Every Time...

Seriously. Every time I go to the park and the kids are crabby, someone I know shows up. Today it was a girl from high school. You know, that awkward feeling of knowing each other but never really being friends well enough to be excited about seeing each other again. She's there with her boy and I'm there with Kayley, Cole and Katie. Katie gets stuck at the top of the slide and doesn't want to go down, Kayley is behind everyone yelling at them to go faster, Cole is beating up the little boy trying to get to the slide and taking a quick break to yell at Katie for sitting there like a lame duck. So then, in order to salvage my image as the fabulous mother I am, I suggest we walk over to the other play area nearby. When we get there, Kayley and Cole start beating each other over not being the first one to walk around the outside of the park on the wood thingys (I don't have the energy to even explain what they are). Cole looks at me with angelic eyes. Kayley screams bloody murder. I tell the kids I don't enjoy taking them to the park when they're crabby and tired and Cole says, "mommy, I'm not crying" while batting his long eyelashes and making me want to swoop him up into my arms and dance around in circles. Needless to say, my image has been destroyed as the mother of the year and my children both have red marks on their bottoms as they slumber at this very moment.

To top it off, I'm not pregnant and I have a mad headache. I must have some small virus or something.

I feel better now that I've vented. God bless America.

Ten On Tuesday

1. Tuesdays are very hard but today has probably been the best with Matthew so far.

2. I really have been sickly for four days. I think I might check tonight just to clear it up for you guys. And me. And my husband who distinctly said "no more children!"

3. My armpits stink right now.

4. Today we took a walk around the neighborhood and passed a PE class from Balboa. Man, middle school was so awkward!

5. I had a very bad dream yesterday during my nap time and it makes me not want to take one today. My heart was beating so fast when I woke up!

6. We're taking the kids up to Lisa and Greg's this weekend. The plan is to drive them up, come back and take the train on Sunday to get there to bring them home Sunday afternoon. I hope they like it. It should be an adventure!

7. I'm so glad Stellan is home!

8. Kayley has to miss gymnastics today since my mom is sick and I can't take her with twelve children in tow.

9. I'm so excited about our trip to Idaho in June! We'll be there to watch fireworks on the lake for the 4th.

10. I'm having a heck of a time thinking of ten things today.

Not Me! Monday

What a wonderful day it is here in sunny overcast Ventura! I thought I would bring the Not Me!'s back today since Stellans health is getting better and going home might even be on the horizon!


Lately I've been hearing an air horn go off in our neighborhood. I thought it was just punks from the apartments playing around but it all became clear when my neighbor walked up to me the other day and did not say "hey, just to let you know I got the air horn off my boat and when our upstairs neighbor won't stop being "frisky" (she didn't say that but I'm trying to keep it clean here) I blast 'em with the horn. It only helps for a couple of minutes but at least they stop." I definitely did not laugh out loud and ask her if she was serious. But hey, I guess it shouldn't surprise me since she was the one who stood outside waiting for her carpool with a shot of vodka in her hand about a month after we moved in.

So yesterday was Jen's shower. It went really well! There were about 30-35 people there and it was a bit overwhelming but we got through it! I'm such a putz, so a half hour before the shower started I definitely did not realize that I forgot the sherbet for the punch. And that was after I didn't go to the store to get the ice I forgot. Man, why does something always get forgotten? Anyway, thanks to Lisa who ran to the store for us!

I made the most fabulous chocolate covered strawberries, too. Mmmm. I should have known that women would devour them quickly. So Jen was reaching over to get a strawberry and her big old belly did not lay on what she thought was the table but turned out to be the cake! It was quite funny. The whole side of the cake was smooshed! That was definitely a first.

I have not been nacious for the last three days. I could attribute that to the overeating of Milky Way minis or we could just pretend I'm pregnant. I think the latter suits me well.

Since Candace has started commenting on my blog and I really like it because I really like her I thought I would share what we don't have in common: sweets. We talk about it on Facebook via messages and joined the same chocolate group. What a bond we have over something so beautiful. That, and she's practically Cole's second mommy.

