Moms on being sick

Let's face it ladies, if you are a mom and you get the stomach virus, life simply will not allow even a slight pause in your routine!
I had severe stomach virus on Wednesday night, got the kids in bed and then, well I will not describe the detailed events that followed. Anyway, I was asleep when Corey got home, even though after he was home I still vomited again and he didn't even know it! Anyway, he left for work Thursday morning at about 6:00am, his team is in pre-season, so he still did not know that I was sick! I got up at 6:20 and got Kennedy ready for school, got her on the bus and just layed back down when Macguire woke up and soon followed by Emerson. So, we are off...everyone needs juice, waffles etc...and I am cringing because my stomach is rolling, but I make them breakfast then clean everything up and then I try to think of the best way to entertain a 4 yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old ALL DAY!!!!! So we make it through most of the day and I get a call from the new gym owner and I have to go to a new school's cheer practice at 4:00 and talk to the 3 coaches! So, it is 2:30 and I haven't even taken a shower... Anyway, we get to the gym and I sort of have to hunch over a little bit, standing straight up makes me feel sick, but I turn to my precious 3 children and say "Please be good, sit still and let me talk and then we will be done faster" and earlier in the car they had asked me if we could buy donut holes and I am thinking sure, after the meeting. So, the kids are HIDEOUS!!!!! Running all over the gym, jumping in the bleachers, Emy has no shoes on, her hair bow is somewhere in the gym and the are throwing things and just overall, anything you can think of, they are doing it!!! So, let me recap, I am sick to my stomach, trying to talk 3 coaches into bringing their squads into my gym and trying to at least watch my children so they do not die!!!! I tried the subtle "Kennedy please be still" and what I really wanted to say was "SIT DOWN BEFORE I SPANK YOUR BOTTOM!!!!!!!" But I obviously cannot say that in front of these coaches and all 50 of their cheerleaders! So we make it through the meeting and we get to the car and then watch out!!! I went over everything to them and told them I was both angry and disappointed and that we were not stopping for donut holes. Really I guess I said "you will not have donut holes or anything else" and Mac (he is my sensitive, repentive one) is crying and saying "I'm very, very (which really sounds like berry), very sorry. But are we not allowed to have dinner?" And he is so serious and so sweet that it breaks me! I did not get them donut holes, but yes they had dinner etc...

The way it is...

This is the way it is...
I am sitting here sipping a glass of wine (offensive? oh well, I am legal) and eating a bag of popcorn. This will be dinner. Corey is at a school dinner (eating well I assume), and the kids are actually well fed (i made turkey sandwiches, apple slices, and yes I gave them some popcorn) so no one needs to call CPS on me.
The way it is... I was asked to help start a cheer gym, and now my opinion doesn't matter, I am being told what I need to do, I am working more hours and ?...
The way it is... I asked my next door neighbor to watch my children (I did pay her $40.00) and they DESTROYED my house and her dog licked my baby on the lips/nose/eyes/ears/cheeks until she started crying (for some reason I just thought of Steve Raikes' old girlfriend that we called cheeks!)
The way it is... I need a vacation!!!!!!!!! Any takers???

