Lunch box Friday

Today we met the boys at school for lunch. Four got to get hot lunch, very exciting. She went with Six to dump her tray and dropped it. Totally freaked her out and she came back crying. Six was so sweet, he held her hand and guided her through the sea of children, back to our table. He's such a good big brother. Spelling tests were great today. I am proud of Six. I didn't know how spelling tests would go for him. He did not have any last year. He's done really well so far. Seven is a great speller. He only got two wrong on all his tests last year. I love going to lunch at the school. Today it is cold and windy outside. Daisy wanted to go to the park, but I'm afraid it's not in the works for me. We will see if she has changed her mind after picking up the kids.

N has tomorrow off. He never has weekends off. It's not so busy at the tower now, he was able to get 3 Saturdays in October off! Looking forward to some great, quality time for him and the boys. Tomorrow will not be that as he is going to work on the boat with a boat guy. I am sure it will take most of the day, but maybe we can do something fun in the evening.

Soccer games tomorrow too. I hope it warms up.

Raspberry Swirl Thursday

Last night was a rough one in our house. Poor Seven has had lots of congestion. I set up the humidifier and tried to make it as comfortable for him as I could. He was awake throughout the night. All the humidity broke up the mucus, but caused him to cough over and over and eventually throw up. Six was awake during all the commotion. He was awake later with his own issues. I slept in their room last night and got up with them periodically throughout the night. Like I said, it was rough. Thankfully no fevers, no infection. Due to the lack of sleep, we kept them home. My intention was to take them half way through the day, but so far that has not happened. More drama hit later in the morning when Six swallowed his first Lego piece. It was a small circle piece. He freaked out and tried to puke it up right away. He totally freaked out. He was so upset. "I don't even know which Lego set it goes to." Eventually we calmed him down. I kept telling him it will come out later. He wanted to know how long, a day, a week, a month? I didn't really have an answer for that, nor did I go into detail on how it will come out. N later told him. Just before he went into the bathroom, I heard him tell Seven what job he was going to do. What a morning.

I tried to take a nap, but had no luck. Laundry is done. I made myself another raspberry coffee cake. I have all the ingredients. The first one I made on Tuesday just disappeared too fast. It is in the oven as I type and smells incredible.

Soup and grilled cheese for lunch pleased everyone. Seven loves bagels these days. He pulled out the Nutella for dessert. We will practice our spelling words after I get the kitchen cleaned up. I am sure we will have extra homework for the weekend.

I promised to post the coffee cake recipe on here. It's my favorite. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Raspberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Prep: 15 minutes Bake 40 minutes + cooling

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 cup (8 oz) raspberry yogurt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves, divided

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, yogurt, butter and vanilla until blended; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9 inch pan or pie plate. Drop 1/3 cup preserves by tablespoons over batter; cut through with a knife and swirl. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, heat remaining preserves until melted; drizzle over serving plates. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Sisterly advice

In the past, I used to have all my baby advice typed up and ready to share with friends. This was a number of years ago, I felt the info might be obsolete. I didn't pass it along to my sis when she had Baby Orchid. Actually, I am not sure where a copy of it lies, perhaps stored on our old computer. I have found when different questions have come up from her, I am lacking in answers. Only after we start discussing it do I begin to remember different details. It is a flaw in my system. Maybe I will update the document some day. For now, I will try not to forget how useful cabbage leaves can be.

Picture day

Today is picture day for Four. She put on her second dress Auntie Orchid gave her for her birthday. This is her first time to wear it. She was excited getting ready for preschool today. We made her hair curly and even painted sparkles on her finger nails. I meant to take a picture of her, but in all the chaos to get the kids out the door, I forgot. Once we arrived at preschool, something changed. She was fine when we hung up her coat and used the potty. After, she didn't want me to leave. I am not sure what that was about. I noticed other kids had a difficult time with drop off too. Some were crying. Mrs. Fvr came and took her to stencil a picture. It was just the distraction she needed. I left and saw her smiling. She loves preschool and will have a great day. Maybe it's the anticipation of something being different, perhaps slightly intimidating that changed her mood? I do not know. What I do know, she will have a great day at preschool. She always does.

A mysterious smell

For a week or so, I have not been able to figure out the smell in our bathroom upstairs. Well, I know the smell, just not the source. I cleaned everything! The sink, floor, bathtub, shower curtain, garbage can, under the shelf, etc. Wiped everything down, multiple times. I could not find the source of this urine smell. Last Friday Six had a friend over. This friend needed to use the bathroom. Six told him not to go in that bathroom because it smelled like pee. Oh boy. Thanks Six. Broadcast we have a smell we can't get rid of. What a guy. Just looking out for his buddy. Wanted to make sure he had an enjoyable experience at our house? Don't use the faulty bathroom.

