My Teenager Theory

I have this theory.  I have, even in a brief embarrassing moment for my daughter, spoke to another teenager about my theory at an athletic event in Oklahoma.  Amazing what conversations can be had in a hotel elevator.  He nodded his head and agreed I had a point.
What is this theory?
Take your teenager's age and subtract ten.  That is their true age.  You just thought when you made it through the 2s and 3s life was going to get better.  Think crazed psycho laughter coming from me. 
NOPE!!!
The joys of 5 children in 10 years.  When my first was thirteen the last was 3.  I saw first hand one day when they both CHOSE to have a tantrum within minutes of each other.  Now I must say my oldest and youngest have a lot of similarities in their personalities.  That was my aha moment.  5 years later it has been observed by this Momma to be true more than not!
Today my 14 year old gave me flash backs to his younger years.  Gave him a job, took a shower and came back and it wasn't done.  Deer in the head lights look.  You meant now??  (or rather then?)  Now he did apply some critical thinking but his critical thinking led him straight back to the same choices he made when he was 4.  Look charming and absent of his mind!  I watch my younger two closely... 8 and 10.  I. IN. FOR. IT!!!
Today the 8 year old is crying because I set a timer for a handful of problems to be done in 30 minutes.  He would rather do the soccer homework for his coach on You Tube.  Yeah, whatever.  While he cries, he announces..."My head hurts!"  "There is no way I can do this!"  and the clincher, "I Hate my life!!!"  To which the almost 18 year old giggles and says, "I hate mine too." 
The 8 year old asks, "Why, because you are short?" 
The almost 18 year old, "NO, because, I am almost 18 and have to pay bills and work!" 
The almost 18 year old at some point also rolled her eyes an sighed..."The drama!!"
Yeah exactly!
So all you moms of youngers....I am warning it, enjoy them as they are cause they are who they are and are and they only get older... the drama gets more dramatic, the tantrums only get bigger and cluelessness loses some of its charm. 
We won't even discuss the prayers I say regarding the 10 year old.... He has his own set of quirks...like books belong in the closet and clothes belong on the bookshelf.  Beds are not for sleeping in...
I DON"T EVEN TRY TO IMAGINE WHAT HE WILL THINK WHEN HE IS A TEENAGER!!!
At least, I get a good laugh now and then. 
Lest you think it is all bad, it isn't.  They reach a certain wonderfulness between 9 and 12...They are helpful and capable and sometimes want to learn new things around the house.  Then they regress....A LOT!.  While they may act like the youngest you once knew ten years ago, you can have more intelligent conversations with them...just not when they have relapsed 10 years for whatever hormonal or emotional reason at the moment.  Deep breathes.  LAUGH!! it helps, just not when they are in their moment...run hide in the closet and laugh like a crazy person!

A word well spoken

I love home schooling.  I love the mornings and listening to the various exchanges between my children as the day begins.  I never know what I will wake to, a hungry cat, a dog digging in the trash, a ball crashing through the house, the beep beep of a video game, or the serenades of my youngest favorite song of the morning.  Sometimes, I wake to find lots of school work being done.  However, I often wake up to some kind of ruckus, a skirmish of sorts filled with laughter or run and hide I have antagonized a sleepy bear like brother and he is going to get me kind of skirmish. 

This past week, I have been left pondering the exchange between two of my children.  Left in awe of the maturity and wisdom in the response of one child.  Pondering how do I respond and where did this child of mine learn a response such as this?  I am realizing my children are growing up and my role is changing.
You ask what did my child say?

As I was peeking out from the covers debating whether I wanted to leave their warmth, I hear pounding on a bathroom door.  "You have been in there 20-25 minutes, I need the shower."  I am prepared for bathroom drama.  Muffled noises, I can only imagine the response as I know the name of the child on the other side of the door.  And then the response, "The past doesn't matter (as when I showered last), I need to take a shower and I would appreciate you respecting that."  Not said with attitude.  Not said with sass or anger.  Said matter of fact and respectfully.

