GROUNDED :-(

I have grounded myself from the computer until my basement is organized and my laundry is caught up.  So, my dear friends and family....  fair well, ....  I hope it won't be long, but it doesn't look good.  It will rain all week, so that will help me stay home and focused.

For me, busy = good

I seem to be happiest when I am busy, I enjoy my children more when we are out and about rather then in our home.  I also like to go out and forget the messes and chores that await me at home.  On Thursday the kids had the day off school for a teacher development day, and so I cooked up a plan for the whole day.  We started off with a trip to the gym because I teach on Thursday mornings.  My kids love going to the gym, even though they fight getting pulled away from their snuggley morning cartoons in PJ's, they always have an excellent time.  While there they not only got to do a craft but they also got to get their faces painted.  They loved that.  Then we headed over to the park with our lunch that I had packed before the gym.  I had also called a few friends, and invited some at the gym, so that each of my kids would have a few friends to play with while at the park.  We were so happy as each friend arrived, they had such a good time having lunch and exploring the park, playing tag and hide and go seek together.  It was SO much fun!  After the park, I took the kids to Royal Farms for a slurppie, which they LOVED!!  Then we headed home for Katie's nap, which was cut short by a change in plans.  Liza has piano lessons on Thursdays, and we were planning to go with the Jensens to Lifetime Fitness for open swim after lessons.  We were invited to do piano lessons a little early and then head have dinner with Jensen's and then go swimming.  So we went with that plan and were at the pool by 6pm for a swim.  After swimming I was ready with shampoo and soap and PJ's so they were all ready for bed as we left the gym.  OF COURSE they were all STARVING as we left so I went through the drive through and bought them each a small fry.  They munched all the way home, brushed their teeth and went to bed.  Phew, what a day, but what fun we had!

Today was all scheduled out too.  I had agreed to help with Liza's field trip today to the Howard County Conservatory.  I love doing Field Trips for the older kids, it is so much more relaxing then field trips with little ones.  I always take my camera and talk photography with a Craig (Lindsey's dad, who goes on every field trip).  I get to take a little time on every trip to take some photos.

The kids got to play a game in the field that was basically the circle of life, where 1/2 of them were deer and the other half resources, and they had to turn their backs to each other, and then pic what they needed (deer), or what they were (resources) then they turned around and had to find each other, if a deer was left w/o a resource they had to die, and then turn into a resource, and the resources who did get used got to become deer.  It was interesting to see the surge in populations that caused lack of resources.  What a fun way to teach the concept.  Here they are dying all over the place...
Then they got to go and pull up weeds and talk about soil and planting... here are some pics of the gardening gals...

Then we went on a nature walk, where 3 out of the 6 girls in my group did nothing but complain the whole time and walked looking down at their feet and missed a fox hole, a carcass, a red tail hawk, and I am sure a lot if flowers and other wild life.  It was really too bad that they chose to miss out.  I was just glad that Liza wasn't in on the complaining and she really enjoyed herself.  

I got home from the field trip in time to prep for hosting babysitting Co Op tonight.  I got these great paint your own pots at Christmas Tree Shop  for $.50 each!  They came with their own little pots of paint and a brush.  The kids had a blast with these and spent 30-45 minutes painting them.  They loved it!

Then while the paint dried we had Dirt and worms for snack. The kids loved this and thought that the worms were really cool...I had to post this one of Micah, isn't it SO funny.   



Then after the paint dried the kids got to fill their planter with dirt and poke holes for daisy seeds.  They got to take 3 pinches of daisy seeds each and then they got to water their little seeds.  Everyone loved it, and to my surprise the little girls were rather jealous.  I thought they wouldn't care much and would be easily distracted.  They weren't throwing fits or anything, but you could tell that they knew they got left out :-(  Sorry girls.  Next time I will count you as big kids.

What a fun day.. and tomorrow is the nearly new sale!!! OOoooh so fun!  I have to be up early, so I better go.  :-)

Ambers shower

On tuesday night we had a baby shower for Amber here at our place.  Wow what a turn out, I was surprised by how many wonderful friends came, and was sad to realize that my house isn't quite big enough to have us all sit down together.  It was a fun time anyway.  Scarlett brought this beautiful cake....
This was my favorite decoration, I thought it was so cute.
Christina prepared the games and only got to fit in 2 of the 3 games because everyone was just enjoying visiting.

I love to host parties, cuz then I get to make all my favorite snacky foods that I usually don't get to eat.  I made my 3 favorite dips, so although the food was generally "dippy" It was yummmm.  

I had to post a picture of the cute beaded toothpicks that I used to make these SO yummy fruit kabobs.  (I got them at Christmas tree shop.... oh how I love that place)  

It was such a wonderful time, thank you to all who came and made Amber and Addy's night such a success.  Amber was so happy, and tickled by all the beautifully girly clothes.  We live in such a great ward, there is so much support and kindness!!  It truly is like a family.

Where's Sue Sue?

We play a little game around here with Katie at nap time and bed time, nothing fancy, we just call out for sue sue (in Canada we call a pacifier, a soother, hence the name sue sue).  "Oh sue sue, where are you?"  (it was especially cute when she first started talking, she would put the whole sentence together. )  So last night Brent was putting Katie to bed and they were searching all over for sue sue.  "Oh sue sue....."  they couldn't find one.  Brent put Katie in her bed and said "Katie, what are we going to do?  We can't find sue sue."  She pointed to the corner of her bed and said "'ere it is!" Brent moved a few things and looked around where she was pointing and said "I don't see it Katie, where is it?" and Katie said "I kidding daddy!"  Brent laughed and came down and told me about it, I told him where one was, he went back up stairs to give it to her, and when she saw him she said "I gotchew daddy."  and grinned.  What a ham.  She is such a fun girl.

