Battles to be won?

Lots of memories, good and bad, swirl through my brain this time of year as I try to figure out hiding places for gifts that I need to not forget about. I was always amazed as a kid that there was "one more" gift pulled out of nowhere... I have learned that gift was most likely forgotten until just that moment. Anyway...

Lately as I have been having my internal struggle and after a very explosive emotional outburst that left not only myself and my Blonde son in tears but my Hubby not speaking to me for a few days (long story, same no progress ending) I have had a sentence from a scripture bouncing around amidst all of the chaos in my brain.

I know why this has been in my mind.

I guess I just need to try harder. Have more faith my Hubby tells me.

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding."

I am trying. Isn't that the point?

I do Believe.

Christmas is coming and Blonde's list is long. He adds to it every day so I have hidden it. Brownie doesn't want much but has expensive ideas. Squish and Jellybean just want it ALL.

I remember growing up that every year Christmas was being cancelled by my Daddy. I am sure Mother never agreed to the idea because Santa always came. I can remember sneaking out to see if Santa had visited in the wee pre-dawn hours and I don't remember ever being disappointed. I do remember hearing Daddy yell from across the house... "Go back to bed!"... Good memories.

The year before I got divorced I lived in Sunset and Santa delivered Christmas with a great feast included to our front door. His elves had been "gifting" us for the previous 11 days with cookies and stories and had never once been seen. And we watched for them. That year had been a hard one for me and my sons and somehow Santa knew and he came through for us. I was amazed and so greatful to whomever had taken care of us.

Again, the very next year Santa left two great big black bags on our doorstep. Full of treats and presents for my children. By this time we were living single in Kaysville in Noah's ark and struggling to survive in our little family. Again I was amazed and we were truly blessed by the generosity of an unknow Santa who cared about us having a Christmas too.

We have never needed that Santa again but the memory of it lives in my heart and brings a tear to my eye. Whoever you are... thank you for sharing with us.

I love Christmas morning with my boys. The only problem is it all goes so fast and then it is over. There is wrapping paper up to your belly button all over the house, candy smushed in the carpet and the Daddy snoring on the couch. Fortunately the memories can last much longer than the smell of the turkey cooking for dinner.

Anyway... I hope Santa has worked out a game plan for my Kids... because personally I am not ready yet for Christmas to arrive. Anybody seen the tape?

Vacation Bliss.

For our 10th Wedding Anniversary celebration we were blessed to be able to take all of our children to the Happiest Place on Earth. We spent two wonderful sunny days there and had a wonderful time. We all rode rides and got wet and acted like little children.



There were a few moments of tension... what vacation would be complete without that?... Blonde would not ride on rollercoasters but Squish would. Yea, Squish! It was great to watch his eyes glow as he got off the rides holding Brownie's hand. :)



The hubby and I did not get a whole lot of "alone" time but then again we had the boys when we said "I do" so we figured why should this be different.



We saw Stitch, Mickey Mouse, Mator, Chip and Dale, Goofy and many others. We watched the Parade and got to cheer that we were there to Celebrate an Anniversary. We watched the fireworks and I cried. (I saw other moms do it to so I am not the only loser.)



All in all I wish we could have stayed for just one more day. There were some rides that we missed. But we were so lucky to have been there at all (Thanks, Banana!) that we cannot even complain.



I loved being there with all of my children. I enjoyed going on rides with them. Watching them build their brotherly relationships and how they all tried to include Princess Petey in the fun. She will have absolutely no memory of this... which means we will have to go back someday.



Maybe for our 20th.....:)

Almost a week.

Me, myself and I. Being of sound mind and good-grief what has happened to my body!?!

First one thing then another and I have decided that I am just ready to die... I cannot eat/drink or swallow without crying in misery. My pain level is so out of control that I cannot even function to take care of SueBell... and believe me she has noticed. Her favorite place to hit me over the last few days is on the side of my neck... owwww!

So... I want to be buried in Kaysville. By a tree. I don't care which tree. I just know I will want to be in the shade when summer comes. I want my Hubby to be stuck raising all of our children, by himself, because he should have some punishment in life besides the teenagers liking him best. Oh, and I need a spot next to me saved for him....I cannot sleep if he isn't on my right side.

