Monday, May 31, 2010

Not Me! Monday

Well, it's Not Me! Monday, but the blog carnival isn't open today. That's OK, I'll post mine anyway. There's nothing like the freedom one gets from being open and honest about life. Keeps ya humble, too. :)

With our trip a mere 4 days away, it was not me who had a checklist of all I wanted to have completed over the weekend, to only actually have... absolutely nothing checked off. I am much more motivated than that, and would have had everything done by now.

With our trip a mere 4 days away, it was not me who offered to take on 4 extra kids until the evening before we leave on our trip. I know how crazy it is trying to get packed, clean house, and prepare for such a long trip, that I would have sent my own kids away, not add to them! I am not a glutton for punishment!





With our trip a mere 4 days away and nothing checked off on my to-do list, it is not me who is planning on giving all 9 kids (5 of my own, and their 4 friends that I am not watching up until the night before we leave on our trip) their own buckets and rags, and having them clean my floors. I know how fleeting childhood summers are, and would never make kids work instead of play. Let alone, allow kids that aren't even mine to help clean my floors!

Last night, it was not me who let the kids all have cereal for dinner because they were hungry before I was ready to cook. And when I did cook, it was not me who grabbed the Italian herb grinder instead of the peppercorn grinder; being very generous on the seasoning before realizing I grabbed the wrong grinder. I'm much more on top of stuff like that and always check labels first!

It was not me who caught an ant the size of a dime, put it in a container, and took a picture of it. I'm a girl, and girls would never do such things!


It was not me who allowed my 5 year old to bring an extra dress to church in case she changed her mind about what she wanted to wear. And I would never  allow her to actually change in the church's parking lot. What they put on in the morning, stays on.

On our way to church, it was not me that took a picture of square hay bales because I thought they looked cool. I've lived in Iowa for almost 6 years, and don't think anything of hay bales.


I was not  that mom who didn't tell her child to not drink the pool water (and not just any pool water - baby pool water!), just to get a cute picture.


And finally, it was not me who allowed my 3 year old to lick cookie dough off the whisk. I know the dangers of consuming egg in its raw form, and would never chance letting my child become ill from something so dangerous as cookie dough!


Happy Monday!


Friday, May 28, 2010

Welcome, Summer!

The celebration started before the kids were even out of school. Elise and I went for a walk to the library (which was closed. Again. I now know Wednesday is the only weekday it opens earlier than 2pm), then to the store to get a cookie mix (I know, I'm lazy), then to the gas station to rent a movie for the kids.

What's that you have, Elise? A lollie? Will you eat it this time?


(if you haven't read about the other lollie, click here)

After we returned home, Elise helped me make cookies...
(see that circle thing on top of the coffee maker? That's her lollie she wanted so badly, but never ate, lol)



Yummm!!


After the cookies were baked and cooled, it was time to go pick up the big kids from school...

Are they coming yet?

Maybe they're coming out over here...



Are they ever going to come out??

The kids were dismissed, and I did the annual "Last Day of School Photo with the Teacher."

Trevor and his favorite teacher, Mrs. Sigler...


Caitlin and her homeroom teacher, Mrs. Trost (not shown are her other teachers, Ms. Reiff and Mrs. Julin)... 


Abby and Mrs. Schroeder...


After saying their goodbyes, Abby wanted to walk home with Elise. I followed slowly to be sure Elise stayed with Abby. She did a great job. Good practice for the fall.
(you can't see her behind Abby, she's there!)


By the time we all made it home, it was time to turn around to pick up Sierra. Since her school is farther away (and the fact she has several teachers), I took a picture of her and her bus. :)


Then we all did what we do every year on the last day of school - eat ICE CREAM!!



 



I had my usual...







The ice cream was melting faster than we could lick!





The kids took turns finishing off my cone, and Abby wanted me to take a picture of the marks her teeth left on her ice cream :)




After ice cream, the kids played at the park for a bit, then we came home to watch Tooth Fairy and munch on cookies and some hidden, but recently found, Easter candy. It was a really nice way to kick off summer vacation.

Too bad tomorrow won't be as fun. We need to reclaim the main level from all the school supplies and papers brought home that are par for the course during the last week of school.
Then the fun can resume.
:)


What Time Is It?

 Summertime!!!