How in the world did we ever survive ???

Today Liza was practicing piano in the living room and Alex wanted to watch TV,  I told him to go down stairs and watch the big screen.  He moaned and whined "awwww, but then I have to watch what ever is on."  (The TIVO is on the TV in the living room, so he would have had to watch live TV!?!?!?! HEAVEN FOR BID!) 

How on earth did we ever survive not knowing how that "little house on the prairie" ended when we had to go eat dinner and couldn't pause it??  What about our parents?  How did they put us to bed in the middle of the hockey game with out the ability to pause the TV while they did it?  We are so spoiled, it worries me that our children are going to be missing the ability to let things go.  That this will effect how they function in society.   They absolutely die when I ask them to turn off live TV, it is so bad.  

I also wanted to take a moment and clear the air regarding the Ice Cream Man.   I despise the sound of his little song coming up the street just as much as each of you!  There were so many comments on what a nice mom I am for letting them experience this wonderful part of childhood.  I want you all to know that had Grandma not left money with the specific instruction on where to spend it, the visit wouldn't have ever happened.  My kids have been to the ice cream truck before, but never with MY money.  They ALWAYS have to have their own money, that they earned and saved.  I also OH SO GRATEFUL that my mom saw fit to trigger the pavlovian response in my children right at the first signs of summer so that i get to hear about the stupid truck ALL summer.  I also am grateful that Katie (who doesn't seem to understand the word "NO") also knows now that the wonderful man gives out ice cream in the shape of her favorite character in the whole wide world.  SO, as much as I love the fact that you all think I am such a nice mommy, I couldn't live with it any longer, ah, such a weight has been lifted, and now you all know that I am on your side.  I have been known to say to neighbors and friends "no, don't buy ice cream from the ice cream truck, it's like feeding a stray cat, he will just keep coming back to our street, and coming back to our street looking for $!! "  No I have fed the cat, and will pay the price for months to come.  :-(  Oh well, we did get some nice pictures, and the kids really were extremely happy!  It was a very nice night where no one was complaining... kind of like a "disney moment", but much shorter and only in my back yard. 

I better go clean up the mess we've made today.  

The Great Exchange

Today I did what I like to call the Great Clothing Exchange.  

It is quite the chore to switch seasons around when you have 4 very spoiled children.  We are SO blessed to have so

 many choices of things to wear..... I just have to keep thinking that as I wade through piles and piles of clothes for my kids.  It was time to change them as I kept finding Alex in a big heavy sweater every morning, and yesterday Liza was spotted wearing a pair of jeans rolled up as capris and a long sleeved winter themed shirt with the arms pushed up to resemble a short sleeve shirt.  

I had to share a funny story of Katie at Church today.  My normal way of communicating with the kids at church is by snapping.  If they are being loud, one snap in your direction means trouble.  The kids know it an apparently Katie is starting to get it too.  Alex was being extremely animated in his disappointment over not getting a sucker like Katie.  To which he got a "snap" from me to tell him to smarten up.  Katie turned to him and pointed he fingers at him, switched them a bit and made a very distinct clicking sound with her tongue.  It was SO funny that even Alex perked up for a minute.  :-)  So funny.

So obviously the synthroid is kicking in already.  Feeling a whole lot better.  Not 100%, but wow, what a difference.  For the first time in 3 or more months, I woke up this morning feeling as though I had slept.  :-)  So wonderful!  

As of 12:30am the exchange for the kiddos is almost complete.  My clothes are in my room, but Brent has been in there sleeping, so I haven't gotten mine done yet.  Next on the list is Ambers shower, I am actually glad that the forecast for the next few days is for rain.... I will be forced to stay home and pick up my house and get ready for guests on Tuesday night.  Ah, what fun!

Another of My life's songs.

I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC.  This song is a good reason why.  I heard this song while driving in my van with Tori yelling stuff at me and Katie crying.  If you can believe it, I heard enough of it to know that I wanted to look it up when I got home, and sure enough, I love it.  I have posted before how I struggle with living for today instead of living for tomorrow.  I have always wanted to be one step ahead of where I am.  I am getting better at it, but this song says it all.  Well not quite all.  I do wish it had like 4 more verses that tells me where I will be in 50 years, instead of ending where I am today, but maybe that is the point, maybe this living for tomorrow ends today.  :-)  I'll try

YOU'RE GONNA MISS THIS

(Trace Adkins)

She was starin' out the window of that SUV

Complainin' sayin' I can't wait to turn 18

She said I'll make my own money and I'll make my own roots

Mama put the car in park out there in front of the school

and she kissed her head and said I was just like you

You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

Before she  knows it she's a brand new bride

In her one bedroom apartment and her daddy stops by

He tells her it's a nice place, she says,  it'll do for now

Starts talkin' about babies and buyin' a house

Daddy shakes his face and says Baby just slow down

Cuz you're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times so take a good look around

You may not know it now but you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plummer workin' on the water heater,

Dog's barkin' phones ringin' one kid's cryin' the other kid's screamin',

And she keeps apologizing, he says they don't bother me I got 2 babies of my own 

one's 36 one's 23 it's hard to believe

But you're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times so take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

You're gonna miss this

Yeah, you're gonna miss this.