Molasses

I haven't posted because my computer has been slower than molasses. Speaking of things being slower than molasses, I am even slower than my computer. I am definitely not sharp or quick-witted. But I am a natural blond...even though my kids think my hair is brown. Anyway, it occurred to me, Mindy, as I was changing my blog layout (BTW- do you like it?)..I guess I need to change the title of my blog- with the word 'CRAZY" being abolished and all.....

'Tis the Season

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I know I did. It's weird, but I am feeling more in the Christmas spirit now that the big day has come and gone. Randy has been so busy at work, that it was all I could do to keep up with normal life...let alone decorate the house. So, I never hung the garland or stockings, and I only put out a couple small nativities. We got the tree up right after Thanksgiving and then- BAM! Randy was slammed at work and so even though I kept meaning to do all those things, there was always something more pressing. It doesn't help that on three different occasions, I needed Randy to get the boxes down from the hanging shelves in the garage. Each time he went up there, he didn't get all the boxes. And there was a week between each trip up....can you see why? I feel bad, nonetheless. But...I did get this!.....

That is why my post last Thursday was actually EARLY Friday morning. I had to shampoo the carpets before the new furniture arrived the next morning. I certainly can't clean carpet with kids running around, so I waited until after bedtime to begin cleaning. Silly me, my plan didn't work. The kids had no school Friday and I was smart enough to agree to let them stay up and watch a movie...while Randy was working on his laptop in the living room. I didn't get started until 10:00 and if you know my kids, they don't fall asleep during movies. No matter what time it is. So, they were curious and it took longer than needed.

Can I tell you how long I have waited for new couches?! Let me just say that we rescued the old set from someone's garage (they were on their way to the dump) 9 years ago! So I have wanted new ones for about 8 years. The stuffing came out of the big holes in the arm rests years ago. And I made covers just so it wasn't so obvious. I am so excited. A little neurotic, but I love them. The kids are probably wishing for the old ones back that Mom didn't care what happened to them. Go ahead, eat popcorn on them. Use the cushions for a fort. Not on these, my friend. The rules have changed. Eat your popcorn on the floor, on a blanket. And wash your hands and face before you get back on the sofa. Don't lay on the foot rests. Don't wipe your nose on them. And whatever you do- don't bleed on them (Nathan). Too late. I had them all of 3 hours. I was testing out the reclining feature and taking a little siesta. When I was abruptly awakened by my precious walking accident:

Nathan: (crying) Mom! Mom! Get me a Bandaid. (as he forces my eyelids open)

Me: (resisting, and still half asleep) What's the matter? Just let me rest a few more minutes.

Now, this is something I learned from my own dear mom. 'a few minutes' in mommy talk is really a few hours. ;)

Nathan: Mom! I'm bleeding.

Me: (suddenly realizing I am on my new couch, and he is right next to me...) WHERE?!!

Nathan: Right here (pointing to his toe that is sitting right on the plush cushion)

Me: (as I fling him off the couch- onto the clean carpet) AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Thank goodness that microfiber really lives up to it's reputation. it came right off. Nathan is pretty lucky it did...I mean, Nathan is lucky he wasn't hurt too bad...his toe, that is.

We had a good Christmas. It started Christmas Eve when we exchanged our homemade gifts to each other. This is a tradition we started last year and we LOVE IT! We draw names and have to make a gift for that person. The best part is seeing what the kids come up with. And then how excited they are to present that gift to their brother or sister, or mom or dad.

Dad to Mom: A "Macho Man Co.: Scrapbook (I'll post pictures of all these later! This was awesome!)

Mom to Hailey: some scrapbook pages of her birthday for her new album.

Casey to Dad: A poem

Hailey to Nathan: a tote bag for church

Tyler to Emma: A book titled, "The Eight Bears" (In his first edition, the only thing he could think of that rhymed with 'two', is 'poo'- Leave it to a 7 year-old boy!)

Hannah to Casey: a painted/ wood burned wooden box for his harmonicas

Nathan to Hannah: a bead bracelet and necklace with her name

Emma to Tyler: a 'hand print cheetah' -very cute!

