Potpourri

I have been putting off posting, not because I haven't anything to write about but because I have too much. And these last few days, I have been extremely grumpy, for the only reason that I am female. It is highly unfair that once a month, we (at least I) turn into monsters. I turn into a mother that is too bothered by her children and a wife that takes all of life's sorrows out on her husband. I can't control it, I can only wait, along with my innocent victims, until the storm passes. So, I have avoided posting because I was afraid it would turn into griping and whining.

I wanted to post about our trip to the zoo. It was extremely fun but so much work! We went with my parents so technically, we were at a 1:1 ratio, but still. But the kids enjoyed all the animals, the best parts were when they got to witness nature at it's best--animals peeing. They all thought it was hilarious. And I suspect their dad did too! Must be a man thing....

I wanted to post about almost losing my son in the pond. THAT was extremely not fun. We had been bribing Jarrett that if he went poop in the potty, we would take him fishing and it finally happened. We left Jeven with my mom and took the other 3 kids to a pond down off the freeway. It was brushy and buggy and muddy. Judd and I would separate, go into little "cut outs" and Josie and Jayce would go back and forth between us while Jarrett would stay with his dad. We both were just trying to get a fish on so Jarrett could reel it in. We made it about 1/2 way around the pond, when all of the sudden Jarrett was gone. I mean GONE. Judd took off back down the trail where we had come from, I went ahead to make sure he didn't go past us. I finally decide there was no way he went past so I went after Judd. I am running up this trail and I meet about 10 people, coming my way. I am crying and yelling out his name and these people say: "He's back there". I ask: "Does his Dad have him?" and they say "no, but he'll find him". These people had seen my 3yr. old baby boy, wandering around a pond, crying and didn't stop him. I couldn't believe it!! Needless to say, Judd got him back and all was well. But during that lifetime that Jarrett was lost, time stood still and my world fell down around me. Hard to believe that can happen in a blink of an eye, and it only takes approx. 2 minutes. We ended up not catching any fish and just going home.

I wanted to post about deciding to take better care of myself. Seems all of the sudden, now that I am not pregnant or breastfeeding, my body finally belongs to me again and I don't want it!! It's too big and too old. If I knew then what I know now...I would have worn more sunscreen (wrinkles) and drank more water (too much soda nowadays). I have set out to eat healthier, not necessarily diet, and move around more and seek out more "me" time. It is a hard thing to do! My kids and husband have always came first, then when I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown, I will go and take care of me. But I am finding when I am happier, my family is happier.

I wanted to post about how tight financially things are right now. More so than normal. I go grocery shopping weekly and prices will go up in just that short amount of time. And always on the things we need. Weird. I think most people would be surprised what I spend on groceries, for a family of our size. I have been told by financial counselors, it is about 1/2 of what is considered normal. It's hard to tighten that belt any tighter! And , while I am thinking about it, why does it cost more to eat healthier?

Like I said, I had alot to talk about. Our summer is going by fast already. The kids come inside every night, covered from head to toe with dirt and stickiness from ice cream and tired from playing with all their friends. Just like kids should be every summer! Life for them is going so slow but as their mommy, it could slow down, just a tad.

Cuteness overload

Warning: it's gonna get a little sappy so prepare yourselves!

My kids are cute. Really, I am not just saying that. And they are funny! Like really funny--they understand a good joke. And they say the funniest things. Even Jayce who is old and wise in all his 9 yrs. ( according to Jayce himself).

I thought I would note some of the things I can recall from just the last few days. You may think they aren't that great and maybe perhaps they are "you had to be there" moments, but I want to remember them.

Jayce: He and his dad use "manly shampoo" while me and the little kids use different stuff. Jayce informed me the day after I had spent 2 hours and millions of dollars at the store, that we were out of manly shampoo. I told him to use mine, "it's the stuff in the orange bottle". That was several days ago. This morning he gets out of the shower and says " That CARCASS shampoo doesn't work very good." I said "WHAT?" Again he says something about the CARCASS shampoo. We go back and forth, me trying to determine that he indeed is using the stuff in the orange bottle and him being very determined that he was using CARCASS shampoo. We go into the bathroom and he points and says "that stuff". It was my CARESS body scrub!! First we had a good laugh that it was not carcass and then we realized that all week he'd been washing his hair with body scrub!

Josie: She and Jayce were playing outside and they were getting a little rough. She was kicking him and hitting him and he was pretending to be mortally wounded. She got a little too close to his groin area and he told her to not hit or kick boys "there". She said "I didn't kick your ankles!".

Jarrett: Comes in from outside, where the grass was getting a little wild, and asked for the scissors. I tell him no, of course, then it occurs to me to ask "why do you want the scissors?"
"To cut the grass!" Jarrett says.

Jeven was walking around being a chicken the other day and I had to change his poopy pants, Jarrett walks by and says "EWWW!! Chicken poop!!".