I want there to be lots of crying. Weeping and wailing really. I have had enough of the teeth gnashing so forget that part. Oh, and no green jello at the family dinner. Green jello burns going down and it is part of what is killing me so pick a different color.

As far as what to do with MY life insurance money. Easy... I want MY house paid off. MY bills paid off. MY children cared for. I want MY wants to come first for a change! Even if I am dead.



Hhmmm.... what else?

Oh, I know. Can someone boil some water for my broth?

Gotta get off these pills.

I think this time of the year is always the hardest for me. The holidays begin their steady march across my calendar and my front door changes its dressing in accordance and the old steady feeling of lonliness and longing creep in around the edges. I long for my family at home and for those times of togetherness.

When I got married the first time and moved out of my parents home I forever changed those relationships with my family. Which is how is is supposed to be to some extend I guess.

I missed a lot of my sisters lives as my own children took center stage. I feel like that missing of their lives has gotten so much wider over these last couple of years. I feel great sadness over that loss.

Maybe it is the time of year, or maybe it is the glorious pain pills I am on but I need to tell my sisters how great I think they are. I know that our struggles are different but I think we all are trying to believe in that happy ending that is not so easy to find. I am super proud of the amazing women that you have grown-up to be. There are many days that I envy you and not a day goes by that I do not wish that we were closer. I love you and I am always here for you.

Zen moment for the month.

I should have just left the tonsils alone!

Now what?

After spending the night in the hospital on Thursday I came home on Friday and have actually been doing okay. I will admit that the Oxycontin pills have certainly helped to maintain that nice warm glowy feeling. :)

Surgery went well. My hips are sore from the event ... they prop your knees up against your ears apparently and I am not very bendy. Mostly though I am doing good. I am not supposed to lift anything bigger than a gallon of milk for a couple of weeks but I have broken that rule a few times without too much agony.

My hubby has gone back to work so it is all just me and the baby for the next few weeks of recouping. Hopefully I will just heal really fast. I have things to do.

What does that make me?

Well the day before the day of has finally arrived. I have made all of the arrangements for the kids and the Hubby to be cared for in my brief absence. I know exactly what I am sending with Princess Petey to spend the day with her "borrowed" grandma (her real one won't come up) for the whole day. Everything should go smoothly.

For those who do not know what I am talking about... I am scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning at 7am. This has been a long time in coming but must taken care of for my body to ever be "normal" again. (What is normal?)

Anyway... because of the pneumonia that I enjoyed while I was pregnant with Princess Petey I now get to go and have a hysterectomy along with some other hopefully minor reconstruction.

I will have to spend one night in the hospital and then about three weeks recouping. That is the optimistic plan at least. The nurse yesterday made it all sound so very much worse. My Mother called me yesterday to tell me what it said in her medical book. She informed me that I will no longer have periods. (YEA!!) She also wanted to know where all the blood will go or will I just fill up and explode.?.?...Huh?

So all night last night I dreamed about being on the surgery table and blowing up as soon as the doctor touched me. Before that I really was only worried about if this surgery will make me an IT. You know like when you take your cat in to get fixed. She's a she at the beginning and an It by the time things are done.

Either way... the whole thing will be over tomorrow afternoon. I guess we will know all the answers then.

Peace...be still.

When we go to church on Sundays I carry with me a very large black bag. This back was given to me as a diaper bag by my Hubby's mother. My children call her Banana. This bag that Banana sent could very easy hold the entire population of a small country in its depths. I cannot imagine every needing that much space for baby items... hmmm.
Anyway, in this bag I carry all of the items that we could need for a Sunday. As the Primary Secretary I carry all of my rolls, my Great Big Book of Everything, several different colored sheets of extra paper (My Pres. always asks "do you happen to have a sheet of _____ paper? I only need one.")pens, pencils. I used to also carry tape and a stapler but somehow even though we are at church those two things have been stolen. I also carry in my bag the items that might come in handy with Princess Petey. Change of clothes, diapers, wipers, a few quiet (hahaha) toys and some finger snacks.
Invariably the pockets on this bag always wind up carrying extra things that I forget about. Old programs, papers the boys have colored in class, invites to baby showers or Relief Society gatherings that I have no intention to attend, that sort of thing. The collection of these extra items usually make a slow journey to the recycling box but one such paper caught my eye the other day and I have been thinking about it off and on ever since.
It was a simple sheet of paper to mark of on which chapters of the Book of Mormon that you have read. A cute design. But what caught my attention were the words at the bottom. I didn't notice who read them but I am certain that was not the important part. The words said...