They all slept in Hailey's room except Emma. They did much better going to sleep this year than the last time we let them all sleep together. maybe because they knew we were serious. Last year we made them all sleep in their own beds. They played "the quiet game" until everyone fell asleep[. But Casey usually can't contain himself and is the first to blow. Christmas morning. Hailey told me how Nathan thanked Casey for not making any noise. :)

Randy and I stayed up way too late. I was obviously feeling the effects of a few too many late nights, as I was finishing up a last minute gift (leave it to me!) and I sliced my finger open with my rotary cutter. This came only minutes after grazing my hand on the same blade. I probably should have gone to for stitches as it was still bleeding the next day. But I had too much to do, so I wrapped a couple Bandaids on kept going. I kept bleeding on the present, though and had to let Randy handle most of the wrapping.

Santa spoiled the kids. Casey got an electric guitar. It is pretty cool. It has no strings (yeah) and it teaches you how to play. He has not put it down and has gotten quite good at it. We gave him an air-soft gun and a tool box- the idea being, that he'll stay out of Randy's! My parents sent him a "shrunken head" made out of a coconut- WAY COOL!

Hailey got a tent and sleeping bag for her AG. She was excited about that. It has a real working 'lantern' and marshmallow/hotdog roaster, too! My parents gave her a necklace with a little silver flip-flop on it.We gave her scrapbooking stuff and a go anywhere karaoke microphone.

Tyler asked for a cheetah and 'cheetah crib'. Santa's elves, I'm told, made s special order just for Tyler. They had never had anyone ask for one before. We gave him an RC tarantula and a marble run. But Tyler's favorite gift was his coconut shrunken head.

The elves also found the dog Hannah wanted. And the dog house! She also got some Littlest Petshops and a watch. She got a little Hawaiian surfer doll and paper dolls from my parents.

Nathan got a pirate train. Which I find kind of strange that pirates and trains go together, but hey, Nathan loves both, so it works! We got a pirate ship and a good ol' fashioned jack-in-the-box. He loves his sea turtle from Hawaii.

Emma got a baby and a stroller that she became quite possessive right off the bat! Her Hawaiian dolls' name is Emma, too. Didn't know it was a Hawaiian name, but it is so cute! I made her a new blanket, and she LOVES the corn popper (so does Nathan...too bad I got the cute pink one!)

Randy got me some new Crocs (yeah!) They are the fuzzy lined ones for cold weather. I love them! And he got me some clothes. Santa brought me a gift card to Old Navy and some bath stuff- I smell so good today!

I helped the kids make a shirt with their hand prints on it for Randy that says, "Dad's Little Handfuls". Casey gave me that idea. I though it was perfect! After almost 12 years of making shirts for him, I am running out of ideas. And with he help of my very talented friend, I made him a photo cube with a picture of the kids Mod Podged on each side. I also got a Teflon coated mess kit for the scoutmeister.

We had a great time together as a family. Randy has enjoyed his time off, but has to go into work tomorrow. he is hoping to wrap things up early so he can spend more time with us. He is really liking this time home. :) We kinda like having him around, too! My camera officially died, so I am currently looking for a new one. It's a good thing Hailey got one for her birthday so I could take some Christmas pictures. I'll make a slide show, soon.

We got so much snow the past couple days that they built another snow fort. This one is big enough to sleep everyone! I opted to sleep inside with Emma, just in case! ;) They are so excited. I bundled everyone up and gave Randy his cell phone 'just in case'. He has called me four times already, needing things...candy canes, matches, a tarp, and keys...And Nathan called once, just to talk! It's 19 degrees outside, but inside the fort, it is actually pretty warm. On one of my trips out there, Hannah said she was too hot. Crazy how that works!

Tomorrow maybe I'll write my annual "New Years" letter.