At that moment I was so proud of this child and relayed that information.  No arguing.  No hurt feelings.  Just to the point. 

Shortly after the door opened.  No bickering, drama, door slamming or hatefulness.  Just stepping aside and offering the respect and bathroom as requested.  A word well spoken, a soft word and where wrath could of reigned it was turned away.  Without knowing it, these 2 children have left their Momma pondering and reflecting on the choices they have made.  I am humbled by the maturity and growth they are both demonstrating.  As I remember the impatience and frustration I often exhibit, I am grateful to see they don't always follow their Momma's example. 

Early Easter Fun!

Being slowed down has sometimes left me feeling like "less" than a mom.  I rest a lot and haven't been able to do all the mom things I used to do.  However, there are moments that are truly "INSPIRED" by God.  Like the Thursday before Easter.  Feeling like I kind of have let the kids down and not feeling too holiday like, I came upon some magazines that were sitting around waiting to be read.  INSPIRED.  Headed home with The Man and announced we were going to blow eggs.  He knew what I was talking about.  He was interested and excited to give it a try.

 

He was Awesome at the task!

 

He finished 2 eggs before I had one half way done. 
He had my half way egg done about the time I got part way into a new one and broke the shell blowing!

3 for my 1 broken. 

He has discovered a new talent.

 

Then the rest of the kids arrived home and
wanted to give it a try.....

 

Fun Girl had great success and did a couple.

Fun Girl worked hard like I did.
She succeeded in her mother's footsteps and blew so hard
she broke her egg too.
She tried another egg and succumbed to the lack of oxygen.

 

 

Hockey Player felt the need to share
his fashion skills with hair accessories
and his sense of humor.



 

And then he decided to prove he was as full of hot air as The Man.

 

Honestly, I don't know what happened to a picture of Dad's Bud. 

 

We ended up with enough eggs to make "Breakfast" burritos for lunch

and

enough eggs for each of the kids to dye a couple of eggs each the next day.

Laundry woes!

A couple of weeks ago I had to stop using my essential oils...another story in of itself. They were helping. I was speaking and starting to function more normal. Then it was time for my neurological testing and they wanted a base line of me not on the oils. So half the testing was done, and the snow arrived. The second half of testing was canceled and my washing machine died. We do a lot of laundry but for some reason snow play generates more laundry.

Maybe it is because The Man feels it is necessary to wear 5 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of pants to go play outside.
Maybe it is because the kids come in after an hour, strip down and change clothes so they can warm up...just to repeat the process before the first set of clothes have dried.



It is after all snow. Slightly frozen water. Dry them and wear them again..,, unless of course they are left on the floor to be trumped on by dirty shoes and dog paws.".



So on a good day, when I was feeling productive, I stopped in at the library to read the consumer report recommendations for washing machines and dryers. I took pictures of the charts and paragraphs I wanted to read to hubby with my I Phone and headed home to do further research.

Disgusted, I am with the current state of washing machine business.

I am to only expect a washing machine to last 5-10 years. 6-8 years is most realistic.

The repair guy who diagnosed our current washer informed us that retailers are price fixing machines forcing manufacturers to cut corners and quality.

I wish I had invested the money in our first Maytag to have it repaired. It was a sturdy solid machine. But I was lured away with the promise of a bigger tub, more efficient spinning. Our latest machine is just under 8 years old. Its first demise was less than two years ago and under extended warranty. The motor died. This time the motor died and I did not catch things in time and water got into the electronics and fried them.

Why on earth do the manufacturers think electronics and water go together?
Why create something that when the motor dies during the spin cycle it send water into the control panel?

Stupid. I know I used the S-word.  But really???!!!??? !!!

I have read all sort of reviews...electronics problems....mold and mildew....have to clean the washing machine on a regular basis.... Wash the washing machine? Really? Like I don't have enough to do already?

