Snapshot

It is 11:30pm on a Friday night and I am downstairs with a very awake Momo. Momo doesn't go to bed very well for babysitters so I made sure she had a good, long, and late nap. It would have been the perfect scenario if we had actually used the babysitter. But sadly, my husband was called in early this morning and spent all day in the OR. Didn't get home until an hour and half after the Christmas party was supposed to start and was slightly tired after 4 hours of sleep last night. He goes weeks without being called in and I always get slightly annoyed having to pretend that he's not going to be around when he's on call (which seems like all the time except two weekends a month). But then you have a time when you make plans even though he's on call and get burned and it all makes sense. At least it was just an office party. I am pretty sure the other surgeons understand! : )

Bottom of the Barrell

I haven't gone grocery shopping this week (see below re: sick children) so we have no food. So....Beanie asked me what was for lunch.

"Mom..what's for lunch?"
"I don't know we don't have any food."
Beanie opens the fridge, "We've got food Mom. There's salami, ketchup, and Guinness. You're so silly!"


That's my girl.

The Grinch

Lately I have just been grousing about how much I hate the commercialism of Christmas. I am thinking that gift giving isn't my love language right now. I stress about getting the kids too much or too little or over emphasizing or underemphasizing gifts and Santa and baby Jesus. And I hate all the 80 million errands I have to run. Well, I don't really hate errands, I just hate running errands with a 20 month old who tries to jump out of the cart, hides in clothing racks, and screams when she can't buy every "rella" thing or pink purse she sees at TJ maxx. It just seems like we're either going strong, too strong, or sick at home and unable to run all those errands that need to get done. (we've had 5 sick days in the last two weeks!)

I AM trying to ramp it into high gear...we did a little baking (thank you premade sugar cookie dough, I am not afraid to cut corners), I let the kids wrap their own gifts (talk about abandonment), and sometimes I wear a Santa hat. HO HO HO!!

Truly, the kids are getting super excited about our upcoming trip. They are OBSESSED with the advent calendar and wreath and every day I find our nativity set in a different pose (sheep on the roof, sheep in baby Jesus' manger, conga line etc.. We even started listening to some carols in the car just to get pumped up. We still haven't decorated much but since the pink candle is lit I had better get cracking!!!

Have I told you that Momo's name for Beanie is actually "Me"? That sort of gets confusing after a while. You never know if she's talking about herself or her sister and they are together all the time.

In other news, I recently went grocery shopping on a Friday night. That was sort of sad....the two songs "All the lonely people" from the Beatles and Garth Brooks' "I am much too young to be this damn old" kept going through my head. To top it all off the next day the Conqueror asked me if I was alive during WW II and later that day Beanie asked me if I had ever seen a dinosaur!! : )

Scenes from the food warehouse

*Santa Claus in full regalia except hat was buying three large vats of candy canes. It was sort of an awkward moment for everyone under 5. He uses Mastercard by the way. Priceless.

*A mean man... why do people berate their spouses and children in public. I can only imagine what he does in private. For once I remembered to pray.

*Why at the store with the absolute biggest cart that can fit both little girls do they insist on not wanting to sit up front? The carts are much shallower here too, so basket sitting is discouraged. So essentially I walked the aisles with Momo under my arm.

Road Trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah yes, how I love to travel with small children. Every trip it is the same cycle. I have a psycho streak about traveling. It stresses me out. I agonize about traveling, finally plan the trip, agonize some more but pump everyone up about it, "Won't it be so fun to go see ... (insert loving family member here)...?", and then stay up late the night before a trip figuring out exactly how to pack the van or the carry on bags for maximum efficiency and space. I mean doesn't everyone wake up in a cold sweat the night before a nine hour road trip terrified that the Desitin won't be readily available? God forbid there be a freaking Walgreens along I-95. Be prepared, it isn't just for the boy scouts you know.

But you know... there are some things you can never really be prepared for. Like everyone in your family getting a stomach bug over a three night span, ending with you and your husband the night before a road trip. It is a good thing I analogize travel with labor, because I know how to do labor. Sips of water? Check! Not eating for hours at a time? Check! Random stomach cramps? Check! Driving after not sleeping? Check (I mean if I can deliver babies I can drive through pain right? Right.) Kids vomiting? Ok, that never happens in labor but you get the idea. And nobody diss the 100 hour physician in training work weeks... that saved us. My man knows how to work under severe duress. He's awesome...packed the whole car and drove 5 hours on no sleep due to taking care of me and the baby and two other vomiting children. All so he could go on call as soon as we came home and go to work at 7am the next morning.

Seriously, our entire family decided to take this rotten economy thing to a whole new level and never stopped for food the whole trip home. We subsisted on water, saltines, plain white bagels, and 7up. I swear if I never take another sip of 7up it will be too soon. The four year old was the sickest child and our little Pollyanna morphed into some sort of angry alien. Talk about no filter. I remember moving in and out of consciousness to bits and pieces of the folowing:
"I am so angry that my brother has his own room. Road trips are no fun. I don't want to leave Grandma's. I am so angry we aren't driving to Chicago. I don't want to drive to Chicago. I don't want to fly. I am so angry that I can't have a Friday treat. My stomach hurts. I am so angry... (the kid apparently has a lot of anger.)" The baby was having a really hard time too...especially since the trip culminated in her being ignored for two hours and exploding a glow stick all over herself. Don't ask, at least it was non-toxic.

I post all this a)so you feel sorry for me b)so I remember to laugh about it 20 years from now when we are sitting around the Thanksgiving table as children wretch in the background. "Ahh kids, remember when..." and c)because it really shows how blessed a life I live that this is my biggest problem. Sometimes I need to remind myself of this. My kids were champs and offered up the road trip from hell for little kids and priests with cancer, other sick people, and for the sibilings among them the most affected. We are blessed.

The Bern.stein Bears and too much P.B.S.kids.org

We were at dinner the other night and Beanie announced: "I am going to tell a joke!" and then proceeded to wave her hands around saying "Loading, loading, loading" before she told it. Almost as good as Biki insisting we "pause game" in the middle of 1.2.3.Hushpuppy.

Things I never thought I would ever have to say:

"Please don't poke your sandwich with that crucifix." There, don't we sound crazy? It was just a little one that someone was playing with all day and made its way to the lunch table. Go figure.