**Snow fort update: Randy called to say (I'll think I'll confiscate the phone) Casey was coming inside. Leave it to Casey to bite his three year-old brother. Casey was really upset he had to come in. As I was talking to him about his behavior, I told him he needed to learn the consequences of his behavior and miss out things when he behaves poorly. He called Randy and agreed not to bite again and said he would clean Nathan's room for a week (I would have held firm, but Randy is a softy. No wonder they like him better.) Holding firm actually doesn't teach Casey anything. He does what he does because he is who he is. Not because of any punishment or incentive we give him. Believe me, we have tried it all. As Casey was getting back in his hat and gloves to go back outside, he asked me if I was going to be OK all alone inside. Just making sure I wouldn't be lonely. I assured him I would be fine, and that I actually liked being alone sometimes. He replied,"I know what you mean. That's why I sometimes like being grounded in my room all day. But it also teaches me a lesson."

Thanks for reassuring me, Casey!

Merry Chirstmas (in Spanish)...A Nathan Chronicle

A little while back, I took the kids with me to get a new part for my vacuum. I also had my friend's little boy, Carson with me. As we walked out of the small shop, Carson turned and said to the man, "Feliz Navidad!"

He then said to me, "I said Merry Christmas in Spanish!"

Nathan turned around and called, "Merry Christmas in Spanish!"
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Nathan loves to sing. In fact, just today, he had the chance to attend singing time with the big kids in primary. He had a great time! It helps that we have an absolutely AWESOME chorister! She teaches the children sign language with each song to help reinforce what they have learned. He sat on my lap and sang along while I helped him with the signs. So cute!

..back to my story...
He walks around singing all the time. He picks up on songs the kids sing and listen to. A few months ago, if you asked him what his favorite CD was, he would answer, "High School Musical". His favorite song was "Get Your Head in the Game"

...back to my story again...
Sometimes he doesn't quite get the words right. But I though it was cute when he jumbled the lyrics of "Christmas is Coming".

He sings, "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, a hay penny would do, if you haven't got a hay penny, then PLEASE bless you!"
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I forgot to mention last week in his chin episodes about when it first happened. While I was looking for a butterfly Bandaid to close his wound, Nathan returned to the scene of the accident and searched for a "piece of his chin"!
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We were driving in the car one day when Nathan got the hiccups. The following is what transpired....

Nathan: "Mom! Take a picture (hic) of my hiccups!"
Me: "I can't Nathan, I'm driving."
Nathan: "Mooooom! (hic) Take a picture of my hiccups!"

Not wanting to miss an opportunity for a funny blog entry, I snapped a picture when we were stopped at the next light.

Nathan: "Moooooom! You (hic) missed it!"

Another try...

Nathan: "MOOOOOOOOOM! You missed it again."

One last try before the light turns green (it was a LONG light- my camera is pretty slow!)...

Finally, I got it! Don't ask me how you can smile and hiccup at the same time, but this is Nathan we're talking about. All that mattered was he was happy.

Nathan: "Mom! Let me see the picture!"
Me:" I can't Nathan, I'm driving!"

Inconceivable!

The latest in the string of Nathan injuries involved a sucker stick. Forget the helmet. He needs a bubble. I was cleaning the kitchen when Tyler brought Nathan in to me. There was blood coming out of his nose. No big deal, I thought. He bumped his nose. Then Tyler showed me the broken sucker stick. Nathan had been trying to take it from Tyler (three year-olds need used sucker sticks, I guess...so do seven year-olds.) Tyler wouldn't relinquish easily and when Nathan finally got it out of Tyler's hands, he fell on it and it went straight in his nose and broke. Luckily the two pieces stayed attached. I really didn't want to call the nice doctor again.

A Day in the Life

I have been pretty busy this week making Christmas presents. I try not to put things off until now, but that is just how it goes. I have determined I have no brain cells left as I have the hardest time remembering anything. This was my day yesterday:

Wake up, to get first round of kids out the door. Oh yeah, Casey needs $21.75 for a field trip today. In two checks. In two separate envelopes. I had to tear into one envelope to remove one of the checks. It was a special envelope with a bar code. Packaging tape will work just fine. So the kids are off.

