Guys and Bras

Every now and again my husband makes me laugh out loud. Our last trip to the mall was an example of this. I spotted Victoria's Secret and made the request that we stop there so that I could replace my bra on which the under wire had broken. I walked in, pulling my reluctant husband behind me. I asked the sales girl where my style was located, grabbed a neutral colour and got in line. I thought the trip was pretty painless for my hubby until he heard the total at the register, at which point he said, "what, for one of those things, don't you guys do repair here?"

Misc nothings

Today was a 'me' day. I left the house bright and early, my first stop was to have my eyebrows waxed, then an Origins mini facial complete with having my make up done, then on to the nail place for a mani/pedi, and finally a hair cut. I fit in some shopping between appointment times too. Pair of Calvin Klein jeans for $20? Thanks, I think I will.

How can you be sure that the technician 'over waxed' your brows? When the first thing your make up artist does is apply brow powder for the first time in your life. Just saying. Other than that, I loved the facial, it was so very soothing, but, I didn't like the make up. I didn't like the coverage, colours, or finishes. I am firmly stuck in a rut, which is exactly where I intend to stay.

I had a guy do my nails today. Which isn't unusual in and of itself, but, he was from Thailand...which is and his English rocked...love that! I hate/despise/abhor having my nails done. It means that I have to sit still for a very long time, and I suck at that. Today however, my nail tech narrated 'Legends of the Fall' as that was what was on television and I found him to be hysterical. Shows you all how often I get out! Also, I don't recommend anyone else say that they saw that movie in the theater. Apparently it shows a girl's age, and then mysteriously you go from Miss to Madam, again, I'm just saying. Also, on this same subject, the reason we didn't say that Brad Pitt looked 'all Grizzly Adams' in that movie back in the day, was because the latest and greatest Grizzly Adams hadn't happened to remind us of the likeness yet.

Running short on virtues

There is a point in my day, that I know I'm done, when my patience is spent and my frustration is threatening to boil over and spill out. I hit that point every single day. Only, I never know when it will strike. Sometimes I make it until after dinner, sometimes until breakfast. I am forever trying to figure what I can do to keep from reaching that point. I have identified several triggers though and I am a better person/mommy for it.

Sleep. I need sleep. I am not now, nor have I ever been one of those people that can thrive on five hours of rest. Sadly, my children's slightly unpredictable sleeping habits are a major obstacle in my quest for sleep. With my husband living and working away, there isn't anyone that I can ask to pick up the slack when I am in desperate need of a nap or really feel like death is a better alternative to that unexpected 3 am feeding.

Kindness. When my children are having a good day and they are kind and compassionate to me, they reap the bounty of having it returned ten fold. This goes the same for my husband, if not double for him. Too quickly now are the ugly words and hurtful suggestions flying. I attribute most of what I am hearing to the stress of the new school year, but, this week has been particularly rough.

Organization. When my home is organized I just function better. When someone spills something (or a case of water) and there aren't dirty clothes or toys on the floor that just make clean up so much more difficult, I handle it better. Sadly, my children are "allergic to picking up." At least that is what they tell me. I am tempted to believe them because try as I might, I can't get them to exhibit any pride or responsibility when it comes to their belongings.

Of course, there are other things that influence my capacity for patience and compassion. Regardless though, since having my children, I find that I have been blessed with waking up each new day with more of the virtues that I had run out of the night before. How great is that, really? Pretty. Darn. Awesome.

My three year old is causing me to lose my mind

Yesterday, I darted outside to complete an important telephone conversation with my sister in reference to hotel reservations for our upcoming trip. Unable to stand himself if he listened to me for too long, my three year old followed me outside. Once outside, he immediately darted into the street and into my neighbor's rather thick hedge. I was looking for him in the bushes when I noticed a truck stopped in the middle of the street, fearing the worst I started running. Fortunately, while it was indeed my son in the street, the truck had not hit him, and was waiting for me to go and get him.