Well, I am happy to report I think I found the source. The screws under the top of the toilet were quite dirty. If certain little boys would hit the water every time, not wait until the last minute to use the bathroom, we may not have this problem. I had to climb under and look up to discover this. They are all clean now and hopefully our problem is solved.

I'm in love with First Grade!

Six has shown such an awesome change in his behavior! It amazes me. He is really eager to read. He doesn't get mad or discouraged as soon as I mention homework. He has had a great week! Great school year so far, looking forward to more. Changes on the horizon in our household. I hope it doesn't disrupt the smoothness we are experiencing. We may add a little girl to our group for a short time. I meet with them tomorrow. It's a new friend who needs someone to watch her baby during harvest season. Kids are excited about it, I hope it works out for her to come here. Her mom still needs word on if the job is a sure thing. Looking forward to change and good times!

How can a lot of rain disrupt your sleep?

Very early this morning, it was pouring rain outside. POURING. After last June, pouring rain leaves me in panic mode. Once it began, I could no longer sleep. Paranoid about water in the basement, I headed down there to check it out. Thankfully, there was no water in the basement. How long will it take for this fear to leave me? I believe it will stay with me until we move. I am not sure how else to shake the feeling. They did dig a trench in order to try reroute the water. This still has not given me reassurance.

With an extra early start to my day, we were on time for almost everything. Somehow we were a few minutes late for preschool. Others were just arriving at the same time we did, but I would still like to make it there by 8:45. We were only 5 minutes late. Mondays are a struggle with me being home alone with everyone. I can't leave here until the boys get on the bus. I usually can get Four in the car when the boys go out the door. We leave before the bus pulls away, thus not having to stop behind the bus multiple times. Today, we went the other way, the bumpy way. It was all good. Trying not to raise my blood pressure, I listened to a spiritual CD in the car. It was very soothing, all instrumental. I wasn't stressed about being 5 minutes late. I felt as if the entire morning was mine and just relaxed, moving from one thing to the next. My time while Four was at preschool was all to myself. I had thought I would meet up with a friend, but turns out that will happen tomorrow. I was the first customer at the craft store. I found great deals there and wonderful discoveries at the dollar store. I wandered around Target looking for a great find, but left only spending $3.11. My alone time ended at the grocery store with lunch purchased. Four was retrieved and we were off to Zinnia's to finish another sewing project.

N was home when we got here. Now to wait for the boys to get off the bus and enjoy a family evening at home. No soccer, no meetings. Just us. Nice.

A weekend with Mr. Bear

Mr. Bear is the class bear. He came home with Seven on Friday. We forgot to take him to the homecoming parade. The children are asked to write in a class notebook about the adventures they have with Mr. Bear. Most include pictures printed from a home printer. We do not have a home printer. As surprising as this may be, N was very frustrated sometime ago when we had two and spent money on ink, only to have neither work.

We have been without a printer ever sense.

I wanted to get all of Mr. Bear's pictures taken on Saturday so we could print them at Walmart right away. We may have gotten a little carried away with the pictures. Some of you know me and how I love to take pictures. I didn't want our weekend with Mr. Bear to be lame or boring. We did have him for an entire weekend. We could fit in more than others. I am sure it is more difficult when you pick your child up from the after school program and don't get home until 6pm. Then to eat and figure out this bear project on top of everything else in the evening is a lot of work. I guess I am thankful our turn came on the weekend,

otherwise we might not have had any pictures.

We took Mr. Bear to Six's soccer game first, then to church. We sort of cheated with this because we aren't going to church until today. Then we made a trip to the movie store, followed by our trip to Walmart to print the pictures. On the way to the store, we stopped by the tower and took some pictures of Seven with the ATC tower behind him. He wanted to toss Mr. Bear up in the air and catch him. We got a great picture of that. It was all Seven's idea.

On our way to the store, I was trying to think of another treat for the day. We decided to stop at Culver's for cheese curds and french fries. A request was made to go to the park before Walmart. This was all more than was in my original plan, but left me with very happy people for the rest of our day. Walmart was not as painful as I thought. Waiting one hour for photos and then trying to check out can sometimes be a zoo on the weekends. We managed to get the pictures in less than an hour and were out of there before my original departure time. Smooth sailing for the rest of the night with one exception. We rented the new movie Spooky Buddies. Turns out it's too scary for my group. Seven wants to watch it along later today. It is due back at 11pm.