Bad mothering

I bet you know one person that constantly makes you feel like a bad mother (or dad)! I have met this lady who lives down the street and has 2 girls and she is constantly pointing out things that make me feel like I am an awful mother! And the thing is, she never says, "oh you are a bad mom" straight out, but this is what happens...
Our girls are the same age (8) and I have just begun to let Kennedy ride her bike in the street in our neighborhood, only on our strret where I can see her. Well, if this other girl rides her bike to our house (she lives at 208 and I live at 231) her mom will drive in the car behind her.
Kennedy called to ask if she wanted to have a lemonade stand in our driveway, so the mom gets on the phone and is like "is it safe?" "are you going to sit with them" "who is going to be stopping" etc... Now, understand this, we do not live in the ghetto, so yes I think it is safe. I was planning to clean out the garage so, yes, I would be outside. And I do not have a list of name sthat will be stopping, but I can check ID's if you want!!!!!!
Kennedy rides the bus home from school. And this mom was like "oh, you let her ride the bus?" as if this is comparable to placing her in a cage with a tiger! And then she says "well, I heard that the bus driver cusses at the kids" And I think well, I'm sure they deserved it! J/K!!!!! Really, I called the bus barn and they told me he has driven the bus for 17 years and has never had any "violations" on his record. So ????
Both her girls will be in school all day (Kindergarten and 3 grade) and I was thinking that is great! I am sure you will be enjoying your time! And she almost started crying, and said "It is devastating! My husband is staying home with me for the first 2 days to help me through it" Okay....??!!!!!!!!!I must be awful thinking that Kennedy is gone all day and Mac will be gone in the mornings 5 days a week, and that makes me happy!!
And it goes on and on "I don't allow candy in the house" "I have never had a babysitter for these kids" "I would never let them have their own minds" J/K that was me speaking sorry!!!

In the Car

I am driving home last night in the car with the kids and the car is the automatic signal that every child can please sing, yell or say "Mommy" over and over again! As I am driving and Kennedy is singing/drumming on the seat in front of her(making up something as I do not have the radio on)... Emerson is using her favorite way of communicating, which is screaming....And Macguire keeps saying "mommy, I 'm sorry my hands are dirty, mommy I'm sorry my hands are dirty" And I sat there thinking, how long can this go on if I do not say anything???So I drive and drive and 11 minutes later all is still loud (Kennedy is singing the same line over and over again for 11 minutes!!) so at the 11:30 breaking point I am seriously wondering why Jesus is not reappearing and saving me from sure commitment (insane that is)!!!! Haha!!! Every parent knows what I am talking about.
Also, I have to say, there is something weird about 8 year olds, they just act strange sometimes and you have to wonder what they are even thinking!! I remember my sister Molly having this same stage! (sorry Mol!) I was 18 and Kelly was 17 and we were like who is this alien child and why is she always doing something strange! If you have (or had) and 8 year old, then you do know what I am talking about! I guess I should end every sentence "you do know what I am talking about" I will be like Paul Harvey "and now for the rest of the story" Funny, I can remember my dad listening to that all the time!
Kennedy brought home a book from school that she made "all about me" and it was full of some interesting things that I didn't know about her! Like if she was granted 3 wishes what would they be 1. Another sister!!! (sorry, that would take an act of God)(or vasectomy reversal) and 2. A new dog ( of course I knew this one since Keegan has died) and 3. A horse So interesting! Also it says "what makes me sad" and she said when my brother hits me (which I do not get, if you have seen Macguire you would know that first of all he is not big enough to hurt anyone and secondly, he is sweet as can be and wouldn't hit) but then the next question was "when am I lonely" and she wrote when my brother is not with me. Awwww, very sweet.
okay enough kid chatter... If you have ever had an unsettled feeling in the pit of your stomach and have wondered just what that was about I would like to suggest something...You are not supposed to be completely settled in this world! At times I am wondering what am I doing her what is going on and why do I never quite feel fulfilled?? I have a great life, the best husband,wonderful kids and all is well, so why am I constantly unsettled?
"In order to keep us from becoming too attached to earth, God allows us to feel a significant amount of discontent and dissatisfaction in life - longings that will never be fulfilled on this side of eternity. We're not completely happy here because we are not supposed to be!" After all what is the purpose of life on earth? Preparing for eternity.
So, I leave you with that today, oh yeah, I have changed my settings on this blog, so if you want to comment you can without being a member! Fire away! I love hearing from people!

I did it!!!

