Yesterday had it's ups and downs....Paul texted me and said he is going to India, like it is the most normal thing in the world. For two weeks. I, of course, called him immediately and told him to tell his boss that his wife needs to go too. He wouldn't do that for some reason. But he said he would check ticket prices, maybe we could just buy me one. Oh, I was one happy camper. I was going to India!!! Well, the ticket was reasonable enough, but he talked to his boss and found out the classes he is taking literally are all-day courses, ten or twelve hours a day. He thought it wouldn't be worth me going. I reluctantly agreed. But.....oh my goodness, yes, I would just be lost, sitting in a hotel room in India all day, with my computer....ha. I could read things, I could write a story, and if the hotel had a pool, I could swim without counting heads in the water and shouting, "do not run" every five minutes. I could sleep in and take naps and take baths and if I got really adventurous, I could go for walks, IN INDIA!!! So in the course of one day, I went from hopefully jubilant to vastly disapointed.
Now, the reality of it is that it makes sense for me to stay here with the kids. But I had started to cover my bases, and they would be fine without us at this point. The older ones can step up, and they so wanted me to be able to go that they agreed to really pitch in and help. Even the little ones wanted me to go, especially Jon...he thought if I went, it would make it very likely that he would score some extra time at his big sisters' apartment, which is the highlight of his life, besides starting people's cars for them.
Oh well. This morning I have to take the van to the village to be inspected, New York State law. rrr. Yesterday, in the midst of taking Aaron to work at McDonalds and taking the six youngest to lunch at the Chinese buffet, the taking Joseph and Sam to a birthday gathering, then taking some things out to our camper, and finding out I was going to India, then finding out I wasn't, I somehow forgot to get a replacement bulb for the van headlight. Now, it won't pass inspection without one so we have to pay the auto-shop guys in the village to install it....Paul was like, "You forgot to get that?" hmm, he actually seemed surprised, which I suppose is a good thing.
I have to leave soon, none of the kids are up yet, I was thinking of gently waking Sonja and taking her with me and going to the village diner while we wait. But it all depends on who wakes up between now, and the time I have to leave.....
Once again I feel like a traitor,if I am gone before Camille wakes up. When I come home, she will tell me first thing, "When I woke up, I wanted you!" At least she can put it into words, so she doesn't just cry and hit me when I come in.....
Today, after the van inspection, I have to go and buy some things, like sugar for the snow cones we serve at summer conference, and some fresh fruits and veggies for our week.....then back here to pack everyone up, and we are on vacation!! ha, it is funny to call it that. It is busy, but it is the BEST kind of busy....seeing all of our friends, it really strengthens my spirit and gives me a glimpse of eternity. Nothing is more encouraging than to talk with others who have the same battles, hang in there, fight, and don't lose heart. So it is all worth it, the packing and the work and the remembering things and the working at the grill and the candy store....
I probably won't be writing on here until Wednesday or so, unless I forget something and have to come home for it....I might sneak five minutes....hmm.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
charlotte claire and camille
Purple paint....
Charlotte Claire and Mali
Charlotte Claire and Mali
Margaret
Sonja Kathleen
Charlotte Claire and Camille....all dressed up, do they look like they could possibly get into purple paint and then streak all around the front yard?
All day this has been on my mind....since I haven't convinced myself to actually start dinner yet.....today is the day, four years ago, that my mother passed away. Oh sadness. I miss her today.....
All day this has been on my mind....since I haven't convinced myself to actually start dinner yet.....today is the day, four years ago, that my mother passed away. Oh sadness. I miss her today.....
six down, ten to go!
Joseph has joined Emily, Abigail, Benjamin, Mirielle, and Aaron as a licensed driver in the state of New York. I feel that I deserve a million bucks instead of the measly sprinkling of new grays it has given me. Just the stress of standing there on the sidewalk wondering and hoping and, by the time they returned to the curb, despairing that I didn't spend more time letting him drive.....but then he gave me the thumbs up, and whew!
We did some shopping, took some more drinks and food out to the conference center, then home...which the kids cleaned while we were gone. Not much can please me more than walking in to swept, mopped floors, clean tables and counters. We put away the milk and bread and pears and apples and spinach and cheese and tortillas and.....into the pool, finally. It was almost or about 90 today, and very humid. One does get used to it a bit, but one doesn't necessarily enjoy it. The only time I don't mind is when I can get in and out of the pool. The other nice thing is the air conditioners are finally back on....it isn't exactly cool in here, but after swimming, it feels nice.
Camille told me that she woke up and wanted me today. I knew she would wonder where I was, and it sort of broke my heart as we drove away from home to the small city. That's one of the hard things about having big kids and little kids, I cannot always bring them all with me.....and there are things I have to do for the big kids, like replace lost social security cards, take permit and driving tests, get running shoes, find bras, things that are not sensible to bring the whole family to. Not that I am sensible....
I actually suggested turning the television on a few minutes ago. Charlotte Claire will lie down on the couch and start watching, and conk out. Camille is almost sleeping too. The don't officially nap, but they have their little "down" time. I should be in that kitchen, but....I have absolutely no idea what is for dinner. I should be fired.
Emily Anne came over last night. She brought the movie, "The Book Of Eli", so we stayed up too late and had too much popcorn, Aaron brought out his yummy almond-y Norwegian chocolate bar....after the movie, some of us stayed up even later, solving all the world's problems.
It is all cloudy here now, a storm is moving through, so it is cozy and nice. Both little girls have conked out. Emily picked up Sonja and Jonathan and took them on an adventure. So it is pleasant and quiet in here. I just wish I already had dinner finished, or at least planned. That little niggling voice is starting to yell at me to get my considerable rear end out of this chair and do some cooking. Last night, we had fresh local sweet corn. I won't waste words saying how good it was, because there aren't sufficient words anyway. The stuff trucked in from Florida or any other place cannot compare with the stuff grown down the road.
Now I shall get up and begin dinner and pretend like I wasn't just sitting in my chair all afternoon....
We did some shopping, took some more drinks and food out to the conference center, then home...which the kids cleaned while we were gone. Not much can please me more than walking in to swept, mopped floors, clean tables and counters. We put away the milk and bread and pears and apples and spinach and cheese and tortillas and.....into the pool, finally. It was almost or about 90 today, and very humid. One does get used to it a bit, but one doesn't necessarily enjoy it. The only time I don't mind is when I can get in and out of the pool. The other nice thing is the air conditioners are finally back on....it isn't exactly cool in here, but after swimming, it feels nice.
Camille told me that she woke up and wanted me today. I knew she would wonder where I was, and it sort of broke my heart as we drove away from home to the small city. That's one of the hard things about having big kids and little kids, I cannot always bring them all with me.....and there are things I have to do for the big kids, like replace lost social security cards, take permit and driving tests, get running shoes, find bras, things that are not sensible to bring the whole family to. Not that I am sensible....
I actually suggested turning the television on a few minutes ago. Charlotte Claire will lie down on the couch and start watching, and conk out. Camille is almost sleeping too. The don't officially nap, but they have their little "down" time. I should be in that kitchen, but....I have absolutely no idea what is for dinner. I should be fired.
Emily Anne came over last night. She brought the movie, "The Book Of Eli", so we stayed up too late and had too much popcorn, Aaron brought out his yummy almond-y Norwegian chocolate bar....after the movie, some of us stayed up even later, solving all the world's problems.
It is all cloudy here now, a storm is moving through, so it is cozy and nice. Both little girls have conked out. Emily picked up Sonja and Jonathan and took them on an adventure. So it is pleasant and quiet in here. I just wish I already had dinner finished, or at least planned. That little niggling voice is starting to yell at me to get my considerable rear end out of this chair and do some cooking. Last night, we had fresh local sweet corn. I won't waste words saying how good it was, because there aren't sufficient words anyway. The stuff trucked in from Florida or any other place cannot compare with the stuff grown down the road.
Now I shall get up and begin dinner and pretend like I wasn't just sitting in my chair all afternoon....
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
woken up by a tractor trailer full of garbage cans?
Yes, that is the truth. It WAS 9:21, but.....I had a long night, or should I say a short night. I will write about it here, because no one here wants to hear about it.
Mirielle got three library books for me the other day. I am on the third one. The older kids stayed up watching "Dudly Do Right", I wanted a bit of quiet time after the movie ended, so I sprawled out on the couch with my book....around 12:30, I heard crying from my room....Camille was coughing and coughing.....cough medicines for children are no longer recommended, it was mostly post nasal drip, because remember I AM a doctor. So I decided to give her some Benedryl, which would at least help her to sleep. I gave her a very small dose, then she coughed and coughed and threw it up. Great. I didn't want to give her more, because I didn't want to overdose her...so I held her for a while until she relaxed and stopped coughing....then in the wee morning hours, the coughing started again...I didn't give her any more Benedryl, just waited out with her.....it seemed like I just had fallen back to sleep when the dog started barking and barking and barking, and I remembered that the garbage cans that Abigail ordered for the church conference center were coming today! And Rosie was out there.....rrr. By the time I got dressed and brushed my teeth quick, Jon had Rosie inside, and the tractor trailer parked outside showed no sign of life. I slipped on my shoes and went out there, the poor guy was in the back...I told him the dog was inside, so he came out and started unloading.....
Anyway, he said I needed to sign for them, so I stood out there chatting about the weather and where he should turn his truck around while he unloaded ten cans... while Camille serenaded us from her little bed, crying because Mommy walked out without her......(Paul texted me a little while ago, asking if they were the flat topped cans...I told him I wasn't excited enough by them to peek....)
A nice calm start to a nice calm day. Actually, Samuel made me a cup of coffee, a good one, too. He is taking out the garbage, and he is going to play Army men with Jonny. (Jon is so funny, there is a talent show coming up at our summer conference, he is listing his talents...he can close a door with the inside of his elbow, he is good at fixing stuff, and he is really good at driving.....) I guess he doesn't quite know what a "talent show" is....
So I am a bit tired, and thinking I should call the dr for Miss Camille......Joseph's driving test is tomorrow, not today, so today is blank....ha. Wait, Aaron just requested going to the beach...hmm.
Mirielle got three library books for me the other day. I am on the third one. The older kids stayed up watching "Dudly Do Right", I wanted a bit of quiet time after the movie ended, so I sprawled out on the couch with my book....around 12:30, I heard crying from my room....Camille was coughing and coughing.....cough medicines for children are no longer recommended, it was mostly post nasal drip, because remember I AM a doctor. So I decided to give her some Benedryl, which would at least help her to sleep. I gave her a very small dose, then she coughed and coughed and threw it up. Great. I didn't want to give her more, because I didn't want to overdose her...so I held her for a while until she relaxed and stopped coughing....then in the wee morning hours, the coughing started again...I didn't give her any more Benedryl, just waited out with her.....it seemed like I just had fallen back to sleep when the dog started barking and barking and barking, and I remembered that the garbage cans that Abigail ordered for the church conference center were coming today! And Rosie was out there.....rrr. By the time I got dressed and brushed my teeth quick, Jon had Rosie inside, and the tractor trailer parked outside showed no sign of life. I slipped on my shoes and went out there, the poor guy was in the back...I told him the dog was inside, so he came out and started unloading.....
Anyway, he said I needed to sign for them, so I stood out there chatting about the weather and where he should turn his truck around while he unloaded ten cans... while Camille serenaded us from her little bed, crying because Mommy walked out without her......(Paul texted me a little while ago, asking if they were the flat topped cans...I told him I wasn't excited enough by them to peek....)
A nice calm start to a nice calm day. Actually, Samuel made me a cup of coffee, a good one, too. He is taking out the garbage, and he is going to play Army men with Jonny. (Jon is so funny, there is a talent show coming up at our summer conference, he is listing his talents...he can close a door with the inside of his elbow, he is good at fixing stuff, and he is really good at driving.....) I guess he doesn't quite know what a "talent show" is....
So I am a bit tired, and thinking I should call the dr for Miss Camille......Joseph's driving test is tomorrow, not today, so today is blank....ha. Wait, Aaron just requested going to the beach...hmm.
Monday, July 26, 2010
suzanne is sick now....
At least I think she is. Her temperature is 99.5, and she says her ear hurts. I put some eardrops in, and told her she has to stay out of the pool for a few days...I don't know if it is swimmer's ear, or she has what the other kids had....I hope not, this thing is going to last for months at the slow rate it going through here....
