I LOVE Tax Returns!

Because I get new stuff!!! Today, I got a new washer from the Sears Scratch 'N' Dent store (saved probably a good $700)!! Here's pics...

I was also able to get some EZCombs ( http://www.buyezcombs.com/?directLoad&uid=219CA36FDFF8E6A93996109AAC6F243F ) and some Space Bags ( https://www.spacebag.com/ ). There's a few more things that I'd like to get, but all in due time. Other bills take precidence!

Also, I was thumbing through a magazine while talking to Chris last night and I came across something that made me laugh so hard!

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=411&parentCategoryId=85180&categoryId=117215&subCategoryId=86184

I really love this magazine/catalog, I really do, some of their products just make me roll my eyes....like the one that plays music while you look up their nose to take their temp.....seriously, come on! Now, back to the one that made me laugh, really, I'm sure this product works wonders for most kids, but I can just imagine it now. There's a kid that's already afraid of the dark and wets him/herself at night. Let's put on a pair of undies that, when the slightest form of wetness touches the sensor, sets an alarm off to wake the kid up! If the kid hasn't already peed his/her pants, the alarm will definitely scare the pee out of them when the alarm scares the whits out of them! LOL, we got a good laugh out of that one. Like I said, I'm sure it works for some, but for others....I'm just sayin' (I'm really just speaking from how my kids would most likely react to something like this).

Picture Time!!!

My kids got a hold of my camera, there are some of the pictures that "happened".

Also, I have some cute random pics of the kids (I was cleaning off my SD card if you couldn't tell)!!

(pic 1 - BamBam fell asleep next to James on the couch... 2 - Tyler fell asleep in Celeste's car seat.... 3 - Tyler fell off the rocking horse by tipping it over, then fell asleep.... 4 - Terra is my big helper! 5 - Cute smile, she LOVES her exersaucer!)

Long Day

After a long day of helping with chores and stuff (chasing chickens, playing in the dirt....you get the idea), Tyler was pretty dirty, so we told him to lay down so we could change him and then we'd get his bath water ready. This video will show you how tired this little boy really was. He laid down and by the time I got back from his room with a diaper, he was already asleep! So, I tried tickling him to wake him up and we figured that when we put him in the tub, he'd wake up and play.....not so! I was vacuuming and happened to glance in to check on him cuz he was being rather quiet...this is what I found! LOL

Getting To Know You...

Welcome to the new 2009 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you, or, if you're blogging, tag people!

Some of you may get this several times; that means you have lots of friends. The easiest way to do it is to hit 'forward' so you can change the answers or copy and paste. Have fun and be truthful!

1. WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION RIGHT NOW? Domestic Goddess
2. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR SOCKS? White
3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Tyler talking to himself as he runs around my bedroom.
4. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A piece of candy
5. CAN YOU DRIVE A STICK SHIFT? yes
6. LAST PERSON YOU SPOKE TO ON THE PHONE? Karen (her kids were over here playing yesterday)
7. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON THAT SENT THIS TO YOU? Seriously, what kind of a question is this?! If you didn't, would you really answer it truthfully? (yes, I do, by the way)
8. HOW OLD ARE YOU TODAY? 27 (had to sit and think for a minute on that one....lost count as soon as I started having kids, LOL)
9. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH ON TV? Gymnastics, dance competitions (YES, they are a sport, thank you very much)
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DRINK? Dr. Pepper
11. HAVE YOU EVER DYED YOUR HAIR? yes (numerous times that failed and finally, this last time was a success!!)
12. FAVORITE FOOD? fruity things usually
13. WHAT IS THE LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Ghost
14. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? I more prefer favorite months...October holds 2 of my favorite holidays in the whole world....my b-day and Halloween
15. HOW DO YOU VENT ANGER? hold it in until it all comes spilling out in frustration (usually I cry for a few, then it's over with)
16. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? Anything that didn't get taken away by older siblings, I think....not really sure!
17. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? Autumn
18. CHERRIES OR BLUEBERRIES? Depends...if I'm eating them plain, Cherries, if it's a dessert, both
19. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO SEND THIS BACK? Of course
20. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? whom ever has the time to spare
21. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? LOL, people who have kids to watch!
22. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? Renting a house in the country
23. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? um...don't remember!
24. WHAT IS ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR CLOSET? shoes, boxes that haven't been unpacked yet, suitcases
25. WHO IS THE FRIEND YOU HAVE HAD THE LONGEST THAT YOU'RE SENDING THIS TO? My family
26. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? watched a movie with Chris and ate chips and salsa
27. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF? a few things, mostly about how my kids will turn out because of my parenting skills (or lack thereof)
28. PLAIN, CHEESE, OR SPICEY HAMBURGERS? Cheesey and sometimes spicey
29. FAVORITE DOG BREED? Black labs and Scottish Terriors
30. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK? Hmmm, that's a tough one...they're all kinda the same for me!
31. HOW MANY STATES HAVE YOU LIVED IN? 3
32. DIAMONDS OR PEARLS? Probably diamonds...but small ones, I'm not a dressy, flashy kind of girl!
33. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER? Daisies and roses

