Blonde and Brilliant

Mr. Man and I differ in intelligence levels. I suppose you could say that the areas in which we are intelligent vary greatly. Mostly though, I think he is seriously one of the smartest people I know (not to mention super sexy), and I am usually quite astounded by his knowledge. “Go ask Daddy” is already my mantra, and, typically, he has all the answers. He hates when I say this, but he is after all pursuing a PhD, while I am (for now) a college dropout! So you have to comprehend the intense satisfaction that comes when the odd moment arrives when I know something that he doesn’t, or when I am actually truly “right”. It’s like the quote from National Treasure when Riley has that moment where he knows something the other two geniuses don’t and he revels and declares, “So this is how you must feel… but all the time”. Tonight, I had that exuberant moment.

For as long as I can remember I have known that if you want to make ice cubes faster, you put hot water in the freezer tray. For as long as I have been married, my husband has consistently and forcefully disagreed with this statement. I don’t know how many times we have filled separate ice cube trays with our preferred temperature water only to remember to check for the winner after both have been completely frozen. Tonight Mr. Man was helping the kids to create our weather graph. He decided to look up the exact “freezing” temperature and came across a very interesting article entitled Can hot water freeze faster than cold water?

All I saw was him with his head down in front of the computer, silently admitting, “You were right!”

I know. I’m brilliant. At least the moment was radiant!

Remember; Carry On

A great man and prophet has passed on. He will be remembered, as will his teachings, his actions and his influence. His life has blessed mine and I am grateful to have been influenced by his contagious outlook on life and his love and devotion to the Lord.

“Be grateful, be smart, be true, be clean, be humble, be prayerful, be positive, be involved, be still.”

“Try a little harder to be a little better.”

His theme was "Carry on" and so must ours. We will miss him.

Four Year Old Insight

"Mom, did you know that when it's cold outside you can't pick your nose. The mitten won't fit." Thanks son. Maybe we should have you wear mittens all the time!

Back Up

Motherhood is equally the most rewarding and most challenging role. There are days when you look at your kids during the day and can’t wait for bedtime to come. Days when you somehow manage to get absolutely nothing done. Hours that seem to drag on and on. And catastrophes that can take only a minute to be created yet many more to extinguish. Calmness comes but seldom, and crazy becomes your middle name.

What drives me the most crazy is how often and how many times I have to repeat the same directions and summons. Why can’t things just happen the first time I say them? Sometimes I really think it would be much easier to be raising computers instead of children. I could program them to do whatever it is I want, and they would do it right away. Sounds great. Computers crash sometimes, but I doubt as frequently as my three year old. Besides, I would have an external hard drive – or a back up should that ever happen.

It’s so easy to dwell on the bad. So simple to stay grouchy and down. It takes effort to rise above and decide to play, participate and be pleasant and peaceful. It takes time to provide purposeful parenting. And it takes love and prayer to partner with God in raising sweet spirits. It is exhausting. But it is worth it.

I was in Target this morning with my two youngest. The baby was sleeping, and Little E (so as not to incite a code yellow) was riding in the cart, being absolutely wonderful – a rarity for him when doing errands. I noticed all the mothers around me. Some struggling with preschoolers, others manhandling toddlers. I struck up a conversation with a mother who I recognized as gathering the candy bars for a certain baby shower game! She had her first, a 2 ½ week old baby. I watched all of these mothers as if watching myself. I mourned the mother that I used to be. The mother of one, two and three. I’ve become obsessed with begging Little E to stay three. I love three year olds. I’ve had a three year old for two years in a row, and just two years before that… and I don’t know what I’ll do without a three year old. I’ve enjoyed so many of the moments, and yet I know I’ve taken so many more for granted, or else wished them away. I only hope that I can enjoy them even more before they are gone. Too soon I will be that woman meandering through Target without a care in the world, or a child at her heel.

So today when I ask my son for the tenth time to please hang up his coat, hat and yes, mittens, I will back up for a minute and remember try to do it with a smile, perhaps even give him a hug, and relish the fact that he is indeed a child and not a computer!