The Fam*ly C*rcus

Remember that cartoon and Mr. Not Me? Well around here we've got a different problem.

Mom: Who got out the peanut butter?
Conqueror: Not me!
Biki: Not me!
Beanie: Not me!
Momo: Me! Me! Me!
Beanie: It was Momo!
Mom: Beanie you are busted!

Momo is doing the verbal explosion and LOVES the fact that she can talk!!!

The Princess Diaries

When I started out as a mother I was convinced that I was going to avoid all things "princess." I didn't care for it, half the princesses were not dressed appropriately, my daughters won't need such sentimental crap. Fast forward 6 years... I pick my battles and appropriately dressed princesses are a-ok around here. The love of princesses is being passed down from sister to sister to sister. Just the other evening at bedtime we had a little helen keller moment with our budding talker. Momo pointed to her sister's princess nightgown and started yelling "Wrella, Wrella, Wrella." She was pointing to C*nderella! Needless to say her sisters were overjoyed and Momo has been finding "Wrella" everywhere else since then!

And a beanieism just for fun. We have guests over and Beanie announced at dinner "If you want to have some more wine you can have some!" We all laughed and said she was a kind hostess and she replied, "Well yes, I am nice."

Homecoming...

The Doctor is in!

On our way home the kids were explaining to him that they were writing messages on the dusty windows of the cars. Biki told him, "I wrote 'Welcome home...blah, blah, blah' on the back of your car!" I think she's over this whole concept of dad leaving and returning.

Choose your own adventure....

Directions: Choose one letter to answer the question.

1. What did I do today?

a. drove past the pick up window and almost forgot to retrieve my coffee from Mickey D's.

b. found a googlely eye staring up at me from a dirty diaper.

c. accepted the gift of a RAW egg that was brought upstairs to me by a very careful 18 month old and brought it downstairs to find a cracked egg courtesy of a more reckless 3.75 year old.

d. all of the above

Lions and Tigers and Bears...oh my!

We went to the zoo today! It was an easy trip and the kids enjoyed themselves immensely. Momo was quite fond of the zipping penguins and Beanie was enamoured of some bunnies in the farm section. They are her "favoritist animal ever"!

It was an excellent place for people watching...which is another way of saying I am SO GLAD I NEVER GOT A TATTOO!

One thing that had me laughing all day was something I overheard a woman saying to an ostrich: "You wouldn't fit in my oven!"

7 Quick Takes

One of my favorite blogs does this....

1. Extreme Makeover Home Edition always makes me cry...but the one they aired last week on Respect Life Sunday was the best ever. It was a family of 8 adopted adults whose parents had passed away. The 6 youngest all had downs syndrome and the two older ones had moved home to take care of them. It was really beautiful and they were totally catholic...living on Long Island, dad was a firefighter, statue of Mary in the yard, crucifixes on the walls. Anyway you should go watch it online at abc's website.

2. On respect life Sunday we went to the life chain. I didn't want to go but a certain 8 year old who just figured out what abortion is DID want to go so off we went. A news camera came and filmed footage. There were a lot of families there, a lot of kids, a lot of young people and young moms. Who did the woman choose to interview? An old white guy. Luckily I know him and I know he's a physician and eloquent, but still. That just bothers me.

3. Wrinkles + zits = unfair.

4. I don't know whether to be mortified or edified that my son was given a new pair of shoelaces by his teacher because his old ones were worn out. Yes, I had noticed it but it really hadn't got up too high on my priority list. He informed me "she just had them" at school. Oh how I wish. I fear I am turning into *that* mom.

5. Speaking of *that* mom, I feel like we are always on the verge of chaos. Unfortunately, sometimes our delicate system breaks down...like when I rely on the fact that a 6 year old will remember their lunch or a 3 year old will remember shoes for Sunday mass. Then I just want to lose it but I think it is best just to enjoy the ride!

6. Did you know that in a pinch the armrest covers for booster seats can be used as booties? (see above.)

7. I could write a whole post on fashion and how more and more I am feeling I am in a really weird place. I am much too old for certain trends (lumberjack plaid? been there, done that) and I am not sure where to look for clothes anymore. Just walking past "Forever 21" makes me embarrassed. I went in there a while back looking for the cheap jewelry with about 3 kids in tow and the sales teenagers pretty much sneered at me! And today I saw an older woman, probably 20 to 25 years my senior, looking very sharp in the exact same top I just got. She looked really great but that was depressing. Oh well.

1 more week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wolf scouts!

We (ok...I) signed the Conqueror up for cub scouts. He is ecstatic. It is the cutest thing. He's pouring over his handbook and getting excited about badges. He's desperate to sell loads of popcorn. But the cutest thing was when I was putting the baby down tonight I could hear him in his room singing little cub scout songs and trying to remember the cub scout promise. He was doing it earlier too...raising his fingers in their little salute and squinting his eyes and sticking his tounge out trying to remember the words. CUTENESS!

You're stretching kid.

Beanie has taken P's absence rather hard. She doesn't like the fact he's gone and expresses it often. She also uses the fact that she "misses her daddy" as an excuse to not do anything I ask her. Don't get me wrong, she's had genuine bouts of uncontrolled sobbing that breaks my heart. But there is another element at play as well. It is almost as though she wants to see what she can actually get away with, so to speak. Case in point: This morning she was famished and I stil had errands to run so I gave her some french fries from McDonald's (and if you judge me you can just go read some other blog.) Then later on the day she starts whining uncontrollably for fries again. I keep telling her no and she tries a different tactic.

"I miss my daddy. And I need to get french fries because my daddy's gone. And my daddy likes french fries. So I need french fries because I love my daddy."

Nice try.

How quickly they forget....

It was ridiculously hot here last week...we're talking 99 degrees hot. But now we're cooling off. This morning on the way to school I remarked on the change and pointed out that the car said it was "only 66 degrees outside!"

Biki immediately exclaimed, "Quick mom, put dowm my window. I want to see if I can see my breath!!"

I would say her blood has successfully thinned.

Hitting the wall....

I don't have much to report because I was always a good little girl who took the saying "if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all" very seriously!

We're almost halfway there people!!

On a side note....first Friday is this friday and maybe I am just a little late jumping on this bandwagon but I am aiming to make this devotion this year. It is a total no brainer. And at the risk of trying to game the system I am going to do it with each of my children after they make their first communion. Is that wrong? I hope not.

