day at the beach...

Camille and Charlotte Claire....

My brother Bob, my oldest brother, called me today and wished me a happy birthday...he also said he was heading to the beach with 4 of his kids....so, I decided to go too...Evelyn thought this skirt would make a good cover-up, but tied it in a knot....Uncle Bob got it untied for her...he has ten kids, and is a great brother....
Charlotte Claire......

Camille got a ride down from the van in her nice pram...she took a nice rest in here later, too.

Camille had cookies on the way home from the pool yesterday....chocolate, of course...

Charlotte Claire...

Margaret with Camille





Rosie....

Benjamin with Camille...my third youngest with number 16....








And Joseph, if you read this from across the ocean, I miss you, and here is Rosie!

Well....I have had a wonderful birthday...beach...sun....water...I swam with the girls, and the water was delicious and refreshing....then when we got home, tired and sandy and hungry, I put the towels and suits in the wash and Paul came home with pizza AND flowers AND asked me to go out to dinner.....well, let me think about it....YES!!

yeah, happy birthday to me!

Here's what I have gotten for my birthday: a nice birthday card from my dear mother-in-law, with one hundred dollars in it. Yay! I think it is so nice that she does that for me every year...it is like the only money that is mine, since I don't work, and since I never actually put those things on ebay that I think I am going to....

Here's what I have done so far on my birthday....gotten up at eight o'clock, came out into a still quiet living room, tip-toed out on to the deck to visit my sweet little Rosie-Boo, had 20 minutes of cuddle and petting time. She is SO glad to see me each morning. She didn't care a bit that I had brought her out some breakfast, she just wanted to cuddle.

Then I got a cup of coffee and a bowl of Life cereal.....and here I am...Sonja is up now, and I hear other voices....one voice in particular that I am ignoring, which is saying, "Get your lazy ........out of that chair and sweep the floor!!! Clean up that popcorn mess on the counter! Start a load of towels!..."....oh, that voice never shuts up. Hey, it's my birthday! The one day I shouldn't feel guilty for sitting here writing and reading when I should be working....

It is supposed to be a beautiful day. I should take the kids to a beach or something.....hey, maybe I will. I was thinking of going shopping with Margaret to help her find a bathing suit....but if I go shopping with Margaret, I also have to take seven other kids with me....and do I want to go bathing suit shopping on a beautiful day?.....

I have been thinking a little about how my birthdays were when I was a little girl. We didn't have much money, and one year, when I was I think ten, my mother offered me the choice of either $10 or a birthday party. I chose the $10.......at K-Mart I bought a jacket, and some Snicker bars, and had at least $4 leftover. I had spending money for the rest of the summer....candy bars were only a dime then, and you could still get penny candy.....

Well, Camille-the-busy-one is up now, so I need to move it...she needs changing and feeding and cuddling....

I'm in love with the weather....

Oh man, perfect! This is life. Sunny, breezy, seventies, not humid at all....I took the kids swimming today....then home for nap time...(hey, once in a while that practicality rears it's ugly head)....Camille and Charlotte Claire both went to sleep...so I got to relax...of course, I SHOULD have been doing many other things, as a matter of fact, if I had known that Abigail was going to bring two girls home for dinner without telling me, believe me, I would have been working my you-know-what off....anyway....I talked to my sister for a while on the phone, sitting out on the deck in the sun with my feet up, while the kids watched, "The Shaggy D.A.".....then I went down into the yard and sat in the grass in the shade with Benjamin, talked and played with Rosie. (whoever says dogs cannot love people obviously has not met Rosie. She loves us. period.) Anyway, I had not the foggiest what to make for dinner, as usual....then I remembered the kids wanted waffles and vanilla ice cream because we had some fresh strawberries and blueberries. I thought we could use some protein, so I microwaved some chicken nuggets (I was surprised that 5 of them had 13 grams of protein (but 13 grams of fat, too))....so when Abigail walked in with two friends, well, they had waffles with us. Waffles and chicken nuggets.