Yesterday, he removed his clothing and diaper numerous times. I can't even begin to tell you the exact number. He peed on my upholstered bar stool, my floor, my cat. No matter how many times I redressed him, he undressed himself again. No matter how many times he sat on the potty, he found an inappropriate place to do his business.

As there was so much spilled water and pee all over our house, H decided he would help clean up. He paper towelled our living room. An entire roll spread out all over while I ran after him...and all my son could do was laugh...and run even faster of course.

At this very moment he is screaming after fighting with his brother on the stairs and then falling down half the stairwell. This is only moments after he stopped screaming after me spanking him (no I don't actually believe in spanking, H is the only one of my children that I have ever spanked) for pouring an entire bottle of water out on the floor for no reason...other than to make me mad. Between yesterday and today he has poured out the contents of an entire case of water all over my house. By now you are saying, does she watch this kid? The answer is yes. There are times when I am looking directly at him, unable to stop him as I am changing a diaper or feeding a baby.

By this paragraph, he has recovered from his fall and is repeatedly slamming doors upstairs. I. Am. Losing. My. Mind. I can't understand why he is acting like this, ALL OF THE TIME! I don't understand what I have to do to get through to him.

When I think we have reached a new low for bad behaviour, somehow he manages to sink lower still. Like the box of cheddar bunnies he just grabbed out of his sister's hands and shook out on the floor and is at this very moment jumping on the pieces to crush them.

I am to the point that the very idea of hours between lunch and bedtime evoke tears. How do other mothers do it? How do you do it?

So far, so good

The kids are back in school. The house is actually much quieter and with the exception of when I was filling out school paperwork packets yesterday, I didn't cry once. The babies are being unusually cooperative. The Baby Girl has slept away most of the day yesterday and today. I guess she does nap...if the house is quiet, that must be why I have scarcely caught her at it before. The Little Lady is not so happy about the lack of people to play with. She has given up napping in protest, because face it, there is always a catch. Hercules cries every morning inconsolably because he wants to go to school too. How I wish I could send him! He is less destructive and more cooperative after he finishes with his morning tantrum though.

The obscene money I spent at BB's orientation on gym clothes is going to good use as he doesn't even HAVE gym this semester. How is it that nobody mentioned the possibility of getting Health instead? The bus brought him back home yesterday and picked him up again this morning, so I am feeling relieved on that score. He had a good time at school yesterday and seems to really like his teachers, so what more could a Mommy ask for?



JB has her best friend in her class and another good friend and she is over the moon about that, but, she really dislikes her teacher. Apparently a few seconds after I left, she asked the girl sitting next to her what she needed to have out and the teacher reprimanded her pretty harshly. I'm really unhappy about this because JB is super sensitive so now she is really scared of her teacher and bummed about school in general. She has been blessed and cursed at the same time, she had the same teacher and class for kindergarten and first grade, and then she had another teacher and class for second and third grades. She is now entering the fourth grade, but this is only her third teacher. For that reason she is having a hard time adjusting, so she'll need a teacher with patience to help her transition well. Sadly, yesterday's incident does not inspire my confidence in this lady being that kind of teacher.



LB is happy. He is always happy, and this year with this teacher is no different. That child is such a ray of sunshine that it is hard to believe he is mine.



My grandfather came over this morning and finished spraying the back yard for ivy. He took the measurements for a drop cloth/ground cover thing that he is going to put down in a couple of weeks. I am much happier now that the yard has been sprayed and I know when he'll be back to finish. It is so nice to have a date that I can give the children because they are so excited to be able to play out there, and especially to be able to play with the dogs outside off leash.

I am getting ready for our Labor Day trip. My aunt is going to watch the dogs and I am thrilled with this arrangement. They both really like her and I am happy that they will have someone they feel comfortable with. I refuse to board them because they were shelter dogs and Molly especially was there so long that any kind of confinement really stresses her out. My aunt will also check on the cats once while we are gone for a litter box change and to double check on their food and water levels. I double litter box when I leave them and they have automatic food and water bowls for just such occasions. They're independent little guys, so I think that for short trips in particular they appreciate having the house to themselves.