Who cooks for y'all????

We have a lovely owl in our backyard and we've heard him off and on for a few years. We got a really good look at him yesterday...a barred owl.

PHOTOS!

A wow moment.

I am not exactly a positive person. My husband has referred to me as a "cheerful pessimist" and we've all heard the one about the glass is half full.....so I am very thankful for any "wow" moments I experience.

Things haven't been exactly going swimmingly around here since P. took off for 5 weeks in Texas. Lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth, and that's just on my end. (Seriously, every time he leaves I have to bust out my mouth guard.) When the going gets tough around here with crying, fighting and sullen attitudes we just leave. Getting out of the house seems to do wonders for them. We did a balloon festival Friday night, stayed at home all day Saturday except for a rather flawed outing to Sam's club before dinner. (I don't know what I was thinking either.) Today we went all around town taking pictures for a project for my son's local history project. We attended an art festival, saw the science center and the river and even went to the museum where the local symphony had an instrument petting zoo. The kids loved it....I think all 3 want to have violin lessons now.

Anyway, the "wow" moment occurred at the Arts festival. When we were going to get our food there was some new age dance group on the stage with modes of dress and movement that we have deemed "inappropriate." It was dancing with the stars, belly dancing, beyonce and muffin tops all rolled into one. Needless to say the kids were all a little scandalized and I told them to look away. The saddest part would have to be that they have pretty much ruined Abba's "Dancing Queen" for me. (The kids are all convinced that Dancing queen is from Lady GaGa now. AY!)

After a while a middle aged woman in a breathy voice introduced her group and described act as a mode of expression "celebrating the beauty of women" through empowerment or whatever...I wasn't paying too much attention.

A few minutes later while we were eating away from the stage the Conqueror turns to me, irate, and says, "She was talking about the beauty of women. But what about the fact we're made in the image and likeness of God? She forgot about that part didn't she mom?" I was floored. Here's a kid who connected the dots and God bless his innocence. I just answered that a lot of people don't realize they are made in the image and likeness of God and it is up to us to teach them how much God loves them. Anyway, I felt like I was getting through somehow.

I was just telling P. that sometimes, on so many different levels, I feel like I am in the middle of the story "The Emperor has no Clothes." I can only hope my kids will be strong enough to call it like it is as they grow older and be that little kid on the side of the parade route.

From the Papa

Lovely words:

Finally, I would like to say a word to you, my dear young Catholics of Scotland. I urge you to lead lives worthy of our Lord (cf. Eph 4:1) and of yourselves. There are many temptations placed before you every day – drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol – which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive.

There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ personally for each one of you. Search for him, know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today’s society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God. In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to pray for vocations: I pray that many of you will know and love Jesus Christ and, through that encounter, will dedicate yourselves completely to God, especially those of you who are called to the priesthood and religious life. This is the challenge the Lord gives to you today: the Church now belongs to you!


Amen!

The more you know...............

In case we aren't FB friends I think all moms and dads should know about this stuff. The scariest thing is that there are children's sites that are run by pornographers...ok only 1 verified but it makes perfect sense. They are tracking kids' every move.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703904304575497903523187146.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEADNewsCollection

Tell all your friends!

In which I contemplate home schooling....

I often dream up a blog where I say all the nasty things I think about things...where I go off making rude comments to people that I dream up after they've been rude to me etc. But then I think that no cannonizable saint would have any such blog and I abandon the idea of some commando blog. That being said I still feel there are times when I need to vent. This is one such time. I can't do it on Facebook because I know I will offend some people so here goes.

I HATE THE SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I get pressured into buying books to earn money for my school...I can find a *few* decent books but most of them are CRAP. Let me give you a few of the "excellent" selections hightlighted in the flier sent home to entice me to spend my money:

"Girls Acting Catty"- oh yeah we really need this one at school. I think girls don't really need a book explaining it.

"Taylor Swift: Her Song" and "Justin Bieber: His World"- Look I have got bad news for anyone who thinks that their kid is going to love reading if they get hooked reading about Justin Bieber. It isn't going to happen. If you give kids junk to read they are going to think reading is a waste of their time. Please stop the madness. Most of the other books are tie-ins for tv shows and I would say half have the word "booger" in the title. Ok, not really, but you get the idea.

I really wish I could have some sort of other fundraiser and raise money for our school library some other way. I really feel like just refusing to participate this year and not buying anything. I will just donate some books to the library I think are good. I know I am a bit of a book snob but parents need to be aware and promoting what their kids read in the same way they are concerned about what they watch on tv or browse on the web. There's SO MUCH uplifiting, interesting things children's literature out there I don't think we really need any more on Justin Bieber. Just saying.

And if you are interested in this topic here's another blog to peruse:
http://catholicbookreview.blogspot.com/



Thank you for letting me get this off my chest.

Little Miss Sunshine

Biki woke up early and came in squinting.

"Is there anything you want to say to me this morning?" I asked hoping for a birthday greeting.

"Humph...when's Friday?"

You might be a ham if....

you make everyone laugh by belching suddenly and loudly at the dinner table and then crack a big smile because you can't really talk. You are an ever bigger ham if you then try to recreate the moment by 'fake burping' multiple times rather inadequately. It might not sound like a burp at all, more like a guttural grunt, but your point gets across to your adoring fan club and they laugh uproariously each time until told to stop by that mean old mom who ruins all your fun.

Remembering.............a work in progess

I can't believe it has been nine years. I look back and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I hear people down here eulogizing it and I can't help but think that they have no idea what it was like. I know, I know that sounds so ridiculous since I was in no way immediately affected by it. Still, I feel my life was changed forever that day. I was not at the epicenter but I was close enough to be afraid, very afraid.

The Conqueror is old enough to ask about it now and so I have told him the story a few times, modified for his earnest self. I don't want him to be paranoid like his mother.

We had been married exactly a month to the day. I was in class that morning. It was a beautiful sunny day. Unbeknownst to be I was in the early stages of pregnancy with the Conqueror. I was to find about him 10 days later. Before class started we were aware tha a plane had hit We were in class and people on their laptops started whispering. I could see pictures

Gotta make dinner....and can't figure out how to save a draft

Terms of Endearment Gone Wrong.....

Biki on passing by me and the girls after mass....
"Hi Fatsos!"

A bunch of women turned around and asked me, "Did she just say Fatso?"

