Kale is only 8 but I swear his Dad thinks he's in his teens. I find I'm more reserved when it comes to letting my kids try new things that I feel could possibly take their life. My husband on the other hand thinks there is no time like the present to encourage the kids to try new things. The responce I get is "Aahh, he's fine. He won't get hurt." Over the weekend these are the toys my son drove because "Dad said I could".
These aren't the smaller types for children. No, no. These are the adult full-size toys.
What's that phrase that Trevor loves to say? Oh, yeah, "All you need is speed and RPM's." Nice! I don't have grey hair yet, but when I do, I'm blamming it all on Trevor.
Trevor told the kids that school would be starting 2 hours late tomorrow and Kale got very excited and started cheering and Nikia joined right in screeming and dancing around. Then, she stopped suddenly and said, "Wait. What exactly does that mean anyway?" She is such a silly squirt?
I took this a couple of years ago. We were on our way to Trevor's softball game driving in a steady sprinkle of rain - hence the raincoats they're wearing. Both kids loved to go watch their Daddy play and were full of chatter. Before we made it to the game we got the call that it had been postponed and so we turned around to go back home. I thought it had gotten pretty quiet in the back seat, so I turned around and found this....
It still melts my heart today.
She has one of the most contageous laughs...
She loves to give hugs and kisses....
She is full of imagination....
She is tender and compassionate....
She is my princess....
I just can't seem to get past this, so I am going to vent a little.
I woke up this morning to send the kids off to school and to send my husband off for a guys (8 guys to be exact) weekend of snomobiling in the Hills. I promptly burried the phone under the pillows and went right back to bed. I woke up at 12:00. Man, it felt so good to sleep in. It's a beautiful day of flurries falling and such a calmness in the house. I love days like this. I know there are things I should be doing but I'm not going to do them today. It's just a day of nothing. It's a good day.
UPDATED BELOW....
Good Morning!
If Nikia complains that her tummy hurts today she’s probably telling the truth this time.
In the middle of the night she woke up crying in pain. We sat her on the toilet and she passed a lot of gas. Then back to bed we all (Nikia, Trevor and I) went. About 30 minutes later – enough for me to get back to a deep sleep apparently – I woke up to a stinky smell and to her hollering for me in my bathroom. It was obvious that her body decided to start functioning in the lower department area with no control to Nikia. She left a gross little brown trail from her room all the way to my bathroom – on the carpet. To which I quickly awoke Trevor and told him to take care of that lovely mess while I tended to Nikia. Did I take the lesser of the two evil jobs intentionally? YES! I figure it’s good for Trevor to help out around the house once and awhile.
A can of carpet cleaner, a few gags on Trevor’s part, about six very damp spots on the carpet that I’m really hoping he cleaned good, a shiny sparkling clean toilet, a freshly showered little girl, and 30 minutes later, we’re all back in bed.
NICE!!
Yeah, I’m sure you really didn’t want all the details but oh well, too late now. Ha Ha!
If she complains of a tummy ache just have her go sit on the toilet for a while. Better not make her wait too long – I don’t know if you could get Trevor to come to the school to clean up after her.
Oh, by the way, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY ! ! ! !
Amy
UPDATE: this is the email I got back from her....
I think you did the right thing to make Trevor clean up the floor and you tend to Nikia. So far she has not said anything and seems to be all right. Hope you have a Happy Valentines Day.
Cindy
Mrs. H is a wonderul teacher. Both of our kids love her alot. She was Kale's Pre-School teacher and Nikia's Pre-School teacher last year and moved up to Kindergarten this year. We both love to gang up on Trevor about anything we can think of. Now, if I can think of a way to get her to move up to 1st grade next year!
Isn't she cute. She's a little goat not a lamb. Kale has named her Snowball. She's only about 10 inches tall. We have 6 other pygmy goats including her mama. I got them two years ago just to have some animals in our pasture and for my kids to learn the responsibility of chores.
We were told that they would be taking professional photos and thought that would be nice since we've never had one since our wedding. We found the location and jumped in line for that. As we got closer and could see what the photo set up would be, we saw it wasn't what we expected at all. But anyways, this is how ours turned out. 
Trevor is shaking hands with the VP of Croplan. It turned out to be alright since the next day when Trevor actually received his certificate, jacket and pin I didn't have the camera. Good one, huh.
