Thursday, February 26, 2009

So irritating

I was talking with an older mom at church last night. I was telling her about how irritating it is to come into the living room and find all the couch cushions all over the floor again.

"What are you building", I may ask.

"A skate park. And the cushions aren't very pretty so we emptied the linen closet to drape the cushions and make them more colorful," they answer.

I take a deep breath and thank God for creativity.

But then I remember the loads of laundry.

I don't need more laundry.

And then I remember long ER waits.

I don't need a long ER wait.

So I make a rule.

Linens back to the closet.

And no daring the baby to jump from the 5th stair up.

The other mom gave me a half smile. "My boys are teenagers", she said, "and I still routinely come home to find all the couch cushions off and them engaging in epic battles."

So maybe that means I have no choice but to embrace the skate parks, the chaos, the laundry, the ER, the dirt, the swords, the boys and let the irritation go.

If I don't, it may be a very long life.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A Housewives Confession

I don't sit on the couch much and just watch TV.

If I am watching TV I am usually folding mountains of laundry.

Or riding my bike.

We finally got the storage third of the basement organized enough to set up our bikes. Ok, I can't lie to you. We didn't organize it, I just shoved everything to the back so I could set up my bike. It was important to me because I felt like I would be more likely to keep up with the 500 mile club if I had a way to get milage in my basement. While still wearing my slippers.

Everything comes down to competition and slippers for me.

What all this means is that I have watched more TV shows the last couple months because, quite frankly, riding a bike in your storage room is akin to torture. It makes it slightly less so when you are distracted by comedy. or drama. or udder stupidity.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I happened past Desperate Housewives. I have seen the show once or twice over the last few years, but don't really have any idea of the current storyline.

The more normal acting/looking blonde one (not to be confused with freaky blonde, creepy red head, Eva Longoria (not to be confused with Evan Longoria(2nd baseball reference in 2 days.), or Teri Hatcher) had just found out she was pregnant again (I think it was a flashback).

She really wanted a new job. A new job that didn't involve pregnancy or babies.

It moves forward a little bit and her water is breaking. She is on the phone trying to seal this coveted job and trying not to let her future boss know she is in labor. Her husband told her she was crazy and they had to get to the hospital. She hung up the phone and as she left the house she said, "I know that we can have it all."

But she couldn't.

Flash forward a few months. She is once again multi-tasking and carrying in groceries and on her phone with work. She forgets the baby in the car on a very hot day. The handy man brings the baby in. (There is always a handy man, isn't there?). She quits her job.

The whole sequence struck a cord with me.

I always want to have it all too.

A good relationship with my Lord. A passionate, multidiminsional marriage. Children with a balance of freedom and responsiveness, independence and dependence, control and joy. A nursing job I love. Triathlete endurance. Clean house. Organized closets. Vaccuumed out car. Volunteer positions where I feel like I am making a difference. Quality relationships with friends. Hospitable home. Healthy meals. Uninterrupted sleep. Time to read. Time to blog. Financially savvy and stable.

But like that woman (what is her name?),

I can't have it all. Not all at the same time.

So I am choosing the most important to constantly "have".

And I am putting the others on a rotational schedule.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Joe Crede

Just what the Twins needed: a 3rd baseman for only 2.5 million. Or something. Apparently a bad back comes with a pay cut :)

hah, hah Peter! You are reading this aren't you? I knew I could get you to glance at my post when a title like that popped up on your reader! You should probably quit now because the post is going to have no more about baseball. or politics. or theology.

I will leave you with a quote by Joe Crede, "This can do nothing but help our confidence."

I have no idea what he was talking about.

And I actually don't remember how much the Twins are paying him and know little else about him.

This isn't even really a real post. I was just going to tell you what needs to get done today before I can write a real post tonight:

run
take boys on walk
sign them up for swim lessons
wash floor
preschool
clean bathrooms
sort papers
make supper
finish book
Bible study lesson
paint cabinets.

Hmmm...I guess we will have to see...

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Nighttime Lessons

This is the crib.
This is the crib in the room.
This is the crib in the room where Lincoln used to sleep.
This is the crib in the room where Lincoln used to sleep when he was tired.
This is the crib in the room where Lincoln used to sleep when he was tired of climbing out of it.

This is the top bunk.
This is the top bunk in the room.
This is the top bunk in the room where Lincoln sleeps.
This is the top bunk in the room where Lincoln sleeps when he is tired.
This is the top bunk in the room where Lincoln sleeps when he is tired of climbing.

This is Lincoln.
This is Lincoln asleep.
This is Lincoln asleep in the top bunk.
This is Lincoln asleep in the top bunk which he climbed up to.
This is Lincoln asleep in the top bunk which he climbed up to with no ladder.