If you are too busy to pray and read your scriptures you are busier than Heavenly Father meant you to be."

In my world there is always somewhere I/We have to go. A game, a practice, a meeting for one group or the other. There are endless chores to be done, phone calls to return, Scouts and Primary to prepare for, homework to do, etc. and etc. Not to mention that stupid kindergarten bus.
I honestly cannot remember the last time I sat down with my scriptures for more than that quick look for a child's talk or Primary scripture. I also know that I have fallen asleep far too often during prayers before crawling into bed. I imagine my life is not the only one that is this way. :)
The Visiting Teaching message from my Ladies yesterday was something about an oak tree and it's roots being strongly fixed in the ground being able to withstand the outside turmoil. I listened and think there is a message I am supposed to be receiving. It was hard to follow though because of the two little boys I was babysitting demanding my attention, Kenji needing to ask a question and the dumb timer going off to remind me it was time to get ready for the Bus. Ugh.

I am not really sure how to "prune" back my world. How does a person do that?

As long as you are under my roof.

The smell in the air has changed and most of the time there is that little bit of a chill in the air. Which only means it is time for school to be back in session. By the time it is time for school to begin I am usually so much more than ready to send my sons back to school.

And yet...

There is the terrible sensation of having to let them actually go back to school.

The first day of school for me is the worst. Without fail I end up calling my Hubby and crying about 'whose dumb idea was it' for the kids to go to school. This is not just a fit I do with the little ones either. My house gets far too quiet and I get lonely for all of them.

Now this sadness does wear off rather quickly and soon I begin looking forward to a stable routine. Bus times. Early outs. Not having to fix lunch. I do adjust to them being gone.

If I could only fiqure out a way to not have them get older every year, closer to the time when they will leave for real. That is the part I really dread.

All Passengers May Now Board...

I have come to the conclusion that I need to stop beating around the bush and just state facts. No, my clan and I will not be making the trip home this summer nor any where in the distant forseeable future.

Why, you ask... or not.

My hubby and I have tried to figure out the easiest/cheapest/shortest way to make this visit possible. First of all, there was not ever going to be a time when all of us could make the journey which meant either me driving/flying alone or making a 36 hour visit after a long 13 hour drive down. This idea did not appeal to me much so we moved on to option two...

which consisted of my flying down with the three youngest and spending almost two weeks... this method while faster for the Princess would cost around $1200 for airfare, hotel and rental car.

This option also had to be cast aside... we came to the unhappy decision that our money tree would in no way be able to keep up with the many demands that we will be placing upon it this year with 5 chidren in school, 1 football player, 1 college student, 2 Seniors, 1 Disneyland Band trip, 1 constantly growing girl and numerous trips to Walmart for milk.


So... if anyone THERE wants to come HERE... I guarantee it will be cheaper/faster/shorter for you to come to us than for us to come to you.

Call me when your plane lands.... :)

Lullaby and Goodnight.

We have decided that since Princess Petey has successfully survived her first year here on this planet we call home that it was high time to attempt to teach her how to sleep through the night.

"How is this done?" you might ask. My reply would just be one of confused silence.

Over the last umpteen years I have tried on many occassions to get my children to learn the value of sleeping all night. I have even tried, once or twice, to convince them to sleep all night in their OWN beds. (Since I rolled over this morning to discover Squish next to me it is obvious that this has failed.)

Anyway...

Petey gives up for the evening at about 10pm. I place her sweet little body in her crib making sure all of her beloved blankets are within patting distance and sneak out of her room. Then comes the hard part... remembering why I wanted to do this when she wakes up and cries at 2am.