I tag EVERYONE!!!

New Books

Yesterday while at the PTC at school, we decided to check out the book fair going on in the library and got a couple of really cool books.

The Book Of Totally Irresponsible Science: 64 Daring Experiments For Young Scientists
Pink Princess Tea Parties Cookbook

The Science book teaches you how to turn milk into stone and other fun stuff like that. The Pink Princess one has recipes for different teas and ciders and other drinks that could be served and a child's tea-party and then some treats to go with the drinks. I thought it was a fun idea and will be posting some of them on here periodically (maybe I'll post some science experiments too). In fact, I'll post a couple things today!

Science first....and then we can all celebrate our success with a tea-party afterward!

The CD Hovercraft: It's everyone's dream to be able to glide around as if they were on a flying saucer. That type of friction-free movement does, in fact, lie at the heart of hovercraft technology. This experiment lets you use everyday objects as a gateway to this brave new world of transport. Be careful, though: Get your answer straight before you hear, "What have you done to my new Kanye West CD?!"
You will need:
Sharp scissors
Plastic bottle cap
Strong glue
Ordinary CD or DVD (old scratched up ones that you were planning on throwing away work great)
7- or 8-inch balloon
Directions:
1 - Make a 1/2 inch hole in the center of the cap by piercing it with the scissors. Slowly rotate the scissors, widening the hole, until it is 1/2 inch across.
2 - Glue the flat side of the cap to the center of the CD or DVD so that the holes align and let the glue dry. (take care not to use too much glue when attaching the cap to the cd, you might block part of the hole. And, as mentioned already, don't use anyone's precious new cd)
3 - Blow up the balloon and twist the end tight (but do not tie it off).
4 - Carefully roll the balloon's "lop" over the edge of the cap.
5 - Place the CD or DVD on a smooth surface and release.
6 - The "hovercraft" should slide easily along the surface after having had the slightest touch.
*Air rushes out of the balloon through the hole to provide an air cushion below the CD. This cushion supports the entire lower surface of the CD because air is escaping on all sides. And without the friction of rubbing against the surface (the air cushion has eliminated it), the "hovercraft" can move freely. The same principles enable real hovercrafts to trasport passengers and cars accross open water.

Pink Princess Party (there will be 4 recipes...one from each category)(note* it's not just tea recipes...some are cider and punch...so stay tuned for those in later posts)
Tea-Time Sippers: Sweet Chai Tea
Tea-Time Sweets and Treats: Royal Raspberry Tarts
Tea-Time Cookies and Cakes: Patel Petits Fours
Tea-Time Sandwiches and Snacks: Bitsy Bacon and Cheese Rolls

CHAI TEA
4 cups Filtered water
3 regular tea bags (English breakfast tea, orange pekoe, Darjeeling, or Earl Grey)
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cardamom seeds
3 whole cloves
6 black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 inch thinkly sliced fresh ginger
1 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
4 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
LET'S START STIRRING
Place water, tea bags, and all spices in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and add soy milk. Return to heat and simmer another 5 minutes, or until steaming. Remove from heat. Pour chai through a large strainer into a teapot. Stir in honey or maple syrup and serve. Or chai maybe covered and refridgerated for up to 1 day and then served cold over crushed ice.

