We survived the trip. Saw the Painted Desert. Saw the Grand Canyon. We've eaten Del Taco, Nico's, Carl's Jr. (not that Hardee's stuff), Boston Market... Ahh. I think the waistband of my jeans are going to start feeling a little snug. Just wait 'til I get to In N Out and Panda Express and... well, you all get the picture.
The kids are loving being around their cousins. It was so awesome to watch Lach and his cousin J. immediately click and be inseparable until the "A" set of cousins left. Laren is loving being in a house with a bunch of little girls. I am just loving getting to see my nieces and nephews. My sisters are as awesome as ever.
The kids are also tired and worn out. Liam got sick when we hit Lancaster. He's been having breathing treatments about every 2 hours.
Combine tired grumpy 3 year old with albuterol and you are having fun!
I'll keep in touch as homeschooling, family, etc. allows.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Serenity Now!
So it's official. We are joining YFC/MYM (referred to as MCYM from now on). There are lots of changes about - and right now the biggest is us moving back to California for a few months. We're going to stay with my sister and her family, so that should be interesting - 12 people under one roof. We are really excited to get all the cousins together (all of my family is in CA and Jon's other sister is right there in town also) and lets just be honest with each other - I'm in it for the food. In-N-Out, Del Taco, Panda Express, Carl's Jr... Don't even get me started about real Mexican food!
The older kids are a little nervous about all this transition. They both have awesome teachers this year and have made some good friends at school - that's going to be hard to leave behind. They are also thrilled about getting to hang out with cousins, seeing what a real beach looks like and more than likely a trip to Disneyland. Our younger 2 don't fully understand what this all means, but they sure like all the excitement.
We are packing up our household, putting it in storage, and (Lord willing and the creek don't rise) leaving next Wednesday. We will be driving cross country with 4 children. If you see a Suburban full of what looks to be asylum escapees - wave - cause that will be us! Liam will be celebrating his 3rd birthday on the road so I'm sure we'll be going overboard in some way to make it all up to him.
I will attempt to update as often as I can.
The older kids are a little nervous about all this transition. They both have awesome teachers this year and have made some good friends at school - that's going to be hard to leave behind. They are also thrilled about getting to hang out with cousins, seeing what a real beach looks like and more than likely a trip to Disneyland. Our younger 2 don't fully understand what this all means, but they sure like all the excitement.
We are packing up our household, putting it in storage, and (Lord willing and the creek don't rise) leaving next Wednesday. We will be driving cross country with 4 children. If you see a Suburban full of what looks to be asylum escapees - wave - cause that will be us! Liam will be celebrating his 3rd birthday on the road so I'm sure we'll be going overboard in some way to make it all up to him.
I will attempt to update as often as I can.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Death
I know that's a depressing title for a post, but it seems appropriate.
Heath Ledger is dead.
I'm sad. I actually cried a couple of tears.
He wasn't my favorite actor. He wasn't someone that had any great impact on my life. It's not like I knew him or thought we had some "connection".
He was a son. He was a brother. He was a father. I think that's what gets to me most - I think about his daughter and my heart breaks. Whether it was an accident or not, she is going to grow up without her dad. A dad that seemed to be very vocal about how amazing and wonderful he thought his daughter was. I ache for that family.
I also hurt for them knowing that once the initial shock has worn off the world will turn and start taking a more callous outlook on his death. It will be a feeding frenzy. Autopsy reports, funerals, the first picture of his daughter after her daddy has died... I would love to be proven wrong but I don't have very high hopes.
Any death is sad, but 28 is so young.
"Matilda is adorable, and beautifully observant and wise. Michelle an I love her so much. Becoming a father exceeds all my expectations. It's the most remarkable experience I've ever had - it's marvelous." [On daughter Matilda and being a father]
"I'm not good at future planning. I don't plan at all. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't have a day planner and I don't have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future." [Heath Ledger]
Heath Ledger is dead.
I'm sad. I actually cried a couple of tears.
He wasn't my favorite actor. He wasn't someone that had any great impact on my life. It's not like I knew him or thought we had some "connection".
He was a son. He was a brother. He was a father. I think that's what gets to me most - I think about his daughter and my heart breaks. Whether it was an accident or not, she is going to grow up without her dad. A dad that seemed to be very vocal about how amazing and wonderful he thought his daughter was. I ache for that family.
I also hurt for them knowing that once the initial shock has worn off the world will turn and start taking a more callous outlook on his death. It will be a feeding frenzy. Autopsy reports, funerals, the first picture of his daughter after her daddy has died... I would love to be proven wrong but I don't have very high hopes.
Any death is sad, but 28 is so young.
"Matilda is adorable, and beautifully observant and wise. Michelle an I love her so much. Becoming a father exceeds all my expectations. It's the most remarkable experience I've ever had - it's marvelous." [On daughter Matilda and being a father]
"I'm not good at future planning. I don't plan at all. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't have a day planner and I don't have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future." [Heath Ledger]
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The thirsty little poopy
the thirsty little poopy
or
it's coming!!
