Today has been one of those days. You know, one of those days where a Love it size from Coldstone doesn't even hold a candle? Yeah, I need about a gallon.
My friend and I went for a run this morning. We are both running in a race this coming weekend called the Santa Hustle. Therefore, a group of us girls going decided to dress up so we bought red tutus. If you are a runner you know that doing anything out of the ordinary during a run could change everything. So, to prepare I decided to run in my tutu this morning. At 6:15 A.M., down a country road, with it lit up (Did I mention it is a lighted red tutu?), we took our morning run in the dark with our red tutus on. I'm sure the kids on the school bus that passed us at 6:40 got a real kick out of it.
Kind of stressful morning and I didn't get started off with my quiet time...I had to stop mid-morning if we were going to survive the day. I had to shower, with all three kids awake. During that time, I had a basketball goal knocked over, one boy who had to poop (in the same bathroom as me), a baby girl crying and finding her way in between the shower curtain and plastic covering that she had a wet head once it was all said and done. I actually found myself saying, "Hurry!! Shut the toilet lid!!!! Linley, NO!! Do not put your hand in the toilet!" If you know Linley you know that she has stubborn streak about her. She doesn't really like the word No. Meltdown by the baby because I told her no. I made a new rule today, I will NOT hold anyone in the shower. No, I will not do it.
After a couple of arguments my referee hat is on. Not literally, but that is something to think about. Anyway, a compromise is made and one cave- that was built in the boys room using the knocked over basketball goal- is now moved to the living room. Pretty cool idea right? I thought so. Until, Caleb, we shall call him the Starving Artist, decides he wants to color in his new cave. No problem, "Caleb, color only on your paper. DO NOT color on any of the furniture. Do you understand me?" Of course, Mom, who would think of doing that? May, I say that 30 seconds, literally, after those words came out of my mouth what do I find? Caleb, making a very colorful picture on the ottoman...with markers. The kid can color. What can I say? I mean, really, he's a starving artist. Next move, my head did not fly off. Yes,I'm surprised as well. So, in order to appease the starving artist I take away the markers and tape two sheets of paper to the side of the ottoman (which is covered in blankets for the cave effect) and let the boy finish his drawing. John gets to see the drawing when he gets home and if he wants to get it off, go for it.
We did school today. I have to say, of the most memorable things I taught my children today, school will not be it. Why? Argument number gagillion, both boys sent to timeout in same room, til they can get along or I come get them, Linley follows. Then, I hear laughter and crying. I walk in to find something that still amazes me. Linley, sitting in the floor, surrounded by clothes, and Ethan and Caleb pulling ALL of the clothes out of their dresser and throwing them on LC. Are you kidding me? ( I say that alot) At this point I'm pretty sure steam was coming out of my ears. Line em up, spank em out. No one really cried after that. I'm pretty sure it was their guilty consciences. Then, I told them that I was going to walk out to the mail and when I got back every piece of their clothes would be back in their dresser. It sounded good at the time but that doesn't fly, I mean, they couldn't even shut the dresser drawers when I got back. So, the lesson learned today was folding clothes. We layed out several shirts and I taught each of them how to fold shirts. So they were able to practice. A lot, and a lot more. At one point Ethan asked me if he was going to fold forever. No, just today. Now, since they know how to fold shirts, among other things, they will be helping me with the laundry, in just a few minutes.
It's just now 3 in the afternoon, our day isn't over. I love these boys. Yes, I did laugh after all of this.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Me and Cows-We just don't GeeHaw.
Of course, this has poop. Now we mix in the animals that live outside of the house. For this blog, it needs to be noted that we have a year old jersey bull, a goat, and a new calf.
Me and Cows-we just don't geehaw. Don't get me wrong, cows are great animals. They provide milk, they provide meat, they are great lawnmowers. However, to choose one of God's favorite creatures for me would NOT be the cow. We slaughter a cow once a year. That provides us meat (and a way cheaper grocery bill) for an entire year. We are picking up dear old Spot on Friday from the slaughter house. We just got a new calf in-has to be fed a bottle twice a day. Oh, so cute, you may think. Yes, that's what I thought to. Until...
Yesterday morning, 6:45 A.M.-fill up the bottle with scalding water and head outside. 27.1 degrees F. Yes, it is cold. Just got done with a blessed run (and that it really was). I make the bottle and head down to the barn. I go into the barn and see that lovely calf anxiously awaiting my arrival. Breakfast. I open the door and am almost plowed down by a 100lb St. Bernard sized calf. Apparently, I'm not fast enough to get the bottle in the holder. He gets behind me and litterally headbutts my rear end with his slobery cold nose. Are you kidding me? Now cow, let me tell you a few things-1. Don't bite (or head butt) the hand(rear end) that feeds you.
2. Do you know what time it is or the temperature? You should be thankful I'm out here in this freezing weather with a hot bottle to feed you.
For some reason I don't think the calf would appreciate my lecture.
This morning, 7:30 A.M. I head outside to feed the calf again. I go into the field and who meets me but the bull and the goat. Okay, so this bull does has horns. And apparently he wants more than just grass for his breakfast. I, quite hurriedly, get into the barn to feed the baby calf. I'm holding the bottle feeding the terrible mannered calf when behind me comes the bull INTO the barn stall with me. This is not my idea of good. Got the calf fed and much to his dismay there in none left. So I head out of his stall and he is trying to headbutt me some more because apparently he wanted more. And then I face the bull. But wait, I can't get out of the barn. The bull is on the other side, horns on the door. He really wants something besides grass. I finally get out of that side of the barn by bribing him with an empty calf bottle. Not a good move on my part, now he wants this bottle. So I run into the other side of the barn where the straw is. I can't even shut the door because the bull is behind me trying to eat the bottle!! So, I finally get in the other side of the barn with bulls head stuck in the door and I can't get it shut. Ugh. He pulls out and there I am stranded, in the barn, a bull on the outside, me and straw on the inside.
What in the world am I going to do? I'm stuck IN A BARN. And who is here to get me out? Ethan and Caleb who are still in the house watching Cat in the Hat. They will get hungry so they would come out to get me. Distraction. -Yes, this is how a woman's brain works.
So, I grab some straw, toss it as far away from the entrance as possible and make a break for it. That sufficed.
Now, this afternoon I get to do this again. Me vs the cows. So, I have to say, my kids have taught me many things. For one, I must laugh or I will scream. Two, prayer is vital. Three, if you want to scare a cow run up to it and scream at the top of your lungs. So, I tried that on the way to the barn. I'm walking briskly to the barn hoping the bull will fail to notice me. No such luck. I turn around, he stops, and I scream at the top of my lungs walking towards the bull. He must have thought I was crazy. I get the baby calf fed and run in a few circles with him as I grab my so-called "weapon" to make it back to the yard. Yeah, I bet I looked tough, in my fleece heart pajama pants, pink ear warmers, calf bottle, and 7 foot tall stick that has calf poop on it. I head outside. Yep, I'm definitely intimidating. Just call me Tori the Intimidator. That bull looked at me and ate his scrap of straw left over from this morning. Ha, I won this one.
Did I mention tonight is AWANA pajama night? The boys and I are all dressed up in our pj's heading to church. I had to change my pj's from the cow trip because that calf made me stink, or so I thought. I get in the house and man, all I smell is poop. Cow poop. Then, I hear Caleb, Mom I pooped. Cow poop. Kid poop. I'm surrounded by poop.
Pj's changed, kids loaded, and doggone it if I don't smell that cow poop again in the van. What in the world? That's when I scream aloud in the van, MY SHOES!!! Yes, my kids probably think I should be in a looney bin somewhere. Then, an explanation to them why I screamed my shoes. Must have made a real impression on Ethan, he told all kinds of people at AWANA tonight why I wasn't wearing my shoes, they smell like cow poop.
So, tonight, off to bed. In the morning: run, and meet my nemesis again.
Me and Cows-we just don't geehaw. Don't get me wrong, cows are great animals. They provide milk, they provide meat, they are great lawnmowers. However, to choose one of God's favorite creatures for me would NOT be the cow. We slaughter a cow once a year. That provides us meat (and a way cheaper grocery bill) for an entire year. We are picking up dear old Spot on Friday from the slaughter house. We just got a new calf in-has to be fed a bottle twice a day. Oh, so cute, you may think. Yes, that's what I thought to. Until...
Yesterday morning, 6:45 A.M.-fill up the bottle with scalding water and head outside. 27.1 degrees F. Yes, it is cold. Just got done with a blessed run (and that it really was). I make the bottle and head down to the barn. I go into the barn and see that lovely calf anxiously awaiting my arrival. Breakfast. I open the door and am almost plowed down by a 100lb St. Bernard sized calf. Apparently, I'm not fast enough to get the bottle in the holder. He gets behind me and litterally headbutts my rear end with his slobery cold nose. Are you kidding me? Now cow, let me tell you a few things-1. Don't bite (or head butt) the hand(rear end) that feeds you.
2. Do you know what time it is or the temperature? You should be thankful I'm out here in this freezing weather with a hot bottle to feed you.
For some reason I don't think the calf would appreciate my lecture.
This morning, 7:30 A.M. I head outside to feed the calf again. I go into the field and who meets me but the bull and the goat. Okay, so this bull does has horns. And apparently he wants more than just grass for his breakfast. I, quite hurriedly, get into the barn to feed the baby calf. I'm holding the bottle feeding the terrible mannered calf when behind me comes the bull INTO the barn stall with me. This is not my idea of good. Got the calf fed and much to his dismay there in none left. So I head out of his stall and he is trying to headbutt me some more because apparently he wanted more. And then I face the bull. But wait, I can't get out of the barn. The bull is on the other side, horns on the door. He really wants something besides grass. I finally get out of that side of the barn by bribing him with an empty calf bottle. Not a good move on my part, now he wants this bottle. So I run into the other side of the barn where the straw is. I can't even shut the door because the bull is behind me trying to eat the bottle!! So, I finally get in the other side of the barn with bulls head stuck in the door and I can't get it shut. Ugh. He pulls out and there I am stranded, in the barn, a bull on the outside, me and straw on the inside.
What in the world am I going to do? I'm stuck IN A BARN. And who is here to get me out? Ethan and Caleb who are still in the house watching Cat in the Hat. They will get hungry so they would come out to get me. Distraction. -Yes, this is how a woman's brain works.
So, I grab some straw, toss it as far away from the entrance as possible and make a break for it. That sufficed.
Now, this afternoon I get to do this again. Me vs the cows. So, I have to say, my kids have taught me many things. For one, I must laugh or I will scream. Two, prayer is vital. Three, if you want to scare a cow run up to it and scream at the top of your lungs. So, I tried that on the way to the barn. I'm walking briskly to the barn hoping the bull will fail to notice me. No such luck. I turn around, he stops, and I scream at the top of my lungs walking towards the bull. He must have thought I was crazy. I get the baby calf fed and run in a few circles with him as I grab my so-called "weapon" to make it back to the yard. Yeah, I bet I looked tough, in my fleece heart pajama pants, pink ear warmers, calf bottle, and 7 foot tall stick that has calf poop on it. I head outside. Yep, I'm definitely intimidating. Just call me Tori the Intimidator. That bull looked at me and ate his scrap of straw left over from this morning. Ha, I won this one.
Did I mention tonight is AWANA pajama night? The boys and I are all dressed up in our pj's heading to church. I had to change my pj's from the cow trip because that calf made me stink, or so I thought. I get in the house and man, all I smell is poop. Cow poop. Then, I hear Caleb, Mom I pooped. Cow poop. Kid poop. I'm surrounded by poop.
Pj's changed, kids loaded, and doggone it if I don't smell that cow poop again in the van. What in the world? That's when I scream aloud in the van, MY SHOES!!! Yes, my kids probably think I should be in a looney bin somewhere. Then, an explanation to them why I screamed my shoes. Must have made a real impression on Ethan, he told all kinds of people at AWANA tonight why I wasn't wearing my shoes, they smell like cow poop.
So, tonight, off to bed. In the morning: run, and meet my nemesis again.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Crack me up
Days like today, and the past couple days, I just crack up. In a good way :)
My boys now have a new obsession with Star Wars. You know, the 80's versions. Caleb even sings the Darth Vader song. When he sees the ship he even says, "There my ship." in the deepest voice possible. For Halloween the boys are going to be Star Wars themed. Caleb: Darth Vader; Ethan: Luke (the starship kind where he gets to wear the airplane suit and helmet); and Linley Claire: Yoda. Caleb already has his costume on around the house. I was putting up clothes when something hits me right behind my knees. What in the world? I turn around and what do I see? Caleb, in his Darth Vader costume-" I chop off your legs." in his Darth Vader voice as he is holding his light saber. Then, deep discussion on how we really can't hit people with our light sabers like Darth Vader did in the movie.
Yesterday, Caleb runs to his room. My first instinct: poop. So of course I tell him to go sit on the potty. But, before I know it here comes Caleb sans underwear and pants sporting only his pajama shirt. Here's the dialogue:
Me: Caleb, did you poop?
Caleb: uh-huh.
Me: Go to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Caleb: NOOOOOO!!!!!!
break here for drama in the bathroom.
Me: Caleb, where is your poop?
Caleb: in my room.
Note-we have a dog who poops outside, maybe Caleb should go outside with him. Just a thought.
Me: Here's the toilet paper, go pick up your poop and put it in here.
Caleb: NOOOOOOO!!! (Seeing a pattern here? That's three for you).
Enter bedroom where there is poop on the floor. Seriously?
Me: you are not leaving this room til you are done picking up your poop and have self-control.
Caleb: NOOOOOOO!!!!!
5 minutes later, poop gone and Caleb now has "Self-control" and doesn't whine for about 30 seconds. We're still working on that character trait.
Today, and yesterday, and the past few weeks, I've been balancing the checkbook, you know, your favorite thing to do in the whole world. John and I have a plac ewhere we keep all the receipts and then I write them all down at one time. So, I am working on that and left them on the love seat last night. And this is what I saw this morning:
My boys now have a new obsession with Star Wars. You know, the 80's versions. Caleb even sings the Darth Vader song. When he sees the ship he even says, "There my ship." in the deepest voice possible. For Halloween the boys are going to be Star Wars themed. Caleb: Darth Vader; Ethan: Luke (the starship kind where he gets to wear the airplane suit and helmet); and Linley Claire: Yoda. Caleb already has his costume on around the house. I was putting up clothes when something hits me right behind my knees. What in the world? I turn around and what do I see? Caleb, in his Darth Vader costume-" I chop off your legs." in his Darth Vader voice as he is holding his light saber. Then, deep discussion on how we really can't hit people with our light sabers like Darth Vader did in the movie.
Yesterday, Caleb runs to his room. My first instinct: poop. So of course I tell him to go sit on the potty. But, before I know it here comes Caleb sans underwear and pants sporting only his pajama shirt. Here's the dialogue:
Me: Caleb, did you poop?
Caleb: uh-huh.
Me: Go to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Caleb: NOOOOOO!!!!!!
break here for drama in the bathroom.
Me: Caleb, where is your poop?
Caleb: in my room.
Note-we have a dog who poops outside, maybe Caleb should go outside with him. Just a thought.
Me: Here's the toilet paper, go pick up your poop and put it in here.
Caleb: NOOOOOOO!!! (Seeing a pattern here? That's three for you).
Enter bedroom where there is poop on the floor. Seriously?
Me: you are not leaving this room til you are done picking up your poop and have self-control.
Caleb: NOOOOOOO!!!!!
5 minutes later, poop gone and Caleb now has "Self-control" and doesn't whine for about 30 seconds. We're still working on that character trait.
Today, and yesterday, and the past few weeks, I've been balancing the checkbook, you know, your favorite thing to do in the whole world. John and I have a plac ewhere we keep all the receipts and then I write them all down at one time. So, I am working on that and left them on the love seat last night. And this is what I saw this morning:
andthis:
Yes, this is my new messer.
Oh well, so much for organization, Then, five minutes later this is what happens:
Those are clean dishes. Linley is a climber. And now wet.