Homecoming parade

Last night was the homecoming parade. It was raining throughout the day, but thankfully held off for the parade. This was the first time we picked up a friend and brought him to our house after school. It was a first for him, too. His mom, Peony, said he has only been picked up from school by parents and grandparents. Everyone was thrilled with our plan and had a great time showing him around our house. They were great little hosts. We made mini bagel pizzas for a snack and headed to the parade. It goes along the road behind our house, we just walked. His parents met us at the parade along with his little brother. We had a great time. They went to the game after. We came home. Azalea and her family came to our house for pizza. We did this last year and it was great. I really wanted to do it again. No one from last years group could come this year. Keeping the tradition alive with others was great. N stopped home to retrieve the Ipad and got to say hi. He had a slice of pizza and headed back to work. Kids were in bed by 9. I followed them shortly after. I just couldn't stay awake for N. Today we have soccer. So happy to report the sun is shining and hopefully we won't have to sit in the rain to watch the games.

Organized Legos and such

Here is the Lego trundle. N built it for me. He tolerates my crazy ideas and accommodates me as best he can. This project turned out exactly how I wanted it. We lined the bottom with an upholstery fabric I have had for quite some time.

The shelves may seem like a lot, but nothing is on the floor. Everything has its place. They have many items that are important to them. I love the baskets to hide all these items. They are still there, just not as noticeable.

Today, the bedrooms are organized. We will see how long it lasts. I am optimistic with our new gear. We came back from MN with new containers. I was waiting for a good deal and boy did I find one. The sale prices I had seen were around $4.99. Original price anywhere from $6.99 to $7.99. I tried to be patient and it was worth the wait. I found these at K-mart for $2.49! My plan was to get some to go in the girl room on her new shelf. When I found such a great deal, I bought some for the boy room as well. They only had a few left.

I was really happy with the Lego trundle. It has been great so far. The boys keep the Lego's in there and they are not all over the floor. No one ever wanted to clean up the Lego's every night. I insisted this be done due to the possibility of me being needed in there during the middle of the night. It's been a great addition.

Get with the program

I am not sure where my head is these days. First, we missed the first half of the soccer game on Saturday for Six. I had it in my head that the game started at 10:30. We were late for it. Turns out we were really late. The game started at 10:00! We were shocked when they blew the whistle and said the game was over.

Next, I wanted to stop at the post office on our way to Four's play date. We had a small package to mail to Great Grandma L. Her birthday is coming up. I had printed a few pictures for the kids projects at school and sent some to Great Aunt B and Great Grandma C. About 5 hours later, I couldn't figure out what I did with the envelopes for GAB and GGC. They weren't in my car. I don't remember handing them to the man at the post office. Turns out, I did remember. I stuck them in the package to Great Grandma Larson! So, I gave her a call and asked if when she received them on Friday, would she mind sticking the letters in the mail. Nothing like letters going from MI to MN by way of ND. I need to get with the program. I told N he better double check things for me. I need back up, more sleep and possibly a vacation.

Just another Tuesday

N has the opening shift on Tuesdays. This is the second week in a row I was awake before 6am. It leaves me exhausted in the middle of the day. Oh well, it could be worse. He could have opening shift more than once a week. Soccer tonight for Seven. He's so excited. I got my grandmothers birthday present in the mail EARLY! Now if I can get other things straightened out, we will be on a roll. Had a play date with preschool moms this morning, lots of fun. Looking forward to a fun family night! It's Friday for N!

Homeschooling for the cousins

Sunflower has decided to home school her group this year. Cousins #1 and #2 are attending a private Lutheran HS. They are really loving it and doing well. The rest of the group is staying at home. While I had my doubts about this situation, I am so happy to say it seems to be best for everyone. She tried this before and it did not work. Kids were off their age group. It was tough being tossed into two grades below their class. They made it work and are doing well. She decided to keep them at home because of many reasons. This past trip to their house amazed me. The house was in the best condition it has been in a very long time. They took charge and got organized for the school project. They set up a classroom and everyone has their own desk. They created a work space for projects and I was impressed. I am so happy for them! I really hope they can stick with their plan and make it work. The children were all in good spirits too. I think it will go well for Sunflower. I pray for them and their success. It was great to see everyone so happy. Not to mention seeing the organization, I'm a sucker for organization.