PASTEL PETITS FOURS
1 purchased family-sized pound cake
9 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond xtract
Pastel gel or paste food coloring
Sprinkles, fresh edible flowers, sugar crystal decorations
LET'S CUT THE CAKE!
Trim about 1/4 inch from each short end of the pound cake. Cut cake into 1-inch-thick slices. Use 1/2- to 1-inch cookie cutters of assorted shapes and cut 2 to 3 shapes from each slice of pound cake. Place cutout cakes on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet lined with foil. Set aside. In a large saucepan, mix powdered sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, and vanilla and almond extracts together until warmed, smooth, and creamy. Remove saucepan from heat and cool icing for about 5 minutes in pan, Add the remaining 1/4 cup water if needed to create a smooth, flowing icing. Divide icing equally between 2 to 3 small bowls and stir enough food coloring into each one to reach desired color. Spoon icing over each little cake and decorate with assorted fancy toppings. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until dry. Store in airtight container up to 3 days.

ROYAL RASPBERRY TARTS
1 sheet puff pastry, slightly thawed
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries
1 (6 oz) container raspberry or vanilla yogurt
LET'S GET ROLLING!
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, smooth away creases. Using a 1-inch square cookie cutter, cut out peices of puff pastry. Place squares on a prepared cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart. Prick the center of each pastry with a fork to prevent puffing up too much while baking. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Slice each tart in half lengthwise and set aside. Slowly heat raspberry jam in a small saucepan, stirring until thinned, about 30 seconds. Spread 2 teaspoons yogurt on bottom half of each pastry square. Top with a few raspberries replace the pastry tops, and then drizzle with warm jam. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

BITSY BACON AND CHEESE ROLLS
1 (8 count) can refrigerated crescent rolls
6 slices bacon, chopped, cooked and drained
1 cup grated mozzarella or swiss cheese
LET'S GET ROLLING
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove crescent rolls from container and lay on a flat surface that has been lightly dusted with flour. Turn over each crescent roll to coat both sides with flour. Cut each crescent roll in half lengthwise to make two long, thin triangles. Place approximately 1/2 teaspoon bacon bits and 1/2 teaspoon grated cheese on the widest portion of each triangle. Roll up each crescent roll jellyroll style, strting at the widest end. Place rolls seam side down on prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool 5 minutes on pan and serve.

Parent-Teacher Conference

Here is her "report card". Her teacher said she's doing well and we can start with identifying letter sounds with her here at home (since she's doing so well there). She can count to 40 without help, and can identify all but 3 numbers between 1 and 20. We're very proud of her progress thus far in Pre-School and hope that she continues to love school as much as she does now!!

4 - Exceeds skill/concept
3 - Independently and consistently demonstrates
2 - Developing Skill/Concept
1 - Not yet demonstrating
X - Not evaluated at the time

(bold is category, italics is teacher's notes, reg text is description of category)

Self-Reliance Skills - 3 - Takes care of personal belongings
Practical Skills - 2/3 - *Does not know her birthday* - Know Birthday (month and day), Identifies 10 colors, Names 6 body parts
Social/Emotional Skills - 3 - Expresses feelings and needs, Interacts positively with other children
Work Habits - 3 - Waits his/her turn and shares 50% of the time, Can concentrate quietly on a task for 5 minutes, Listens and follows directions
Speaking Skills - 3
Motor Skills - 3 - Stands on one foot for 5 seconds, Walks down steps alternating feet, Cuts on a straight line, Appropriately uses glue and paste, Can string beads, Manipulates buttons
Reading Readiness - *Developing the concept of rhyming, Identifies 46 upper and lower case letters* - Demonstrates an awareness of environmental print (restroom sign, stop sign, etc), Can say simple rhymes (cat, hat, sat), Can do one to one correspondence as they say the alphabet, Can identify 20 (upper and/or lower case letters)
Math Readiness - 3/4 - *Rote counts to 40, Developing skill of making comparisons (same different)* - Makes comparisons of objcts (opposites, same, and different), Recognizes a simple pattern, Recognizes position of object, Rote count to 15, Can identify numerals 1 to 7.
Writing Skills - 3 - Prints first name, Draw simple picture stories