Today is my last day of being 43. I cannot believe it. I am going to be the dreaded 44....and the reason it is dreaded seems so silly and ridiculous, because it is. When I was a little girl, my mother babysat for a new girl in the neighborhood. She was an only child, and her family had just moved here from Hungary. Her name was Alice. She had a heavy accent, which we found fascinating. One day, she told us how old her parents were...I don't remember how old her dad was, but her mom was "farty-far".....oh, how we laughed. Not at her. No, later we laughed. We thought that was the funniest thing in the world. And tomorrow, I will be "farty-far".....



Paul has not said anything about my birthday coming up. I don't want to remind him, but maybe I should. I can just picture him saying, "Shoot, I totally forgot!".....one year, Gramma forgot Joseph's birthday, and felt so guilty she got him a nice tent AND birthday money. The kids said for years after that, "I hope Gramma forgets MY birthday this year..." I seriously don't want him to get me anything, but if he wants to take us all out for pizza or something, that would be nice....what would be really nice would be if he told me he booked two rooms in a really nice resort for the weekend...one for Abigail and the 8 younger ones here, and the other for he and I....but, it ain't gonna happen.

What I would really like for my birthday is someone to call me and tell me there is a newborn baby that needs a home....aren't I awful? When I read of that happening to people, I always think, "NO FAIR!", which is pretty selfish of me....I have been blessed so much. My baby is eating a cup of crushed ice. They are settling down to watch yet another movie, after a nice after-dinner dip in the hot tub...but hey, it is summer, and I DID go to Blockbuster yesterday....

not enough hours in the day for them....

They don't get bored. They have big plans, and I am apparently a big plan wrecker. I want them to go to bed, since they have been staying up so late every night. And tomorrow I have big plans.

Today was an out and about day. Abigail and I, and the seven youngest. We went to Walmart for sunscreen and dog treats, and also ended up with a few pool floaties, and some school shirts for the girls for $3 each.

Then we went to the bank. Then to the Salvation Army store. What fun we had in there. There was 50% off the green, white, and blue tickets....they got new purses, new high heels (for dress-up), some nice new books......Abigail even got some cool orange heels....and Charlotte Claire got a beautiful Gap dress....all for $28....then we went to the Chinese buffet....we met Benjamin and his girlfriend, Grace, there. Chicken and pudding and hot tea....then we went to the grocery store....it was right smack in the middle of nap time by then, and it was showing....woe to Charlotte Claire's hair if she got too close to Miss Camille sitting in the cart...they weren't beggy or anything, but the two little girls were just tired...then Jon started crying because he wanted to show me something, and I told him , distractedly, "Next time"...and he told me I always say that. hmm. So, since I am not a smart mom who knows when to say , "Uncle", I went to the gas station and Blockbuster. We rented 6 movies for $3.21.....then it was 5:00, time to head home....home to groceries to put away....Camille had peed through (even though we changed a poopy diaper in the van at the restaurant)(one of my favorite things to do!), the puppy was beside herself with craziness to see us all, and I had to make dinner. I was not very hungry, even though I only had one plate of food for lunch...wait, does it count if the second plate was skimpy? Just a few hot french fries, a fried sugar donut, a few pieces of sweet n'sour chicken? And just a little dessert with my hot tea......anyway, I had to make dinner. I put ten burgers on the grill, cut up the watermelon, and we had dinner on the deck. Boy, that sounds like it was way easier than it really was.

Dinner cleanup, then I read some stories, got Camille to bed, then Charlotte Claire...then, out to the hot tub with Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, and Jon. Kathryn had turned it up to 100, so it felt wonderful. Even though I got splashed in the face at least three times. But it has been such a blessing to have - the fellowship we have in there is amazing. I have nothing else to distract me, so we talk about what we're thankful for, and we make plans, and we fool around....that sounds terrible, "I have nothing else to distract me, so..." but it is the truth. I am easily distracted....sometimes I have the water running in the sink, loading up the dishwasher, and I find myself with the broom in my hand...oops. And talking to the kids can be choppy....bits and pieces....but the hot tub has been really nice for conversations.

Tomorrow we are planning to go to the conference center to picnic and swim and go on the playground with a few other families. Our second pool liner is on its way, the first one is boxed up ready to ship back.