Yea for me!!! I actually "pruned" my life!
Yesterday, I told the lady at the aerobics place that I did not want to teach. She thought it was okay! I told her that she should blame my pastor, since he was the one who told me to do the pruning!
Today a lady asked me to coach another cheerleading class (my schedule is already Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 3:30-9:00 and Wednesday 3:30-5:00) and I said Really, I can't do that but thanks for asking me! This is hard for me to say at times, so I am very proud of myself.
This week has been crazy, I have been babysitting 2 extra kids, so my schedule has been hectic. A funny though... these kids cannot sing! I mean they are way off tune, and they sing exceptionally loud and most of the time they do not know the right words! Yesterday we were in the car and they wanted to listen to the Shrek CD and I thought sure why not. The singing was so bad!! And loud! So I took the cd out of the car last night and today they asked if they could listen to it and I said it wasn't in the car (the truth), so is that mean? I don't really think so!
My own children do not usually know the right words to sing, but they are mostly on tune! Macguire was singing "Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him in the morning, Praise Him in the evening..." and he was saying "Raisin, Raisin..." So funny!!! Today I watched an 8 year old learn how to roller skate...not a pretty sight! I coached 2 cheerleading squads, and based 2 liberties and 4 extension full-downs. Although I used to be a flier (30 lbs ago) I am now a solid base!!! But truly I am strong and it is kind of fun...except when the flier puts her foot down in her lib and her shoe is on my face! Or when I am backing a lib and I say cradle and the other bases choose not to catch and I am floored by the flier! Okay, too technical for some so I will say goodnight!

Too busy???

Today I heard an amazing message from our pastor (he is great, and several family members have been lucky enough to hear him) and it is about time! Time management, what are we doing with our time? What fills our claendars? If you are me, then you will say: kids (and this entails a lot!) husband, house hold, work hours outside of this home, friends/family and general upkeep, time in the gym, and time at church or related functions (bible studies etc...). So that is a long list and many many days things are left unchecked, not crossed off, and just plain ole not done!
What are the priorities?
What are the necessities?
Obviously, the kids have to have certain things: they need me to get them up in the morning, to dress them, to feed them, to get them to school, to help with homework, to feed them dinner, to prepare a bath, and to tuck into bed. And look at that list, basically a robot could do all those things, that doesn't include any "feeling" time, reading, talking, playing games. It also doesn't include soccer practice, or cheerleading practice or any other related activity. Now times that schedule by the number of children you have and I know you are busy like me!!! THAT IS ONLY THE CHILDREN!!! Husbands, and house, jobs and "my" time are all things that fit in when they can.
Anyway, since that just gets overwhelming and depressing I will move on...PRIORITIES>>>
I am a Christian, so I am committed to a relationship with God and spending time with Him. I am committed to serving Him, to saving at least one soul etc... So that will be my #1 priority
Then I committed to my husband (12 years ago) and that commitment was "until death do us part" so that is still valid for me and that is my next priority.
Then I committed to being a mother when Kennedy was born (and Macguire and Emerson) and you have to know that this is a HUGE commitment, as I have promised to do everything from giving birth to leading them to Christ to being a godly example to bringing up children who are pure to giving them in marriage one day and still I am a parent! They should do a "marriage" ceremony for children also, because it is "until death do us part!" I will never stop being their mother until one of us is in the grave, thank goodness Corey is also bound to these children! So this pretty much has to be my next priority!
After this, I would like to have friends/family/cultivation of relationships and well, since I am writing this, I will say that!!
The pastor said today, that everything else I choose to do should be hald to the question "Am I pleasing God by doing this?" "Does it interfere with any of my higher priorities?"
So okay, I have decided not to teach aerobics, I will still go to the gym, but I have decided not to make that commitment. Teaching takes time, it adds stress and it is not worth it to me.
Working is obviously something that some of us need to do, and I will continue with that, but with a new focus! I will be pleasing God, I will be searching for the soul I can lead. That way I can say that I have done what God wanted me to do!
It is hard to fit it all in, I want to "prune" my schedule and only let it include what benefits my God and my family!!

Aerobic update!

