MUCH BOYNESS, Beware!!!!!

My Husband is Going to Call me After this Blog Post

I thought, since there may be some of you who actually stop by the blog just to see what is up in my life...because some of you actually laugh at things that happen to me like Sadie chewing a hole in the pillows and so now our bed is covered in “snow”, the boys think that frogs should be allowed to stay the night (seriously), there was a book sale I went to this past weekend that had S4 “accidentally” kicking my leg with every step to remind me to keep walking and not gawking (yes, he fell asleep on the way home and no, he does not want to go back to another one), a raccoon was hit and died on the road in front of our house and the boys wanted to turn it into a coon skin cap...it got too smooshed (phew! Thank you Mr. Truck Driver for smashing it to the pavement!), our dishwasher broke and it was filled to capacity and the stove, table and counter were waiting to be washed too (yes, we were out of EVERY dish. The boys are completely fascinated by the “old fashioned” way of washing dishes), Sadie has been diagnosed with “separation anxiety” (seriously), I told the boys that once they were going to bed they were staying there and so S4 stood at the top of the stairs and called my name a million times to tell me things like “can I get one more drink?” “I have to peeeeeeeeeeeee”, “I can't sleep” instead of actually walking down the steps to tell me...and that is just a smidgeon.

It doesn't include the hilarious stories S4 has come up with, the way S3 is smoozing the school, S2's upcoming birthday wishes and the GIANT totally cool lighthouse that S1 built and had delivered to school.

And did I mention my husband is working a totally new shift right now? That the asparagus is starting to grow? That and ENTIRE cub-hoard door fell off my kitchen cupboards and I had to find a way to make it look 'cute'? That Jr has learned to WALK?

Sigh.

So, I apologize for not blogging as often as I should. I am now taking notes to write them all down so I don't forget them all. I hate thinking “what was that that was so funny?”

And I am writing this because my dishes are drying before I can begin about three more sink fulls.

And some may think that is why my hubby would be calling me. To remind me the dishes aren't done. And then he would tell me he loves me and his is joking.....

But this is why he will call me.

Sunday night I attempted a nap. I forwent the nap when I realized it was useless (this was the 'we caught a frog', 'we caught another', 'can we keep them, we brought up the aquarium?') and decided to make coffee instead. Waiting impatiently for my super fast Bunn coffee maker to finish up, I realized it was time for church again. Now what do we do? I mean, I just made all this coffee?

So, I poured the to go cup and went to church with it. I brought it into the sanctuary even though I would normally never do such a thing. All the boys headed off to choir practice and I brought the coffee out, sure it was safe. My husband uses all sorts of old time phrases and his “nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs” fit my feelings that night. I was so keeping an eye on the coffee, making sure it wouldn't spill and trying to chug down some when the pastor was looking down at his notes like I would be kicked out of church for bringing in coffee.

Hubby, being ever so loving, leaned in to put his arm around me. How sweet. And then he stretched out is very very very very long legs and TIPPED MY COFFEE.

But I saved it! Lightening speed reflexes from caring for children saved that coffee! I held it close to me on my lap and grinned triumphantly, a 'ha! I'm so more careful than you!' look when I SPILLED MY COFFEE all over my lap, on my Bible but NOT on the pew.

It looked like I peed my pants. Really.

Sigh.

I should have just stayed asleep.

And my hubby just laughed (quietly, of course) and has been laughing ever since.

He will call me and laugh at me now.

Well, my dishes are dry enough to take care of so I am off to dish washer duty again. Last night I was on Cinderalla duty, washing floors on my hands and knees while watching a princess movie, because I was that desperate for girl time.

I miss you all, my blogger buddies.

Get Ready to Laugh at Our Blonde-ness

You absolutely, posotively MUST read this. It's about Sue and I....sorta.
http://internetcafedevotions.com/2010/04/god-i-want-to-do-big-things/

Playing Robin Hood may Not be Good for Your Self Esteem

We've had a hard time adjusting to the 'back to school' schedule and my internet connection has been spotty AT BEST this week, sigh, so I apologize for the lack of posts. My head is brimming with ideas and I can't wait to share them all with you!