There are five of them in there tonight, in the same room trying to go to sleep...or should I say trying to fool around just enough not to get in trouble... the hot tub has not calmed them down much. Why does it make me so drowsy? I did stay up way too late last night, my sister and I went to visit a a friend, and stayed until almost 1:30.....but it was worth it.

Years ago, if I was going on a daylong outing with the little ones (Abigail has other plans, so it is just the younger ones and I), I would be getting ready for it the night before. Now, it is all I can do to get through the day, I am too tired to get ready for tomorrow, too. It will be a bit crazy in the morning, but we'll get it all together....and maybe I'll remember my coffee this time, too....

I can look all day and not find it....

my camera, that is. Community property, I guess. Benjamin borrowed it. I do not mind sharing. But save me some time and stress, and ask first! Here I am racking my brain, searching my purse and diaper bag and all the other usual keep-away-from-Camille spots...and Ben has it! Which is better than losing it completly, of course.

Today, we are staying home. I felt like my head was spinning this morning, juggling the work I was trying to get done, nothing intense, just throwing in some laundry, sweeping up the floors, counters, feed the kids, puppy in the house, puppy out of the house, changing diapers.....then we went outside for a while. It was very nice out...and then it clouded up and started storming....so in for lunch we came. They are trying to watch a movie right now, but the dvd player is acting up. Why do they make these things so junkily disposable? I would pay like a thousand dollars for them to sit in front of a movie right now, so I can zone out. Camille is in bed, Charlotte Claire is lying down having a sippy cup of pink milk, and I would like to relax....they will just have to figure out something to do. Great, Camille is not going to sleep. Again. She did this yesterday, and she was no joy throughout the afternoon and evening, to put it mildly...I love her dearly, but when she is whining and fussing, it is nerve-wracking. Sleep does wonders to make children happy and agreeable.....and it recharges the mom, too, when the kids nap and rest in the afternoon....

We have no bread. Again. I need to buy extra and freeze it. Or make homebaked. ha. I will just call Paul and ask him to stop on the way home from work. I can't run to the store unless I run with 7 kids....(Abigail brought two of the girls home, Margaret is still there, and Abigail is out to lunch with two of her friends).....maybe tomorrow I'll take them all to lunch somewhere cheap and then get some groceries, again....just bread and milk and fresh fruit and veges...

Summertime. I just love it. The storm has passed, the sun is out, the breeze is ruffling the trees, a neighbor is mowing their lawn.(I love that sound...it just sounds like summer)...I just need a babysitter and a good book. Nah, I am enjoying the kids. But I can be enjoying my kids and love them dearly, and still long for an afternoon of lying on the couch reading while the neighbors mow their lawn, right? As long as I am perfectly aware that it AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN! But I could try....hmm. nah, recipe for disapointment. I COULD start thinking about what's for dinner....nah, it's early yet. I think I might just try the couch thing.....

rainy days ahead....

and I am glad. Tomorrow is supposed to be a bit thundery and rainy, my favorite weather. Especially for what I am planning...a trip to the video store. Or maybe the library. And maybe to lunch with the kids, after Abigail gets home, of course. It is possible to go places with several small children, but it is preferable to have a helper. I read a really really good book recently, it is called, "FREE-RANGE Kids", by Lenore Skenazy. She discusses the actual statistical risks certain activities are verses the fear that surrounds them. For example, a child abduction by a stranger is very rare, a very small chance that would happen....In America, the chance of abduction and murder by a stranger: 1 in 1.5 million, or a .00007 percent. Yet we seem to think it happens all the time because of the publicity it generates. No one wants anything to happen to their child, but putting the fear in perspective and letting them live like we did when we were growing up, understanding that they are safer than the horror-story-loving-media wants us to believe.....it is a very interesting read. In fact, after I read it, I went to a small local grocery store with Suzanne, 8 years old, and Sonja, 7. To make a long story short, the salad mix I was buying rang up way more expensive than the sign said. No way. The manager came over and insisted I read the sign wrong. Here is what the sign said: DOLE SALAD MIX 2/$3.00 So, I picked up a bag of Romaine Blend. Salad Mix. Wrong, said the manager. Only the Iceberg Blend is on sale. I asked how people were supposed to know that. He said because it is salad mix. I told him he should fix the sign, and he just walked away. Oh yeah, I do have a point here. I told Suzanne and Sonja to stay with the cart in line while I went and showed the manager the sign. (which was a waste of time, I had to put back my Romaine and get Iceberg, blah.) Leaving the girls there with the nice cashier was a first for me. I usually would just take them with me or not get the salad (notice I didn't say I would pay the higher price, nah, I wouldn't do that)....but since I read that book, I realized that no one was going to butt in line, take my girls and run. I was gone all of 2 minutes. It is the fear of what others think about my mothering skills (or lack of them!), and/or fear of repercussion, like someone calling social services on me that dictates alot of decisions like that. It isn't really risky behavior. It was a very small store, with the produce section like 20 feet away. It would have been different if it was like a Walmart Super center, and I had to go across the store. Although they still probably would have been okay. And I do apologize, it is just not in me to make a long story short.

