What is that thing?

So Friday we were supposed to be leaving for the Cash of Hope Auction.  By 5:15 my wonderful husband was still not home.  I am getting impatient.  Not only would he not tell me what "errand" he needed to run that was keeping him, but the babysitter was here which meant we were on the clock.  That clock is expensive so hanging around is not in the budget.

Finally at 5:20 up pulls the van.  Robb gets out, hands behind his back, weird cockeyed smile breaking across his face.  As he approaches the house he pulls out his hands and reveals....a rat...{ahem} puppy.  A tiny, 1.8 lb chihuahua puppy (you can understand the rat mistake, they are hard to differentiate.)

My kids and I were dumbfounded.  If you could only have lived the history of the no dog policy at our house for the last 7+ yrs.  We've tried dogs, it hasn't fared well, so for the last number of years the drill sergeant (I call him this lovingly ~ he teaches boot camp fitness classes so it fits) has had a firm "no" stance to animals of any kind.  No one could believe this turn of events.

But alas it is true.  We are the proud new owners of a puppy.  A very tiny, very cute puppy named Yoda.  He is turning out to be very manageable too so we are all happy about our newest addition.

My poor, tortured children keep asking if we are really keeping him.  This after being robbed of the first family pet 5 or so years ago.  (That story will have to be shared later but the short version:  I bought the kids a Shitzu puppy that only lasted about 2 months and then I got rid of it.  All I can say is it had more "Shit" in it than "zu".)   But Yoda is here to stay.  We are all on board this time around.  

Rule #1 in pet owning...everyone has to play along.               

Rule #2...everyone has to want the thing.   

I think Yoda's odds are good.

Way to go Dad!

Kids say the darndest things

So yesterday I was driving my kids to church and Joey discloses that "not next year, but the year after that he will be going to Junior High youth group instead of the kids church."

Joey wearing his brother's space helmet

We almost had a fatal crash on the Badger as I realized that this was true.

What is going on at my house?  These kids are growing at break neck speed.  It's insanity.

When I picked them up Joey was playing soccer with the Junior High kids.  As he got into the van he explained.  "I figured since I'll being hanging out with the Junior Highers in a few years I should start getting used to it."

On our drive home the "growing up" talk continues as my two boys discussed where they would live when they get older.  Joey declared that he would be staying in Lynden so that his kids could go to LC. (He knows how to get in his mom's good books.)  Riley cannot believe this.  He empathically declares that he will be moving to New York so that he can be in a big city.  And if NY doesn't work out then he'll settle for California or Oregon.  Where do they come up with this stuff?

Mother's Day

My kids made hearts out of paper clips to decorate for Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is joyous and sad for me. My mom passed away almost 12 years ago and every spring, when Mother's Day approaches, I can't help feeling like I got gipped.

My mom was an amazing lady and I was so blessed to have her for the first 20 years of my life. The problem is, I wasn't ready to spend the next 20 without her. She was one of those moms that always had an answer, was always ready to listen, and always knew that shopping heals a girl's heart. She was the best!

I miss you Mom!

Life

So every once in awhile life creeps up on me and I realize, time is short and I had better make the best of it.   I love my kids and my husband but sometimes I can be easily distracted by my so-called important tasks that take up the better part of my day.  I work A LOT so my time at home is short.  Usually I come home and immediately tackle dinner, dishes, laundry, vacuuming, and whatever else I find to do.  My poor husband works himself like a dog trying to keep up on house stuff and yet I still manage to find things to do that fill up my time.  And then I have weeks like this past one, where all of the sudden I realize life is passing me by.  My kids are growing up and I'm too busy cleaning, working, and {cough} blogging to realize it.  Those moments stink!  I hate reality, especially when it comes in the form of a good kick in the butt.

Take this kid for an example...
This is 3rd grade (last year).  He is now coming to the end of 4th grade and all of the sudden I realized that this means next year he moves buildings.  Not only does he move up in grade, he moves up in buildings.  AHHHHHH!  I can't take this kind of reality.  I really like all my kids in one building...the elementary building.  I AM NOT READY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL!  I don't think I can find my way around that building, I don't think Joey can find his way around that building, and if he can, I don't want him to.  He's just too darn big.  There are so many things that showcase just how big Joseph is getting.  However, none more than this.  My baby has started his own blog.

I love it and hate it.  It is so cute but it's also another mark on the wall showcasing how big he's getting.  I can't stand it.

Here he is at his 10th birthday this past March.  Ack! 1-0!  I was told this was going to happen but I didn't believe it.

