For N.T.

Turbo Armstrong Franklin up close and personal.




Eric calls him Taf, for short.

Why Do I Bother?

I thought I was doing so well. I was mentally patting myself on the back this morning as I sorted and put laundry away in my room. Baby and Middle were building with blocks in the other room leaving me undisturbed. I went ahead and dusted in my room too, since I could. When I went out into the living room, this is what greeted me:






There is a price for everything, I guess. I turned and went into the baby's room and found this:

The thing is, I know better. There is never a louder clue to mischief or trouble being committed then silence. Middle helped me clean it all up and it really didn't take long. She had asked to play with the dress up clothes earlier in the morning, so as a reward for her help I went downstairs and got the box for her.

Which caused this:

Someone tell me why I bother? I should just wait until no one in this house is younger then five before I do anything other then laundry and dishes.

PS, right now I am enjoying nap time. Ahhhh.

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Quickly-

• Just to keep everyone updated, the turtle is still alive.
• I remembered the girl scout craft this time.
• My mom made it back home. (boo-hoo)
• I still haven't turned on the heat yet. (Yay)
• Brakes still broke.

See you all tomorrow.

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Talkin' Turtle

All day long, its been the turtle this, the turtle that, the turtle's hungry, do turtles poop, the turtle is looking at me, the turtle will grow to be 50 pounds, look at the turtle now!, see what the turtle just did, turtle, turtle, turtle, turtle!! They can't get enough of this turtle. I really hope it doesn't die.

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S-S-S-Saturday

The older girls went to the circus today with my parents and Mr. had his friends over for a playdate. They sighted in their guns and played in the woods. BOYS! Do they ever grow up? While they were at a lake near our house, they found a turtle and brought it home in a Dunkin' Donuts box. When they pulled into the driveway he was covered in powdered sugar. Needless to say, we have a new pet; Turbo Armstrong Franklin. A more noble turtle there never was. If he can survive in this house for longer then a month I will be shocked.



After the circus, my dad started pulling apart my car. The wheels came off and he found the brake line was snapped.




Also the rotors need some tlc. Also my brake pads are bad. Also I need a drink.

Meanwhile, inside the house, my mom and all the kids were dancing. My mom kept saying, 'How am I going to leave?' or 'What am I going to do when I leave tomorrow without you girls?' Meanwhile, that works both ways. There will be a void next week after having my mom around for four days keeping us company and laughing.

Like I said, mental countdown for their retirement going on in my noggin.

'Whee!'

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Hello.

I have been a bit busier than normal this week due to the fact Tuesday night I picked up my mom and have been hanging out with her each day. The kids are in heaven! A couple of mornings she walked with her dog up to the school and met Miss to walk her into the building. Then she brought and picked up Middle at her school one day. And any time in between she has been playing with Baby. The girls (and I) love having her around all the time and this week has given us a glimpse into the future when she and my dad retire and move up permanently. I just wish they could have been retired six years ago when I was just starting to having my babies and needed the most support and help. When they do make it up here, the girls will all be older, but still little-ish, and my mental state won't be quite as frazzled. I am always envious of moms who have their parents at their disposal for not just nights out, but those times when you need to get stuff done quickly. It's the doctor appointments, DMV lines, field trips with your older kids, Christmas shopping and those days you are sick and can't take of yourself, let alone three small ones. Those are the times I would never have taken for granted and would have appreciated my mom being close by. By the time my parents can help me at those times, the girls will almost be able to run the house on their own! Oh well, at least we get to see them a couple of times a month. And I know there are plenty of women my age that don't have their parents around, for whatever reason. I do realize a lot of moms wish they had the time with their own mom that I have with my mine.
Meanwhile, I will keep a mental countdown of their retirement date in my head!

ALSO, today is my mothers birthday. HAPPY birthday mom! I took her out to dinner and we had yummy cake. I saved you all a piece too, do you want me to mail it to you?


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The Most Helpful Thing...

...is a husband that instinctively knows when to take the kids outside so the mom can accomplish something(s).





No amount of money or pre-planning can replace the guy who knows when enough is enough, and without a word, happily brings his kids outside. Not for half a day, or three minutes. Just that bit of chaotic time after dinner, but before baths start when there are dishes to stack and backpacks to replenish for the next day and laundry to sort and the twenty other mundane but necessary things that need to be done at the witching hour.
That forty or so minutes, people, THAT, is one of the things that makes a man a good husband, and obviously, a good father.

