Sometimes I forget I have a blog.  I’ll randomly think during the day, oh I need to post this or that.  Then I forget and it seems pointless the next time I remember.  Generally, it’s something really sweet Sunshine did or something crazy Snax did.  And I should post that stuff so I remember how cute they were before they became teenagers.   Because when they are teenagers, there isn’t much you want to post.

Life just seems nonstop these days, and I’m not sure why.  This winter I took the kids completely out of any activities except basketball for Goose and Baby Hulk.  We start baseball after Spring Break.  So really, we’re not that family that has an activity every single day.  I’ve never been that mom except maybe with running to libraries or art museums on free days, but at times it feels that way.  Maybe it’s the never ending rush to get out the door on time each morning or the race against the clock every evening.  Life just feels so rushed.  I’m not a fan of rushed living.  I like intentional living.

So maybe an update is in order on all of us.

Squirt: is taking an EMT class at HCC.  He is actually really excited about his class.  After being screwed over by the Marines, I wondered what he might do.  Honestly, he didn’t have a backup plan.  I had always wanted him taking some classes at HCC despite his lack of interest in school; I thought it might jump start things in that department.  And I think it has because he is really excited about his class and asking me to quiz him.  He just came and told me he has clinicals on his birthday and wasn’t really upset about it.  He still works as a lifeguard at the YMCA, and I am pretty sure his life’s goal right now is to move out.  I can’t say I blame him.  I loved my parents at age 18, but wanted to be on my own more than anything.  Wondering if my parents felt the same way.

Goose: is having a great year in school.  Despite waiting until the last second on projects, he does really well.  His teachers are amazing.   I know, STOP  right there.  You read that correctly.  I love, love, love these teachers.  They are good at what they do, they care about the kids and seem to like me okay.  Or least they don’t think I’m crazy.  He plays basketball nonstop, still loves me and Snoopy and asks me to snuggle him on a fairly regular basis.  He sits with me while I read books outloud.  Still.  He likes to think he’s in charge, which is totally his personality.  I wish he weren’t such a tattletale on his brothers.  I don’t remember being that way, and hopefully, at some point, he will learn that sometimes it’s the kids versus mom and dad.  You have to band together and not get the others in trouble.

Baby Hulk: reads nonstop and is probably our most natural athlete.  His year in school has been interesting which is a gentle way of saying it’s been really difficult lately.  Sure he rushes through his work and at times skips pages or problems which infuriates me, but mainly it’s his teachers.  I feel bad for him because today he asked why his teachers were so mean.  I wondered if my sensitive boy had noticed, and indeed he has.  I want him to know that not everyone hates their job like they do and that it gets better and that this sad life lesson should have happened when he was older, not a sweet 7 year old.  (I am not the only parent filing complaints here.)  So now we’re counting down together.  BH wants everything to be fair and is constantly questioning why someone gets to stay up later or had more food, etc.  He still says he wants to be a priest, and he still isn’t a fan of praying outloud.  Upon learning of confession, he immediately asked why he had to confess his sins to a priest instead of just saying them to God.  He has several questions about the Eucharist, and his current favorite read is St. Patrick’s Summer.  He gives the best big hugs and honestly just wants a lot of attention.

Snax: well, he’s become a math genius.  Yes, Snax.  The other day at lunch he was showing off his math facts doing some simple addition and subtraction.  8+7=15, 7+6=13, 15+7=22 and so on.  Then he does 6-8=2 -.  He’s never been taught that and just said it.  Then yesterday I told him I ran ten miles and he said, “if you ran ten miles at my school, you would need to run my track 20 times because each lap is a 1/2 mile.”  This so sounds like a genius, right??  And what’s awesome is that this was the child I took it suuuuppppper slooooow with last year.  He learned his larger numbers by playing Chutes and Ladders.  Last year!  He could add 2+2 and that’s it.  But you know, Snax is much more than just my new math whiz, he’s so damn sweet.  Sure, he still has that twinkle in his eye, but this kid loves me and it makes my heart melt.  He jumps in my arms when I pick him up from school, he snuggles with me and throws a fit when he isn’t with me in mass.  Probably one of my favorite things about him is his love for Lola.  I may not share it, but is it amazing to see him play with her every chance he gets.  The other? How he reads: he still reads outloud to himself.  It bugs BH, but I can’t get enough of it.  His teacher tells me he does the same thing in class.  I am so enjoying watching life through his eyes.

Sunshine: literally gets better each single day.  She’s taking swim lessons now, and I am not sure how she swims because she talks nonstop the entire lesson.  She loves other kids and is calling everyone her friend.  She loves the lady assigned to watch her in the big girl room at the gym and gets sad when she is not working.  Her new habit is to say: “I love you with all my heart and all my books and A, B, C, D …”  Or “I love you 3”.  To which I respond “I love you 10” and we go on until we reach the thousands.  She is such a ham it makes me smile thinking about her.  Just yesterday she renamed her baby Rula.  No idea why, but when we try and call the baby Kayla, she gets mad at us.  When we sit together she always pulls my arm across her body so that I am holding her tummy.  It’s a comfort thing for her.  Today she called me her best friend.  I can’t imagine life getting better than this.

I’d post pictures of the kids except I only have pictures of Sunshine.  I don’t have many excuses except my camera has been acting up lately, Sunshine is the only one around all the time and she is just too good of a subject.

As for me and Lance…well, it’s much the same; work, school, homework and sneaking in the occasional date night.  Except there’s my new running hobby.  I’ve had three people tell me they can’t be friends with me if I get all psycho runner.  Which clearly, I’m not.  That said, I ran 10 miles yesterday.  10 miles!!!  This thing is totally a reality and next year I’m raising money for Duchenne.

As for Lent, it’s going.  I’m not saying what I gave up because that’s kind of tacky, but I will say it’s not sweets or alcohol.  Clearly.  I need to spend more time reading my Lenten book.  Me and the boys have made it to confession and plan to go five more times during Lent.  So hopefully, there will be growth.

Lance and I head to Chicago twice in April, Galveston for the 1/2 marathon and then there’s Easter.  Then we have four games every Saturday starting in two weekends until the end of May.  What was I thinking???  It’s life, messy, a bit chaotic at times, but all good.  Very, very good.