So we bought this beauty.  She arrives tomorrow!

I helped my dad pick her out a couple of years ago.
No electronics.
Easy to load and empty.
I have used it through both times my washer has died. No issues. And best part, doesn't cost $1000.
No frills.
The only thing I don't know is longevity.
But the whole process of washing clothes is simplified for my kids in training.
By the weekend the laundry should be whipped back into shape....maybe!

Way to Go Aunt Tracy and Uncle Charlie!

See this smile.

You put it on Dad's Bud face!

 

 

Paint with Water by Melissa and Doug

 

This is the coolest thing ever.

Water Color pages with paint included on the page.

This isn't the dip your water in brush and paint with water and watch the color appear.

Each individual page has a water color strip to use. 

Trim off the top of the page.

Cup of water with the paint brush included.

Paint away.

So perfect here in the hospital.

No mixing the paint colors and ruining the box.  When done, toss the strip.

I can see myself getting more for:

 athletic trips to keep the youngers occuppied while they wait

gifts for younger cousins

and just to have at home,

cause I so don't like cleaning up the water color boxes!

 

 

 

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Suprises, a double take and a double dose in learning about Compassion

We spent the day in the car again. 
A Thursday kind of day.
A late start in the morning, Awana the night before and it takes everyone a while to wind down and share their stories of the night.
Piano lessons and back and forth from home, because not everyone has to go.
In the back and forths, running Fun Girl to work.
Back home for a quick lunch.
Then to Bal-A-Vis-X.
Then to the grocery store to get the latest ad.
My day stops here.
I am lost in my own world as I sit in the car and wait for Hockey Player to run in, grab the ad and come back to me, stopped at the curb.  He comes to the door and says, someone fell. 
I quickly recall the vague thud I heard and start looking around.
A deep intake of my breath.
A "grandpa" is down  in the parking lot and 2 ladies were helping him.
I quickly put my hazard lights on, put the burb in park and tell the kids to stay.
I see the ladies are talking to him and I run inside to tell Customer Service someone has fallen.  They quickly send the managers out.
He is a little disoriented. His face is banged up and he is bleeding quite a bit from his scrapes.
He misjudged the curb/ground and face planted.
My heart was in my throat.
He just wanted to get in his car and drive home to the next block over where he lives in Assisted/Independent Living facility.
But he is so disoriented. 
Rides are offered. A chair is offered. Paper towels.  Someone got ice.
I ask him the name of where he lives.
Blessedness that it is, I am very familiar with his residence. I have family there. I quickly call.  They send over their Director of Nursing and instruct us to call an ambulance. 
The managers do that. 
I see he is being well cared for and try to gracefully exit.
I stop at the care facility to give them a first hand account for when he returns later on...as disoriented as he is he might not be able to tell them much.  Plus to let them know he has 2 bags of refrigerated items. 
All the while grateful he is well cared for and being watched out for. 
As I return my car, I hear one of children ask why I had to get out of the car and  help?
My eye brows shot up.
Because it was the right thing to do I am thinking.
I try to say because he needed help. 
But this kiddo, is grumpy.  Wanted to be at home.  So did I.  Just didn't get it.  Which for this kiddo when this stage of self centeredness has started it is really hard to refocus. 
I ask my children if they knew the story of the Good Samaritan. 
I was shocked when my younger two said no.
NO???
I gasped and did a double take. 
My brain went into over drive. How could that be? 
We read Bible stories.  We talk Bible stuff.  We memorize verses. We go to church.  They watch Bible videos.  How? But....?
I stop the bumbling around in my brain.
I share the story as I drive. 
I ask who was a good neighbor?  why? 
Now they all have heard the story and know.
But now, it is quiet and I can think.
It is just like I share at times with friends and my oldest. Just like I had shared that morning with a friend.  God doesn't always take us down the same path as the person next to us.  He has different lessons for us at different times. We don't learn his ways over night.  Sometimes there are even some slips and falls along the way, just like when a baby learns to walk and become a toddler.  Yes, my oldest were schooled in the story of the Good Samaritan.  Now so were my youngers.  My youngers on the other hand have been learning lessons that my olders are learning just now. 
Different people, different paths, different learning curves and lessons plans created by the Master Educator.  Patience and understanding and compassion for one another, for we don't know where the Lord has taken them, is taking them or will be taking them. 