Funny Funny times! Half of the time I had a brain and sometimes I would say something (over the microphone in front of 50 people) and the girls on the floor would stop in mid-step as they had no idea what I was asking them to do! Aerobics have changed! The last time I taught, was 7 years ago and 2 babies agao, and the music was called "Cardio-Country" and it was on a tape instead of cd!!! Anyway, good thing one of the other instructors let me borrow her music. Hey, have you done a 30 minute ab class before? I mean that is tough! I cannot sit up right now, but I am sure to be feeling better tomorrow!
Okay so there are a lot of African American (PC, this is what we are teaching Kennedy!) (even though people down here, say a lot worse things!!!) people who work out at this gym, and not too many are into country music, if you know what I mean! Also when I took Kennedy into the nursey care place, she was the only white child (out of 15) and she looked at me and said "Mama there are a lot of African American kids in here" and I said yes, is that okay with you? To which she shrugged her shoulders and said "Sure, I don't care" and ran off to play with the kids! Yea, for her, color is not an issue!
Alright I decided to add this email that I had sent to my family, because it makes me laugh! So, enjoy! My husband's sister's husband (Jeff) and his family have had a cabin in the woods on a lake in Northern Wisconsin, and we have been going for 8 years. It has no electricity or indoor plumbing!
Well, it is great to be back in the land of electricity and indoor plumbing!!! Actually I could probably survive without the electricity part (however we did smuggle in 2 DVDs and a portable player this year!!) but the plumbing, really. I am feeling great after having a nice, warm, shower without any flies, fish or 30 lb snapping turtles (yes, I did say 30lbs) bugging me in the lake. Bathing in the lake isn't that bad, it is just all the other things that go on in the lake that are hard to not think of while being exposed/vulnerable. Same feeling in the outhouse, I mean you have it hanging out there and you can feel the wind (?) blowing by and it is an intense feeling of vulnerability.Anyway here are the highlights:
#1 As mentioned before, the 30lb turtle...Corey and Jeff caught, killed and de-shelled it! (note the following description is rated "G" for GROSS!!!) Corey and Jeff are out fishing and they are catching nothing. Earlier in the day Jeff had caught a little bass and it didn't live to see the hook removed, so they threw it back in. Well, something bigger came right up and gobbled up the whole fish! And thus the turtle hunt was on. So, as we (everyone else except Corey and Jeff) went into town to get ice cream (a nice civilized thing to do) Corey and Jeff were the hunters!! It wasn't long before Corey had a bite on his fishing line that proved to be Mr. Turtle, so he began pulling it in to the boat, at which point Jeff wanted to know the plan of attack, and Corey said, "Let's bring it on board and I will stab it until it is dead" Okay, sounds like a good plan, until you see the 1" claws on each leg and the enormous size of the turtle!! So Corey picks it up by the tail and hauls it overboard and the stabbing begins. It is here that there is some descrepency, Jeff says 30 stabs Corey says not that many, maybe 29!! So now they have this dead(?) turtle in he boat and they get to shore. Enter the rest of the family, and 6 children... Corey is still holding it by the tail and all the kids are looking, taking pictures etc...as they do not know the poor future of this turtle! We take the kids to camp[fire, trying to ignore what was going on by the shed which was Corey holding the turtle (by the tail) next to a tree while Jeff tries to axe it's head off! Then they take the turtle to the table and Dr. Jeff Mathisen (turtle surgeon extrodanaire) performs an autopsy, surgery of the most serious kind (for which he will probably lose his license) the de-shelling of the turtle. As we sit by the fire we hear "let's loosen the spine..." "oh look in the stomach, here is the fish I threw back" etc... And why are we de-shelling????? Because Hunter Corey decides he needs to have this shell as a ??? somewhat like the deer antler? I guess. So they finish, Marlin bags up the actual turtle body to take to a friend in Warsaw (double gross), and we now have a shell in Mississippi!!!! Wonderful!!!
#2 Macguires first experience in the outhouse! We go in and he looks in the first seat (yes it does accomodate 3) and says "this one is disgusting and full of poopy mama!" and then he of course slams the lid and moves to seat #2, in which he finds the same thing and therefore is even more upset to find the third seat has again the same thing. (Imagine, an outhouse full of poopy!) Anyway, he decides he will sit in the middle seat and says "mama, this is my seat, I will always sit in the middle because it is better than the others." So okay, I guess maybe. Luckily for Macky, he is a boy, therefore "watering" the bushes in Bass Lake is allowed, and he only had to make one trip per day to the outhouse! We did get a very cute picture of him sitting in the outhouse, doing his thing, and he was there forever and he would say "you can wait outside mama, it is stinky in here" or "the flies are on me" or making up a song while sitting on seat
#3 Kennedy had a great time playing with her cousins and she said the best part for her was driving the motorized go-carts! We went into town and let the kids (and some bigger kids!!) drive the carts and she was afraid to drive by herself, but then she did and she loved it! She also tried skiing, or should I say lake drinking!!! She didn't quite make it above the water!!! and the bad parents we are, we made her try it again and again...she is done with that for awhile!! Oh, this is funny, one day after Connor went (and drank the lake) I said okay who wants to go next Kennedy? NO Kellen? NO Macguire? He shrugs his cute little shoulders and says Sure. So Jen and I put him on the skis and held him in the water and off he went...well drinking some water and then almost standing a bit and then wipe out. But he tried and he is only 4 so that was very brave of him. (side note Connor did get up twice and skied around the lake and had fun, of course this only made Kennedy more frustrated!!!)
#4 Emy had fun just wandering around playing, she loves the water and also the sand pile in the back! She did not like sleeping at night!!!! and it was cold (one night I think Bob said 46!) so it was very trying!
#5 I had fun skiing, of course now I may have to re-think being in the lake at all, after the turtle experience! That same day I had decided to swim the lake for exercise, so I am sure that I have been in close proximity to Mr. Turtle! But skiing was great and I was able to get up on 2 and drop one and that is a blast!
So, overall, a great time of fun and memories with family!!! It is always an adventure!