The first night she cried for over an hour. About 20 minutes on the second and only about 10 minutes on the third. I thought we were home free. Till last night... she cried for an hour and a half.

Not just a wimper, mind you, but an out-right being massacred scream for almost 95 minutes. Good grief! I hope tonight is easier. I am not strong enough to last many nights this way.

Oh, well. Why should she figure it out any faster than her brothers?

I'm Bored!

The day has finally arrived. The countdown has changed from days to hours and most of my boys are thrilled. It is , of course, the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. Yesterday was Kindergarten graduation for Jellybean. He has had a great year despite my concerns for him. He loved Mrs. Crowe and even enjoyed going to speech therapy every week. He is excited to go to First grade except when he thinks about leaving Kindergarten then he isn't so sure.

Squish has cried several times this week, even at school. He does not want to move to the other school for 3rd grade. He says the PtRidge is too big and he doesn't want to go. I have tried to tell him all of his classmates will be there too but so far he isn't buying the idea.

8th grade graduation was last night. My son looked very handsome in his white shirt and tie (I need to get him a new belt) and he did a good job when the choir performed "We go together" from Grease. I was very proud. He has worked super hard this year and has all A's and B's. I only cried a little.

Brownie only has a few days off before he starts class at the college again. Between that and his work schedule... he will have lots of free time. Hannah time, I mean. :)

I figure even if I try to include field trips to the zoo, trek, Sound and volcano it will not take very long for someone to announce he is bored and right after someone will start the countdown to when school will be starting again.

It will probably be me....

Something to look forward to.

The nice thing about being senile is You can hide your own Easter eggs.

I wish...

Speechless.

So I have been asked to give a 12 - 15 minute talk in church on Sunday. On prayer.

Yea.

I have tried on and off all week to think about what I should try to say that might be of value to anyone. Something uplifting and amazing.

The only thought that keeps running through my head is "What the heck am I going to do with the baby? Will people even be able to hear me over her screaming?"

If she is loud enough it really won't matter what I say... right?

Saddness.

My little sister and her sweet hubby are having a terrible week. They have suffered a huge painful loss in their family. My heart goes out to them.

My little sister sent me a text on Saturday that caused immediate tears and many prayers. Her "little sister" was in the hospital. The text she sent me later had much the same effect as the first one, accompanied by clinging to my children while they looked at me funny. Lucy's mommy, who had fought for so long, did not make it.

Sometimes things don't make a lot of sense. I find myself wondering how my sister, John, little Lucy, her Daddy, or their famlies will move forward from here. I was not close to Lariann but I do know how important she was to people I love and care about. I can imagine the hurt they are experiencing. I feel it to a small degree.

It sounds dumb, I am sure, but I am so glad to know that this is not the end of Lariann. I feel bad for those she has left behind but I can feel peace that her family, that love they share, can continue. Always.

It might be far to soon but I hope my little sister can find that peace too, if she hasn't yet. You are in my thoughts and my prayers. I only wish there was more I could do.

I got 22 ...

if you get more than 30, I strongly recommend some counseling.
if you get more than 20, you’re paranoid.
if you get 11-20, you are normal.
if you get 10 or less, you’re fearless.
people who don’t have any are full of crap.
Tag 10 of your friends and find out whether or not they suffer paranoia.


I fear ...

[ ] black people
[x] the dark (when I'm outside... )
[ ] staying single forever
[x] being a parent
[x] being myself in front of others
[x] open spaces
[ ] closed spaces
[x] heights
[ ] dog
[ ] birds
[ ] fish
[x] spiders
[ ] flowers or other plants

total so far: 6

[ ] fire
[x] very deep water
[ ] snakes
[ ] silk
[ ] the ocean
[x] failure
[ ] success
[ ] thunder/lightning storms
[ ] frogs/toads
[ ] my boyfriends/girlfriends dad
[ ] my boyfriends/girlfriends mom
[x] rats
[x] jumping from high places
[ ] snow

total so far: 10

[ ] rain
[ ] wind
[x] crossing hanging bridges
[x]death
[ ] heaven
[x] being robbed/mugged
[x] falling
[ ] clowns
[ ] glass dolls
[x] large crowds of people
[ ] men
[ ] women
[x] having great responsibilities
[ ] doctors
[ ] tornadoes

