be eating this! And then I do!
So there, it is. The good, bad, and ugly of my day. I promise, eventually, I will stop whining and get back to the light hearted blog I used to be!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Welcome To My Pity Party
**UPDATE**
It is now 11:00 p.m. I am over my temper tantrum. Tigerfan helped out a lot tonight. I did not make it to the grocery store so my kids will be on their own at lunch tomorrow. I will do strength training when I finish here and we convinced Baseball boy to make a nice Egyptian Crown with the promise to make the Nile River this weekend. I had a good cry and then Tigerfan and I nursed the wounds of our bad days by eating popcorn and M&M's. However, Tigerfan has forbidden us from eating on the new furniture. So, we laid a towel out on the floor, brought in 15 year old lawn chairs and sat in them while completely surrounded in brand new furniture! How can you NOT see the humor in that? Thanks for letting me vent tonight!
Recently, I had a comment on my blog that said I made motherhood look easy. I haven't stopped laughing!
I would hate for anyone to get an erroneous image of my Supermom status, so here is a picture into my day today. And folks, I am just keeping it real so forgive the lack of humor.
I got up at 5:10 a.m. That was 10 minutes late, that 10 minutes makes all the difference. I did my 30 min. of cardio, fixed breakfast and began my quiet time. Before I could finish, Tigerfan came down with baby. It was not yet 6:00.
Tigerfan informed me that Dancer was also awake and lying in my bed. That is NEVER a good start to the day.
I fixed Baby's breakfast and fed him and went upstairs to brush, etc. Dancer was still awake. She turned on the T.V. while I went to wake the boys who bounded out of bed in great moods ready to go. They dressed and everyone went down for breakfast. While they were eating, I read to them. A great and unexpectedly smooth morning. By 8:00 all morning chores were done, bathrooms scrubbed and school started on time!!!
We did our pledges, etc, Bible study and began math. Baby went to sleep, blah, blah, blah. Math was smooth but took FOREVER! Then the boys were ready to read. Baseball boy wanted me to read with him. Under the new table. Ordinarily I would have brushed him off but I committed this morning to slow down, enjoy this season of life...blah, blah, blah. So, I crawled under the table and we began. Until Football boy felt jealous that he did not have a fort. Which suddenly reminded me that I meant to strip the boys' beds this morning and wash the sheets (they always build a blanket fort in their beds when I do that). they immediately volunteered to go unmake their beds for me. They did. It took about 30 minutes.
Anyway, until lunch, things seemed okay. The children even helped make lunch. We read a little more while they ate, moods were good. The only thing missing was Tigerfan who had not been able to make it home for lunch yet. We began cleaning, the kids took a little break and played in their fort and I began to fix my lunch. However, about 5 minutes into eating , Baby started fussing--he needed attention. Then Tigerfan called to say he was on his way. By the time he got home I had played with baby, changed laundry, fixed his lunch and completely forgotten mine. We discussed a project he promised to help B.B. with tonight.
It seems that B.B. was supposed to build a model of the Nile River for tutorial. We had it assigned last week. Due tomorrow. BUT we needed grass seed and I didn't have any. I called Nana, she didn't either. Okay, I had to buy some. And I totally meant to. Before surprise visitors, last minute garage sales and furniture delivery. Now, it is due tomorrow--still no grass seed. Tigerfan saw the plans and balked a little on me. What was he supposed to do? I don't know. He is the one who said he had an idea!!!
Afternoon school did not go so well. We did not finish until 4:00! At that time I had 3 piles of laundry on the couch, supper to start, a baby to feed and then I went upstairs to find the sheets on the crib that I had just washed yesterday COVERED in p**p. Yes, covered! I stripped the bed, started more laundry and began supper.
At 5:00, I had not heard from Tigerfan so I called him. Supper is now ready but he is not even close to coming home for the night. I have not yet had a shower, the kids have been "cleaning" for an hour but when I checked I could not tell anything had been put away. I still have to go to the grocery store, do the Nile project, put sheets on the boys' beds, do strength training (hah!), Iron clothes, grade tutorial papers, feed my family supper and clean up the kitchen and hopefully go to bed. The refrigerator desperately needs cleaning, the house needs vacuuming and dusting. but those things will fall by the wayside again.
I am tired and frustrated and somewhere in the midst of it, I forgot my promise to slow down and enjoy things. I do not know anything funny my kids have done today and even though they have been sweet, I have hardly noticed. I am cranky with Tigerfan because he is cranky and he is not home yet. I know he is tired too and frustrated..but I am just being honest, I am irritated with him. For being late, for an unfinished project, for being grumpy. I realize that is totally a double standard..."supermoms" have that right!
So, tomorrow is another day...maybe I will enjoy it. Maybe I will find my sense of humor again. Or, maybe I'll just go to Australia!