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Meet Henry

Actually, this is actor Eric Bana. But he is playing the role of Henry, a character in one of my favorite books, The Time Traveler's Wife. I don't know how I stumbled upon the website showing pictures of scenes from the movie, but I did. I was so surprised -happily- and shocked to see that it was becoming a movie! I hope they don't fuck it up like so many books-that-turn-movie do. I read this book a while ago and I, like so many times when I read an interesting book, got sucked into the strange and unique plot. I recommend you read this before you see the movie. Or even if you don't see the movie. Beware; only start it when you can read it each day until the end because you could get lost in where you were in the story.
Henry is a time traveler and therefore he is constantly (you guessed it) traveling in time. If you read a quarter of the book and put it down for a week or so, you might not be able to get back in the groove.

Wouldn't it be fun if we all read (or in my case re-read) the book and went together as a big group and saw the movie?! Fantasy only, but I wish. I can already see my husbands' eyes rolling when I tell him I want to go see this! Doesn't matter, I will go alone if need be.


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Hints Of Autumn

No more running outside in flip flops; now it is time for hoodies and shoes that require socks.





Brilliant colors every which way you turn.

Skeleton leaves.

Happy 'First Day of Fall', y'all.

How many days until summer vacation?


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Hot Air Balloon Festival

We went to the annual hot air balloon festival yesterday and the balloons actually took flight. A lot of times weather doesn't permit them to fly, but this year was a perfect weekend for ballooning. Last year the girls only got to see one inflated and immediately deflated. This year was the mother load of lift-offs. Seventy balloons inflated and rose to the heavens all around us! It was one of those days that will be etched in all our memories and retold to others who missed it. Pictures speak louder then words, so have a look:



Bottom view of balloon that just went up-



Middle wishing to grab the above balloon-

It was like we were in a living postcard-

One of our favorites-

I have many more going up on Flickr today, if you're interested.

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Getting Chilly

It was 59.9 degrees this morning inside my house. I am trying to get to October before we use the furnace; I hope I can make it. I get cold easily anyway without frost setting in during our nights. Now is the dreaded time of year of prestarting the car, making sure everyone has their jacket on before we step outside and it puts an end to flip flops.
****I have some fun photos to share but it will have to wait until tomorrow. My internet service has been spotty the past 3 days - I know, shocking! - so I'm not promising anything. ****

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Stumped

Middle (of course) asked me a question last weekend I truely did not know the answer to. She asked how worms have babies. Honestly, I have never given that any thought at all. I told her "I don't know. I know if you cut them I half they will grow new parts." She got real quiet after that, like, does my mom go around ripping worms apart? Should I try it and see for myself? What if I rip the dog apart, will I have two? I was going to look it up for her, but really, do any of us really want to know the answer?


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Unstoppable

I was literally unstoppable today. I mean, I couldn't stop. I mean, my car couldn't stop. In other words, I HAD NO WORKING BREAKS today. NONE.
To back up a bit, late last spring, I knew my breaks were going. I mentioned it to Mr. I waited a couple of weeks and mentioned it again. I few more weeks and I really emphasized how bad my breaks were, and how nervous it made me driving around with HIS kids in a car with lousy breaks. I mean, who cares about me, but the kids? Well last night Eric drove to open house at school. We took my car. As we left the driveway I said, 'My breaks are terrible, right?" to which he sighed and quickly shook his head like I was sooooo annoying already, bugging him about my breaks. So on our way home, he says "Shh, wait!" Why he needed silence, I don't know, but he said, "Your breaks are all of a sudden gone." I gave him a look that spoke a million words- all curse words- but said "Ahh, I've been telling you for months that my breaks were bad, now you just happen to figure it out?" He goes on to explain that on the way down they were bad but now they are really bad and the pedal needed to be pushed almost to the floor. He continues on home, and I call my dad to see if I can use his truck until this gets resolved. Of course he says yes (dad to the rescue!) and Eric tells me to put it in low gear and start breaking long before I need to when we leave for school the next day.
Fast forward to 7:30 this morning. I pull out of the driveway in low gear and test the breaks to see exactly how bad they are and holy shit, there are no breaks! I slowly glide by my neighbors house while trying in vain to pull in their driveway so they could either give Miss a ride to school, or all of us a lift to get my dad's truck. I couldn't stop. I almost cried as I passed their gate knowing it was a lost cause. I was only going about 8 miles an hour and to sum up the rest of the 13 mile ride - let's say I was white knuckled the entire way. We could say I almost pooped my pants about 4 separate times, but that gives a nasty mental picture, so we will just say I was extremely tense and prayed for 13 miles. My prayers were answered as we were not killed and didn't kill anyone else, but LORD! When your wife says the breaks are bad LISTEN to her! It is a car I've had for 8 years!!! I know my car! The breaks gave plenty of notice that they were tired, so don't blame the car.