Individual Learning Plan
STRENGTHS:
1 - Strong in letter recognition
2 - Strong number sense
3 - Good shape and color recognition
AREAS NEEDING STRENGTHENING
1 - Answering a question
2 - Understanding the concept of rhyming.
3 - Making comparisons (same & different)
ACTIVITIES TO AID IN THIS ARE
1 - Read Terra a story, ask her to recall what happened, Draw a picture story - what happened?
2 - Read books such as Mother Goose, Dr. Seuss, find the rhyming words
3 - Compare her dolls, teddy bears, etc, compare stories

"Mine!" And Other Random Things From This Week

I got a delivery yesterday from http://www.berries.com/ from someone who reads my blog (you are on my awesome list forever and ever for this, thanks so much), thanking me for making them laugh....so my goal to make people laugh has been accomplished, I'd say! Everyone has been drooling over these strawberries (2 dozen gourmet chocolate covered strawberries). Of course I shared (one for each person and the rest for me lol, just kidding). Whenever I grab one to eat, the kids swarm around me and wait for a chocolate bit to fall to my lap and they grab it up as fast as they can (they were doing this this morning, after they'd eaten their's might I add). I laughed so hard at this because it reminded me of Finding Nemo...where the seagulls are fighting over food..."mine....mine......mine...."!

Making twinkies was a success and it went over VERY well at the pre-school party yesterday (yes, I home-made twinkies). The kids LOVED decorating and filling them and taking them home to show off to their parents.

I'm sitting here, loving the silence that is in my house at the moment. The kids are quietly laying on the couch watching a movie (they were being so good, I let them pick ONE movie out of the boxes in here, to watch during their semi-quiet-time). This gives me the chance to check emails and just veg. for a minute....giving me time to think about my week so far.

Relaxing for me isn't going to last very long though....as I sit here, thinking about what to type, I look at the time and then look outside and realize 2 things...I have to get things done before Terra's Parent-Teacher-Conference at 3:30 (like make bread sticks to feed the teachers this afternoon), and I MUST go outside and catch the empty boxes that are flying away from my basement door (it's pretty windy today)!! I'll give an update on Terra when we get back later this afternoon!

25 Things About ME

Ok, I've been tagged like 9-10 different times (mostly on facebook), so here ya go! Oh, and by the way, I tag EVERYBODY!! :o)

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1) I love to cook (I'm fairly good at it but am getting out of practice since Chris took over that department toward the end of my pregnancy this last time)
2) I hate cleaning up after myself...
3) ...but I expect my kids to clean up after THEMSELVES
4) I've wanted to be a nurse for the longest time but the only thing holding me back is my fear of needles!
5) I HATE money, but am really good at budgetting it and making it stretch.
6) I'm very jealous of my husband and his patience that I wish I had.
7) I'm not as talented as people think I am, although I wish that I were (I just put on fronts...defense mechanism).
8) I've had an eating disorder before.
9) I don't care what people think.... ....but then again, I do!
10) I try a little too hard, at times, to please EVERYBODY at the same time....never works!
11) I miss my family and wish we lived closer.
12) I love living out in the country
13) My husband is one of my greatest heros that I look up to (for SO many reasons...one being he selflessly donated his kidney to his cousin very shortly after we were married)
14) I'm a perfectionist at times
15) I am embarrassed when people see my house messy (you'd think it'd be cleaner since I feel that way)
16) I am intimidated very easily, but try not to show it.
17) I love to dance, but my husband does NOT.
18) I want to collect all the musicals on DVD (so I can have a singing fest once in a while)
19) I was told by a high-school teacher that I wouldn't succeed in life (he said it a LOT different than that, but I'd like to keep this blog rated G)
20) I think I'm pretty when my hair is straight, but when it's curly, not so much!
21) I'm proud of myself for giving birth naturally this past time (no drugs)
22) I'm allergic to Ibuprofen
23) I have a weakness for Qdoba's Mexican Grill
24) I love finding deals when I shop or browse through craigslist or yardsales
25) I am the only girl my husband has kissed (aside from his mom and sisters, I'm sure), and I very much regret not being able to give that gift back to him!