Nathan wants breakfast. I make his oatmeal the same way I do everyday. But I forgot to use my ESP and I put the milk in like I usually do. He wanted ice. So I get him ice. Now he wants milk in it. He finally stops throwing himself around and hitting me so I head upstairs.

We have all been wearing the same pants all week, so I decided to do some laundry. On the way there, Emma starts crying. I stop to get her out of her crib. She wants breakfast, too. I make her oatmeal and try to feed her. No go. She wants to feed herself- oatmeal of all things. I strap her in her chair so I can get something done.

I see that something I had been painting was dry and needed a second coat. I stop and slap it on. On to the laundry. I get half-way up the stairs and Nathan calls for me. Apparently he forgot how to dress himself. I try to help him but he insist on wearing the same shirt he wore the day before...and slept in (so I'm trying to understand why he needed to get dressed in the first place.) "OK" I said, "Your pants look fine, too." Hey, it saves on laundry. Oh yeah! The laundry! Off I go. I get a load in.

Emma starts yelling for me. Oh...this isn't good, I remember she had oatmeal all by herself. Yup. She discovered the joy of playing and bathing in oatmeal. Her skin should be really soft. Peaches and Cream soft. As I carefully lifted her out of the high chair, I remembered Randy had put the phone book in there so she could sit high enough at the table. It, too was covered in mush. Oatmeal is a great adhesive, in case you are wondering...I could probably use it for my next pinata.....

I take her upstairs, holding her as far away from me as possible, but still manage to get coated in porridge. After washing her off, I head to my room to clean myself up. Problem is, I only own one pair of pants. Well, it's still wet enough I'll just wipe it off, or rather smear it in. Same difference.

After my five minute prep for the day (a shower is out of the question at this point.) I walk though the hall, and realize Emma is still just in her diaper. So I stop and get her dressed. I am right by the washer and see that it is time to change the laundry over. It takes all of 1.2 minutes to get the clothes in the dryer. I was feeling proud of the fact that I remembered before it went sour.

I walk downstairs ready to tackle some more projects. There is Emma- sitting on the table. Covered in paint. So is the table and one of my projects. It's only 9:30.

And I wonder why I have no brain cells left. I think it's a defense mechanism. And the laundry still sits in the dryer today.

Murphy's Law Strikes Again!

Well, it's official. I must admit it took longer than I thought. Nathan split his chin open again. It was actually looking pretty good despite the early disappearance of the Derma Bond, and then he did what he does best. He bumped it on the edge of the counter. Hannah helped a little. I was just finishing up Emma's hair upstairs and I heard the cry. By the time I got there, blood was oozing from his chin. Luckily, I was able to remove what was left of the scab and perform a little "surgery"- as the InstaCare billing department likes to call it. I whipped out the ever-so-dependable Nexcare skin glue and did a little reconstructive surgery of my own. I must say I am proud of my work. Who knows if it will even make a difference, but I knew I didn't want to leave a gaping wound on my little 'Pigpen'.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

I just read my last post and realized I need to explain something...every year, the day after Thanksgiving, we drove to the mountains and cut down our own tree. This was a tradition we all looked forward too. Our house had a vaulted ceiling that was 25 feet high so choosing a Christmas tree was always a challenge. When we found one we (mostly) all agreed on, we would stand back and try to determine if it would fit in the house. Most of the time, my mom would say, "It is too tall. It won't fit." But we would all use our own methods of calculating the height of a tree from the ground and proceed with the sawing. One time, we didn't realize the problem it would pose, but our tree was downhill from the car. That was fun. I think it might have been the same year my brother's car broke down and we all ended up squished in the Bronco. I rode home, laying across laps in the back seat for the three hour drive. It was the big joke that if a plane flew overhead, all they would see is a Christmas tree driving down the freeway. When we got home, we would usually have to cut a foot or two or more off the bottom to make it fit. But when it was decorated with the blue lights and balls, the snowflakes and the icicles, it was quite the sight. It was so beautiful that people driving by would actually stop and ask how we got that tree in our house. Our answer was usually, "It grows in here." Some really believed us.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I just wanted to thank my brother for bringing me a copy of John Denver and the Muppets Christmas CD. My kids love it and it brought back a flood of memories for me...Decorating the giant tree that Mom insisted wouldn't fit in the house. And night after night laying under our 20+ foot Christmas tree looking at all the lights while listening to that record. Good times. In all the hustle and bustle, I sometimes wonder if my kids enjoy the season as much as I did when I was a kid. Is this just how it is for a mom? I suppose it is. I just hope my kids can look back and have as good of memories as I do. Thanks Mom and Dad.