It's always something!

I am writing this one in a "blah" color because that is how I feel!
In June I called every health club to see what their prices were and I decided to go to the cheapest one!! Anyway, my first day in an aerobics class, the instructor said "I want to talk to you after class" and then later "when can you start teaching!?" So I am thinking, okay free is better than any charge so...why not I will teach! Of course I come to my senses when I cannot breathe during an entire class, and I cannot complete 250 push-ups that the militant instructor was demanding, so I was thankful when my coaching job got me out of the position to teach. So I of course told her I would sub, and that way I would still be able to go for free! Well, I got home from vacation on Sunday and I am feeling large, and I go to class on Monday and she says "oh our Wednesday girl quit, so you can start teaching this wednesday and it is a power step class followed by a 30 minute ab class!" So, this is Tuesday, I have no earthly idea what I will do tomorrow morning at 9:00, but it will be funny, that I know! So, things like this happen to me because, I always try to get things for free?! Or I cannot say the word NO, to strangers, yet have no problem telling my kids and husband no frequently. Who knows, you figure it out!
Also, kids eating habits, I mean what is this all about! I have one perfectly healthy, good eater(Kennedy), who eats most things adults will not eat (although she doesn't like pb&j) and then there was Mac! Will only eat peanut butter, pizza, chicken nuggets and pasta! The child eats NO vegetables, and the only fruit he likes: apples. So, what happened? I feel like I treated them both the same, gave them the same chances to like things and still, they chose different ways. Okay, and let's not forget the littlest, Emerson, she is steadily following in her brothers footsteps, only she doesn't eat peanut butter, or pasta! She does eat apples and peaches but no vegies. So whatever! Okay, I cannot even concentrate anymore because I have to figure out an aerobics routine that I can accomplish and will still give others a workout! Peace!

