letting my fingers do the shopping

Keeping my leg up for almost two weeks has brought bounteous blessings from those around us. It has also, apparently, saved us money! I don't enjoy shopping, but in all honestly I suppose I do engage in the activity. With the month's end approaching I was punching in all our receipts and checking how our monthly budget is doing. Usually at the end of the month we have absolutely NO money or are in the hole a good $100. This month is proving quite differently... with just a week to go we still have just over $100 to our name! Can you believe?! I'm a little embarrassed, to say the least, and presumed that Mr. Man just had a STACK of receipts hiding in a pocket somewhere. Not so. We really ARE going to be saving money this summer! However, I did recently find some adorable things online for mothers day (sorry, Mom, I can't post it till after the fact) and I'm starting to enjoy surfing the internet for fun scrapbooking supplies and toys for Little E's upcoming birthday - so the tide may turn! How much money do you think you would save without leaving the house for two weeks?

Thinking Outside the Box!

Having had my super powers taken away from me for the time being, I've had to do a lot of creative thinking when it comes to almost every aspect of my life. From fun activities to do with the kids, encouraging them to help out with mundane aspects around the house, and what to do with the numerous people who are offering more help than I know what to do with! It keeps me off my toes!

We've used a LOT of paper products lately... as Mr. Man can attest with the loads of trash he is suddenly having to carry out at any given moment! However, the kids are always thirsty and I always have them get their own drinks of water - but they grab a new cup each time!!! I found this great invention... what do you think? Before I order it (yeah it's only $3 but add the shipping and handling...) I'm curious if any of you have seen this in a regular store - say Walmart or Lowes? Let me know. I think this may curb our cup habit, and it's pretty darn cute too!

Monster Baby

Venting creative energy is what my daughter is all about these days... sometimes it is productive and other times not so much. Today she came home from school with this picture. It really looked like a picture a certain boy in her class would have drawn (since he draws spooky pictures for her constantly - a strange sort of crush I presume). But no, this is her art work. She calls it "Monster Baby". He is our new baby, long sharp nails and all... and apparently he is MEAN! I'm not quite sure what to think of this. I suppose it goes hand in hand with this lovely depiction of me... I'm quite sick with the chicken pox and green skin growing on my feet and face and yet the title merely reads, in kindergarten scribe, "Tired". Any psychologists out there who wish to tell me what to make of these lovely art pieces which I hang so proudly on my wall?

Abracadabra

Mr. T has been spending most of his time today coming up with well-versed and indepthly formulated magic spells which he has been casting with his sword on my leg to make it better. He also has a rope that he will periodically tie around my arm to check my "pressure". When he does this he always asks, "Do you have pressure Mom? Do you feel any pressure?" Tonight before bed I was telling Mr. Man about his magic spells he's been casting and Mr. Man asked him if any of them had worked, he replied, "Nope. All the magic has gone out of my body!"

Commander from the Couch

Once again I have reclaimed my position of commander from the couch. I have been on bed rest since Monday and apparently it will be lasting until this little guy gives up his hideout and joins my little army. I have new appreciation for those who have been on bed rest before (including my poor mother) and really think we should develop a new term – maybe bed bound, or restless leg syndrome… something! I can’t help but think about last summer and our adventures in our castle (hotel) in Toronto. I honestly thought it was my most difficult summer, but now I’m glad that amidst the misery I tried to enjoy it, because apparently this summer will be a whole other adventure!

Two days have been tolerable… and already I’ve had a lot of help – both given and offered. My kids have been angels (most of the time) and I feel blessed. When I think of spending our life like this for the next three months, however, I either laugh hysterically or start crying just thinking about it. Except for my one leg (with incompetent valves) I feel just fine. 9/10 of me still wants to get up and sweep that crumbly floor, I want to run outside in the sunshine with my kids and I desperately want to get to a store and do some shopping for supplies! I’m allowed a half hour up a day (walking preferable to prevent blood clots and my rear from turning into a huge lumpy pancake) and then with as much discrimination as possible. The annoying part is that even after spending all day with my leg raised, it still hurts. While my healthy half tells myself that it doesn’t seem to be making a difference (at least in my pain level) I know it does, and that it can get so much worse! I remember having to bring my mom potatoes to peel in bed when she was stuck in bed the whole nine months of her last pregnancy! So far my kids are helping out more but also enjoying the freedoms that more responsibility and independence bring. Mr. T and I made little signs for his dresser drawers with pictures and writing of what is in which (shirts, shorts, underwear… etc.) The little guy is so excited about it and now is convinced he can really read! So good can come of evil running through your veins!