We get school started and we are doing our devotional. We're talking about the importance of having good friends. We discuss the verse, "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." Of course, I go deep with it and try to illustrate it for them:
Me: Boys, it's kind of like swords or your light sabers. To make something sharper you have to rub it against something else. Like a knife. You rub it back and forth and it gets sharper and sharper. That's the way it is with friends. We need to choose friends who help us to do good to others, love the Lord more. That way we become better at serving others, and loving the Lord.
In my head: good analogy. Are they getting this? Did they understand the illustrations?
Ethan: Mom, you don't sharpen light sabers.
Oh well. They really do crack me up :)
Monday, October 15, 2012
Life on the farm
To begin today's blog I have some thoughts, about the boxes we put people in. I still kind of see myself as a normal city girl. Grew up in town (albeit rural town), went to public school, went to UK, lived and road raged with several hundred thousand people, went to a great church, went to some great bball games -GO CATS; but now I'm on the farm...with three children...and I homeschool. If I were to see someone like me I would think, yeah, they're a farmer and kind of weird to homeschool, and a lot of kids, with a lot of mess and craziness. When people refer to me as living on a farm and being a farmer I really just laugh to myself. You're talking about the woman who just had a pedicure last week and now my toes are messed up because I wore my steel-toed boots outside with no socks on to tend to the animals. Oh well, I like my steel-toed boots. You're talking about the girl who still won't touch a chicken unless I'm wearing garden gloves. Now, I don't dress up as much, I have coveralls that I wear in the winter that make me look like a really short man, I throw apples at goats, I clean up poop frequently. Oh well. I like that I homeschool. I like that I live on a farm. I like my boots. So, keep that in mind as you read this.
Linley, 5:30 A.M. 101.7 fever. Not best way to start out the morning. Morning run was actually quite pleasant. I didn't feel like my lungs were going to explode and my legs were happy with me. At 6:35 when I get back in, guess who meets me? Ethan. Really, it's 6:35 IN THE MORNING and you don't go to school. Please, sleep in. Get my stairclimbing and halfway through in comes John carrying Caleb who is not very happy that he is up at this hour. So, John is off to work and we start our day officially. Now it's time to tend to the animals...and both boys want to go...which is a huge chore just to get the correct shoes on them (there is a dew and they have to wear boots.) Caleb is throwing a hissy fit because something is in his. So, I stick my hand in his boot and pull something out. Ok, as I'm writing this my bp is rising because I am a sissy. So, I jerk it out and throw it onto the concrete pretending to my children that this is no big deal but inwardly I'm screaming: WHAT IS THIS I'M TOUCHING??? HURRY!! GET IT OUT!! Yeah, it's some type of nest for probably some wasp or dirt dobber. I squished til the guts came out. Caleb thought that was real cool that it was yellow on the inside. We tend to the turkeys, cats, chickens, and then Ollie who is so happy to see everyone at 7:15 this morning. Wet jumping dog-EWW.
Linley Claire is still asleep so time for a shower, my devotional, and get myself done as much as possible. Now, let me note that my quiet time I like to have QUIET. Not necessarily by myself, but quiet. However, Ethan chooses this time to debate when we are going to start school, can we wait til after Linley gets back from the doctor to start? Caleb is flipping out due to the fact that he thought Spot (our cow) is going to get out of the fence to get slaughtered. Bless him, he doesn't understand that the cow is going to his death but he's more worried that the cow is going to get him. Finally, I say, I am having my prayer time. I need to talk to God. I need quiet. Now. Surprisingly that worked. Now time for LC to get up, yay no fever at this moment!, get some food in her , litterally only some since she has this cold virus, and then the child poops...twice. Man, that was rough. What time is it? The doctor is at 10:40. Uhoh. Time to start school so off we go downstairs. We start and Linley is screaming while we're doing math. I finally pick her up and all are happy.
Side note: boys. Like to talk about poop. Compare poop. Observe poop. Think it's so cool that they ask others to come look at their poop. Yes, this discussion really happened today with Ethan.
Time for the doctor, only a virus so no meds and off we dash back home. I walk in the door and it's time to fix all lunches. Linley is still in her seat while the boys are running as fast as they can through the house talking about lunch. Finally, they eat, I get her some food, she throws a fit-still doesn't feel good, and now I can eat. Did I mention we were on vacation the last 7 days? Therefore, my house runneth over with clothes...everywhere. So, working on the various piles and Linley has had it and it's time for her to go down and the rest of school. Reading actually goes off without a hitch, and Caleb is begging for his darth vader costume. Darth Vader clothed, we finish school. We run back upstairs and I'm working on clothes, again, when something hits me on the back of my legs. I turn, and what do I see but a miniature Darth Vader with his light-saber saying, "I cut your legs off." Then, deep discussion on how we really aren't supposed to hit people with our light-sabers.
Now, to take the clothes off the line and tend to the animals. May I note here that this is when my bff, Heather is listening to all that is going on. So, picture this, me, a vbs t-shirt, workout shorts, and steel-toe boots walking through the yard when I see nothing but that daggone goat out of the electric fence. Debate, to leave the goat or chase? I left it for the moment. Not in these boots. Uh oh, forgot to open the chicken hatch so now the eggs are underneath their laying boxes. So, top propped open and I'm leaning over the chicken coop praying that I don't fall in or the top close on me unexpectedly and knock me in there. I'm sure the goat got a kick out of this. Lay the eggs down to feed the dog and what does he do? Chases down an egg and eats it!! Are you kidding me? The dog won't fetch with a ball but will run after an egg!! I run back inside, working on dinner, getting ready for church pictures and what happens? Caleb poops in his underwear. Waddling like a duck with poop in his britches. Really? Cleaned up, now to finish dinner. I'm looking out the window and what do I see? That stinking goat nibbling on our apple tree. So, as any person in their right mind would do. I open the fridge, grab two old apples, run out the back door, and chunk the apple a tthe goat trying to tempt it away from the tree. It worked. Now, to try and temp it into the fence. No luck, the grass is literally greener on this side of the fence.
John gets home and I look out the window of the kitchen and I see Ethan running across the back yard literally chasing the goat. That was the funniest thing I have seen all day. So I naturally grab the camera and run outside and make him do it again. Time to eat, get ready for pictures, and then head to Wal-Mart and then get everyone ready for bed. I'm tired.
So, after reading this I'm still not convinced I'm a farmer, or too weird that I'm homeschool, or nuts because I have so much poop around me. I'm just a woman saved by God's grace doing what He's called me to do. Thank Him for where I'm at and trust Him with everything. That's all I can do.
Linley, 5:30 A.M. 101.7 fever. Not best way to start out the morning. Morning run was actually quite pleasant. I didn't feel like my lungs were going to explode and my legs were happy with me. At 6:35 when I get back in, guess who meets me? Ethan. Really, it's 6:35 IN THE MORNING and you don't go to school. Please, sleep in. Get my stairclimbing and halfway through in comes John carrying Caleb who is not very happy that he is up at this hour. So, John is off to work and we start our day officially. Now it's time to tend to the animals...and both boys want to go...which is a huge chore just to get the correct shoes on them (there is a dew and they have to wear boots.) Caleb is throwing a hissy fit because something is in his. So, I stick my hand in his boot and pull something out. Ok, as I'm writing this my bp is rising because I am a sissy. So, I jerk it out and throw it onto the concrete pretending to my children that this is no big deal but inwardly I'm screaming: WHAT IS THIS I'M TOUCHING??? HURRY!! GET IT OUT!! Yeah, it's some type of nest for probably some wasp or dirt dobber. I squished til the guts came out. Caleb thought that was real cool that it was yellow on the inside. We tend to the turkeys, cats, chickens, and then Ollie who is so happy to see everyone at 7:15 this morning. Wet jumping dog-EWW.
Linley Claire is still asleep so time for a shower, my devotional, and get myself done as much as possible. Now, let me note that my quiet time I like to have QUIET. Not necessarily by myself, but quiet. However, Ethan chooses this time to debate when we are going to start school, can we wait til after Linley gets back from the doctor to start? Caleb is flipping out due to the fact that he thought Spot (our cow) is going to get out of the fence to get slaughtered. Bless him, he doesn't understand that the cow is going to his death but he's more worried that the cow is going to get him. Finally, I say, I am having my prayer time. I need to talk to God. I need quiet. Now. Surprisingly that worked. Now time for LC to get up, yay no fever at this moment!, get some food in her , litterally only some since she has this cold virus, and then the child poops...twice. Man, that was rough. What time is it? The doctor is at 10:40. Uhoh. Time to start school so off we go downstairs. We start and Linley is screaming while we're doing math. I finally pick her up and all are happy.
Side note: boys. Like to talk about poop. Compare poop. Observe poop. Think it's so cool that they ask others to come look at their poop. Yes, this discussion really happened today with Ethan.
Time for the doctor, only a virus so no meds and off we dash back home. I walk in the door and it's time to fix all lunches. Linley is still in her seat while the boys are running as fast as they can through the house talking about lunch. Finally, they eat, I get her some food, she throws a fit-still doesn't feel good, and now I can eat. Did I mention we were on vacation the last 7 days? Therefore, my house runneth over with clothes...everywhere. So, working on the various piles and Linley has had it and it's time for her to go down and the rest of school. Reading actually goes off without a hitch, and Caleb is begging for his darth vader costume. Darth Vader clothed, we finish school. We run back upstairs and I'm working on clothes, again, when something hits me on the back of my legs. I turn, and what do I see but a miniature Darth Vader with his light-saber saying, "I cut your legs off." Then, deep discussion on how we really aren't supposed to hit people with our light-sabers.
Now, to take the clothes off the line and tend to the animals. May I note here that this is when my bff, Heather is listening to all that is going on. So, picture this, me, a vbs t-shirt, workout shorts, and steel-toe boots walking through the yard when I see nothing but that daggone goat out of the electric fence. Debate, to leave the goat or chase? I left it for the moment. Not in these boots. Uh oh, forgot to open the chicken hatch so now the eggs are underneath their laying boxes. So, top propped open and I'm leaning over the chicken coop praying that I don't fall in or the top close on me unexpectedly and knock me in there. I'm sure the goat got a kick out of this. Lay the eggs down to feed the dog and what does he do? Chases down an egg and eats it!! Are you kidding me? The dog won't fetch with a ball but will run after an egg!! I run back inside, working on dinner, getting ready for church pictures and what happens? Caleb poops in his underwear. Waddling like a duck with poop in his britches. Really? Cleaned up, now to finish dinner. I'm looking out the window and what do I see? That stinking goat nibbling on our apple tree. So, as any person in their right mind would do. I open the fridge, grab two old apples, run out the back door, and chunk the apple a tthe goat trying to tempt it away from the tree. It worked. Now, to try and temp it into the fence. No luck, the grass is literally greener on this side of the fence.
John gets home and I look out the window of the kitchen and I see Ethan running across the back yard literally chasing the goat. That was the funniest thing I have seen all day. So I naturally grab the camera and run outside and make him do it again. Time to eat, get ready for pictures, and then head to Wal-Mart and then get everyone ready for bed. I'm tired.
So, after reading this I'm still not convinced I'm a farmer, or too weird that I'm homeschool, or nuts because I have so much poop around me. I'm just a woman saved by God's grace doing what He's called me to do. Thank Him for where I'm at and trust Him with everything. That's all I can do.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
It never goes away
Warning: if you cannot handle poop or the discussion thereof, do not read this post. There's your warning. Really, warning.
I'm reading a new book, Unglued. It's really good. I went to the dotMOM conference a week ago and it literally was one of the best conferences I've been to in my entire life. I picked up this book there and today I am in chapter three. The gist: God using situations to chip away at our character to make something beautiful. Chip, chip, chip. Poop situations are alot of my chipping right now.
This morning started early as normal...Caleb needed milk at 6:15 and then at 6:30 he decided it's time for us to get up. Hello, does this kid not get the Saturday morning memo??? Sleep late, let Mom and Dad along with your brother sleep late!! Linley is up not long after. Trying to let John sleep in on a Saturday after a long work week is not the easiest thing to do with a baby crying through the monitor, two boys running through the house screaming, and then boys climbing into the crib playing with their sister all through the monitor. Needless to say, the whole house was up by 7:30. Luckily. I get to go for a run before John has to run errands so out the door I go, not telling anyone goodbye. At the bottom of the steps, there is a brown rock, but wait,it's not a rock. Hold on, Caleb has not been outside yet. Hmmm. The wheels start turning. Ollie has brought up Caleb's poop that he disposed of himself YESTERDAY. Note to self: do not let the dog lick me. What do I do? Fane ignorance and hit the road. That poop will be dealt with later.
Later on in the morning, John has taken the boys to run "Man errands" aka Lowe's, Tractor Supply, and a quick trip for me to Fred's. So, I get to make a mad dash to clean up the house and sweep. Yes, Linley is all over the place and is like our little vaccuum cleaner so I'm having to sweep costantly. I need to mop but wait til the boys get home with our new floor cleaner. Isn't it sad how happy a new cleaner with a new smell can make your day brighter? So, now I get the floor mopped while Linley is napping. (I'm leaving out all the details I have today with our new embroidery machine. Really, if there is anything that could go wrong with a sewing project, this has been it. That's why it's 10 P.M. and I'm just now blogging.) She gets up and I'm at the table working on that daggum sewing project and Linley is crawling around watching the boys play with batman. She, being at this oral-fixation stage (Yeah, you like my ten-cent word?) is chewing on something. It really can't be anything much, I mean, I have swept AND mopped underneath this table just moments before. Well, she spits it out and it looks like mud so I pick it up to throw it away. Hold on, WHAT IS THAT SMELL? It smells like....dog poop!!! Then, I smell the mud, no wait, it's not mud, it's Ollie's poop!!! Okay, this is mind boggling to me due to the fact that I JUST GOT DONE CLEANING!!!! I guess I shouldn't sweep or mop, she hasn't done this before but now that I'm in cleaning mode she gets poop in her mouth. So, a mini-flip out and I rush Linley to the bathroom and clean her mouth out with her toothbrush. IT's time to go to the Banana Festival so I tell Ethan to run out and get John to come in and change. I hear him yelling out the back, "Dad! It's time to go to the parade and get CANDY!!! Guess what LInley just ate? DOG POOP?" Yes, I'm sure John is wonderin gwhat in the world I do with these children and the house all day.
We make it to the Banana Festival where Ethan yells at the people to throw him candy. One man tells the other onlookers, "Sorry, I'm out." Ethan, looks at him and yells, "THAT'S OKAY!!!" Yes, this 40 year old told Ethan thanks for understanding. We ten saw these lightsabers everywhere. Caleb sees one and, being in the Stars Wars mode right now, he says, "I need my lightsaver." So, after the free banana pudding John grabs two lightsabers and we're on our way to Wal-Mart and home. As you can imagine, giving two lightsabers to a 5 and 3 year old boys was pretty entertaining. Finally, we made a rule that you had to turn it off in the van while driving. Yes, in the dark I'm sure our van looked pretty interesting with two lightsabers being swung all over the back. At one point, Linley is crying and Ethan is needed to give her her pacifier. Ethan, being 5, says he can't see it. He can ONLY see it and get it if he uses his lightsaber. Of course you'll do anything to get the crying baby to quit so I cave and say yes. Lightsaber saved the day and pacifier plugged in the mouth.
Bathtime and fighting match time so the boys are playing while we throw Linley in the tub first. I'm fixing her bottle while John is bathing Linley and I look out the window and I see Caleb (this is at 8:30 P.M.) running in the back shed chasing the cats with his lightsaber. Really? The poor cats. Now, Ethan comes running in the kitchen saying, Mom we can't take a bath yet. Me, of course thinking what in the world has happened now. He then informs me that Linley has pooped in the tub. I walk in to assess the situation and John, being the dad, thinks it's quite funny that while bathing Linley she was comfortable enough to poop in the tub. Me, I don't handle poop in water very well so John saved the day and cleaned it up. Ugh.