Camille has a gunky nose but she isn't coughing as much, she slept fine last night, so I am going to just wait and see. She seems fine, is in good spirits, happy, ate breakfast well, and is now playing dollhouse with Charlotte Claire.
Kathryn is vacuuming the kitchen, Aaron just took out the garbage...is this my birthday or something? Miss Rosie-the-dog is scared witless of the vacuum cleaner, she usually hides behind my chair, but today she felt safe lying on my feet. I always pet her and tell her it is all right, but i think or rather I KNOW a few of the kids have thought it was funny to tease her with it a bit....rrr.
I miss Mirielle. It is almost worse that she came home for a week then left again. I know that is the natural order of things, they grow up and leave, but ouch. She is like a light around here, shining into the things that are out of order. She is hilariously funny, and we stayed up too late too many nights having too much fun. She wasn't here when I made dinner last night, so I thought I could get away with having corn as a veggie...she proclaimed it is a carb, and not truly a veggie, but Suze picked corn so I just let it be.....then Aaron came along and questioned it....my goodness guys, isn't it supposed to be the other way around, with the mother nagging the teenagers about eating right?
I am going to stay home today, I hope. I was thinking of taking a trip to the big library with everyone, but Suze is not feeling so great, the little girls seem content, Jonathan is playing wii, Kathryn is now mopping the kitchen floor....Aaron is getting a ride to work from a friend, I just need to pick him up at ten pm. Tomorrow, Joseph's driving test......I am not sure if I want him to pass or fail. I feel sorry for the kids when they fail, it has happened....but I feel sorry for ME when they pass. Oh, to have children grow up and get behind the wheel....I say "be careful" 'til it becomes just background noise......and I pray for them....
I am starting to feel more than a wee bit guilty that I, the mother, am sitting here all comfy while Aaron and Kap clean up.....
Camille has a gunky nose but she isn't coughing as much, she slept fine last night, so I am going to just wait and see. She seems fine, is in good spirits, happy, ate breakfast well, and is now playing dollhouse with Charlotte Claire.
Kathryn is vacuuming the kitchen, Aaron just took out the garbage...is this my birthday or something? Miss Rosie-the-dog is scared witless of the vacuum cleaner, she usually hides behind my chair, but today she felt safe lying on my feet. I always pet her and tell her it is all right, but i think or rather I KNOW a few of the kids have thought it was funny to tease her with it a bit....rrr.
I miss Mirielle. It is almost worse that she came home for a week then left again. I know that is the natural order of things, they grow up and leave, but ouch. She is like a light around here, shining into the things that are out of order. She is hilariously funny, and we stayed up too late too many nights having too much fun. She wasn't here when I made dinner last night, so I thought I could get away with having corn as a veggie...she proclaimed it is a carb, and not truly a veggie, but Suze picked corn so I just let it be.....then Aaron came along and questioned it....my goodness guys, isn't it supposed to be the other way around, with the mother nagging the teenagers about eating right?
I am going to stay home today, I hope. I was thinking of taking a trip to the big library with everyone, but Suze is not feeling so great, the little girls seem content, Jonathan is playing wii, Kathryn is now mopping the kitchen floor....Aaron is getting a ride to work from a friend, I just need to pick him up at ten pm. Tomorrow, Joseph's driving test......I am not sure if I want him to pass or fail. I feel sorry for the kids when they fail, it has happened....but I feel sorry for ME when they pass. Oh, to have children grow up and get behind the wheel....I say "be careful" 'til it becomes just background noise......and I pray for them....
I am starting to feel more than a wee bit guilty that I, the mother, am sitting here all comfy while Aaron and Kap clean up.....
Sunday, July 25, 2010
pictures....
Voila' la toothbrush! thank you Aaron.....
Benjamin came in the door to fanfare and cheers....he brought home pizza! Margaret....
Kathryn....
And the pizza guy, Benjamin Paul....
Kathryn....
And the pizza guy, Benjamin Paul....
NOOOO, ants in the cupboard!!!
When it is hot and dry and summer is taking place, ants come in the house. They usually make their debut on the counter, I put out some ant traps, and they disapear. Not this time. Here is what happened this evening.....
I was sitting on the couch in the living room, talking with Paul and my brother Bob. I told the kids since they had cleaned up the kitchen so nicely after dinner, they could pick anything they wanted for dessert, which was easy for me to say, since we don't have all that much to choose from right now....anyway, they had a box of chocolate chip cookies....I asked for a few (they are really small)....I set the box on the notebook on my lap while I took three cookies....I popped one in my mouth, set the other two down on the couch (I am the mom, so I can break the no-eating-on-the-couch rule)....when I handed the box back to Sonja, I was horrified to see tiny baby ants dancing all over my notebook...I got up and went in the kitchen, where the little ones were sitting at the table, dipping their cookies in milk...I peered into the box, and it was crawling with ants!!! Since I am so calm cool and collected, I shrieked and started spitting the cookie mush in my mouth into the garbage and telling them not to eat the cookies....the poor kids! oh my goodness, ants in their tummies! blah. yuck.
The good news is that there is no sign of them in any other cupboards, so we just cleaned that one out thouroughly and sprayed some special ant spray that is supposed to be safe for kitchen use in there.....we threw away alot of stuff (there were ants in the shortening!) Tomorrow, we are going to spray around the foundation of the house again...and check again to make sure they aren't in the other cupboards.
So my brother Bob was here talking with us about the grill, he is the main food buyer and we were just hashing out who was getting what, and doing some final plans...and my other brother, Tom, stopped over to pick up his son Luke, who stayed here for the weekend.....he came in for a little visit, and it was nice. I had to say a quick goodbye and run to the nearby town to get some eggs and bread and milk, before it closed. I took Jonathan and Sonja with me, then we headed over to pick up Samuel, who had spent the night at our friends' house. Mr. and Mrs. S. both came out to talk to me when I stopped there, and I realized as I drove away how lucky I am to have such good friends, and family.
Things I have learned today:
1. Ants are smart and despicable. I hate them because I ate them.
2. Jonathan and Sonja get silly just like my little brother and I used to....they were horrible in the store. Well, not really horrible, just silly.
3. When the grill runs out of gas it won't just magically work because I forgot it was out of gas. But chicken marinated in lemon pepper sauce still tastes good roasted in the oven.
4. I have a busy week ahead of me. I have meals to prepare for next week, and clothes to pack, Joseph's driving test to get through, more shopping for the grill...and since I had my dear daughter and good friend Mirielle here this past week, and she is gone now, it will seem busier and somehow lonley...
5. When I let kids use my Dyson vacuum cleaner, bad things happen. Someone vacuumed up a toothbrush. I mean, a toothbrush? And you guessed it, NO ONE DID IT!!!
6. We are running out of freezepops.
7. Camille should still take naps. She walked in front of Charlotte Claire's swing this afternoon and got kicked in the eye, she cried and fell asleep in my arms. I was too nervous to put her in her little bed, so I held her for an hour or so and let her sleep...which was a huge sacrifice, I had to read my book and relax while the world went on around me....Margaret put the rice and water and butter and salt in the pan and turned it on, and put the chicken in the oven...then Joe came along, I had him open four cans of corn and put it in the microwave...Evelyn set the table....by the time Miss Camille woke up, eye looking a bit dark and puffy, but otherwise fine, dinner was ready!
I was sitting on the couch in the living room, talking with Paul and my brother Bob. I told the kids since they had cleaned up the kitchen so nicely after dinner, they could pick anything they wanted for dessert, which was easy for me to say, since we don't have all that much to choose from right now....anyway, they had a box of chocolate chip cookies....I asked for a few (they are really small)....I set the box on the notebook on my lap while I took three cookies....I popped one in my mouth, set the other two down on the couch (I am the mom, so I can break the no-eating-on-the-couch rule)....when I handed the box back to Sonja, I was horrified to see tiny baby ants dancing all over my notebook...I got up and went in the kitchen, where the little ones were sitting at the table, dipping their cookies in milk...I peered into the box, and it was crawling with ants!!! Since I am so calm cool and collected, I shrieked and started spitting the cookie mush in my mouth into the garbage and telling them not to eat the cookies....the poor kids! oh my goodness, ants in their tummies! blah. yuck.
The good news is that there is no sign of them in any other cupboards, so we just cleaned that one out thouroughly and sprayed some special ant spray that is supposed to be safe for kitchen use in there.....we threw away alot of stuff (there were ants in the shortening!) Tomorrow, we are going to spray around the foundation of the house again...and check again to make sure they aren't in the other cupboards.
So my brother Bob was here talking with us about the grill, he is the main food buyer and we were just hashing out who was getting what, and doing some final plans...and my other brother, Tom, stopped over to pick up his son Luke, who stayed here for the weekend.....he came in for a little visit, and it was nice. I had to say a quick goodbye and run to the nearby town to get some eggs and bread and milk, before it closed. I took Jonathan and Sonja with me, then we headed over to pick up Samuel, who had spent the night at our friends' house. Mr. and Mrs. S. both came out to talk to me when I stopped there, and I realized as I drove away how lucky I am to have such good friends, and family.
Things I have learned today:
1. Ants are smart and despicable. I hate them because I ate them.
2. Jonathan and Sonja get silly just like my little brother and I used to....they were horrible in the store. Well, not really horrible, just silly.
3. When the grill runs out of gas it won't just magically work because I forgot it was out of gas. But chicken marinated in lemon pepper sauce still tastes good roasted in the oven.
4. I have a busy week ahead of me. I have meals to prepare for next week, and clothes to pack, Joseph's driving test to get through, more shopping for the grill...and since I had my dear daughter and good friend Mirielle here this past week, and she is gone now, it will seem busier and somehow lonley...
5. When I let kids use my Dyson vacuum cleaner, bad things happen. Someone vacuumed up a toothbrush. I mean, a toothbrush? And you guessed it, NO ONE DID IT!!!
6. We are running out of freezepops.
7. Camille should still take naps. She walked in front of Charlotte Claire's swing this afternoon and got kicked in the eye, she cried and fell asleep in my arms. I was too nervous to put her in her little bed, so I held her for an hour or so and let her sleep...which was a huge sacrifice, I had to read my book and relax while the world went on around me....Margaret put the rice and water and butter and salt in the pan and turned it on, and put the chicken in the oven...then Joe came along, I had him open four cans of corn and put it in the microwave...Evelyn set the table....by the time Miss Camille woke up, eye looking a bit dark and puffy, but otherwise fine, dinner was ready!
sunday.....a day of rest....
Today is a lovely day. Cloudy and overcast and breezy, not as oppresively humid as yesterday. Camille coughed alot last night, I may have to take her to the dr. tomorrow. Charlotte Claire and Kathryn are the only other ones who have had this flu-y cold thing, but they are bigger and seem to have coped with the coughing better. Camille seems fine during the day, but at night...I get up and prop her on her side, but it doesn't seem to help. She also has a gunky nose, so she just might need an antibiotic. Since I am a doctor....
Anyways, I have been cuddling my girls and looking at the Sunday paper, reading the ads. I was nice this morning and said "yes" to Jonathan, he has been asking ten times a day to watch "Fantastic Mr. Fox", which I purchased on Friday, and they already watched on Friday. I don't like to put movies on in the morning, but today it just seems right. Camille is playing dollhouse, Charlotte Claire has spread blankets all over the floor and she is rolling around and watching the movie....Jonathan is just plain paralyzed on the couch with his thumb in his mouth....it is okay to have some down time once in a while, I guess.
Mirielle is going back to Toronto today and taking the car, and since Aaron is back from Norway, he has to get to his McDonald's job, and Ben has his pizza shop job, they will have to share vehicles. I might have to give rides this week. I also have to do a bit more shopping for the church summer conference grill.....and I have to plan our meals and buy the stuff and hopefully get some things cooked and frozen, as we will be staying out there next week.
Summer is flitting by too too fast. I am in my yearly denial that school is ever actually going to start again. I HAVE bought some bargain supplies, still in the bags in my room, but I have not checked their lists yet. Nine kids in school again this year. After summer conference and our camping trip, when the end of August rolls around, I will start thinking about school.....who am I kidding, Labor Day weekend, the niggling thoughts will start shouting, (not to mention the kids, who fail to realize that the seemingly exciting task of filling those backpacks signals the end of fun and adventure and spontaniety and late nights)then on the night before school starts, I will cave and come back to reality....then the first day of school, the day I cry each and every year....
