Bestest Ever Compliment I Ever Received

The scene:  Reading to Dad's Bud an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland.
The conflict:  Dad's Bud is fed up done with school and really doesn't want to listen.
He is trying, but finding it ever so difficult and is fidgeting up a storm trying to stay and obey.
We get to the conversation with the Caterpillar and I am doing the voices.
Dad's Bud smiles and interrupts.
"You sound just like Grandmama when she reads her stories!"
HUGE smile and a giggly thank you from this Momma.
A long lasting wish fulfilled.  My children would enjoy hearing me tell stories as much as we enjoy listening to Grandmama's and Papa's stories. 

Life Requires a Sense of Humor....

Fortunately for Fun Girl, she wasn't home.

My allergies are bad.  Ragweed is my nemesis this time of year.

Mostly my eyes are affected.

I step outside and they swell and water.

They itch.

They get tired. 

I spend a lot of time like this.

Cold Compresses to reduce the Swelling.

Often, I doze off for a while as well.

 

 

 

So when I needed to show the Dad what needed to be done in the yard/garden,

I had to take serious steps.

I refused to shower first....

cause the shower would remove all the gunk from my being that makes me sneeze and wheeze.

But what about my eyes?

My sunglasses weren't going to be enough.

So in my jammies, I ventured out.

Then I heard giggles and my IPhone.

Iphone in the hands of Hockey Player.

He is no longer my sweet quiet child.

He is onery, squirrely and obnoxious.

I turned my back and laughed.

Dad reminded me it was his birthday.

So I turned around and smiled.
How cool is that!! 
I told him that would be his birthday present.

 

 

And since you can't tell in the above photo, we had to take one of the feet.

mismatched flip flops.

 

 

Fun Girl's response:  "I Can't Believe you Went Outside!"

WHat will the Neighbors THinK.

UmmMMM We have OnLY LivEd hErE for 17 YeArS.

I think they have seen it all from us.

 

Then I told her, I would blog it.

Her response,
"If you want to embarrass yourself that way!"

I love my FUN GIRL and HOCKEY PLAYER

 

One sweet ride!

This is Hockey Player's dream car.

Maybe in a different color.

But the car nonetheless.

 

 

McLaren

 

 

So imagine my joy when at the zoo, I turned around and saw this baby!

 

 

Oh yeah!! I can see my Hockey Player zooming down the hill in this baby!

He quickly pointed out the spelling was off.

But hey, it is not in yellow+! 

Check out those wheels.

 

What on earth? Better yet what on high seas?

 

It is Hockey Player still. 

So the plastic bag trick doesn't work too well in the shower.

He had to get another cast.

I begged. I pleaded.  I offered this kid $20 to get a hot pink cast.

To get out of his normal color palette.

Nope

I offered $40.

Still no.

I offered his choice of places for lunch.

Still no.

I offered $40 and lunch.

Still no. 

He is a man of principles and he sticks to them. 

For that I am very proud.

 

Considering he would only be stuck with it for a week, I am shocked.

His jeans are long and baggy. They cover it up. 

Glad he didn't take his mother's money though.

As for lunch, well it was food and he was happy.

He was really happy when I showed up to his piano lessons with pizza in the suburban.

It was an eat in the car kind of day!

And yes, minus one slice, he did all that damage. 

 

 

 

 

Bingo with Granny

After a long first week of school, we celebrated with a trip to visit 3G.

(Great Granny Grace)

Just in time to play BINGO.

My kids have yet to play BINGO.

But they caught on quick. 

We discussed no sound system was needed with THE MAN in the house.

After every number was called.
He echoed the caller quite enthusiastically. 

Adding a Hurrah or Pooh depending on if his card had the number.

Definitely a must do again. 

Maybe another motivator to get school done.
3G enjoyed their antics and THE MAN's laughter.

Still counting...... to 325

Counting the joy found in having an iPhone.  It has become one of my favorite tools.