My postings may either get more boring or much more exciting – only time will tell. For now, any ideas and suggestions of fun things to do with the kiddos (or myself) are greatly appreciated.

I have a gas problem…

I know what you’re thinking… but no this isn’t the kind of gas problem that affects most pregnant women (though I’m not admitting I don’t have this one also)… but I have a completely strange disorder, and truly it too stinks.

I am scared to death of putting gas in my vehicle.

I don’t know why, honestly I don’t. I’ve gone over in my mind thousands of times the multiple of reasons why I may have this fear. I used to choke it up to lack of experience, because my manly husband didn’t think gassing up a car was woman’s work – fine by me! Then I went through the visions of my car exploding while I’m filling up and going through in my mind how I would try to unbuckle and save each of my carseated children. But it’s not that either. Is it the smell? The grunge appeal of a gas station? I have no clue. All I know is that when my gas gauge hits the half-way mark my anxiety begins. I try driving as little as possible, compiling in my mind the errands I can run at the same time in the same area, walking as much as possible and when driving attempting to use the gas as infrequently as I can – using the hills and cruising as much as possible. I’m nuts, don’t worry I know. At a quarter tank visions of running out of gas in the most dire of circumstances float in my head and I keep one eye on the road and the other on the gas gauge at all times. Now as I hover near empty and the inevitable fill-up looms before me, each short trip in the van fills me with fright.

My husband cannot even begin to comprehend, and mocks me quite openly. I don’t blame him. I tried to compare it to his fear of flying (sorry dear, this is the day we divulge all our secrets online!) When I first married this big strong man and we were on the plane to our honeymoon, I was shocked to find that he spent the flight clinging to me with his head in his lap – scared to death. Now when he knows he is going to be flying, he’ll spend the preceding week biting his nails and being completely nerve-wracked about his upcoming flight. He can’t help it. I don’t get it; I LOVE flying, but gassing up - UGHHHH! Mr. Man told me last night that I can’t compare this fear to flying, as gassing up takes less time than it does to fill up the bathtub and I’ll never be forced to gas-up for 13 hours (as we’ve had to fly).

So the time has come, any suggestions on soothing this completely unexplainable phobia would be fabulous. I need to fill up all the way to prevent the next fill-up from coming any sooner. The glorious feeling after I fill up is one of both relief and empowerment. I can do it! I just need to get it over with! Wish me luck.

Haircut

I decided to go get a hair cut, and while I was there I got them all cut... it seems to be the thing to do lately. Since I'm putting on weight in every other location, it's nice to feel so much lighter up top! I guess that figures with me being so light-headed lately! Oh well! Here's a tired picture of me at the end of a LONG day... but I do have to give a lot of credit to my two little guys who were nothing but angels at the salon!

Every Mother’s Dream for their Daughter

Big J announced the other day that when she grows up she wants to be three things. A teacher, an ice cream guy and a tattoo artist (not real tattoos, but painted ones – she says she loves people and since she’s such a great artist, she could make people look beautiful and unique). She’s been practicing her skills and I’m just a little nervous…

Just Monkeying Around!

Yesterday I had a rare oppourtunity to spend ALL morning with just my little monkey! Big J had a morning field trip, Mr. T was at preschool, and Little E stayed in his monkey costume with me at home! I had great visions of us spending our morning cuddled up together (he really is quite cuddly in this costume) on one of the beds reading books for hours together. That lasted about five minutes. Little E wanted to "play Star Wars" with me... and I can honestly admit I tried my best, but it didn't take long for me to be eternally grateful for having my two little boys so close together (since they can play together so well) and start suggesting other activities! It was strange, and I had to rack my brain for "what did I used to do with just one child?" things. But we enjoyed our time pulling out the music box and playing games... and lots and lots of star wars. I even attempted a nap... but apparently that is no easier with one child than three! Isn't he adorable?! I still can't believe my baby is growing up (into a monkey nonetheless) and will soon be a big brother!