After reading the book, I did realize one thing. There is a huge difference in letting your kids do things because the risk is minimal and being just plain lazy. And it seems that there are alot of people out there who just love to jump all over someone for doing something they view as negligent. Wouldn't it be a wonderful world it everyone stopped judging and criticizing each other, and just judged themselves? Someday....

Well, Miss Charlotte Claire is still up, since she took a mega-nap today. She has been having fun. She has been sitting here in the living room with a pair of blunt-edge kindergarten scissors, cutting up a travel magazine. (hey, we aren't going anywhere!)....she cut little little pieces. Page after page, for well over an hour. I think it is good to let kids have scissors. Wait, a three year old, supervised, with scissors. It is good for their small motor control, and maybe someday soon when I am not looking and she gives herself her first hair cut, she'll do a better job than say, Mali, who butchered her hair....

goodnight

I deserve a prize!

I got up this morning, and decided to take the 5 little ones out to our church to watch a satelite transmission of the summer conference from Norway. All by my lonesome self. Now, in years past, I always took the kids out and about, by myself. Although I did usually go and pick up my dear mother...but anyway, having older kids spoils a mom. This morning, I had to brush all the hair (well, Jonathan and Camille were easy), buckle the shoes, wash the faces, get the cereal poured, cleaned up.....AND I packed lunch, for us and for the 4 girls who are out there at the church....AND I packed up towels and suits for the pool. And got out the door by 10:30. So I deserve a prize. Wait, no, I don't. I was not patient enough. I yelled when I realized they were on the computer while I was shuffling all the decks. Then they were running wild with Rosie, and I yelled again. I DO NOT WANT to be like this. No. I want to be good and patient. When I get busy and frustrated and upset, I really need to slow down and think. 'Cause I want to take things right. Okay, so Charlotte Claire has to wear her favorite flip-flops instead of her nice new sandals because the nice new sandals are wherever nice new sandals go in our house. So what? So what if her favorite flip-flops are two sizes too big? So, I got them out the door, with all the stuff and food and diaper bag and buckled them in and got on the road....it wasn't until I got back here at 3:30 this afternoon that I realized that I had never had my coffee this morning.

It is clouding back up now, these guys are tired out and watching Public Television. Camille Anaya does not watch television however. She colors herself with marker and gets into daddy's stuff. She gets out boxes of spaghetti, and hands the sticks out to her siblings. She gets out lots of books and doesn't read them. She takes her diaper off. She tries to go outside. She brings chairs to the kitchen sink. And she climbs up and cuddles with me, which I like, because it is sweet and I know exactly where she is.....

Answer to Shel's question, "what is a coney?" It is a spicy white hot dog. More often called a "Snappy", or even a "White Hot", they are a New York favorite. There is a local company, Hoffmans, that makes the BEST hot dogs and coneys. Coneys are made from beef and veal and are spicy, and crisp and good....They are pretty popular around here in the summertime. Along with salt potatoes (small potatoes boiled with lots of salt), and baked beans. hmm. I am getting hungry. It is almost 5:30, what on earth shall we have for dinner? See, I deserve a prize.....