Yesterday morning Cole woke up and told me his bed was wet. That's never something I want to hear; washing sheets and comforters is like hell to me. Anyway, he walks into the bathroom and I noticed his pull up was not on inside out. Apparently Huggies Pull Ups are not meant to be reversable! The funny part is that sometime in the night Cole took off his pants and probably played around in the nude like he loves to so much and then proceded to put his clothes back on. Kudos to him for actually getting them on.

Since Kayley has been going to gymnastics she's really trying hard to do a cartwheel. So last night Tyler and I tried to teach her. We cleared the furniture as far back as possible and I, much to my surprise, totally did not successfully completed a cartwheel! A few in fact. I was sure my feeble body wasn't capable. As for Kayley, she needs more practice but she's getting there.

Have a great week!

Pampered Chef!

Here are the goodies I got from Pampered Chef. I love 'em.

I got these things for 3o something bucks!

They sent this in error and it costs more to ship it back than it's worth so they said I could keep it! More free stuff is always fabulous! I'm so giddy, can you tell?

Fun Kids, Fun Life

I promise I'll get some pictures of the kids outdoors one of these days. They're still cute and awesome!

Ten On Tuesday Wednesday

1. I haven't been motivated to update my blog.

2. Jens shower is going to be awesome! I really do enjoy planning things.

3. I finally figured out how to to the strike through thingy on my title (thanks Krista)!

4. It's so early, anybody want to get some coffee or somesing?

5. I'm almost done reading The Shack. Man oh man.

6. I'm going to take some pictures today so my blog won't be so boring.

7. I'm praying for Stellan!

8. I got $120 worth of Pampered Chef goodies for $33! And it's all coming tomorrow. I'll post a picture of my fabulous choices.

9. I'm glad Kim is home so she can update her blog with pictures of Peyton more often and give my ovaries a reason to wiggle.

10. I have lost almost half a body fat percentage! Only 10 1/2 to go!

Not the brightest...

At the gym yesterday I was running on the treadmill and my Ipod detached from my headphones and fell along the top and shot out the bottom front really close to the edge of the top floor. Can you imagine if it fell all the way down? I just smiled and made an "I'm so stupid" face so people would know I understood how lame I was for running without securing my Ipod. If they had heard what I was listening to I would have been even more mortified. It definately was not NSync. And I didn't listen to the Backstreet Boys during my workout on Monday either.

I reached a milestone yesterday! I ran for 25 minutes! I give all the credit to the boy bands who helped me every step of the way.

Ten On Tuesday

1. I'm so beyond tired today.

2. My Pampered Chef show closes today. I'm thinking I'll earn about $75 in free product!

3. Besides oatmeal, I can't think of anything healthy I ate yesterday. Gross.

4. Kayley did so well at gymnastics and she loves it. She's doing it every Tuesday now!

5. I got a workout top from Target for only $4. I saved 75%. What a deal!

6. I ran into Isaiah's mom on base the other day. She and her hubby split and she wants me to watch her boys during the summer. It's scary how relationships fail as often as they survive.

7. I really need a shower right now.

8. I wish the sun would come out and they would heat the pool so I can lay out and let the kids swim all day long...oh summer, how I long for you.

9. Kim and Ashley both need to blog more so I have something to read!

10. Being a stay at home mom is awesome.


Today there is a number 11. Happy Birthday to my friend Krista!!!!!

Easter

What an awesome day to celebrate the freedom given to us through the death and resurection of Jesus Christ! Thank you Lord for sending your son so I can be free!

Easter 2009 Family Photo

Smokin' Saturday

Check out the post below in addition to these random pictures from the last couple of weeks!

They spent one whole day playing dolls. It was pretty cute to see them play so gently and nicely with one another. Believe me, it didn't last:)

Drinking a smoothie and lookin' good.

Isn't he the cutest thing?

And silly too!