311.  Start blog posts spontaneously and upload pictures that will wait to be narrated.
312.  Reference emails from children with shopping lists for science lists
313.   Reminiscing over pictures in brief quiet or not so quiet moments
314.   Note taking app that eliminates paper clutter
315.  Devotional app so I an do devotions at anytime. Especially convenient when my day starts off with my feet running. My phone is always near so I can get then done in those snatches of moments when I wished I had my bible with me.
316.  Facebook app. When I have forgotten where I am going and I can just look it up off the invite.
317.  Words with friends. Getting to have fun with friends and family and pursing those relationships.
318.  Texting and emailing. For all the above reasons. But also for coupon codes and money saving opportunities. :)
319.  YNAB and how it helps us to stay on budget.
320.  Note app, for keep memory verses handy.
321.  Game apps...great entertainment tool when you need to buy yourself a few quiet minutes.
322.  Clocks...timers, alarms and stopwatch.  Love them all.
323.  Calendars
324.  Phone and contacts.
325.  Music
An awesome tool that does all this and more and fits in my hand, pocket or purse. 
So much personal clutter has disappeared! !

Just for our friend Princess Brylee...more gaps all around

Just for you Miss Brylee over at The Cav 5

Little Princess lost yet another tooth.

Hopefully, you have discovered the joy of the Tooth Fairy.

Lessons learned at the YMCA

Tonight's conversation with The Man at the Y after swim lessons.
THE MAN:  The machine won't take my TEN ($10). 
MOM:   Because the machine doesn't take $10 bills.  Only ones. 
THE MAN:  That's inconvenient.  I didn't know that.
Then the machine worked.  That's convenient. 
Where does my Man come up with these things?  How did he ever learn to properly use the word convenient?

What else would you do with it????

Little Princess had this weird squishy ball of thing.  A ball with wiggly weird "hair". 

Then it went flat. 

This is what greeted me.

Weird Ball Child

He required a photo shoot to capture his full Weird Ball Child Essence!

Tickled me Silly!

I walked into the bathroom and saw this. 

The Toilet Paper Eyes peeking out of the basket.

So tickled I had to take a picture!

Fun Girl was horrified and convinced I was becoming like Grandma.

Yep, I told her, sure am and you will turn out just like me.

Love it ! ! !

The things I say as a mother.....

The Man was complaining again about showers.  It was a shower or facing discipline from Mom and then Dad the next day.  So he complied.  But complied all too quickly.  In and out of the shower in less than 5 minutes.
He exclaimed, "My hair is wet!" 
Hockey Player confirmed it.
I asked, "But did you use soap?" 
The Man. "NOOOOOoooooooo," he whined.  "I don't like soap.  It hurts my eyes."
Mom, "It doesn't hurt your eyes to use it on your body."
The Man, "I DON'T LIKE SOAP!"
Knowing how this is going to go down, I jumped on the first thought that came to mind.  I don't really want to encourage his precociousness but we are talking the need for soap here.  I have to choose between encouraging his flair for all things Manly and SOAP!  I chose Soap.
Mom, "But if you don't use soap, you won't get all the ladies. Ladies don't like a funky smelling Man.  You won't have all the ladies anymore." 
Silence
The Man, "Fine, I will use SOAP!"
Little while later, 
"Hi momma, smell my hair" 
Mom, "MMmmm smells good and manly."
"I used soap."
Good JOB!  Thank you.

Now to find the bathing incentive for his brother.....

Answers to What Beautiful Eyes You Have

A. Daddy's Buddy
B.  Little Princess
C. Fun Mom
D. Flutter Nutter
E. Hockey Player

What Beautiful Eyes You Have!

Do you know the names belonging to these eyes?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Soft Paws ~ Soft Claws

I have been researching alternatives for my dad and his cats.  Alternatives to declawing.  These are sooo stinking cute ! I sure hope my dad decides to give them a try.  I would love to have fancy cats pitter pattering through his house when I visit!


** the above link is my referral link**

Spring! ! I love Spring! !

I love Spring! I love new flowers blooming. I love flowering trees. The poking ups of green stems and leaves of new plants breaking through the ground. I love new baby green grass.
I don't love pollen and sneezing and snuffling. But I love the warmth of the sun and the cool breezes. I love the sounds of children playing outside.
It doesn't mean I don't love the other 3 seasons. There are things I love about all the seasons and what they represent. So I try to be content in the season I am in presently. Figuratively and literally. Life. It is what it is. Sometimes, life is hard. Sometimes, it is really hard. Othertimes, life is not so bad, pretty good actually. But always there is something beautiful and something to love about each moment. God can use all these moments for His glory and I choose to focus and stand on that rock and promise.