Montag

All were out the door in good spirits, even if it was raining. I was on time to preschool drop off. Chatted with a few moms before making a mad dash to my car in the pouring rain. With the next few hours free, I cannot decide what to do. We had a duplicate birthday gift, I returned that. Found some new socks for Four and came home. Chatted with Great Aunt B and now am avoiding the mountain of laundry. It's strange to not have any kids around. Usually there is at least one home.

We made a play date for tomorrow. So thankful to get that set up, Tuesdays are really dull for us. It's always fun to get to know new moms. They are two girls from preschool that we will play with. Today we have a lunch date with a boy from kindergarten. His mom is too sweet. Daisy might join us too, not sure. That will be the excitement for the day. I have an hour before I get the girl, I better make a dent in the laundry.

It's a Saturday at the zoo

N got a Saturday off and we decided to meet the cousins at the zoo. The kids had a wonderful time. My favorite part, listening to all of their comments. Believe it or not, even the squirrels and chipmunks running around were highlights for our children. Not all of the cousins could make it, we missed those who had other plans. Cousin #9 has changed so much! He will be a year in November. He's starting to walk around things and I even caught him playing the piano. His little fingers could just reach the keys. So cute. He was really cooperative at the zoo. Four and Six rode in the stroller to hold his bottle for him.

Cousins #7 and #8 have grown too. #8 didn't say much for a long time. I heard quite a few words come out during our visit. He's so polite and always says thank you. He will give you a smile, the combination of that and his sweet brown eyes, look out! Cousin #7 is eager to explore everything around him. He has lots to comment on. He's a lot like his dad. He really was interested in spending time with N. He associates me with food, as I am always the one with snacks. This is a role I am familiar with. Different friends children have given me that role in the past. It's great!

Seven and Cousin #5 were inseparable. They are good buddies and get along very well. Cousin #5 rode with us from the zoo to their house. I loved his comments while he was in the back seat with our boys. Some of his words were very different than we normally hear. Nothing too terrible, but you can tell he has teenage siblings. He was not impressed with our Leapsters. I heard him say "the graphics on here are terrible." I am not sure my kids know what graphics are. Anyway, it was interesting to be in the front seat and listen. They are great friends.

Four and Cousin #6 were holding hands throughout the zoo. They played nicely together at the house and slept in the girl room alone. Cousin #4 and Cousin #3 were away at birthday parties. We didn't get to see them. Cousins #1 and #2 were working and met up with us after the zoo. They are always fun to be around.

Get the Lego's under control

Lego's are tiny and can get lost very easily. I've had a few go up my vacuum, it's no fun. I try to keep them contained in the boy room. I do not enjoy toys in the bedroom and used to be against it, but when Lego's joined out household, I had no choice. They can spread everywhere in a short period of time. Pieces can get misplaced or lost very easily. I tried to put an old train table in their room, hoping the Lego's would stay on the table. No one ever wanted to play sitting next to the table. Our solution, a Lego trundle for under the bed. It's a big wooden box that slides out from under their bed. We built a frame and lined it with upholstery fabric. Now the Lego's are still on the floor, easy to play with, but even better, easy to clean up. The box fits perfectly under their bed. They slide it out to play and slide it back to clean up. I will add a picture to this post this afternoon. We built it yesterday, but with soccer and homework, our night flew by. The boys were thrilled with this new change to their room.

Tonight, not much on the agenda. The kids expectations for entertainment are low because of being in school all week. We have a play date with Daisy at the park after school, then it's home for the evening. They requested a movie night, but with all the Lego books organized, I see some mad Lego building in our future. Tomorrow we have a soccer game in the am. The rest of the day will be free!

Headaches

I've had a lingering headache all day. It went away with a few sips of coke, but came back after my nap. After my nap? What seems wrong with that sentence? You'd think a nap would help relieve the pain. It's not too terribly bad, I should not complain.

I am proud of my meal prep today. We have soccer tonight. I took out beef. I made up some burgers N could throw on the grill. I used the rest of the beef for meatballs. They are in the oven as I type. Tomorrows meal, half way done! I think we'll add mashed potatoes and gravy, call it a day. More soccer tomorrow night, Six has practice and Seven has a game.