Umm, yes, yes she did. Around here "Come here fatso and give me a kiss!" is what we say to babies and little kids. Perhaps it is time to reassess.

Snippets....

Beanieisms (because that's why you check this site out anyway):

1. "I am a butter-holic!"
2. She's obsessed with the fact that Jesus on the cross isn't wearing a shirt. She talks about going to heaven and is concerned about meeting a shirtless Jesus. The other day I overheard her speaking to a crucifix, "Dear Jesus in heaven, please get a shirt on in heaven. Oh please!"


And from the Biki on Labor Day:
"When I was little I thought that this day was about moms having babies."

That about sums up life around here I would say.

The diamond of great dollar value....not to be confused the pearl of great price

I lost my engagement diamond. The setting had gotten loose and I brought it to a local jewler who replaced all my prongs for $127. I got it back the day before my 9th anniversary. It was clean and beautiful and sparkly...and I was attached to it. (That would be the opposite of detached.)

Then, two weeks and 1 day later I noticed that it was loose again. I was driving afternoon carpool with 7 rowdy kids in the car (no..they aren't all mine) and I made a mental note to take the ring off as soon as I got home. Well, the usual chaos ensued and I forgot. Not only did I forget to take my ring off I but I proceeded to garden, take out all the trash and recycling, break down cardboard boxes, do dishes, laundry, snuggle each kid into their beds, clean up the kitchen, make myself a bowl of ice cream because I felt sorry for myself that my husband was working late and then sweep the floor while talking to my aunt on west coast time only to realize THEN my diamond was gone. I frantically searched until 11:30 at night to no avail.

I have to admit I took it all pretty well if I do say so myself. (P. agrees!) It was insured, I was trying to be detached yada, yada, yada. I was fine until the jewler made me cry when I tried to get my money back for the repairs. "What did you do? You broke off 3 prongs...that took something." I just stared him down and said I just did the same job I have been doing for nine years and I lost my diamond two weeks after he "fixed" my ring. Needless to say I got my money back.

I planned on giving it the weekend before calling the insurance company to see about making a claim seeing as that bad boy was the most expensive thing we owned for many years! Well, we were bumming around the house this evening and P. took out the rest of the ice cream to have a bowl (it was his half since I had eaten mine solo the other night.) He's sitting there eating his B&J Half Baked when he bites down and goes "OWWW!" He pulls something out of his mouth and asks..."is this your diamond?" Why yes, yes it is.

Needless to say we are very thankful and rather amused. He's been praying to St. Anthony and I had decided to ask this little favor of Fr. Joseph...so we'll see who gets the credit!! The kids are going to think this is hilarious, even if Biki does complain she didn't get any ice cream.

All's well that ends well! Maybe we can win some sort of contest from B&J for that story! : )

Commandment Catechesis

Sometimes at prayers we go over the 10 commandments for an examination of conscience. All 6 of us were in the room together and by the end of it I was weeping from trying so hard not to bust a gut laughing. Some of the highlights:

*The Conqueror kept beginning each commandment with "God shall not...." Uh, not exactly.

*Honor you mother and father evolved into a tangent of whether certain parties would rather belong to other mothers instead of the ones they were given by God. We weren't really getting anywhere but the non sequiter on the subject came from the Conqueror again...something along the lines of, "Well, yeah because we would be the Joses or something." Why do my kids end their statements with something? I must do that.

But the best one come from Biki on "Thou shall not bear false witness." When asked what a lie was she exclaimed "I do!" and then in one hurried breath gave the following example:

It is like when mom has a chocolate bar and eats it and then someone smells chocolate and asks was that a chocolate bar and Mom says no...THAT'S A LIE!"

Ok, for the record, I usually just don't answer. I really don't think I lie. Let's be honest, I know they are smart enough to figure it out.

There's a reason they have to reach the age of reason...

There was an 'incident' this evening involving beads all over the floor. It could have been Beanie, it could have been Momo. Beanie was sitting at the table next to it drawing, not her normal behavior after doing something wrong. Anyway, she obviously had seen it or watched Momo do it without calling the alarm because there was some serious guilt when confronted with the situation.

During interrogation by Dad the following ensued:
"Beanie did you do that?"
"No." she answered not entirely convincing anyone.
"Well then who did it?"
"Maybe it was some weirdo....(pause)....or something."

***
Weirdos are the people we look for in public restrooms etc. just so you know.

You know you are a Catholic when......

Your one year old attempts to make the sign of the cross after dipping her hand in the toilet bowl. Oh yes. At least it was clean!

My 1 year old...

sounds like the seagulls from "Finding Nemo." No joke.

Brave new world....

While I don't think counselors should be proselytizing on the job and do think they need to be able to counsel everyone no matter their orientation I was horrified when I read the article below:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2010-08-10/asu-denies-claims-made-student?v=1281407144

The part that scared me the most was the dean of the school talking about what was unethical: "(T)he unethical part (was) applying your own personal beliefs and values on other people and not truly accepting that others can have different beliefs and values that are equally valid as your own." (Emphasis mine.)

No. I even looked up the word valid in the dictionary. Won't work. I believe there's an objective moral order people.....and I can love people and treat them with the respect they deserve but that DOES NOT MEAN I THINK THEY ARE RIGHT. In fact, to quote the catechism, I can think they are "disordered" and still love them. I am thinking that wouldn't pass the 'validity' test. Hmmmm.

Ok, just had to get this off my chest.

Coincidence?

I think not.

First go read this....
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2300573/estrogen_levels_in_water_alarm_scientists.html?cat=58

and then go read this.....
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704268004575417442626829952.html?KEYWORDS=puberty



This week's virtue: HOPE.

(Sorry...I am on a bit of a downer....we start school Wednesday.)

Scenes from a roadtrip....

I was telling P. that road tripping is like labor. It is hell to experience and you wonder how you ever got yourself into that situation but eventually you recover and can imagine putting yourself through it again. Besides, family is worth it. Watching my kids interact with great grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of all degrees is worth it. Just don't be offended if we don't get back in the car for a couple of months.

• Time of departure-4:45am. First time I heard "are we there yet?"- 4:52am. No joke. Remind me that I find 3 year olds amusing.
• Time from St. Louis to Chicago in the car- 8 hours. Next time we get AAA.
• Days we got to go to the beach- 6!!!! We were all sporting awesome tans.
• Days Momo slept in past 10am-3. (Of course Momo was up late than 10 every night too!)
• Cousins met- countless. My kids couldn't even remember all their names. Beanie just kept saying, "And these are all my cousins? YES!"