This has been a difficult winter. I know I have posted that. I have struggled with how much to blog and share. So I have been mostly silent through the past winter. Instead, clinging to the promises in God's Word. He has a plan for our lives. Plans for our good, not to harm us. He uses all things for His glory.
Winter has a cozy effect on me. I like to curl up and stay warm. But I need sunshine. So much so, that during the winter I have been known to rearrange the furniture so I can curl up and soak in the sunbeams shining through the windows. I love sunshine. I open all the blinds much to the annoyance of some family members. Gotta have that sunshine. It has been suggested that I might consider getting a light or two for my home. The kind of lights that simulate sunshine and help with seasonal depression related to the gray and gloomy days of winter. It is being considered. We have had a child diagnosed with a mood disorder and have struggled through the process of medications this winter. We are getting to know this child for the first time. Who this child is without the mood issues. We know all of our children are amazing and fearfully & wonderfully made.
But we missed the sensitivity a child is able to express. The hugs that young children give. We are working on finding a balance with medications and side effects. On the other hand, we are enjoying some of the side effects... Hugs! Laughter! Contentment! Joking! The little notes of love and tenderness children leave all over the home. In the midst of cleaning this weekend, I rediscovered the window markers. This is what I found this afternoon on the windows. Along with the changes of season outside, I like the energy that seems to explode in our beings with the coming of Spring. The extra energy that enables us to clean the gardens. The energy that allows children toplay for hours on end outside. The energy that seems to encourage creativity and playfulness. So of course, I couldn't let him have all the fun. I like to joke and tease. That means when you have an ultra cool tween age boy who can't be caught dead showing any affection to his mother in front of anyone. He even waits to give good night hugs to me, when noone was around. Oops the secret is out! hee, hee So I couldn't help myself, I had to announce my love to this other son of mine. I got a shake of the head and a grimace smile. Sometime later, there was a response written back. Not sure if one of the girls tried their own hand at teasing their brother. Maybe, he wrote it. He won't ever admit it though. But I will take what I get. I will enjoy the seasons for all the bring.

On the front door no less. Wondering when he will wash it off. Before his friends come over?

2 Moms 8 kids 1 Friday night No husbands

**Much to my amazement, I started this post 10 days ago. I was chastised by Fun Mom for not posting anything "in a long time!" So Ta~Da, it is finished and I am getting a little caught up**

So what do we do? Well we are a wild bunch.
We hang out together. Work on computer stuff and ebay. Kids play like maniacs until it is too dark to play outside. (The boys have been known to say, "I know, I know, Boys outside (with a big sigh)) Then they watch movies or cartoons. We have a whatever is leftover in the fridge/freezer dinner. (You know finish off the bags of chicken nuggets (5 of them, fish sticks (4 of them), corn dogs (4 of them), that kind of dinner.) Of course, we DRINK water! And we hang out till the kids are reduced to tears and need to go to bed.
Spring time is wonderful! !

\

From Daddy's Buddy to Big-O-Daddy-O

Another one of those spring moments.....

There's A Spring in Their Spring!

One of my favorite things in the early spring before the pollen count gets to high is to crack the patio door and listen to the kiddos play. I love to hear the laughter, giggles and plan making. Love to hear my kids play as best friends to one another.

1 secret + 6 hours + 1 Four year old =

One happy little boy!
So early on Monday morning (yesterday) Flutter Nutter was disappointed to not get a treat from QuikTrip when I did a Pepsi run. (Yep, I was tired, and juggling 5 kids on a beautiful spring morning with no reinforcements!) So while Hockey Player was buying, I told Flutter Nutter if he could keep a secret, I would tell him my suprise. If all went well that day, after swim lessons we would go to Happy Hour at Sonic. Believe it or not, the kiddo was MUM! He even reminded me several times to not tell. He was sooo excited to have a secret. He kept it in for 6 hours. When a four year old can do that, I happen to think something fabulous should be done for the darling 4 year old.... His smile says it all!