It is now 11:00 p.m. I am over my temper tantrum. Tigerfan helped out a lot tonight. I did not make it to the grocery store so my kids will be on their own at lunch tomorrow. I will do strength training when I finish here and we convinced Baseball boy to make a nice Egyptian Crown with the promise to make the Nile River this weekend. I had a good cry and then Tigerfan and I nursed the wounds of our bad days by eating popcorn and M&M's. However, Tigerfan has forbidden us from eating on the new furniture. So, we laid a towel out on the floor, brought in 15 year old lawn chairs and sat in them while completely surrounded in brand new furniture! How can you NOT see the humor in that? Thanks for letting me vent tonight!
Recently, I had a comment on my blog that said I made motherhood look easy. I haven't stopped laughing!
I would hate for anyone to get an erroneous image of my Supermom status, so here is a picture into my day today. And folks, I am just keeping it real so forgive the lack of humor.
I got up at 5:10 a.m. That was 10 minutes late, that 10 minutes makes all the difference. I did my 30 min. of cardio, fixed breakfast and began my quiet time. Before I could finish, Tigerfan came down with baby. It was not yet 6:00.
Tigerfan informed me that Dancer was also awake and lying in my bed. That is NEVER a good start to the day.
I fixed Baby's breakfast and fed him and went upstairs to brush, etc. Dancer was still awake. She turned on the T.V. while I went to wake the boys who bounded out of bed in great moods ready to go. They dressed and everyone went down for breakfast. While they were eating, I read to them. A great and unexpectedly smooth morning. By 8:00 all morning chores were done, bathrooms scrubbed and school started on time!!!
We did our pledges, etc, Bible study and began math. Baby went to sleep, blah, blah, blah. Math was smooth but took FOREVER! Then the boys were ready to read. Baseball boy wanted me to read with him. Under the new table. Ordinarily I would have brushed him off but I committed this morning to slow down, enjoy this season of life...blah, blah, blah. So, I crawled under the table and we began. Until Football boy felt jealous that he did not have a fort. Which suddenly reminded me that I meant to strip the boys' beds this morning and wash the sheets (they always build a blanket fort in their beds when I do that). they immediately volunteered to go unmake their beds for me. They did. It took about 30 minutes.
Anyway, until lunch, things seemed okay. The children even helped make lunch. We read a little more while they ate, moods were good. The only thing missing was Tigerfan who had not been able to make it home for lunch yet. We began cleaning, the kids took a little break and played in their fort and I began to fix my lunch. However, about 5 minutes into eating , Baby started fussing--he needed attention. Then Tigerfan called to say he was on his way. By the time he got home I had played with baby, changed laundry, fixed his lunch and completely forgotten mine. We discussed a project he promised to help B.B. with tonight.
It seems that B.B. was supposed to build a model of the Nile River for tutorial. We had it assigned last week. Due tomorrow. BUT we needed grass seed and I didn't have any. I called Nana, she didn't either. Okay, I had to buy some. And I totally meant to. Before surprise visitors, last minute garage sales and furniture delivery. Now, it is due tomorrow--still no grass seed. Tigerfan saw the plans and balked a little on me. What was he supposed to do? I don't know. He is the one who said he had an idea!!!
Afternoon school did not go so well. We did not finish until 4:00! At that time I had 3 piles of laundry on the couch, supper to start, a baby to feed and then I went upstairs to find the sheets on the crib that I had just washed yesterday COVERED in p**p. Yes, covered! I stripped the bed, started more laundry and began supper.
At 5:00, I had not heard from Tigerfan so I called him. Supper is now ready but he is not even close to coming home for the night. I have not yet had a shower, the kids have been "cleaning" for an hour but when I checked I could not tell anything had been put away. I still have to go to the grocery store, do the Nile project, put sheets on the boys' beds, do strength training (hah!), Iron clothes, grade tutorial papers, feed my family supper and clean up the kitchen and hopefully go to bed. The refrigerator desperately needs cleaning, the house needs vacuuming and dusting. but those things will fall by the wayside again.
I am tired and frustrated and somewhere in the midst of it, I forgot my promise to slow down and enjoy things. I do not know anything funny my kids have done today and even though they have been sweet, I have hardly noticed. I am cranky with Tigerfan because he is cranky and he is not home yet. I know he is tired too and frustrated..but I am just being honest, I am irritated with him. For being late, for an unfinished project, for being grumpy. I realize that is totally a double standard..."supermoms" have that right!
So, tomorrow is another day...maybe I will enjoy it. Maybe I will find my sense of humor again. Or, maybe I'll just go to Australia!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
My Man
I may mock Tigerfan at times, but really, he is a good egg! He knows how much I hate garage sales so he pretty much did the whole thing on his own! He let me sleep late with the kids (as late as an 8 month old allows), wait to come until after I took Football Boy to baseball practice and then sent me on an errand. All total, I think I worked about 45 minutes of the sale---and I made no money whatsoever! Maybe that is why I don't like garage sales!