When dad is home

When dad has the day off...he mows the yard.

He then interrupts school lessons to call the children outside.

Why!!!???!!!

Because he is an Awesome Homeschool Dad

and he wants to share his discovery.

The children were duly impressed.

 

 

Pumpkin Patch at home

My children!

Each one is unique.

Each one has their mother's heart.

Each demostrate their individuality in all they do

even when picking their pumpkins. 

Naming is courtesy of my girls!

Left to Right

The Mutant,  The Character, The Alien, Cinderella

HOckey Player,       Fun Girl,       The Man,     Little Princess

 

Boo

Dad's Bud

From the Mouth of Dad's Bud

Mom, will you be ALIVE when I move out? 
Me: I sure hope so.
(WHAT !?!?! where did that come from?)
Cause, I am wondering if you would want to come to my house to swim.  So you wouldn't have to pay for the Y.  And if you aren't able to get in the pool (cause I am so old and decrepitate) you could sit in my hot tub. 
Isn't he considerate? 

But he doesn't stop there...

Mom do you want me to have grand kids?  Or do you want to have grand kids?
Sometimes I wonder where these ideas of his come from.......

Quoteables courtesy of THE MAN

Riding in the car I hear lots of chattering of course but I hear "MOM, THE Man is using his middle finger...HELP! "
Good Golly, 
MAN!  You can't use your middle finger to point.  It offends people.  Some people would be so offended they would beat you up.  NOT GOOD!  STOP!
THe Man: okay
Sigh, and I continue to drive and there is more indistinct chattering.  Not sure that it is indistinct or if I am trying to go into "my world," but I picked up this blurb that made me wrinkle forehead and ask myself, "What?"
From the backseat...
The Man: You can go to Heaven or Satan's world.
There is some more chatter.  I am chuckling to myself over his way of saying hell.
Then I hear
The Man: It's a bad word and I have to come up with a way to describe it.  (Satan's world)
About this time Fun Girl gets involved and asks, "What letter does it start with?"
The Man:  an F
I am thinking, "Man I have failed!  He doesn't know the letter sound at the beginning of hell."
Fun Girl asks: Does that word have 3 or 4 letters?  She is remembering this conversation.
The Man: 4
Laughter... full on laughter...side splitting laughter.  I didn't clarify anything.  Because it could have been anything.  But Fun Girl is old enough, she knew this could go anywhere and she lost all control of herself and laughed herself silly. 
Which led to her telling me she retold this story to the lifeguards at work.  How they laughed!  Big mistake cause The Man overheard.  Up to this point only letters and numbers had been spoken.  NO words.  He had to ask about THAT word again.  To which then Dad's Bud flips out and can't believe he said the word. 

Find It Games

My kids are in love with this game.  I recently bought it for my Granny.  She is wheelchair bound after falling and breaking her hip.  Her memory is fading.  Yet she likes to look at things.  After reading several reviews on various websites regarding memory loss I figured we would give it a try. Unfortunately, we are battling illnesses and have yet to deliver it to her.  But my kids have tested it out to see if it was the bees knees or not. They gave it two thumbs up.  I am thinking for trips in the car, times when we are visiting Granny and the adults are doing more visiting than children this will be a good distraction!  We just might find one or more of these in the mail or under the Christmas tree.



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Back to School Haircuts

Always on the look out for a deal, I couldn't pass up JCPenny's free hair cuts for back to school.

It involved rescheduling since we were sick during the week of our

original appointments.