This is mom.
This is mom afraid.
This is mom afraid that her baby will fall.
This is mom afraid that her baby will fall so she did some renovations.
This is mom afraid that her baby will fall so she did some renovations so it would not happen again.

note: I have no pictures of me looking afraid. Me not looking at the camera. Yes. Me eating. Yes. Me talking. Yes. Me looking afraid. No. Use your imagination.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

My current loves

1. Multi-dinner freezer stashing or MDFS (doesn't that sound more mysterious than "bulk cooking"?)

2. Color Wonder. I love color wonder. Deacon and I could sit there for hours coloring those things and watching with awe the hidden pictures that magically appear.

3. Going to bed before 11pm. I am becoming addicted to sleep. And that is not a good thing. Sleep is one of those things that should be held on to loosely. Very, very loosely.

4. My laptop and my slippers vs. my running shoes and a stopwatch (it is a constant battle)

5. Clearance valentine candy. Nerds. Necco conversation hearts. Chocolate. It's all good.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

"HOW COULD YOU BUY CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER?!"

Poor Deacon lost one of his top teeth when he was 4. You may remember that unfortunate playground incident. (should be a link. But I hate linking.)

About a month ago he whacked his mouth on his knee and his two bottom teeth became loose. I was worried about it because the poor kid can barely eat, and it seems early for him to be losing teeth. Anyway, we went to his cleaning last week and the dentist said his 6 year molars were in so it was perfect timing for his bottom 2 to come out. He told Deacon to wiggle away.

So Deacon has been wiggling.

2 nights ago Noah noticed that one of them was gone, but Deacon doesn't remember losing it.

This morning, while eating his toast Deacon became very irritated with me. He couldn't believe that I would buy that peanut butter with the hard things in it. I said, "Deke. I didn't buy crunchy peanut butter. It is probably your tooth!" He didn't believe me and still was suspicious that I was trying to con him. I found the tooth and his irritation turned to glee.

Now the tooth fairy better get organized and find some sort of toothy prize.

In other news, I swam laps yesterday for the first time since September. Taking 5 months off to "concentrate on my run" didn't do my run or my swim any favors. My running distance has not improved. My mile times haven't improved and my mile swim times are. Hmm... what mile swim times? I just about died after 3 laps. I did power through and swim a 1/2 mile before I had to quit to go watch Deke on the slide. I guess it is pool time for me. But with a swim cap this time.

Having a chronic chlorine infiltration stinks.

Remember the denim jumper I talked about a week or so ago? Yeah, I should link it again, but remember, I hate doing links. I make fun of homeschool moms and denim jumpers sometimes (also sweatshirts with nature scenes on them) but my secret is that I own a denim jumper. It is a maternity one and I thought that it was ok because it was from Motherhood Maternity and not a garage sale in a church basement. And it is spaghetti straps. So I thought I could wear it with a spaghetti strap tank and look somewhat cool.

But being 50 pounds heavier is really not cool no matter what you wear or how many babies are in there.

I was going to put it on and take a picture of me in it for you all, but it is appallingly large in all the wrong places when I am not pregnant.

So I put it back in the maternity bin. Because no matter how horrible it is, I just can't get rid of it yet. If you ever see me wearing it, please arrange for me to climb over a fence. It is almost a guarantee that it will rip. And since I don't know how to sew, it will be gone for good.

Yeah. That would be great.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

New Hair and Knights

It is not really blonde. But it got very blondly highlighted and it is blonder than it has ever been. I was just getting ready to leave on a run, so this is the presweat version.

Here are my little pirates. And my big pirate.


Apparently the eye patch looks cool, but must be moved over so the little pirate can still see in order to place accurate blows.
Lincoln is totally into sword fighting. Look at his positioning!





Pictures soon?

I know I have been neglecting my poor blog. I never even got a winter picture up on my header. But my blog shouldn't be more put together then me or my house, should it?

Anyway, Noah was home for 3 days and I never got him to get all the pictures onto the computer. So, sweetie, tonight will you do that? Thanks :)

Sunday morning we woke up to Deacon coming into our room and saying that he had a problem. I didn't pay much attention because he was on Noah's side of the bed, so it was now Noah's problem. Noah got up and went over to the chair. I soon woke up enough to at least kind of follow along with the situation. Seems that Deacon had been pretending to be an elephant and had stuck the hard plastic extention for the shop vac onto his arm. He needed a trunk, you know. Anyway, he put it so far on that he could not get it off. Neither could Noah.

We used our combined intellect, some lubrication, a coat hanger and 20 minutes of precious Sunday morning time to release him from his trunk.

We are just glad we didn't have to involve a saw or an ED copay.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

5 quick things

*I succeeded in cleaning off my kitchen Island that is not really an Island. There is nothing on it. And the stuff that was on it has all been thrown out or put away, not just transfered to another surface. Deacon walked by and said, "What happened to all our stuff?" Then he started brainstorming things we could put on the surface. Because apparently if it is empty, it must be filled.