But here is a quick bit to make you chuckle....

S4 has been really struggling with 'the guys' going back to school. It's been tough on him. At first he enjoyed playing with all his cars and made roads and got the train set out and enjoyed setting things all up just the way he wanted and playing quietly. Yes, I said quietly.

It didn't last long.

Then he began chatting my ear off. Then we had to have picnics. Play tag. Play hide and seek. I could tell my few minutes of totally undevoted attention until I went back to trying to sort of conquer the mountain of laundry left for me was not working. So, when he suggested I play Robin Hood with him, I knew I really should.

He was ecstatic.

He had it all planned out just so. He would be Robin Hood, Daddy could be Little John and I could be Princess Miriam. And he went so far to say that I could be the princess because she is a fox and I would be a good fox and even though I knew he meant it from the move, well, I have to admit I was rather honored to be the princess. I really had no idea what to expect so we headed out together and out to the field where he explained how this would be the best fun ever.

“Well, if I am Princess Miriam” and really, I was getting into full Princess mode by this time, “Are you going to come rescue me?”

“No, you aren't the princess anymore, Moma. You are the fat chicken girl.”

Fat. Chicken.

My esteem and princessness was crushed.

“Yah, then we can play football. Besides, you are lots bigger than me.”

Ah, the thinking of my four year old.

So, if you want to have high self esteem, don't play Robin Hood with my little boy.

Spring Break....We Went to the Beach, PART TWO

When we first arrived at the beach that Friday, the first spot we headed to was the spot we ALWAYS head to. If one were to go to the beach to meet up with us, they would ALWAYS find us in this spot. Why? Beautiful location? Best sand? Nope. Most direct route to the bathrooms. And when you have four little boys who are gonna have to go, you wanna be close to the bathrooms.

So, when we got there, (keep in mind that this is before the beach is officially open at all), there was something dead in the water. As in a bird.

So we moved.

WAAAAAYYYYYY down the beach, as far as we could get from it. And way down the beach, as far as we could get, was the spot where I had once been found every single time I went to the beach. But I haven't been to this spot in three years.

It is as far away from the bathrooms as possible, it has the smallest tiniest sliver of beach, but it has lots of trees. And when you have a little one in tow, you pick the most shaded spot to keep them well protected.

I watched my boys jump from the half sunken log into the water. I watched them race their tonka trucks down the beach. I watched them wade way past their waist. I watched them scream and laugh and tattle and play and splash together, all four of them together playing.

Once I watched them so that the sun would not touch their delicate little skin. I watched to make sure that no dirt came near their little fingers. I watched them sleep and wondered what sort of personalities would be one day. I warned the older brothers their little brother was sleeping.

When was that?
Wasn't it yesterday? Just a day or so ago?

The boys think that I shut my eyes to soak up sunshine that wonderful, favorite spring day on the beach Friday as they frolicked in the near ice temperature water. I was, unbeknownst to them, keeping the tears at bay.

I wouldn't trade the moment of hearing my boys play. Just like I wouldn't trade a moment of those baby cuddles years ago. But it is passing so quickly. I want to soak it all in, soak it all up and remember.

Spring Vacation...So We Went to the Beach (part One)

The boys had Friday off of school and the whole week prior had been gradually getting warmer and warmer until on Friday it went and hit 82 degrees.

Every single day the sun has been shining in the sky....I'll just let your mind wrap around that a bit, EVERY SINGLE DAY THE SUN SHINES...I have had this conversation....

“Nice sunny day to day, Moma.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Soooooo, is today a beach day?”
“It is thirty degrees out.”
“So it's summer and we CAN go to the beach?”
“No. Not for 100 more days.”

Imagine the look of sheer dejection.

I would like to say this happens to just one of my boys but NO, I have this conversation with various boys every single day.