At Summer Conference next week, there will be a candy store. I buy the candy for it, and work at it every day, sometimes making snowcones too. For most of the kids at that conference, it is a rare treat to get to buy their own candy. Lots of kids bring fistfulls of warm sticky pennies, others have wallets with the crisp bills stacked up, others just bring their parents or the more conniving or just plain lucky kids come in the care of one of the teenagers or older youth kids who happens to have a job and is generous. In any case, I love selling them candy. Never mind that it is not good for them, this is only a four day event. Some of them earn their own money for jobs around the house, and I always help them choose. I tell them they can take as long as they want, and some of them take pretty long. So here is the good part:
My own kids want to earn money to spend there. This very morning, a second cup of coffee sounded good. I asked Suze to pour me one, with no mention of payment. She did, she even microwaved it to warm in up, added cream, and delivered it with a smile. I gave her a quarter. Sonja said, "Hey!"....I told her not to worry, I like two cups a day and we have all week.....
Charlotte Claire is now cuddled up to me...
I recieved a blogging award from Bonnie at http://blessedtobemykidsmom.blogspot.com. She is a lovely lady, I love her truthfulness and she is a darned good writer.....I am supposed to pass this award on to seven people, but I am not going to. I will just encourage you if you read this to go ahead and write seven things about yourself..... I have been blogging for almost three years now, so I have probably already written everything about myself there is to write, but I will beat it with a dead horse, as Mirielle likes to say....
1. When I was a kid, I was totally obsessed with gymnastics, I cartwheeled and back-walkovered and front handspringed every where I went. I did headstands on the couch, and handstands against the walls. I wanted to BE Nadia Comaneci, (1976 summer olympics, seven perfect 10's).....I practiced for hours and hours every day, then I went to high school...and I don't know what happened, but I sort of fizzled out....but in my dreams, I still cartwheel down the beach....
2. When I was growing up, we always had a cat. We had a few girl kitties who had kittens in my bedroom closet, and I would sit there with my mother, petting Mama Kitty's belly and admiring her beautiful babies.....then spend six or eight blissful weeks enjoying those kitties until it was time to truck them in a cardboard box to the grocery store up on the corner, to give them away.
3. I am still grieving for my parents and my brother. My mother died four years ago this week, she was sixty nine, my father died six months later, he was seventy. Then my brother, who had taken care of them, shot and killed himself a year ago this past March. He was 47. He was the next sibling up from me, the fifth of seven kids in our family, and my good friend. I still question "why", and I still miss him, and my parents so much.
4. I love my husband, Paul. From the minute I saw him that night that I lied about my age and sneaked into that bar and tucked in his shirt tag on a dare from my cousin, because I had picked him out as "the one I wanted to bring home to Mommy", which was just a game I didn't expect to really win, I have been smitten. He is good and kind and responsible and funny and tender and softhearted yet tough and in physically excellent shape, we still have lots of fun together. Not that I don't cry my eyes out every once in a while, certain he just doesn't like me anymore....and of course we have times where we just aren't on the same page. But I love him like crazy.
5. I do not feel like I can possibly be 45 years old. I mean, 45 year-olds are stuffy and boring and teetering on middle-age! They are pessimistic and grey and boring. They don't love PinkFloyd and Dream Theatre. There must be some mistake, because I am not a day over 25.
6. Sometimes when I least expect it, I realize that I have SIXTEEN KIDS. How did that happen, and when? It went by so fast! All those pregnancies and newborns and sleeplessness and chasing toddlers and cleaning up dumped out cereal boxes and trips to the doctor with five or six kids jumping around the exam room for what seemed like hours.....can I rewind and do it all over again? Go back in time and give them all more kisses and hugs and attention?
7. Jonathan is out of double A batteries, and he is asking me why I even buy him toys that take batteries if I don't even buy him batteries to go in them. hmm. He is cuddling with me now, the girls have gone out to their playhouses on the deck. The movie is over, it is still quiet. Aaron has gone to work and the other older ones are still sleeping......Camille is crying, I think my writing time is over.....does this number seven count?
Anyways, I have been cuddling my girls and looking at the Sunday paper, reading the ads. I was nice this morning and said "yes" to Jonathan, he has been asking ten times a day to watch "Fantastic Mr. Fox", which I purchased on Friday, and they already watched on Friday. I don't like to put movies on in the morning, but today it just seems right. Camille is playing dollhouse, Charlotte Claire has spread blankets all over the floor and she is rolling around and watching the movie....Jonathan is just plain paralyzed on the couch with his thumb in his mouth....it is okay to have some down time once in a while, I guess.
Mirielle is going back to Toronto today and taking the car, and since Aaron is back from Norway, he has to get to his McDonald's job, and Ben has his pizza shop job, they will have to share vehicles. I might have to give rides this week. I also have to do a bit more shopping for the church summer conference grill.....and I have to plan our meals and buy the stuff and hopefully get some things cooked and frozen, as we will be staying out there next week.
Summer is flitting by too too fast. I am in my yearly denial that school is ever actually going to start again. I HAVE bought some bargain supplies, still in the bags in my room, but I have not checked their lists yet. Nine kids in school again this year. After summer conference and our camping trip, when the end of August rolls around, I will start thinking about school.....who am I kidding, Labor Day weekend, the niggling thoughts will start shouting, (not to mention the kids, who fail to realize that the seemingly exciting task of filling those backpacks signals the end of fun and adventure and spontaniety and late nights)then on the night before school starts, I will cave and come back to reality....then the first day of school, the day I cry each and every year....
At Summer Conference next week, there will be a candy store. I buy the candy for it, and work at it every day, sometimes making snowcones too. For most of the kids at that conference, it is a rare treat to get to buy their own candy. Lots of kids bring fistfulls of warm sticky pennies, others have wallets with the crisp bills stacked up, others just bring their parents or the more conniving or just plain lucky kids come in the care of one of the teenagers or older youth kids who happens to have a job and is generous. In any case, I love selling them candy. Never mind that it is not good for them, this is only a four day event. Some of them earn their own money for jobs around the house, and I always help them choose. I tell them they can take as long as they want, and some of them take pretty long. So here is the good part:
My own kids want to earn money to spend there. This very morning, a second cup of coffee sounded good. I asked Suze to pour me one, with no mention of payment. She did, she even microwaved it to warm in up, added cream, and delivered it with a smile. I gave her a quarter. Sonja said, "Hey!"....I told her not to worry, I like two cups a day and we have all week.....
Charlotte Claire is now cuddled up to me...
I recieved a blogging award from Bonnie at http://blessedtobemykidsmom.blogspot.com. She is a lovely lady, I love her truthfulness and she is a darned good writer.....I am supposed to pass this award on to seven people, but I am not going to. I will just encourage you if you read this to go ahead and write seven things about yourself..... I have been blogging for almost three years now, so I have probably already written everything about myself there is to write, but I will beat it with a dead horse, as Mirielle likes to say....
1. When I was a kid, I was totally obsessed with gymnastics, I cartwheeled and back-walkovered and front handspringed every where I went. I did headstands on the couch, and handstands against the walls. I wanted to BE Nadia Comaneci, (1976 summer olympics, seven perfect 10's).....I practiced for hours and hours every day, then I went to high school...and I don't know what happened, but I sort of fizzled out....but in my dreams, I still cartwheel down the beach....
2. When I was growing up, we always had a cat. We had a few girl kitties who had kittens in my bedroom closet, and I would sit there with my mother, petting Mama Kitty's belly and admiring her beautiful babies.....then spend six or eight blissful weeks enjoying those kitties until it was time to truck them in a cardboard box to the grocery store up on the corner, to give them away.
3. I am still grieving for my parents and my brother. My mother died four years ago this week, she was sixty nine, my father died six months later, he was seventy. Then my brother, who had taken care of them, shot and killed himself a year ago this past March. He was 47. He was the next sibling up from me, the fifth of seven kids in our family, and my good friend. I still question "why", and I still miss him, and my parents so much.
4. I love my husband, Paul. From the minute I saw him that night that I lied about my age and sneaked into that bar and tucked in his shirt tag on a dare from my cousin, because I had picked him out as "the one I wanted to bring home to Mommy", which was just a game I didn't expect to really win, I have been smitten. He is good and kind and responsible and funny and tender and softhearted yet tough and in physically excellent shape, we still have lots of fun together. Not that I don't cry my eyes out every once in a while, certain he just doesn't like me anymore....and of course we have times where we just aren't on the same page. But I love him like crazy.
5. I do not feel like I can possibly be 45 years old. I mean, 45 year-olds are stuffy and boring and teetering on middle-age! They are pessimistic and grey and boring. They don't love PinkFloyd and Dream Theatre. There must be some mistake, because I am not a day over 25.
6. Sometimes when I least expect it, I realize that I have SIXTEEN KIDS. How did that happen, and when? It went by so fast! All those pregnancies and newborns and sleeplessness and chasing toddlers and cleaning up dumped out cereal boxes and trips to the doctor with five or six kids jumping around the exam room for what seemed like hours.....can I rewind and do it all over again? Go back in time and give them all more kisses and hugs and attention?
7. Jonathan is out of double A batteries, and he is asking me why I even buy him toys that take batteries if I don't even buy him batteries to go in them. hmm. He is cuddling with me now, the girls have gone out to their playhouses on the deck. The movie is over, it is still quiet. Aaron has gone to work and the other older ones are still sleeping......Camille is crying, I think my writing time is over.....does this number seven count?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
freeze pop monsters....
It has been very hot today...dripping sweating hot. And since we are so tough, we haven't had the air conditioners on....or perhaps because we are so cheap...or perhaps because it is just too hard to close up all the windows and keep the kids from knocking down the sheet we hang across the hallway....anyway, we have been eating lots of freezepops....here is Miss Evelyn, she just finished one...
Sonja K....nice hair, eh?
Charlotte Claire got a haircut today! 
I had the bright idea to cook chicken wings on the grill for dinner. One hundred wings, two hours(this is just the first batch)....but oh they were good...except for the few that got really black.....Mirielle made a pasta salad with baby cucumbers, diced tomatoes, olives, onions, and green peppers....I love summer.
Rosie keeps me company while I grill. She just had a bath the day before yesterday, but she likes to take off and go into the ditch and slog around, just to make sure she doesn't look too pretty.
We have a second playhouse on the deck now, one with no roof....but a bottom sheet works well. Camille was visiting her neighbors....
I had the bright idea to cook chicken wings on the grill for dinner. One hundred wings, two hours(this is just the first batch)....but oh they were good...except for the few that got really black.....Mirielle made a pasta salad with baby cucumbers, diced tomatoes, olives, onions, and green peppers....I love summer.
Rosie keeps me company while I grill. She just had a bath the day before yesterday, but she likes to take off and go into the ditch and slog around, just to make sure she doesn't look too pretty.
We have a second playhouse on the deck now, one with no roof....but a bottom sheet works well. Camille was visiting her neighbors....
This is the off brand chocolate the boys brought me from Norway...they had very little money.....well, it is DELICIOUS.....I told Aaron that just the novelty of it made it better than the melksjokolade they usually bring home. 
I just paid Suzanne a dollar to help pick up all the board games Charlotte Claire and Camille dumped all over the hallway. Now they have Elefun out......
I just paid Suzanne a dollar to help pick up all the board games Charlotte Claire and Camille dumped all over the hallway. Now they have Elefun out......Jonathan spent the afternoon at his friend's house, Sam is there too hanging out with the older boys, their daughter was here with Sonja. Mirielle just went to exchange the kids for us. She is leaving again tomorrow, but we will see her at our church summer conference next week.
Camille is just in her undies, what is cuter than a two year old with those chubby little thighs and that sweet tummy, walking around in pink flowered undies?
saturday morning cartoons...
"Sheldon".....they are parked here watching after a nice healthy breakfast of Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, and Reese's Puffs. It is SO hot and humid here, I cleaned up and swept the floors, and felt like I had to sit down. The humidity is so yucky, it makes everything seem so sticky, and I hate sticky, which is funny....all these kids and I hate sticky. The good thing is that they pick up on that, and they keep their hands clean and are compelled to wash them when they aren't. At least I THINK it is a good thing, perhaps I am sending a whole pile of obsessive citizens out into the world....
Sometimes when I think about things too much, I cannot mentally bear the great responsibility of raising all these kids. Especially when the older ones get talking...about the things that used to be so important here....like NO PANTS on the girls....(they have minds of their own, and I simply had to let go.)