My favorite post vacation story involved Biki talking about some cousin. "What was her name honey?" "I have no idea but she wore a green suit with polka dots. Her mom played the mole." That allowed me to zero in on the cousin's name. Anyway Biki was impressed with said cousin because "she had a pocket knife." "Really? Did she bring it to the beach?" I asked with a bit of worry, she was only 5 after all. "No but she said she had one because she said she wasn't afraid of sharks 'cause if she saw one she'd just cut off its tail with her pocket knife." Bik was duly impressed. Never mind there are no sharks in Lake Michigan. I wonder what else the kids talked about on the beach every day.

Get well soon!

Dear Swagger Wagon,

You've been gone getting fixed for over two weeks. At first I really missed you because I hated the little Ford Explorer they had me driving. But then last week they told me to return the Explorer for another car. They gave me a black Suburban with leather seats. Leather!! (Did I mention there was dual climate control too and automatic seats?)

You know what? Now I feel guilty because I don't miss you as much. The kids all keep saying they don't miss you either. I fear you are being erased from our memory. Come home soon so we can repair our relationship. Don't worry, I know this is all temporary. Hopefully we'll have a nice long trip together to Michigan next week.

Till death or seven kids do we part!

Where the lion lays down with the lamb.

Beanie is feeling the loss of the old family pet. She told me today that when she gets to heaven she's going to sit next to Jesus, Seamus, and Madeline.

Life with girls means....

Having your 1 year old daughter shepherded into you with a tutu over her pajamas and a bow in her hair and then being told, "We named her princess."

She didn't seem to mind for the moment.

Busy!

I am too busy living and surviving life to blog about it. But....can someone (anyone?) reassure me that almost 15 month olds acting like crazed psychos with their four canine teeth coming in and no other symptoms WILL get better and stop fussing all the time and stop, at least when they are 5, jumping on tables and stop destroying stuff and stop taking a small nap early in the day and then refusing to nap later and other such things? Thank you because I have lost all perspective.

My daughter is going to like Plato's thoughts on music's effects on the soul......

File this one under 'astute observer'. My daughter Biki is a smart one and she's constantly trying to figure out why we do things differently then the culture at large. Well, I don't really want to live in a hole and try to engage the culture where we can without letting the crapola in. Let's just say sometimes my flirtations with popular culture don't go very well.

I like to listen to the radio and I was thumbing through the stations at a light yesterday and came upon a song with a catchy beat and let it stop. Turns out it was Beynoce's "All the Single Ladies" which I knew from the refrain..."If you like it you better put a ring on it...woah, woah, woah, woah, woah." (That's for you older readers! : ) Anyway I start to sing along and mentally make a note that there's nothing bad with these lyrics. Then I hear Biki from the back of the minivan.

"Mom?"
"Yes."
"This music sounds like the girls aren't wearing appropriate clothes."
"Hmmm, you are probably right Bik. Let's turn it off."

And so we did...and there probably won't be any more Beyonce in the car either! Even if it is a catchy song.

Heard around the house...

Me: Why is this baby doll wet?
Them: Beanie baptized it.
(I knew there was a reasonable explanation.)


Me: Who did this (some mess or other)?
Them: It wasn't me Chad. (pronounced shod for those not of Falk lineage.)

And just for fun I thought you should all know that Momo is a ridiculous ham. I am in so much trouble. Today at mass she was out behind the glass doors but would run where her brother and sisters could see her with a cardigan on her head like a hijab in order to elicit laughs...from the children who were supposed to be in mass paying attention. She also ran into mass for the handshake of peace saying "pees, pees" in a baby voice holding out her hand.

And to top it off I heard great laughter from the siblings during dinner and looked over at her to see her drinking a cup of water with all her pizza and carrots stuffed in it . When she realized she had done something funny she started hamming it up even more...scrunching up her nose, clapping for herself, dancing in her chair. Like I said....TROUBLE.

Will the swagger wagon survive?

Thank God we were all unhurt! Safety glass is an amazing invention!!!

Facebook is awkward.

I have a love/hate relationship with FB.

I gave it up for lent and that gave me a litle bit of perspective on it. The pros- it is an excellent networking tool and allows me to be in contact with people that I wouldn't otherwise have been in contact with. I have connected like minded people across the globe through the wonders of the FB universe. It also has a fun everyday element of chatting with the girls in cyberspace, but it has a dark side.

On the one hand there's the elementary school problem of making declarations and posting pictures of events to which others aren't invited. That doesn't really bother me too much unless it is totally gratuitous. It is one thing to post pictures and another to say "I can't wait to have a party with 5 of my FB friends." and then have them all comment on it. AWKWARD.

What has really got me is the issue/problem of FB friend apostelate. I don't usually seek people's opinions out on matters of church doctrine and moral conscience and I have a feeling that my views are known somehow anyway. But I wonder...what are my obligations when people who profess my same faith constantly make declarations about issues that are contrary to church teaching. It never comes up in our regular dealings but it seems almost constant in our FB dealings. There's a friend, and then there's a FB friend and let's face it, they aren't quite the same thing. Would they be offended if I brought it up in real life? Like I said, awkward.

File Under I am a bad parent.....

I jump into the car and yell out, "Oh man, I forgot my keys!" and as I jump back out all I hear from the back of the car is "LOSER!"

Judge not lest ye be judged. I know where they learned it from.

Tummy Trouble

We are having some tummy trouble around here. Nobody's sick, but one little person has a very opinionated tummy that tells her what she can and can't eat or do. It is very frustrating.

"Bean, time to pick up toys."
"Wah....I can't pick up toys my tummy hurts."
"Stop whining and pick up toys."
"My tummy says it is too tired to pick up toys."

OR

"My tummy says it doesn't like corn."
"Tell your tummy it has to eat the corn."
Then she starts having her tummy talk in this tiny voice, "I don't like corn."
"Too bad, and take two bites."

Needless to say we've been giving her tummy numerous talking tos. It also needs a few time outs!!