Four (I most always want to type Three) loved her second day of preschool. I am appreciating the "homework" they send home too. It's just a sheet for her to do and she loves it. Entertains her in the afternoon very nicely. We finished up laundry today and were ready for the boys when they got home. Homework has been sort of a challenge lately. With the events scheduled for our evenings, I want the homework done as soon as they get home. Today was a great example of why we should continue with this routine. N picked them up. They were done with their homework before their bus even made it to our street! We are free for the night, just to go over spelling words one more time before bed. Spelling comes rather easy to Seven. He does not have difficult words this week, but he has always done well with that subject. This will be the first spelling test for Six. I think when he is at school, he's in the mode and does well. It is challenging to get him to focus at home. Four does not help. She wants their attention too. Today, I figured it out. She was upstairs having some computer time while they worked on homework. It was much more calm and they stayed focused. Coach Sam will run Seven hard tonight. Looking forward to tired people after some fresh air.

Surprise overnight guests

Sunflower and Uncle K spent the night at our house. It was great to have them, but not under these circumstances. Uncle K's mother is in the hospital. She had exploratory surgery and then internal bleeding. They came late last night and spent the night in the girl room. We moved Four after she had gone to bed. She did wake up at 2am and go see who was sleeping in her bed, but then went back to the boy room.

I was glad we could help them out and they didn't have to get a hotel. It was too far to drive back if they wanted to see his mom in the morning. Prayers go out to her for recovery. Hopefully she'll be back home before the end of the week. We will see. She is out of ICU. She is a sweet lady.

Kids are off to school and somehow I need to motivate N to get some projects done. Maybe it can wait until tomorrow. I think I need a nap.

My biggest helper

Now that the boys are back in school, Four and I have lots of quality time together. Today, we changed the sheets on all the beds in the house. She is so helpful with the top bunk and loft beds. She helped me wash the kitchen floor and emptied the dryer. She knows where everyone's clothes go and in which drawer. She can tell the difference between her brothers clothing. I think she knows more about this house than her daddy. What a girl. We will make the most of our time together. Just thankful she wants to do all these types of activities with me. After she washed the floor, Seven said something about her training to be a mom. We all have our own ideas of how things work.

Plastic bottle shoe power

This morning I informed Six that the tag on his new shoes stated they were made from recycled plastic bottles. "All of the shoe?" he asked. I wasn't sure exactly how much. After I told him this, he raced up stairs and said "I have plastic bottle shoes." "Plastic bottle shoe POWER!"

Quality time with the dad

All children need quality time with their dad. Today was Orchid's first day back to work. Baby Orchid got to hang out with her dad for the day. Four and I discussed this today. I asked her if she knew what they might be doing. What are some things she does with her daddy? Fishing was her answer, but she knew right away that Baby Orchid would not be fishing today.

Tonight, N took all of them on a bike ride. They went exploring and were so pleased with themselves when they returned. Apparently they ventured out to the area where the new houses will be built. Brand new road, gravel and piles of dirt. Four kept everyone in line. N said it was just like I was there.

I am thankful for the quality time they have with N. School just started, but Seven is already missing time with N. The challenges of a weekend work schedule.

We ended the day with a haircut for Seven and milk shakes. All were pleased. Books were read and now to brush some teeth. Not bad for a Monday.

First day of preschool

Four celebrated her birthday on her first day of preschool today. She was so proud and happy. Much time was spent putting together her first day outfit. The little black dress came in the mail a few weeks ago from Orchid. We bought new black shoes at the outlet mall last week. She was thrilled to wear her black headband. It was a great morning. Now if mom can get used to this schedule. It's a lot to keep track of.

Evening prayers

Many nights, I am impressed by our evening prayers. Sometimes they are thankful for material things. I admit, this disappoints me slightly every time. Other nights, they surprise me with their thoughts. Tonight, Six was thankful for getting to go to church today. This coming from the boy who didn't want to go before we left the house. He loved the potluck. It didn't occur to me that my children did not know what a potluck was. They had never heard that term before. Father B wants us to eat as a family, thus the potluck today. There were cheers from the back seat when we drove up to the church to discover a jumping castle on the lawn. Great motivation to behave! I think their eyes bugged out when they saw all the food after mass, especially the dessert table. It was a great afternoon. N was able to join us and headed to work right after. We spent the rest of the day at home, preparing for tomorrow.

Monday, back to the new schedule. It's the first day of preschool. They will celebrate her birthday tomorrow. She gets to bring treats and something to share. She picked out a fancy dress from Orchid to wear. It's a little black dress. Very chic. She also chose a black sweater with jewels and a fancy bow/headband for her hair. Her new shiny black shoes will tie it all together with more style than I have. We will see how it all fairs after a morning of preschool and pink cupcakes.