By the time it was time to shut things down, the furniture company called to say they were delivering the furniture. So Tigerfan went to meet them and got it all set up. Of course, the ottoman didn't come in. A screw went through one of the kitchen chairs and they brought the wrong pillows...but we have most of it! :)
Last night we ordered an area rug and hopefully before long I will make or find some curtains and for the first time in our married life we will have a completely decorated living room! Wow! All thanks to my little OCD man who is the creative genius in our family.
On a totally different but humorous note, he also went to his momma's to make reservations for us to go to the World of the Mouse in November last night. My SIL and her kids were preparing to leave this morning so her son (6) was making everyone goodbye pictures. He proudly presented Dancer with hers last. It was a red blob with a yellow triangle sticking out of it. I, of course, had to ask what it was.
His reply (said, by the way, like I was incredibly stupid not to know): It is my brain with a chip in it!
By the time it was time to shut things down, the furniture company called to say they were delivering the furniture. So Tigerfan went to meet them and got it all set up. Of course, the ottoman didn't come in. A screw went through one of the kitchen chairs and they brought the wrong pillows...but we have most of it! :)
Last night we ordered an area rug and hopefully before long I will make or find some curtains and for the first time in our married life we will have a completely decorated living room! Wow! All thanks to my little OCD man who is the creative genius in our family.
On a totally different but humorous note, he also went to his momma's to make reservations for us to go to the World of the Mouse in November last night. My SIL and her kids were preparing to leave this morning so her son (6) was making everyone goodbye pictures. He proudly presented Dancer with hers last. It was a red blob with a yellow triangle sticking out of it. I, of course, had to ask what it was.
His reply (said, by the way, like I was incredibly stupid not to know): It is my brain with a chip in it!
Friday, September 5, 2008
SHHHHHHHH
Don't tell Tigerfan I'm here! I am supposed to be scrubbing goop off the floors before we get our new furniture tomorrow!
He is at his momma's pricing stuff for a garage sale. I was also supposed to help him but the children reached melt down phase and I had to bring them home! That is the price you pay when you decide on Thursday to do a garage sale on Saturday. I don't recommend it. Of course, I don't recommend having garage sales. I would be perfectly happy to put all my junk out on the road and just let folks take it. I had to marry a "sensible" man who thinks we should try to recoup some of our cash we spent on furniture. Cash is sooooo overrated!
Anywhoo, just thought I would drop by so everyone would know that I really am still here. This week has been CRAZY! Of course, every week seems to be crazy. However, highlights from the week are:
He is at his momma's pricing stuff for a garage sale. I was also supposed to help him but the children reached melt down phase and I had to bring them home! That is the price you pay when you decide on Thursday to do a garage sale on Saturday. I don't recommend it. Of course, I don't recommend having garage sales. I would be perfectly happy to put all my junk out on the road and just let folks take it. I had to marry a "sensible" man who thinks we should try to recoup some of our cash we spent on furniture. Cash is sooooo overrated!
Anywhoo, just thought I would drop by so everyone would know that I really am still here. This week has been CRAZY! Of course, every week seems to be crazy. However, highlights from the week are:
- new furniture
- Eating a Labor Day meal with Nana and Papaw and planning to go back the next day to eat leftovers however a certain unnamed baseball player may have had a slight break down over the fact that we never eat at Fazoli's so Tuesday, we went to Fazoli's--Nan couldn't stand it!
- Starting my new Bible Study (thank you, Jesus!)
- Surprise visit from Tigerfan's sister--escaping from all the flooding in LA
- Supper at El Chico where our nephew stuck a chip up his nose and then fell apart because it was going to his brain. When told he could probably blow it out, he then proceeded to test that theory. Immediately. On his mother. Who was without tissue!
- Science Fair teacher's info. meeting--yes, it is that time again already! Ugh!
- Clearing out the house of old furniture to make room for new! Yeah! It comes tomorrow. Along with a garage sale, baseball practice, a birthday party, getting old furniture to new buyers and spending time with SIL--What a day!
Okay, better get back to scrubbing floors before Tigerfan finds out I have been shirking my duties. I'll be back--hopefully with some pictures!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Welcome to my New Home
I have not disappeared from the face of the earth. I really haven't. It is just that, well, life is busy AND as we were setting up blogs for the two boys (which, by the way they have not typed on since they started because they are banned from the computer) I realized how EASY blogger is! I had toyed with changing once before but the thought of starting all over was overwhelming as was cutting and pasting my whole blog. So, I did nothing.