Now, all are bathed, I'm literally so pooped that I'm laying in the floor of the hallway waiting for John so we can put everyone to bed when I see Ethan run from the kitchen to the living room with his lightsaber screaming, behind him comes Caleb running with his lightsaber, and then behind him crawling on the floor comes Linley after them. This is mayhem. I just laugh my head off. Praise the Lord it's time for bed.
I'm reading a new book, Unglued. It's really good. I went to the dotMOM conference a week ago and it literally was one of the best conferences I've been to in my entire life. I picked up this book there and today I am in chapter three. The gist: God using situations to chip away at our character to make something beautiful. Chip, chip, chip. Poop situations are alot of my chipping right now.
This morning started early as normal...Caleb needed milk at 6:15 and then at 6:30 he decided it's time for us to get up. Hello, does this kid not get the Saturday morning memo??? Sleep late, let Mom and Dad along with your brother sleep late!! Linley is up not long after. Trying to let John sleep in on a Saturday after a long work week is not the easiest thing to do with a baby crying through the monitor, two boys running through the house screaming, and then boys climbing into the crib playing with their sister all through the monitor. Needless to say, the whole house was up by 7:30. Luckily. I get to go for a run before John has to run errands so out the door I go, not telling anyone goodbye. At the bottom of the steps, there is a brown rock, but wait,it's not a rock. Hold on, Caleb has not been outside yet. Hmmm. The wheels start turning. Ollie has brought up Caleb's poop that he disposed of himself YESTERDAY. Note to self: do not let the dog lick me. What do I do? Fane ignorance and hit the road. That poop will be dealt with later.
Later on in the morning, John has taken the boys to run "Man errands" aka Lowe's, Tractor Supply, and a quick trip for me to Fred's. So, I get to make a mad dash to clean up the house and sweep. Yes, Linley is all over the place and is like our little vaccuum cleaner so I'm having to sweep costantly. I need to mop but wait til the boys get home with our new floor cleaner. Isn't it sad how happy a new cleaner with a new smell can make your day brighter? So, now I get the floor mopped while Linley is napping. (I'm leaving out all the details I have today with our new embroidery machine. Really, if there is anything that could go wrong with a sewing project, this has been it. That's why it's 10 P.M. and I'm just now blogging.) She gets up and I'm at the table working on that daggum sewing project and Linley is crawling around watching the boys play with batman. She, being at this oral-fixation stage (Yeah, you like my ten-cent word?) is chewing on something. It really can't be anything much, I mean, I have swept AND mopped underneath this table just moments before. Well, she spits it out and it looks like mud so I pick it up to throw it away. Hold on, WHAT IS THAT SMELL? It smells like....dog poop!!! Then, I smell the mud, no wait, it's not mud, it's Ollie's poop!!! Okay, this is mind boggling to me due to the fact that I JUST GOT DONE CLEANING!!!! I guess I shouldn't sweep or mop, she hasn't done this before but now that I'm in cleaning mode she gets poop in her mouth. So, a mini-flip out and I rush Linley to the bathroom and clean her mouth out with her toothbrush. IT's time to go to the Banana Festival so I tell Ethan to run out and get John to come in and change. I hear him yelling out the back, "Dad! It's time to go to the parade and get CANDY!!! Guess what LInley just ate? DOG POOP?" Yes, I'm sure John is wonderin gwhat in the world I do with these children and the house all day.
We make it to the Banana Festival where Ethan yells at the people to throw him candy. One man tells the other onlookers, "Sorry, I'm out." Ethan, looks at him and yells, "THAT'S OKAY!!!" Yes, this 40 year old told Ethan thanks for understanding. We ten saw these lightsabers everywhere. Caleb sees one and, being in the Stars Wars mode right now, he says, "I need my lightsaver." So, after the free banana pudding John grabs two lightsabers and we're on our way to Wal-Mart and home. As you can imagine, giving two lightsabers to a 5 and 3 year old boys was pretty entertaining. Finally, we made a rule that you had to turn it off in the van while driving. Yes, in the dark I'm sure our van looked pretty interesting with two lightsabers being swung all over the back. At one point, Linley is crying and Ethan is needed to give her her pacifier. Ethan, being 5, says he can't see it. He can ONLY see it and get it if he uses his lightsaber. Of course you'll do anything to get the crying baby to quit so I cave and say yes. Lightsaber saved the day and pacifier plugged in the mouth.
Bathtime and fighting match time so the boys are playing while we throw Linley in the tub first. I'm fixing her bottle while John is bathing Linley and I look out the window and I see Caleb (this is at 8:30 P.M.) running in the back shed chasing the cats with his lightsaber. Really? The poor cats. Now, Ethan comes running in the kitchen saying, Mom we can't take a bath yet. Me, of course thinking what in the world has happened now. He then informs me that Linley has pooped in the tub. I walk in to assess the situation and John, being the dad, thinks it's quite funny that while bathing Linley she was comfortable enough to poop in the tub. Me, I don't handle poop in water very well so John saved the day and cleaned it up. Ugh.
Now, all are bathed, I'm literally so pooped that I'm laying in the floor of the hallway waiting for John so we can put everyone to bed when I see Ethan run from the kitchen to the living room with his lightsaber screaming, behind him comes Caleb running with his lightsaber, and then behind him crawling on the floor comes Linley after them. This is mayhem. I just laugh my head off. Praise the Lord it's time for bed.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Similarities to cats
We have cats. Several of them. All outside. They serve a purpose: eat mice and moles. My children have an odd relationship with our cats.
You may ask why? Several reasons:
Our cats are somewhat brave/ somewhat stupid. We have Ollie now, and they just hang around letting the dog harrass them and they just swat at him and go on. My children play with the cats. Sometimes, the cats aren't smart enough to run away and hide. For instance, a couple of days ago the boys are outside playing in the yard while I'm watching them from the dining room doing some sewing. All of a sudden, something hits the window. It wasn't a rock. I run outside in a rage and then I see something else flying. It's not our turkeys. Next, comes discipline and a lesson on respecting all of God's creatures. Reasoning, the cat scratched me. My response: I would have scratched you too.
Cats poop outside on the ground, covered up. Today, I walk to the garage after seeing Caleb streak through. What do I find? No, it's not cat poop but kid poop. Are you serious? (I say that alot lately). After cleaning out the "Litter box" of Caleb I see him getting a spoonful of dirt and acting like he is covering up his poop. No, Caleb, you are not a cat, but a boy.
Sidenote: I come inside, I'm working on a project we have going on and the boys, being boys, are banished outside for a time due to their similarity to wild indians while Linley is asleep. So, all of a sudden both boys come marching in the house telling me I had to see something. Uh oh. I walk outside and there, on the roof of the garage, is Ethan's pillow pet "Wild Ears" on the roof. A pillow pet, outside, on the roof. I wouldn't have thought to put him there. Ethan's response: "Can you let me climb up there and get it?" Uh, no, but at least he asked.
An hour or so later we are inside. The boys are playing at the train table and I smell something. Linley is asleep so it can't be her dirty diaper. Next, who's to blame but Caleb.
Me: Caleb, did you poop?
Caleb: very quietly, Uh huh.
Me: You pooped AGAIN? Where?
Caleb: In the kitchen.
Me to myself: 1. Disgusting.
2. How much poop can 1 child have?
3. Disgusting.
4. I've got to clean that up. Or should he have to clean that up? No, I'm too much of a germ-a-phobe to have him clean it up.
5. I think I might cry.
Poop cleaned up, Praise the Lord Mammy has come over so I can go to a yard sale and meet John for a movie, where I don't have to clean up any one or anything's poop, or think about cats.
You may ask why? Several reasons:
Our cats are somewhat brave/ somewhat stupid. We have Ollie now, and they just hang around letting the dog harrass them and they just swat at him and go on. My children play with the cats. Sometimes, the cats aren't smart enough to run away and hide. For instance, a couple of days ago the boys are outside playing in the yard while I'm watching them from the dining room doing some sewing. All of a sudden, something hits the window. It wasn't a rock. I run outside in a rage and then I see something else flying. It's not our turkeys. Next, comes discipline and a lesson on respecting all of God's creatures. Reasoning, the cat scratched me. My response: I would have scratched you too.
Cats poop outside on the ground, covered up. Today, I walk to the garage after seeing Caleb streak through. What do I find? No, it's not cat poop but kid poop. Are you serious? (I say that alot lately). After cleaning out the "Litter box" of Caleb I see him getting a spoonful of dirt and acting like he is covering up his poop. No, Caleb, you are not a cat, but a boy.
Sidenote: I come inside, I'm working on a project we have going on and the boys, being boys, are banished outside for a time due to their similarity to wild indians while Linley is asleep. So, all of a sudden both boys come marching in the house telling me I had to see something. Uh oh. I walk outside and there, on the roof of the garage, is Ethan's pillow pet "Wild Ears" on the roof. A pillow pet, outside, on the roof. I wouldn't have thought to put him there. Ethan's response: "Can you let me climb up there and get it?" Uh, no, but at least he asked.
An hour or so later we are inside. The boys are playing at the train table and I smell something. Linley is asleep so it can't be her dirty diaper. Next, who's to blame but Caleb.
Me: Caleb, did you poop?
Caleb: very quietly, Uh huh.
Me: You pooped AGAIN? Where?
Caleb: In the kitchen.
Me to myself: 1. Disgusting.
2. How much poop can 1 child have?
3. Disgusting.
4. I've got to clean that up. Or should he have to clean that up? No, I'm too much of a germ-a-phobe to have him clean it up.
5. I think I might cry.
Poop cleaned up, Praise the Lord Mammy has come over so I can go to a yard sale and meet John for a movie, where I don't have to clean up any one or anything's poop, or think about cats.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Addition
John found Ollie on craigslist and after much debate we decided it was time to get a dog. So, the three kiddos and I took off to Halls, TN, to pick up our pup. The kids fall asleep on the way there, we pull up, they are now awake minus Linley, and the boys flip out because they saw the big dog (A border collie so it really isn't that big). Did I mention our kids are petrified of dogs? Thus, the reason of getting a dog. So, now we have the whole van awake. Two screaming boys and a baby who is supposed to be napping. I'm sure the lady we bought the dog from thought we were crazy.
We put Ollie in our pet carrier and home we go. He was such a trooper in the van, not hardly even making noises. Man, this dog is great. There we are, 15 minutes from home and I smell this terrible smell. What in the world? I look over at Ollie in the pet carrier and he is now circling and there is something in the bottom of it. Could it be? No, no way. Oh,but yes. We now have a dog sitting in the front seat in a pet carrier that has poop in it. At this point numerous thoughts were going through my head:
1. I think I might hurl.
2. Are you kidding me?
3. I just added something else to our family that is not potty trained.
So, I roll the window down and pretend to be a dog myself by holding my head out the window gasping for air all the while loudly gagging as I'm driving. I look in the rearview mirror and I see Ethan holding his nose screaming about how bad it stinks. After I stop gagging a discussion starts up.
" Mom, why did you get a dog? I think we need to take him back... That poop doesn't stink as bad as baby poop."
"Oh yes, I think it's pretty far up there on the poop scale." Then everyone has to rank the stinkiness of the poop we have at our house, baby poop, cow poop, dog poop.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Milestone and Sundays.
Sundays in our house are usually jam packed. Today was no different. But, here is the big news of the day: CALEB POOPED IN THE POTTY!! Yes, it happened. John caught him on the porch trying to poop in his underwear so he just told him to sit on the potty. Yes, I have a potty chair sitting on my back porch. No, I am not redneck. My child poops outside. Yes, I just said my child poops outside.
I started singing praises to the LORD!! Of course, Caleb did not want me to congratulate him at all. "No cheer. No cheer." Even tonight at bedtime I told him how proud I was of him. He retaliated with something about peepee. Oh well.
This morning we start our Sunday morning rush trying to get us out of the door by 9:05. It never works. But, good goal. Why is it on Sundays my children decide to sleep in? I mean, really? Linley woke up early but I fed her and we went back to bed. Then, I finally get out of bed and get our day going trying to be as loud as possible to wake the kids up naturally. Works well for Ethan. Caleb not so much. I finally wake him up at 8:15 with a peace offering of milk and waffles.
Wake Linley up now and feed her some bottle and pears. Get her changed into her Sunday attire, John mans the boys, I finish getting ready and John does so now to load everyone up and off we go.
At church it just turns crazy. Copying for class, drop Ethan off, walk in mine and Caleb's class where I meet John, Caleb, and Linley and off they go to their classes. So, then we have SS where Caleb completely falls apart several times and just finally ends up with us in "big church" due to the falling out. Now it's time for the kids to run to the front of the church for children's church to begin. Well, of course, Ethan races off with some buddies and Caleb is left in the dust so he falls apart AGAIN. Oh my gosh. I mean seriously. So, John takes him to Children's church again. Now, we're fixing to start the sermon and here comes our nursery director. Linley is ticked, they found the bottle with warm water but no formula. Well, great. I run in there and try to calm her down but to no avail. So, crying baby in the sanctuary, grab John's keys, take Linley home where I give her a bottle, pears, and she poops, then off we go again back to church to pick up the boys. This all happened before noon.
Home for the afternoon and now it's time to get our homeschool ready. Wow. I'm pumped and I think Ethan is as well. I know Caleb is. We start school on Wednesday.
So overall, very busy day, fun day, and alot accomplished today! Praise the Lord!
I started singing praises to the LORD!! Of course, Caleb did not want me to congratulate him at all. "No cheer. No cheer." Even tonight at bedtime I told him how proud I was of him. He retaliated with something about peepee. Oh well.
This morning we start our Sunday morning rush trying to get us out of the door by 9:05. It never works. But, good goal. Why is it on Sundays my children decide to sleep in? I mean, really? Linley woke up early but I fed her and we went back to bed. Then, I finally get out of bed and get our day going trying to be as loud as possible to wake the kids up naturally. Works well for Ethan. Caleb not so much. I finally wake him up at 8:15 with a peace offering of milk and waffles.
Wake Linley up now and feed her some bottle and pears. Get her changed into her Sunday attire, John mans the boys, I finish getting ready and John does so now to load everyone up and off we go.
At church it just turns crazy. Copying for class, drop Ethan off, walk in mine and Caleb's class where I meet John, Caleb, and Linley and off they go to their classes. So, then we have SS where Caleb completely falls apart several times and just finally ends up with us in "big church" due to the falling out. Now it's time for the kids to run to the front of the church for children's church to begin. Well, of course, Ethan races off with some buddies and Caleb is left in the dust so he falls apart AGAIN. Oh my gosh. I mean seriously. So, John takes him to Children's church again. Now, we're fixing to start the sermon and here comes our nursery director. Linley is ticked, they found the bottle with warm water but no formula. Well, great. I run in there and try to calm her down but to no avail. So, crying baby in the sanctuary, grab John's keys, take Linley home where I give her a bottle, pears, and she poops, then off we go again back to church to pick up the boys. This all happened before noon.
Home for the afternoon and now it's time to get our homeschool ready. Wow. I'm pumped and I think Ethan is as well. I know Caleb is. We start school on Wednesday.
So overall, very busy day, fun day, and alot accomplished today! Praise the Lord!
Monday, July 30, 2012
I don't make this up.
Yes, this really happened. No, I did not make it up.
Brief synopsis of our day before the mayhem: Ran, started stairclimbing, kids up at 6:45, fed everyone, played, finished stairclimbing, gardened, tended to animals (farm animals not my kids here), went to Murray and swam with my sister, niece, and nephew, burnt to a crisp (don't call me Tori, call me Tortilla, as in crispy Tortilla), cleaned up house so it didn't look like a tornado had been through, started supper.
Setting: One baby in the crib, one 5 year old on a couch, and one 3 year old ran outside. Mom running around the house.