I have learned a bit along the way, by the grace of God....it isn't the outward things, but to learn to lead them to God. To know how to humble myself so that I am not STRONG and RIGHT. Jesus was meek and lowly of heart, who wouldn't want to be around someone like that? I need to follow Him in order to lead my children to Him.
So I really have my work cut out for me, to learn each day what really is important. It is deceiving sometimes, because things HAVE to get done. They HAVE TO LEARN to pick up their shoes and put their dishes in the sink and wash the pan after they make grilled cheese....but wait: maybe all these things happen, over and over again for a BIGGER reason. Could it be that I need to be saved? The tricky part is to not let them get away with murder while being cleansed in the trials myself.
I have bedding, bedding, bedding to wash today. Camille has a cough that came after her fever-thing. Last night she started coughing after I put her to bed, and lo and behold, she barfed all over her bedding. The comforter she lies on, the one she covers with, and one of the blankets that is rolled up along side her "nest". (I do have a plan to get her out of our room and into a bed, but I am not in a hurry, nor is she. Every night when it is bed time, after her stories, I bring her in my room and sit on the end of the bed and sing her "nighty night songs". We sing "Hushabye", "Butterfly Fly Away", "Wee Willy Winky", and of course just plain, "Nighty Night"....sometimes I change the words to sing about what we did that day, or what we are planning, like camping. The funny thing is, I sing until she says she "wants to get in my bed now".....she sleeps like a champ on the floor on her little mattress amidst all the comfy blankets and comforters. My plan is to move Charlotte Claire into the room with Suzanne and Jonathan, and take Sonja out of there and put her in C.C.'s room with Camille. One of these days....)(if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?)
We haven't had the air conditioning on since in days and days in days....I think today we should turn it on...it is so oppressively humid....it wrings me out....I grilled burgers on the deck last evening, Mirielle cut up a watermelon, Evelyn made a salad and set the table....after dinner, I asked Sam, Margaret, and Aaron to clean up, and I sneaked out to the pool with Evelyn. Suze found us too, and Paul came in for a dip. It was lovely under the cloudy late day sky, a bit cool, so really refreshing. In a few minutes, I am going to turn off this television and bring them out for a morning swim.
Sometimes when I think about things too much, I cannot mentally bear the great responsibility of raising all these kids. Especially when the older ones get talking...about the things that used to be so important here....like NO PANTS on the girls....(they have minds of their own, and I simply had to let go.)
I have learned a bit along the way, by the grace of God....it isn't the outward things, but to learn to lead them to God. To know how to humble myself so that I am not STRONG and RIGHT. Jesus was meek and lowly of heart, who wouldn't want to be around someone like that? I need to follow Him in order to lead my children to Him.
So I really have my work cut out for me, to learn each day what really is important. It is deceiving sometimes, because things HAVE to get done. They HAVE TO LEARN to pick up their shoes and put their dishes in the sink and wash the pan after they make grilled cheese....but wait: maybe all these things happen, over and over again for a BIGGER reason. Could it be that I need to be saved? The tricky part is to not let them get away with murder while being cleansed in the trials myself.
I have bedding, bedding, bedding to wash today. Camille has a cough that came after her fever-thing. Last night she started coughing after I put her to bed, and lo and behold, she barfed all over her bedding. The comforter she lies on, the one she covers with, and one of the blankets that is rolled up along side her "nest". (I do have a plan to get her out of our room and into a bed, but I am not in a hurry, nor is she. Every night when it is bed time, after her stories, I bring her in my room and sit on the end of the bed and sing her "nighty night songs". We sing "Hushabye", "Butterfly Fly Away", "Wee Willy Winky", and of course just plain, "Nighty Night"....sometimes I change the words to sing about what we did that day, or what we are planning, like camping. The funny thing is, I sing until she says she "wants to get in my bed now".....she sleeps like a champ on the floor on her little mattress amidst all the comfy blankets and comforters. My plan is to move Charlotte Claire into the room with Suzanne and Jonathan, and take Sonja out of there and put her in C.C.'s room with Camille. One of these days....)(if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?)
We haven't had the air conditioning on since in days and days in days....I think today we should turn it on...it is so oppressively humid....it wrings me out....I grilled burgers on the deck last evening, Mirielle cut up a watermelon, Evelyn made a salad and set the table....after dinner, I asked Sam, Margaret, and Aaron to clean up, and I sneaked out to the pool with Evelyn. Suze found us too, and Paul came in for a dip. It was lovely under the cloudy late day sky, a bit cool, so really refreshing. In a few minutes, I am going to turn off this television and bring them out for a morning swim.
Friday, July 23, 2010
rainy friday...
Joseph and I love the rain. It was much needed here in our little part of the world and it filled up the pool for us.
Rainy days are cozy and when it is summertime and warm, I don't mind getting soaked, except for when my sandals get all wet and my feet slip around in them....
Joseph almost got us killed only twice today, once when he changed lanes and didn't see the dark green car, which to be fair WAS almost invisible in the rain....except for those two bright headlights, Joe! The second time he actually didn't endanger our lives, he just seriously almost took the back bumper off of another minivan as he pulled way to rapidly into a parking spot. He is really fun to drive with though, because he doesn't get offended or frustrated by my reminders....although he doesn't like how I brace myself everytime he begins stopping.....
It is clearing off now, some of the older kids are taking the littler ones into the pool. I should go in too, but it feels nice to sit and put my feet up after all the shopping we did today. The minivan is almost bottomed out, with six cases of water, three Snapple, three Gatorade, 2 SunnyD, and 27 twelve packs of soda.
Sometimes I worry that I give the impression that my life is all rainbows and puppydogs....and mostly it is, but...
1. My feet hurt. My back aches. I am in bad shape. I try to swim and excercise in the pool as much as I can, because it hurts too much to do it "on land".
2. I snore. This is hard to even admit, because it is embarrassing. It disturbs Paul, and it makes me dread traveling....when we went to Jamaica, I could not let myself doze on the plane.
3. I absolutely HATE getting my period. I was pregnant for half my adult years, 13 years and 3 months, to be exact, so I got used to not having it very often. (well, I suppose those post-partem weeks and the miscarriages were pretty bad too, but...) I feel so miserable and mean, like everyone hates me. Well, that is the extreme. I DO work on not just giving in and feeling terribly sorry for myself, but I still absolutely HATE it. Especially these last few years, because it screams, NO BABY THIS MONTH ....
I supppose there are more things, but I can't think of any right now. I am mostly optimistic, I never had much patience for people who dwelled on their difficulties. After all, life is short and we only get the one ride through.
Rainy days are cozy and when it is summertime and warm, I don't mind getting soaked, except for when my sandals get all wet and my feet slip around in them....
Joseph almost got us killed only twice today, once when he changed lanes and didn't see the dark green car, which to be fair WAS almost invisible in the rain....except for those two bright headlights, Joe! The second time he actually didn't endanger our lives, he just seriously almost took the back bumper off of another minivan as he pulled way to rapidly into a parking spot. He is really fun to drive with though, because he doesn't get offended or frustrated by my reminders....although he doesn't like how I brace myself everytime he begins stopping.....
It is clearing off now, some of the older kids are taking the littler ones into the pool. I should go in too, but it feels nice to sit and put my feet up after all the shopping we did today. The minivan is almost bottomed out, with six cases of water, three Snapple, three Gatorade, 2 SunnyD, and 27 twelve packs of soda.
Sometimes I worry that I give the impression that my life is all rainbows and puppydogs....and mostly it is, but...
1. My feet hurt. My back aches. I am in bad shape. I try to swim and excercise in the pool as much as I can, because it hurts too much to do it "on land".
2. I snore. This is hard to even admit, because it is embarrassing. It disturbs Paul, and it makes me dread traveling....when we went to Jamaica, I could not let myself doze on the plane.
3. I absolutely HATE getting my period. I was pregnant for half my adult years, 13 years and 3 months, to be exact, so I got used to not having it very often. (well, I suppose those post-partem weeks and the miscarriages were pretty bad too, but...) I feel so miserable and mean, like everyone hates me. Well, that is the extreme. I DO work on not just giving in and feeling terribly sorry for myself, but I still absolutely HATE it. Especially these last few years, because it screams, NO BABY THIS MONTH ....
I supppose there are more things, but I can't think of any right now. I am mostly optimistic, I never had much patience for people who dwelled on their difficulties. After all, life is short and we only get the one ride through.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
summer day....
This is my gas receipt from this afternoon. I filled up the 15 passenger van for 38 cents!!! 
I paid with a dollar and got sixty two cents back....it was very fun. The guy who worked there said in all the time he has been there, it was the best deal he saw. The two guys behind me in line were very impressed too. Here is Mr. Jonathan Robert, enjoying my old camera....before he dropped it and broke it.....
And here is my Benjamin Paul, in his new Army shirt....he signed on the dotted line and took the oath, gave his life to the U.S. government.......he is set to ship in November.
Evelyn enjoying the pool....
Just the yard...it was lovely today....
I paid with a dollar and got sixty two cents back....it was very fun. The guy who worked there said in all the time he has been there, it was the best deal he saw. The two guys behind me in line were very impressed too. Here is Mr. Jonathan Robert, enjoying my old camera....before he dropped it and broke it.....
And here is my Benjamin Paul, in his new Army shirt....he signed on the dotted line and took the oath, gave his life to the U.S. government.......he is set to ship in November.
Evelyn enjoying the pool....
Just the yard...it was lovely today....
Down the slide into the cold cold water....Camille didn't mind.
Suze, Charlotte Claire, and Camille...I like the bathing suit Miss C.C. has on.
The pear tree....
Awww.....
Evelyn, Charlotte Claire, and I took a trip to the suburbs today to get some of the things I need to buy for our church conference. We bought 17 twelve packs of soda, among other things. We also went into a ladies' clothing store because I had a coupon for $10 off a $25 purchase....I figured if I found something nice for myself, it would be worth spending $15....well, I spent $16, and got a black jean skirt, a yellow short sleeved top, and a red dressy top. It made my day.....until I got my 38 cent fill-up, anyway....
Suze, Charlotte Claire, and Camille...I like the bathing suit Miss C.C. has on.
The pear tree....
Awww.....
Evelyn, Charlotte Claire, and I took a trip to the suburbs today to get some of the things I need to buy for our church conference. We bought 17 twelve packs of soda, among other things. We also went into a ladies' clothing store because I had a coupon for $10 off a $25 purchase....I figured if I found something nice for myself, it would be worth spending $15....well, I spent $16, and got a black jean skirt, a yellow short sleeved top, and a red dressy top. It made my day.....until I got my 38 cent fill-up, anyway....Rosie looks nice today. I spent more time than I care to think about bathing, trimming, and brushing her. She gets matted SO quickly. She doesn't love being groomed, but the way she tolerates it is endearing. One of my favorite things about Rosie is when she just comes over and rests her big fluffy head on my lap.....I do not know if dogs can actually LOVE people, but it seems like she is quite fond of me.
I have been enjoying my life immensely lately. The weather, my kids, my husband.....not that I don't have trials, but there is so much to appreciate! Even going shopping today when I didn't feel like it, I made the most of the time with Evelyn and Charlotte Claire. (in Target, we found sneakers for back to school for three of the girls for $4.24 each pair! We got a kick out of that....)We bought a package of sliced turkey, and had sandwiches in the van in between stores....oat bread, and turkey. That's it. Evelyn said it was the best sandwich she had ever had. I do think she takes after me.....
Tomorrow Paul is leaving the minivan again....Joseph's driving test is coming up quickly, he is taking it in the minivan because the big van...well, he can't take it in the big van....and Mirielle will be in Toronto again with her little car...anyways, we are going to the small city again so he can parallel park and practice stopping and I can practice slamming my foot on my invisible brake, and trying not to say "Oh dear Lord Jesus!" out loud.
I want to get going early in the morning so I can spend the majority of the day here with the kids....
am I addicted to blogging?
Yes, I think I am!!! It is not my fault! Everytime I write a post, it says on the screen, "Congratulations, your post successfully published!" It is exhilarating!
Well, we are on the Summer Schedule now....stayed up til 2am again, woke up at 9:21....Camille is still sleeping, Jon, Sonja, and Charlotte Claire are up, taking pictures of Rosie with my old camera. Samuel is up, delighting in the nice supply of good cereal. He said that in Norway, the breakfast for him was chocolate spread on bread, since he doesn't like shrimp paste or bitter cheese. He is a funny boy, glad to be home, but he loves his friends over there.
