Is There Any Other Way?

If you are like us this time of year we are generally busy.  However, for those of us who have extra holidays smashed into the holiday season all I can say is may you have better luck than I in trying to not be busier than possible.  We not only have the holidays starting in October with Halloween (something that didn't happen until recently), but we have two birthdays--one in December and one in January--and an anniversary thrown into the mix.  Whoo Hoo!  Bring on the Mayham!  We certainly have some going on here.  We have been running like crazy people since Halloween.  I guess I wouldn't have it any other way, but man sometimes a girl just needs a breath of fresh air before barreling onto a new something.  Well, I have finally figured out my camera and how to get them onto the computer so just for the heck of it, enjoy some pictures of the cutest children on the planet.

The three "big kids"

The munchkin

At the apple orchard earlier in the year.  Finally all four in one place!

Welcome to Thanksgiving

Who would have thought that when I went to bed and woke up one morning it would be NOVEMBER.  So begins the endurance race of the holiday season.  So far I have already had crankiness creeping over the ranks and snow is predicted for tonight.  Oh the joys! 

Now, I know it is a little late to tell all of you, but the first of November came and the children were treated with a lecture <that's right, part of being a mother from my family I guess>.  

Halloween is now over.  You may continue to gorge yourselves 

on the candy you worked so hard collecting, but today starts a 

new month.  November is here and with it comes Thanksgiving.  

What does that word mean?  Thanks---giving.  That's right kids; we 

give thanks this month.  If you aren't being thankful for something, then 

you don't need to say it.  Just so all of you know, Mom and Dad are 

done shopping for your Christmas.  If you find something you want on 

your lists, I will be happy to write it down and send it to your grandmas. 

We want to hear: "I am thankful for my food, clothes, school friends, 

family."  We don't want to hear: "I want, I need, Can I please have..."

So far, we have only had one problem with the greedy gimmies and that was this morning.  One whole week and a half of peace!  I am putting that in with the wins.  

Now I try not to be one of the moms that says one thing and does another, so I am thankful.  I am thankful for my family and all four of my spunky children, and yes all the noise they make as well. I am thankful for my mother who taught me how to love and my dad who taught me what a man is.  My heart pours over with gratitude for my husband for loving me and teaching me just how deep that love is.  Here's to the great month of Thanksgiving!

Dinner Time Woes

I am lucky enough to have four fantastic eaters.  My Italian friend told me that in her country we would be welcome at any table because my kids eat and enjoy whatever is put in front of them with obvious relish.  So when they haven't eaten regularly for a week, I know something is up.  If you have been keeping up on the blog, you know that we are fighting (and kind of loosing the battle) with various illnesses.  At first I didn't think anything of it; no one likes to eat when they are sick.  However, when they eat three chocolate chip cookies and then tell me they cannot eat any dinner because they don't feel good I raise my eyebrows.  That was last night.....
Today at lunch I gave them exactly what they asked for last night for dinner.  Toast.  I made our boy (the only one who ate the BBQ chicken pizza without complaint) whatever he wanted--macaroni and cheese.  Needless to say fits started all over the dining room.  Fists were thrown in the air and slammed down on legs in "can you see I am mad at you?" style.  Finally, when their toast was eaten and they asked for the macaroni and cheese, they got a "Are you really sure you want that?  I don't want you to feel sick."  After protests of innocence each girl fessed up.  Both were just fine last night and just didn't want dinner and promised to eat whatever was set before them for dinner tonight in exchange for the cherished macaroni and cheese.  They were each given macaroni and cheese--and a cookie.  We shall see if they hold up to their claims of health come dinner time.

Up All Night

I don't know about you, but when I have to get up at 5 AM every morning (that's right, my kids are early risers) I need to go to bed by 10 PM.  No late news for me, and we tivo Craig Ferguson.  So imagine my surprise being woken up at 11:30 PM by my bed shaking like a San Fransico earthquake.  My husband's coughs have no break, poor man, until 1 AM.  At 2 AM my six-year-old comes down stairs, "Mom, my stomach hurts." So we go upstairs to take a look.  The whole upstairs is lit up like a Christmas tree because my four-year-old has thrown up in bed.  Send the six-year-old to bed, clean up the four-year-old and run to the store for emergency gatorade.  Set the four-year-old up and six-year-old comes out with two-year-old in hand.  He is coughing so hard his "tummy hurts."  Send six-year-old back to bed; rock two-year-old and put him back to bed.  Tell six-year-old to eat a couple of crackers because goodness knows that I am too hungry to sleep and tell her to go back to sleep.  Check on the four-year-old, she is sleeping--it is 3:15 AM.  Lay down and hear ten-month-old coughing in her sleep.  Sigh and close my eyes.  3:45 AM six-year-old, "Mom, I threw up."  Clean bathroom, change pajamas, and wait for it to come again.  Start reading (by the way, I have a cold and have lost my voice) a chapter out of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle <amazing book for kids about first-fourth grade>.  Set up a bed on the floor for six-year-old and put her to bed; it is 4:30 AM.  Lay down, close my eyes, alarm goes off at 5 AM.  Get up, take shower, check on everyone.......
Ask Husband to Stay Home and I Take a Nap.

My Superhero

Lately my son has been crazy over superheros in all their characters.  We see Spiderman on backpacks while dropping off the first grader.  We tie on the Superman cape as he goes zooming through the house rescuing the damsels (all three sisters) in distress.  And I have been his favorite "bad guy" to karate chop.
Last night my knight in shinning armor (that's right Daddy made him an oak sword out of scraps from the workshop), came down in his big sister's pink tutu.  "Look Daddy.  Skirt," and laughed his head off.  My husband kept a straight face and asked him what color it is, "Piiiink."
"Do boys or girls wear pink?"
"Girls."
"Go take it off and put it away please, son."
And as bright as can be, "OK."
I couldn't hold back the giggles as my super-manly, pink-skirted boy toddled back upstairs to play tools with his reluctant sisters.

Zoo Times

There isn't much to do on a lazy fall afternoon.  I should be doing my laundry (my kids think the laundry fairy does it, but it is her day off today), but I decided to enjoy the warm sunshine while it lasts.  Yesterday, we went to the zoo with about a million other families to celebrate Columbus Day.  We watched my two-year-old son watch the tiger pace his rocks waiting for his dinner.  We listened to my four-year-old daughter squeal with delight when the giraffe spread his legs so wide to nibble on the grass instead of eating the leaves.  Our ten-month-old was delighted she could stand toe to glass with sting rays as they glided by her.  The queen six-year-old has been searching all season for a peacock (they roam freely) and FINALLY found two females this trip (thank goodness).  Monkeys and bears, zebras and snakes.  PHEW!  I am bushed thinking all about it again.

Should Have Known That

Yesterday I should've had an old Batman/Robin soundtrack playing in the background.  My knee went "Bam!" and "Pop!"
So naturally I needed ice later in the day.  Who would have thought a frozen bag of corn would be my ten-month-old's favorite toy for the day?  She went "Wack" and "Ding" for about half an hour while I waited for the homemade pizza to finish baking.  I wonder if she is teething becasue her favorite thing was to "GRRRR" while biting it to bits.