"He Did It On Purpose..."

This was a phrase I thought that I would NEVER hear from my kids...but I was proved wrong today by my own daughter! I had some leftover candy (in ziploc baggies) from the party I helped with today in her class at school that I gave to the kids after they helped me put away lunch. They were doing just fine, sitting and playing while eating out of their little treasure bags. I suddenly hear Terra start crying about something, so I go to investigate. I see her bent over he bag, picking up all her candy from off the floor, sniffling and crying and mumbling to herself (she practices how she's going to tell on someone before she actually comes in and tells me about it). So, I asked her what happened and she stands up, points to James and yells, "HE DID IT ON PURPOSE! HE DUMPED MY BAG OUT, THAT'S WHAT HE DID, MOM!" I offered sympathy and told James if he did it again, he'd lose the candy forever (he learned his lesson with the videos...at least for the time being, anyway). I had to leave the room and hide my face in a pillow because I started laughing. I thought that I was in the clear when it came to phrases like that, but I guess not!

Another phrase that I just LOVE is, "Well, I'm sure it's SOMEWHERE, mom." (when they've misplaced something....usually something of mine) I'm sure it makes perfect sense to them in their little minds...trying to sound all grown up about it. LOL

Bitter-Sweet Happenings And Soap-Boxes

So, in a matter of just a few days, I've completely lost my milk. I can't even nurse Celeste at night anymore. I'm sad.....but I'm not. I want my body back, but I'm sad that I don't have that "closeness" with her anymore. But, I, truthfully, think I'm more happy than sad. Let me explain.

When I am pregnant or nursing, I get depressed (which I have issues with normally anyway, it's just heightened during this time). I get some pretty massive mood swings (almost manic) and this time wasn't the exception....might have even been slightly worse! Yes, we've tried medication for it, and that just seemed to make things worse too, so I just deal with it as best I can (usually with good diet and exercise and some homeopathic drops)! So, for me to stop nursing is actually a time for some rejoicing and celebration because all of this irrational behavior (well, maybe not ALL of it :o) ) stops and I'm generally a more happy person to be around.

But, one of the biggest pet-pieves of mine is the fact that there are no diet/exercise helps out there for pregnant/nursing moms (none that are free anyway). The closest one is WeightWatchers (like I said, not free of charge). They give you an allotted calorie (points) in-take that you can have per day/week and each food you eat has a point value with it. You could easily modify this and just add the extra points that you'd need to have your body survive while producing the needed nutrients for yourself AND your baby (I wouldn't recommend doing this while pregnant, just eat healthy and worry about the weight afterward). I went onto the biggest loser website (love the show, don't ask me why, I guess I'm living vicariously through all of them) to try and get some help a couple weeks ago and I was shot down with a message saying that they couldn't legally help women that are pregnant or nursing. Talk about frustrating (remember what I said above about diet and exercise helping me out). So, now that I'm not nursing anymore, I can actually get some general help with this. I'm also glad that Celeste starting taking straight formula when she did, because the very next day, my supply had dropped off by probably half (I'd been giving her a bottle a day so that I could leave her with a sitter if I needed to and she'd be ok, so this wasn't the cause of it....I do this with all my kids and I've never lost my milk this fast before).

But, I'm still torn. Still FULL of left-over hormones from being preggo and all the wondeful hormones from nursing....I cry in the middle of the night because I can't comfort her....I have to get up, make a bottle, and watch as she gets mad (all the while getting more and more air-bubbles) that the bottle is all she gets. It's one of the bitter-sweet cross-roads in life, I suppose.

Enjoying The Moment

I snatched this quote off of one of my friend's blogs and loved re-reading it (since I've read it before and needed the reminder).

What can young mothers do to reduce the pressure of raising young children and enjoy their families more? Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made as a parent is the one that most of us make. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of my three children sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less"

M. Russell Ballard

"FOUR!!!!"

Four tag....

1. Go to where you store your digital photos and open the 4th folder

2. Post the 4th pic in that folder.

3. Explain the pic.

4. Tag 4 people.

This is what happens when my kids get my camera....I get cute (and sometimes crazy) pics like this!