However, inspired with the ease and fun of the boys, I decided to bite the bullet. So, Tigerfan has literally spent hours helping me set up and find a new page and here I am. I have already been able to do more by myself than I ever was before including posting a picture which makes me absolutely giddy with joy! Oh, the possibilities!!!
Anywhoo, this is where I will be from now on. We still have some tweaking to do, like how in heaven's name do you get all the edit me things off of here...but if you want to find me...this is my new home!
In other news:
1. Our old home is new again as we have purchased new living room furniture!!! This was a long time coming, folks! We have been saving up forever and waiting for the right time. Our 14+ year old couch has had it and we decided that since Baby has figured out how to pull out the insides and eat them, the time was right! Oh, I can hardly wait. AND, when it is all delivered and set up...I can take a picture and show you!
2. Last week Dancer and I went on a field trip to a blueberry farm. I was cranky, but the fieldtrip was fun and we got a half gallon of blueberries to play with. I found a recipe for blueberry muffins on the web and they lived up to their name: To Die For Blueberry Muffins. I will post the recipe soon. Please, make these muffins. You will NOT regret it!
3. Our church is housing evacuees from South Louisiana until they can return to their homes. It is really heartbreaking. So many of them already faced so much devistation and now they are going through it again. I cannot even imagine how they feel. We are going to do a service project tomorrow and go help serve them lunch. I am really excited to let my kids get this opportunity. Please keep these people in your prayers, they are really desperate right now.
4. Friday, I was somewhat cranky (notice a theme). We are going through a time in our home right now. It seems that our children are a little lacking in the obedience area and we are really pressing the issue. My philosophy is if you cannot be obedient in the little things like put away that pencil, you will not be obedient in the big things like go be a missionary in China. So, we are learning to be obedient, and it is not fun. For anyone. Anyway, Friday the children had lost T.V., Movies, Computer, Wii, etc. I was irritated and tired of entertaining and disciplining and wondering how we would make it through the night. Suddenly one of the children announced there was a package outside and sure enough...it was a prize I had one on The Purple Diva's Website from the Popcorn Factory. People, it was GREAT and it changed the whole tone of the evening. We played games and ate popcorn and had a great night. So, go check out her sight. She is soooooo encouraging and always can put a smile on your face. AND she posts about 10 times a day which more than makes up for my lack of posting.
Okay, that is all for now, I will try to be a better little blogger from now on! Hope to be back soon!
However, inspired with the ease and fun of the boys, I decided to bite the bullet. So, Tigerfan has literally spent hours helping me set up and find a new page and here I am. I have already been able to do more by myself than I ever was before including posting a picture which makes me absolutely giddy with joy! Oh, the possibilities!!!
Anywhoo, this is where I will be from now on. We still have some tweaking to do, like how in heaven's name do you get all the edit me things off of here...but if you want to find me...this is my new home!
In other news:
1. Our old home is new again as we have purchased new living room furniture!!! This was a long time coming, folks! We have been saving up forever and waiting for the right time. Our 14+ year old couch has had it and we decided that since Baby has figured out how to pull out the insides and eat them, the time was right! Oh, I can hardly wait. AND, when it is all delivered and set up...I can take a picture and show you!
2. Last week Dancer and I went on a field trip to a blueberry farm. I was cranky, but the fieldtrip was fun and we got a half gallon of blueberries to play with. I found a recipe for blueberry muffins on the web and they lived up to their name: To Die For Blueberry Muffins. I will post the recipe soon. Please, make these muffins. You will NOT regret it!
3. Our church is housing evacuees from South Louisiana until they can return to their homes. It is really heartbreaking. So many of them already faced so much devistation and now they are going through it again. I cannot even imagine how they feel. We are going to do a service project tomorrow and go help serve them lunch. I am really excited to let my kids get this opportunity. Please keep these people in your prayers, they are really desperate right now.
4. Friday, I was somewhat cranky (notice a theme). We are going through a time in our home right now. It seems that our children are a little lacking in the obedience area and we are really pressing the issue. My philosophy is if you cannot be obedient in the little things like put away that pencil, you will not be obedient in the big things like go be a missionary in China. So, we are learning to be obedient, and it is not fun. For anyone. Anyway, Friday the children had lost T.V., Movies, Computer, Wii, etc. I was irritated and tired of entertaining and disciplining and wondering how we would make it through the night. Suddenly one of the children announced there was a package outside and sure enough...it was a prize I had one on The Purple Diva's Website from the Popcorn Factory. People, it was GREAT and it changed the whole tone of the evening. We played games and ate popcorn and had a great night. So, go check out her sight. She is soooooo encouraging and always can put a smile on your face. AND she posts about 10 times a day which more than makes up for my lack of posting.
Okay, that is all for now, I will try to be a better little blogger from now on! Hope to be back soon!
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