For Today…May, 16, 2011

Outside my window…it’s another beautiful day.  I’m hoping to eat lunch outside in sunlight with little humidity.

I am wearing…burnt orange workout shorts and a black t-shirt.

I am listening to…my boys play.  They are in the instrument box.  Nobody is screaming yet.

I am praying…a bit differently.  Every time I pray for my children, I am picturing their faces.  This may sound strange or maybe everyone does this but me.  I am finding that my prayers seem more focused or sincere or I don’t know the word.  I do know that for me, this is working better.  I am not distracted and I feel like my prayer time is more meaningful.

I am grateful for…the chance to catch up with a friend I hadn’t talked to in a while, a wonderfully clean house, the opportunity to spend time with my brother and his family yesterday, my mom for taking the boys to a party on Saturday, Jessica for picking up Starbucks or cupcakes, my sweet little boys and my amazing husband.

From the kitchen…smoked leg quarters today, lettuce wraps on Tuesday, braised chicken thighs on Wednesday and fish on Thursday.  Menu planned.  Then we celebrate all weekend long.

To be fit and happy…Friday I felt sick, yesterday No David was sick, I need to work out, so I need everyone to stay healthy.  And my spin instructor offered this little tidbit: to lose weight you have to workout for an hour, not 30 minutes, not 45 minutes, but an hour every day.  I was so liking my quick workouts over the past few weeks.

Around the house…some new photos for my picture frames.  Baby Z finally makes her debut around the house.

I am so excited…that school ends soon.  I have no idea why HISD decided to make us attend school a week after Memorial Day, but I feel like I am getting screwed on time with my boys.  We are so ready for them to come home.

From the learning rooms…we are onto X…for experiments.  The hardest part of homeschooling for me.  Have I mentioned I hate mess?  I clean my own house, and it doesn’t get messy.  Ever.  There has never been a time where I’ve let things go.  That said, I am forcing myself to do some fun things this week as well as look into toddler art for No David.  Mess or not, I will let the boys have fun.  Should be a way for me to learn flexibility.

Baby Z…is rolling over.  No more leaving the baby on a bed for a quick second.

Two unnamed children…were talking back to Lance and me yesterday.  One fell out of his chair and the other stepped on a nail while back talking.  Karma maybe?

One of my favorite things…children’s books.

A few plans for the week…hoping to make Burger Mafia, a birthday, Goose’s poetry presentation at school, and a surprise with my family.  Notice no play dates this week!  Go me!

A picture thought I am sharing…

Her first framed photo. Not bad.

We ended a wonderful weekend by celebrating my dad’s birthday.  We had an amazing meal of tenderloin, mustard roasted potatoes, asparagus and strawberry ice cream.  I admit I totally cheated on dessert, but it’s my dad’s favorite as well as every grandchild’s favorite flavor of ice cream.

When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday meal, I hoped he would want to go out to eat.  But he really wanted to spend time with the grandkids.  While I always enjoy a meal out, I do love how much he loves his grandkids.

I find it really interesting to watch my parents with my kids.  It’s hard to see them as grandparents rather than parents.  I think I have great parents and they have proven over and over to be amazing grandparents.  Although my dad lets my kids get away wtih so much more than he ever let me get away with when I was their age!

Dad, you’re a great father and I appreciate all you do for me.  I wish so much that you would take it easy.  Everyone depends on you, and I know that must be exhausting.  Just know, that I always love you and appreciate all you do and have done for me.

After nonstop play-dates, Friday was finally going to be mine, and it is.  I just happen to feel like dirt.  And I’m not blaming it on the three glasses of wine I had last night.  I started feeling sick midway through.  I am feeling so badly that I skipped the gym so I could come home and rest.  I tried to sleep with Baby Z, and turned on Sid for the boys.  I figured it would count as science for the day.  Of course, every so often No David would pop in to let Baby Z know she couldn’t sleep with her fingers in her mouth, thereby waking her up and making her cry.

