9 things you couldn't live without knowing...

1. I don't appreciate that the Lego men can have their arms and hands removed. There is no logical reason for this. Whoever decided that the Lego people should be able to have interchangeable heads, arms, hands and tops/bottoms have never actually OWNED Legos. They do not understand that a 4 year old cannot process the fact that I CAN'T FIND THE ARM... among a pile of 3 million other pieces.

2. I put someone in timeout. Then forgot they were in timeout. Then had to figure out where they were. And why It was just so quiet. And peaceful. And act like I remembered they were there when I found them. And hadn't been forgotten.

3. I can make my dog drool buckets by simply saying the word "hungry". It is gross.

4. The inability to to match clothing is a genetic disorder. I wish I had a pic of the little boys on Sunday. Oh, it was red on green and not in a pretty "Christmasy" kind of way and the other brother was 2 shades of not even close to matching green. Luckily, it wasn't the week for plaid on plaid. We've gone to church like that. True story. Ask Agent P - he'll tell you they both had blue in them, so they MUST match!

5. The person who invented smelly markers should have put more thought into how that would go down....  At least they are washable. Mostly. But still.

6. Chips and salsa should be a food group of its own. 

7.  I hide things I don't want to share. For instance, the caramel popcorn/cheese popcorn mix. I know it sounds like an odd combination to have in the same bag, but trust me when I say EVERYONE HERE LOVES IT. So...I'm forced to hide the bag.  It's not hard really. No one here will search for A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. that is not in front of them screaming "grab ME".

8. I take my kids to Cost-co during the week when I know they will have all the snacks out.  Don't judge. You do it too.

9. You should never wait until the end of the day to clean up the kitchen because people might randomly stop by. Not that this has happened to me or anything. Twice. I was saving the breakfast dishes and just loading them all up at lunch. Until this week.  Think I will be better or rumors might be started.

The long long days...

I've hardly seen A-Dog in the last week or 6 I guess for that matter. Pretty sure I've mentioned it.

He's just too busy. Oh the life of a teenager...wait until he starts driving! 13.5 months...

He had his first CC meet last Wed and he was a rock star!  I figure anyone who runs 5k straight thru is a rock star...cuz it takes a lot for me to talk myself into NOT stopping, if even for just 10 paces of walking. I'm resilient like that.

Coming towards the finish line!

Post Race

Then on Friday night he did a 'lock in' at school over night (lock in means stay up all night and don't sleep), Saturday he had another CC meet out of town leaving at 6am from school. He needed someone to come get his 'lock in' stuff and bring him breakfast...at 5:45. IN THE MORNING. I don't 'pop' out of bed. Ever. So, the obvious choice was not ME. My sweet husband popped out of bed and took him breakfast.

We all packed up and made the 1 hour drive to the meet...to sit outside in 95 degree heat to watch runners start and finish...and in between...we wait.  Glad we brought our own shade. I can't complain out loud when I'm sitting on a hard bench in the shade watching kids run their hearts out in the middle of the desert in the extreme heat...

coming around last bend

the last stretch

Since he had been awake for 30 before he ran, once we got home he slept for almost 17 hours...straight (minus 1 hour he got up and fed the dog). 

I did see him on Sunday, but he had homework.

Then Monday he went hunting.

Tuesday school and CC

Wednesday school and CC meet out of town and got home at 9pm

I think he should call in sick to school tomorrow to hang with his mama. 

Just sayin'.

But these lovlies. They have been here...all day every day :)

Yup. Finger in his nose. He thought it would be a funny photo :)

making their mama crazy!

Cheers!

Pool Dreams

When I dreamed of what we would do with our pool, I envisioned lazy weekends...floating in the pool on a perfect raft...cold margarita (on the rocks with salt and lime please) in my chilled cup holder...maybe some nice music playing in the background...a nice cool breeze...

It is actually closer to crazy loud  kids hitting each other with pool toys, kids cannon ball splashing me on my make-shift raft of 3 noodles, no beverage, hot 100+ degree air blowing and no music and a lot of 'watch this mom'.

However, it is nice and refreshing to jump into the pool after yard work (not me, my sweet husband), house work, inside boredom...

and to swim with these crazy people - 

Agent P

(the white on her face is self applicated zinc type sunscreen)

Agent P is a very good swimmer and is often swimming and playing with A-Dog. Mini P and Monkey can swim down to the bottom of the pool for dive sticks, do flips and yes, cannon balls and belly flops.

I know, where is A-Dog??? Oh he is inside doing homework. 

Sad but true.

The kid has a lot of homework.

I forced him out after lunch, but didn't take a picture.

I was busy lounging around on my noodle raft and couldn't figure out how to get off and get it set back up didn't go back inside to get the camera because I would be wet.  I will take a picture of him all hot and sweaty at his first Cross Country meet tomorrow.