There were times when this guy was 2 that I thought he'd never grow up.  All those times of crying (both of us), battles over food, potty training woes (he once pooped on the seat of my car instead of the toilet), sleepless nights and napless days.  I never thought I'd say it but I would give anything to have a few of those days back.  Just a couple...is that so much to ask?

Socks

What is the deal with socks?  These 3 people that I live with can NEVER find ANY socks.  I don't understand it.  It boggles my mind and may be the sole cause of my mental breakdown.

I'm sure you can remember my late arrival to the 3 drill sergeant's who were waiting to leave on our Seattle trip.  Well, without naming names...I'm blaming it on 2 of the 3. I was out the door, almost to the car when I hear 2 voices:

"Mom, I don't have any socks." {whiny kid voice}

"Well, where are they?" {me-pleasant, accommodating, jovial}

"I don't know..." {more whining}

I head back to the house - utterly pleasant and willing to help - of course.  I search and I search and I search.  In vain I attempt to find any 4 socks.  I could care less at this point if they match, if they have holes, really anything will do.  McDonald's requires socks or I would have made them go barefoot.  I turn up nothing.  How in the entire house can we not find 4 socks.  Not pairs...just 4 of them.  

I left - with my pleasant attitude still shining- and hoped they didn't go to McDonald sock-less.  What I don't know can't hurt me, right?  I didn't even ask when I got home, I couldn't.  

This weekend I had had enough.  I went to the mall on Sunday and stocked up on socks.  Gobs of socks.  You'd think owning a shoe store and carrying socks I would not have to resort to this but Smartwool socks are no small purchase and I was over spending that kind of $ on lost kid's socks.  Only responsible adults deserve that type of heaven on their feet.  I went straight for the bargain white socks.  

I'm putting an end to this sock madness once and for all.

Adult Onset Dyslexia, ADD, and other issues

I've realized recently that I have several apparent issues that are rising rapidly to the surface.  

I have been transposing numbers a lot lately.  Can you get dyslexia as an adult?  I think you might be able to.  Its definitely worrisome.  Shoes are mis-priced, invoices are mixed up...

I've also noticed that my attention span is deteriorating quicker than my waist.  I sit down to tackle a task and before I know it, I've started another, and another, and, yes, another.  And then nothing gets done.  Lots is started.  Little is finished.  If I could, I would fire myself and hire someone with a lot better attention span.  And someone who would do a better job at finishing tasks.  

Then there is the sleep issue.  Anyone's who has kids knows what I mean.  I don't think I've slept many full nights in the 10 years I've been a mother.  They conspire, they pillage, and they run me over.  I definitely think it is a conspiracy.  I can just hear it...

Joey-"I'm tired tonight.  Its your turn to get mom up."

Autumn-"I did last night.  Your turn Riley."

Riley-"Okay, I'll have leg cramps tonight.  That will work."

I blame the above and pictures like this on my lack of sleep.  There has to be a reason for all this madness.

 

An Ode to Teachers

I could never be a teacher. I don't know how they can do what they do 10 months of the year. It blows my mind.

When I was little I loved 3rd grade, so naturally I thought I would become a 3rd grade teacher. Now that I am wiser...I realize how ridiculous that is. You have to be a certain breed which I am clearly not.

Teachers have a lot of patience, I don't. Teachers enjoy crafty things, I don't. Teachers are okay with kids using glue, I am not. Teachers get asked a million questions each day some of which are completely useless to the state of humanity and they get up the next day and do it again, I would never get out of bed again.

My youngest is a question asker. He asks me questions from the moment we get up until bedtime. I think sometimes he asks me questions while I'm sleeping. The last few days he is all into what type of animals live in Washington that he has not seen yet in his 6 years of life. Being that I am not a biologist or have spent any time in the past decade researching animal habitats, I HAVE NO CLUE. That is not the answer he was looking for.

Out of desperation I told my little guy that I would get up with him at 6:30 am and we could spend some time researching these mind boggling questions. By now you have likely read about how much I LOVE mornings. Getting up early is in itself a sheer act of love. But I'm also not big on questions. I just live in the moment and figure things out as need be. I really don't ask a lot of questions. I don't know the answer to a lot of questions. And I don't want to be asked a lot of questions.

But we have spent the last two days researching the questions that plague this guy's soul. Its been a personal challenge. And it makes me realize how special teachers are. And it reminds me that I could never be a teacher because I would probably curl up in a ball under my desk and never come out.