Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Safe and Sound

We are back in Texas safe and sound! We got in this morning at 1:30am - 16 hours in the car! Now the unpacking, organizing and unlimited fun of cleaning happens! hee hee
Happy New Year to everyone!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Happily Waiting for Christmas in cold MO

We are safe and sound, warm and toasty sitting in Bonnie & John's house. We all made it fine. We had a lot of excitement in the days before our trip so we are happily relaxing and taking it easy.
1.) A came down with a fever the afternoon we were supposed to leave for MO - 103.1 fever! I freaked took her to the doctor who couldn't find anything wrong so she wanted to rule out any kind of infection (bladder or UT), since her fever shot up so high and so fast - that meant 19 month old torture i.e. a catheter and blood work. Thankfully they didn't find anything, sadly it would have been nice to hear, "sorry it's just a childhood virus that we can't do anything about" BEFORE we held her down twice! It was sad, but comforting to know that we weren't leaving town with a child that needed medical attention.
2.) A continued to feel crummy, upset stomach, no appetite, tired - but no fever.
3.) A and I went to my Mom & Dad's house in MO where I spent a day and a half with them - that was fun and we got lots of work done.
4.) Jason brought the rest of the kids on to his folks house. They went ice skating, saw a light show and relaxed. When Z was done ice skating he said, "I want my feet back." hee hee
5.) Finally on the way to MO we had a fun conversation about Santa Claus - we've decided that he must have lots of helpers and we think we know who a few of them are (do you know any?):

France - Jean Claus
Mexico - Charro Claus
Australia - Didgeridoo Claus
Canada - Gretzky Claus Eh
Denmark - Sven Claus

Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Ouchy and Book Time

Here's a couple of pictures to tide you over until we return from MO.

A's stitches - we are supposed to change the bandage at least every 24 hours.


Last night I sat down to read to Z and all my little book lovers joined me. Jason snapped some cute shots.


Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Stay in bed!

Today is one of those days that you should stay in bed, you should make your entire family stay in bed - yea right good luck with that!
It started as just about any day with Jason's Clan, the morning went something like this,
K put your shoes on, K brush your hair, yes B I know you want to get to school early, K put your shoes on - no more watching TV (yea I know the TV should be off!). Z & A stay here with Daddy so I can just go drop the big kids off - WAAA!!! Ugh!

The day proceeded like most days with Jason's Clan:
the babies and I went to work at childcare, we had lunch we put A down for a nap, we had a meeting for The Journey, the big kids came home, I got dinner ready and I began to go to another meeting for church.

WHAM! That's when it happened - those of you with weak stomachs turn back NOW!

K, Z, A and I were heading to the car to take them to my friend Heather's house so that I could go to my staff meeting with Pastor Kyle. We got out to the car and I watched (in slow motion) my 18 month old take a header into the van door! As most Mom's out there know, my reaction to these "minor" bumps and bruises will play a major role in A's response so I grabbed her up real quick to hug her and say, "boom - shake it off, all better!" I think I may have gotten the boom out when I saw the gash on her forehead and I cupped my hands on her forehead and ran back to the house! Apply pressure, stop the bleeding, check the size of the wound, oh heavens how do I know what size goes to the hospital and what size is just a boo boo?! B tried to help, asking what he could do, how he could help - K stayed out of the way and watched Z! Thank God for those wonderful big kids - B even washed the blood off the back porch window! A - not so cooperative! She ripped three bandages off her head, we dumped an entire box of band aids on the bathroom floor and generally disagreed with each other as to how to proceed. I finally gave in to her argument - ran back to the van where I drove speedy-quick to Heather's to get her opinion (I had decided that my brain was no longer functioning up to capacity!). She took one look at A and said - yes ER! She took Z&K, my friend Belle came and got B and off A and I went (I actually had to put the car in reverse and ask where to go - hospital - huh - where?!).
A looked tired on the way there - it was just a long drive, no concussion!
We got to the ER and she was happy, messy but happy. They took vitals - she didn't like that, they put some numbing agent on her wound - she really didn't like that. They told me to keep that bandage on for 20-25 minutes so I asked if I could get her a snack - no problem. We got some little vanilla sandwich cookies - ate and played - she's such a sweet, happy girl even with a big gash in her forehead! They came in to explain that they would be putting her in a papoose to do the stitches - basically restraining her. I understood but warned them that when she gets really upset her gag reflex kicks in and she could/would throw up (duh - cookies!). Sure enough they got her bundled up I tried to calm her but to no avail. I decided she's like a skunk - tick her off and she's going to do something nasty! They ended up having to put her on her side so that if she threw up she wouldn't aspirate and the doctor was able to put three stitches in her forehead. Poor Baby A! It was horrible - I have been a mother for over 10 years and this was a first - hopefully a last too! When they were all done she didn't want anything to do with them, I had to sign the discharge papers with an outstretched arm because if they got to close she'd pucker that bottom lip and start to wail again - VERY sad.