Jeven: Jeven doesn't really tell jokes or get sayings mixed up. He just does this:

and this:



which is to say he just goes thru each and every day looking extremely cute and loveable!
Which is fun in itself.

Oh how things change!

A long time ago, when I first started my parenting journey,( in other words, when Jayce was a newborn) I worried about EVERYTHING. You know what I mean, right?
You check to make sure they are still breathing, you analyze their poops, and you worry every time someone holds your precious little baby.
I remember when Jayce was less than a month old, my husband's aunt was holding him and she had on a glittery sweatshirt and I seriously gave myself a headache thinking of how Jayce was going to get a piece of glitter in his mouth, choke and die. All because I let Aunt XX hold the baby!
Or the first time they get sick and you call the doctor every hour to give them an update. Because they are anxiously awaiting to know if your baby has come thru his bout of constipation ok.
Or the first time you clean up puke. The real puke, not the baby spit up stuff but VOMIT. And you either A) puke yourself because it is so gross or B) dig thru it trying to figure out what they ate that made them sick. (by the way, I am choice A).

Then you have another baby and you still check if they are still breathing, but only if you wake up, unlike setting the alarm like before with the first baby. You are a little more experienced and more confident in your skills.

Well, just imagine what it's like when you have 4 children.

The other day, we were getting ready to go somewhere and I came into the living room to see Jeven eating part of my plant, mixed in with some dirt. And what do I say?
"JEVEN!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? WE HAVE TO GO!! I WILL GET YOU A SNACK IN THE VAN!!"
Can you believe that? Of course, I already knew the plant wasn't poisonous and I figure if he wants to eat dirt, that's his problem.

Today, I found some puke on Josie's bed, not a lot but some. So, I proceed to sniff each child until I find the culprit (Jeven, of course) and I seriously debated on whether or not to change his clothes!! There wasn't much vomit, and I was planning on giving him a bath after nap time.

But it got me thinking, have I gotten lazier or better at judging what is worth freaking out about?
We all know too many parents that have lost a baby, or doesn't have one they desperately want.
I like to think I am better at finding more important things to freak out about. Like blood. Or back talking.

BTW--I did change Jeven's shirt. I thought "I wouldn't want to sleep in a shirt with even a little puke on it".
See, I have matured.

A day to forget

Jayce had his baseball practice last night. It only lasts for 1 1/2 hours. 90% of the time, when I sign him up for a sport, or sign any of the kids up for anything, I am on my own. Judd never really knows what time he gets off work, his day off rotates.
It is a huge pain in the butt to drag the other 3 kids to practices but I can't let the fact that I have 4 children keep Jayce from getting to do important stuff like play sports and make friends.
Usually I prepare fairly well and bring toys and snacks and so forth. Last night was just one huge downward spiral into the dumpster.

This is how practice went last night:
Park.
Let Jayce take our chair and go to the field that I think is literally 1/2 mile out.
I unload boys and Josie (who has NOT had a nap, after our late night Sunday night. This is KEY to story)
Josie has back pack that has a few toys and 2 water bottles in it. Plus usual diapers and stuff.
Jarrett falls on curb. Scrapes his knee pretty good. Get him calmed down.
Josie doesn't want to carry back pack. I tell her too bad. She starts screaming and throwing a fit. While I am whispering in her ear all the terrible things I am going to do to her (we are standing right in front of a soccer game) Jeven falls. Scrapes his knee.
It starts to rain.
I say forget it, we're going to the van.
Josie then starts screaming about THAT.
We haven't even left the parking lot.
But now I have three kids in the van, I can't even SEE Jayce and I just know he's wondering where we are and that when practice is over, he'll come to the van but leave our chair out there. I try calling Kim (sister in law who lives 5 miles from school where we are) to see if she can stop by on her way home, sit in the van while I run out to field but she won't answer.
Now, Jarrett and Josie both have to go potty. There is NO potty!!
I call Michelle who is at Safeway.(other SIL, who lives clear across town!) She says "No problem. I will be right there" ( she is awesome in a sticky situation).
Jarrett has peed his pants. I am not mad, he didn't really have a choice. I change him into the extra clothes that were in the evil back pack.
Josie is still crying that she has to GO!! I see a port-a-potty WAAAYYY out by Jayce's field. I tell her to hold on until Shelly gets here.
Jarrett pees his pants again.
I see Shelly pull in parking lot. Jarrett says he has to go again so I let him pee in the parking lot. I think he was trying to hold it and it just kept escaping, and he was trying so hard not to wet himself. When he finally peed on ground, he peed about a gallon.
I run Josie to potty.
I run out to get chair and tell Jayce what's going on.
Run back to van, tell Michelle thanks a ton and lock ourselves in the van until 6:30.

It is now 5:30.

Spending one whole hour in a minivan with 3 kids, no toys other than a couple balls and only 3 bags of fruit treats, not my idea of a good time.

The best part is that Jayce has practice again tonight!