Easter Weekend

Leaving a snowstorm behind, my parents drove down to spend a chilly yet heartwarming Easter weekend with us. Thankfully we were able to have our outdoor egg hunt earlier in the week when the sun was shining and shorts were wearable. This weekend we stayed mostly indoors and had fun decorating eggs with special paints, making bunny cookies (notice how Mr. T gave them all belly buttons!) learning new magic tricks from Grandad and watching Little E down more chocolate per second than you can imagine! We had a great time and especially enjoyed going to the Children’s Museum in Indy. While it was super busy and my sciatic nerve was giving me a horrible time, it was great fun and wonderful to have more adults than children! I only wish I’d taken more pictures from my sideline view on the many benches throughout! Thanks Mom and Dad for a great time! We sure enjoyed your company this weekend. (I still need to bribe my kids into a super sweet Easter picture like most of you were able to take - Big J kept changing her outfit and Mr. T kept stripping - maybe next Sunday!!!)

He is Risen

No time for blogging is obviously a sign of a busy and fun weekend! And now to play catch up!

Thursday we enjoyed attending Mr. T’s preschool Easter festivities and also celebrating his birthday with pirate cupcakes! I didn’t get a picture of them… but after looking everywhere for pirate cupcake toppers that weren’t ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ scary, I printed off small jolly roger flags and glued them to tooth picks which we inserted into each cupcake. They turned out pretty cute, but I had to laugh as the children were presented with skulls after having a very Christian Easter celebration!

We have Mr. T attending a Christian preschool and really have loved every minute of it. His teachers are fabulous and just the most loving people you could imagine. The activities, crafts and learning activities he is engaging in are beyond what I could have expected for what we are paying and the short two mornings a week he spends there. Yes, they pray, they attend chapel once a month, they share bible stories in class and the children are consistently reminded to treat others as Jesus would. Nothing wrong with that… we love that our little guy is learning about religion and our Savior in another place besides home and church. As parents we are fairly involved and are constantly signing up to help with different activities and all the many parties! For the Easter celebration Mr. Man signed us up to help with a craft. It was pretty basic: the teacher gave us some crosses and wanted us to get some necklace rope and make necklaces for each of the children. She thought it would be pretty special for each of the children to be able to wear a cross and understand that it represented Christ. Mr. Man brought home this project for us to complete and thus ensued a discussion. Being Mormon, we don’t focus on the sign of the cross – we don’t have crosses on our churches, nor do we wear crosses around our necks. Instead of thinking about the cruel way in which our Savior was killed, we choose to dwell on the fact that He lives, that He was resurrected and has provided the way for us to live again. Ultimately, we decided that we were uncomfortable with Mr. T having to wear a cross – that it was the first time something at his school somewhat clashed with our beliefs. However, we didn’t want him to feel completely left out either, so we decided to make him a different necklace, one that portrayed the resurrected Christ. On the back of our Friend magazine was the perfect picture. We copied it onto cardstock, double sided, laminated it and then punched holes to turn it into a necklace. We made the rest of the crosses as we had signed up to do and the next day when Mr. Man drove our little guy to preschool he explained to his teacher our reasons for making this “alternate” necklace.Mr. Man reported to me that this was the longest conversation he has ever had with Mr. T’s teacher… and in the end, she explained how much that picture conveyed to her, that her husband (at age 49) had passed away of a heart attack just ten months previously and she had never seen a picture like this that brought such hope and emotion. She asked if we would get her a copy of the picture.

Later when I picked Mr. T up from school we spoke also, and in the end she asked if I would mind making a necklace like Mr. T’s for the rest of the children. She thought this picture would help them understand the true meaning of Easter even more than wearing the cross would. Of course we did. We ordered a large picture for his teacher (Mr. Man even spoke with the artist, Del Parson’s wife on the phone!) When we went in for the celebration it was pretty special to see all these children wearing this beautiful picture. (Now we want to get one for our home.) But it was also special to see how happy Mr. T was to be sharing Jesus with all his little friends. Truly this is what Easter is all about, and I am forever grateful to our Savior Jesus Christ for paving the way and leading us back home so that I can be together forever with my little family.