And another Beanism just for fun.
The Bodeans were playing on itunes and she was sitting in front of the computer and just starts yelling out, "Oh no!!!! He's in trouble again!" with her hands on her face ala Home Alone. "What, who's in trouble??" yell out all the other kids and she just replies, "Oh nobody, it is just a song." That kid loves the shock factor.

H...e....double hockey sticks

Can I just admit I am feeling a lot like this these days??? A trip to the pool with two sweet boys age 8 and 13 will do that to me, combined with a little too much healthy radio addiction (Hello...turn it off!), Greece, and a ton of other stuff. Good thing there's prayer and such. I get like this sometimes, a little crazed let's just say, and my dear husband is smart enough to just let it slide. When I say things like, "I change my mind, I don't care if my kids drown, I want my own pool!" He just says "OK." and lets it go. Smart man.

Anywho, summer is here and we are excited! We'll be doing a bit of homeschooling to keep up our skills! That's our favorite phrase for some reason it just works magic in making my kids work on academic stuff...they must have their mother's competitive streak. Next week includes swim lessons, but not before an exciting cousin visit. Then a long overdue trip to NOVA to see the fam.

Beanie wants to go to California so she can see her cousins S. and C. because she thinks they live there together, never mind that she's never seen those two cousins from two different places and sides of the family at the same time. She also wants to know when she can stay in a hotel and get "breakfast food". It is amazing what kids remember and how they remember it.

Diamonds might be a girl's best friend....

but this woman's BFFs are prayer, coffee, and eyeliner in that order!

Coming soon...

a post on the minivan as metaphor for the soul. (And it has nothing to do with the swagger wagoon!)

Birthday Boy

I am now the proud parent of an 8 year old. This is big....I remember being 8 years old. This really means I have to stop trying to fake this parenting stuff and had better start getting it for real!!! I love how he still thinks he's getting bigger with every birthday and insists he didn't turn 8 until 1am last night because that's when he was really born. I also love how he's such a team player and is, for the most part, really good to all of his sisters. In return, they are good to him. They just sat watching him hit golf balls today and I just kept hearing, "Good shot birthday boy!" It is good to remember those times that they are all actually getting along.

He's all boy...loved his archery set but was excited about a little play hamster too. I am happy there's still so much innocence in him because I know that's hard to come by these days. I think other little boys he knows seem to have, sad to say, lost their imaginations, so I am glad he still has his. I love how he belly laughs at story time...Mrs. Piggle Wiggle can bring him to tears.

Did I mention he finally got a hit in baseball the other night? Not only was it a hit, but a RBI AND he made it to home. Just what the doctor ordered after a long string of KOs and foul balls. I loved hearing him explain it to everyone in an excited tone. Reminds me to be thankful for the little things!

Rough day at the office...

Today's events included a baseball practice a lunch date and a trip to the driving range with 5 kids. Sometimes I forget that I am actually just better off NEVER leaving my house with all of my children much less an extra one, particularly when P. is out of town.

You would not believe the looks I was getting at the driving range. In exasperation at one point I let them all go to the practice sand pit to try out their pitching wedges while I kept the baby at the whole other end of the range with all our stuff. What could go wrong right? Wrong. They weren't in my line of sight totally and all of a sudden I hear the starter yell, "Hey watch what you are doing you are going to hit someone!" That was the end of that. Yes, today I was *that* mom, the harried lady who bit off more than she could chew. But it was worth it when the birthday boy turned to his buddy and said, "Wow!!! That was fun wasn't it?" at the end of it all.

Minivans are cool....

No seriously. Really!!! This made me laugh so hard that I had to share. Thanks for sharing Sara! I love how Toyota totally knows their market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4&feature=player_embedded

If your filter blocks youtube like mine does it is totally worth pulling it down temporarily! : )

Fierce Baby's Feast

So, I put all the plates on the table with the food on them already when Paul isn't at dinner. Tonight I sit down and immediately start grace, bowing reverently because you know I am so good and all. Anyway, we finish and I try to start eating only to see that my brat, complete with bun, has been swiped by Momo who is chomping away at it. This after she had already eaten a half of brat!!! She just looked up and smiled as if to say, "Yummy! Good stuff!" I guess she is in touch with her German side!

Who says big kids aren't funny?

Overheard from Biki:

"What is this? Oh, a block! I though it was something else. What was I smoking?"
(I have no idea where she picked up such a phrase! ; )


And from the Conqueror:

We were at the dinner table somehow talking about the advent of the Internet and how, way back when, when I started college you had to go and beg for an email account and there were only two computers in the basement of the science lab that had email. As I paused before going on the Conqueror blurts out, "OLD SCHOOL!" Unfortunately we laughed a little too hard and he's been trying to repeat the joke all day.

Thought for the day.

From Pope Benedict's trip to Malta:
"Maybe some of you will say to me, Saint Paul is often severe in his writings. How can I say that he was spreading a message of love? My answer is this. God loves every one of us with a depth and intensity that we can hardly begin to imagine. And he knows us intimately, he knows all our strengths and all our faults. Because he loves us so much, he wants to purify us of our faults and build up our virtues so that we can have life in abundance. When he challenges us because something in our lives is displeasing to him, he is not rejecting us, but he is asking us to change and become more perfect. That is what he asked of Saint Paul on the road to Damascus. God rejects no one. And the Church rejects no one. Yet in his great love, God challenges all of us to change and to become more perfect."

What does it all mean...the fashion edition?

I have been trying to attack problem areas of my home over the last few weeks. The other day I was working in my closet and hanging up all of my shirts since I do not own a dresser. I even channeled a few of my old roomies and hung them by color. Do you know what I noticed? Every single shirt was solid color, no prints, no dots, no stripes. I later found one shirt in the laundry that I just bought that has some blue ovals on it but that's it. I have a serious aversion to horizontal stripes but other than that I have not made any conscious decision to limit prints. Hmmm... I must be getting old!

The Birds....

Ok, I am bit behind on chronicling our adventures but I did want to let everyone know we had a bird in our house and I got him out all by myself. Last time I dealt with a bird I was about 10 and I called over my nice neighbor Mr. Pepple who grabbed a dish towel, threw it over Buddy the budgie (we were so awesome at naming things) and promptly returned him to captivity.

This time, it was a WILD bird. I was in the kitchen and heard a bump at the window and thought a bird had hit the window like usual. But as I look up it happens again and I realize that it was on the INSIDE. I yelped.