Have I mentioned how tired I am these days?  I finally realized that I over schedule our lives and after this Sunday, we will have no more than two play-dates a week, with only one weekend activity.  After going out three days this week and with plans for both Saturday and Sunday, I realize I have to make changes.  In my head, I started turning into that mom who talks about “all she does for her kids.”  Since I never want to be one of those mothers, I have to step back and make changes.  The thing is I love everything I did this week.  I don’t generally plan play-dates unless I like the adult involved as well.  But with my sanity at stake, we will scale back.

Since we’re still in the Easter season, a lot of our books talk about Good Friday before going onto the joy of Easter.  Baby Hulk has decided that all Jesus needed was a shooter gun.

So far this week, the screen on my phone has broken as has the dust buster.  I am more upset about the dust buster breaking than the phone.  I CANNOT live without a dust buster.  And just to show my parents that I’m not a complete jerk, despite Squirt being the one to break the dust buster, he doesn’t have to buy me a new one.  He’ll be too busy buying his school shirts again.  (Oh mom, I make myself laugh sometimes.)

With two items already gone this week, you would think I’d be worried about a group of teens coming over tomorrow.  God yes, I am.  I might just have to leave so I don’t stress about what the kids are doing to the house.

Lance’s go to snack for the kids is a peanut butter scoop.  If you think about it, it’s a great snack: cheap and healthy and the kids love it.  I just want to puke when I smell peanut butter.

Some of you heard Lance’s rant this week about kids.  Here’s my take:  Our kids, our business.

Really, you thought that was all I’d say about it?  Here’s the deal: sure, it’s fun to joke about me being pregnant all the time, and quite frankly when you include all my miscarriages, I have been pregnant quite a bit.  Yes, we have more than the “normal” amount of kids.  But to hear people say we have too many kids on a regular basis is a bit much.  Which child should we give away?  The almost 16 year old, the 6 year old, the 4 year old, 2 year old or the baby?  Which child do you think we could live without?

Why does this bother us?  Let’s see, since having Baby Z, we have had one person, ONE, tell us how awesome it is that we have five kids.  When we announced our pregnancy, not one person immediately gave us a congratulations.  We got more scared looks before anyone grudgingly gave us congratulations.  And that only came after they asked if we planned our pregnancy or if she was an accident.

So yes, we’re hyper sensitive when it comes to our kids.  We love them, and for someone to suggest that we have too many is just really freaking rude.  And the thing is, I don’t want or need anyone’s approval about the size of my family.  Nor do I want or need the disapproval.

Yesterday was a calm day for us.  We slept in until 8:20, the first time in months and had a lazy day ending with Mass for the family.

Lance asked each boy what they loved about me, their favorite thing to do with me and their favorite food I make.

Squirt: that I am caring, driving to school together and lettuce wraps.

Goose: that I love him the best, (yes, this did come out of his mouth), reading with me and pizza.

Baby Hulk: that I am pretty, doing school and pizza

No David: kisses, reading stories and pizza

Here’s the thing: I don’t make pizza.  Ever.  Nor do I plan to make pizza.

I have to say I was surprised that nobody said cookies or pumpkin bread.

Saturday night Lance and I enjoyed a night out with our regular babysitter also known as my mother.  My dad stayed home with everyone so my mom could enjoy a night out.

Here are my answers to Lance’s questions: I love that my mom is so giving.  She did everything we wanted when I was a kid and to this day, gives so much without complaining.  My favorite thing to do with my mom as a little girl was coming home from school and visiting or baking, today it’s talking after I’ve come home from a date with Lance.  I used to get grounded a lot, and I always say it’s because my mom wanted to spend time with me.  Not with me being a shit.  And my favorite food: fried chicken and mashed potatoes, roast, chicken Parmesan and the many desserts she excelled at making.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!  You are an amazing mother, and I appreciate all you have done for me.   I hope I can be half as good a mom as you are!

Did you know it is Teacher Appreciation Week?  I still can’t believe teachers get a week, but I suppose that complaint is getting old.  The irony of this week is that I, hater of Goose’s first grade teacher, was selected by his homeroom mother to take lunch and a gift card tomorrow.  Really?  Why me?  What made homeroom mother think I was the best choice for this?  Was it all the extra kids I carry around, was it the nice words I always have to say about teacher?

