A Rescue Mission

One beautiful morning with gray clouds hanging low in the sky, the Princess sat up in bed and stretched a lazy stretch.  She looked around bleary eyed and decided she would go to wake up a Knight in Training so he could fix her some breakfast.

Now, the little Knight knew that he should never, ever go down the tower stairs all by himself, so he tiptoed into Ma'am the Magnificent's room and pleaded for her to go and get the Princess some breakfast.  Now, Ma'am  the Magnificent was a little grumpy, but being the Knight in charge, she decided to do the little Knight's bidding.  She heard ed up the Princess and the little Knight and they slowly went down the long, tower stairs.

The Princess was ahead of the Knights, and when she rounded the corner into the great Kitchen, a horrible surprise awaited her.  The wretched Kitchen maid had left out a pitcher of lemonade the night before and hungry, giant ants had invaded the kitchen!  They rushed at the Princess with their mandibles working.  The little Knight was terrified and cowered behind Ma'am the Magnificent.  Ma'am arched her brow at the little Knight and ordered him to distract the giant ants while she mounted her sturdy steed...Kirby.  The little Knight quivered in his Pull-up, but he did what his Knight in charge asked.  He showed such bravery, darting into the kitchen screaming "AAAAAAA-EEEEE" as he zipped quickly in zig zags.  The ants took the bait and charged after the brave little Knight.

Never to fear...Ma'am the Magnificent charged into the room on her shining silver steed - Kirby - and with her long gray sword, she conquered each and every ant in five minutes flat.  There were at least 50 ants in the large kitchen, but they were no challenge for Ma'am and her steed.  Ma'am blew into the end of her sword and held it over her head triumphantly all the while grabbing the little Knight and holding him up with pride.  A job well done, little Knight!  The Princess is saved, the day is saved.  "Hooray-Hooray!" the villagers cried. 

Then the King smirked and went to off to work.

Life's Mystery is solved

Aidan, who is supposed to be sleeping, just came in and informed me that cows do not lick themselves.  That puppies and cats do.  So if anyone was wondering, no need to lie awake at night anymore pondering one of life's greatest mysteries.

It kind of frightens me what goes through my three-year-old's mind as he lies in bed at night...

Happy Birthday, Alexia!

I cannot believe she is five.  Where did the time go?  I still remember the day I was home alone and in labor.  Well, I wasn't alone.  21 month old Jacob was there.  He was very helpful.  No, really, he was so good that day.  He seemed to know something was up so he took an extra long nap and when I managed to go upstairs to get him and bring him downstairs, he was so good about playing at my feet until my neighbor showed up to take me to the hospital.  It was a very frightening time for me but I remember it fondly.  It was quick and to the point.  Wala...Alexia is here!  She has always done things in a whammie sort of way, since.  She never does anything halfway, lol. 

Alexia, I love you, sweetie!  Happy fifth birthday!

Let's not forget

As an anonymous poster commented, my DH did a wonderful thing for me.  He replaced my barely working 10 year old washer and dryer with two brand new beautiful hunks of machinery.  I am now the exuberant owner of a front loading wash machine and a matching dryer.  These things rock!  I love playing with my new toys!  I know DH likes having clean clothes. 

     ...Now I just need a toy that will fold and put away the clothes when they are clean. 

Cool spot

Today we were lucky enough to have our house in a cool spot on our dear planet today.  It was such a delightful break.  Dh mowed the grass and I managed to peel myself off of the couch and clean the upstairs.  It smells and looks so fresh and clean when you come up the stairs now.  I asked Dh how long it would last.  We both think until morning.  Ha!  When I say "I cleaned!" I mean it.  I scrubbed the bathtub and toilet and everything else in the bathroom.  I had the kids pick up their rooms and then I vacuumed them.  And I vacuumed the walls and ceilings, lol.  Cleaned up the vents and got rid of the cobwebs.  Sprayed the place with Frebreeze.  Washed Jacob's blankets and put fresh sheets on all of their beds.  Ahhhhh.  Freshness is good.  I still need to do our (Alan's, Robby's , and mine) room but it can wait until tomorrow.  Or Monday...lol.

 

 

Just some follow ups...