Much to our delight, there were appointments still available.

Trip across town and we made an afternoon of it at the mall.

The Man hammed it up for the camera, as you can tell from the numerous pictures

I have of him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really? ? People? ?

I love remembering back to this post.  I always wondered why no-one showed up at my door to  help around the house....  It is cause I never finished posting!  So the offer still stands people. :)


Thanks Tina!
For the heads up! Indeed, my blog was hacked again. I have deleted the offending blog posts. Are the people out there so bored they can only find entertainment in loading gobbly gook on my blog. I can think of so many other entertaining things to do.
Naps
Eating turkey.
Chasing my children off to bed and watching a movie with hubby.
Playing scrabble.
Curling up with a good book.
Then there is the practical..which by the way you blog hackers, if you really have that much time on your hands, I would love for you to put your hands to good use and consider using your time to:
sweep and mop my floors
scrub my tubs
clean my little boys' room
scoop dog poo out of the backyard
wash cabinets
finish the basement ceiling
finish the bathroom
lay carpet throughout the house
repair the ceiling in our living room
I am sure one of the children would be more than willing to clog up the toilet to the point it needs to be pulled and cleaned out. That is a fun job!
When that is all done, I have 2 or 3 kiddos who would love to read books to you or have you read to them.
Not to mention all the many charity organizations out there that could use a few extra hands this winter!

Exceptional........ and so much more............

We are spending a significant amount of evening time at the Y these days. 
I am not getting any workouts completed.  I often spend the time getting caught up on computer work, emails, or reading.  That is if my presence is not needed for supervising and spotting my children. 
Only one night is there swim lessons, the one time the children are being actively supervised and kept safe by a trained individual. .
And I really should walk during that time....but the last few weeks, I have secured that time to get some time pressing projects done, so bed time would not be delayed.

The other nights my presence is required.  The Man likes to rock wall climb.  Since he is the youngest and not "of age,"  I have to sit down by the wall while he climbs.  So I curl up, do a puzzle, read, shout some encouragement, watch and cheer.  I might even zone out a bit during this time.  I might even come back down to earth to listen to the chatter or excited youngsters who have climbed the next hardest or hardest section!

Tonight, I met Mr. Ben.  He was excited and impressed. 

He introduced himself and asked me if I had some time.  Yep, we'll be here for another 45 minutes. 
He was thrilled.  I am looking at him thinking, "OOooookAY?? What's up?" (Meanwhile, I am pulling The Man off the wall cause I am too distracted to spot him.  And I have been asked by one of the belayers to spot him.)

He explains, my 3 kiddos (The Man, Princess and Hockey Player) (by the way, Dad's Bud is at Cub Scouts) are EXCEPTIONAL climbers. 
(DUH!! They climb everything, appliances, walls, doorframes, trees, rock walls, boulders, buildings, the gym wall at church)

He tells me again, "They are exceptional climbers."  (Again, telling me this as I pull The Man off the wall yet again!)

Oh boy, I am in for it now. 

"They naturally know how to climb." (Pulling The Man off the wall again ~ Really, he naturally knows how to climb and can't help himself!)

Yep, I know that.  The Man fell 8 feet last year and broke an arm.  The Man was climbing the front of my refrigerator when he was 2.  If I can't find my children when I look out the door, I look in the trees.  I have had to ask them (threaten them) to not climb my door frames or walls unless they were willing to clean them. 

Mr. Ben, "Can I work with them? Teach them some things?"
He teaches classes and he could give them drills and instructions and things to work on.  They can learn in 30 minutes in what he usually teaches over a course of 4 weeks. 

OOooooKAaaay.
I am thinking, great what are they going to climb at home now?  AND GREAT! I don't have to pay for classes!

Then it comes.  Footwear.  If they have the right kind of footwear they would do AMAZING things when they climbed.  Oh boy.  Here it comes, they are listening.  Their eyes are sparkling.  Their ears are perked and they are listening and hanging onto every word Mr. Ben has to say!