The Mitten Curse

Imagine, if you will, my yesterday… politely deemed the day of “the mitten”. As most days, our day started out with me scraping the van and loading up each child –checking to see that they were at least dressed for the day, and preferably wearing a winter coat. We were off to take Big J to school, Little E to Joy School and Mr. T and Baby J and I had one quick errand to run. Just as we are driving off, Mr. T announces, “I forgot my mittens!” Mean Mom that I am, I replied, “Too late.” Thus began the whining, the wailing, the gnashing of teeth (or chattering at least), and so I gave in. I turned around and allowed him to go get his beloved red mittens. We all make mistakes.

To make a long story short, everywhere we went Mr. T left a mitten. Walmart: we’re in the car, buckled in, “Uh oh. I think I put my mitten by that Pirate coloring book I wanted”. McDonalds: half of us are in the car, it’s snowing, “Uh oh. I think I see my mitten blowing by those cars.” I nearly died when we were at the Library and he brought me this book to read:
And I seriously did die when we were up the elevator, out the door, crossing the street to our car where the meter was about to run out when Mr. T quietly said, “Uh oh. I forgot my mitten.”
Squeezing his hand so hard it must have looked as red as his mitten, we went back for it, all while I muttered empty threats of “this is the last time we go back for your mitten. Next time you’ll just have to have a cold hand for the rest of your life!” But we went back. We always go back.

Broken

I hate when I have those bad mom moments. You know, the ones where you totally lose your cool and almost immediately regret and ultimately have to apologize. Inevitably those moments do happen. Especially when a) Mr. Man is gone for an extended period of time, b) I’m tired, and c) the dishwasher is out of commission and I’m it. Combine a, b, and c and you get me – last night. I lost it. It was a good 30 minutes past bedtime (but pretty much hours past my tolerance level) and after hustling through stories, bathing four children (and usually who can be upset when you have clean, sweet-smelling children?), and holding back from strangling THE whiner, not slapping the little echo nor seriously injuring the second mother, the worst possible thing that could happen did – (yeah, my evening was about as long as this completely un-grammatically correct run-on sentence). I went to go tuck in my little darlings, stepped into the boys’ dark bedroom and stepped on a toy with my bad foot and leg (as they both belong to the same). I uttered such words as should not be uttered in front of impressionable young children; I called the toy “stupid” and then I launched it across the room. Ironically it was a star wars spaceship of some sort, but the scene of it flying didn’t merit any “oohs” and “aahs”. I was instead rewarded with tears, and shocked expressions, as the toy was now broken, Daddy not here to fix it, and my hugs were unwanted after such a terrible display. I felt guilty, but I also felt validated in my actions – had I not asked them to pick up all their toys? I figured we all needed a good night’s sleep and it would be forgotten in the morning.

Not so. Little E carried the “pieces” around with him all morning. Loading everyone up early this morning he turned to our neighbor who was doing the same with her crew and announced, “My Mommy broke my toy. She yelled at me, threw it and broke it.” My neighbor turned to me with a smile and we both burst out laughing. I guess I’m not the only one who has bad mom moments!

Putting on the Armor of God

I love family home evening! I love that my family - even the whiners - love family home evening. Once a week gathering together to pray, sing, play games, eat treats and have a little lesson... mmmmm, so good. Our kids especially love to act out scripture stories, so basically that's what we do. A lot. Last week, we were discussing our spiritual armor and read from Ephesians 6:14-17. Then we girded up our loins and acted it out. You may wonder how you act out a scripture that basically discusses the spiritual equivalent of each piece of armor. Well, we had each child have a turn to stand on a chair in their gear while the rest of us threw "the fiery darts of the wicked" (mini marshmallows) at them. It was a hit - literally! A few days later when I was hosting Joy School, one of the boys found a marshmallow (gross!) and declared his find. Mr. T corrected him, "That's not a marshmallow, that's the devil's fiery dart!" The marshmallow was immediately dropped! Gotta love FHE!

To Be or Not to Be

that is the question...

All of my children start off with these beautiful rich blue eyes, curtesy of Mr. Man, and then they slowly fade to my green. Green eyes are nice, no, but I'm wondering if at least this last time I can keep looking into another set of blue eyes for the rest of my life. Will they stay? What do you think?

Cabin Fever

Last week my parents and two siblings braved the treacherous winter roads and came for a visit. We all got out of the house and into a cabin and had a very enjoyable and relaxing three days together. We ate a lot (so much for those New Years resolutions), lounged in front of the fireplace, exchanged gifts, played many many games, watched movies and really enjoyed being all together.
Of course there was the hot tubbing! I have never hot tubbed in the middle of winter before. Once you dodge the ice (from splashes that have frozen) and make it quickly into the tub, it is divine! Very steamy, very relaxing and so romantic seeing the snowflakes coming down around you.