I love summer! It's my favorite season of the year! Warm sunshine, picnics, bonfires, swimming pools, staying up late, and sleeping in.

Here's a Top Ten List of the things I love about summer:

10.
 No more backpacks to try and get through before the kids empty them out, leaving the house to look like the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

9. 
No more mad dashes looking for shoes when it's TIME TO GO!

8.
No more kids coming down the stairs after they should have been sleeping for an hour saying, "I forgot I had homework today."

7.
No more stressing that the kids should be fast asleep, but instead, they sound like they're practicing to be a part of the marching band.

6.
No more setting alarm clocks.

5.
No more waking up to the annoying and ridiculously loud beeping of said alarm clocks.

4.
No more laying clothes out before going to bed.

3.
No more hearing Abby whine, "I don't want to wear that stinkin' shirt!"

2.
No more missing out on my kids' days.


And for the #1 reason I love summer...

1.
No more laundry loads of just socks!!!!!

OK, so #2  is really #1, and #5, 6 and 7 are really #2, 3, and 4, but you get my drift.

And just for fun and good times, here's a mathematical equation:

2 x 1 x 7 = 14
5 x 1 x 7 = 35
14 + 35 = 49
49 x 2 = 98

So, in one week, my family (not including me, because I only wear socks in the winter) goes through 49 pairs of socks. That means I have to wash 98 individual socks every week.

Yeah, I think summer is worth celebrating.

(our 'celebration' pics will come later :) )



An Answered Prayer... I Think

At the start of this school year, I prayed that the year would seem to just fly by fast so we could hurry up and get back to our summer. Now, I can't believe how fast the time went! But here on the other side of the year, I realize how bittersweet this time is. Of course, I can't wait to get our summer underway, but on the other hand, my kids are a year older, a year closer to graduating, a year closer to leaving our nest. Yet another chapter of their lives comes to an end. They are no longer 5th, 3rd, 1st graders, or kindergarteners. Even Elise is going from baby, I mean, toddler to begindergartener (preschooler). It just doesn't seem possible. It seems only yesterday I was taking Sierra to her first day of kindergarten with three other kids 3 & under in tow. The days where I couldn't wait for the kids to grow up just a little. Now here I am. My youngest is starting school, and my oldest is completing her first year of middle school! No more diapers, no more lugging around a bulky double stroller, no more scheduling around naps. But as trying as those days were, I do miss them. Just as I know I will miss these days. Recently, I've realized how much more 'awake' I need to be during these years as they are going by way too fast.

Robert came across an old CD of photos. It still seems like it was only yesterday...

Christmas '03
I laugh when I look at this. Caitlin's photo frown started so early, Sierra's being her sweet self, and I look so calm and cool while I try and hold Trevor still. That boy did NOT want to sit still!

Trevor and his sweet curls...

The girls' first log ride. Trevor wasn't quite two, and I was pregnant with Abby, so we sat out this ride.
I think this is one of my all time favorite photos... :)

 
Trevor's second birthday!
(Abby was born less than two weeks later - look how tiny my belly was!)


My little angels
Elise actually still wears these dresses for dress up. They aren't as pretty with missing buttons, flowers, and paint stains, but she loves them. :)

Yummm! Ice cream!

And baby Abby...
(she was bruised from me trying to push her out forehead first, poor thing)

Look at her mop of hair!


Trevor learning to skateboard at Grandma's...
He's always been an athletic, coordinated boy. He was riding his bike with no training wheels before he was three!

December swimming with Aunt Leah...



Sierra is ever the model. Notice her shoes? ;)

The Grand Canyon. I do not suggest taking small children to the Grand Canyon. Very nerve-wracking. Maybe we'll try it again next year when our youngest is five. Or maybe not.
(Caitlin's hair had to be chopped as she & Sierra decided to play hair salon... two weeks before they were to be in a wedding!)


First picture taken from a stranger cut off Abby...

This one was taken by a different stranger...

Sierra took this one...


At a zoo in Iowa. Gotta love boys! Thankfully, the goat was too lazy to butt him away.

At my cousin's home...

This is why having a dog is WAY easier than kids. You can do this without getting thrown in jail... ;)

Kids at Lake Okobiji...

And then there were five...

And the rest, as they say, is history.


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