Aidan had his speech evaluation today.  Luckily, it was Alexia's speech teacher who evaluated him.  So she is familiar with our family.  She chatted with A for five minutes and decided that he qualified, but she had to do the formal evaluation so it was all documented.  She told him she would see him in August and that Student Services would be calling me to tell me he qualified.  I'm not surprised.  She is the one who recommended I have him evaluated in the first place.  Not sure if the outcome would have been different had a different therapists talked with him.  I'm sad about Aidan going to school.  It's bittersweet.

I haven't gotten too far into my new Jennifer Weiner book.  Been busy.  And hot.  They say it's supposed to be better this weekend.  It will be nice to have a little break from this. 

 

 

Quiet days

Jacob is home and we are settling into the routine of Summer School.  As soon as we get settled, it will be over and we will be leaving for vacation.  Not too much is happening around here, which I always view as a positive thing.  We enjoyed the wading pool today and now I am about to curl up and read my new Jennifer Weiner book.  If you haven't read her books, give her a try.  She has written "Good in Bed," "In her Shoes," "Little Earthquakes," and now "Goodnight Nobody."  Ms. Weiner writes about women and situations they may encounter.  She is one of my favorite authors.

If you ever need a quick and fun read, try MaryJanice Davidson.  She has a series about a vampire named Betsy.  "Undead and Unemployed,"  "Undead and UnWed," "Undead and Unpopular," and there is another one...I'd have to go downstairs and look.  She has novellas out, also, and some other series.  One involves a Cyborg and one involves Werewolves.  I have not read the Werewolf series.  However, her writing style is humorous and easy to read.

Ok, I think I am done with my shameless plugs for my two current favorites, lol.

Quiet for a bit

It's that time.  Jacob is coming home this weekend.  I am so excited.  I can't wait to see him.  I have been told that he had a great time and has just had two "A" days.  I was so happy to hear that. 

After Jacob is home and settled, he has to get a good night sleep because the morning after he gets home, he is off to summer school.  I have made my phone calls and have his bus number and times and what he needs, etc., all figured out. 

It's going to be a very busy week next week, indeed.  Jacob starts his summer school and Aidan is being re-screened for articulation delays.  We shall see how it all works out.  It will be a very hot week.  Hopefully the humidity will be gone after all of the storms roll over.  It's been very sticky.  I plan on blowing up the kids pool and letting them soak in the shade after Jacob gets home from school every day this week.  Heck, I will probably put on my suit and grab Robby and join them.  Yup, it's that hot.  So if you need us, we will be splashing and enjoying Summer.  :-)

Thinking

Today has been another TV free day.  At least for the kids.

I have been doing a lot of thinking today, as explored here:

Calgon, take away...the cellulite

The no TV crusade

I managed to make it through Monday with no TV.  Tuesday they just watched the Disney Channel movie that night.  Today, I was lazy and they watched TV for a while this morning.  But this evening, I made them play and use their imaginations.  Shameful, I know.  Tomorrow, I will have them help me clean.  Clean, and clean!

Advantages to Misery

So, our air conditioner is on the fritz again this year.  While most days are "OK," some are just down right sticky-miserable.  Luckily, I have been able to find some advantages to this.

Our electric bill is cut in more than half!  It's a lot lower this summer.  From $270 down to $73 this month.  It has been around $90.  Not sure what we did to cut it lower.  It's probably being away those two weekends, though, huh?  

I'm not eating very much.  Too hot to eat!  And when I do eat, it's light fare.  For instance, lunch today was Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits with cheese and watermelon.  Yummy.  And I don't even like watermelon, lol. 

The kids and I are getting out and about.  I know that if we had air conditioner, I would hole up in my house where it was cool.  Since it's hotter in here than outside, the kids and I are spending a lot of time outdoors.  It's great...

     ...now...I'm not saying I want to be airless every summer...lol.

(says Shel, who was spoiled last year with AC for the first time in years)

Trying to be TV free

So far in the past week, I have only managed it for one day.  We didn't turn the TV on at all.  Today, we are doing great.  No TV so far.  I will freely admit that with this hot weather, I was completely happy to turn on the tube and vegetate this weekend.  :-(  I would like to prevent that from happening more than once or twice a week.  Hopefully not at all. 

So today, the kids and I got up and ate breakfast, then we headed out for a walk.  It was about an hour and a half walk.  We went to the bookstore and played with trains and read books.  We went to the grocery and got eggs and milk.  We went to look at the fish at the pet store.  When we got home, we made banana bread.  While it was baking, the kids played with play dough while I read a bit out of "Charlotte's Web" to them.  We had lunch.  Now it's quiet time.  Still planned for the day:  cleaning out the garage and mowing the grass.  The kids will enjoy helping me with the garage and they will enjoy riding their bikes while I mow.  By then it should be dinner time and then bath and bed...