So tomorrow, after my workout I am getting something for teacher.  I hope she hates it.  Yes, I really do because that is how petty I am.  Have I mentioned she left my son and two other kids on the playground?  And then blamed him despite being a teacher that should at the very least count her kids before leaving an area.  This year can’t end soon enough.

And I know it seems that I am the biggest complainer around.  Yes, I do complain quite a bit, but I am not the only person complaining about the first grade teachers at Rogers.  The elementary vice principal has admitted concerns from several parents.  I’ve been told by members of the PTO that it gets better in third grade.  There is a group of at least six moms that actively complain, going to PAC meetings, constantly calling for parent teacher conferences and such.  I love this group of moms because I know I’m not crazy for thinking something is off with the teacher and lack of communication.

Anyway…all those moms…total freaking sellouts.  All of them brought gifts this week.  So while I am glad to know I have company in my misery, it saddens me to know that in pettiness I stand alone.  But stand alone I will.

Quite frankly, if coming up with lesson plans every week, not taking any maternity leave, and teaching an extremely emotional child to read and do other wonderful things related to education, while cleaning and caring for other kids doesn’t earn me lunches and gift cards every day of the week, then there was no chance in hell I was doing anything for her anyway.

And yes, that sentence was really long and confusing.

With that said, I have to acknowledge that after NUMEROUS comments and tweets, I did receive two cupcakes and a $5 GC to Starbucks from Lance as a ‘thank you’ for teaching the Baby Hulk.  A totally appropriate gift for teachers.  Not too much, but not too little.

No David has truly hit the milestone in our house of being IT.  Sorry other kids, there is someone so much cuter in the house.  Except of course you, Baby Z.  Yes, we love everyone, but No David is just so funny now.  It’s a shame that he is still at that age where not everyone understands what he says.  Truly, they are missing out.

Earlier in the week, I couldn’t find the house phone.  Finally, around four when Goose was starting his homework, I felt it in his backpack.  Along with two old cell phones.  Now Goose has shown us he has traits of being a future hoarder or thief, but he seemed genuinely confused as to why these things were in his backpack.  I asked No David if he did it.  Nope, he proceeded to blame every other person in the except for me.  Even the baby did it.  Finally, he ended by saying, “someone did it, but not me.”  Is it bad that I love that he thinks so quickly?

Another head-scratcher this week was Squirt informing me that he has no more school shirts.  All of them are gone.  I. am. not. kidding.  How do you lose a shirt you are required to wear at school?  Guess what he is buying with his birthday money?  Between this move and not getting his permit this year, who thinks we are the coolest parents anymore?  Yeah, not him either.

I was telling Jenn about our plans for Mother’s Day.  The boys are all painting a picture at Pinot’s Palette for me.  Which really means Lance is painting a picture for me.  We were talking about how it would be cool if all the kids actually painted the same painting to see the different perspectives.  But then I pointed out that only Lance, Squirt and Goose could paint because Baby Hulk still can’t really draw figures.

I was wrong.  Today on his own, he drew the entire family.  We were stick figures. Without arms.  When I asked where our arms were, he said they were inside our shirts, as if that was the most normal thing for an entire family to have their arms inside their shirts.

My five are up.

One last thing…am I really missing Wilco?

I talk a lot about Purgatory in my house.  As a Catholic I truly believe that when I die I will be making a stop in Purgatory.  I stress over and over to my children to pray constantly for my soul so I’m not stuck in Purgatory.  I tell them not to fall for sweet lines at my funeral like “she’s in heaven now.”  I know the things I’ve done, I won’t be in heaven that fast.

Recently Squirt equated Purgatory to a waiting room.  A great example, I reminded him that he didn’t want me sitting there forever and to pray for my soul.  I also told him to think of all the waiting rooms he has had to sit in before he thought about committing a sin.  I figured that would make him think twice before doing something he knew was wrong.

It appears that Goose has also taken my words on Purgatory to heart.