Ethan is trying to recuperate from a long day swimming, Caleb of course now has energy to go on for hours, and Linley is asleep. I'm on the phone with my twin sister and what do I see? Caleb, entering the house, with black marks all over his entire body, except for his face (thank goodness). Hands, arms, palm of his hands, fingernails, ankles, tops of feet, shirt. What in the world? Oh, I know. He found the KING SIZE BLACK PERMANENT MARKER outside where I had taken it out of the van. Who needs canvas people? Use yourself for body art. Then, here it comes, "Mom, I pooped!" Seriously, so now we have a child covered in black permanent marker with poop in his underwear. I've got to get off with my sister now, after some serious complaining of what I'm fixing to have to do.
Me: "Do not move. Go to the bathroom, and stay there. The wipes are out in the van." Yes, I left them there from our swimming field trip today and I was NOT about to go in Linley's room to get the others and wake her up.
I run outside to the van, grab the wipes, turn around, and now on the top steps of the porch is my partially naked 3 year old, marker and all, with pants off and poop stuck to his rear. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Back to the bathroom we go. But wait, what is that I kicked...in the hall? Oh yes, piece of poop. (I'm sighing as I'm writing this piece). Start to clean the boy up and the next conversation is the kicker.
Caleb:"I want my prize!" In a very whiney voice.
Me: "Prize? For what?"
Caleb:"For pooping."
Huh? Did I miss something? I think we all know that the child can poop. It is the location of the poop that I am more concerned with at this point.
Me:"You don't get a prize for pooping. You get a prize for pooping IN THE POTTY!"
Caleb:"NOOOOOOO!!! I WANT MY PRIZE!!!!!!!!!" Hear whining.
Me: "No Caleb. You poop in the potty to get a prize, not in your UNDERWEAR!!!"
And so the whining continues as does the discussion of why we have prizes in the first place for bowel movements. Side note here: Yesterday John caught him pooping in his underwear so he got him on the potty and in a round about way he did poop on the potty. To which I jumped up and down and he yelled:"No HAPPY!" I seriously do not think he wants to part with his poop.
Get Caleb cleaned up, no prize, and Linley is awake, dinner needs to be finished, John is home, and the boys have found the Cars tattoos...
At this point I must make two notes:
1. Caleb is the object of a lot of my blogs. This age that he is at is always entertaining and busy, Ethan was just like this, yes, poop and all. I am so thankful for him, and all our children because they keep my life interesting, fun, and never dull.
2. I am so glad I borrowed my sister's Bissell shampoo vaccuum today. God knew I would put it to good use.
Brief synopsis of our day before the mayhem: Ran, started stairclimbing, kids up at 6:45, fed everyone, played, finished stairclimbing, gardened, tended to animals (farm animals not my kids here), went to Murray and swam with my sister, niece, and nephew, burnt to a crisp (don't call me Tori, call me Tortilla, as in crispy Tortilla), cleaned up house so it didn't look like a tornado had been through, started supper.
Setting: One baby in the crib, one 5 year old on a couch, and one 3 year old ran outside. Mom running around the house.
Ethan is trying to recuperate from a long day swimming, Caleb of course now has energy to go on for hours, and Linley is asleep. I'm on the phone with my twin sister and what do I see? Caleb, entering the house, with black marks all over his entire body, except for his face (thank goodness). Hands, arms, palm of his hands, fingernails, ankles, tops of feet, shirt. What in the world? Oh, I know. He found the KING SIZE BLACK PERMANENT MARKER outside where I had taken it out of the van. Who needs canvas people? Use yourself for body art. Then, here it comes, "Mom, I pooped!" Seriously, so now we have a child covered in black permanent marker with poop in his underwear. I've got to get off with my sister now, after some serious complaining of what I'm fixing to have to do.
Me: "Do not move. Go to the bathroom, and stay there. The wipes are out in the van." Yes, I left them there from our swimming field trip today and I was NOT about to go in Linley's room to get the others and wake her up.
I run outside to the van, grab the wipes, turn around, and now on the top steps of the porch is my partially naked 3 year old, marker and all, with pants off and poop stuck to his rear. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Back to the bathroom we go. But wait, what is that I kicked...in the hall? Oh yes, piece of poop. (I'm sighing as I'm writing this piece). Start to clean the boy up and the next conversation is the kicker.
Caleb:"I want my prize!" In a very whiney voice.
Me: "Prize? For what?"
Caleb:"For pooping."
Huh? Did I miss something? I think we all know that the child can poop. It is the location of the poop that I am more concerned with at this point.
Me:"You don't get a prize for pooping. You get a prize for pooping IN THE POTTY!"
Caleb:"NOOOOOOO!!! I WANT MY PRIZE!!!!!!!!!" Hear whining.
Me: "No Caleb. You poop in the potty to get a prize, not in your UNDERWEAR!!!"
And so the whining continues as does the discussion of why we have prizes in the first place for bowel movements. Side note here: Yesterday John caught him pooping in his underwear so he got him on the potty and in a round about way he did poop on the potty. To which I jumped up and down and he yelled:"No HAPPY!" I seriously do not think he wants to part with his poop.
Get Caleb cleaned up, no prize, and Linley is awake, dinner needs to be finished, John is home, and the boys have found the Cars tattoos...
At this point I must make two notes:
1. Caleb is the object of a lot of my blogs. This age that he is at is always entertaining and busy, Ethan was just like this, yes, poop and all. I am so thankful for him, and all our children because they keep my life interesting, fun, and never dull.
2. I am so glad I borrowed my sister's Bissell shampoo vaccuum today. God knew I would put it to good use.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Boys vs Girls
Well, the past couple weeks have been crazy. Our grandmother passed away so it has been a very sad time for our family. But, during this time we were also blessed just because as a family we were able to come together and celebrate her life and enjoy being together. So, we were able to hang out with my two neices for about a week, they are 6 and 3. So we had a 6, 5, 3, 3, and 6 month old for a few days. Hilarious is pretty much descriptive of our time. Here are a few examples along with just a few things have happened at our house since.
Caleb and Annalee are going at it in the pool (these are the two 3 year olds and second borns-Betsy and I have a few theories on second borns :P) They are using the noodles as weapons. After Betsy and I about make our throats sore from, "Be kind to each other" We finally just let them go at it. The difference between boys and girls: Annalee did cry and Caleb screamed "SORRY!" in not the nicest of tones.
We are at our parents' house and the kids are in the living room playing. Ethan runs in the room, bends over, grabs his rear end, and begins making loud pooting noises to no one in particular. Seriously? Of course, Betsy and I bust out laughing and he is confused as to why we are laughing.
Now, to just a few things that happened at our house lately:
It is the sweetest thing ever to hear Ethan and Caleb pretend playing cars and Katie Beth and Annalee are in the other cars.
Linley had a dirty diaper so I tied it up in a Wal-Mart sack. Before heading to church to work on some stuff I actually caught myself saying, "BOYS!! DO NOT THROW THE DIRTY DIAPER AT EACH OTHER!!" Yes, the dirty diaper was thrown everywhere in our house, much to Linley's entertainment.
Yesterday, I looked out the window and my mouth dropped to the ground. John is playing with the boys in the pool. They are being launched like airplanes. Do I see screaming and crying? No, they are going as fast as they possibly can getting back to John saying, "higher, HIGHER!"
I'm giving the boys a bath. Then comes the discussion on male anatomy. What are these? Why are they round? What are they called? What are they for? Do you have them? Does sister? Oh I wish Dad were in here to hear this one!
Today, the boys decided that Thomas the Train needed to fall in a pond. Of course, I say sure. I mean why not, Thomas needs a bath now and then. My rule is that the water has to be on the hardwood. So, after a couple scares of water being dropped all over the floor, Thomas makes it in the pond. Then, Ethan decides that Caleb shouldn't put one of his train cars in the water, too late, so Ethan snatches it out. Caleb of course screams at him and then proceeds to dump the entire "Pond" in the floor. After an almost time out I decide that the "Punishment must fit the crime" (Yes, we love Parent Trap) so all of the towels are put to good use.
Then, we get busy playing basketball. Before the game begins I walk into their room and I see Caleb STANDING on top of the dresser. (Just a picture: this is a 5 drawer dresser with no mirror.) Why? You may ask. Well, I asked the same question...I get the look, duh mom. Then an explanation that Caleb has to be able to hit the basketball goal. My next step, Caleb get off of the dresser. Of course, I thought he would climb down the same way he got up there. Oh no, not Caleb, daredevil jumped off the top of the dresser. I ran in the room and he's rubbing his head. Are you serious? Are you okay? Yeah Mom.
Then, it's time for a wrestling match. I'm telling you, I may be bruised for weeks after this. But, apparently it was a big hit, literally. To be on even ground I have to play on my knees and they get to run at me and try their hardest to tackle me. Yes, it was fun, they had a blast. Scared me to death when one would jump off the bed and try to tack me in the air and the other would run at me from the other side of the room.
John comes home and the boys are talking about their pants being wet. Naturally, John wants to know why.
Me: Thomas took a dip in the pond.
John: On the hardwood.
Me: Yes.
John: Do you think that was the best idea?
Me: Definitely, the floors needed mopping.
John: Oh. What did you mop them with?
Me: The towels on the floor.
I thought my logic was spot on. At least the floors got scrubbed today :)
Caleb and Annalee are going at it in the pool (these are the two 3 year olds and second borns-Betsy and I have a few theories on second borns :P) They are using the noodles as weapons. After Betsy and I about make our throats sore from, "Be kind to each other" We finally just let them go at it. The difference between boys and girls: Annalee did cry and Caleb screamed "SORRY!" in not the nicest of tones.
We are at our parents' house and the kids are in the living room playing. Ethan runs in the room, bends over, grabs his rear end, and begins making loud pooting noises to no one in particular. Seriously? Of course, Betsy and I bust out laughing and he is confused as to why we are laughing.
Now, to just a few things that happened at our house lately:
It is the sweetest thing ever to hear Ethan and Caleb pretend playing cars and Katie Beth and Annalee are in the other cars.
Linley had a dirty diaper so I tied it up in a Wal-Mart sack. Before heading to church to work on some stuff I actually caught myself saying, "BOYS!! DO NOT THROW THE DIRTY DIAPER AT EACH OTHER!!" Yes, the dirty diaper was thrown everywhere in our house, much to Linley's entertainment.
Yesterday, I looked out the window and my mouth dropped to the ground. John is playing with the boys in the pool. They are being launched like airplanes. Do I see screaming and crying? No, they are going as fast as they possibly can getting back to John saying, "higher, HIGHER!"
I'm giving the boys a bath. Then comes the discussion on male anatomy. What are these? Why are they round? What are they called? What are they for? Do you have them? Does sister? Oh I wish Dad were in here to hear this one!
Today, the boys decided that Thomas the Train needed to fall in a pond. Of course, I say sure. I mean why not, Thomas needs a bath now and then. My rule is that the water has to be on the hardwood. So, after a couple scares of water being dropped all over the floor, Thomas makes it in the pond. Then, Ethan decides that Caleb shouldn't put one of his train cars in the water, too late, so Ethan snatches it out. Caleb of course screams at him and then proceeds to dump the entire "Pond" in the floor. After an almost time out I decide that the "Punishment must fit the crime" (Yes, we love Parent Trap) so all of the towels are put to good use.
Then, we get busy playing basketball. Before the game begins I walk into their room and I see Caleb STANDING on top of the dresser. (Just a picture: this is a 5 drawer dresser with no mirror.) Why? You may ask. Well, I asked the same question...I get the look, duh mom. Then an explanation that Caleb has to be able to hit the basketball goal. My next step, Caleb get off of the dresser. Of course, I thought he would climb down the same way he got up there. Oh no, not Caleb, daredevil jumped off the top of the dresser. I ran in the room and he's rubbing his head. Are you serious? Are you okay? Yeah Mom.
Then, it's time for a wrestling match. I'm telling you, I may be bruised for weeks after this. But, apparently it was a big hit, literally. To be on even ground I have to play on my knees and they get to run at me and try their hardest to tackle me. Yes, it was fun, they had a blast. Scared me to death when one would jump off the bed and try to tack me in the air and the other would run at me from the other side of the room.
John comes home and the boys are talking about their pants being wet. Naturally, John wants to know why.
Me: Thomas took a dip in the pond.
John: On the hardwood.
Me: Yes.
John: Do you think that was the best idea?
Me: Definitely, the floors needed mopping.
John: Oh. What did you mop them with?
Me: The towels on the floor.
I thought my logic was spot on. At least the floors got scrubbed today :)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
About time
Yes, so I am a couple days behind, but time has been busy this week. Here are the highlights from the past couple days.
Yesterday morning Linley is up at 5:30 for a bottle then John and I head outside to shuck corn. Yes, at 5:45 in the morning we are shucking corn. Our cows and goat were happy. Then, John thinks he hears one of the kids. I go check and sure enough, Caleb is sitting in the hallway at 6:15 crying. He wants warm milk. Early morning.
Later, I'm doing prayer time in the my room with Ethan snuggling on the bed. We hear the door open and close. Ethan: "I think Caleb just went outside." Yes, he has to have his morning bathroom break outside off the backporch. 20 seconds later here comes Caleb down the hall. "MOM!!" Then Caleb walks into my room in his pj's, kind of. He's got his shirt on but is missing something. His pajama shorts, he has fashioned them as a new hat on his head. Very trendy.
Trip to Radio Shack. Man, I'm proud of my boys, they're walking around the store just staring in amazement while the owner is busy with another customer and I'm waiting. It's my turn. Then, I hear a loud crash. Pride shot down along with two 32" flat screen tv's that Ethan accidently backed into. At least they were in boxes. My nerves now on edge so boys are forced to stand directly behind me during transaction. But wait, there are shelves right there that are just perfect for little boys to step on. More loud crashes. At this point the owner looks at them and says:"Those will throw them off." No kidding? Did he think I was whispering to my kids, "Boys, go jump up and down on those shelves!!" We can't get out of there fast enough. Now, a trip across the street to the post office, park, and now Wal-Mart. I forgot my Lysol. Ugh. So, load the trio up, Linley strapped to me in my knock-off Moby wrap, Caleb in the front of the buggee and then Ethan in the basket. We walk in and what do we always do first? Clean the buggee. So, I pass out wipes and the boys are responsible for scrubbing down their part of the buggee. Man, they scrubbed well. Then, trash those and out comes the handsanitizer. The boys want to eat chicken nuggets while we shop so we have to clean them right? Germaphobe? Yes. But, the three people sitting at the window at Subway in Wal-Mart were having a good laugh at this crazy Mom. So pumped, I didn't have to plank with LInley attached to me in the aisle at Wal-mart.
Back at home, the boys are at each others' throats and I've had enough. off to time-out they go. Door slammed. OH well, at least it's quiet on my end of the house. Then the house begins to shake. Mental note: boys need separate rooms for timeout. It's more of playtime without Mom in the room. The dresser was cleaned off, everything was in the floor. The basketball goal was turned over in the floor. At least the dresser wasn't emptied.
VBS every night this week at church.
Cut off all the corn while the kids had rest time and Linley napped.
At 9:30 I begin boxing all the corn-ended up with 61 quarts at 10:30 p.m. The house smelled good:)
This morning, the boys are going to play at Mammy's. They want to spend the night. BUt wait, you can't, we have VBS again. Then Caleb's fit begins. He no go to church!!!! Yes, you know you've been spending a lot of time at church when your kid doesn't want to go to VBS due to the fact that we have lived there the past week getting ready. Side note-he didn't stay in his class tonight, ended up with Dad and the big kids. Oh well. At least he made it.
Spent the majority of the night with Linley strapped to me. What a workout. At the end of the night I keep smelling something, Man, those kids are stinking. I get home, wait, that's not the kids. It was me. Busy night. VBS is a blast, I love it and I think my kids do too!! Just an overview of out week this week. Never a dull moment!
Yesterday morning Linley is up at 5:30 for a bottle then John and I head outside to shuck corn. Yes, at 5:45 in the morning we are shucking corn. Our cows and goat were happy. Then, John thinks he hears one of the kids. I go check and sure enough, Caleb is sitting in the hallway at 6:15 crying. He wants warm milk. Early morning.
