My people

Dear Adoring Fans,

I was on a roll there for while I know. It is Spring Break Week and I have had so much fun with the kids that it's sent me to the drink! Just Kidding! I am however so glad that the week has come to an end. We have had ALL 4 kids so I'm spending some time recovering and will be back very soon with funny stories, interesting facts, and adorable pictures. Now, back to that glass of wine!

Take Care and Keep Reading (it makes me feel like a SUPER star!)

Fire

Note to self.... do not call husband on his cell while he's at work to ask 'hypothetical' questions about stoves, flames, and burners when you own an electric.

There is a reason why your mother bought you an apron for Christmas that says 'He didn't marry you for your cooking'.

Remember this information. Call mother-in-law or mom next time.

Spring Break

I had this idea that this week of Spring Break would be spent with some of my favorite people and their little ones. Slight challenge is that their break was last week. The school districts really need to coordinate calendars! Don’t they know how much this interferes with my social life?!?!? At least Emma has the same week off!

We had a ballet this morning in the living room. Natalie made tickets for everyone. She directed, did costumes, music, and performed! Wow- what a kid! She was quickly loosing her audience of siblings and getting frustrated. What really sent her over the edge was when Grace started making this weird noise repeatedly. She leaned over to me and whispered that it was her cell phone. Grace then explained to the person on her finger cell phone that she was at a show and she’d call them back later. Too bad her sister didn’t find her as funny as I did! (Side note- Gracie gets the cell phone thing from her father and NOT me!)

Times I empty, load, and run the dishwater in a day 2 1/2

Times I hear “I’m hungry” in a day 100s

Times I say “When your brother makes that noise that means he doesn’t like what you are doing” 75 at least

Loads of laundry I’ve done today 2

Loads I have in the hamper to be washed 10 (gotta love potty training!)

Times I’ve seen Dora so far today 2

Times the kids are really wonderful to make this all worth it (so far today-it’s only 10 am) 6

'For One More Day'

I lead a double life. I am a book worm. If I had to be stranded on a deserted island, I would take a Borders bookstore. My perfect evening has a good book and a glass or two or three of wine in it. I have always been a reader. It’s the written word that seduces me. The written word and my husband- not usually together!

My mom-in-law recommended the book ‘for one more day’ by Mitch Albom. I had read ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ so I was familiar with the author. I had also seen the commercials for the movie that the book was made into. I put the book in my stack of books to read. I’m not sure why I avoided reading it for so long. I made every excuse. I had other authors to read, better books, I wasn’t interested in reading it, yada, yada, yada.

I finally gave in and read it. This is near the end.

“I also believe that parents, if they love you, will hold you up safely, above their swirling waters, and sometimes that means you’ll never know what they endured, and you may treat them unkindly, in a way you otherwise wouldn’t.

But there’s a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother’s story, because hers is where yours begins.”

I cried.

I recommend reading it.

My bracelet

Here is my "new" bracelet and my chunky little wrist!

My kids nicknames and why.....

Emma is Em. Nothing other than Em has stuck.

Natalie is Buggie Boo. Her dad gave her the nickname of Bug when she was brand new. He figured "Nats" (gnats) were bugs. It stuck and has different variations. Mine is Buggie Boo. Now that she is 7, Natalie gets very embarrassed by it. Too bad, kid!

Grace is Kiki. Kiki you ask! Up until her brother could talk, she was always Lou. My mom gave her Lou after the movie Miss Congeniality. Everyone in the family called her Lou then...... her brother started to try and say Gracie and it came out Kiki. There went Lou.

Cam is Bubba. He was always MY Bubba. I was the only one who called him Bubba. My baby boy. Then, again he started to talk and when you asked him his name, he said Bubba. Now at 3, he says his name is Bubba James D#@%# Cameron. He's actually James Cameron D#^%# Jr. Most of my friends' kids call him Bubba. I am raising a kid named Bubba!?!?!?

Where have you been?

My friend, Leah, did this cool thing on her blog with her purse so I was trying to tackle doing it. I got fed up trying to load A LOT of pictures and gave up- so that's where I've been.... oh that and it was my birthday weekend!
My birthday is my favorite holiday of the entire year. It's all about me and I get presents. Who couldn't love that?!?!
I got a wonderful gift from the hubby. And of course because I am, me- it has a story behind it! This past year at Tidesfest, I saw these beautiful bracelets that you can customize. I bought one for Jim's grandma. It had the initials of everyone in the family so 'we can always be with her'. She lives in Eastern Washington and we don't get to see her much. A month later, I bought another one for my sister with my niece's name on it. My sister cried- I won Christmas there! I finally got one! It has all my kids' childhood nicknames on it. I love it!

"Mean" Mommy

Every child is different. Everything from likes to dislikes to moods to learning. I have children with four very different personalities. Some similarities but even those are different :)

Each one of the kids wake up different. Emma, Grace, and Cameron all wake up very easily. Emma and Grace want breakfast. Cameron wants cuddles. After a few minutes, I’ve got wide eyed, ready for the day munchkins. Natalie on the other hand is more like me. Just a few more minutes turn into half an hour at least. Don’t bother me with breakfast until I am damn well good and ready! Give me a little while once I AM standing to open my eyes completely. This is why Natalie went to afternoon kindergarten and Grace will be going to morning!

Since Natalie started 1st grade, mornings have been a struggle. For awhile the kids, on their own, woke up between 5:30 and 6 am. 2 1/2 hours was perfect to get Miss Natalie up and moving, showered and dressed, breakfast and off to the bus stop. When the time change- Spring Forward- happened, it set the kids’ alarm clocks all off. They are getting up later and later which puts Natalie behind no matter how much I push and yell and bribe. She has missed the bus, been an hour late to school so many times, I’m ready to scream. Her dad and I have taken away things, put her in time out, tried to get her up earlier, and even smacked her on the tush once or twice.

I’ve told her that next time she misses the bus, she would have to walk. In reality, I couldn’t- busy roads and she’s my baby. I’ve told her that she would have to go to school in her jammies. I’ve never followed through----- UNTIL TODAY! Once she figured out that I was REALLY serious, I had to do some interesting moves to get her out the front door. She was even more mad when I locked it and walked away. I stuck with it. I drove her to school because I was doing some work there today. She refused to get out of the car. I took her backpack into her teacher and told her what was going on. Her teacher said that was great because they were reading a book about that same subject matter. I told her teacher "Great! Anything I can do to help!" I went back to the car and half carried her in to the school. Natalie crying and pleading with me to just take her home so she could change her pants. I set her outside her classroom door and told her that this was because of choices she made. I told her I loved her and pushed her into her classroom along with a staff member who shuffled her to the rest of the way in. I turned around and left.

I can’t believe I actually did it! I am so proud of myself I can hardly see straight! I wonder if Natalie will drag her feet tomorrow morning....... (insert diabolical laughter here)