Suze is just getting up, it is after ten am. I love it....today we have zero plans, it is the perfect day weather-wise, sunny and breezy and in the low eighties....a day to hang around and go in the pool and play outside. A day to ignore the housework and that niggling voice in the back of my mind that is telling me that I haven't been to the dr. in a long time, I need a mammogram, I really should go get more Snapple and water and soda and candy for the conference, and I should check the school supply lists before all the cheap stuff is gone, but today I will blissfully enjoy the kids and savor that newness of having the two boys around again. (The other day Camille said, "Aaron doesn't live here anymore, we should get a NEW Aaron, is that a good idea?!!) She was pleased to hear that the same Aaron would indeed be coming home.....
Well, I suppose if I really want this to be a good day, I need to do a few things...
1. Make sure I have a good attitude. If I am going to seek my own and get bothered by everything and everyone, it won't be a good day for the others here....
2. Clean off the counters and do the dishwasher.
3. Throw in a load of towels, at least.
Wait, what will happen if I don't do number 2 and number 3?
Well, we are on the Summer Schedule now....stayed up til 2am again, woke up at 9:21....Camille is still sleeping, Jon, Sonja, and Charlotte Claire are up, taking pictures of Rosie with my old camera. Samuel is up, delighting in the nice supply of good cereal. He said that in Norway, the breakfast for him was chocolate spread on bread, since he doesn't like shrimp paste or bitter cheese. He is a funny boy, glad to be home, but he loves his friends over there.
Suze is just getting up, it is after ten am. I love it....today we have zero plans, it is the perfect day weather-wise, sunny and breezy and in the low eighties....a day to hang around and go in the pool and play outside. A day to ignore the housework and that niggling voice in the back of my mind that is telling me that I haven't been to the dr. in a long time, I need a mammogram, I really should go get more Snapple and water and soda and candy for the conference, and I should check the school supply lists before all the cheap stuff is gone, but today I will blissfully enjoy the kids and savor that newness of having the two boys around again. (The other day Camille said, "Aaron doesn't live here anymore, we should get a NEW Aaron, is that a good idea?!!) She was pleased to hear that the same Aaron would indeed be coming home.....
Well, I suppose if I really want this to be a good day, I need to do a few things...
1. Make sure I have a good attitude. If I am going to seek my own and get bothered by everything and everyone, it won't be a good day for the others here....
2. Clean off the counters and do the dishwasher.
3. Throw in a load of towels, at least.
Wait, what will happen if I don't do number 2 and number 3?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
my boys are home!
Aaron, Mali, Joseph, Sonja and Jonathan, and Samuel James....back in the U.S. of A. finally!!!(Aaron and Sam are back, the others went to the airport with me and humored Mommy's request for a picture ...)
Our first glimpse of the boys....Jonathan was so excited when Aaron texted and said they had landed...he said, "That means they're safe! Unless the plane blows up...." none to quietly, either....
Mali, waiting and waiting for her brothers....
Joseph waiting patiently....
Jonathan just watching...
We had quite the ordeal.....we went to the airport to the east of us....Mirielle called when we got there and said they missed their flight from Paris and would be coming to a DIFFERENT airport, oh 65 miles or so to the west....we had a few hours to waste, so we went to the dollar store and bought cotton candy...and to KMart and bought some school sneakers and Christmas presents. Jonathan and Sonja got spoiled and enjoyed their time in the minivan.
Benjamin thought he would bug Joseph a bit....Joe threw a cup of water on Ben....oh, the fun never ends...
The sky was so pretty with thunder in the distance...we had quite a storm come through today.
So...we left for the airport at 2:30 this afternoon, and got home at 9:30. We went to our favorite bakery, then to McD's just for drinks.....when we found out we had to travel more we went to Burger King and got a sandwich for the road, and some one dollar Icees....to be fair, we did not get into the donuts until the way home.
Joseph waiting patiently....
Jonathan just watching...
We had quite the ordeal.....we went to the airport to the east of us....Mirielle called when we got there and said they missed their flight from Paris and would be coming to a DIFFERENT airport, oh 65 miles or so to the west....we had a few hours to waste, so we went to the dollar store and bought cotton candy...and to KMart and bought some school sneakers and Christmas presents. Jonathan and Sonja got spoiled and enjoyed their time in the minivan.
Benjamin thought he would bug Joseph a bit....Joe threw a cup of water on Ben....oh, the fun never ends...
The sky was so pretty with thunder in the distance...we had quite a storm come through today.
So...we left for the airport at 2:30 this afternoon, and got home at 9:30. We went to our favorite bakery, then to McD's just for drinks.....when we found out we had to travel more we went to Burger King and got a sandwich for the road, and some one dollar Icees....to be fair, we did not get into the donuts until the way home. Now the boys are in bed, Emily is here visiting, Mirielle and Mali and Margaret and Kathryn are still up....Benjamin is down in the big city taking his important overnight test for the U.S. Army..wah, but I am proud of him. Please pray for him.....
I am way too distracted....goodnight!
was that a 3-ring circus, or was that my night sleep?
A little of both? hmm. I do not have a baby anymore, so one would assume that I get plenty of sleep. And honestly, that is usually the case. I have been extremely thankful for my sleep-filled nights, since I have certainly had my share of exhaustion. But me thinks I have been getting used to that uninterrupted slumber....
So last night when Sonja K. started crying really loud that her tooth hurt, turning on the hall light and storming into my room all upset, I did not take it very well. She scared the living heck out of me. It took my poor heart a while to get back into regular rhythm. I talked to her about her tooth (I think in her case it is an I-can't-sleep thing), she went back to bed, and LEFT THE HALL LIGHT ON, glaring and shining into my bed. rrr. I got up and turned off the light. After that, Miss Camille, who was better yesterday but started getting feverish again, coughed off and on all night, ending up in bed with me in the wee hours, tossing and turning.....every single time I started to doze again, she would cough or roll over. Now, this will not kill me to be tired, but jeepers. Well, to tell the truth, after it became clear my sleeping time was over, I really enjoyed just cuddling with Miss Camille. I showed her pictures on my phone, and sang her the ABC's....(if I couldn't sleep, at least I could prolong lying in bed!)
So now the day has started. Camille was playing with a dolly and a stroller....the ones that her 4 year old sister had last night when mean mommy said it was bed time. That did not go over well. Camille was clutching the baby, and Charlotte Claire would have none other. I finally asked, "Okay, who wants treasures in heaven?" Camille thrust the dolly at her sister, and said, "I do!" phew. peace reigns again.
Now Jonathan has a dolly too and they are setting up a house in the hallway.....I want to play too!
Today, airport!!!!
We have lots of cereal, there have been some good coupon deals at BJ's, and I am especially thinking of Samuel. He is a cereal-aholic. Norway doesn't have the variety we have here, and according to Sam, it doesn't taste very good. So he will have some blissful days of CocoaPuffs.
I think that no matter how nice and good teenagers are, they inadvertantly hurt their mother's feelings occasionally. Some of my girls made me cry last evening after dinner. They were sitting around the table talking about names and how stupid it is when people name their kids the popular names and so on....a few of them do not like their names, so they ask me WHY! Anyways, I was cleaning up while they talked, already feeling bad because they seemed all against me, when I came upon two different cups of coffee that had been sitting on the counter. I made the general announcement that if you are going to make coffee, drink it.....then I made the mistake of asking who did it. No one did. So I loaded the dishwasher, making comments about how NO ONE does anything, yet there is the wasted coffee....I guess I didn't realize how I sounded, until the girls started telling me to just go in to the living room and sit down, they would clean up....one said , REALLY Mom, Please go! Then: one of them asked me if it was my time of the month....I just walked out, went down to my bathroom and cried my eyes out. Okay, maybe I was being a little witchy, but I seriously didn't feel angry or anything. I felt like just getting in the van and driving away. I was so hurt and offended. When I returned to the kitchen a while later, they were still sitting there laughing and planning the house they are all going to live in someday. I think one of them was trying to be nice, she asked, "Mom, do you want to live with us someday?" I said NO. ooh....mean mommy. I am not mad at them, after all, teenagers know a lot more than me most of the time.
So I am not mad at my girls...95% of the time we get along just splendidly, so I cannot complain. There is one of them with whom I have butted heads with, which has taught me much about myself, and has taught me more to think before I speak and be more gentle and seek wisdom from God...well, this daughter and I have gotten along much better lately......I realize that this is not all because of me, but because she has a longing to be good and well-pleasing to God, too. When, as a parent, we can overlook many things and just help ignite this longing in them, and give them hope, then it is better than all the punishment and discipline in the world. That is my opinion, of course.
"And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are suficient of ourselves to think anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinth. v. 4-6)
So now I will get going and enjoy these guys.....
So last night when Sonja K. started crying really loud that her tooth hurt, turning on the hall light and storming into my room all upset, I did not take it very well. She scared the living heck out of me. It took my poor heart a while to get back into regular rhythm. I talked to her about her tooth (I think in her case it is an I-can't-sleep thing), she went back to bed, and LEFT THE HALL LIGHT ON, glaring and shining into my bed. rrr. I got up and turned off the light. After that, Miss Camille, who was better yesterday but started getting feverish again, coughed off and on all night, ending up in bed with me in the wee hours, tossing and turning.....every single time I started to doze again, she would cough or roll over. Now, this will not kill me to be tired, but jeepers. Well, to tell the truth, after it became clear my sleeping time was over, I really enjoyed just cuddling with Miss Camille. I showed her pictures on my phone, and sang her the ABC's....(if I couldn't sleep, at least I could prolong lying in bed!)
So now the day has started. Camille was playing with a dolly and a stroller....the ones that her 4 year old sister had last night when mean mommy said it was bed time. That did not go over well. Camille was clutching the baby, and Charlotte Claire would have none other. I finally asked, "Okay, who wants treasures in heaven?" Camille thrust the dolly at her sister, and said, "I do!" phew. peace reigns again.
Now Jonathan has a dolly too and they are setting up a house in the hallway.....I want to play too!
Today, airport!!!!
We have lots of cereal, there have been some good coupon deals at BJ's, and I am especially thinking of Samuel. He is a cereal-aholic. Norway doesn't have the variety we have here, and according to Sam, it doesn't taste very good. So he will have some blissful days of CocoaPuffs.
I think that no matter how nice and good teenagers are, they inadvertantly hurt their mother's feelings occasionally. Some of my girls made me cry last evening after dinner. They were sitting around the table talking about names and how stupid it is when people name their kids the popular names and so on....a few of them do not like their names, so they ask me WHY! Anyways, I was cleaning up while they talked, already feeling bad because they seemed all against me, when I came upon two different cups of coffee that had been sitting on the counter. I made the general announcement that if you are going to make coffee, drink it.....then I made the mistake of asking who did it. No one did. So I loaded the dishwasher, making comments about how NO ONE does anything, yet there is the wasted coffee....I guess I didn't realize how I sounded, until the girls started telling me to just go in to the living room and sit down, they would clean up....one said , REALLY Mom, Please go! Then: one of them asked me if it was my time of the month....I just walked out, went down to my bathroom and cried my eyes out. Okay, maybe I was being a little witchy, but I seriously didn't feel angry or anything. I felt like just getting in the van and driving away. I was so hurt and offended. When I returned to the kitchen a while later, they were still sitting there laughing and planning the house they are all going to live in someday. I think one of them was trying to be nice, she asked, "Mom, do you want to live with us someday?" I said NO. ooh....mean mommy. I am not mad at them, after all, teenagers know a lot more than me most of the time.
So I am not mad at my girls...95% of the time we get along just splendidly, so I cannot complain. There is one of them with whom I have butted heads with, which has taught me much about myself, and has taught me more to think before I speak and be more gentle and seek wisdom from God...well, this daughter and I have gotten along much better lately......I realize that this is not all because of me, but because she has a longing to be good and well-pleasing to God, too. When, as a parent, we can overlook many things and just help ignite this longing in them, and give them hope, then it is better than all the punishment and discipline in the world. That is my opinion, of course.
"And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are suficient of ourselves to think anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinth. v. 4-6)
So now I will get going and enjoy these guys.....
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
three posts in one day?
Do I have too much time on my hands?