Later, I'm doing prayer time in the my room with Ethan snuggling on the bed. We hear the door open and close. Ethan: "I think Caleb just went outside." Yes, he has to have his morning bathroom break outside off the backporch. 20 seconds later here comes Caleb down the hall. "MOM!!" Then Caleb walks into my room in his pj's, kind of. He's got his shirt on but is missing something. His pajama shorts, he has fashioned them as a new hat on his head. Very trendy.
Trip to Radio Shack. Man, I'm proud of my boys, they're walking around the store just staring in amazement while the owner is busy with another customer and I'm waiting. It's my turn. Then, I hear a loud crash. Pride shot down along with two 32" flat screen tv's that Ethan accidently backed into. At least they were in boxes. My nerves now on edge so boys are forced to stand directly behind me during transaction. But wait, there are shelves right there that are just perfect for little boys to step on. More loud crashes. At this point the owner looks at them and says:"Those will throw them off." No kidding? Did he think I was whispering to my kids, "Boys, go jump up and down on those shelves!!" We can't get out of there fast enough. Now, a trip across the street to the post office, park, and now Wal-Mart. I forgot my Lysol. Ugh. So, load the trio up, Linley strapped to me in my knock-off Moby wrap, Caleb in the front of the buggee and then Ethan in the basket. We walk in and what do we always do first? Clean the buggee. So, I pass out wipes and the boys are responsible for scrubbing down their part of the buggee. Man, they scrubbed well. Then, trash those and out comes the handsanitizer. The boys want to eat chicken nuggets while we shop so we have to clean them right? Germaphobe? Yes. But, the three people sitting at the window at Subway in Wal-Mart were having a good laugh at this crazy Mom. So pumped, I didn't have to plank with LInley attached to me in the aisle at Wal-mart.
Back at home, the boys are at each others' throats and I've had enough. off to time-out they go. Door slammed. OH well, at least it's quiet on my end of the house. Then the house begins to shake. Mental note: boys need separate rooms for timeout. It's more of playtime without Mom in the room. The dresser was cleaned off, everything was in the floor. The basketball goal was turned over in the floor. At least the dresser wasn't emptied.
VBS every night this week at church.
Cut off all the corn while the kids had rest time and Linley napped.
At 9:30 I begin boxing all the corn-ended up with 61 quarts at 10:30 p.m. The house smelled good:)
This morning, the boys are going to play at Mammy's. They want to spend the night. BUt wait, you can't, we have VBS again. Then Caleb's fit begins. He no go to church!!!! Yes, you know you've been spending a lot of time at church when your kid doesn't want to go to VBS due to the fact that we have lived there the past week getting ready. Side note-he didn't stay in his class tonight, ended up with Dad and the big kids. Oh well. At least he made it.
Spent the majority of the night with Linley strapped to me. What a workout. At the end of the night I keep smelling something, Man, those kids are stinking. I get home, wait, that's not the kids. It was me. Busy night. VBS is a blast, I love it and I think my kids do too!! Just an overview of out week this week. Never a dull moment!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Lately
It's been a while since I've been able to blog. Mostly because exhaustion usually sets in before I get to do this at 9:30 at night. John says I'm always tired, I agree.
The poop saga continues. Yesterday I had all three kids pooping by 11. I think, "Yay. At least we're already done with this." No such luck. Caleb, of course, poops in his underwear several times. I don't think much about it when I see Ethan with some baby powder on him. He is five, he likes to take care of himself. But then, Caleb has some on him. Okay, what's up with this? I ask Ethan, his reply:"Caleb did it." "Did what?" Is my next thought. Enter boys' room. A snow hill is what their dresser resembled. I actually didn't blow up but calmly and rationally stated, with not much compassion:"You have to clean every bit of that up with wash cloths now." I turn and walk out, and off they go to gather the cleaning supplies. Linley is in need of something so off I go to deal with her while the boys go to their snow chute to start cleaning. I come back to check on them but there is still white on the dresser. Okay, at this point I'm getting irritated. FInally, I come to the bottom of it. Ethan:"Mom, that's Butt Paste that Caleb painted on it." Oh great. Butt Paste is similar to Desitin but it's just big boy medicine. No, it does not wipe off like powder. Scrub hard and it may come off. Then all of a sudden the boys are cleaning with their wet rags the race track on their wall. Hey, that's fine with me. At least they're cleaning. Note: tonight I still saw some Butt Paste on the dresser and there is still baby powder on the top of it that just didn't get clean. Oh well, at least we know Butt Paste sticks well.
Caleb is now three, as I'm sure you know. 3 is such a wonderful age. Your young child growing stronger, getting taller, becoming more independent, growing more stubborn and less rational as you go. Now, I think Caleb has a guilty conscience since he's not pooping in the potty. Every other word that comes out of that child's mouth has something to do with poop. A word of affection: "Hey Poopey." A word of anger:"POOPOO, DOODOO, PEEPEE." A word of rebellion: "You're poopie Mommy." Whenever he must express himself it always comes out with these words. I think he feels bad that he's not pooping in the potty. Really. I do. Now, though, his fits are not rational yet but they are getting there. He tells me he doesn't want self-control. Really? I think I got that.
Linley is starting to get the hang of it with these boys. THe other day my twin sis was here visiting and we were trying to get all the kids out to the pool. It just didn't happen with Linley, she pooped in her swimmer diaper so I just change her and put her to bed, it's time anyway. It's 105 degrees outside so I just lay her down with a diaper. She sleeps so soundly then it's time for her to get up. Well, she must have gotten bored or just trying to figure things out. We walk into her room to get her and there she is, in all her glory, nude with a diaper lying next to her. Yes, she took it off. The child is only 5 months old. Already? Makes me nervous.
Well, all are asleep and that's where I want to be. Good night.
The poop saga continues. Yesterday I had all three kids pooping by 11. I think, "Yay. At least we're already done with this." No such luck. Caleb, of course, poops in his underwear several times. I don't think much about it when I see Ethan with some baby powder on him. He is five, he likes to take care of himself. But then, Caleb has some on him. Okay, what's up with this? I ask Ethan, his reply:"Caleb did it." "Did what?" Is my next thought. Enter boys' room. A snow hill is what their dresser resembled. I actually didn't blow up but calmly and rationally stated, with not much compassion:"You have to clean every bit of that up with wash cloths now." I turn and walk out, and off they go to gather the cleaning supplies. Linley is in need of something so off I go to deal with her while the boys go to their snow chute to start cleaning. I come back to check on them but there is still white on the dresser. Okay, at this point I'm getting irritated. FInally, I come to the bottom of it. Ethan:"Mom, that's Butt Paste that Caleb painted on it." Oh great. Butt Paste is similar to Desitin but it's just big boy medicine. No, it does not wipe off like powder. Scrub hard and it may come off. Then all of a sudden the boys are cleaning with their wet rags the race track on their wall. Hey, that's fine with me. At least they're cleaning. Note: tonight I still saw some Butt Paste on the dresser and there is still baby powder on the top of it that just didn't get clean. Oh well, at least we know Butt Paste sticks well.
Caleb is now three, as I'm sure you know. 3 is such a wonderful age. Your young child growing stronger, getting taller, becoming more independent, growing more stubborn and less rational as you go. Now, I think Caleb has a guilty conscience since he's not pooping in the potty. Every other word that comes out of that child's mouth has something to do with poop. A word of affection: "Hey Poopey." A word of anger:"POOPOO, DOODOO, PEEPEE." A word of rebellion: "You're poopie Mommy." Whenever he must express himself it always comes out with these words. I think he feels bad that he's not pooping in the potty. Really. I do. Now, though, his fits are not rational yet but they are getting there. He tells me he doesn't want self-control. Really? I think I got that.
Linley is starting to get the hang of it with these boys. THe other day my twin sis was here visiting and we were trying to get all the kids out to the pool. It just didn't happen with Linley, she pooped in her swimmer diaper so I just change her and put her to bed, it's time anyway. It's 105 degrees outside so I just lay her down with a diaper. She sleeps so soundly then it's time for her to get up. Well, she must have gotten bored or just trying to figure things out. We walk into her room to get her and there she is, in all her glory, nude with a diaper lying next to her. Yes, she took it off. The child is only 5 months old. Already? Makes me nervous.
Well, all are asleep and that's where I want to be. Good night.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Frazzled Female
At our church we've been doing a Bible study on the "Frazzled Female." I'm pretty sure God had me in mind.
Went for a morning run before everyone got up. So peaceful outside, me and my love/hate relationship with running was at full force, but I finished.
Enter house-6:40 A.M.-Mickey Mouse already on, one boy already up, baby crying in the monitor.
Got the baby fed and Caleb wants to go out so we go ahead. It's 7:15. Tend to the animals, put Linley in the stroller, water the melons and pumpkins; green beans need to be picked. Ethan comes outside and finds me in the garden. We spend a while outside and everyone is pretty content, then Linley gets upset so Ethan pushes her over to me in the garden. Linley crying and Ethan singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Sweetest. Thing. Ever.
It's time to go in, get her back in bed, get the boys fed. My craziness ensues. Eat that frog, a book I've read about doing the things that you have to get done that you put off, was my morning. I ate lots of frogs.
Poop in the underwear of course, must deal with that. Linley wakes up from a nap early because of a dirty diaper. More poop.
It's time for one of our dear friends' birthday party at the local yogurt shop. Note: I didn't feed the boys lunch before we went. Ethan made his own creation of frozen yogurt while Caleb filled his cup (barely anything) with gummies, sour worms, and cereal. Odd but he was perfectly content. Yogurt eaten now it's time for cupcakes. All the boys are hanging out in the "cool area" that consists of black leather furniture. My two take up residence in the couch. Ethan and Caleb need help taking the wrapper off of their cupcakes, Linley wants yellow icing so dips her finger in it while I'm trying to get it off. Sugar hits. Ethan decides that it would be so much fun to roll over the couch. I'm dealing with Linley when I hear, "Uh oh Mom." I turn and look and what do I see? Ethan, standing with his back to me, a yellow cupcake stuck neatly to his back. He had rolled right over Caleb's delicious cupcake. Did that really just happen? I mean, come on, can you plan something like that? I just wish I had a camera. Cupcake off of Ethan's back, now it's time open the presents. My boys are having trouble paying attention, they are all over each other in one of the chairs while Linley thinks that because her brothers are being so loud she needs to participate so she is screaming at the top of her lungs (happy screaming). Hearing myself say in an ice cream parlor: "Get off the top of your brother," and "Caleb, gets your hands out of your pants," are once again sayings that teach me lessons in humility; not to mention the big yellow circle on the back of Ethan's shirt.
Head home and all four of the grandparents end up at our house today. It's canning time. I'm busy putting up spaghetti sauce when Caleb comes in the kitchen, "Mom, I pooped." Here we go AGAIN. How many times can the kid poop in one day? "Hold on. Go to the bathroom and I'll be there in a second." After just a minute or so of coming to a stopping point I head to the bathroom. I walk into the hallway and what do I see? A trail of toilet paper still on the roll connected from the bathroom all the way down the hall. Frazzled Female could have said in a nicer tone but did not fly completely off the handle: "Roll it all back up." I get him cleaned up again. At this poop I think I just threw him in the tub. I can't remember which one today. On his leg, in the floor, on the rug, they all just seem to run together. It was at this point that the threats come out. I think he may spend a lot of time practicing on the potty tomorrow.
John's home, supper is on the table. Yummy: blt's fresh from our garden tomatoes, homemade potato salad, green peppers, potato chips. Caleb's dinner consisited of potato chips and lettuce in ranch. He did eat one piece of bacon.
It's time to go outside. The boys end up in the pool. We just purchased an above ground pool for them. Linley's fussing so I get to put her to sleep and grab a few minutes peace and quiet in the house to sew. Apparently during this swimming episode Caleb gets chocked on water and vomits up the lettuce. This makes Ethan take a walk on memory lane from the time we were at the beach. He chocked and threw up sausage so he tells Caleb. Delicious.
Linley is now in the tub when the wild indians come into the house. Her eyes were enormous. I wonder what she is thinking when it's all peaceful then all of a sudden you hear what sounds like elephants running through a china shop? John gets to feed her and I bathe the boys. I walk in and they are playing so well together. Wow, that is so nice. Then I hear the conversation:
Ethan with army man: "Ohhh, I'm going to throw up!!!!!!!!!!" Pooting sounds come from his mouth and the army man dives into the water.
Caleb with plastic tiger: "Ohhhh. I'm going to throw up!!!!!" Pooting sounds come from his mouth and his tiger dives into the water.
Now we have a nice conversation that when you throw up you don't have pooting sounds come out of your mouth. Ethan determines that this throw up was coming out of the other end. Nice.
Hurry, bedtime coming and they want snacks. I guess all that throw up talk. Bedtime early. PTL.
Went for a morning run before everyone got up. So peaceful outside, me and my love/hate relationship with running was at full force, but I finished.
Enter house-6:40 A.M.-Mickey Mouse already on, one boy already up, baby crying in the monitor.
Got the baby fed and Caleb wants to go out so we go ahead. It's 7:15. Tend to the animals, put Linley in the stroller, water the melons and pumpkins; green beans need to be picked. Ethan comes outside and finds me in the garden. We spend a while outside and everyone is pretty content, then Linley gets upset so Ethan pushes her over to me in the garden. Linley crying and Ethan singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Sweetest. Thing. Ever.
It's time to go in, get her back in bed, get the boys fed. My craziness ensues. Eat that frog, a book I've read about doing the things that you have to get done that you put off, was my morning. I ate lots of frogs.
Poop in the underwear of course, must deal with that. Linley wakes up from a nap early because of a dirty diaper. More poop.
It's time for one of our dear friends' birthday party at the local yogurt shop. Note: I didn't feed the boys lunch before we went. Ethan made his own creation of frozen yogurt while Caleb filled his cup (barely anything) with gummies, sour worms, and cereal. Odd but he was perfectly content. Yogurt eaten now it's time for cupcakes. All the boys are hanging out in the "cool area" that consists of black leather furniture. My two take up residence in the couch. Ethan and Caleb need help taking the wrapper off of their cupcakes, Linley wants yellow icing so dips her finger in it while I'm trying to get it off. Sugar hits. Ethan decides that it would be so much fun to roll over the couch. I'm dealing with Linley when I hear, "Uh oh Mom." I turn and look and what do I see? Ethan, standing with his back to me, a yellow cupcake stuck neatly to his back. He had rolled right over Caleb's delicious cupcake. Did that really just happen? I mean, come on, can you plan something like that? I just wish I had a camera. Cupcake off of Ethan's back, now it's time open the presents. My boys are having trouble paying attention, they are all over each other in one of the chairs while Linley thinks that because her brothers are being so loud she needs to participate so she is screaming at the top of her lungs (happy screaming). Hearing myself say in an ice cream parlor: "Get off the top of your brother," and "Caleb, gets your hands out of your pants," are once again sayings that teach me lessons in humility; not to mention the big yellow circle on the back of Ethan's shirt.
Head home and all four of the grandparents end up at our house today. It's canning time. I'm busy putting up spaghetti sauce when Caleb comes in the kitchen, "Mom, I pooped." Here we go AGAIN. How many times can the kid poop in one day? "Hold on. Go to the bathroom and I'll be there in a second." After just a minute or so of coming to a stopping point I head to the bathroom. I walk into the hallway and what do I see? A trail of toilet paper still on the roll connected from the bathroom all the way down the hall. Frazzled Female could have said in a nicer tone but did not fly completely off the handle: "Roll it all back up." I get him cleaned up again. At this poop I think I just threw him in the tub. I can't remember which one today. On his leg, in the floor, on the rug, they all just seem to run together. It was at this point that the threats come out. I think he may spend a lot of time practicing on the potty tomorrow.
John's home, supper is on the table. Yummy: blt's fresh from our garden tomatoes, homemade potato salad, green peppers, potato chips. Caleb's dinner consisited of potato chips and lettuce in ranch. He did eat one piece of bacon.