What AM I Going to Do With This Kid?

The glue on Nathan's chin lasted lass than three days. I noticed this morning it was gone. It had been peeling around the edges and I had to glue one side down again after Hannah shut the door on him and it started bleeding. I used the infamous NexCare skin glue that I poured in Tyler's eye last year. ;) I managed to keep it out of Nathan's, however! But despite my efforts it is off now. That is my luck. We have never had glue that lasted the "6-7 days" like the doctors always say. At least the injury is mostly together...until he bumps it again. So, here is the solution some have offered...



My dad has been saying for a couple years (mind you, Nathan is only three) that he needs to wear a helmet. And last Thursday, when I told him of our most recent trip to the InstaCare, he offered once again, to buy one for Nathan. But after this last incident, a few more people suggested it too. The kid won't keep a BandAid on. Do you really think he'll keep this on?
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Hailey's birthday was fun. We gave her a camera that she was SO excited about! My parents gave her a mu mu and lei for her American Girl (AG) She loves it! (Thanks guys!) Casey was so jealous of her camera that he moped around the house all night. He kept making comments like, "I can't even express in words how jealous I am." Have I ever known him to ask for a camera? Or take a picture? No.


Saturday I took Hailey and five friends ice skating. We spent two hours there, but I think the girls only spent a total of 27 minutes actually skating. A good part of the time was filled with me lacing and unlacing each girls' skates at least twice, trying to get them more comfortable.The rest was girl drama. A few of them were fighting over who they thought a certain boy likes. These girls are 9 and 10 years old! That is Jr. High stuff.

This is the very reason I wanted Hailey to get into American Girl. If it will keep her a 'little girl' longer, I don't care how much it costs. You can't put a price tag on that. I am thrilled that Hailey asked for AG stuff for her birthday and Christmas again this year. That just bought me another year of her childhood.

I look at other kids my children's ages and I am in awe. They are so much more mature than mine. I have tried very hard to make sure my kids stay kids.my kids. I ma very choosy about what I let them watch or play or wear. I feel very lucky. Casey still likes Disney movies. I attribute their naivety to the fact that we don't have TV. It does pose one problem, though. They have great imaginations. For 11 moths out of the year, this is great. But for that one month before Christmas, it's a problem. You see, without commercials, (and since I avoid taking them shopping with me) they don't know what is on the market. So they make up things they want Santa to bring. This year, Hannah asked for a dog. That walks. And barks. And has a pink bow on it's ear. And a switch on the bottom. And a leash. And a house. And a bowl. And a bone. Now, since Santa's elves make toys, this is not a problem for the big man himself. But if say, mom and dad wanted to give this to her, it would be a challenge. They would probably have to shop in the pet aisle- not in the toy department. It's all good, though. Like I said- whatever it takes to keep them young.