Time for bed - where I should have stayed!

Monday, December 15, 2008

To sit or not to sit...


I think - NO!

Flashback....

What a difference a year makes.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Miss me?

Dear Friends I haven't left you! My husband has grounded me from my computer. He's busily installing Linux on our (the kids and my) computer - why you may ask would a man of his intelligence install a program on our computer that we don't understand, we don't use and we don't really need? Good question, next time you see him away from our computer will you ask him and keep him busy for awhile?
Until then I'm currently using his work computer to post this blog - in other words no pictures.
We will be leaving on Friday evening to go back to MO - our family awaits us there and we can't wait to see them all.
I'm busily trying to get the Christmas Eve children's performance prepared so that it will go off without a hitch even though I won't be anywhere in the vicinity.
I've been working a lot of hours at the Baptist church doing childcare, cleaning house, doing laundry and preparing to begin substitute teaching in the spring.
I have some really great pictures to share too - A was not a Santa fan this year, neither was Z. Poor A was traumatized, Z was spared. B&K got some really incredible new bikes for Christmas from G'ma Judy & G'pa Harold - so I have some pictures of them trying those out with Uncle Scott.
So stay tuned - pictures to follow when I have a spare minute!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Outtakes

Today my dear friend, Rachael, let us intrude on her house in our jammies - now that's a true friend!!
As I began creating the annual calendar for the grandparents I realized that I was severely lacking a group of 6, so Rachael used her wonderful talent and helped us out. Here's some outtakes of the action - enjoy, these are funny!!

Friday, December 5, 2008

Z funny

I bought a cool mist humidifier for the babies bedroom yesterday. BK & Z were completely enthralled with this new addition - weird within itself! The funny was last night when we put Z to bed he said, "Mommy can I turn on the generator?" Ha ha!

Seriously?!

This morning I had one of those moments when I ask myself, is this REALLY what I signed up for? Here's how it happened.

Me: (lazily taking my shower)
Z: (walking in the bathroom): Mommy can I have blah, blah, blah (i.e. I have no idea what he said).
Me: Go ask your Daddy
Z: Aw....
Me: While you are at it go tell B I need to talk to him
Z: (leaves moaning)
B: What do you want Mom?
Me: Get a dollar out of my purse for school.
B: I can just take one of mine (aw that was sweet).
Me: No that is your money just get one out of my purse.
B: Okay.
K: Mom! I need my field trip money TODAY!
Me: Okay, I'll write a check when I get out.
K: I have another permission slip too.
Me: Okay put it on the kitchen counter, I'll sign it and get you a check.
Z: Mommy can I have some candy?
Me: (In my head: Seriously?! Is this what I signed up for?) K close the door behind you, Z go talk to your Daddy!

I love my children but, why oh why, do they have to ask me questions during my shower? To B's defense I asked him to come talk to me... but the rest of them! Thank heaven's A slept in!! Oh yea - I think I forgot to wash my hair!!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The mascots

Tonight we went on a nature scavenger hunt with the Girl Scouts. I couldn't help but smile at all the little people who were dragged along on this adventure. One of my friends pointed out that all of the girls in our troop have younger siblings and therefore they all have these wonderful, caring natures.
Here's some pictures of the little mascots of our troop.

Writing a book

That is what I want to do! If I could write like this incredible woman then I would be all over writing a book!! I've thought for a long time that people should know there are words in the English language that you never thought would go together until you have children!
Tonight I heard my husband's gentle voice say, "A. don't sit on Z.'s head." Huh? Double take.... no not anymore - I'm used to this type of crazy conversation.

Here's some other examples that I've had in my 10 years of motherhood:

Don't put your toe up your sister's nose.
It just kept coming (pointing at the toilet paper all over the floor).
Do not toot at your sister.
No growling at the baby.

Mom's out there - I know you know what I'm talking about. What are some of your favorites? I promise I won't steal them - I won't be writing that book. I think it's God's plan that we should learn these things on the job - no one would ever believe us anyway until they live it!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Pictures from the Turkey Trot

Before the Turkey Trot
Jason, B, Shawn, Sherry (sporting a neato turkey visor), Justin

Mark was jealous of my way cool hat!

See he even got a profile picture of it!


The boys (minus Jason who was in the back with me)



Check out that stride! Check out that grimace on his face... hee hee!


Smiling and pleased with his 1668th place finish (30.19 overall time, average speed 9.47)