                        ...problem is, I am already pooped.

I give up for now

As long as I am sitting in my chair right across from the crib, Robby is fine.  When I said I could wait him out, I must have been dreaming.  I got bored.  I wanted a book.  I got up to get the book and he started screaming.  It then took over an hour to get him asleep after that, even while nursing him.  I was so frustrated last night.  I think I will wait a little longer.  He only nurses on average three times a day.  Morning, nap, and night-time.  So I will start by taking out the Morning nursing session.  Then go from there.  When Alexia weaned, she just naturally started soothing herself to sleep.  Before that, she had to nurse.  Hopefully Robby will do that.  Cross your fingers.  At this rate I might be nursing him until he is two.  I've never done that before, not sure how I feel about it for myself specifically.  Time will tell.

He won

@@ 

 

After two hours I gave up.  This is going to be a very long road.

It's on

No, not the TV.  Silence from the ghost in the TV.  No worries there.

It's on between Robby and I.  He needs to learn how to fall asleep by himself.  He can't continue using me.  My body can't handle it anymore.  He doesn't  know how to soothe himself.  The result is a Mommy who is always with Robby.  I love him, but he needs to be able to open his eyes for ten seconds at night without needing Mommy to get back to sleep.  It's a proven fact that all people wake up during the night, even if for a few seconds.  No one actually sleeps through the entire night.  Even if they think they do! 

So Robby was asleep, but he woke up for whatever reason.  He is just lying in his crib playing with his feet.  As long as I sit here right in his sight, he isn't crying.  So I am waiting him out.  I can sit in this chair for a while.  Hopefully for a long while.  It's already been half an hour.  He smiles at me, I smile at him, but I won't talk to him or pick him up unless he cries.  I don't do the crying out thing.  It's not for me or my kids.  So, as long as he is happily playing with his toes, I will wait him out.

                    ....It's on, little one.

Unplugged

I couldn't take it anymore.  I was up at 1:30 this morning trying to get Robby back to sleep and Jacob's TV started blaring.  I heard a weird sound.  You know, like an electronic wheeze.  Then the sound blaring through the house.  So I charge into his room and turn it off.  I climb back into bed and not three minutes later it was on again.  So I went charging back into his room like some kind of enraged hippo and turned it off again with the intent of unplugging it.  Before I could even get the plug out, the durn TV turned on AGAIN!  So I turned it off and it came back on immediately.  The thing is possessed, I tell ya.  I was finally getting the plug pulled out and the TV was coming on again right as I pulled the plug. 

               ....The ghost in the TV is quiet for now.  If it comes on again, I will be seriously freaked seeing as how I pulled it's juice.

Playing "Where's Jacob?"

I'm not sure why I am doing it.  But yesterday we were coming downstairs for breakfast and I was shouting for Jacob.  I couldn't find him.  I looked in all the bedrooms.  I was getting a bit panicked.  "Jacob!  Jacob!  Where are you!"  Alan, Alexia, and Aidan were standing at the bottom of the stairs giggling at me.  I just couldn't understand why there were laughing about Jacob being missing.  Then later, we were pulling down the road to leave for my Aunt's, and my foot was getting ready to stomp on the brakes as I said "We are missing a kid!"  I was about to go back to the house for Jacob.  I didn't do this with Alexia.  I missed her just as much.  Alan thinks it is because Jacob is high maintenance.  He is *always there.  Always my shadow.  Always talking.  Always wanting me to play with him.

Meanwhile....Jacob's TV was on at midnight last night when we got home.

                            ....With the volume turned all the way up.  Hmmmm.

Who knew

It seems that I am a closet Horse Shoe Champion.  My SIL is, too.  Who would have thought that?  LOL

At my Aunt's yesterday, somehow the topic of Horse Shoes came up so my Uncle pulled out a stake and some horse shoes and a game began.  First it was some of us just messing around, then it turned into an actual game that took us two hours to play.  I had never in my life actually played Horse Shoes and neither had my SIL.  So it was a bit crazy that we were racking up the points fast.  Turns out I got two "ringers" which won the game for us.  Weird, huh? 