Always remember, never forget

We were newly weds in Oklahoma. The military life was new to me. I didn't know anything about the military until I met N. We were still sleeping on this day. N had been on the night shift at the base. My Mum called, woke us up with news of what was going on. They closed all flying and no one had to report to the base that day. We gathered around a friends TV, watching. Tragic. Later on, we met friends who worked at the Pentagon. Friends of theirs were injured or killed. Hard to believe it's been 10 years.

Today at mass the Gospel was about forgiveness. What a day for that Gospel to fall on. Father said "Forgiveness means you give up the right to revenge." It's time to forgive, but not forget. He discussed how this situation affects children. Children are being punished for this because of their ethnicity. You can't punish all, just because some behave so badly. Forgiveness is the key.

When the man forgave his first servant debt, the servant was happy. When the first servant approached another servant about paying his debt, he demanded the money. Instead of forgiving the debt as his debt was forgiven, he made a big deal and beat the servant. The master came and turned the first servant over to the torturers.

God wants us to forgive others. Think not of yourself, but put someone else first. I have a hard time with this, I struggle daily. Today, my kids ere difficult before church, slightly during and now after. It's hard to not let the enemy sneak in and let frustration take over. It's better to have a positive outlook on life. Keep your cool and patience with your children. Focus on whats good and be thankful.

Potty talk

Recently, the foul language on the internet and FB has come to my attention. I don't know why, but it still surprises me to see people talk like that. Maybe surprises isn't the correct word, more like disappoints. There are so many other ways to get your point across than using those words. Today, of all days, I saw it on FB. I understand people are passionate about today, but why ever would you print those words, tied to another persons religion? A mom posted a comment on FB about this subject. It caught my attention. "OMG....every time I see a young girl throwing the f-bomb on here I cringe...your page is GLOWING with self respect!!!" I just think there are other ways to describe your feelings without being vulgar and deg-ratting yourself.

Potluck

Tomorrow our church will have a potluck after mass. Some how, I missed this in the bulletin. Now I have to come up with a dish to pass. I am stumped. I can't think of anything simple and great to take. Bringing the rice cooker might be fun. I could put a topping in the crockpot. I'd have to cook the crockpot item prior to leaving the house, but could set the rice to cook during mass. It would be warm and done after, just in time for the potluck to start. We will see what N thinks.

A grasshopper hitched a ride with us to Zinnia's house today. He was on the windshield. The kids watched his every move our entire ride out there. He hopped off was soon as we arrived. They all played outside with the new cats. We didn't hear from them for a long time. I helped Zinnia get things crossed off her list. It was a nice afternoon.

We returned home to a quiet house. A quick dinner in the oven and we are down to the last hour and a half before bedtime. Last night, they stayed up too late. Tonight, we will be on time. Mass starts back to a normal schedule tomorrow. It will be nice not to race out the door right away in the morning.

Football Fans

This weekend I am told is the opening football weekend. Tonight, we went to the HS for a cancer fund raiser before the local football game. Turns out we should have gotten there earlier. They were just closing the bounce house when we walked up. Six started to cry. The lady felt bad and said they could run in and go down the slide once, but her husband was pulling the plug so they had to hurry. They ran and went down once. Of course, this did not sit well with Six and he was starting to throw a fit. Just when he was about to get difficult, we run into Mrs. L, his teacher! I've never seen that boy turn his attitude around so fast! He had to save his reputation. We got snow cones and played a couple games. Four got her nails painted. Six won a free oil change and got a baseball cap from the car dealership. Ivy was over before the events for pizza. We talked about staying for the game, but in the end, we came home. I didn't know for sure how much it cost. We have never gone to a game before. I didn't want to pay to get in, sit down and have my kids want to leave. Seven would have been fine, as would possibly been the case for Six. Four is the wild card. I don't think she would have wanted to stay. By the time we came home, I was completely exhausted anyway and thankful to be done for the night. They had a snack and got their pj's on. They decided to have a movie night and I promised to let them stay up until 9 o'clock. One hour to go til bedtime. Tomorrow, we have a soccer game for Seven in the morning. A trip to the park planned for the afternoon. I predict a quiet night at home for the evening. Hopefully it is all successful.

We live down the street from the football field. I can hear the cheers and band. It's almost like we're there anyway. Go Falcons!