Deja Vu

So today started out as any other. I had high hopes of what I would accomplish. You see, tomorrow is Hailey's birthday. I have certain things I do for each person's birthday, and they usually require a day of errands and other preparations at home. Well, Hailey's birthday is a little more complicated. Throw into it, that fact that Christmas is in 11 days. So, not only do I have birthday errands and preparations- but Christmas, as well. So I had a long list of things to do today, and I had plans to start around 10:00 (meaning out the door by 10:00.) That is until Nathan pulled one of his "split my head open and take me to the Insta Care" routines. Yep. Right around 9:00 AM, just as I was about to get into a much-needed shower, he came to me crying. There wasn't much blood, but his chin was definitely gaping. I was still determined to get my things done, and I didn't know how they would react if I took him back four weeks to the day since the last set of stitches. So, I decided I would just use a butterfly bandage. That lasted about two seconds. That kid won't leave a Bandaid on. So, I hopped in the shower, woke Hannah up, and took her and Emma to my friend's house. Luckily, the doctor was able to glue it closed and so far it has held- that is pretty good. Once again, he was a model patient and the doctor and nurses commented on how good he was. Yes, nurses. They brought two in for reinforcements- probably figuring we would have to sit on him. But Nathan is a veteran. He just laid there. In fact, at first, he was so giggly, that anytime I tried to touch him, he would start snorting and laughing hysterically. Only Nathan. What will I do with him?.....

Christmas is Coming...

...the goose is getting fat. We have been listening to Christmas music around here since Halloween. But for some reason, I am just not feeling it. Then Casey came home from school singing, "Christmas is Coming" and I remembered the old Muppet's Christmas record we listened to every year at Christmas. I want that record. There is nothing like Miss Piggy to bring the holiday spirit. And John Denver. And of course, Mannheim Steamroller. I think I am on a new quest.

I am sitting here bloggin' on the couch, playing fetch with my cat. You read it right. My kitten, Oreo, plays fetch. We are convinced he is half dog. He eats table scraps, licks you and plays fetch. Of course, this makes him that much more likable to Randy. :) And I must say, the floor is a little cleaner after dinner than usual.

An update on the Internet purchases...so far, so good. I have received three packages so far. After I got over the frustrations the other day, I decided I like shopping online. I love waiting for the UPS guy or FedEx man (that is, when it is not a passport I'm waiting for!) There is just something more exciting about opening up a big box and sifting through all the blown-up plastic bags to find the one little item in the bottom of the box. It is almost like I am the one receiving the present. And then I get to wrap it up and go through it all over again Christmas morning watching the kids.

Internet Shopping Woes

Saturday was a fun day. we didn't do much work. As I said earlier, the kids spent most of the day outside. I love it when they do that. Although, when everyone else is playing, I don't feel much like working. So, even though it would have been prime cleaning time, I just couldn't do it. I need a break, too. So I worked on some Christmas presents and hung out with Emma. She hadn't been feeling well Friday, and had a mystery fever Friday night. I couldn't find a working thermometer, but I'd say it was around 103-104. Maybe higher. The Motrin brought it down and she only needed one more dose. Then it was gone for good. I can never figure out why my kids do that. They get scorching fevers and then they are gone. No other symptoms. I remember the first time Hailey got a high fever. She wasn't even a year old. Casey had never had a fever before, so it was new to me. Her temp was 106.7. I pretty much freaked out thinking that her brain was frying. I called the pediatrician in a panic and as calm as could be, he told me to alternate Motrin and Tylenol every two hours. He said if it didn't come down by morning, to call him. WHAT?! Aren't you worried?! Shouldn't she be dead by now?! I guess some kids just get high fevers. 104 for most of my kids is normal. Casey on the other hand, if he hits 99, he's in bad shape.

OK, that was a tangent....so...Saturday night, Randy surprised us by taking us all to Chuck-a-Rama. He was celebrating a recent raise and the fact that he finally sold the Ford Explorer he bought at an auction back in August. The kids were so excited. They love it there. While eating her scone and lemon chiffon, Hailey asked me if it was a "Five Star" restaurant. Um no, Hailey. We don't go out to eat often, as you can guess.

And that night, Randy and Hailey slept in the igloo. They had a blast! Hailey will probably talk about it the rest of her life. And yes, they stayed warm- even their toes!

Sunday I had Sharing Time again. It went well, and it's actually not as bad I thought it was going to be. When we got home from church, I put Emma down for a nap while Randy went home teaching with Casey. Hailey has been occupying Tyler, Hannah and Nathan in her room playing 'school'. They spend hours in there and whine when it's time to eat dinner. I'm not complaining. I thought I would take advantage of the free time and take a nap. That was a mistake. Somehow while I was sleeping, my glasses got mysteriously broken and my keys lost. I still can't find them.