total so far: 16

[ ] hurricanes
[x] incurable diseases
[ ] sharks
[ ] Friday the 13th
[ ] ghosts
[x] poverty
[ ] Halloween
[ ] school
[ ] trains
[ ] odd numbers
[ ] even numbers
[x] being alone
[ ] becoming blind
[ ] becoming deaf
[x] growing up, old

total so far: 20

[x] creepy noises in the night
[x] not accomplishing my dreams/goals
[ ] needles
[ ] blood


total: 22

I have tried to set this up from my phone but i guess it does not work.

Obituaries

Oww!

So the other day I tried to avoid stepping on my crawling child and I managed instead to slip and break my toes/foot on the wall in my boy's bathroom. My ring toe on my left foot is broken where it connects to my foot therefor nothing can be done... other than my developing new quaint swear words when my sweet children kick my toe "on accident" because they "forgot" that I hurt it.

Only 5 more weeks and 6 days till it heals....

Can't Imagine.

As a mom there have been days over the last almost 17 years when I have wondered at my sanity of having children. There has even been the times that I have threatened to return my children to where they came from. This action has always brought My Mother to admonish me that I shouldn't even think those things.

I believe that my children know that I am irritated/tired/fed up or some other emotion when I have made those comments and that I would never ever physically cause them any harm on purpose.

On Sunday, I heard from a neighbor about a Dad in our community who did the unthinkable. He actually took a gun and shot his four children several times while they lay asleep in their beds. His fifth child was killed in the family bathroom. The only "good" part of the story was that the man took his own life, too. They said that he did it because his wife was leaving him for another man.

Unthinkable. Horrible. Beyond words.

My children have gone to school today and I know that there will be grief counselors at all four of the schools here in town. The ages of the children were 7 to 16. Hannah knew the oldest daughter. The 7 year old is in Second grade. I mean was. My Squish is in Second grade. The Teachers at school are supposed to discuss somewhat the terrible incident and try to explain it to the students.

How?

How do you explain to a child that someone they knew is no longer here because their daddy made a terrible choice? Someone who was supposed to take care of their friends decided to hurt them instead? How can you explain that to a child? To a grown-up?

My heart hurts for the Mom. For the children of our little town that have lost friends. For the lost futures of these children. What a shame.

I don't often agree with My Mother. But I have to admit she is right.

Feelin' Moody?

This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph.
It's PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal
forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customer's monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women.

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'

Are you f------ kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness, is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong'.

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bullshit. And that's a promise I will keep...

Always.

Best,

Wendi Aarons
Austin , Tx

It's a Secret.

My hubby came home from work the other day and wanted to know about the secret handshake that we have in the Temple. He had seen a story on Yahoo about that BigLove show that was going to be showing what happens inside a Temple. Apparently, the had talked specifically about this handshake thing and my hubby found it rather funny. He wanted to know what it was and why we thought it would get us into heaven.

"So you do a high-five and a belly-bump when you take off your magic underware?"

One night at dinner, several years ago, our oldest son, B., asked me what I had under my clothing that would get me into Heaven. I was puzzled. Looked down my shirt and said "My belly button?" Wrong. B had learned at his church that we as Mormons belive that our underware is magical and that when we die if we put it up against the gates of Heaven we will be able to get in. I promised B. that nobody wanted to see a bunch of fat naked Mormons and that he had been taught incorrectly. (For some reason this led to many other discussions on what his teacher was telling him wrongly about Mormons at his church.)

On my brother-in-laws blog there is a blip about why Mormons build temples. I tried to get my hubby to watch but he wasn't really interested.

So instead I told my hubby if he wanted to go with me to the Temple some day he could do the "secret" high-five bell-bump and get his own magic underware. He only laughed at me. Do you think that was an okay?

If you were to look at the calendar hanging in my kitchen you would see my title (momma) and a big number signifigantly placed on a certain day of this month. If you were my hubby you would think it meant that you needed to go shopping for some sort of gift (sparkly, maybe?). My younger sons look at this notation and immediately begin trying to decide what sort of cake "they" should make for the occassion. My big boys probably just think it means I am that much more old.