***And in case you are asking why I didn't take the car myself, I have three answers. Miss. Middle. Baby. Now put them in a waiting room at a garage. Now stir. OK? Not a pretty scene. Unfair to them. AND, Eric said he would be taking care of the maintenance for my car when I told him what happened at the last oil change. How the baby rolled around on the floor and tried to lick the seats. Yeah. ** Also, the last time my car has had an oil change? Last summer when the seat licking happened. Nice.


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Stop Me If I Mention A Perm

All summer I thought about cutting bangs. I would catch a glimpse of my forehead, with wrinkles starting to show, and think- BANGS! What we need here are bangs. So, another week would go by, and another and another with no new bangs. I have a love/hate relationship with bangs. I cut them, then grow them out. Cut. Grow. Over and over. Well, the day before school, after I gave the girls a trim, I just stepped into the bathroom and did it. I don't regret it yet. I left them long so they are always in my eyes. I can hear my great grandmother now, 'Git yer hair outta yer eyes kid!'. (My great grandmother did not speak like that and never uttered those words to me. But it sounded cute, right?) Anyway, I like 'em long. I would not be happy with bangs above my eyebrows. You can always snip a bit more if needed, but it takes days and days for them to grow back. My expert advice in life -about hair- is this: Always leave it long, and go shorter if you want.


I look like I have black pits in my face instead of eyes. I'm creeeeepy!

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It Must Be Monday

**Update** I got the pictures to Flickr if your interested.



I will tell you, in all honesty, I have been very well organized since school started. Yeah, I know this is only the second full week, but I'm on a roll! Three days of the week I'm gone from 7:30 to 3:00, and every other Monday there is my Girl Scout meetings so I don't get in until close to 8, and we still read every Wednesday night at the library. This doesn't factor in my G.S. leaders meetings every month, the kids birthday parties they get invited to (3! ALREADY!), church, preschool field trips and there is always the normal errands to do. So, I am feeling pretty good each night, patting myself on the back because I didn't misplace any of my kids and the dog is getting fed and we have a good supply of food in the house. I rock!

Well, then today happened. The power went out early in the wee hours of the morning. I say to myself, 'Well, you set everything out last night, you just have to make Miss's lunch'. I backed out of house on our way to the car to see if anything was laying there, waiting for me to grab. After a quick scan I left feeling confident that I had it all packed. Fast forward to the baby's nap time. (This is when I do an example of the craft for the Girl Scouts.) 'Huh, must have left that bag in the car.' Nope. Nowhere to be found. After my frantic search, I remembered seeing it on the counter last night. Talk about frustration! I made a special trip to the craft store this weekend to get this crap, and now I'm screwed! To go buy something again was not possible, the store was too far and there was not enough time. I burned a few holes in my brain and came up with marshmallow building. The girls really got into it, and each one was so unique! Some stuck with people, and some made impressive structures with lots of angles.

At least I have a craft ready for our next meeting.


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I've been trying for 20 minutes to upload the picture, but the internet/blogger isn't cooperating. Maybe tomorrow.


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She Didn't Get It

Middle: Mom, can I eat this in there? Please, I can't see Spongebob if I sit here!

Me: You can't eat your cake and watch Spongebob too.
Haha hee hee ha ohhh, I'm funny!

T-T-T-Tantrum

They should put a warning on the label:




When administered to toddler, side-effects may include,

Screaming, hitting, kicking, head butting and,

gigantic, unreasonable tantrum throwing.

The medicine? Anti-itch cream.

(And no, it doesn't burn or sting. This is what is called being 22 months old. If you touch her when she doesn't want to be touched you should be wearing protective gear.)

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"Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children." - President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Beginning of the End

Veggie Pizza

Uncooked in photo.