Actually, it is after ten o'clock, and the kids are tucked in...well, the little ones are. 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 of the bigger ones are still milling around. I had the great idea to take Charlotte Claire and Camille into my room and read them three stories...sounds nice, right? Well, Camille was extra tired, and she was a little brat. Every place Charlotte Claire cuddled up, Camille wanted to be in....she wiggled and pulled the blankets and...ahh, she started fussing and crying....she didn't want to hear any more stories! She didn't want anything. I did give her a swat on her little Pull-up-ed bottom, but it just made her cry more....so I calmly read the rest of the books to Charlotte Claire, who snuggled up to me and listened. Camille was just plain tired out, she conked out so fast when I put her in her little nest.
Anyways, Aaron and Samuel are not coming home until tomorrow afternoon. I certainly hope the flight doesn't keep getting delayed, I want to see my boys. We had a nice dinner of taco salad with olives and peppers and tomatoes and cheese and salsa.....without them. wah.
I didn't end up staying home today....since Camille was feeling fine, Joseph drove the minivan while Camille and I held on for dear life. No, he is a pretty good driver. His driver's test is at the end of the month, and he needs practice. We went to the small city and he practiced stopping completely and his three point turn. We were almost close to death twice, once when the tractor trailer in the lane next to us did not see us and started to turn right from the left lane, right in front of us.....aahh, I screamed for Joe to stop and honk....then I asked him if it had scared him, and he simply said, "No." Then he was driving around a parked car on a side street, and a car was coming in the opposite direction, if he had kept going when I shouted STOP RIGHT NOW, he most certainly would have hit the parked car. It wouldn't have killed us, but I think Paul would have. Not really. But jeepers. How many more kids do I have to teach driving skills to? If Joseph passes his test, he will be the sixth licensed driver...ugh, ten to go.....
We went to BJ's and bought lots of candy and drinks for the church summer conference, then we drove out there and put it away. When we got back home, I went in the pool with some younger kids even though it was make-dinner-time. It was a smart move, because hungry people like Paul and Mirielle started the dinner while we swam.
Oh well, I am running out of things to say, plus I have to go to bed earlier tonight than I did last night.
Actually, it is after ten o'clock, and the kids are tucked in...well, the little ones are. 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 of the bigger ones are still milling around. I had the great idea to take Charlotte Claire and Camille into my room and read them three stories...sounds nice, right? Well, Camille was extra tired, and she was a little brat. Every place Charlotte Claire cuddled up, Camille wanted to be in....she wiggled and pulled the blankets and...ahh, she started fussing and crying....she didn't want to hear any more stories! She didn't want anything. I did give her a swat on her little Pull-up-ed bottom, but it just made her cry more....so I calmly read the rest of the books to Charlotte Claire, who snuggled up to me and listened. Camille was just plain tired out, she conked out so fast when I put her in her little nest.
Anyways, Aaron and Samuel are not coming home until tomorrow afternoon. I certainly hope the flight doesn't keep getting delayed, I want to see my boys. We had a nice dinner of taco salad with olives and peppers and tomatoes and cheese and salsa.....without them. wah.
I didn't end up staying home today....since Camille was feeling fine, Joseph drove the minivan while Camille and I held on for dear life. No, he is a pretty good driver. His driver's test is at the end of the month, and he needs practice. We went to the small city and he practiced stopping completely and his three point turn. We were almost close to death twice, once when the tractor trailer in the lane next to us did not see us and started to turn right from the left lane, right in front of us.....aahh, I screamed for Joe to stop and honk....then I asked him if it had scared him, and he simply said, "No." Then he was driving around a parked car on a side street, and a car was coming in the opposite direction, if he had kept going when I shouted STOP RIGHT NOW, he most certainly would have hit the parked car. It wouldn't have killed us, but I think Paul would have. Not really. But jeepers. How many more kids do I have to teach driving skills to? If Joseph passes his test, he will be the sixth licensed driver...ugh, ten to go.....
We went to BJ's and bought lots of candy and drinks for the church summer conference, then we drove out there and put it away. When we got back home, I went in the pool with some younger kids even though it was make-dinner-time. It was a smart move, because hungry people like Paul and Mirielle started the dinner while we swam.
Oh well, I am running out of things to say, plus I have to go to bed earlier tonight than I did last night.
am I the only one who.....?
Feels guilty about throwing away a Lego or a Barbie shoe, and fishes it out of the garbage?
Finds it easier to just do something myself rather than track down the one who left the towel on the floor or the milk on the counter?
Am I the only one who can get a new roll of toilet paper?
Am I the only one around here who can close a drawer all the way?
Am I the only one who can close up the bread?
Am I the only one who notices that the garbage is FULL?
Am I the only one who puts the books vertically on the bookshelf?
Am I the only one who sees the toothpaste smeared on the counter and in the sink?
Sometimes I wonder....it seems like when things DO get put away, they are booby traps. The other day, Paul opened a cupboard, and the huge warehouse-sized jar of Taster's Choice instant coffee fell from the top shelf to the floor, showering the counters and floor with yummy chrystals that turned into small puddles when in contact with water, which happened to be present due to the proximity of the ice dispenser on the front of the 'fridge which spews those nice little shreds of ice, since the kids always turn it to the "crush" mode, the ice melts on the floor, ....also, since no one here can properly close a cupboard door, the cereal cupboard also got a shower of coffee.....the funny part was that NOT FIVE MINUTES LATER, he opened the 'fridge, and the 32 ounce container of yogurt fell from the top shelf and splattered strawberry goodness all over his feet, and the tile....to say I was doubled over with laughter is an understatement.
That was on Sunday, when we were exhausted from working at the wedding, and trying to clean up the house quickly for Emily's company. What can you do if you can't laugh?
Ah, the wedding was lovely, I heard. I did see Tamara, the bride, she is beautiful anyway, she was radiant in her gown.
So now I am here with Camille, who had a temperature of exactly 37 celsius, or 98.6 fahrenheit. She is as happy as can be, playing with all the dollies in her own little world. She stayed in the inflatable firetruck ball pit while I swept and mopped, it was joyous. Then Benjamin came through and left footprints...rrr.
I have laundry to switch over, and the dishwasher to run, but other than that, it looks decent in here, and I am content to sit here with my feet up....
Here is what I am happy about today:
Aaron and Samuel are coming home!!! At least I THINK they are. Aaron mentioned on facebook that they are stranded at a nice hotel in Oslo....so I will be waiting for confirmation on when to pick them up at the airport...it might be tomorrow....either way, I am so glad they are coming home, I have missed them terribly.
Having Miss Mirielle home has been just lovely. Six of my daughters stayed up and watched a movie with me last night, Mali, Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, and Mirielle. We had Mali's homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and after the movie we just stayed up and talked and laughed until I was so tired I could hardly get off the couch.....so I went to bed at 2am again....
Mirielle ended up taking the big white van to the beach today. There were just too kids to fit in the minivan. It was a teeny tiny bit hard to see them troop out to the van with their towels and pails and lunchboxes without ME, but....I am okay...
Now Camille is watching "Calliou" , and I am thinking that we need some lunch....Benjamin is here, so lunch for three....unless Joseph joins us.....either way, sounds easy!
Finds it easier to just do something myself rather than track down the one who left the towel on the floor or the milk on the counter?
Am I the only one who can get a new roll of toilet paper?
Am I the only one around here who can close a drawer all the way?
Am I the only one who can close up the bread?
Am I the only one who notices that the garbage is FULL?
Am I the only one who puts the books vertically on the bookshelf?
Am I the only one who sees the toothpaste smeared on the counter and in the sink?
Sometimes I wonder....it seems like when things DO get put away, they are booby traps. The other day, Paul opened a cupboard, and the huge warehouse-sized jar of Taster's Choice instant coffee fell from the top shelf to the floor, showering the counters and floor with yummy chrystals that turned into small puddles when in contact with water, which happened to be present due to the proximity of the ice dispenser on the front of the 'fridge which spews those nice little shreds of ice, since the kids always turn it to the "crush" mode, the ice melts on the floor, ....also, since no one here can properly close a cupboard door, the cereal cupboard also got a shower of coffee.....the funny part was that NOT FIVE MINUTES LATER, he opened the 'fridge, and the 32 ounce container of yogurt fell from the top shelf and splattered strawberry goodness all over his feet, and the tile....to say I was doubled over with laughter is an understatement.
That was on Sunday, when we were exhausted from working at the wedding, and trying to clean up the house quickly for Emily's company. What can you do if you can't laugh?
Ah, the wedding was lovely, I heard. I did see Tamara, the bride, she is beautiful anyway, she was radiant in her gown.
So now I am here with Camille, who had a temperature of exactly 37 celsius, or 98.6 fahrenheit. She is as happy as can be, playing with all the dollies in her own little world. She stayed in the inflatable firetruck ball pit while I swept and mopped, it was joyous. Then Benjamin came through and left footprints...rrr.
I have laundry to switch over, and the dishwasher to run, but other than that, it looks decent in here, and I am content to sit here with my feet up....
Here is what I am happy about today:
Aaron and Samuel are coming home!!! At least I THINK they are. Aaron mentioned on facebook that they are stranded at a nice hotel in Oslo....so I will be waiting for confirmation on when to pick them up at the airport...it might be tomorrow....either way, I am so glad they are coming home, I have missed them terribly.
Having Miss Mirielle home has been just lovely. Six of my daughters stayed up and watched a movie with me last night, Mali, Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, and Mirielle. We had Mali's homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and after the movie we just stayed up and talked and laughed until I was so tired I could hardly get off the couch.....so I went to bed at 2am again....
Mirielle ended up taking the big white van to the beach today. There were just too kids to fit in the minivan. It was a teeny tiny bit hard to see them troop out to the van with their towels and pails and lunchboxes without ME, but....I am okay...
Now Camille is watching "Calliou" , and I am thinking that we need some lunch....Benjamin is here, so lunch for three....unless Joseph joins us.....either way, sounds easy!
to the beach without ME?
Alas, it is true...they are going to the beach....it is Mirielle's vacation, so her nice daddy switched vehicles with her. (we had a good laugh, picturing him in Mirielle's banged up old Stratus, at his work with all the nice cars) So Mirielle has the minivan, complete with air conditioning. She can take six children with her, or rather seven, and double buckle. I am staying home with Charlotte Claire and Camille, and Joseph and Benjamin. Camille still has a fever, so the beach is completely out of the question for her.
They are packing their own individual lunches, they had French toast for breakfast, courtesy of Mirielle. (don't get used to it, kids, ha.)
Wow, it is 10:40 and Jonathan is just gettting up...he is grumping about everyone being so loud in the morning. Uh, is it still morning?
I am going to have to write this later, they need assistance getting ready.....
They are packing their own individual lunches, they had French toast for breakfast, courtesy of Mirielle. (don't get used to it, kids, ha.)
Wow, it is 10:40 and Jonathan is just gettting up...he is grumping about everyone being so loud in the morning. Uh, is it still morning?
I am going to have to write this later, they need assistance getting ready.....
Monday, July 19, 2010
out and about again?
I remembered this morning that it was Monday....on Mondays in the small city, the Social Security administration sets up a satelite office from the hours of nine a.m. until 1 p.m. Since the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will not issue a driver's permit without the actual card in hand, despite the fact that Mali holds a valid U.S. passport that was obtained using a social security card, we drove to the small city and took a number, "55" to be exact, and waited our turn. We saw a young woman get very frustrated because she cannot get a driver's license without a s.s. card, and cannot get a s.s. card without without I.D. She started to vent at the poor woman behind the makeshift desk.....it IS frustrating to cut through red tape....
After we sucessfully filled out the application for a new card, we went to Wegmans and bought wraps (they sell tomato basil wraps that are out of this world, in their own store brand (I heated some up in olive oil with mozzarella on top for dinner, so good and light)), tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, bread, burger, milk, pasta, dressing, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and a few pairs of new goggles for the pool. Then I went into the dollar store and got some oatmeal bread and cinnamon raisin bread and some ginger ale for Camille....then to BigLots quick for some snacks and juice. Then to McD's, there was a coupon for a free smoothie in the Sunday paper, and I brought Sonja along to get it. Then home....we were greeted by a very stinky Rosie, who appeared and smelled like she rolled in...well, poop. Benjamin said he found out the hard way, after he pet her....so we worked together and washed her up under the hose....I held her collar, while Ben scrubbed and rinsed. We did it a few times until she smelled like her old self again. Then in the house to put things away and finally: out to the pool! Emily Anne, the nice big sister, had taken Kathryn, Jonathan, and Charlotte Claire to visit Gramma, the playground, and out for ice cream, plus for some play in the Erie Canal. They came home and joined us in the water, it was so pleasant. Then.....hurry in to make dinner quick because Paul and I had to go to a grill meeting...