I, on the other hand, look at the event with much more... I don't know. ???

The other day I had found a birthday card that my sister had sent to my oldest baby. She had commented on how he is her friend in this weirdness we call a family (my words not hers.. weirdness). This letter made me miss my sister... and my sons.

It has occured to me that I have been getting older. It is true that I will be turning a great big 25L this year but it is so much more than that. My oldest baby will be turning 17 next month... 18 next year... eventually he will be 20... or 25... do you see where this is going?

On a date with my husband the other day I tried to explain to him that I feel like my time with my children is running out. I already can feel that they, the older boys, are definately becoming seperate individuals from me. AND I DO NOT LIKE IT!!!!

At the same time, my family is growing and changing. Here. And I wish I was home, there (sort of). Things, relationships, there are damaged and likely to remain as such but... I miss having my sisters around to just be there. Does that make sense? They and my brothers and parents were always just "there" wether I wanted them there or not. I have pictures of my sisters when they were just little girls spending time with my babies. They helped me to raise my babies and I am now alone with my youngest and I wish they were not so far away "there".




Long story short. I have decided to cancel my upcoming anniversary of the day I first entered this rollarcoaster life. Perhaps by avoiding that event my children will stop having theirs and they will stay little always. Plus if we cancel this ??? feeling can just leave and I won't be tearing up in Applebees over my chicken fried chicken.

It could work.

Nothing new here.

A girlfriend of mine called today and she asked "What's new?" in my world. Her husband has changed his career and has gone back to school. They are expecting a baby, trying to sell their house and atleast a million and one other things.

I am folding towels, rocking Princess Petey(she is teething and has been crying all night), running the dishwasher, preparing for Cub Scouts (I am being made a den leader), trying to remember to find time to go fill Jellybean's perscription...oh, yea gotta watch for his bus...making an email/phone list for my Primary Pres. on top of all the other Primary stuff I need to catch up on. Plus probably a million and one other things I was supposed to do yesterday and never finished. Gotta call the vet....hmm... seems like I am forgetting something...oh, well.

I told her "Nothing."

Alphabet Game.

last name tag

Rules: It's Harder Than It Looks! Hit Forward, Erase My Answers, Enter Yours, & Send It On To 10 People, Including The One That Sent This To You.

Use The 1st Letter Of Your Last Name To Answer Each Of The Following Questions.

They Have To Be Real Places, Names, & Things. Nothing Made Up! Try To Use Different Answers If The Person In Front Of You Had The Same 1st Initial. You Can't Use Your Name For The Boy/Girl Name Question.

______ ** _______

1. What is your last name? Melot

2. A 4-letter word: Moon

3. A boy's name: Martin

4. A girl's name: Margret

5. An occupation: Magician

6. A color: Maroon

7. Something you wear: Mascara

8. A beverage: Milk

9. A food: Moonpie

10. Something found in the bathroom: Magazines

11. A place: Monroe, WA

12. A reason for being late: Mechanical problems

13. Something you shout: MOM!

Ever felt like this?

Wish List.

Dear Santa,
For Christmas this year or my birthday or just because you are super nice I would like a cute lap top computer. I have no real color preference just the hope of being able to be the only person using the thing on any given day. Plus being able to move to another location with it is a beautiful thought.

I appreciate you taking this into consideration.

As an alternative option, if a lap top is out of the question I would be happy to settle for a larger work space where our current computer sits in it's own fine layer of dust. I just need enough room to spread out all of my Primary stuff while I work.

Thanks.

Quarantine!

Just in case any one was planning on visiting my house this week... DON'T!
My family... every last yucky boy... is sick! Hubby has broncitis... Blonde has strep throat.... Squish has pneumonia... Brownie (& Hannah) has a sore throat and headache (I told him bad things happen when you kiss girls...) and Jellybean has a goopy nose. Everyone has had a fever or chills. Some have had stomach aches and one has had the runs (yea!) My house radiates with the sound of coughing in several different pitches.
I made three trips to the Dr. yesterday and I am taking in Brownie, Squish and Jellybean today to make sure they do not have strep also.