Two boys

When the boys were little, we used to say "Two Boys!" with enthusiasm and smiles. Each night after I put them to bed, I listen to their little conversations. They get along so well. I hear giggles as they discuss different things. They have many similar interests. Seven does back down and compromise with the other two more than they do in return. Six came home from school with his word wall writing. The word wall king today was a boy with the same name as Seven. Six was kind to point out that this boy also liked chicken and the color blue, just like our Seven. It was sweet. Many times, Six can be the sweetest, most caring boy. Other times, look out. You aren't sure who you're talking to, but it doesn't seem to be the same kid.

They are proud of their room and never complain about being together. I am certain this will change in the future, it usually does around middle school age. I hope they look back on these nights together and have fond memories. I do of my sister, though we were usually sneaking to stay up. We would play paper dolls or Barbies by our night lite. Sibling relationships are funny things. Some can grow to be very close, in contact daily. Others drift apart, go their separate ways. I wish for mine similar to my experience. I talk to my siblings frequently, with my sister more than my brother, but still there is an open line of communication. I cherish each of our visits now since they have become more rare. I try to make the most of each opportunity we are given.

It's a date!

Tonight, N and I enjoyed a date. We got a babysitter and went to have a meal in a real restaurant. It was lovely. We even took the Prizm.The kids had a great time with the babysitter.
Four had a preschool open house today. She walked tall into the building and was thrilled to be there. I think she was slightly disappointed that we weren't dropping her off. Next week will be her first day and they will celebrate her birthday. This means I need to make some cupcakes. They need to be peanut free, milk free cupcakes. She is proud to have snack on the first day. My Sunday activities are planned.

On the soccer field

Today was Seven's first soccer practice. We wandered around the fields in search of his coach. Turns out, he was the coach right in front of us. I wasn't expecting girls to be on the same field. The coach has three teams, two U8. They are boys and girls who will practice at the same time. Seven was eager to get playing. He is on the same team as some boys he knows. There are girls he will practice with that he knows, too. Six and Four came with to the practice. My friend Verbena has a son Seven was in kindergarten with. We were surprised when they were put on the same soccer team this fall. Verbena and I chatted in her van during practice. She put in a movie for Six and Four. They were so pleased. After practice, we walked to the car and I asked Seven what he thought. Slightly out of breath and red in the face, he beamed at me and said "I loved it! All of it!" What a boy!

I wish I could say the rest of the night went as well. The end was a struggle. With homework still to do, snacks, projects, the last hour was tough. Tomorrow will be different. We will do homework right away. We will not have projects do do the last hour. We will make it easier and things will run smooth.

On the other hand, the day was fantastic. N and I took Four to the outlet mall shoe shopping. We found two pairs of shoes for Four $40. We found a pair for each boy for $20 together. I had a coupon for -$20. We hit great deals at the Carter's store. I went in with the intention of getting Four a pair of footie pajamas. Instead, we came home with three night gowns, two fleece and one knit. They were $3.99 each! We also got leggings, shirts, and a sweater. While I was there, a woman asked me if I wanted her extra 20% off coupon. Jack pot! We went home with a bag full of clothes for $49.00. Four was as happy as could be. She tried everything on when we got home. We even called Orchid to describe the new shoes we found to go with the dress Orchid mailed Four for her birthday. I love watching Four talk to Orchid on the phone. She's so proud. Tonight, Six shared with us that he wished Baby Orchid lived closer to us. But not G & G. His reasoning was if they lived closer, we wouldn't get to go to hotels on our way there. The things kids think of.

They are off

Four and I followed the bus to school. We were surprised to see Zinnia's kids on the same bus. Azalea was there and we watched her kindergartner get off the bus. I guess they switch some kids around once they arrive at the elementary school. Zinnia's kids weren't on the same bus when they started. Some looked more terrified than others, but everyone seemed excited to be there. Six was full of confidence. He had a moment of weakness earlier, before the bus came. He suddenly forgot where his classroom was. Thankfully it is right next to the Spanish room. A quick reminder and he was good to go. When we got to school, he walked in with three kids from his class. Daisy and Azalea dropped off third graders at the elementary school today. Big day for them, new school. Such sweet girls they have.

What do Four and I do with the rest of our day? Well, we started off with making 3 lasagnas and a dish of manicotti. N will be home soon and maybe a trip to the grocery store will be in the works. Tomorrow I hope to make a trip to the outlet mall for shoes. The end of the week will bring a babysitter our way! Should be a great time!

Ode to the first day of school

The back packs are loaded. The mom is up early. To school they go, hopefully not in a hurry. Waffles and bacon were requested for the menu, we want to start them off right.