It's time to go outside. The boys end up in the pool. We just purchased an above ground pool for them. Linley's fussing so I get to put her to sleep and grab a few minutes peace and quiet in the house to sew. Apparently during this swimming episode Caleb gets chocked on water and vomits up the lettuce. This makes Ethan take a walk on memory lane from the time we were at the beach. He chocked and threw up sausage so he tells Caleb. Delicious.
Linley is now in the tub when the wild indians come into the house. Her eyes were enormous. I wonder what she is thinking when it's all peaceful then all of a sudden you hear what sounds like elephants running through a china shop? John gets to feed her and I bathe the boys. I walk in and they are playing so well together. Wow, that is so nice. Then I hear the conversation:
Ethan with army man: "Ohhh, I'm going to throw up!!!!!!!!!!" Pooting sounds come from his mouth and the army man dives into the water.
Caleb with plastic tiger: "Ohhhh. I'm going to throw up!!!!!" Pooting sounds come from his mouth and his tiger dives into the water.
Now we have a nice conversation that when you throw up you don't have pooting sounds come out of your mouth. Ethan determines that this throw up was coming out of the other end. Nice.
Hurry, bedtime coming and they want snacks. I guess all that throw up talk. Bedtime early. PTL.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Father's Day Blessings
Wow. God has blessed us with a lot of things this Father's Day.
Tried to let John sleep in this morning and get breakfast made and tend to the animals and get us all ready for church. Well, that all didn't happen but we did end up at church earlier than normal and the boys' hair was brushed. However, I have to note that before John even got up I already had one in timeout, a threat to completely ban Thomas the trains for an entire week, a baby fed, breakfast almost done, a wet head, and the animals not fed. Ugh. Gallant effort, sometimes I set unrealistic goals though.
Made it to eat Los Portales with the family with two grumpy boys-both who fell asleep on the way to the restaurant which made for peachy attitudes when we woke them up to go into a crowded area. Did I mention Linley slept through all of it, at least most of it despite her brothers? In the car I now have a new rule: DO NOT TOUCH YOUR SISTER IF SHE IS SLEEPING. Their logic "She doesn't wake up anyway." My logic, "You just woke her up." She even slept at the restaurant, until Caleb, who managed to take his blanky into the Mexican restaurant (guess he wants to be able to smell it later) and whack her in the head with it and wake her up. He wanted her to wake up and celebrate :)
Betsy (my twin sis), Matt (her hubs), and the girls are here for the weekend so we went over to Mams and Pops' house. Even though Dad wasn't feeling too well he put up with all the screaming, running, door slamming, and whining.
Made it to Mammy and Pappy's house for banana ice cream. Now, I can tell you for sure Ethan is my child. Mammy had homemade ice cream and what does Ethan want to do and actually whines about? Eating ice cream before dinner. Really, does he actually think I will agree to that? I mean, I will do that for myself, but my children? Come on, I have to show self-control on their behalf! Now, John has been fighting a headache all day so he goes down for the count at their house. I get Linley, fed, everyone bathed, wake John up to go home, and we finally make it there after much, and I do mean much whining.
At home, John disappears for what turns into one of his worst headaches he's ever had and now three children have to be put to bed plus the animals all decided to drink all of their water today so tending to the animals must be done as well. 30 minutes later, cats fed/watered, chickens/turkeys fed/watered, cows/goats fed/watered, and now we have a screaming baby who is ready to get to bed. I get her changed and I notice something about her diaper, "when did this size two diaper get so monstrous?" Oh well, just tighten it up and off to bed. Time to put the boys' to bed and where is Caleb's overnight size 6 diaper? Oh wait, no wonder Linley's diaper was so big on her... it was CALEB's!!!!! Duh, get that changed and Linley in bed. Now, Ethan can't find his blanky. After much searching I call Mammy. Yep, it's in Fulton at their house. Can we go get it tonight? No, Son, we cannot go get it tonight. Finally, everyone is in bed, the house is quiet, saying prayers that John feels better, that Linley actually sleeps despite the fact she only drank half of her bottle before bed, and Ethan's blanket is MIA.
We survived. So thankful to God for the blessings He's given us. Yes, there is whining, yes it is crazy, yes it is wild, but man, so many blessings from Him on this Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to John. Our children are blessed beyond measure as am I to have that man in our life who adores his children, trains them up, and truly is my partner in everything we do. Happy Father's Day to my dad too!!
Tried to let John sleep in this morning and get breakfast made and tend to the animals and get us all ready for church. Well, that all didn't happen but we did end up at church earlier than normal and the boys' hair was brushed. However, I have to note that before John even got up I already had one in timeout, a threat to completely ban Thomas the trains for an entire week, a baby fed, breakfast almost done, a wet head, and the animals not fed. Ugh. Gallant effort, sometimes I set unrealistic goals though.
Made it to eat Los Portales with the family with two grumpy boys-both who fell asleep on the way to the restaurant which made for peachy attitudes when we woke them up to go into a crowded area. Did I mention Linley slept through all of it, at least most of it despite her brothers? In the car I now have a new rule: DO NOT TOUCH YOUR SISTER IF SHE IS SLEEPING. Their logic "She doesn't wake up anyway." My logic, "You just woke her up." She even slept at the restaurant, until Caleb, who managed to take his blanky into the Mexican restaurant (guess he wants to be able to smell it later) and whack her in the head with it and wake her up. He wanted her to wake up and celebrate :)
Betsy (my twin sis), Matt (her hubs), and the girls are here for the weekend so we went over to Mams and Pops' house. Even though Dad wasn't feeling too well he put up with all the screaming, running, door slamming, and whining.
Made it to Mammy and Pappy's house for banana ice cream. Now, I can tell you for sure Ethan is my child. Mammy had homemade ice cream and what does Ethan want to do and actually whines about? Eating ice cream before dinner. Really, does he actually think I will agree to that? I mean, I will do that for myself, but my children? Come on, I have to show self-control on their behalf! Now, John has been fighting a headache all day so he goes down for the count at their house. I get Linley, fed, everyone bathed, wake John up to go home, and we finally make it there after much, and I do mean much whining.
At home, John disappears for what turns into one of his worst headaches he's ever had and now three children have to be put to bed plus the animals all decided to drink all of their water today so tending to the animals must be done as well. 30 minutes later, cats fed/watered, chickens/turkeys fed/watered, cows/goats fed/watered, and now we have a screaming baby who is ready to get to bed. I get her changed and I notice something about her diaper, "when did this size two diaper get so monstrous?" Oh well, just tighten it up and off to bed. Time to put the boys' to bed and where is Caleb's overnight size 6 diaper? Oh wait, no wonder Linley's diaper was so big on her... it was CALEB's!!!!! Duh, get that changed and Linley in bed. Now, Ethan can't find his blanky. After much searching I call Mammy. Yep, it's in Fulton at their house. Can we go get it tonight? No, Son, we cannot go get it tonight. Finally, everyone is in bed, the house is quiet, saying prayers that John feels better, that Linley actually sleeps despite the fact she only drank half of her bottle before bed, and Ethan's blanket is MIA.
We survived. So thankful to God for the blessings He's given us. Yes, there is whining, yes it is crazy, yes it is wild, but man, so many blessings from Him on this Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to John. Our children are blessed beyond measure as am I to have that man in our life who adores his children, trains them up, and truly is my partner in everything we do. Happy Father's Day to my dad too!!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Ha ha you stuck in there
As you can imagine, this is one of those days with a three year old boy who is sewing some wild oats for sure. Of course,an older brother to ag things on and then a little sister to make him jealous sometime all add up to a very eventful day.
Morning: I'm on the stairclimber briefly talking to my MIL trying to work out going to see my grandmother in the hospital (say a prayer for her while you read this if you don't mind). Caleb has been up before 7 and now needs more "warm milk." So, since I'm not paying close attention to him and getting off my stairclimber what does the child do? He chunks his sippee cup at me and screams. Oh no you didn't. Time out before 7:15 in the morning.
Mammy gets here so I can go visit my grandmother in the hospital. Before I go I'm tending to our newly hatched turkeys. They are in the back shed. Caleb is in there with me petting them while I'm feeding and watering them. All of a sudden the door is closed and I don't think anything about it. I go to walk out and I hear "Ha ha. You stuck in there Mama." Did I mention that it is already mid-80's by this point of the day? So my threat, "Caleb Thomas Cole if you do not open this door right now you are in BIG trouble!" His reply as he is unlocking the door, " I caaannnn't." Open door. I start in on my lecture, "Caleb, you NEVER lock anyone in this shed." Did I mention we had been playing guns all morning with the nerf guns so he's carrying it around? He looks at me, gun in hand and pretends to shoot me. Nice. Side note-I had my cell with me, and this shed could be taken down by a few good kicks and a 2 X 4, plus you can see through the slats in the shed, the lock being a piece of wood on a nail.
Caleb poops for Mammy two times while I'm gone. Hey, at least I'm gone.
Home from the hospital and the afternoon begins. A brief animal dvd for some much needed quiet time and then here comes Caleb, pantless again. "Mom I pooped." Great, get him cleaned up and it's time for us to go outside to play. Enter Ethan. "Mom, guess what's on the porch?" Can you guess? I open the back door and there is my gift waiting for me. Mercy, how much can one kid poop in a day?
Did I mention that my Bible study this week is having a positive attitude no matter what the situation? Enter Bible study in action. Tball practice outside along with "workers" as they call it. Think PigPen from Peanuts. Now it's time to go in, cool off, get ready for t-ball. I hear the famous whine, "I need more warm miiiillllkkkk." No. Sorry kid, but you've had like 7 cups so far. No. Meltdown ensues. Instruction from me, get to your room if you're going to meltdown. 30 minutes later, a baby woke up by the fit, a bottle, and a resting 5 year old and he can finally come out of his room because he's done with the fit. But wait, he can't come out of his room-he's asleep. Really?
A t-ball game where big brother's team gets runner-up and only a minor meltdown at the game and we made it through our day. Somedays it really is survival of the fittest.
Morning: I'm on the stairclimber briefly talking to my MIL trying to work out going to see my grandmother in the hospital (say a prayer for her while you read this if you don't mind). Caleb has been up before 7 and now needs more "warm milk." So, since I'm not paying close attention to him and getting off my stairclimber what does the child do? He chunks his sippee cup at me and screams. Oh no you didn't. Time out before 7:15 in the morning.
Mammy gets here so I can go visit my grandmother in the hospital. Before I go I'm tending to our newly hatched turkeys. They are in the back shed. Caleb is in there with me petting them while I'm feeding and watering them. All of a sudden the door is closed and I don't think anything about it. I go to walk out and I hear "Ha ha. You stuck in there Mama." Did I mention that it is already mid-80's by this point of the day? So my threat, "Caleb Thomas Cole if you do not open this door right now you are in BIG trouble!" His reply as he is unlocking the door, " I caaannnn't." Open door. I start in on my lecture, "Caleb, you NEVER lock anyone in this shed." Did I mention we had been playing guns all morning with the nerf guns so he's carrying it around? He looks at me, gun in hand and pretends to shoot me. Nice. Side note-I had my cell with me, and this shed could be taken down by a few good kicks and a 2 X 4, plus you can see through the slats in the shed, the lock being a piece of wood on a nail.
Caleb poops for Mammy two times while I'm gone. Hey, at least I'm gone.
Home from the hospital and the afternoon begins. A brief animal dvd for some much needed quiet time and then here comes Caleb, pantless again. "Mom I pooped." Great, get him cleaned up and it's time for us to go outside to play. Enter Ethan. "Mom, guess what's on the porch?" Can you guess? I open the back door and there is my gift waiting for me. Mercy, how much can one kid poop in a day?
Did I mention that my Bible study this week is having a positive attitude no matter what the situation? Enter Bible study in action. Tball practice outside along with "workers" as they call it. Think PigPen from Peanuts. Now it's time to go in, cool off, get ready for t-ball. I hear the famous whine, "I need more warm miiiillllkkkk." No. Sorry kid, but you've had like 7 cups so far. No. Meltdown ensues. Instruction from me, get to your room if you're going to meltdown. 30 minutes later, a baby woke up by the fit, a bottle, and a resting 5 year old and he can finally come out of his room because he's done with the fit. But wait, he can't come out of his room-he's asleep. Really?
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Quotes of the day
Caleb and I have a discussion about VBS at Mammy's church today. Bad mood is a good term for the day with him.
Me: Caleb, if you're going to whine all day I'm just going to have to leave you here with Daddy. (Yeah, big threat here. Can you hear the Mommy voice?"
Caleb: Ok. I stay with Dad at home. I no go VBS.
Great, that backfired. I should have known.
Ethan and I having a discussion at the Mexican restaurant:
Me: Ethan, you need to eat a couple bites of your taco.
Ethan: I'm just not a fan of tacos today.
Ethan and I sitting in the van at Rural King waiting on John:
Ethan: Mom, did you know that some women have mustaches?
Me: Oh really?
Ethan: Yeah, if they're like 100 years old.
Me: That old?
Ethan: Yeah, if they're that old they sometimes have mustaches.
Where in the world did that come from?
Caleb and me getting ready for bed:
Me: Caleb, you like getting your teeth brushed don't you? It feels good.(Caleb nodding head) I like clean teeth.
Caleb: I like poopoo teeth.
Getting ready to go to the hospital to see my grandma again. I came back inside after already saying goodbye to the kids to wait on John to finish the garden.
Ethan: Are you back from the hospital already?
Me: No, I haven't even left yet. I'm waiting on Dad to finish up in the garden.
Ethan: Oh. Are you waiting for him to give you a hug?
Me: Yeah.
Precious and downright funny comments of the day.
Me: Caleb, if you're going to whine all day I'm just going to have to leave you here with Daddy. (Yeah, big threat here. Can you hear the Mommy voice?"
Caleb: Ok. I stay with Dad at home. I no go VBS.
Great, that backfired. I should have known.
Ethan and I having a discussion at the Mexican restaurant:
Me: Ethan, you need to eat a couple bites of your taco.
Ethan: I'm just not a fan of tacos today.
Ethan and I sitting in the van at Rural King waiting on John:
Ethan: Mom, did you know that some women have mustaches?
Me: Oh really?
Ethan: Yeah, if they're like 100 years old.
Me: That old?
Ethan: Yeah, if they're that old they sometimes have mustaches.
Where in the world did that come from?
Caleb and me getting ready for bed:
Me: Caleb, you like getting your teeth brushed don't you? It feels good.(Caleb nodding head) I like clean teeth.
Caleb: I like poopoo teeth.
Getting ready to go to the hospital to see my grandma again. I came back inside after already saying goodbye to the kids to wait on John to finish the garden.
Ethan: Are you back from the hospital already?
Me: No, I haven't even left yet. I'm waiting on Dad to finish up in the garden.
Ethan: Oh. Are you waiting for him to give you a hug?
Me: Yeah.
Precious and downright funny comments of the day.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
New use for plunger
What a week this has been. Two t-ball games, a flat tire, VBS at my m-i-l's church, Bible Study group, a sick grandmother who has now landed in the hospital after an extremely long journey that would wear the fittest person out not the least a 91 year old woman. In the midst of this chaos, which is an understatement, today the boys have made me laugh more times than I can count.
VBS today. I forgot the pacifier for Linley. Praise the Lord for one of the grandma's who lived near the church, Linley now has a blue pacifier. Caleb had a rough time so he sat through music twice with me and Bible study twice with Mrs. Jeanne.
Servall visited today. Our bug sprayer lady tells me she arrives to seeing Caleb peeing off the back porch. Nice. But, it gets better. He, of course, is outside. I hear him so I walk out and what do I see? Caleb, pantless, on the back porch. We have Servall here and my child has pooped outside in the yard again with no pants on and poop on his leg. I try to be slick and get it/him cleaned up before she notices but I meet her at the back with poop in my hand... at least he did have his pants on.
I tried making sourdough bread. Notice the word "tried." After working the bread I set it out. When I go to retrieve the bread from the window sill (sitting in the sun to rise) I see Caleb in the front yard with his new toy. The plunger. What is he doing with it? Plunging himself, then pretending to use it as a telescope, then he throws it over his shoulder like he's carrying his sword. I walk to the kitchen to put the bread in and I see Caleb now running in the backyard. Oh how sweet! But wait, he is chasing one of the momma cat's...with the plunger. He later tells me he is getting that "bad cat."