I have to admit that I have given in to the thrill and have my own fever, cough and headache because I didn't want to be left out... the sweats at night are my favorite. (Anybody seen the Benadryl?)

Amazingly enough Princess Petey is the only one so far not to have any of the gunk going around my house. It must be the pre-natal vitamins and extra vitamin C I have been taking. It isn't helping me but appears to be helping her. :)

Family Fued

1. Name something you use in the shower? razor

2. Name something a football player wears under his uniform? tattoo

3. Name something people hate to find on their windshield? a crack

4. Name something a man might buy before a date? flowers

5. What is another word for blemish? pimple

6. Something you cook in the microwave? popcorn

7. Name a piece of furniture people need help moving? bed

8 . Name a reason a younger man might like an older woman? better sex

9. Name something a dog does that embarrasses its owner? begs

10. Name a kind of test you cannot study for: eye Test

11. Name something a boy scout gets a badge for: Tying knots

12 .Name a phrase with the word home in it: Home Sweet Home

13. Name a sport where players lose teeth: football

14. Name something a teacher can do to ruin a student's day? pop quiz

15. What is a way you can tell someone has been crying? puffy eyes

16. Name a bird you wouldn't want to eat: hummingbirds

17. Name something a person wears even if it has a hole it! sweatshirt

18. Name something that gets smaller as you use it? bank account

Tic Toc

Why does there never seem to be enough time in the mornings?

A typical school morning means feeding two little boys breakfast. Usually of the all heathy sugar-filled cereal. Showering both boys seperately to cut down on play time "Have you washed your body yet?" Clothing added. Hair combed. Lunch made. Shoes on... other foot! The always fun game of "Where's My Backpack?!" which is my own personal favorite. A quick check of the clock says we are late for the bus stop...again... and you rush out the door. Where you wait what feels like an eternity in the cold drizzle with the fussy baby for the bus to arrive. "Have a good day..."

Rinse. Repeat.

Dr. Visit

After waiting for 20 minutes surrounded by coughing children we found out that Petey weighs a great big 18 lbs and 5 oz. . We were at the doctor's office last night...again. We also learned that she is on her second round of pink eye.

Where does she get this stuff?? Actually I think it's a scam. Years ago when Brownie was new his pediatritian had two different doors at his office. One for sick kids and one for healthy so that the two did not have to lick the same doornob (you've seen kids do this) or chew toy. They don't seem to do that any more. (The doors, I mean, not the doornob part.) So instead of just having the disease you started with you bring home a new one that requires another trip to the doctor the next week. And so on and so on.... forever.

I wonder how much a bubble would cost? It has got to be less than the Dr.?

It's about time!

Princess Petey and I were playing with the cute teething ring that Auntie Claus sent her for Christmas. It is one of those with water in and little pictures on the plastic with a green fish handle. Petey loves it and has been chewing on it and giggling for weeks.

Until last night....

She was doing her usual chewing and laughing routine when suddenly the front of her clothes was wet. She had punctured one of the water bubbles. I think she has gotten a tooth!!! Her cute little tongue will not let us see... but you can definately feel the little tooth when she bites on your finger.

Is she too little for one of the Cinderella toothbrushes at Walmart?

Moving Day.

Over the weekend I traveled with my Hubby to Arizona for his Grandma Betty's funeral. We left here on Friday from ugly overcast, foggy skies with 35* temperatures wearing sweatshirts and freezing while we waited to catch the shuttle to the airport.

3 hours later..... I decided that I want to move...

Beautiful blue skies, warm air (69*) sunshine.... we had to buy me a short sleeved shirt to wear. :) A nice little breeze and no need for extra socks. Plus I thought the cactus were really cool looking at the car rental place where there appeared to be a whole forest of them.

Now I will admit that I don't want to live in Arizona in the summer time. My funny skin would not make it... I had to take more than a couple doses of Benadryl as it was.


Yet... as I sit and watch the snow fall here in gray Washington on a two-hour school delay... I could definately live there in the winter.

A Day in the Life...