And I listen to.  I ask questions. 

And now, I am researching climbing shoes.  Would you know, I can find very little down to earth suggestions and options and ideas from experienced moms in this area! ! ? ? ! !  
Frustrating. 
I have looked at the climbing shoes!  ! YowZer!!!  They want as much for a pair of STRICTLY Climbing ONLY shoes as I pay for a pay of my athletic/tennis shoes!!! 

These kids have growing feet. 

So I have been on Ebay.  It is not much better there! ! ! 

Where are all the children that climb!  Where are their mothers and shoes and advice????

For the first time ever, Princess is interested.  She heard there was a climbing team.  Her eyes got all sparkly, her head whipped so fast around, I thought it was spinning on an axis.  She is excited.  She is all interested, like crocheting and knitting interested.  I watched her work with Mr. Ben and saw her body splayed out across the rock wall.  Legs stretched as far apart across the side of the wall, fingers poked into little holes and she suspended in the air there, clinging to this rock.  Satisfaction, confidence and delight written over her contenance.  Strength!

A little while later, I hear Hockey Player ask if she wants to practice with him what they have learned.  Off they go.  The Man not far behind.  He doesn't see it as practice.  It is just play.  He climbs and climbs. NO fear, no second thoughts, he just goes. 

I am thinking....shoes.
Praying, please no injuries, no broken bones, no falls. 
Pleading Lord, please limit their interest to the indoors.  Please shield this Momma from thrill seeking outdoor rock climbers.  Please no ERs.

Oh NO!  We have a trip planned to Colorado Springs.  We are going to the Garden of the Gods.  Visions from my youth of climbers on the rocks in the Garden of the Gods flash through my mind.  Help me, my trip is going to involve tethering children to the ground. 

Deep breath, exhale, another deep breath, exhale. 

Wait and Pray. 

Borrow the Y shoes for now. 

Exceptional....

For my children are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Knitted together by the Creator, by the One who has a Plan and Purpose for each of them.  Each one is unique and different and set apart from the others.  All from the same parents.  All from the same Creator and yet so vastly and uniquely different.  Exceptional not only in the eyes of those who love them, but Exceptional in the eyes of the One who Created them for His Plan and His Purpose. 
Lord give me wisdom, strength and ENERGY as I parent them for you.  Reveal to them this Plan and Purpose You have created them for.  Help me to stay out of the way, to support You Lord in Your Plans and Purposes for each of them and to enjoy each day as they discover who You have created them to be. 
Continue to bless me with a sense of humor and the ability to laugh.
Amen.

YMCA ~ Young Mighty Children Actitivites

Fun Girl has started swim team!  She is loving it. 

I am so happy for her.  And it is such good exercise for her. 

After a bad experience about 4 years ago, she wanted nothing to do with swim team. 

This year, she changed her mind. 

Her siblings are loving it.  Now that hockey is over, we were spending our evenings at home.  Now we are spending our evenings at the Y.  At least 3 nights a week. 

This translates into Rock Wall Climbing, Foos ball, Pool, Swimming, Ping Pong and Video games.  Sometimes, they head out to the playground.  One night a week, Dad's Bud and The Man are in swim lessons.

The only problem with all this physical exercise is they still don't get tired and they are eating more!!

So on these nights.... I look for a head that looks like this.....

Then I look for faces with smiles like these....

Then I look for faces or bodies in positions like these............

either way up high in the sky!  !

or way down low, looking up and anticipating the next climb..

Piano Lessons.......

He's not taking piano lessons yet.  Waiting can be a drag.  Thankfully springtime is upon us and it is warm.  This past week it was dry.  Can't say that about this week.  But there was no mud to make mom cringe.  There was much to be discovered.  Some pretty ladies......

A tire swing to conquer

....and the Secret Garden to Explore

Ms. Jane's is a favorite place to hang out.