Saturday, May 31, 2008

Question

Do you still get to be pissed at the neighbor when you're awake at three a.m. because toddler has double ear infection and is screaming loud enough to wake the dead, and they're still partying loudly on the deck? Loudly enough that I can hear their conversations word for word?

Just wondering.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Picture post

Everything I've written lately has seemed inappropriate in one way or another, so I haven't hit publish the last few times I've blogged. If you could see them, you'd be all, Oh - she shouldn't have posted THAT. So here's a picture post in the meantime. (I'm outside under the gazebo and I can't really see the screen so well - so if any of these pictures are super blurry or something, I apologize.)




Yeah, so Hunter still avoids the camera. He's still here, but all pictured out from enduring the birthday photos.

More soon!





Sunday, May 25, 2008

Nine

It's been birthday central around here for the last month. Hunter gets the honor/excruciating wait of being the last birthday.

It's so hard to believe he's nine. I feel like I'm saying that a lot lately. I can't believe he's so old. I can't believe one of our nephews just graduated from high school. I can't believe I've been married so long. WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

I'm really glad we get at least nine more years before he tries to run off to college. *Nervous wipe of brow*

On to pictures:

Proof that I buy things I think are, um, stupid. (ANOTHER card game?!)
Yay!
Look at that grin.
He's a huge fan.
At the game yesterday. (Thanks Aunt 'Ne & Uncle Scott!)
He had a fabulous time!!!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Waiting

I hate waiting. Which doesn't really seem true if you know that I am chronically, irritatingly early for everything. I guess I hate waiting when it's about something utterly out of my control. Waiting to find out where the company will transfer us this time, waiting for medical results, waiting, waiting, waiting.

I like to make decisions. I like to take what is known and make the best decision to move forward. Good news, bad news... whatever.

Last Wednesday I took my scariest final. The class was pass/fail. 75% on each individual exam passes. Anything below does not. The results of all the other exams in the class don't matter. The scores in all the graded classes don't matter. If you have a bad day on this day - you repeat the year. The whole freakin' year. SCARY. (I mean really, what's a $50,000 day... right? O.M.G.)

When I walked out of one section of that exam, I knew I had made a mistake. A mistake that would make other questions wrong because they depended on the right answer to begin with. There was nothing I could do at that point but wait. Wait to see if I had been right on enough of the rest of the sections. Wait to see if I would move on with my classmates, or if I would have to figure out how to pay for another year of school and daycare.

Today we got a message that said they'd post the scores after they had a chance to meet with those who had failed. They said they sent e-mails to those students. I nervously, obsessively checked my inbox all day long.

No message.

Which, I believe, means that I can take a huge breath and move on to the next year. So, tonight, finals are (finally!) finished, and I am moving forward.

I am done waiting on this one.

Beer me.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Gummy Bear Dance

If you ever wonder how my kids pass the time... this is it. I found them giggling like crazy watching this video. And the long version, and the french version. Who knew?

Saturday, May 17, 2008

She's seven!

Meadow turned seven this week! Here she is with some of her loot.

New, bigger bike.
MP3 player and cake.
She loves music.
This is a variation of how I have seen her every single second since she opened this gift. I have actually had to say, "Pull one ear out so I know you can hear me."
Flowers from Nanny. Awwww.
The sound that goes with this picture is this "Beeeeehsst" (of both worlds). Hannah Montana. Like, duh Mom.
She had a blast.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Oh holy hell...

People! My brain is mush. Finals started Friday and they will continue through this Friday. And I know, I decided to do this and blah, blah, blah... BUT! Sometimes, when you have a very full brain it is almost impossible to comprehend that you also are responsible for exchanges like this in the car this morning:

Meadow: "Mom, are scorpions arachnids?"

Me: "I don't know... maybe we can look it up later when we get home if you remind me."

Meadow: "Hunter says they're animals."

Me: "I don't think they're animals, but I don't really know so we're going to have to wait until we can look it up."

Meadow: "But Hunter thinks he's right!"

Me: "Would you two just be nice to each other please? I don't know what scorpions are and we can't find out right now, so you're going to have to wait until we get home tonight."

Meadow: "But-"

Me: "No more buts! We'll look it up. Nobody is right and nobody is wrong. Be nice or be quiet!"

*Did you see my head explode? Because it totally did. And you have no idea how hard it is to drive headless.*

**UPDATE**
She was right. Scorpions are part of the arachnid family. So there you go, you learned something today.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Happy Mother's Day

I've had a lot of jobs. Radio producer, radio sidekick, marketing director, barista, phlebotomist, window-washer, telemarketer, waitress... it goes on, but this is getting ridiculous.


Oh! And Mom! I've been a Mom for almost a decade. Holy crap that means I'm getting old...


I've heard it said that it's the hardest job in the world. And some days, I agree. There are times when it is painful. Mindnumbingly difficult. But there are so many other days when it's not. Like when I get to spend the summer at the pool "for the kids". Or when one of them tackles me and gives me a giant squeeze and out of nowhere and says "I love you" or "you're pretty" or "you're the best mom ever" or, or, or...


So it's true that I've had a lot of jobs. And I will have more. But being a mom is the only job I will have for the rest of my life. And I have to say that it is, hands down, the best one I'll ever have.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Another fantastic parenting move

Today, while I was playing with River, he belted me right in the face. It kind of came out of no where. One minute we're laughing and playing and the next minute - he whacks me. HARD. So the conversation went like this:

"Ow! That hurt. No-no! No hit. Say you're sorry."

"Shic."

"No, say sorry."

"Shic."

"Sorry."

"Shic!"

"Sorry. Say sorry to mommy."

"Shit."

And I lost it. I laughed. And now he thinks he can whack me and cuss like a sailor. And I am so screwed. Shit.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Isn't it fabulous?!

Do you love the new design? Because I do. Jen from this place deserves all the credit. She was easy to work with, really reasonably priced and fast!

I'm really busy studying for finals. They start Friday and go through next week... EVERY DAY. So I'm going to go shove my head in my notes, but I will try to be a good blogger and not ignore y'all too much.

Friday, May 2, 2008

We're ba-aack!!!

We have survived the mold. It was removed from the house. They even clean the air. It's pretty crazy.

Then Mike went to work on the damaged area and I've got pictures. He would be totally sad if he knew the pictures were taken before the trim was done - but he doesn't read the blog - so it'll be our secret. Shhhhhhhh!

Anyway... River turned 2! I still feel like I was just pregnant with him last week, so it's hard to believe he's 2. Also, we still call him "the baby". I don't think we're going to stop until he's shaving and demands it. Even then, I suspect we will still call him the baby behind his back.

The big kids are going on a three-week break from school. (It's that crazy year-round thing.) They'll be at day camp for two weeks and then I'll get to be with them for the last week, when I'm done with finals. I am so very excited to hang out with them.

Here are some random pictures:

Lola, before we shaved her hair off for the summer. But OMG she's so cute!
River with some of his new birthday gear. That little chair is one of the coolest things ever. All three of the kids love to play with it. River's getting more territorial about his stuff which can be amusing from time to time.
This is one of three that I took of the boys this morning. Hunter was trying to make River happy while I was getting dressed (toddler translation: Mom abandoned me! wah!)
Not sure if he's cool with me yet.
Aren't they sweet?
Look how pretty they are. They promised to never, ever flood my basement. So long as we both should live...
Look! There's a floor! And the toilet is back where it belongs! Also, there is no toilet paper. Hmmm. Better fix that.
The long view.
Seriously. He is such a happy baby. I could just squeeze him!
She is funny. And always making me laugh.
See you soon!