Wrong Impressions

I fear that I have given some of you a bad impression of my husband, which I would like to correct right now! He is the best and very helpful and an overall great husband and father! So, you all know (married with children people) how life gets at times and that things are crazy!
Last night Emerson decided to be awake from 12:00 -2:45 am. I do not know why, I could not get her back to sleep, she wanted to watch Barney, and I would not let her! Where into he world did I get such strong willed children?? Anyway, as I am awake at 2:45 I am thinking how this "interference" will drastically change my schedule for today and how am I going to work everything in and still have a semi-happy child! Every day can be different, it all depends on your children! When did they start making the decisions (there's that word again) and I merrily had to play along? Anyway, instead of aerobics and Wal-mart, we had to only go to Wal-mart and now she is sleeping and I should be finishing my bedroom or we will be on the couch once again! Later!

Decisions late at night...

Yes, y'all should know me well enough to know that I will change the font and the color each time I post, so here we go...I am wondering why life has so many options, I mean too many if you ask me...is this one right ? Is that one right? Don't get me wrong I love the ability to choose and would rather have choice than not any day, but again the choices can weigh me down at times and I feel the struggle to always make the best choice, I mean get real, don't we all want to make the best choice?
Okay, so my choice tonight is to sleep on the fold-out couch because I am painting our bedroom and it is a disaster! I have run out of paint, I have a giant mirror on our bed and the dresser is blocking the entrance to the room...so the couch/bed has been made and we will be "camping out" in the family room! Yea!
My real weighty choice is about the career thing...sometimes there is nothing going on and I am calling out to God...what? What are you saying?? and then like an avalanche 10 thousand things come pouring in and decisions need to be made. So that is the time, decisions need to be made, I am relying on God that the correct one will be chosen and then life will be beautiful!! (???)
As usual, my days seem to go by with at least one known disaster... On Sunday I took Corey to the airport (he was going to Dallas) so he could pick-up a rental car, and since he had to fill in paperwork etc... I said that I would go ahead to the chinese place and order/pick-up food. So as I am driving there, Mac falls asleep and when I arrive he is still not awake. All 3 kids are in their pajamas and only Kennedy has worn shoes. So here is the dilemma, I cannot get out of the car to go in by myself (I think we all know why!) and order the food, nor can I carry 2 kids (one asleep) and take all 3 inside! So I wait and wait and finally (with Kennedy's help) Mac wakes up and She carries Emy I carry Mac and we 4 go in order chinese and then go back to the car to wait for 20 minutes until it is ready!!! Then we repeat the process and pick up the food and drive home, at which point Macguire is upset "I don't like chinese food" and I listen to him the rest of the way home. When I get home Corey is in the house, watching ESPN (oh yeah, did I mention that it is pouring down rain while all this is happening??) and I am trying to get 3 kids and chinese food into the house. So, this was a very bad decision...why didn't Corey go and get the food, as he was alone in his rental car?? I do not know. I need to make better decisions!!! Life is good!

My first time...

No, not that first time!!!
My first time blogging! I do think that this word "blog" is now added to my list of words I do not like to hear/say. It goes along with clog, and curiously enough they do rhyme! Now, why did I create this site? And what do I expect you to do with it?? Well, a very sweet sister of mine sent me her friends blog site and I decided that it would be fun to sort of journal every day, post funny stories and share experiences with all my email friends out there! My sisters friends blog site, is good, but I do not know her, nor anything she is talking about in her blog, so I thought I would actually like to talk to people that I do know and that know me. Now, your turn...I would love for you all to respond/advise/mutter or anything regarding what I will be blogging and that way I do not have to keep up and re-send all my email, if you want to see/hear/read it then go to the site, if not...you will be missing out! So this is your first chance to visit my site, and tell me what a great thing I have done! I will post more later tonight! Loves, T