Easter Egg Hunt

We spent this morning at Juanamaria Park for our Easter Eggstravaganza. It was so much fun! The kids got to play on inflatables, do crafts, get their faces painted and, of course, hunt for eggs! Here are a few pictures, none of which are of me. I'm determined to at least get one of me at our next event!

Sorry some are dark. I really don't know how to take great pictures in the sun.

Walking to the park

Kayley enjoying the obsticle course

Kayley...again

The kids had a really hard time finding the eggs

Cole was very proud of his one and only egg. He was late and I grabbed one and threw it in the middle for him to "find." Then he got upset and Pam gave him three more.

Kayley got six eggs all by her big self!

She made the hat at preschool and I think it looks fabulous with the glasses! Ha!



Dad waited in line with them to get their faces painted. Cole got an ice cream cone (go figure) and Kayley got hearts. I didn't get a picture before the water fountain erased most of their paint.

Dr. Visit

Yesterday I took Kayley to the Port Hueneme clinic for her pre-Kindergarten check up. I was sure it would be an easy visit but boy was I in for a surprise. First they made Kayley give a urine sample (that was lots of fun for me!) and then we got to sit outside the lab listening to another five year old scream while she's getting her blood drawn. When it was our turn Kayley was obviously freaked out by the other little girl and attempted to escape. I literally had to pin her screaming self down onto my lap to get some blood. The needle came out while it was still transferring into the vile and it came out all over Kayley's arm. She has this thing about bleeding and said "I'm done, I'm done!" with tears in her eyes. She recovered from that and we got her hearing test done (no problems with her hearing at all!) and she really enjoyed that. Then we waited and watched Backyardigans. Then she was called back to get her shots and tb test. Once again, I had to pin Kayley between my legs for the tb test while she screamed. Then came the best part. The vaccinations they give there are not with needles. They are with this little machine that uses CO2 to push the vaccine through your skin. Unfortunately for Kayley, all four of them hurt more than one hundred shots and she kept telling the nurse "don't you dare, don't you dare."
Man, I thought I was so heart wrenching to take my four month old for shots! Yesterday outweighed any motherly sorrow I had previously experienced.

Today it's Coles turn.

Ten On Tuesday

1. Kayley is trying out gymnastics this afternoon.

2. Cole got his big boy bed back.

3. Today is my Friday! Woo hoo!

4. Tyler put our bed on concrete blocks because the frame broke. Our bed is like four feet high now. And he's going to build a new bed for us! I love my handyman.

5. I'm making cookies right now.

6. My chocolate fast is over.

7. I hate it when people stare at the gym. Leave me in peace!

8. I'm reading The Shack. Wow.

9. I'm having a Pampered Chef catalog show and I'm so excited at the response I'm getting! Yay for free stuff!

10. It was supposed to rain today and it's like mid 70's outside. Ha!

Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday was created by MckMama. Check out her blog and pray for her baby boy Stellan. Oh, and enjoy my short but sweet Not Me!'s today.

Lately Cole has really developed a fear of snails. So the other day we were all at the table playing play dough and Tyler made a little snail and stuck it to his chair. I’m such a wonderful mother so I did not yell “oh no, I see a snail on your chair Cole!” He practically jumped out of his skin and had tears running down his face. I would never intentionally cause sadness to my little boy. I felt bad so I let him smash it. He’s such a boy and for him to be scared of a non moving snail is just a riot. A little later on Cole ate some of the play dough and said “ew, that’s beguskusting.” For those of you who don’t speak three year old, that’s disgusting. I love little people talk.

Cole and I did not have this conversation while he was in the bath:

Cole: “These alligators like poop.”

Me: “I don’t think so honey, poop is yucky and it might give them a stomach ache.”

Cole: “No it won’t, they’re going to eat poop for snack.”

Me: “Cole, isn’t there something else you can give them.”

Cole: “Nope, here they go.”

He proceeded to lift up his bottom and face first the alligators into his bottom zone.

Me: “Cole, stop!”

Cole (with a big smile): “See, now they’re not hungry anymore.”

Now that's beguskusting.