So when it reached 80 degrees I decided that I would, indeed take them to the beach. My parents used to do this to my siblings and I. They would get tired of us begging to go swimming so they would take us to the swimming pond, let us jump in, we would freeze and then we wouldn't beg to swim (as much). I told the boys we didn't need swimsuits, their shorts were fine, we would go and check out the lake. I was certain that once they waded in they would feel the numbing cold of 40 degree water and freeze. My plan was to let the sunshine soak into my missing sunshine body and let the boys play on the beach.

And it sorta worked that way.
Except this is what my boys did........
And they loved it. They did not 'technically' swim, they just 'waded' up to their mid chests. They just splashed each other. I stuck my toes in the water, I am pretty sure they turned blue (but then again, I did have blue polish on my toes). They did play in the sand too.
Because we brought Sadie, we went on a long walk thru to the old beach on the park, and thru the woods where, oh thrill to my heart we seen a garter snake that they of course chased and it just happened to slither away, drats, we couldn't take it home. Just when I was thinking of having a pet snake...excuse me while I shudder and check to make sure one did not, in fact, follow me into the house.

On our way home, joy oh joy! The ice cream shop was open! For the first day!

We had to stop and get ice cream that was taller than we had thought ice cream should be.

When we arrived home we had sun kissed cheeks, sticky lips and it was, by far, one of my happiest spring days ever.

Spring Break...Whose Idea Was This????

Tonight I had the BRILLIANT idea to make s'mores. However, it is raining. But here is where the sheer brilliance comes in.

We had hamburgers on our charcoal grill tonight. So I just asked Hubby to add a few more coals to the fire and then tonight, while he had to be away, I could be super mom and suggest s'mores to eat after all the cleaning we had done today.

Brilliant!

When I called the boys down from confining bedrooms that had grown 'stuff' since they had seen it this morning (amazing how that happens when you have to clean it), they looked at me like an alien had over taken me.

But they didn't turn me down.

The sheer brilliance of the whole plan was not lost on them either. In fact, S1, laughing as he mentioned AGAIN how fun this was said “Daddy sure had a great idea!”

I must have given him the “choose your side, son” look because he asked incredulously, “YOU thought this up?”

“Yes.”

“But Daddy told you how to do it, right?”

“No, he just added more coals for us.”

Silence. “Wow, Moma, that was a really great idea.” I heard what he did not say, “for a female”. I let it slide, we were having too much fun!

Spring Break for Us, Spring Cleaning for the Boys

We are on spring break this week. If you ask S3 he will tell you we have spring break for TEN days. Every day we have TEN days. I know that when he gets called back to school, he will protest, informing me that his teacher assured him he had TEN days of no school.

It IS going fast.

Today, Wednesday, it is rainy. Not the huge storms from Tuesday but just regular rainy day. Tonight it is supposed to get very cold. It's pretty much a total indoor type of day.
As was yesterday.

And today they were told TODAY the rooms are going to get cleaned. I have told them for weeks ahead of time, “If the upstairs isn't cleaned by spring break, we will be cleaning it during break until it gets done.”

I know, I am a thrilling vacation planner.

So all day yesterday I worked on cleaning. I cleaned my little itty bitty room at the top of the stairs that desperatly needed spring cleaning. I worked on helping the boys get started, and they started...to getting more things out.

This morning that all ended. I took the bags and just began picking things up and throwing them away. It is amazing how fast all the sudden four boys and a friend kick it into gear then.
Truly amazing.

Now, I would never ever throw away prized possessions. I even save those teeny tiny legos. But they don't see or notice that. They just see moma, no smile on her face, tossing their beloved (though totally forgotten) things into the big white bag. For dramatic effect, I would then toss the bag OUT THE WINDOW. You should have seen their faces.

The upstairs is getting clean.

It's a beautiful thing.

And tonight, when we are done, when the carpets are cleaned and they are all tucked into their just washed this week earlier blankets and sheets watching October Sky and eating chocolate chip cookies, oh, they will be thankful for a clean room. Whether they realize it or not.
More (much more fun) stories coming. This is just where we are at the moment.