I am looking forward to seeing my sister, but at the same time I am dreading seeing my mother. I love my mom, but, we just have so many issues that it is pretty difficult when we're together. My sister and our mom are the same way, so it'll be doubly tense. My mom is one of those people that is miserable all the time. If you send her a picture she complains that she can't display it because she can't afford a frame. If you send her a frame she complains because she has no where to put it. If you just don't send it to her she complains that you don't love her. She loves my oldest son to bits, she is almost resentful towards my oldest daughter, she likes LB pretty well, H makes her crazy and she has little patience with him, she has only seen TLL once for about 5 minutes, and she'll be meeting BG for the first time. My stomach has been clenched painfully since arranging to make this trip.

I think that it is about time for me to wake BG up to eat, that girl must be starving. The kids will be home in an hour and today they will probably have homework, and that will put us firmly back in the real world.

As happy as I am about football, I'm sad to see summer go

Summer is over. Oh, not the weather, the temperature is still well into the nineties everyday. My children's summer break is over and I am completely beside myself. I am going to miss them unbearably. At the same time I am excited. The school year gives purpose and structure to my day. Schedules seem so much easier to keep during this time of year.

I have been asking myself what in the world I will do without them. This whole summer they have pitched in happily and helped entertain a baby when necessary, slipped a pacifier back in a crying mouth on their way past, pushed shopping carts and strollers for me, in short they have been awesome big siblings and phenomenal children. I have no idea what life will be like without them and I'm a little afraid that I won't be able to deal so well, you know? There won't be anyone to talk to during the day that I don't have to use my 'teacher voice' when addressing, there won't be as many spontaneous hugs and kisses, there won't be as much laughter. I am going to miss them so much!

This school year is presenting so many new challenges. With my oldest in middle school and the whole busing issue which isn't yet completely resolved, I am so worried about how the added stress of having to drive my son and pick him up everyday will affect us all. I am praying at the same time that it won't come to that. There is a bus stop a half a mile from our house. Tomorrow morning, he and his friend will walk there, down a major street that is always bustling with traffic, and they will get on that bus. The problem is, that he is not technically eligible to ride that bus because he is supposed to be walking (1.9 miles) to school. I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that he will continue to be allowed to ride that bus. If not, getting all my children home will become a logistical nightmare. The little kids will ride the bus (the elementary and middle school are right next door to each other by the way) which picks them up at the end of our street in the morning, but, in the afternoon it drops them off AFTER the time that I will need to leave in order to pick BB up by. However, if they are car riders and not bus riders, I will have to pick them up a full hour earlier than when BB gets out of school. How in the heck am I going to be in two places at once and what in the world will I do with the babies and the little big kids for that hour in between pick ups?

I suppose I should get off the computer with all my worries and woes and do some laundry and then try to go to sleep. Whatever tomorrow brings, it will come early.




Out for frozen yogurt with LB and JB.



BB in the laser tag tunnel.



Me heaving after a steep climb to the top of the slide! My legs are so sore and that is so sad.

A tale of two beers

If there are any beer connoisseurs in Bloggy Land, you will appreciate my husband's latest and greatest...or at least you will appreciate my reaction. Our telephone conversation was as follows.

Hubby: Baby, how long has that beer been in the refrigerator?
Me: I just bought it, why?
Hubby: So, it was bad when you bought it?
Me: Noooooooooooo.
Hubby: Well, it must have gone bad in the fridge. I started pouring them out, but then I thought you might want to call the store.
Me: I just had one last night, what's wrong with them?
Hubby: Oh, they're spoiled.
Me: Spoiled?
Hubby: Yeah, really bitter and gross.
Me: It's an IPA, it's supposed to be bitter! Don't pour anything else out!!!
Hubby: It is supposed to taste like that?
Me: Yep, not to worry, I'll stop on my way home and pick up a twelve pack of Miller Lite in the can just for you.
Hubby: *said very sincerely* Thanks.