The kids reactions varied from fear (oh no a bird!) to excitement (oh cool a bird!) to rage (get out of here you bird!). Long story short it perched itself up in my open kitchen cupboard and was chirping at us from behind the medicine basket. (Don't worry mom, I disinfected afterwards.) The kids were screaming at it to leave and I convinced them we couldn't catch it or kill it (that wasn't my idea...guess who grabbed a weapon though- Biki!) but that we'd have to trick it to leave through one of the doors. It was so weird to see it perched in my kitchen chirping at me, it was like he was talking to us. Anyway, we gradually got it into the laundry room and opened the two doors to the outside and it left. Or so I think. Either that or its dead behind my washer. I don't have the guts to check.

Still waters run deep.

Biki likes to spend a lot of time alone. It gets so that she tries to bribe Beanie to get away from her. Beanie will come running into me and ask for candy. When I say no she gets upset and it comes out that Biki told her that she could have candy if she left her alone. Nice try.

Anyway, I always wonder what Biki is thinking about alone. She tends to sit on the bench on the deck and stare out at the trees, often hugging our outdoor statue of Mary. (I did snap a photo...I just have to get the camera fixed so I can transfer pics.) I am beginning to think that she does some praying out there all alone because today I had this conversation with her:

"Bik, is Momo out there on the deck all alone?"
"No."
"Really?" I ask not really believing her.
"Yes, she's got her guardian angel and God."

Right! Why didn't I think of that!!!

More career aspirations from my daughters.....

As mentioned previously, one of my daughters wants to be a barista. The other it turns out has higher aspirations.

"Mom?"
"Yes, Beanie?"
"When I grow up I am going to be a teacher and a rock star."
"OK, how do you plan to meld those two careers?"
"After school I will change into my rock star clothes and be a rock star."


All this coming from the child who has never seen a single episode of Hannah Montana or anything else on the Disney channel. Ever. I suppose if the rock star clothes are modest and the lyrics OK it is all sanctifiable right?

Deep thoughts...

Beanie: "Mom, when I get to heaven I'm not going to snuggle up with you."

Me: "Ok Beanie, why not?"

Beanie: "Because I am going to snuggle up to Jesus."


Sweetness.

File under after 4 kids I should know better....

Bathroom break after mass.

Baby is changed, Beanie is in the stall, I put the baby down in front of the 'nursing chair'. (you know the nasty one they put in church bathrooms for women to sit and nurse in.) No thanks...I can't nurse in a bathroom. GROSS.

Anyway, I put the baby down b/c I had no carrier and decided I needed to go as well. I am in there and I hear these weird splashing noises. AND I AM SO STUPID THE FIRST THINK I AM THINKING IS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH BEANIE'S ELIMINATION PATTERNS. Yes, that was stupid. Because it was really Momo who somehow got past me and made it to the last stall where she was bathing in the handicapped toilet. YUCK.

I keep telling P. I am going to audition for Dirty Jobs!

On being #4.....

I think having a critical mass of older siblings probably makes one a bit of a performer or pleaser in some way. Miss Momo loves her audience. She starts beaming the minute they arrive in the minivan after school and seeks them out often. My favorite activity includes her walking attempts. Every time she takes a step her entourage breaks out into a chorus of "YEAH MOMO!" cheers and claps. Thus whenever she gets up to take a step she starts, stops, and then puts her hands together to clap for herself. I guess she figures that's how you are supposed to do it!

Uhh....not exactly

A conversation I just couldn't bear to interfere with:

Beanie: "I like to play on the palm puder."

Biki: "That's not how you say it. It's a kinputer. Say it like this, 'KIN-PUTE-ERH'."

Beanie: "No, I like palm puder."

Biki: "No its a KIN-PUTE-ERH." Say it right!

Do you like the graphic?

Since we don't do photos that's as good as it gets!

H/T MG....hope you don't mind I copied you!

Mixed Message

When I am going to get married again is always a big topic of conversation after every wedding we go to. Seems the girls just want to get in on another party and figure they're a shoe-in for flower girls. They are always sort of disappointed to realize that I am, indeed, already married and won't even consider getting married again short of P.'s untimely death.

So, Beanie and I were waiting at the doctor's the other day and she announces, loudly, "If you get married again, um, um, um, Daddy's going to die!"

Not exactly.....

Future Hoarder?

Beanie loves to pack up little purses and bags with things and drag them around the house and elsewhere if permitted. Today she had her little sister's tea party set bag filled to the brim and was carrying it around like a purse slung just so over her shoulder. I had to see what she had in there and this is what I found:

• a couple of pieces of the fabric tea set- a mug and saucer and the teapot
• a mostly empty bag of craisins
• a bag of princess wipes
• a tire gauge
• 2 travel bottles of travel hand lotion, courtesy of aunt k.
• a baby Tylenol bottle
• a pen
• tinker toys
• a doll baby blanket
• a nail clippers (she cuts her own nails daily while her older siblings are afraid!)
• a colored pencil
• another small blanket, this one with a little giraffe on it.
• some stars and shapes from a stacking toy and a sorting toy we have
• the weekly calendar sent home from first grade with the week's activities, assignments, and subjects studied

Whew...I am tired just thinking about lugging all that stuff around. Oh wait, my purse is worse!!!Anyway, thought I would give a bit more insight into the secret life of bean.

OB-Inside Baseball

We were discussing the "OB" language at dinner the other night, which, for those not in the know, is a lot like pig latin. Anyway, I was telling the conqueror that my name would be pronounced "Mah-bom" in OB. Then he seriously starts singing, "My mom's a bomb, I got more verses than the bible's got psalms!" Yes, my seven year old sings lines from House of Pain's "Jump Around". I guess it could be worse...he could be singing "Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight" from Abba. I mean, what kind of adults would kids who sang that turn into?

Thought for the day....

How in the h-e-double hockey sticks did I manage to use liquid cascade for a year and half without messing up any of my clothes? Did you know it has liquid bleach in it? No, I didn't know either but in the last week I have wrecked one sweater and now 2, count them, two pairs of nice fitting pants with it. I think it has something to do with wearing a baby and trying not to bend over too much while filling the dishwasher. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Bring on the powdered cascade!

Beanie-isms

• "Mom!!!! LOOK at this rock I found growing in the backyard!" Note to self- include more nature walks in our days together and explain that rocks don't grow.
• She sees some apple slices on the counter, "Hey are these bad boys for me?"
• And one for filing under watch your mouth mom, "Wow! It was freaking, freaking, cold out there!"