Did I mention that there were 1100 people at this convention. I knew only Trevor. So most of the time I did a lot of "people watching". That's what I call it when I scan the room and pick out people and in my head make comments like: Nice outfit. That hairdo looks terrible on her. I can't believe she wore that to this kind of a meeting. Wow! He's handsome. Sad, I know - but that's me and I love to "people watch."
The whole weekend every event the spouses were invited to attend. So I did. They had a motivational speaker that was excellent. I even took notes. What a nerd I can be. Here are a few things I thought I'd pass along.
~A parent is only as happy as its saddest child.
~Stop multi-tasking so much. Picture a little boy talking to his Daddy who is reading the newspaper. "Daddy, you need to listen to me with your eyes, not just your ears."
~Little changes make big differences.
~Manage the effects of stress. Many of us have the same stresses in our lives. It's how we manage them that makes the difference.
~Sources of work/family conflict: when colleagues fail to honor family life, and/or, when your family fails to honor the work place
~Even a sideways glance can pierce the heart of a child.
~Believe in yourself, Believe in each other.
~Be generous, Be gracious
~Make each kid feel like they're your favorite. (loved that comment)
Of course there was much more, but I know it all sounded better coming from him and hearing him explain it in his own words.
The last night for entertainment they had "the dueling piano guys". What a riot! These guys were so funny and amazing. I bet they played over a hundred songs. They never took a break and they played pretty much non-stop for 3 1/2 hours. Yes, I admit. There was drinking involved. But not to a drunken stooper mess. Trevor and I don't drink to get drunk. That's a commitment we have to each other. And we stick to it.
Next year they're moving the convention to Orlando, FL. Yay! Warm weather! Trevor has already this year qualified in sales #'s for that trip and hoping to qualify in the Elite level as well, which is a 5 day cruise.
I didn't get any shopping in, which was fine. We were busy most of the time with different meetings to attend and during our breaks we hung out in our room and took some good naps. Yes - just naps!
It was a fun and enjoyable weekend. I was so proud of Trevor and all that he has done.
Oh, by the way. When we returned home we had a big surprise waiting for us. You'll just have to check back tomorrow to see what we found. I don't have a picture of it yet, but you'll want to see one (I think).
Last night we all ventured out into the cold to celebrate my Mom's birthday. We arrived early and we were still the last one's there. - go figure. My brother and his wife and kids, and my sister and her husband and kids and my favorite Aunt and Uncle, from Minneapolis, were able to join us as well. My Dad missed out do to an annual hunting trip out west - hope he is staying warm, having fun and seeing a lot of wildlife.
As you can see, he decided to be "joe cool" and wink right when I took it. Thanks buddy - you rock!
Yes they are. So what am I doing sitting here in front of my computer? I should be cleaning like a mad woman. Making sure every little corner is dust bunny and cob web free. Trying to get the house in top shape. Cleaning old left overs out of the fridge. Making sure the kid's rooms look perfect. No rings in the toilet bowel and a clean mopping to the floors.
But yet I still sit here. I guess I've come to the point that yes, I like a clean house and all that, but on the other hand I think it is ridiculous to make it look like it's not lived in just to impress someone. I have a cousin that is someone whom I admire a bunch. When we go to her house, it's obvious that she wasn't running around in a frenzy cleaning to make it spotless. She and her husband are the best host and hostess ever. They make you feel so welcomed and you always have the time of your life at their home. Not because of how clean the house was but because of who they are and how "real" they are. I feel comfortable there and not like my kids need to be on pins and needles as not to mess anything up.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because company is coming I don't want to put on a show of something that we're not. I want our home to reflect who we are and that we do live in this house. It doesn't have to be spotless or perfectly neat and in order. We are a regular family and there are a few dust bunnies that probably live here somewhere. There is no reason to stress over stuff like that. Just doing something to make a good impression isn't worth it. Whoever I think am trying to impress will eventually see the real me anyway.
Don't get me wrong, I will do some cleaning but not just to make it look like my home is always perfect. I hope to relax and just enjoy the company - even if it is my in-laws.
Did I choose the decaf.? NO! Should have I? YES! Usually, caffeine doesn't really have an affect on me. Maybe it's because I ended up having 2 big mugs - I don't know. At 2:00 am I laid in bed wide awake desperately wanting to get back to sleep. After tossing and turning, for what seemed like forever, I decided to read a book (with the aid of a flashlight). Reading usually makes me tired right away. I'm not sure how many chapters I got through but I think around 5:00 am I finally dozed off.How do you stop your children from putting clean clothes in the "dirty clothes basket?" I know they only do it so they don't have to hang them up or put them away. At least that's why I did it as a kid.