*Noah has been super husband/super dad all weekend. And he brought me dessert from a place called Truffles and Tortes. Can't go wrong there.

*The baby perfected vaulting out of Roman's crib. He can now officially get out in 2.79 seconds.

*We took the kids on a 3 mile walk in the biting wind. I don't think they will ever willingly get in the stroller again when I say, "let's go on a walk! It will be fun!"

*I spent $100 today at Kohls. I got Noah 2 pairs of jeans, 2 new bras and 13 baby girl outfits, 2 pairs of baby girl pants, shoes for Lincoln and 3 gender neutral baby shirts. And they are all very cute :)

*no, that was not a baby announcement. I just was stocking up my baby shower present drawer. Everyone must have girls or they will not get a present!

*I am now blonde.

I guess that was more than 5 things. If I was numbering them I would have done 1-4 and then 5 a and b.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy St. Valentine's Day Mom!!

We hope you're enjoying sleeping in a little. Dad fed us. He us got dressed. Well, half-dressed. I know we're being kinda loud. Don't blame Dad, he can't really control us. He can barely hope to contain us. We have our own little wills. Or are they big? But that makes it special that we love you!

(I love you too - N)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

In honor of Valentine's Day

I stole this from facebook...

♥ What are your middle names? Christopher and Christine
♥ How long have you been together? known each other about 25 years, unofficially together for 14, officially together for 11, married for 8 1/2
♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating? 14 (please don't check my math. It is all a little sketchy and highly debatable)
♥ Who asked who out? he asked me. I think.
♥ How old are each of you? he is 30, I am 28
♥ Whose siblings do/ did you see the most? mine
♥ Do you have any children together? yes. Deacon, Roman and Lincoln
♥ What about pets? nope. And that will continue.
♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? finding balance between God, our marriage, parenting, friends, family, volunteerism, work, fun, house stuff.
♥ Did you go to the same school? We were in the same homeschool group growing up, different high schools and then we went to the same college
♥Are you from the same home town? No
♥ Who is the smartest? Noah if you are talking strictly about academic intelligence and useless trivia. I excel in other areas of smartness.
♥ Who is the most sensitive? Noah. I hate to admit it but I am kind of unfeeling. Or so I have been told.
♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple? Chipotle. And I finish my burrito faster. We used to eat out a lot of other more fancy places, but we don't have as much time or money anymore, so Chipotle is perfect. [In college it was Chin's Kitchen, a Chinese dive in St. Paul, which is not as divey as it used to be. Highly recommended - N]
♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together? Distances are not my strong point. We were briefly in Canada to the north and briefly in Georgia and Alabama to the south. Oh, and Seattle to the West. We are not really travelers.
♥ Who has the craziest exes? We don't really have exes. But we have both been fairly crazy at various times in our long relationship. [Not really? There are no exes. I've only kissed one girl. No exes. -N]
♥ Who has the worst temper? me
♥ Who does the cooking? I do most of the quanity, he does most of the quality. I have had a domestic bug lately though and have improved a lot.
♥ Who is more social? I used to think I was. But I think it is probably Noah currently.
♥Who is the neat Freak? Neither one. And it is a pity. I am neater then him though. In my own way.
♥ Who is the more stubborn? Wow. I don't know. Maybe Noah? But we are both pretty stubborn. In the family Roman wins.
♥ Who hogs the bed? I do.
♥ Who wakes up earlier? Noah
♥ Where was your first date? We don't know. It is somewhat foggy. Maybe Chin's.
♥ Who has the bigger family? same size, essentially
♥ Do you get/give flowers often? no [Julie doesn't like flowers - not because she doesn't like flowers, but because they're expensive. - N]
♥ How do you spend the holidays? low key. Usually at my parents
♥ Who is more jealous? probably me. At least I admit it more.
♥ How long did it take to get serious? A LONG time, not because we didn't want to. We were just so young...
♥ Who eats more? Noah. But I eat faster so I am always done WAY before him
♥ Who does/ did the laundry? I do.
♥ Who’s better with the computer? Noah
♥ Who drives when you are together? Noah

Additional reader questions may be addressed in the comments section if you'd like to one.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

A Denim Confession

You guys are funny.

My life is somewhat funny.

One of my kids vomited early this morning.

I am now on hyperalert.

They are watching TV on quilts on the couch and floor.

There is a bucket handy and they have all been instructed how to use it.

Seriously, the whole complicated flight-attendantesque dramatized "how to" descriptions.

They are all being sparingly doled out sips of water and crackers. Even though only one threw up and appears fine.

They are grilled every 15 minutes about how their tummies, throats, mouths and chins feel.