Today was, well, Monday. The lack of work on the weekend always catches up to me. But I have learned that we can spend all day cleaning Saturday, and by Sunday night, the house is a mess. I just didn't want to do that again.

So, about the Internet troubles...Hailey had asked for some American Girl stuff. I was undecided which things I was going to buy, and was waiting to talk it over with Randy. I had actually put things in my 'cart' but was waiting for his approval. He has been so busy with work that the first chance we had to talk about it was Friday. We hopped online, and low and behold, the outfit she wanted is sold out. Not just back orderd. SOLD OUT. They will make no more. It was an outfit that belonged to "The Girl of the Year"- so they won't be making anymore. I was bummed, but figured, I'll just get one on eBay or find a knock-off. No such luck. Unless I want to pay $40 for a $12 cowboy hat...FOR A DOLL! I was cringing at $12. There is no way I'll pay that much. So much for that idea. Oh yeah, and the other thing we were getting for her birthday- back ordred until January 4th, 2008! It is hard enough thinking of things for her birthday AND Christmas at the same time, I don't need this. So that was my Friday and Saturday.

Randy and I talked last night again about presents for the kids. We decided on some things I had already looked at online. So this morning, I got online to purchase them. As I placed an item in my bag on Amazon, a big red noticed flashed on the top of the screen. "The item you selected has increased from $13.29 to $16.99 since you placed it in your bag. The final price will be reflected at check-out." ARGH!

The next item to buy was for Randy. It is the one thing he asked for that isn't super practical, ie. socks or shoes. It is still practical- that is just him, but it's somewhat of a luxury. It was out of stock as well. I checked a half dozen or more stores and finally found a store that had one...for $13 more than the first place that had them last week! It said, "Only two left. Order soon." I wasn't going to waste any time. I was on a mission. Can you see how Nathan was able to do some damage upstairs?

Next on the list was Nathan's. I had searched all over the Internet last week for his. I wanted a simple wooden train track to expand the existing one we have. You know, the one I paid $12 for at Target several years back. I could not bring myself to spending $80- $100 for a Thomas or Brio one. And could not find a cheap one anywhere. After much searching, I finally did late last week. When I went back today (after confirming with Randy) it was nowhere to be found. This is starting to sound a little unbelievable isn't it? It gets better.

We decided to get Emma a little push corn popper thing. You know, one of those noisy toys that I will regret buying an hour after she opens it? It's a standard toy. We have looked at buying one a dozen times before and I have opted not to. But with her being number six, there is not much else we haven't already purchased. So I am willing to give it a try. That is- IF I COULD FIND ONE! I didn't want an electronic one that counts in five languages, plays fifty different songs and potty-trains your child (although some light house-work might come in handy and be worth the higher price tag!) I just want a basic cheap popper toy that my kids will annoy me with. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.

After 3 hours of frustration, it was time to take Hannah to school and run some errands. And my house was a DISASTER (alas being 'fired')! I was just glad that in the end, I got most of what I was looking for. I should have stuck to my original plan of not buiying them anything.

I'm Fired

Some more funny Nathan stories....

~We have been watching an office building being constructed near our house. Every time we pass it, Nathan points it out. All the kids loved seeing the steel beams placed by the crane and every new development is exciting. So the other day as we were driving home from tumbling, they had plastic sheeting draped over half of it in preparation for the stucco or other exterior. Nathan noticed it and said, "Uh, Mom. They are putting it in a package!"

~Yesterday, he came out of the bathroom and proclaimed, "I almost saw the Holy Ghost." Not completely mind you- just almost. He said that the Holy Ghost was his friend, and he is nice. He wasn't afraid, and he was just standing there in the bathroom. It kind of makes me wonder what he did see. Or if it is just the wild imagination of a three year-old.