Now we are home and Camille is sitting with me, still quite warm. All she wants is to sit with me, which brings me back to old times....ha, I feel bad for her, but I do not mind! She is my little sweetie pie. I wish I could just bottle up these days of fun and sunshine, I do not think I could enjoy them more if I tried....
Charlotte Claire is all snuggled up with her blankies in the inflatable firetruck-shaped ball pit that she and Jonathan dragged out here and set up this morning.
She is a funny child. She brought her bedding out of her crib during the night and slept in the hallway. She doesn't wake me up, she just re-locates.
Miss Camille is fussing now because she does not want to go pee, and I suspect she hasn't gone in a while...I tried to bribe her with gum, but she does not feel well, and is just beside herself....
After we sucessfully filled out the application for a new card, we went to Wegmans and bought wraps (they sell tomato basil wraps that are out of this world, in their own store brand (I heated some up in olive oil with mozzarella on top for dinner, so good and light)), tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, bread, burger, milk, pasta, dressing, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and a few pairs of new goggles for the pool. Then I went into the dollar store and got some oatmeal bread and cinnamon raisin bread and some ginger ale for Camille....then to BigLots quick for some snacks and juice. Then to McD's, there was a coupon for a free smoothie in the Sunday paper, and I brought Sonja along to get it. Then home....we were greeted by a very stinky Rosie, who appeared and smelled like she rolled in...well, poop. Benjamin said he found out the hard way, after he pet her....so we worked together and washed her up under the hose....I held her collar, while Ben scrubbed and rinsed. We did it a few times until she smelled like her old self again. Then in the house to put things away and finally: out to the pool! Emily Anne, the nice big sister, had taken Kathryn, Jonathan, and Charlotte Claire to visit Gramma, the playground, and out for ice cream, plus for some play in the Erie Canal. They came home and joined us in the water, it was so pleasant. Then.....hurry in to make dinner quick because Paul and I had to go to a grill meeting...
Now we are home and Camille is sitting with me, still quite warm. All she wants is to sit with me, which brings me back to old times....ha, I feel bad for her, but I do not mind! She is my little sweetie pie. I wish I could just bottle up these days of fun and sunshine, I do not think I could enjoy them more if I tried....
Charlotte Claire is all snuggled up with her blankies in the inflatable firetruck-shaped ball pit that she and Jonathan dragged out here and set up this morning.
She is a funny child. She brought her bedding out of her crib during the night and slept in the hallway. She doesn't wake me up, she just re-locates.
Miss Camille is fussing now because she does not want to go pee, and I suspect she hasn't gone in a while...I tried to bribe her with gum, but she does not feel well, and is just beside herself....
monday...and camille is sick...
I feel oh-so-bad for the children she was with yesterday, but yesterday she was fine. She has the same thing that Charlotte Claire had....she threw up during the night last night, and now she has a low-grade fever. Kathryn had this too, so only 13 more to go....ha.
Having them get sick a week apart stinks because at this rate, we will all be okay in three months.
Today I am taking Mali to the small city to get a new social security card, since that is what she needs to get her driving permit. Even though she has a passport, and a ss card is needed to get a passport. Doesn't make sense, but New York State is not to be argued with.
We have to leave NOW....
Having them get sick a week apart stinks because at this rate, we will all be okay in three months.
Today I am taking Mali to the small city to get a new social security card, since that is what she needs to get her driving permit. Even though she has a passport, and a ss card is needed to get a passport. Doesn't make sense, but New York State is not to be argued with.
We have to leave NOW....
Sunday, July 18, 2010
another relaxing sunday, ha...
1. make sure they all have a bowl of cereal.
2. make sure they all put on the right clothes I got out for them, except for the older ones who pick out their own clothes.....
3. pack up some lunch quick.
4. brush little girls' hair.
5. get dressed neatly, do my own hair, throw in a load of laundry quick.
6. make a feeble attempt to clean up a bit....
7. find Camille's shoes....always a challenge.
8. get them buckled in.
9. remember to give Rosie lots of water.
10. drive down the road wondering what I forgot....
We did manage to get out to the conference center today. Evelyn Joy, almost 11, switched places with Kathryn and did the meal serving for her at today's wedding. So Kathryn Grace, 12, watched the kids at the camper while I helped prepare the meal. The camper has a.c., and they brought a dvd player and watched a movie. The meeting hall/kitchen is very closeby, and I told them to if they needed me for anything just have someone get on a bike and come get me. Well, I had nothing to worry about because my nieces were there too, babysitting some other kids while their parents attended the wedding.
So it was a tiring day, but so rewarding. We served around 300 plated dinners within 25 minutes. First salads, then roast beef au juice with roasted herb potatoes and mixed veggies, with rolls and butter. The beef had roasted all night long, on a low temp, and to say it was delicious is....well, duh! After the servers brought all the plates in, they got to take plates for themselves, and we in the kitchen took a break outside and ate ours. How can it be so much fun to carve beef and fill drink pitchers and ladle veggies onto plates? My feet did not think it was fun, but the rest of me did. I took a break after the meal was served, there were enough people to serve the cheesecake with strawberries, rasberries, blueberries, and whipped cream....
I went down to the camper and sat in the shade with my sister Cheryl, and our friend Karen. The kids had done fine without me....I took them in the pool for a little bit, along with a little sweetie that my niece was watching. He is SO cute, but his mama didn't think it was so funny when I said I wanted to steal him. I better watch what I say, I would NEVER really do that. But he WAS really sweet.
Emily has no work tonight, so she invited a few friends from out of state over to our house for a bit...that meant we had to come home and clean up...rrr. No, I didn't mind. I actually threw myself down on the couch, all stretched out, which just made the getting up and cleaning up AGONY. I told Emily I really didn't mind, because this made everyone pitch in and get the place in order, if no one was coming over it would be pretty messy in here right now. And, it was really nice to have the girls here.
Now everyone is gone except for Miss Emily, who has to stay up all night to get back on her night nurse's schedule, even though she stayed up all day and worked at the wedding...so she went to Blockbuster and got a movie....I will avoid distraction by just plain joining them....
2. make sure they all put on the right clothes I got out for them, except for the older ones who pick out their own clothes.....
3. pack up some lunch quick.
4. brush little girls' hair.
5. get dressed neatly, do my own hair, throw in a load of laundry quick.
6. make a feeble attempt to clean up a bit....
7. find Camille's shoes....always a challenge.
8. get them buckled in.
9. remember to give Rosie lots of water.
10. drive down the road wondering what I forgot....
We did manage to get out to the conference center today. Evelyn Joy, almost 11, switched places with Kathryn and did the meal serving for her at today's wedding. So Kathryn Grace, 12, watched the kids at the camper while I helped prepare the meal. The camper has a.c., and they brought a dvd player and watched a movie. The meeting hall/kitchen is very closeby, and I told them to if they needed me for anything just have someone get on a bike and come get me. Well, I had nothing to worry about because my nieces were there too, babysitting some other kids while their parents attended the wedding.
So it was a tiring day, but so rewarding. We served around 300 plated dinners within 25 minutes. First salads, then roast beef au juice with roasted herb potatoes and mixed veggies, with rolls and butter. The beef had roasted all night long, on a low temp, and to say it was delicious is....well, duh! After the servers brought all the plates in, they got to take plates for themselves, and we in the kitchen took a break outside and ate ours. How can it be so much fun to carve beef and fill drink pitchers and ladle veggies onto plates? My feet did not think it was fun, but the rest of me did. I took a break after the meal was served, there were enough people to serve the cheesecake with strawberries, rasberries, blueberries, and whipped cream....
I went down to the camper and sat in the shade with my sister Cheryl, and our friend Karen. The kids had done fine without me....I took them in the pool for a little bit, along with a little sweetie that my niece was watching. He is SO cute, but his mama didn't think it was so funny when I said I wanted to steal him. I better watch what I say, I would NEVER really do that. But he WAS really sweet.
Emily has no work tonight, so she invited a few friends from out of state over to our house for a bit...that meant we had to come home and clean up...rrr. No, I didn't mind. I actually threw myself down on the couch, all stretched out, which just made the getting up and cleaning up AGONY. I told Emily I really didn't mind, because this made everyone pitch in and get the place in order, if no one was coming over it would be pretty messy in here right now. And, it was really nice to have the girls here.
Now everyone is gone except for Miss Emily, who has to stay up all night to get back on her night nurse's schedule, even though she stayed up all day and worked at the wedding...so she went to Blockbuster and got a movie....I will avoid distraction by just plain joining them....
pictures
Suze took the old broom stick...and an emty paper towel holder....and lots of tape...and her microphone....and she was ready to sing!
Emily Anne...my oldest child...ha, she is 25....
Camille Anaya, my youngest, two years old....yes, Emily and I are closer in age (19 years apart) than Emily and Camille (23 years apart)....Camille came out with these clothes on yesterday when it was 90 degrees out and humid....I can't remember what she was crying about, but I am sure she had a very good reason...
Here is one of my favorite views....yes, they are my feet.
Emily Anne...my oldest child...ha, she is 25....
Camille Anaya, my youngest, two years old....yes, Emily and I are closer in age (19 years apart) than Emily and Camille (23 years apart)....Camille came out with these clothes on yesterday when it was 90 degrees out and humid....I can't remember what she was crying about, but I am sure she had a very good reason...
Here is one of my favorite views....yes, they are my feet.
wah, what about ME?
Godliness with contentment is great gain. We KNOW this. I know this. Today I need to practice this....because today......
I am home with the kids. I want to be at the wedding. I thought somehow it would work out that I could be there. Yesterday, I spent a good six hours in the kitchen at our conference center, cutting fruit and making grilled chicken kabobs and iced tea and grilled veggies and then of course the cleaning up, serving ice cream and coffee, then more cleaning up....the rehearsal dinner was much enjoyed, I am told. It is great fun to work there in the kitchen, laughing and having fellowship.
We got home around eleven, Mirielle was home, yay, and Emily was visiting. They had had a nice afternoon with the children, and ate dinner out on the deck with them. We stayed up 'til one talking....
So this morning, Paul and Mirielle and Joseph and Mali and Margaret and Evelyn left to go to the wedding....Margaret and Evelyn are guests, who will also serve the food later, and the others are cooking and washing dishes. I would really like to be there in the kitchen too, but we'll see.
Anyway, here is a story I told Sonja K. one day....
Once upon a time there was a little mouse, named Mousie. Mousie wanted a banana. Her mommy hesitated...she did not want to give little Mousie a banana. "No, Lttle Mousie, you cannot have a banana now...." Little Mousie REALLY wanted one, so she persisted....she begged and pleaded...."Please, please, please, I am REALLY hungry. I KNOW we just had lunch, but I am REALLY hungry." So Mama said, "Fine, you can have one." Then, out of the woodwork, came Baby Mousie and Sweetie Mousie and Fluffy Mousie and Skitter Mousie....."A banana! Little Mousie has a banana! I want a banana! Are we having bananas?" So Mama had to put bibs on them all and put them in their booster seats and then wash them all clean and wash up the table.....Little Mousie had long finished her banana.....as Mama finished cleaning up the mess, she asked, "Mama, can I please have a cup of milk? I am REALLY thirsty for a cup of milk....." Now Mama did not really feel like giving Little Mousie a cup of milk, but......
Now when Sonja asks for something between meals, I remind her of the mousies.....
I am home with the kids. I want to be at the wedding. I thought somehow it would work out that I could be there. Yesterday, I spent a good six hours in the kitchen at our conference center, cutting fruit and making grilled chicken kabobs and iced tea and grilled veggies and then of course the cleaning up, serving ice cream and coffee, then more cleaning up....the rehearsal dinner was much enjoyed, I am told. It is great fun to work there in the kitchen, laughing and having fellowship.
We got home around eleven, Mirielle was home, yay, and Emily was visiting. They had had a nice afternoon with the children, and ate dinner out on the deck with them. We stayed up 'til one talking....