The one that threw up says, "great"

The one that wants to continue watching TV says, "not so good."

The baby dances on the table.

I am following them around sanitizing everything with disinfecting wipes

We are on a hug-hold and a kiss-strike

I pat them on their little heads while standing an arms length away.

The denim confession will have to wait.

They are all doing headstands on the floor.

I need to get the steam cleaner on standby.

*keep the homeschool family ideas coming! They are making me laugh. I plan to talk about some of them in a future post!

Monday, February 9, 2009

10 signs you may be a homeschool family

1. Your shower curtain is a fairly accurate world map
2. You learn all the presidents in order on a road trip
3. An accurate representation of the USA is painted on your driveway
4. You have toured every major company and museum in the city
5. You actually have been in your county's historical society
6. You take your kids on a bus for "the experience"
7. Your house is filled with paper, writing utensils and books
8. You let your children melt pens in the oven for art class
9. Your pet is a rooster that you hatched in your very own crock pot
10. You check out a laundry basketful of books from the public library every 3 weeks

I am sure there are 100s more...

What are yours?

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Duct Tape Diapers

1. A couple weeks ago I watched a sappy halmark made-for-TV movie. The mom in it said, "a mother is only as happy as her saddest child." Interesting to think about.

2. I saw a commercial for a show, "In the Motherhood". One of the moms said, "We have been out of diapers for 2 days...we've been using paper towels and tape!"

I laughed and laughed.

Once when we went to pick Lincoln up at my moms, she announced that we hadn't brought enough diapers. (grandmas tend to change babies (and bathe them) more then mommys).

The poor kid was wearing his brothers underwear and a sanitary pad combination.

Definitely more creative (and more effective!) then paper towels and tape.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all

I am just having one of those bad days. I am crabby, so the kids are crabby.

I am tired of the cold.
I am tired of the snow.
I am tired of the whining.
And the snotty noses.

I wish I had a lot of dessert to eat.

And I know here in the world of blog, we are supposed to put a funny or poignant or happy spin on whatever is going on in our lives. But I got nothing for ya.

Thankfully, I have been saving up kid comments for a moment like this:

1. The boys were SO EXCITED to see some grass today. They were all ready to head for the park, winter is OVER! I said it wasn't. Deacon asked if it was going to last for 15 more years. I said that it feels like it, but for everything there is a season.

2. Deacon and Roman were looking at pictures of Deacon right after he was born. Deacon said, "oh look! There is my new penis!" He was kind of in a sitting position Then he looked at the picture more carefully and saw the little yellow clippy on his belly button and decided that the whole thing was probably just a pacifier. Whatever. I didn't weigh in.

3. There is a part in the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything movie where one bad pirate calls the other one a "ninny". Deacon said, "I guess he called him a mini because he is so small." So that is the new ultimate insult at our house...."youuuuu minnniiiii!". Once again, whatever. I didn't correct him.

4. Roman announced that his puggles (Awana 2-3 year olds) group has 2 songs that they sing: 1. Surf's Up and 2. "We are the Puggles that don't do anything".

I gotta check with Teacher Ruby, but I kind of think this is all just in Roman's imagination of a perfect social situation. There are four components: 1. Teacher Ruby 2. The snacks in Teacher Ruby's bag 3. Surfing and 4. Pirates.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

The Baby

The other night (when Noah and I were both sick) Lincoln came bouncing down the stairs, pleased as punch,to announce that he could get out of the pack 'n play. He had slept late during his nap, so we decided to let him stay up a little bit before we re-attempted. Not the best strategy, perhaps, but we were sick.

He sat down with some yellow duplos and started working. (forgive the broomball stick and vaccum cord in the background. The vaccum cord shows some good intention...but a broomball stick indoors?! That does not show good intuition...)

He would stack them up, but if it would break in the process he would take all of his work completely apart and start over. Even if he was just one Duplo away from completion, and the tower just split in two, he would still pull everything apart and start over.

He finally got the last piece to fit

Yeah! It is done! We thought he did a pretty nice job, don't you :) ?


We put our heads together and came up with a new bedtime plan. 2 nights later, it seems to be going well. And Lincoln is even sleeping later in the morning! Look at those matching pajamas!






Monday, February 2, 2009

The Weekend in Review

*the weekend started with Deacon vomiting all over me
*not too many hours later Noah and I were sick too
*then Lincoln decided to climb out of his bed for the first time
*then Lincoln decided to climb out of his bed for the second time and over the babygate for the first time.
*the weekend continued with Noah and I sick and the boys running all over, healthy
*laundry started
*laundry continues
*laundry will continue

oh. and Noah's parents brought over boxes of his old stuff from their house. I am thinking: we have been married for 8 1/2 years. He hasn't needed this stuff in that time, so it is probably not necessary for his life now. I don't think he is going to see it the same way, though.