This is what potty training has come to in the household nowadays. I'm still not quite sure what "the thirsty little poopy" means, but I do know that I haven't had to change a dirty diaper/pull up in 2 days. Yes, this is what we mommies get excited about.
We have had a lot of false starts but I think this time might be it! Liam is on the potty more often than not these days. At times it's a little annoying, but there will be no complaints from me. He has also taken it upon himself to instruct me on how to praise him. "Say yay me mommy!"
He isn't just in it for the praise though. We are totally using the bribery method. He is all about the Canny! He get skittles for the #1s and in a kind of disturbing twist - milk duds for #2s.
No wonder he's on the potty all the time.
or
it's coming!!
This is what potty training has come to in the household nowadays. I'm still not quite sure what "the thirsty little poopy" means, but I do know that I haven't had to change a dirty diaper/pull up in 2 days. Yes, this is what we mommies get excited about.
We have had a lot of false starts but I think this time might be it! Liam is on the potty more often than not these days. At times it's a little annoying, but there will be no complaints from me. He has also taken it upon himself to instruct me on how to praise him. "Say yay me mommy!"
He isn't just in it for the praise though. We are totally using the bribery method. He is all about the Canny! He get skittles for the #1s and in a kind of disturbing twist - milk duds for #2s.
No wonder he's on the potty all the time.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
I'm sorry, Bruce. These boys get that syrup in 'em, they get all antsy in their pantsy.
Originally posted on Sunday, November 05, 2005
He has this gift, an evil gift - that he uses for evil purposes. This kid can find trouble anywhere. I mean, I can leave him in his room for a nap, right? There shouldn't be a problem with that at all, right? What do I find when I go in to get him up? He made ancient cave drawings on his walls. We now have our very own hieroglyphics! I have had the kitchen floor wall to wall dog food. I still have some lovely pink marks on the carpet from him applying chapstick to the dry and parched fibers. If there is some mischief to be found, Lucas will sniff it out.
The thing with Luc though, is that once my blood pressure returns to normal and we are having our "talk"? That's when he really starts using his gift to his full potential. "Mommy, you're the bestest mommy in the whole world"!, "I'm sorry mommy, I won't ride Liam like a horsey ever again" all while patting my face and gazing at me with his killer blue eyes. Or the one that really gets me, "I love your eyebrows mommy, do you love my eyebrows"? How does one keep their composure in the face of that?
I want to share with you the reason that I decided to post about our energetic 3 year old. Yesterday my husband called me. He asked about the kids. That was his first mistake. I shared this story with him:
So, yeah... Lucas came in the room earlier and was babbling something about syrup. I didn't understand what he was trying to say and we both kind of gave up on the conversation. Well, I just went into the kitchen and the lid was open on the syrup. I asked Lucas what he had done to the syrup. "Nothing". So I stared at him with my mommy look. "Lucas Ryan, what did you do with the syrup"?
What came next was very difficult for me to describe to Jon over the phone. It isn't much easier to try and type what happened next. So I give you a reenactment:
(Yes, he did make the accompanying chugging sounds)
Jon then made his second mistake: He started laughing like a loon. How do you remain stern about things like that when all you want to do is laugh till you cry?
I'm sorry, Bruce. These boys get that syrup in 'em, they get all antsy in their pantsy.
Out of all our kids I truly think that Luc is the most likely to become a con man.He has this gift, an evil gift - that he uses for evil purposes. This kid can find trouble anywhere. I mean, I can leave him in his room for a nap, right? There shouldn't be a problem with that at all, right? What do I find when I go in to get him up? He made ancient cave drawings on his walls. We now have our very own hieroglyphics! I have had the kitchen floor wall to wall dog food. I still have some lovely pink marks on the carpet from him applying chapstick to the dry and parched fibers. If there is some mischief to be found, Lucas will sniff it out.
The thing with Luc though, is that once my blood pressure returns to normal and we are having our "talk"? That's when he really starts using his gift to his full potential. "Mommy, you're the bestest mommy in the whole world"!, "I'm sorry mommy, I won't ride Liam like a horsey ever again" all while patting my face and gazing at me with his killer blue eyes. Or the one that really gets me, "I love your eyebrows mommy, do you love my eyebrows"? How does one keep their composure in the face of that?
I want to share with you the reason that I decided to post about our energetic 3 year old. Yesterday my husband called me. He asked about the kids. That was his first mistake. I shared this story with him:
So, yeah... Lucas came in the room earlier and was babbling something about syrup. I didn't understand what he was trying to say and we both kind of gave up on the conversation. Well, I just went into the kitchen and the lid was open on the syrup. I asked Lucas what he had done to the syrup. "Nothing". So I stared at him with my mommy look. "Lucas Ryan, what did you do with the syrup"?
What came next was very difficult for me to describe to Jon over the phone. It isn't much easier to try and type what happened next. So I give you a reenactment:
(Yes, he did make the accompanying chugging sounds)
Jon then made his second mistake: He started laughing like a loon. How do you remain stern about things like that when all you want to do is laugh till you cry?
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