Quiet....

Yesterday my kids and husband let me take a 5 hour nap!
To which, my dear, sweet friend replied with, "WHAT! ? ! Haven't you learned your lesson?"
The last time I took a nap, dog doo was tracked through the house and led to the marathon cleaning that left me so exhausted I drifted off to be unheard from for 5 hours.
I think the kids were just glad to have mom quiet and sleeping. It meant no more chores and scrubbing. They were also exhausted from the hours of outdoor play I had required of them while I cleaned.
But the last 24+ hours have been quiet. I am very grateful for that. They are even getting along with one another. A miracle in of itself. I love these moments. They are hard to interrupt. Its getting to be bed time, but I don't want to end this magical moment where my children are friends with one another and enjoying each other's company. I am free to listen to their sounds and reactions and also accomplish a thing or two in peace.

My Brain made me do it....

I haven't blogged much...
We got a dog.
We started school.
Big O Daddy O hurt his back (We learned yesterday he has a bulging disc in his lower back)
throw in 5 kids and the activity level of mine and there is not much left of this momma at the end of the day.
Nerves are shot. Sense of humor has become quiet concerning. I actually enjoy watching the dog get shocked from either his bark collar or the new electric fence meant to reinforce the command, "Stay".
I tore the back garden out so the fence people could lay the underground fencing/wire.
And Voila, set off a huge allergy flare. Eyes, nose, throat and skin....I am doing okay. Praying I won't need the steroids.
We celebrated one birthday and that post, well it will be coming before she turns 10. LOL. Getting ready to celebrate another.
Just learned hockey season will be starting up for us real quick. Tryouts start in a week. UGH, oooh, I meant YEAH !
Just to add a little more drama into explaining why I haven't been posting, the ghost "NOT ME" stepped in dog doo and tracked it all over the house. "NOT ME" also climbed onto one of the beds and wiped dog doo all over the mattress.
So off to the store to rent a carpet shampoo-er....
Just another month of craziness in my life...
However, I have not even started to explain the title of this post, so lets begin.
I am shampooing the carpet. Hockey Player is finally vaccuuming one of the rooms so I can shampoo it as well. Did I say finally... well the were kids asked, told, and told, and then mom blew. But it got done. Just as the vaccuum started there was a pop, the lights flashed and a slight blurble through the house. Then all was good. I didn't think anything of it.
That was until, Daddy's Buddy has anguish on his face and Big O Daddy O is asking what happened? Show me what happened? So I know something big has happened. I go immediately into denial, because I have plunged toilets this week, the dishwasher has broken, and the garbage disposal needs to be fixed as well...and did I mention BODO has a bulging disc that comes with a lot of back pain and he is pretty much useless in his role as Handy Man of the House right now. Because I am in denial, I keep shampooing. Because...I can do something about disgusting carpets.
Then the story comes tumbling out in BODO's hand lays a burned up, blackened contorted paper clip. 5 burned little fingers with blisters. Pointing at an outlet.... Tears...
"I won't do it again."
I dump the water. Pick up the phone and call the Nurse line. Nurse says, "Get him checked out at the hospital."
Off we go to the doctor's office, closer than the hospital and cheaper. Did I mention everything is falling apart and I just rented a shampoo-er. I am going to penny pinch if I can. He is not in life threatening distress yet. Have to explain he has been electrocuted, to my favorite nurse. The one I haven't seen in a year or so, she laughs and says, "I can see your life hasn't calmed down any." More phone calls. EKG? Protocols... I look at Daddy's Buddy and shake my head.
DB: "I don't think I am going to do that every day." (deadpanned, serious, straight faced. He's not joking."
ME: MY JAW DROPS, AND I LOOK AT HIM LIKE DUH, "HOW ABOUT NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, AGAIN!"
DB: looks at me like I have just crushed his feelings.
DB: I didn't want to do it.
ME: Where did you get the idea to do it?
DB: I didn't get the idea, my brain did. My brain told me to do it. If I didn't do it, my brain would blow up.
ME: Next time your brain tells you something, come tell me. I will talk to your brain.
DB: My brain can't be talked to.
ME: OH yes it can, I gave birth to that brain and I have super mom powers, I can talk to brains.
As we leave the doctor's office with 5 bandaids and a blown over stressed momma who needs some serious chocolate,
DB says, I think my brain got the idea from "Myth Busters"
ME: No more watching "Myth Busters!"

I love DB, I love his big head. Seriously, he has a big head. Doctor who delivered him even said so. I love his head. But his brain just might have to go.
And sooo, this is why my posts are far and few between these days. I need to go wind down some so I can sleep tonight and face yet another day tomorrow. Praying and Hoping BODO returns to normal health soon.

Hold that though for another 18 years, PLEASE !

So we are driving around, me and the kids. There is the normal chatter going on when Flutter Nutter announces, "Mom I think you are smart enough."
Really?
Glad to know it.
Then he says, "Mom, I think you are smarter than me."
Giggles from Fun Mom with her jaw dragging on the road along side us.