Last week, I was talking about Blessed (I can’t believe I can call him Blessed now!) John Paul II.  Goose let me know that he was praying for JPII’s soul.  Just in case he was still in Purgatory.

For Today…May 1, 2011

Outside my window…it’s dark.  I’m tired and am not ready for the week to start.

I’m listening…to a new mix I made.  A mix of some songs from the 90’s.

I am wearing…a black skirt and a beige shirt.

I am praying…the rosary.  With my kids.  Listening to them recite the Rosary was beautiful.  Especially my little boy.

Praying with the new rosaries from Paris. Thanks, Chel!

Speaking of that little boy…he is so funny.  When we are looking for him, he covers his eyes so we can’t see him.  I love that he thinks we can’t see him.  He does this when he is supposed to be napping or we catch him being a bit naughty.

You can't see me.

Where's Snax?

I’m also praying…for Goose.  His effort at school has been less than stellar.  This is an honor roll kid, I know, stupid in first grade, who is now making some really crappy grades.  When I ask him to make corrections, he knows all the answers.  So what is the problem???  It kills me because he is so smart, and I don’t want this to become a habit for him.  I have no idea what to do with him.  I can say that yelling isn’t working.  Although sweet talking isn’t working either.  I have tried both.  The bribe doesn’t seem to be inspiring him either.

My smart little boy...needs to get working.

I am remembering…seeing John Paul II in person.  Twice.  I have been trying to talk about him with the boys, and I’m not sure if they can really understand how I feel about him.  I am praying for his intercession in our lives.

I am grateful…that Chelsea made it home safely from Alabama, for time with Squirt, for my parents who watched the other kids, for a husband who loves sweets as much as I do and the chance to teach my children about Faith.

From the kitchen…full menu planned.  SO happy about that.  Some good tried and true recipes!

Around the house…I just walked into Squirt’s room and decided we need to change his walls around.  Who is going to help me?

To be fit and happy…I love my time at the gym.  I need that hour.  I am happy I trust the ladies in the daycare.  They love my babies.

From the learning rooms…Wouldn’t the shuttle launch have fit perfectly with U week?  Thanks, NASA.  We’ll continue this week making a Styrofoam solar system.  Then we’re talking volcanoes and we’ll make one on Saturday!

A few plans for the week…1560 burger mafia, Discovery Green, Museum, the park…three play dates for the Baby Hulk, plus some learning for him.  Then there is this thing called teacher appreciation week….Who appreciates me teaching Baby Hulk?  What am I getting???  We have plans for Friday night, then Saturday we’re taking my mom to dinner for Mother’s Day and on Sunday we’re trying to head to Pinot’s Palette so the family can paint something for me.  Another busy week.  Plus, we are trying to see Wilco on Thursday.  Something has to give.

A picture thought I am sharing…

Seriously, she is amazing.

Flirting with daddy.

Squirt will be turning 16 next month, and Lance and I wanted to do something special with him to celebrate his birthday.  In a family our size, it’s not always easy to get time alone with us, so we decided on a day trip to Austin.  We left this morning under the premise of going antiquing.  Squirt’s only comment on his special day was “are we buying something?”  I have to say that for a teenager, he is pretty easy going most of the time.  We managed to keep him in the dark until we pulled in the parking lot of Cypress Valley Canopy Tours.

He was very excited and couldn’t believe we were zip lining.  And that I was going to do it as well.  It seems the older I get, the more scared I become of everything.

We had a great time.  The guides were friendly and talked just enough to make you feel at ease, but were never annoying.  The feeling of flying through the trees was incredible.  I highly recommend this activity.  Despite a very long week, (Lance with the draft, me being a single mom) we were invigorated the whole day.

Afterwards we had lunch at Home Slice on S. Congress.  The day couldn’t have been better.  Actually, it could have been better if the pie truck hadn’t moved to a standing location on the complete opposite side of town.  Lance got crepes, Squirt got a cupcake and I ended up with nothing.