I tag.....Niki, Callie, Alisha, Kathryn, and (and I'm gonna put a 5th person in just for kicks and giggles...) Jenn!

Horse-Play

Just had to share this cute pic of Chris and the kids rough-housing...it was too cute NOT to share!

NASTY!!!!

You guys will NEVER (and I really mean it when I say NEVER), guess just what the perfect thing to place on a mouse trap to make it most effective...(you'll laugh when I finally tell you....but I'll wait, just to make this suspenseful).

Living out here in the country, we get frequent "visitors" from the fields, which I hate terribly!! Our cats are earning their keep very well though, so I'm not going to complain (very loud). Someone that I know that used to live in this house told me that they only had 2 mice every winter season actually show up in this house and their cats would corner them in the bathroom and then her hubby would catch it and throw it outside. I'm sorry, but I don't do the catch and release program....they just come right back in!!! I don't even do the catch and relocate program.....no sir! Them showing up in my "space" is a crime that is very much punishable by DEATH (be it by trap or by cat...doesn't matter, they just MUST die).

Well, the other day, Celeste was having a problem and I went into the bathroom to look at my monestat cream to see if it was safe to put it on her (never did find out OR put it on her) and I got distracted by something. I bumped a new (well, not so much new, it's a few months old, but I got it around the time Celeste was born for reasons we just won't go into here) box of suppositories. It fell out of the cupboard and was completely empty. Underneath that box and one other box, there was a bunch of mouse dropping and aluminum shavings. I dug a little deeper and discovered the rest of the aluminum wrappings....all of which were empty....completely void of any contents! I couldn't help but crack up laughing thinking that we MUST have VERY regular mice running around here. They had eaten the whole box.

So, the next time you need to catch a "killer mouse" in your house, make sure you get suppositories and place them in the traps. I hear it's a delicacy in "Mouse Land"!!

(LOL, sorry, I couldn't help but take a pic of the incriminating evidence!)

Everyday Life Around Here

Over the last couple of days, we've had some strange moments that have caused concern for us, but things are fine now (that's my disclaimer before you read anything - and I mean ANYTHING - in this post).

A couple days ago, Tyler fell down the stairs here (only about half way, but that's still about 7-8 stairs). And after I got him calmed down, I'd see him sit down every so often and just sit there talking to himself and playing with toys, sometimes laughing at the other kids when they'd do something funny. So, I sat and watched him during one of these "sitting episodes" and discovered that he was shaking (almost like Parkinson's patients do...) while sitting there, and as soon as the shaking stopped, he'd get up and go on with life. He didn't do this often, but it was often enough that it caused me to worry (when do I NOT worry, I know). I made sure I watched him really close and the next time he sat down, I was right there, making sure he made eye contact, could still "talk", move his hands around....all-in-all, just making sure he wasn't having seizures. He was totally coherent during all of this. I put him in bed that night and watched him after he fell asleep, and from what I could see, he wasn't shaking, so I went to bed myself. The next day, he did it only a handful of times, once when Chris was home and could see it, and today, hasn't done it again (that we've seen).

Celeste has had some diaper issues (smelly....not normal smellies....), so we gave her a warmer-than-normal bath and that's seemed to help kill whatever bacterias that were lurking around that region and she's fine and happy now.

Now, on to today's events.....

My day started out like normal, kids fighting over where they get to lay down on our bed at 630-7 am, Chris gets up, gets the kids breakfast while I feed and change Celeste, and then he leaves for work. Then I get up and dressed and start a load of laundry, log into my computer, sometimes join my cleaning chat support group (other times, just "clean" with my sister so we can give more personal moral support), and then take on the rest of the house....and kids. My washer has been acting up. It's taking longer and longer to fill up on the rinse cycle. It takes, on average, 3 hours to just wash it (another hour to dry it after that)! It's frustrating cuz I only fit in 2-3 loads a day with that (there goes the laundry DAY....everyday will be 'laundry day'). So, that was frustration #1. The kids are SO smart and creative when they get bored....its sometimes annoying how smart they just CAN be.