John is home and oh how proud I am of that sourdough bread to go with dinner tonight. Ethan takes a bite and what does he say, "That bread is NASTY!" Very politely John says he likes the other recipe better. Yeah, me too. That sour dough bread that I started working on last night is now chicken food.
The boys decided to be bowling balls and then made up their own pins- stuffed animals and a bop bag. One would stand by the pins screaming, "On your mark, get set, GO!" Then the other would race from the bathroom down the hallway and crash into the pins. That was so much fun.
Just a note-the plunger was an extra we had outside, at least not from the bathroom.
VBS today. I forgot the pacifier for Linley. Praise the Lord for one of the grandma's who lived near the church, Linley now has a blue pacifier. Caleb had a rough time so he sat through music twice with me and Bible study twice with Mrs. Jeanne.
Servall visited today. Our bug sprayer lady tells me she arrives to seeing Caleb peeing off the back porch. Nice. But, it gets better. He, of course, is outside. I hear him so I walk out and what do I see? Caleb, pantless, on the back porch. We have Servall here and my child has pooped outside in the yard again with no pants on and poop on his leg. I try to be slick and get it/him cleaned up before she notices but I meet her at the back with poop in my hand... at least he did have his pants on.
I tried making sourdough bread. Notice the word "tried." After working the bread I set it out. When I go to retrieve the bread from the window sill (sitting in the sun to rise) I see Caleb in the front yard with his new toy. The plunger. What is he doing with it? Plunging himself, then pretending to use it as a telescope, then he throws it over his shoulder like he's carrying his sword. I walk to the kitchen to put the bread in and I see Caleb now running in the backyard. Oh how sweet! But wait, he is chasing one of the momma cat's...with the plunger. He later tells me he is getting that "bad cat."
John is home and oh how proud I am of that sourdough bread to go with dinner tonight. Ethan takes a bite and what does he say, "That bread is NASTY!" Very politely John says he likes the other recipe better. Yeah, me too. That sour dough bread that I started working on last night is now chicken food.
The boys decided to be bowling balls and then made up their own pins- stuffed animals and a bop bag. One would stand by the pins screaming, "On your mark, get set, GO!" Then the other would race from the bathroom down the hallway and crash into the pins. That was so much fun.
Just a note-the plunger was an extra we had outside, at least not from the bathroom.
Monday, June 4, 2012
It just keeps coming
Wow. Poop just keeps coming.
This morning was a productive start to our day. Worked-out, showered, fed Linley, started clothes washing then it begins. In the basement doing Linley's laundry and I hear Caleb, "Mom I pooped." My response, just hold on a minute I'll be right there. Then Ethan comes to the basement door: "MOM!! There is toilet paper all down the hallway!!!!!" What? Seriously? I'm in the basement for 3 minutes, can I please just get the laundry in the washer? So, up I go and what do I find? Toilet paper, an entire roll, strung down the hallway and into the living room, the back door open, Caleb standing there with no pants on (of course), and Ethan standing there trying to fill me in on what's up. So, first thing to run through my mind, "Where's the poop?" and "Is that toilet paper used?" Oh, did I mention that I've got two of LInley's outfits in my hand dripping with water all the way through the hallway? So, we make it to the bathroom, me-pantless Caleb-Ethan-wet clothes, while I'm trying to get Caleb cleaned up, hang up the clothes, Ethan screaming "I need my breakfast". PTL Linley was napping at this moment. Catastophe avoided, toilet paper in the trash, Caleb cleaned up, and off we go to make breakfast.
Time for Bible study but Mammy is coming over to deliver some VBS stuff so the boys opt out of going. Home from Bible study and everyone is ready to go visit their friends for the afternoon. However, you MUST eat before we go. So, dill pickle sandwich for Ethan (he made up that sandwich), and more chocolate chip muffins for Caleb and he agrees to pb&j. May I mention here that in order to eat dinner tonight I had to clear off the table which consisted of a pb&j that did not have one bite out of it. Ugh. Mammy found Caleb's blanket in the backseat. He decided he needed to wash it so where does he go but to the sand/water table. It rained last night so it's really full. But, not justrainwater, apparently big brother peed in it this morning. So, Caleb is carrying his wet blanket around that has been washed in pee water. Oh, another side note...with this same water table they were also shooting their water guns...and Caleb drinks it. Yummy. Now, off all of us go to our friends house.
Home again and now it's time for a meltdown. Caleb is just so tired that after a complete and utter fallout the child finally gets it together (after some lovely training from Mom). Now we're making pies and Ethan cannot keep his spoon out of the bowl. I really don't think that pecan pie batter tastes very good, but Ethan loves it. So, pecan pies in the oven, dinner is ready, John comes home, meal delivered for friends, and it's time for us to eat. The table is set and we're trying to round up the natives and what do we hear "Mom, I pooped." Are you stinking kidding me? How many times is this kid going to poop today? So, off we go again to the bathroom. Now, his he has it on his fingers because his bottom hurt. So pooped off the rear and off the fingers. Yummy to think about for meal time huh?
Dinner is complete, pie/icecream eaten and the boys are off outside with Dad. PTL for a man who loves his boys enough and me enough to get them out of the house so I can clean up. So, as I'm cleaning up the dishes I see John pointing to the house. And then what do I see? Caleb, AGAIN, with no pants on carrying them. ARE YOU SERIOUS??????? So finally, I just tell the boy. "Look, just put your shoes back on and go back outside without any pants." His reply, "Ummm, ok." But then he thinks better of it, "Wipe my butt. Daddy say I have stinky butt." Nice. I guess since John was letting them help him move the animals with the lawnmower I can see how he wouldn't want a poopey butt on him. So, that done off he goes outside, wearing a pullup. Surprisinly, no more poop tonight. But, John did till up the garden tonight. It was the boys' heaven. Nothing like soft tilled up dirt to run naked through. It was too cool til the cat pooped in one end of it and Caleb eventually ran right over the top of that. He didn't care of course, I did. I don't think I've seen dirtier boys and they couldn't have been happier. I tried to hose them down before bath but too cold water so the tub, being white, was a nice shade of dirt brown.
Now, to end the evening what happens? Our turkey's are starting to hatch out of their eggs. Science lesson and God's creation in our own basement. We could even hear one of them chirping and as we talked they would start pecking on the shells. You could see them rolling some. It was awesome.
So, our life was pretty crazy today, full of poop, but hey, it was memorable :)
This morning was a productive start to our day. Worked-out, showered, fed Linley, started clothes washing then it begins. In the basement doing Linley's laundry and I hear Caleb, "Mom I pooped." My response, just hold on a minute I'll be right there. Then Ethan comes to the basement door: "MOM!! There is toilet paper all down the hallway!!!!!" What? Seriously? I'm in the basement for 3 minutes, can I please just get the laundry in the washer? So, up I go and what do I find? Toilet paper, an entire roll, strung down the hallway and into the living room, the back door open, Caleb standing there with no pants on (of course), and Ethan standing there trying to fill me in on what's up. So, first thing to run through my mind, "Where's the poop?" and "Is that toilet paper used?" Oh, did I mention that I've got two of LInley's outfits in my hand dripping with water all the way through the hallway? So, we make it to the bathroom, me-pantless Caleb-Ethan-wet clothes, while I'm trying to get Caleb cleaned up, hang up the clothes, Ethan screaming "I need my breakfast". PTL Linley was napping at this moment. Catastophe avoided, toilet paper in the trash, Caleb cleaned up, and off we go to make breakfast.
Time for Bible study but Mammy is coming over to deliver some VBS stuff so the boys opt out of going. Home from Bible study and everyone is ready to go visit their friends for the afternoon. However, you MUST eat before we go. So, dill pickle sandwich for Ethan (he made up that sandwich), and more chocolate chip muffins for Caleb and he agrees to pb&j. May I mention here that in order to eat dinner tonight I had to clear off the table which consisted of a pb&j that did not have one bite out of it. Ugh. Mammy found Caleb's blanket in the backseat. He decided he needed to wash it so where does he go but to the sand/water table. It rained last night so it's really full. But, not justrainwater, apparently big brother peed in it this morning. So, Caleb is carrying his wet blanket around that has been washed in pee water. Oh, another side note...with this same water table they were also shooting their water guns...and Caleb drinks it. Yummy. Now, off all of us go to our friends house.
Home again and now it's time for a meltdown. Caleb is just so tired that after a complete and utter fallout the child finally gets it together (after some lovely training from Mom). Now we're making pies and Ethan cannot keep his spoon out of the bowl. I really don't think that pecan pie batter tastes very good, but Ethan loves it. So, pecan pies in the oven, dinner is ready, John comes home, meal delivered for friends, and it's time for us to eat. The table is set and we're trying to round up the natives and what do we hear "Mom, I pooped." Are you stinking kidding me? How many times is this kid going to poop today? So, off we go again to the bathroom. Now, his he has it on his fingers because his bottom hurt. So pooped off the rear and off the fingers. Yummy to think about for meal time huh?
Dinner is complete, pie/icecream eaten and the boys are off outside with Dad. PTL for a man who loves his boys enough and me enough to get them out of the house so I can clean up. So, as I'm cleaning up the dishes I see John pointing to the house. And then what do I see? Caleb, AGAIN, with no pants on carrying them. ARE YOU SERIOUS??????? So finally, I just tell the boy. "Look, just put your shoes back on and go back outside without any pants." His reply, "Ummm, ok." But then he thinks better of it, "Wipe my butt. Daddy say I have stinky butt." Nice. I guess since John was letting them help him move the animals with the lawnmower I can see how he wouldn't want a poopey butt on him. So, that done off he goes outside, wearing a pullup. Surprisinly, no more poop tonight. But, John did till up the garden tonight. It was the boys' heaven. Nothing like soft tilled up dirt to run naked through. It was too cool til the cat pooped in one end of it and Caleb eventually ran right over the top of that. He didn't care of course, I did. I don't think I've seen dirtier boys and they couldn't have been happier. I tried to hose them down before bath but too cold water so the tub, being white, was a nice shade of dirt brown.
Now, to end the evening what happens? Our turkey's are starting to hatch out of their eggs. Science lesson and God's creation in our own basement. We could even hear one of them chirping and as we talked they would start pecking on the shells. You could see them rolling some. It was awesome.
So, our life was pretty crazy today, full of poop, but hey, it was memorable :)
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Boys Day at Mammy's House
Well, today Mammy, aka Miss Jeanne (John's Mom), wanted a boys day with all her grandboys so off we went to Mammy's. Linley had our own girl's day today which I must say was quite productive and quIEt.
Cleaning was involved. Lots of toys picked up. But despite that fact I still almost broke my neck while holding Linley, as we were walking through the living room and trying to avoid her play gym. Seriously, I think I could have won a million dollars if anyone had been there to witness it. I busted out laughing and Linley looked at me like I had lost my mind.
Now all you moms out there can relate to this. Why is it that the moment you go to lay down and rest for a few after you have everything finished and the baby is napping that they cut it short? I mean really? There's nothing worse than almost getting to nap but being awakened out of stupor to a baby ready to get up.
Mammy brings the boys home. She has a package for me, Caleb's dirty underwear. I didn't ask. Didn't want to know. Just knowing that it's waiting for me to wash them is enough.
Tonight at church was just comical. I take Caleb into his classroom and he starts crying for Daddy. So I take him to John thinking he can get him in the room, as I walk out I notice John trying to get Ethan to calm down because he doesn't want to stay with the big kids. Really? I mean, we go to this church Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday evening not to metion Bible studies and then VBS. Oh well, at least they love their parents.
On the way home from church we are going to Wal-Mart. We are stopped at a stoplight and John and I are discussing some of the topics I heard about in Bible Study (since he ended up staying with both boys in their class). We are stopped and I look over and see a car FULL of girls, adults and teenagers, laughing at us. I just smile, thinking "What has Caleb done now?" I turn around to look and it's not Caleb but Ethan. He has a t-shirt on his head like a hat really showing out for those girls. Oh my. And to think he was once upon a time my bashful child.
We get home and Ethan now thinks it's just hilarious to "spank" me. Not so. Caleb then decides he doesn't want me to bathe him but rather Dad. Hey that's fine. But then he decides to call me "Doody". WHAT????!!! Now, I did mention that it is not respectful to call your mommy that...BUT I had to have a comeback. I mean seriously, THIS kid calling ME doody. Oh no. So as any adult would do I responded with, "Well, if I'm Doody then you are my Poopy." Got the last word on that one.
Cleaning was involved. Lots of toys picked up. But despite that fact I still almost broke my neck while holding Linley, as we were walking through the living room and trying to avoid her play gym. Seriously, I think I could have won a million dollars if anyone had been there to witness it. I busted out laughing and Linley looked at me like I had lost my mind.
Now all you moms out there can relate to this. Why is it that the moment you go to lay down and rest for a few after you have everything finished and the baby is napping that they cut it short? I mean really? There's nothing worse than almost getting to nap but being awakened out of stupor to a baby ready to get up.
Mammy brings the boys home. She has a package for me, Caleb's dirty underwear. I didn't ask. Didn't want to know. Just knowing that it's waiting for me to wash them is enough.
Tonight at church was just comical. I take Caleb into his classroom and he starts crying for Daddy. So I take him to John thinking he can get him in the room, as I walk out I notice John trying to get Ethan to calm down because he doesn't want to stay with the big kids. Really? I mean, we go to this church Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday evening not to metion Bible studies and then VBS. Oh well, at least they love their parents.
On the way home from church we are going to Wal-Mart. We are stopped at a stoplight and John and I are discussing some of the topics I heard about in Bible Study (since he ended up staying with both boys in their class). We are stopped and I look over and see a car FULL of girls, adults and teenagers, laughing at us. I just smile, thinking "What has Caleb done now?" I turn around to look and it's not Caleb but Ethan. He has a t-shirt on his head like a hat really showing out for those girls. Oh my. And to think he was once upon a time my bashful child.
We get home and Ethan now thinks it's just hilarious to "spank" me. Not so. Caleb then decides he doesn't want me to bathe him but rather Dad. Hey that's fine. But then he decides to call me "Doody". WHAT????!!! Now, I did mention that it is not respectful to call your mommy that...BUT I had to have a comeback. I mean seriously, THIS kid calling ME doody. Oh no. So as any adult would do I responded with, "Well, if I'm Doody then you are my Poopy." Got the last word on that one.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day
Linley doesn't get the memo that we sleep past 6 on holidays, and every day for that matter. Our day began at 6 this morning with a very happy little girl squealing in her bed. As I'm laying there debating how long this can go on John mentions, "She's going to wake both boys up." I jumped out of the bed like a lightening bolt. She was so happy to see me and I was so happy to be able to just breathe before the house got moving this morning. Boy number one is up at 6:30 and then boy number two actually slept til 7:30. Wow. But, no wonder by the time I had some quiet time at 9 o'clock I already felt like it was nap time. Whew. It's Memorial Day so we make American flags using glitter and construction paper. By the way, thank you to all the men and women who serve. Your sacrifices are appreciated. I'm surprised but the glitter didn't end up dumped in the floor.
Since Caleb has turned three we are trying that trick of peer pressure, you know, ALL three year olds poop in the potty. It's just what they do.I didn't mention the fact to him that his brother pooped in his underwear until 3 years 9 months when he decided on his own that he was ready to poop in the potty. "Mom, I'm done pooping in my underwear now. I'll poop in the potty," was Ethan's declaration on a Monday morning. Glad you decided on that Son. Anyway, Caleb is not buying it. He told me when he gets as big as Ethan is when he will poop in the potty. You know what, that really doesn't work for me. So, to go for this what happens but of course Caleb is walking around the house with no pants on.
"Where is it?"
"In the bathroom."
"Did you touch it."
"No, I didn't."