I remember the first time I met Chelsea, she was 10.  Back then we talked about who knows what in my trashy little apartment.  Today we talk via Twitter and texting, with the phone as a last resort.  (A tough one for me considering my love of the phone!)  Our topics can vary from bands, she has the same great taste in music as I do, to band leaders, Rhett Miller, to work, to brothers to venting.  To be honest, I probably vent a bit more to her than she does to me.  Is that fair?  Not sure, but she lets me do it, and I’m ever so grateful.

Today she turns 21!  A milestone for anyone turning 21.  The plan was to party at school then come home in a couple of weeks and celebrate with her friends and family in Texas.

Plans change, there were devastating tornadoes across the state of Alabama, hitting very close to her home.  Down the street close.  School has already been cancelled so her father got her home last night.  Just in time to start off her 21st year with a Whataburger.  Not a bad way to start the rest of your life!

I think part of growing up is realizing that plans do change and maturity is accepting those changes with grace.  Chelsea has done just that.  She sees the bigger picture today and while some might think that’s no big deal, we all know that it is.  By nature humans are selfish, they don’t always get that life isn’t always about them.  So when I see her accept her new birthday plans with gratefulness, I am proud.

I’ve watched Chelsea grow up so much these last few years and love who she is becoming.  I continue to pray for her and for her husband to be, (no there isn’t a contender, I just am already praying he is worthy of her).  We love you so much sweet girl and wish you only the best in life.  I thank God you were safe amidst tragedy this week.  Happy Birthday, Chelsea!  Saint Catherine of Sienna, pray for Chelsea today and always.

For today…April 25, 2011

Outside my window…the sun is shining.  It starts out so cloudy in the mornings, but by afternoon the sun is shining full force.  It’s starting to get way too hot for me.

I am wearing…a black skirt, blue shirt, and my new watch.  I love it and smile each time I look down at my wrist.

I am grateful for…every single one of my children, Lance, my mom, my dad, joy in the eyes of my children, beautiful masses of the Catholic Church, a great week with my oldest, the chance for Confession, lunch with friends last week, a phone call with Paul, a friend who goes mad over baby clothes and books, a friend who scours the Internet for watches, a visit with Chelsea and the love we receive at Easter.

I’m pondering…how I want to homeschool the Baby Hulk next year.  I might finally understand what Charlotte Mason is all about.  And I think I kind of like it.

I am reading…Real Learning, Education in the Heart of the Home.

From the kitchen…does Easter candy count?  I didn’t buy much candy this year, but have managed to snack on quite a bit already.  I think I need to just eat all of it now and get it over with.  Lance is super busy this week, so I’m thinking easy meals all week long.

Around the house…No David got his new bed.  The boys got some new storage units in the room.  And I love how it looks.  AND…Lance built all of it with minimal swearing.  Even the IKEA bed.

From the learning rooms…we are at U this week for science.  The universe.  I have ideas for V, X and Z.  Then we are done.  Actually, the Baby Hulk finishes most of his stuff the week the boys finish school.  Baby Hulk is really smart, and I’m hoping to instill a love of learning in him.

One of my favorite things…Miller Outdoor Theatre.  We went to a play last week and will go again tomorrow.  The shows we see aren’t always a hit, but the kids are exposed to plays, musicals, opera and classical music.

On being fit and happy…another change in my workout.  I have now decided that I’m, not losing weight because my heart rate is too high.  It’s probably not true, but at least I have something new to blame it on.  Instead of how many sweets I eat.

To live the liturgy…Easter lasts 50 days.  I didn’t decorate until Saturday and try my hardest to keep Easter alive for the entire time.  We have new books in the baskets and plan to celebrate during this time.

I am praying…for a relaxing month, one where despite plans we don’t run ourselves ragged.

Baby Z…is sweeter than ever and starting to turn over.  I love her sweet smile.  I just wish she would smile when I try to take pictures.

No David…is seriously the funniest thing ever.  I love listening to him talk.

There is this...

And then there is this.

A few plans for the week…the gym, a play, a morning of reflection, 4 month check-up for Baby Z and there’s this little thing called the draft this week.

With the draft in mind…I’m praying for Lance’s sanity this week.

A picture thought or two…

Such love!