Ugh...

So I have been down and out for the last day and a half and it is funny how the kids cope differently with me being sick in bed.

Conqueror: Hates it when things are going poorly, stays away and when he does come in acts like nothing is wrong and acts very perky.

Biki: Wants to do deeds of service for me and watches me from the doorway.

Beanie: Keeps checking on me, runs in with dandelions, "These are for you mama." and then runs out. And when I do get out of bed is all over me like white on rice.

Momo: Just climbs all over me.

Grrrrrr

Biki:

"Mama, Momo is a fierce baby!"

Once you get to know momo you will know that this is a true statement!

Brief Winter Wonderland

It came and then promptly started melting the next morning!!! Photographic evidence above!

Estrogen Overload

The conqueror is happy that some people are still having boys. When told about his new little boy cousin a resounding, "YES! YES! YES!" was heard from the back of the minivan. He kept exulting and I asked, "Don't you want to know his name?" "No." he said matter of factly, feeling fulfilled with the knowledge of more testosterone in the world somewhere but then on second thought replied, "oh I mean yes!"

The preamble to my own personal 12 step plan....

http://www.elisaloves.com/2010/01/living-life-offline.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ElisaLoves+%28Elisa+Loves...%29

Next week I will work on caffiene and sweets!

The Serious One....

The Conqueror is already worried about college. I have no idea where he gets this from- NOT! I was probably stressing about it at age 7 too. We often extol the virtues of a liberal education around here but heck, we also watch a lot of college football. So the other day he complained, "Mom, why don't those schools with the football teams have those good educations?"

Poor kid, we've already warped him!


As an aside, he was saying we needed to put some new material up on the blog. When I replied I didn't really have anything he just said, "That's ok, why don't you just put up that story from Aunt S's blog?" Don't worry if it ever comes to that I will be sure to attribute all my material to the right place!!!

Lastly, I was going to post some deep thought on how blessed we are when I keep running into people that have these serious, serious crosses to bear but I really don't have time for deep tonight. Essentially, I have it super easy and I feel like such a ween for complaining about anything. Anyway, please send up some prayers for a number of friends and acquaintances of mine far and wide with some serious struggles on so many different levels.

I spoke too soon....

about that whole partners in crime thing. I had the gate up to prevent momo's escape to the 2nd floor only to hear some suspicious noises up on the landing. I run to the bottom of the stairs to find the gate thrust aside and up at the top of the stairs was Beanie encouraging momo on her last step.

"Beanie!!! Did you take down the gate?"

"Yes, because momo needed to get up the stairs!" (Spoken in a dead serious matter of fact tone.)

Thank God for guardian angels. At least those Montessorians always said stairs were the greatest things for kids developmentally.

Bathtime snapshot

As I got the little girls out of the bath last night I grabbed the baby and directed the 3 year old to get her towel and go put on her pajamas. As I was dressing the baby in my room the three year old appeared with a white towel over her head.
"Why aren't you dressed Beanie?" I asked.
"Mom, I am Jesus Christ!!" she exclaimed.
"No you're not!"
"Am I saint?"
"Not yet."
Then she scoots it off of her head and goes for the loincloth look, "Look, I am Jesus Christ on the cross!"
I love that I get exactly what she's thinking...the white towel reminded her of Jesus' garments. Anyway, I shooed her away, dressed the baby, and went to assist her in dressing.
While I was clothing the naked I hear, "Mom, Momo's in the bathtub!" I run in there and Momo has somehow propelled herself int0 the empty, yet still wet, tub. (thank you guardian angel that I usually always drain the tub) Her sack wet, she has to be dressed again for bed. Never a dull moment! P. once described Beanie as our most goal oriented child, but that was before we met Momo. I have a feeling that these two are going to be serious partners in crime in the very near future.

I am ignoring laundry....

to tell you about Momo. Have I talked much about Momo? She's quite the unique baby, just turned 9 months and at a big turning point. Thing is, she thinks she's three. Today I witnessed one of those moments in parenting when I wanted to cheer, laugh, and cry all at the same time. Momo figured out how to really climb the stairs, all sixteen of them. She started and then P. and the big kids started cheering her on while I spotted her. She got increasingly excited with each one, doing her trademark grunt/yell (she's been grunting since she was a newborn but now she sort of growls). By the time she got to the top of the stairs she pumped her arms and possibly her fists and seemed to yell out "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" while everyone cheered. Needless to say, we're getting a baby gate this weekend.

I am blessed....

"OK Bean, we're going to go over here and make the cookies."

"OH! Bless you! I love making cookies!"

One more thing...

Christmas baking is really overrated. One woman just can't singlehandedly save her children from the evils of sugar and simultaneously allow them the fun and experience of holiday baking without gaining some serious weight. I know, I am a hero, but these 12 days of Christmas have taken their toll! Just kidding...the original plan was to send some out and then give them to the neighbors, but some started going stale, others got burned, and some just looked bad (i.e. I gave way on my control issues and let them actually do it.).

Resolved, next year to make only one batch of my husband's favorites, allow the kids to decorate cookies (the kind I hate) once and freeze them to last all season, and one birthday cake for baby Jesus. Otherwise, no baking unless someone comes over for dinner.

It is Wednesday David.

When is school out for the summer???? Oh wait, 5 months. The week started wonderfully but we're all running out of steam already. Days like today (when we didn't do anything extra) make me think that I will ban my children from all extracurricular activities for life. But then I worry that if the 5 year old doesn't play soccer, they won't be a varsity athlete and won't get into a good college or get a scholarship. And then I think I just need to go to bed! Good night! ; )

Candyland is for losers....

I hate Candyland. It is a never ending preschool game but now I don't think I will ever have to play again and I am an ecstatic. No more endless reshufflings of the deck as I try in vain to get all the dreaded picture cards to the bottom of the deck. It never works because someone always pulls the damned lollipops. So then I try stealing the cards out of the deck and the kids get suspicious. (Don't judge me.)

Enter Jenga. I LOVE JENGA! It has a start, a finish, and my kids can all play it. They think setting it up is fun and they don't cry when they lose because it makes a big loud noise.

I love my husband for suggesting it as a Christmas gift and for freeing me from candyland.