So apparently he pooped in the bathroom in FRONT of the toilet. He's killing me. My question was, "If you pooped in the bathroom why didn't you just poop on the potty?" Oh no. That's not how we roll.
Speaking of rolling, walking through the house and what do I find but green crepe paper strolled from the kitchen, through the hall, down to Linley's room. Naturally I just go to pick it up and throw it away. NO!!! My decorations!!!! Really?
Finally, I can't take the house anymore and we have to go outside despite the fact that it's like 100 degrees outside. So we put on swimming suits and it's time for some fun in the sun. But wait, all Caleb's swimming trunks have been pooped in so naturally what does he do? Yes, if you drove by our house this afternoon you would have seen my children dumping Dawn on the slip-n-slide and a three year old running buck coasting down it. I've got to run inside and make some bread so John stays outside with the kiddos. (Yes, for some reason I went all home-makery today and made San Francisco Sourdough bread and WOWZAH!!!) Anyway, I come back outside and what do I see but a naked three year old peeing in the pool and Ethan completely flipping. "MOM!!!! Caleb's peeing in the pool!!!" Great, so goes the discussion that we don't pee in pools. It's time to wash off and they decide to wash each other off with the hose. Note to self: My five year old can run fast, even with a water-hose in hand. His favorite part of the afternoon, chasing me with the hose and getting me wet.
A scrumptious meal and now my rule: you MUST GO OUTSIDE. Of course, they don't want to but a Mom must have her peace for a few minutes. John has been working all day outside and has ended up with the cows so naturally we all go with him. Now we are in the field and what is in the field, but of course, cow poop. Being a five-year old, Ethan naturally doesn't see the massive, wet-cow pie in front of him and he steps in the thing. He's wearing crocs. REALLY? Not only do I deal with my children's poop, but now cow-poop. He ends up getting it on his leg and really does try to wipe it off on me. Oh no. I will do alot of things for my kids, but I refuse to let them wipe cow-poop on me. He's a problem solver so he finds something else.
Bathtime, one right after the other. 1. Linley 2. Ethan (washing cow poop and dust off) 3. Caleb-who thinks it's delicious water. Caleb-does that water have a certain twang to it?
Good night!
Since Caleb has turned three we are trying that trick of peer pressure, you know, ALL three year olds poop in the potty. It's just what they do.I didn't mention the fact to him that his brother pooped in his underwear until 3 years 9 months when he decided on his own that he was ready to poop in the potty. "Mom, I'm done pooping in my underwear now. I'll poop in the potty," was Ethan's declaration on a Monday morning. Glad you decided on that Son. Anyway, Caleb is not buying it. He told me when he gets as big as Ethan is when he will poop in the potty. You know what, that really doesn't work for me. So, to go for this what happens but of course Caleb is walking around the house with no pants on.
"Where is it?"
"In the bathroom."
"Did you touch it."
"No, I didn't."
So apparently he pooped in the bathroom in FRONT of the toilet. He's killing me. My question was, "If you pooped in the bathroom why didn't you just poop on the potty?" Oh no. That's not how we roll.
Speaking of rolling, walking through the house and what do I find but green crepe paper strolled from the kitchen, through the hall, down to Linley's room. Naturally I just go to pick it up and throw it away. NO!!! My decorations!!!! Really?
Finally, I can't take the house anymore and we have to go outside despite the fact that it's like 100 degrees outside. So we put on swimming suits and it's time for some fun in the sun. But wait, all Caleb's swimming trunks have been pooped in so naturally what does he do? Yes, if you drove by our house this afternoon you would have seen my children dumping Dawn on the slip-n-slide and a three year old running buck coasting down it. I've got to run inside and make some bread so John stays outside with the kiddos. (Yes, for some reason I went all home-makery today and made San Francisco Sourdough bread and WOWZAH!!!) Anyway, I come back outside and what do I see but a naked three year old peeing in the pool and Ethan completely flipping. "MOM!!!! Caleb's peeing in the pool!!!" Great, so goes the discussion that we don't pee in pools. It's time to wash off and they decide to wash each other off with the hose. Note to self: My five year old can run fast, even with a water-hose in hand. His favorite part of the afternoon, chasing me with the hose and getting me wet.
A scrumptious meal and now my rule: you MUST GO OUTSIDE. Of course, they don't want to but a Mom must have her peace for a few minutes. John has been working all day outside and has ended up with the cows so naturally we all go with him. Now we are in the field and what is in the field, but of course, cow poop. Being a five-year old, Ethan naturally doesn't see the massive, wet-cow pie in front of him and he steps in the thing. He's wearing crocs. REALLY? Not only do I deal with my children's poop, but now cow-poop. He ends up getting it on his leg and really does try to wipe it off on me. Oh no. I will do alot of things for my kids, but I refuse to let them wipe cow-poop on me. He's a problem solver so he finds something else.
Bathtime, one right after the other. 1. Linley 2. Ethan (washing cow poop and dust off) 3. Caleb-who thinks it's delicious water. Caleb-does that water have a certain twang to it?
Good night!
Happy 3rd Birthday Caleb!!
May 27th, 2009, the day Caleb was born. Ever since it has been a wild ride :) I love you little man and the man you are going to be. You are at the point in your life that everything you do I usually blog about just because it is so memorable. The poop stories, mischieviousness (hello, did I spell that right, it's too early to think about), and altercations with your brother are just part of what makes you you. You absolutely LOVE the dirt, and I mean that. I've never seen a child enjoy something more. If there is a dirt pile you will find it. You love all things manly: diggers, dirt, tractors, race cars, trains. YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR DADDY.
Prayer time at the party!
I believe there is no one else on earth you should emulate more. You like to make us laugh, but you also have the bashful side, yes bashful sometimes. You have a mean swing on the tball set. You are trying to be left-handed which scares me to death because I've never taught a lefty how to write. You love painting, coloring, your big brother, and the outside. Somedays you eat a ton and then somedays I wonder how you have the energy to do anything. You love fruit and LOVE to help me cook :) You are my independent boy. You throw a MEAN temper tantrum. And I mean that. You are so animated it cracks me up. I have been known to forget you were two this past year because you were mature and independent for two, but the tantrums reminded me. You love cats, scared to death of the cows, like insects. You are trying to figure out who's the boss in the family. Your favorite thing to talk about is poop and anything gross like that. Turning 3 is a hard age, you have just been waking up early instead of the middle of the night which I am so thankful. You love sharing a room with Ethan, jumping on the bed, and making a complete mess. Shoes are a serious challenge with you, I have chosen which battles to fight and which ones not to, shoes are not what I choose to lay down the iron fist on. I'm your Sunday School teacher. I love teaching you about Jesus and the Bible. Pretty sure your love language is physical touch, thus why spankings aren't the best option for you. You love jumping and climbing all over me and Dad. You are very thoughtful, you just told your sister "bless you" and you always say please and thank you.
Your birthday (yesterday) for breakfast you wanted a popsicle, so of course you had that before anything. Then we made you a "3" on your pancake with M&M's, you ate all the M&M's left the pancake. You are so my son. Snappy's, of course, was your meal of choice for the day so we piled you, your brother, Katie, and Annalee in the back room to keep the natives calm and enclosed. We spent the day with family and you had a blast. I'll leave out the poop stories for today since it was your birthday. (Don't worry though Caleb, your brother was just as challenging even more so, I just didn't have a blog to write about it-ask Pops about Disney World with Ethan). Your birthday party, was of course, outside in the sprinklers and pools. You ended up in the dirt :) Your favorite part of the cake is the icing-Angry Birds cake :P You hit the pinata with serious gusto and an "angry face" to match the pig.
Once it was time for presents it took about 3 minutes. You went through them "lickedy split" and I'm entirely sure of who got you what. You have even shared some with Ethan, wow, I'm impressed I must say.
I love you Caleb. You have been an instrument to teach me to glean from God how to discipline and train you just because each child is different. You are going to be one amazing man of God one day. You will make one woman incredibly blessed to have you for a husband. I love you my Buddy Bear. Happy 3rd Birthday!! God has blessed us with you and we are so thankful!!
I believe there is no one else on earth you should emulate more. You like to make us laugh, but you also have the bashful side, yes bashful sometimes. You have a mean swing on the tball set. You are trying to be left-handed which scares me to death because I've never taught a lefty how to write. You love painting, coloring, your big brother, and the outside. Somedays you eat a ton and then somedays I wonder how you have the energy to do anything. You love fruit and LOVE to help me cook :) You are my independent boy. You throw a MEAN temper tantrum. And I mean that. You are so animated it cracks me up. I have been known to forget you were two this past year because you were mature and independent for two, but the tantrums reminded me. You love cats, scared to death of the cows, like insects. You are trying to figure out who's the boss in the family. Your favorite thing to talk about is poop and anything gross like that. Turning 3 is a hard age, you have just been waking up early instead of the middle of the night which I am so thankful. You love sharing a room with Ethan, jumping on the bed, and making a complete mess. Shoes are a serious challenge with you, I have chosen which battles to fight and which ones not to, shoes are not what I choose to lay down the iron fist on. I'm your Sunday School teacher. I love teaching you about Jesus and the Bible. Pretty sure your love language is physical touch, thus why spankings aren't the best option for you. You love jumping and climbing all over me and Dad. You are very thoughtful, you just told your sister "bless you" and you always say please and thank you.
Your birthday (yesterday) for breakfast you wanted a popsicle, so of course you had that before anything. Then we made you a "3" on your pancake with M&M's, you ate all the M&M's left the pancake. You are so my son. Snappy's, of course, was your meal of choice for the day so we piled you, your brother, Katie, and Annalee in the back room to keep the natives calm and enclosed. We spent the day with family and you had a blast. I'll leave out the poop stories for today since it was your birthday. (Don't worry though Caleb, your brother was just as challenging even more so, I just didn't have a blog to write about it-ask Pops about Disney World with Ethan). Your birthday party, was of course, outside in the sprinklers and pools. You ended up in the dirt :) Your favorite part of the cake is the icing-Angry Birds cake :P You hit the pinata with serious gusto and an "angry face" to match the pig.
Friday, May 25, 2012
I love it
What a day. I have to say, I love it.
Normal morning and actually productive, worked out, children fed, Bible study done (kids AND mine), preschool accomplished, poop waiting for me on the back porch (not from a dog or cat but my child of course), and then Linley is eating. Ethan has a question: Mom, will I be buried when I die? Then we discuss what a soul and heart is and how you get to Heaven. Then, it happens. This sweet boy stops playing immediately, and starts praying to Jesus to forgive him of his sins, thanking Him for dying on the cross and being in Heaven, and then asks Jesus into his heart. Then he tells me, "Mom I feel Jesus coming in my heart." I think probably the sweetest thing everto hear my son praying to Jesus. Does he fully understand? Only God knows that. But, the steps on his spiritual journey are absolutely amazing.
Lunch is being requested and what are their requests:
Ethan: pickle sandwich with celery and carrots and ranch.
Caleb: apple
So much for the grilled cheese I made, it ended up in the scrap bucket.
Mammy is coming over in a little while :) The boys are pumped. She is delivering Caleb's birthday cake for tomorrow. Oh wait, she's here. And what does she have but the cake! We have to see it while we are sitting outside.
Caleb: I want it now.
Me: No buddy, we have to wait til tomorrow.
Caleb: I want it now.
Mammy: We have to wait til your party tomorrow.
Beginning to close the cake box and all of a sudden it happens. Caleb, finger swipes the black angry bird on the cake and eats it. YUMMMMMM. Is all I hear. Can I get upset? No, it's Caleb. It's his birthday cake. This is normal. At one point today I expected to find him sitting on top of the cabinet enjoying his cake, but PTL he didn't.
I get to go to Wal-Mart, BY MYSELF!!! to get the food for tomorrow and get the balloons filled. Since it is an Angry Bird theme we ordered a special angry bird helium balloon. Get it filled and bring it home to get us in the party mood for tomorrow. What happens? Of course they, being Ethan and Caleb, are playing with it letting it float in the hallway then grabbing it. So, Ethan thinks, "Hmm, let's see what the fan will do to it." Then not 15 minutes after having the balloon filled with helium, it is now deflating in our hallway with an irrepairable cut all the way through one side. Oh well, good thought anyway.
Then, John gets home, dinner with his parents, and no I didn't set the grill on fire (Oh yeah, didn't have time to blog about that yesterday. But let's just say I thought Ethan was going to practice his Stop, Drop, and Roll in the living room due to all the smoke on the porch and then pouring into the house). It's time to mow. Both boys decide to help and I get a few minutes by myself since Linley has helped me sweep and back in bed. John gets finished mowing and what does he find in the garage? 3 dead kittens that must have been underneath mower. Yeah, didn't see that one coming. Of course, the boys have to go see and they are having this huge debate about the dead kittens.
And now, my husband walks back into the house with his shotgun. We had three visitors: two dogs and a skunk. So off John goes to get him, skunk I mean. That mission failed but he did get to shoot the chicken snake. I don't do snakes. Or skunks. But really not snakes.
So today has been an eventful day full of our spiritual journeys, birthday bashing, and animal adventures. It's time for bed.
Normal morning and actually productive, worked out, children fed, Bible study done (kids AND mine), preschool accomplished, poop waiting for me on the back porch (not from a dog or cat but my child of course), and then Linley is eating. Ethan has a question: Mom, will I be buried when I die? Then we discuss what a soul and heart is and how you get to Heaven. Then, it happens. This sweet boy stops playing immediately, and starts praying to Jesus to forgive him of his sins, thanking Him for dying on the cross and being in Heaven, and then asks Jesus into his heart. Then he tells me, "Mom I feel Jesus coming in my heart." I think probably the sweetest thing everto hear my son praying to Jesus. Does he fully understand? Only God knows that. But, the steps on his spiritual journey are absolutely amazing.
Lunch is being requested and what are their requests:
Ethan: pickle sandwich with celery and carrots and ranch.
Caleb: apple
So much for the grilled cheese I made, it ended up in the scrap bucket.
Mammy is coming over in a little while :) The boys are pumped. She is delivering Caleb's birthday cake for tomorrow. Oh wait, she's here. And what does she have but the cake! We have to see it while we are sitting outside.
Caleb: I want it now.
Me: No buddy, we have to wait til tomorrow.
Caleb: I want it now.
Mammy: We have to wait til your party tomorrow.
Beginning to close the cake box and all of a sudden it happens. Caleb, finger swipes the black angry bird on the cake and eats it. YUMMMMMM. Is all I hear. Can I get upset? No, it's Caleb. It's his birthday cake. This is normal. At one point today I expected to find him sitting on top of the cabinet enjoying his cake, but PTL he didn't.
I get to go to Wal-Mart, BY MYSELF!!! to get the food for tomorrow and get the balloons filled. Since it is an Angry Bird theme we ordered a special angry bird helium balloon. Get it filled and bring it home to get us in the party mood for tomorrow. What happens? Of course they, being Ethan and Caleb, are playing with it letting it float in the hallway then grabbing it. So, Ethan thinks, "Hmm, let's see what the fan will do to it." Then not 15 minutes after having the balloon filled with helium, it is now deflating in our hallway with an irrepairable cut all the way through one side. Oh well, good thought anyway.
Then, John gets home, dinner with his parents, and no I didn't set the grill on fire (Oh yeah, didn't have time to blog about that yesterday. But let's just say I thought Ethan was going to practice his Stop, Drop, and Roll in the living room due to all the smoke on the porch and then pouring into the house). It's time to mow. Both boys decide to help and I get a few minutes by myself since Linley has helped me sweep and back in bed. John gets finished mowing and what does he find in the garage? 3 dead kittens that must have been underneath mower. Yeah, didn't see that one coming. Of course, the boys have to go see and they are having this huge debate about the dead kittens.
And now, my husband walks back into the house with his shotgun. We had three visitors: two dogs and a skunk. So off John goes to get him, skunk I mean. That mission failed but he did get to shoot the chicken snake. I don't do snakes. Or skunks. But really not snakes.
So today has been an eventful day full of our spiritual journeys, birthday bashing, and animal adventures. It's time for bed.
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