So this morning, Paul and Mirielle and Joseph and Mali and Margaret and Evelyn left to go to the wedding....Margaret and Evelyn are guests, who will also serve the food later, and the others are cooking and washing dishes. I would really like to be there in the kitchen too, but we'll see.
Anyway, here is a story I told Sonja K. one day....
Once upon a time there was a little mouse, named Mousie. Mousie wanted a banana. Her mommy hesitated...she did not want to give little Mousie a banana. "No, Lttle Mousie, you cannot have a banana now...." Little Mousie REALLY wanted one, so she persisted....she begged and pleaded...."Please, please, please, I am REALLY hungry. I KNOW we just had lunch, but I am REALLY hungry." So Mama said, "Fine, you can have one." Then, out of the woodwork, came Baby Mousie and Sweetie Mousie and Fluffy Mousie and Skitter Mousie....."A banana! Little Mousie has a banana! I want a banana! Are we having bananas?" So Mama had to put bibs on them all and put them in their booster seats and then wash them all clean and wash up the table.....Little Mousie had long finished her banana.....as Mama finished cleaning up the mess, she asked, "Mama, can I please have a cup of milk? I am REALLY thirsty for a cup of milk....." Now Mama did not really feel like giving Little Mousie a cup of milk, but......
Now when Sonja asks for something between meals, I remind her of the mousies.....
Saturday, July 17, 2010
summer saturday...
I got up, got dressed in some fabulous around the house clothes, and took Miss Rosie out for our morning walk. She encourages my spirit with her enthusiasm. It is ALWAYS exciting for her. She is happy and optimistic EVERY morning. Even if it is a day I wouldn't ordinarily consider going out in, her excitement buoys me..is it crazy to say I want to be more like my dog?
I bought Jonathan a set with a shark mask goggles and swim fins. I had forgotten about it in the minivan, and he got it last night after our swim, so he wanted to go back in....the mosquitoes were out and Mommy was too tired. He has been wearing them around here, of course, a constant reminder that we have to GET IN THAT POOL! So I told them if they eat some cereal, I will take them in the pool....no use prolonging Jonathan's agony. Now Abigail is here picking Margaret up, she brought two new swim rings.....so now they ALL want to get out there....
Aww, poor me, I have to go out to the pool with the kids...ha.
Tonight will be fun. Paul and I are going out to our church conference center to cook/serve/clean up the rehearsal dinner for the wedding that takes place tomorrow there. We recieved a family invite to the wedding, but I declined, because Paul and Emily and some of the other older ones are working in the kitchen, ...but now I want to go....so many of our friends will be there...I know that one family won't be bringing all the kids they said "yes" for, so I am thinking it might be okay if I go....they are expecting 350 people....will someone come up to me and say, "You are NOT supposed to be here!"? Probably not, but I will feel like that all day if I go....
Emily and Abigail have girls staying with them this weekend, who came for the wedding. There are also many other girls in town, so I told them they could bring people here for dinner if they want to...the younger kids will all be here, but I won't. I should go to Aldi and get a watermelon and some things to put on the grill.....
And here I sit....Camille slept in really late, she is just getting up...what a sweetie pie! I love that "morning look", it screams HUG ME.....!
Emily is coming over, apparently, and Mirielle is on her way...she texted me this morning. I am finding lately that I realize how it was for my mother when I visited her all those years.....I knew it made her happy, but jeepers, no matter how many kids I have, I am always so excited when they are here.....
I bought Jonathan a set with a shark mask goggles and swim fins. I had forgotten about it in the minivan, and he got it last night after our swim, so he wanted to go back in....the mosquitoes were out and Mommy was too tired. He has been wearing them around here, of course, a constant reminder that we have to GET IN THAT POOL! So I told them if they eat some cereal, I will take them in the pool....no use prolonging Jonathan's agony. Now Abigail is here picking Margaret up, she brought two new swim rings.....so now they ALL want to get out there....
Aww, poor me, I have to go out to the pool with the kids...ha.
Tonight will be fun. Paul and I are going out to our church conference center to cook/serve/clean up the rehearsal dinner for the wedding that takes place tomorrow there. We recieved a family invite to the wedding, but I declined, because Paul and Emily and some of the other older ones are working in the kitchen, ...but now I want to go....so many of our friends will be there...I know that one family won't be bringing all the kids they said "yes" for, so I am thinking it might be okay if I go....they are expecting 350 people....will someone come up to me and say, "You are NOT supposed to be here!"? Probably not, but I will feel like that all day if I go....
Emily and Abigail have girls staying with them this weekend, who came for the wedding. There are also many other girls in town, so I told them they could bring people here for dinner if they want to...the younger kids will all be here, but I won't. I should go to Aldi and get a watermelon and some things to put on the grill.....
And here I sit....Camille slept in really late, she is just getting up...what a sweetie pie! I love that "morning look", it screams HUG ME.....!
Emily is coming over, apparently, and Mirielle is on her way...she texted me this morning. I am finding lately that I realize how it was for my mother when I visited her all those years.....I knew it made her happy, but jeepers, no matter how many kids I have, I am always so excited when they are here.....
Friday, July 16, 2010
"a few days is a long time, mommy...."
This morning, as we lounged around in the camper with no definite plans, Jonathan asked me if it was supposed to rain. I told him I didn't know, I hadn't gone on my computer in a few days......he said, "A few days is a long time, Mommy!"
And yes, it is. Here we are at home, in such a huge airy spread out house. I brought in the garbage bag stuffed with laundry, dumped it out on the vast kitchen floor, and started in on it. I thought, "Wow, we don't have very much laundry at all!", then I realized that we were gone for TWO days.
There is something beautiful that can come of being in a small space with those five-girls-in-a-row born in five years, plus Jonathan and the two little girls. It is called fellowship. It doesn't just come naturally, there are elbows that rub and there WAS the book that Evelyn threw at Margaret....but with no computers and the fact that the mosquitoes were fierce at night, we were nice and cozy, so we talked and laughed and really enjoyed each other. The first night, the two little girls went to bed and Evelyn made everyone cocoa with marshmallows. The second night we had popcorn and fresh fruit. I had a most enjoyable time because Emily gave me a good library book, and I slept by myself in the front bedroom, which has a light within reach, so I read far into the night....(around 2a.m. I smelled smoke quite strongly, and convinced myself that our little campfire was raging and about to engulf the camper, so I risked waking the five kids in the back bedroom by sneaking in there and looking out the window. Nah, just ashes...it was fine...)(I would have been glad to have one of the little girls sleep with me in my bed, but there is a nice new leak in the ceiling, which has a bowl stationed under it. I can only sleep on half the bed......)
Anyways, we are home. Home sweet home. The pool is clear and warm and refreshing, and we had SO much fun in there this afternoon, when I knew I should be starting dinner.....Sonja was chasing me, and each time she almost got me I would reach out and tickle her....we were laughing and shrieking so loud that Rosie was on her hind legs watching us.....then we were taking turns screaming under water.....and throwing Charlotte Claire is always fun.
When I finally hustled in here, it was seven o'clock. I rolled the chicken breast in olive oil, then put a grill rub all over it, grilled it, and served it with salad and fresh strawberries. Very good and very healthy.....I love summer. Gettind done with dinner at 8 pm is lovely...
Mirielle is coming home tomorrow for the week! Evelyn is busy getting their room back in order quick.
Jonathan is blowing up a balloon and driving Rosie crazy. Bark, bark, bark. She goes especially crazy when he lets it go and it pfffts all around the room.....okay, enough!
I am tired tonight, morning came too early today. We ended up going to Target and Price Chopper today.....Evelyn's flip flops were breaking, and I ended up getting Christmas presents. I got Jonathan some Playmobil sets that were half price, realizing all the while that I simply LOVE Playmobil. I also stocked up on some school supplies, like the twenty cent boxes of crayons and fifteen cent notebooks.
On the way to the register, I picked up a bag of Goldfish crackers for the kids...I handed it to Camille, so Charlotte Claire asked for one too. No, only one bag, honey. You can all share....that did not go over so well.....she did a little fussy dance. I told her quietly that she had to stop it or she would not be able to have any at all. She decided she wanted some, I guess.
I would have liked to just run into the grocery store by myself, but since it was hot and muggy and I had only young children with me, it was not an option. In we went. I got some rye bread and ham and water bottles for our lunch on the way home, saving myself the expense and guilt of McD's. We bought cereal and bananas and milk and eggs and tortilla chips and lettuce and peppers and the strawberries. And chicken breast, $1.69 a pound, and popcorn and half and half for our coffee. I also had to buy a cart full of beverages for a rehearsal dinner for a wedding our church is hosting.
Home to drop off a few children with Joseph, along with the groceries, then back to the camper to get our dirty clothes and refridgerator items. And to drop off the beverages. And to pick Jonathan up at his friend Phinneas' birthday party. No wonder I am tired. But why oh why do the children seem to have so much energy still?
They really want my attention, so this is it for now....
And yes, it is. Here we are at home, in such a huge airy spread out house. I brought in the garbage bag stuffed with laundry, dumped it out on the vast kitchen floor, and started in on it. I thought, "Wow, we don't have very much laundry at all!", then I realized that we were gone for TWO days.
There is something beautiful that can come of being in a small space with those five-girls-in-a-row born in five years, plus Jonathan and the two little girls. It is called fellowship. It doesn't just come naturally, there are elbows that rub and there WAS the book that Evelyn threw at Margaret....but with no computers and the fact that the mosquitoes were fierce at night, we were nice and cozy, so we talked and laughed and really enjoyed each other. The first night, the two little girls went to bed and Evelyn made everyone cocoa with marshmallows. The second night we had popcorn and fresh fruit. I had a most enjoyable time because Emily gave me a good library book, and I slept by myself in the front bedroom, which has a light within reach, so I read far into the night....(around 2a.m. I smelled smoke quite strongly, and convinced myself that our little campfire was raging and about to engulf the camper, so I risked waking the five kids in the back bedroom by sneaking in there and looking out the window. Nah, just ashes...it was fine...)(I would have been glad to have one of the little girls sleep with me in my bed, but there is a nice new leak in the ceiling, which has a bowl stationed under it. I can only sleep on half the bed......)
Anyways, we are home. Home sweet home. The pool is clear and warm and refreshing, and we had SO much fun in there this afternoon, when I knew I should be starting dinner.....Sonja was chasing me, and each time she almost got me I would reach out and tickle her....we were laughing and shrieking so loud that Rosie was on her hind legs watching us.....then we were taking turns screaming under water.....and throwing Charlotte Claire is always fun.
When I finally hustled in here, it was seven o'clock. I rolled the chicken breast in olive oil, then put a grill rub all over it, grilled it, and served it with salad and fresh strawberries. Very good and very healthy.....I love summer. Gettind done with dinner at 8 pm is lovely...
Mirielle is coming home tomorrow for the week! Evelyn is busy getting their room back in order quick.
Jonathan is blowing up a balloon and driving Rosie crazy. Bark, bark, bark. She goes especially crazy when he lets it go and it pfffts all around the room.....okay, enough!
I am tired tonight, morning came too early today. We ended up going to Target and Price Chopper today.....Evelyn's flip flops were breaking, and I ended up getting Christmas presents. I got Jonathan some Playmobil sets that were half price, realizing all the while that I simply LOVE Playmobil. I also stocked up on some school supplies, like the twenty cent boxes of crayons and fifteen cent notebooks.
On the way to the register, I picked up a bag of Goldfish crackers for the kids...I handed it to Camille, so Charlotte Claire asked for one too. No, only one bag, honey. You can all share....that did not go over so well.....she did a little fussy dance. I told her quietly that she had to stop it or she would not be able to have any at all. She decided she wanted some, I guess.
I would have liked to just run into the grocery store by myself, but since it was hot and muggy and I had only young children with me, it was not an option. In we went. I got some rye bread and ham and water bottles for our lunch on the way home, saving myself the expense and guilt of McD's. We bought cereal and bananas and milk and eggs and tortilla chips and lettuce and peppers and the strawberries. And chicken breast, $1.69 a pound, and popcorn and half and half for our coffee. I also had to buy a cart full of beverages for a rehearsal dinner for a wedding our church is hosting.
Home to drop off a few children with Joseph, along with the groceries, then back to the camper to get our dirty clothes and refridgerator items. And to drop off the beverages. And to pick Jonathan up at his friend Phinneas' birthday party. No wonder I am tired. But why oh why do the children seem to have so much energy still?
They really want my attention, so this is it for now....
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