Of course these quotes are from the 4 year old and not the 14 year old. All I can say, is there were witnesses to such a bold statement. I have proof. Now, I pray he will only hold that thought for the next 18 years and continue to believe it.

Fashion 411

Mom: Flutter Nutter you aren't wearing swim trunks today.
FN: Don't worry mom, I have underwear on under them. So that means they aren't really swim trunks. They are shorts.
Mom: What kind of underwear? (thinking of the white mesh lining...)
FN: The 4T underwear. The white ones.
FN: See I don't need to change.
Mom: You still need to change. (FYI: He hasn't changed yet.)

Running...

Running is for some a true love. They can't wait to hit the pavement.
I love the image that my mind creates. I imagine myself running. Long strides, loving it, looking forward to the next run. Alas, it is just my imagination.
Running is hard and in the summer, it is HOT !
I don't like to "glow"....it isn't even a glow I get, it is full fledge soaking sweaty. YUCK !
But I do like running with Gus. I HAVE to keep up. He gets my momentum up, and I go so that means he gets he needs to be redirected or dragged if he starts to sniff. It also means the run/workout ends a lot faster than say walking or yoga or pilates. I can say 1 mile or 1.5 or 2 miles.... then I am done.
Done I say, and I have accomplished something in less time than it takes Fun Mom to shower. I walk a little taller. I gain a little more respect from my children, because their mom accomplished something they thought she couldn't. The stress is beaten out of my neck and shoulders for a few minutes.
I am so glad to have Gus.
He motivates me to get up and out.
He drags, oh I mean, challenges me to go faster than I normally would.
And, I sleep ever so good afterwards... gotta love those early morning naps after a run...or the hard fast sleep after a late night run.

Wrapping up Week Four...

So we have been back at school about a month now and it hits, the feelings of inadequacy. I don't know if we have made it further into this year than years past or if it is coming sooner than normal. But come it does. When life collides into the homeschooling/family schedule and routine. In years past, a new baby, a sick baby, a sick momma, an ailing grandma, a business trip that we jump in the car and tagalong, a toddler that so quickly grows into new abilities (the kind you can't ever take your eyes off and you feel like your job is clean up after a demolition ball), whatever it is, it happens. It feels like the schedule is thrown out the window. This time it is the hubby. What he did to his back, we have no idea. But he did it. I have been living like he is on a business trip now for 3 weeks. Coaxing myself along. Coaxing the children along. Routine has gone out the window this week cause Momma is tired. She sleeps through the alarms...believe me there are quite a few of them in the household. The noisiest being Flutter Nutter. She struggles to stay awake at 6:00 p.m. Pepsi is the kids' new friend. They ration it out to the Momma...too much makes a grumpy momma. Maybe that is what happened this morning/afternoon. I drank a whole one by 10 am.
The feelings of inadequacy take over along with the ifs. If the children would go to bed easier... if I hadn't overslept... if Flutter Nutter wasn't 4.... if you would only do what I said the first time.... Why can't I seem to conform these children into the perfect picture of homeschooling children? The kind who are awake early and cheerfully. The kind who sit quietly and still with ears and eyes open and mouths closed while the momma reads aloud. I have showed them the pictures. I have told them what I want them to do. I have the routine mapped out, charts, graphs, the whole nine yards. (Well not this year, so much...I kinda learned and gave up 99% of the whole chart/graph business). So why is it they are acting like normal children? Why is it they only have questions when the other 4 have questions or need me? It is like being a press conference and all the reporters are speaking at once asking their questions. Don't they realize mom ears really don't work that way? We HEAR things...but we don't make sense of cacophony. A friend once said being a mother is sometimes like being pecked to death by chickens. That sums up this week. Horrible picture isn't it. But just the incessant mom, mom,mom, no, mine, no this, that, leave me a lone..... moooooom, mom, MOM MOM MOM.
Children they are, chickens they aren't, that is a wonderful and beautiful thing. God humbles me and brings me to my knees, because I so want to model for them Jesus' love and grace.
Routines, shmutines, life happens.... He reminds me once again, my days are His days. Blessedly, my children are quick to forgive me when I lose it. They are quick to hug this momma who seems to not be able to hold it together when her routine is disrupted and she has forgotten WHO is in charge around here. My Heavenly Father reminds me plans are good, but He gets to reschedule them as He sees fit. He keeps me dependent on Him, less I get to full of myself, my routines and order. He afterall sees the BIG picture and knows the plans He has for us....

But I am ever so grateful He humored me for the first 3 weeks and let things go according to "plan". I do so like those harmonious, "perfect" homeschooling days. Off to go see what else needs to be conquered or restored after being destroyed and to hug my kiddos.

Exploration Place Fun

While Hockey Player and Little Princess were off at Church Camp, the other 3 kiddos and this Momma set to having our own fun.
Not knowing that Grossology was at Exploration Place, we headed to the museum for some fun in air conditioning. The boys were thrilled by shooting ping pong balls into a giant nose, climbing into a mouth and sliding down an esophagus. Fun Mom was, well, grossed out. The castle was fun as always.
Lots of stories to share with HP and LP when they returned and a second trip planned.