Our Fourth of July was very nice.  We BBQed with my Aunt and Uncle at their house and talked and played Horse Shoes.  I even touched a couple toads to catch them for the kids.  I don't like touching "creatures," but I'm going to have to get over that with three boys.  One small step for the boys, one huge step for Mommyhood!

I also finally was able to see the new baby in the family.  He is my second cousin's son and he is three months old.  It was a little strange holding a baby that young again.  I am a little disappointed in my Cousin, but what can you do.  She is VERY lucky to have my Aunt, and she needs to stop taking advantage.  That is all I will say on the subject or steam might come out of my ears.  I understand that it can be difficult when you are a Mommy yourself and you don't have a Mommy of your own to lean on.  Believe me, I know.  But...geez.  I said I wouldn't say anymore! 

                  ....My ears are Steaming!  So I am zipping up my lips.  Erm, tying my fingers together.

Two toofers!

Finally, Robby has his bottom front two teeth.  Well, partially.  He cut one last time we were at MIL's and he just cut the second this time while we were there.  He's still getting used to them.  He's only bitten me while he was eating once.  ::knocking on wood::

Someone turn off the fun!

Alexia is trying to sleep.  I want to sleep!  We were driving all night, and we should have known better.  The fireworks are going off all over.  The people across the street are having a party.  Too much fun is being had by our neighbors!  Cut it out, I tell ya!  NO FUN!  Absolutely not!  If I can't have fun, neither can they! 

Someone pass me the tranquilizers.   Bah Fourth-Bug!

Happy Independence day, but let's wait until I have had some sleep before the fun begins.  Or at least invite me.  Alexia and Aidan weren't too keen on the few fireworks Alan set off.  I thought they were very nice.  Thank you, dear.

Jacob visits

Jacob visited us today.  Alan went up to shut his bedroom door and accidentally locked it.  We didn't know he locked it.  I was up here with Alexia, Aidan, and Robby when suddenly Jacob's TV turns on and is blaring very loudly.  So Aidan says "Jacob's TV is on, can I watch it?"  I thought he turned it on and I told him yes.  He said "I can't, the doors locked.  Who is in there?"

That was an awfully darn good question, Aidan.  Alan and I can't figure it out.  The room was empty.  The room was locked.  Yet the TV came on.  Maybe the timer was set?  If it comes on tomorrow morning, I will know that was the case.  For now, I am guessing that Jacob's subconsciousness is homesick and wanted to visit.  I called my MIL and Jacob was still snoozing.

Returning from our adventures

She's home!  She's home!

Sadly, Jacob is now having his time with Grandma and Grandpa.  :-(

I am thrilled to have Alexia home, but I miss Jacob.

Even though I miss him, I am not looking forward to picking him up.  Not for the reasons you imagine.  Our trip to go pick up Alexia and drop of Jacob was very adventurous.  Somehow, Alan missed the very small sign that covered the width of the five lane highway and was about 9 foot up and down indicating that the highway split into two separate highways.  He went the wrong way.  Shortly after we swapped drivers, I noticed that the highway signs were not what I was expecting.  And I was going towards the wrong state.  Hmmm.  So we stopped to turn around.  About 11:15 P.M. we were just over 20 miles from the highway split again.  At 1:30 A.M., I was waking up from a light nap.  And I was driving.  Don't worry.  We were still 20 miles from our exit.  I just couldn't bring myself to fall into a deep sleep.  You know, since I was driving and all.  It just didn't seem right. 

Yeah, you guessed it.  The highway was shut down.  The cars were off, people were playing cards in the middle of the road behind us.  People wandered around.  I tried to nap.  Over two hours of just sitting on the highway.  Finally, at 1:30 A.M., it was "Gentlemen, start your engines!"  Well, in my case, it was GentleMommy.  I was so excited to zoom along at 1 mile per hour with my foot on the brake for 30 minutes, only to spend another 15 minutes with my engine off again.  Then another 15 minutes of zooming along at 2 miles per hour.  Whoo-hoo!  They were taking us over on the shoulder because all three lanes at that particular point were closed.  Overall, Alan's little detour cost us about 6 hours.  Our 9 hour trip took 14.  But, we were blessed to arrive safely.

Alan and I are both hoping we can make it back to pick up Jacob without any more detours.  We have taken a detour every time we have gone to visit his mother so far. 

I think we just like driving.  After all, the kids are strapped into car seats and we know where they are and what they are doing at all times.  ::grins::