~Today, I was getting ready to leave when a friend called. After talking for few minutes, I told her I needed to go run errands before the kids got home. As we were backing out of the driveway, Nathan asked, "Are you dropping me off at Erin's house?"

~I was trying to round up a few Christmas presents online this morning (I have not had good luck with internet shopping lately- I'll get into that later...) While I was on the computer, Nathan managed to dump 1000 Legos on the floor, and also the contents of three board games. The mess spread from my front room, through the entry way, and down into the family room. I asked him to pick it up and he refused. Several times. I told him I would help, but that he needed to help, too. He made up one excuse after another (he has good teachers, you know!) I persisted, as did he. He paused, and sighed and then said, "Fine then. You're fired!"

Today I'd be OK with that. Do I sign papers on the way out? Is there a severance package? Not that it matters. Just show me the door and I'll go willingly. Some days are just like that.

Eskimos

So this is our weather here this week. It is 28 degrees right now. I am very grateful for my furnace. But even as we speak, my scoutmaster husband and 9 year-old daughter think it is great fun to be sleeping outside. WHY? You ask. Because they are completely insane. OK, so they did build this igloo today:



I helped for a little while, but the wind was blowing and it was COLD! Brrrrr.


I guess after spending 5 hours building it, they just couldn't pass up the chance to freeze their tails off for another 8 hours...

They actually say it is warm inside....

Maybe they are part Eskimo....

Here is Casey and 'sledding hill' he made in the back yard...

Here he is doing a nose-dive off the tramp onto the ginormous hill...

Nathan has fallen, but he can't get up...(at least there was only one bathroom emergency today!)

Tyler spent most of the day in the snow. He bundled up around 8:00 AM and only took a few breaks before dinner..I'm tellin' ya- part Eskimo.

Never Put Beads in Your Nose

I feel like all my posts revolve around Nathan- but he is so stinkin' funny and keeps us so busy, that right now, he is the center of our stories.


Several months ago, Nathan put a Perler bead into his nose. It was after 10 PM, and the doctor's office and insta care were closed. Trying to save a ER co-pay (I know, you'd think I would have learned the first time...that's another story for those of you who don't know it.) we attempted to get it out ourselves. No such luck. We tried everything from tweezers, to an ear cleaner thingy, to a bulb syringe to a vacuum (I know, I know...) After almost an hour of unsuccessful attempts, I decided I would just call the ENT that is so familiar with Nathan. I asked him if it was OK to leave it overnight and come to his office the next day. I was afraid he might aspirate it in his sleep. The doctor assured me it would be fine, and we arranged a time the next day. Five minutes later, he called back and asked me if I could meet him at his office. He said he got thinking and decided we would both sleep better if he just took it out. By this time it was 11:30. What good mom has their three year old up at 11:30. If he had been asleep at a decent time, it never would have happened in the first place! It only took the doctor a minute to remove the culprit. He checked for more and we were on our way. I was glad I called him after all as he didn't even charge me for the visit! So fast forward to last Saturday.....


Randy was bending over, tying his shoe when Nathan jumped on his back and threw his arms around his neck. I grabbed Nathan by the waist and tried to pull him off Randy. He had quite a hold on Randy and ended up upside-down. I shook him around a little, teasing him., and put him back down. When he got off Randy, his nose started to bleed a little and out came these:

...And I was worried about leaving one in overnight!

Last night I was giving Casey a much needed trim when Nathan asked for a 'short-cut'. As I was finishing up his haircut, he instructed me to make 'fire hair'. He moved his hands around to illustrate the way he wanted his hair styled- complete with sound effects. He wanted it in a faux-hawk. Silly kid. I guess it has a new name at our house.


At dinner he was saying the prayer-as always. He loves to thank Heavenly Father for pretty much everything, and usually just goes through his day. Last night was no different. "Thank you we could play in the snow. Thank you we could pee in our snow pants. Thank you we could change into new clothes." At this point, none of us could contain ourselves. He goes on, "Thank you we could stop laughing." And so on... What am I going to do with him?