I told the kids they needed to help with their laundry (I'd already sorted it into piles so they could just take it to their rooms and learn how to fold and put it away....don't ask me what I was thinking). They both drag their designated laundry baskets off to their rooms, and what follows, I can only blame myself. Terra dumped out her laundry, didn't fold a thing OR turn things the right way, and shoved them into drawers....they were put away, what else matters, right?! James took his into his room, Tyler grabbed a few pieces of clothing and ran around the house, with James running after him, crying because "he's stealing my clothes!" Tyler runs back into the bedroom, throws the clothes at James, so he pick up more out of the basket, throws them back (yes, I was watching this and couldn't help but laugh), so then it turned into a clothing fight (much like a food fight would look....just with clothing flying everywhere).

Then, they kept dumping out the dvd's all over the living room, I told them to pick them up and put them away and gave them many opportunities to do so. Finally, I told them that they had better pick them up by the time I came back up from the basement, or they were MINE. They failed to do that, so now the dvd's are in boxes in my bedroom. They cried and cried while I was taking them away, and when I got done piling them on my bed and was getting ready to put them in boxes, James came in bringing with him the VHS movies, so I told him to go put them back because the dvd's were the only thing I was taking away and he cried because I was making him put those back (wish he would make up his mind, he was distraught with me taking them away and is now mad that I'm giving those back....).

And, finally, for some reason, they have this gravitation to water. They can't seem to get enough of it! They plugged up the sinks in my bathroom (luckily they didn't over-flow them this time) and then got out my new-ish can of mousse and emptied it all over the bathroom (I really SHOULD buy nicer smelling stuff...). Then they got cups (all my cups and bowls and sippies are disappearing fast....soon we'll just have to go drink out of the faucet if we're thirsty) and filled up those cups and got the couch wet, and dumped them out on their step-stools....the foam was their favorite part, I'm sure.

So, yes, I'm tired, and SO ready for bed (which is where I'm heading as soon as I hit "publish post".

Oh, yes, and I must not forget to tell you about this one. The cats and kids alike keep trying to climb into the bassinett while Celeste is in it, so I had to move it to my closet to keep them away from it. So far, so good. Wish me luck there!

Moments Like This...

...Is what makes life so memorable!

This week, Terra is learning about caring for her teeth. They've taught them how to brush them properly, and even had a dental person come in and teach them some to floss and she gave them each of them a tooth brush and tooth paste (which, normally, gets hidden in my house, especially with my kids' past track records at making messes). Well, Terra didn't mention that she got the tooth paste, only the tooth brush and floss/picker. Yesterday afternoon, the kids were finger painting, and you'll never guess what they were using?! Where was I? Laying miserably on the couch (and for those of you who don't like female issues or have weak stomachs, skip to the next paragraph) while "auntie flow" came a visitin' bringing with her...cramps from He**.....and when they get that bad, I get sick to my stomach and can't keep much down.

James came running by me, stopped, and ran back to his room. I smelled something odd in the air as he ran past the second time. I sat up and thought, that smells oddly familier! So I went to investigate. I found the cats...their fur matted down with something and they're trying to clean themselves off and not really enjoying the flavor they're licking off themselves. Then I round the corner into the boys' room, and the kids had used the toothpaste that Terra got from school to finger paint the bed, the dressers, the floor, the cats and TYLER!

The paste and ALL their toothbrushes (floss/pick thingy included) got confiscated and are being held hostage by the ever-so-mean-mommy that lives here! They must ask and be supervised when they brush their teeth for the next week!!

Collages

See who looks like who in these collages...LOL, I found these pics while sorting out the picture box into piles the other day, and just laughed at how much the kids look like Chris and sort of like me!!

Trying To Stay Awake

Tonight while watching the Superbowl, James got so tired that he asked if he could go get his pillow and blanket from off his bed. I said yes and then the next thing I knew, Chris was nudging me and telling me to watch James. These next two videos are what I saw....he did this for about 15 minutes before actually waking up and playing around with the other two kids. I just had my regular digital camera, so the picture isn't that great and lighting is terrible, but you can still see (well hear) most of what's going on! James is sitting up because we told him if he went to sleep, we'd go put him in bed. He keeps nodding off and almost falling over...I really wish we'd had better lighting so you could all laugh with us!!