Of course, it might be just the back of him...by the time I figure out when he will be running past me, I find the camera amongst little kid snacks/drinks/books..he will have past me by.

If you have any clue how one watches a Cross Country meet - please let me know. I'd like to continue being a supportive parent without just sitting out in the middle of the desert waiting for him to run by. Or me running from spot to spot trying to out pace him. Love the kid, but this seems more challenging than I am capable of figuring out.

Cheers!

Can you spare a prayer?

The 11 year old son of my cousin will be undergoing a bone marrow transplant in the coming months. His world was turned upside down in May and has fought and fought to over come this terrible cancer that grabbed him.

He is currently CANCER FREE - but since it is a very aggressive cancer and has proved a challenge to control, he will be needing a bone marrow transplant. 

My cousin Shari and her family are currently reorganizing their life to accomplish this.

Here is his story:  Dillon's Journey

Can you keep them in your thoughts and prayers??

Specifically:

• For strength while their family is separated
• For healing
• For patience. As we all know, appointments can often be frustrating and he has a lot coming up.
• For minimal issues (good blood counts, good health, no other illness while his immune system is compromised, many other things!)

I will continue to add things to my blogs about him, but there is also a tag on the side of my blog to check in on him.

He is 11. This is terribly unfair for him and his family. We all know someone impacted by cancer.

Thanks for the extra prayers :)

I have no title

Things around here have been rather chaotic and scattered uneventful.

Kind of sad huh?

It seems like something amazing should have happened...

But A-Dog leaves for school by 7:45am every day. Returns about 6pm after either Cross Country or Baseball workout. He eats, showers and or swims, does homework and goes to bed. Rinse and repeat.

The kids and I do school for a few hours (argue about math), eat (complain about our lunch), enjoy quiet reading time (moan about the hour we have to be quiet), swim and play (argue and take out 6000 legos), make dinner (wonder who is making dinner) and other random stuff (like wonder who made this mess and who invented glitter). 

Some days we go to the library so we can check out another 30 books. 30 might be on the low side. I wish I was exaggerating. We love books, what can I say. Some days we get groceries. I mean, mama can't run out of wine coffee...shopping can be educational ;). And of course, the house is spic and span when my sweet husband gets home. I can say this, because while he might read my blog, he NEVER makes comments...so I know he won't contradict what I type :)

Fridays we don't do real school work unless we have to. We do fun school work. Paint, art, play doh, music, field trip, sit around and do nothing because we just can't function, ya know - it gets stressful around here.

I need to find out where I can file a report about the threats and verbal abuse I've been receiving here.

Mostly from Mini P.

On a daily basis I hear: 
"I am NOT going to (insert affectionate action here - hug, kiss, be your friend, love you) ANY MORE EVER AGAIN!!!!".
"You are being MEAN!!! I don't WANT to clear my plate and you CAN'T MAKE me". 
"You are a BIG meanie!!!"
"I'm MAD at YOU!!!"

There are a lot of CAPS because she gets angry in LARGE CAPITAL BOLD letters. I'm glad she weighs barely 30lbs because the other day I had to fling her from the hallway gently put her in bed and inform her I would be back in a few hours after she slept off her sassy mouth. I could go on all day about this girl and her less than stellar attitude when she gets tired, but I would run out of space!

Next week, I am going to take a few photos. 

Not of Mini P's attitude (but I could). Of the kids in general.

I know what you are thinking -  "GET OUT OF TOWN!!!"

In the words of a very cute 4-yr old boy - "Get IN town!"

But for those of you who just can't wait - here is one when my sweet husband took the younger 3 to the children's museum last month.

Dad said "be serious", so we are!

Cheers!

School is in session...oh yay.

Yup, school started at Casa de Locos. Do you need a translation? I certainly don't! I need something else...that comes in a bottle...with a cork...


But, let's not dwell on my sanity level.


I learned so much last year about curriculum, learning styles and the simple fact that Agent P and I are VERY DIFFERENT.


He loves, loves, loves science and history and facts. I really don't. 


I love math and numbers.  He does not.


It makes for a very complicated learning environment at times.


I also have come to appreciate that all my kids learn differently. Some need to read it, some need to see it, some need to touch it...and my kids are all a bit of all of that.


I remember ADog being in Kinder and about half way thru, I figured out he still didn't know how to read and that they weren't really teaching him, nor did they mention anything about it. By then, he was 6. (Give me a break, he was my first kid...we experiment with those...right?) So, I took it into my own hands and taught him myself. By 1st grade, he was reading at a 3rd grade level - so obviously he was ready. He was a math kid and at 4 could add numbers in his head and loved to be drilled on them...