We also enjoyed walking down to the lake and throwing rocks – listening to the unique sounds as they bounced across the ice and trying our hardest to break the ice. I only wish I had brought my camera on that outing. Come spring, I believe many will wonder at the erosion that has taken place and wonder at how shallow the lake has become – we really covered the ice with a kajillion pebbles, rocks and even boulders!

Of course the baby was loved and held non-stop… even during naps! Oh how we have grown to love these 2-3 day getaways – and sharing them with family is always a treat.

Good Night and Good Luck

(Love the movie titled the same as this post actually!)

I think I may have to invest in or create one of these nightmare snatchers I found on ETSY. Last night my baby slept 9 hours before a feeding after which he slept for two more hours... however, Mr. T was up twice with nightmares - yes the Christmas tree chasing him again! Still, I feel well rested today and have had a great day sending two back to school, being a "good Mom" and checking off several items on my to-do list!

More holiday updates coming soon. I'm now tired :)

My Joy is Full

(Note the two extra figures that were constantly being added to our nativity this year!)

A recap is in need. But I’m awfully tired. I feel that I lack the ability to put into words the joy of the season that has so quickly passed. Christmas morning with little children is always special. I look forward to it all year; it’s a high like no other. I sat nursing my baby and watching my other three children experience the glee of gift giving and gift receiving. Cries of “It’s what I’ve always wanted… thank you” and “I’ve wanted this my WHOLE life” brought grins to Mr. Man and my faces. I feel tender love for my children on Christmas morning, and always have this scripture come to my mind when I try to put my feelings into words: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” A mother’s heart is often truly full.

And oh, the toys. So many toys. So many hours of play – oh boy!

A favourite gift, the one which generated the most of the above cries, was a LARGE set of wooden blocks that Mr. Man and his Dad made for the kids. Towers and castles, spaceships and boats have been made… and the fun will never end. I'm excited for this special legacy of homemade building blocks.

We took down our dying tree (it was too prickly for ME to water after Uncle Kyle left), and slowly gathered all the holiday décor to make room for our new furniture purchases.
Then Grandma, Grandpa & Auntie came, and besides the code yellow, a lot of fun ensued. The pool at their hotel was the biggest hit – as were the trampolines, I mean beds – Wonderlab, going to the play “Oliver”, LOTS of game playing and yummy food!
We finally made decisions on our armoire and love seat. Our Target was sold out on the armoire we liked (and could afford) and so we made some calls and on Saturday made the trek to the store that did have it in stock. Mr. Man has bad luck, and this purchase only solidified that fact. After three hours in the car, we opened the box to begin the job of assembling the armoire. This is what we found:

A box full of junk wood that someone must have successfully returned.

Can you believe someone would do that? We had spent the whole afternoon driving to get the very last one, and now this! Ughhhh! Mr. Man was ready to call the police. Instead he called the store manager where we had made the purchase. She told him to bring it back – yeah right. He called our local Target (the one where we lost our son – I think we may be having bad Target luck) and the store manager there told him he could bring it in. Apparently it caused quite a hoot with the customer service staff and they took pictures to post as a reminder to “always check the returned boxed items”. It seems that our luck turned, and while Mr. Man was there, the armoire we were trying to buy had been unloaded from a truck. Almost six hours later it was set up and beautiful. We are loving having our TV out of sight and out of mind, and with our new love seat, having room for EVERYONE in our BIG family to sit.

(Miss J with two of her friends on our new loveseat - enjoying all the playdates the break from school allows!)

Mr. T has gone two months without his fevers and we were advised to decrease the amount of medication we give him and see if it would still be effective. Apparently not. Yesterday he started his fever and so we zapped it with his steroid. Now he is zapped and with dilated eyes and everything has been bouncing off the walls , attempting to go out and play in the snow in a swimsuit and basically cracking me up and driving me crazy simultaneously. Tomorrow my parents and two siblings are coming and we will be heading out to a cabin together to make some memories and try to keep Mr. T contained!

I brought in the New Year nursing the baby… which seems fitting to end this year with. Goals have been set and we are excited for all that 2008 may bring. Happy New Year!