Two eggs in addition, yolky the condition.

Change in the weather, they will need a sweater.

Lunch money in, along with all supplies.

Hot lunch on the first day is the plan to my surprise.

I wish them well, I wish them fun. I wish them a great day ahead.

It's the first day; the only one.

They'll never have another first day, quite like this.

Second and First Grade!

Getting off the bus is something I don't want to miss.

Four and I will follow them to school, take pictures on the front lawn.

It's become my first day rule.

Go Seven! Go Six! Make lots of friends and have a great time!

We'll be waiting here just fine.

We'll see you after school, home with stories and tales.

Maybe some homework? You'll finish without fail.

Best part of my day, all children home for the night.

Preparation for tomorrow and hope you sleep tight.

Happy Birthday, Four!

Hard to believe my baby girl is four years old today. Though the time did go by so very fast, her birth does feel like a lifetime ago. It must be all the moving we did right after she was born.

She is an amazing girl, so sweet and caring. I love what she has brought to our family. With all the stress of moving that November, she made everything easier on me. I fell in love with her and could take it all on with a smile, her smile. This year we will be together quite a bit as the boys go to school all day every day again. She will go to preschool three days a week. I am looking forward to seeing her grow this year and learn all that she can.

Happy Birthday baby girl! We love you more than you can imagine!

Two more days

I found some motivation, but not of all of my tasks. Enough was accomplished to make me feel satisfied. Tomorrow is another day. Actually, tomorrow is Three's birthday! We won't get too wild and crazy considering our last month, but good times will be had. We only have two days left until the first day of school. I have almost all my ducks in a row, just a couple more things to get in the backpacks. I have not been to a store since my parents were here. I plan to donate some extras to the teachers later. They will receive many donations on the first day and have to store all of them. I do not have anything ready for Three's class yet. I get to focus on that this week once the boys are at school. I spoke with a great TX friend today. It was her birthday. She played such an important role in my life when Three was born. I miss her terribly. Our children had many great times together. I know Three would have loved playing with her girls. It was great to hear her voice and how well all is for their family. I never met her youngest baby. He's nearly two years old. Some day we will meet again, probably when we put our house back on the market. For now, telephone calls are great.

In search of motivation

I need to clean my house. It's not bad, but it needs to be done and I am lacking in motivation. Washing the kitchen floor and cleaning the bathroom upstairs are the main tasks I seem to be ignoring. I have a new building idea I'd like to get done this weekend. I would like to build a trundle for under the bed. I want it to be a big square. The boys can keep their Lego's on the square and simply push it under the bed to clean up. I am not certain if I should line the bottom with fabric. Lego's are hard to pick up on firm surfaces. If I put an upholstery fabric down first, it may make retrieving the pieces easier. If I line it with fabric, I should paint the boards first. They need to be cut and sanded before I can paint. It's all about timing and organization. Plus, I still need to get N on board for the project. I intend on creating one for the girl room, too. This will not be needed until we give her the girl Lego's, which may wait until Christmas. At least we will have built the boy room trundle first and know what we are doing. Is that a fair assumption?

Back to normal

This weekend, my goal is to get back to normal. N will be at work and we have no plans. I hope to focus on an early bedtime. We've been up way too late this summer. I got most of our laundry done today. It was quite the mountain. Just two loads left for tomorrow. That task in itself wiped me out. Zinnia's group was over in the afternoon. Boy did we miss them. The kids played and really enjoyed being together. Seven and EM are in the same class this year, so exciting. We will be able to volunteer for parent centers together! I think we have most things ready for school, just need to decide which will be the lucky paint shirt. Three does not start until a week after the boys. I have more time to collect her items.

Looking forward to some R & R. Just hope the kids don't get bored and bug me for entertainment. After this month, I am spent.

My apologies

Sorry for the lack of posting. Things have been so busy. We had a terrific visit with my parents. The only downer was when I was ill. Great birthday party. The kids had a blast. I will upload pictures later. We made an obstacle course. They all took turns and cheered each other on. Thanks to my mom's cousin, Lantana, we all enjoyed use of The Claw. It is a home version of the claw games you see at arcades. We filled it with tootsie rolls and salt water taffy. Everyone took turns. Parents joked about having nightmares due to the circus music it played.

We had a wonderful time. It was hard to see my parents go this morning, but we enjoyed almost the entire month of August with them. Now to get organized for school and back to a schedule. Pictures to come!