The other day Nikia came downstairs with a new outfit on I had just recently bought her. I told her that she would have to take it off and put something different on. So, today when I was doing laundry where do you think I found that outfit? Exactly. In her "dirty clothes basket." Brand new. Never worn. Not a spot on it.
Kale does it too. I find clean clothes in his basket all the time. I have explained to them that it just makes more work for mommy. I have even explained to them that it costs money every time I wash a load of clothes. For a while I told Kale that for every piece of clean clothes I found in his basket he would owe me 10 cents. This worked until I practically drained his piggy bank.
Does anybody have a good solution for this? I don't get a thrill out of doing laundry to begin with. And especially not if the clothes are already clean. Yes, I know my children are young, but I believe in teaching good habits at a young age.
After 21 years of marriage, My wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you." The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. "What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. "I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded. "Just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much." That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I saw that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited at the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was radiant as an angel's. "I told my friends that I was going out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting." We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu, for she could only read large print. Half way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation, nothing extraordinary, just catching up on the recent events of each other's life. (We missed the movie.) As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed. At home my wife asked: "How was your dinner date?". "Very nice; Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates -- one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son." At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time : "I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."
This isn't just about being a mother, it's about appreciating the people in your life, while you have them....no matter who that person is.
Well, what I planned to do yesterday since both kids were in school, was run on my treadmill, take a shower, go to town to run a few errands, look for a dress that I need by next weekend, tan, get back home and clean up the house before the kids get off the bus. Then we would get the homework done so we could eat in town at a nice restaurant with daddy (who's been out of town since Monday morning), and then head to church.
Instead, it went something like this:
Tuesday night my sister calls at 11:00 pm to see if I could watch her 17 month old who is sick and not feeling well. I told her that I had a full day planned, is there anybody else that could watch her. She said that Mom could take her a little later in the day. So - okay, I'll watch her.
Wednesday morning I get the kids up and going with the constant reminder "hurry up or you'll miss the bus" phrase. Which, come to think of it, is actually repeated non-stop every school morning. My sister arrives with Shayne (my niece) before the kids get on the bus, which causes my kids to want to play now. After instructing them several times that they don't have time to play and to leave Shayne alone. I am now beginning to get upset because it's drawing near the time for the bus to arrive and my kids need to finish breakfast and brush their teeth. Nikia gets finished and ready to head out the door while Kale is still in brushing his teeth. I happened to look out the window and see the bus lights at the neighbor up the road. I told Nikia just to go on ahead and yelled at Kale to HURRY UP....again. So while Kale is putting his snow boots on, which seemed ever so slow, I can hear Nikia yelling all the way down the driveway "THE BUS IS COMING! THE BUS IS COMING! THE BUS IS HERE!" I practically shove Kale out the door and turn around to see Shayne just standing there staring at me. I'm sure thinking, thank heavens this is not where I usually spend my days.
By 9:00 Shayne has fallen asleep. I held her for a while just because I miss that part ever since my kids learned to fall asleep on their own. I layed her down in my bed and headed out of the my room to the computer. I messed around on there for way to long and decided I should get some stuff done. Well, now I cant run because the treadmill is in my room with Shayne. I cant take a shower because my bathroom is in my room with Shayne. I'd like to get dressed but if Shayne wakes up and mom comes to get her soon I can still run so why bother changing clothes twice..right. Okay..so I'll do some cleaning - which I did. I even washed down the outside of all the kitchen cabinets (I have a lot). Still Shayne is sleeping and Mom hasn't called about getting her yet.
Fast forward.......Shayne took a 4 hour nap, and my Mom called at about 1:30. I ended up just keeping little Shayne darling for the whole day and cleaned some more while she played. The house looked pretty nice until......
The kids came home and unloaded their book bags everywhere. Then Trevor gets home and tells the kids to look in his bag. The meeting he went to had a bunch of free "stuff". So he decided to load up and treat the kids with can coolers, sunglasses, pens, mugs, and more can coolers. Needless to say my nice clean house was now trashed with school papers, books and "stuff" everywhere.
My sister didn't come to get Shayne until an hour before church started so we had to go to a fast-food joint.
Oh the joys of motherhood!!!