Turning Four!

A little before 6am this morning I heard little feet, happy feet, tip toeing down the stairs and then back into our bedroom where their owner exclaimed, “I’m taller now! I’m four now! It’s time to go open my presents!” We cuddled and kidded until about 6:30 when we could no longer put off the inevitable. Look how delighted this little boy is to be up bright and early enjoying his special day! And he was so sweet too – thanking each giver for his gift and taking the time to enjoy the scribbles on the card especially made for him by his little brother.

I think he had a really special day. He started it with gifts, and then a breakfast of his choosing – fruit loops! By 8:30 he was watching Star Wars and lounging in his pjs acting out his favourite scenes with his siblings until close to lunch (homemade egg mcmuffins). This afternoon he had a couple of friends over and the play continued close to dinner time – which he also selected: RIBS, pierogies and green beans! We got a little cake from the grocery store since we’ll have his party at another date (combined with Little E) and we also are bringing pirate cupcakes into preschool tomorrow, and frankly I despise making cute little birthday cakes. A special present came just on time in the mail today… and all in all it’s been a great day for my little guy!
This evening after dinner he joined his sister, Dad and the cub scouts on a caving adventure. It is freezing outside and there are even some flurries (after a fabulous few weeks of spring it is devastatingly cold) but I pulled out their winter gear, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy wearing his caving helmet and being with the cub scouts!
So now I have a month where I won’t seem like a crazy woman… you see for one whole month I will have a 6 year old, a 4 year old and a 2 year old… no more of that year apart craziness when people ask how old my kids are… at least for a month! Little E has decided that four looks like a lot more fun and so has decided to skip turning three and be four like his big brother – so it looks like I may be acquiring twins!



(I love these pictures of the boys playing with their two good friends! The dialogue was ever so entertaining and I was beside myself with laughter listening to their star wars/batman/Princess Lydia storyline! As you can see they played with every toy in the house, but in the meanwhile I cleaned both my bathrooms! Yeah for friends!)

PS - I'm saving the sappy, "I can't believe my baby boy is four" entry for my journal's eyes only!

Boys, boys, boys

Ungrateful as it may sound, it is how I feel: I am sad to be having another boy. Truly, I was preparing to have a little baby girl. I know I’ll get over it, and even now a few days after the “manifestation” I am starting to see the upside of the gender and order of my children. I’m grateful to have put an end to my baby girl daydreams long before he will be born, and I know I will not love this sweet baby any less than my others… but I’m a bit disappointed. And I’m disappointed in myself for feeling that way. I’ve told my children numerous times, before finding out, that we would be grateful for whatever baby – boy or girl – that Heavenly Father sent to our family. I feel like a hypocrite for having such feelings… but they are real, and I feel the best thing to do with such feelings is to lay them out either in writing or speech and hope that they don’t get walked all over.
All the negative “boy” attributes have been spinning through my head lately, trying to (and succeeding at) upsetting me. “Another little trouble-maker,” “More speech therapy” and numerous other stereotypical, predisposed and oversimplified (mis)conceptions have been suffocating me. Meanwhile, my two hardy boys have been demonstrating, before my very misconstrued eyes, the very real joys of boys. Day after beautiful spring day, after running around outside playing star wars and super heroes, riding their trikes and getting into poision ivy, I have witnessed my boys’ in this position:


Hot and exhausted, one will usually tell the other he is ready to go inside… the other, not quite ready to retreat nor lose his playmate will suggest “watching”. “Let’s watch” means bringing little chairs just beyond our fence line and sitting quietly pointing their water guns periodically, but mostly sitting silent watching for birds one day, bears the next, squirrels another and even Bantha bear! I love this sight and it has calmed my nerves and enabled me to accept the inevitable addition of another small child who happens to be a boy. I’m grateful for the trust my Heavenly Father is placing in me to raise another one of His children, and I hope I can remember to take the time – more often – to watch; to sit quietly between the hectic instances of life and enjoy the quiet moments that even boys can bring!