Then came Agent P. He started part time preschool when he was a bit over 4.5 yrs old. They discovered by week 2 he knew all his sight words for Kinder already, plus 50 more - and that was just the initial testing they did. Who knew. We aren't the type of parents who push academics as a primary learning  path.  I'd like to say for him, "we pursued a more substantial learning path such as exploratory learning thru experiments and excursions"... But let's be honest here, he was 2.5 when the twins were born. His learning came from him having to fend for and entertain himself. I cannot take credit for his aptitude to read. We really didn't have to teach him anything and even now he is good at deciphering new words.


Then there came Mini P. Mini P has loved, loved, loved books from the time she could pick them up! She would sit and let anyone read to her. ALL. DAY. LONG. I remember one time they were at my parents house for a few hours - and they were young - under 2 or 3 probably. When I got back, I asked how they were and my dad says "fine. I think I read 60 books." That is Mini P. 


At 4 or maybe before, she started reading. Not just sitting with books making up the words, actually reading them. For a few weeks she asked what each word was, often remembering it after the first time. She did this in the truck A LOT (try driving and deciphering a word that someone is spelling out loud...trickier than it sounds).  In 4 months she will be 5. She cannot start Kinder at schools for another year. But she has read all of Agent P's books from school last year (2nd grade readers) reads chapter books (such as M@gic Treehouse books which are 2nd-4th grade books), and is spelling her sight words. 


Let us not forget Monkey. Monkey, oh Monkey. How I love him. I love him for his love to not learn school things. He has no desire to read or write or anything. He is a normal 4 year old boy who loves trucks and trailers and towing things. He knows his letters, but often tells us a different letter because he just DOESN'T CARE. LOL!  This week he had sight words - it, in, for, me, I. He still has no clue what they are. Even after practicing all week. But he loves singing and watching shows about construction and trucks and is very good at playing alone with his trucks. To him, life is funny and entertaining. He loves to mess around and not take life seriously. He is what grounds me and makes me realize it's ok to NOT follow the norm. It is ok to hook up My Little P0ny trailers to a dump truck.  He colors outside the lines, goes against the grain and challenges me to open my mind to his chaos.


So, we move forward. At 3 different paces. 


Doing 3 different things.


BUT with some things in common.


They get to be with each other. Learn to get along with their siblings. Fight Play with each other every day. Go to T@rget when Mama needs to. Swim. Play games. Even go to Grandma and Grandpa's if we want.


They will all have their strengths.

They will all have their weaknesses.


They will all learn what they need to learn.


SO, while some may not agree with homeschooling, it is what we do for the younger 3. It works for us for now. And today, we are going to play with colored water and do some painting (on paper, not my walls...I hope...)


Cheers!

Renovations complete...well, almost.

I didn't fully grasp enormity of the renovations we took on this summer. But, taking most of it in stride, we have completed nearly all the items we set out to do.


I have to say, we have lost steam.


I am so sick of painting. Especially baseboards. That I have taken a hiatus. 


Or I quit.


Either way. There is no painting this week.


We have finally gotten our bathroom near completion. Hopefully the new light will go in this weekend...but it requires..well, you my not have guessed it...PAINTING. I need to get around the light and one of the walls needs a second coat. 


Oh joy.


But it would be nice to tidy it up.



Here is the new vanity:

It was worth the wait for this bad boy.  It is much higher than our original vanity. It has more drawers. The counter is travertine and it is beautiful. It also weighs nearly 500 lbs. No joke. The day it was to arrive, it was scheduled between 10am-2pm. They finally showed up at 5:45pm. Just as well, then my sweet husband was here to direct them and make sure they put it in the bathroom, unpacked and verified it was perfect, mirror included. It also took an additional 2 weeks to get installed and working due to faucet change, back splash...and all the drilling to accommodate the water lines.



Faucet and back splash...

Notice the intricate stone back splash...ok, actually I bought it already on a mesh backing.  We put the back splash up ourselves. Trust me when I say, I'm addicted...so if you need a back splash, I'm your girl! I can have you one put up in no time flat! 


Originally, the fireplace had the same tile around it as was in the kitchen. We had it removed...with no intentions except to have it gone. Luckily, the tile guys were creative and came up with this...

So, even thought the fireplace doesn't work, and we have our loveseat sitting in front of it - it is a charming addition to the wall. As opposed to how we were going to leave it until we thought of something better...like this...

The final piece to the living room/dining room was the kitchen table.


Do you see how this just doesn't really go?

The color is all wrong.


We have been saying "when the twins are 5...they will be less destructive...". Whatever. 


We found this, and decided this was the table for us!

It was large and overwhelming at first, but we are used to it now and absolutely love it. It seats 8, and thank goodness, there is no fighting what-so-ever over who sits where and who they want to sit by.


Yes. Thank goodness.


And I drive a convertible sports car.


So, there is your renovation update. I have to finish our bedroom. It is plain and blah. Needs a decorator. Any volunteers? ;)


Cheers!