As everyone knows by now we have had another fun weather event here in hip-happenin' Orting! The day started out with my neighbor calling at 6:45am to see if I could put her son on the bus because the road to her babysitter's house had been closed for flooding. I did not know we were flooding... I seem to miss a lot of information sleeping through the news/weather like my Mom used.

Next came a phone call from the school district telling us that a couple of the schools had been cancelled due to flood conditions but that the other three were still open. So i calmly put my littles on the bus and sent them to school. :) Shortly after I received a phone call from the Sheriff's department telling me to be prepared because of the flooding conditions but that I did not need to evacuate. (Yet...)

At about 10:45am I was informed that the schools would all be being evacuated at 11:30 for flooding. Jellybean's teacher called to tell me he would be sent home on the bus.... Squish called and told me he was coming home early... Blonde boy called and said he needed a ride home... all within a 5 minute time span.

By 11:15am sweet Hannah had been dropped off at my house and I went and checked the river. I still had two retention ponds but had never seen the river running so high and angry. The Little's were home and I had gone and picked up Blonde and everything was good for a few minutes. The school district called and cancelled school for the next day. Hannah texted Brownie to tell him there was no band and to come home after his classes at the college. We discussed homework, answered a few phone calls from neighbors and loaded the dishwasher (the world could be ending and I would still have dishes and laundry to do..lucky me).

Anyway. The phone rang again at 12:45. "If you are receiveing this message you are advised to evacuate immediately."

Okay. Good plan.

Long story shorter... we had to wait for Brownie to come home. Put on our shoes... grabbed some snacks and the bags... loaded up and left home. I wish I had taken my camera so that I could have taken a picture of how close the water was to the bridge.... next time I'll remember!

Any way... here are some pictures that I took yesterday when we got back home.

Our retention pond was one ginormous puddle... having risen to the very edge. Usually we have two ponds to enjoy out front..
My pictures aren't wanting to cooperate but here is the edge of our pond. You could just walk right in.

..

If you look close at this picture do you see the line a few feet above the water? Supposedly that is how high the river got.... You could see the wet mud dropping from the side into the water...very cool.....

There? In the middle? Do you see that circle? That is the top of the drainage/over-flow culverty thing. In real life it is rather large made with cement and bars around the top to keep unwanted things out. Can you see it?

Here it is!

(I will try to add more photos... but my machine is being dopey so maybe on a different blog... I wish someone could explain how to make one of those slide show thingys)

I guess we were kind of lucky that things weren't worse. To my knowledge no body in town was hurt. I am sure there was lots of property damage on the other side of town... the road is still underwater in some spots.

2009.

When I actually get a minute to slow down and reflect on my world I have to admit that I am amazed at how quickly things change. Last year seemed to go by far to fast. I think I must have been on auto-pilot for some of it. Time has sure flown by over the last many years really.
Our family dynamic is so different now from our original five. When we first came together we were two families trying to find peace and happiness. Most days we have found the happiness I am not sure where to look for the peace part though.
Our boys have all changed from the little ones that they were. I remember when they enjoyed being around each other and hanging out doing nothing. Not so anymore...

B is so sure that he is a man... and not just any man... THE MAN. It will be interesting to see how he ends up... when he stops trying so very hard.

Brownie is so mad lost in love with dear Hannah that I wonder sometimes where his brain is. :) I love his man voice and his great sense of humor. I wish he didn't find me so dopey though.

My Blonde son. Holy cow! He is almost 6 feet tall and still such a little boy at heart. I wish his heart had slightly thicker skin.

Daily I wonder where the time has gone. Squish and Jellybean are new people every day. Taller, more talkative. More Questions, Questions and Questions. How do you dos.... flow continually from their little mouths. I would love to tell them to be quiet for a minute but I don't want them to stop asking. They are smart and funny and sometimes very thoughtful, which is always a nice surprize.

Then, of course, little Petey. She is a huge flirt and has a great smile to go along with her air-raid squeal. I am so excited to get to see her blossom into a full blown girl someday.

Hopefully this year will have more ups than downs and not go by so very fast. Maybe I need to resolve to pay more attention and take fewer cat naps. I look forward to lots more questions that I know the answers to..maybe. I hope for much more happiness and I would not mind a small amount of the peace thing either.