From garden: Zucchini
Squash
Onion
Green Pepper
From grocery: Crust
Sauce
Cheese
Spinach
Results: None left
Happy tummies.



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Her Turn

Today was Middles' first day of preschool. She was more then ready for school to start. Because of her birth date, she actually could have started kindergarten this year. I decided against it after talking with her teacher last year and remembering all the conversations I had with other teachers who are against it. Teachers of all grades always end up saying the same thing: if you rush your child into school, it will catch up with them eventually. Either right away, and they will get held back, but usually the age difference catches up with them around the 5th to 8th grade years. The kids a full year older start developing both physically and emotionally, while your younger child is left behind. Intellectually she might keep up, but socially she would be a bit slower.





I say, what's the rush? I love having her home with me but more than that, she will be in school for soooo many years to come, why bring it on her a year earlier then necessary? I cherish these years, they are so fleeting. I know that so much changes in elementary school and I want to keep my kids carefree as long as possible.

It was a beautiful day today, a perfect day for preschool to start. She got to hold the hermit crabs, and had a snack, and she played on the playground. Life was good for her today. She was very proud of herself, and I am very proud of her.

Do you see her second in line up there? She was right on it! They couldn't walk through the doors fast enough for her! I, on the other hand, was a bit melancholy. I'm happy to have a healthy girl, growing up to meet these milestones, yet sad to see another part of her childhood ending.

Lazy

After church we came home, ate lunch, and then I took a nap for over two hours today. TWO HOURS! I slept longer then the baby and never did any outside stuff like I had wanted to . Eric took the kids hiking in the woods all afternoon, which explains why I was able to sleep, and the only accomplishment I achieved all day was sorting laundry. Now my chances of sleeping well tonight are slim, so I will most likely be grumpy tomorrow - just a warning in case you run into me some where.

It All Caught Up To Her

This week of risin' and shinin' with her sisters, then shuffling off to school has really taken a toll on Baby Mouse. This morning she conked out right on the floor at 10:30 this morning, a good three hours before her usual nap time.

And yes, I left her sleeping right there, along side the dog, in front of the TV in the living room. Ya don't mess with a good thing, people.

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Quiche - And A Rant

I made this yummy spinach and ham QUICHE for dinner last week. ( BTW, don't you love saying the word QUICHE?) I just have nothing much to talk about tonight, so I hunted the picture down and thought, "Hmm, nothing much to say tonight, might as well talk about food!" I always love to talk about food. Not as much as I like to eat it, but I enjoy a good recipe exchange, or food prep tip. If it weren't for all these kids running around I could definitely see myself doing grand experiments in the kitchen with exotic ingredients and keeping a fat notebook stuffed with my findings. Alas, I have picky eaters, and am a bit picky myself, but that doesn't stop me from making things I wouldn't eat. I just don't go all crafty too often. My husband enjoys good food. And also, not so good food. (Velveeta anyone? Canned meat? Spray cheese!) He enjoys eating, lets just say, and is always ready for something new. I like to make him something and watch his face for the true reaction. I can't get him on a super hungry day though, 'cause he just inhales it and when I ask him "So, how did it taste?" He's all "Uhh, taste?"

So anyway, enough beating around the bush, I'm mad that food costs are rising so high so fast. Just like the gas prices. I can't make or try new recipes lately because, I can't justify spending money on an itty bitty jar of some kind of spice when milk is about four dollars a gallon. We go through almost three gallons a week. More if I make cookies. I have to pick carefully and weigh my options more and more. I am not one to serve chicken nuggets or fish sticks every week. Not that I never do, but only once a month or so. When I feel lazy. When I am running on the fringe of sanity or if I have a meeting and tell Eric, "Heat up some chicken nuggets and give them some baby carrots." That's when I do. I usually have one night of leftovers during the week and other than that, I cook.

I hope prices start leveling off or I don't know what I will do. I have growth spurts to deal with, a hungry man every night and they can't survive on small portions to off set the large price tags. I know I am not the only one with these problems, I overhear other conversations circling around these same issues, so at least I know I'm not alone.

What do you do to spread your dollar?

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Cheeseheads

Aaaaaaand She's Off!

I do have front shots of Miss today on her first day of school, honest. But, this seemed to sum it all up. I was trailing behind her the whole way to the car this morning, then again on our way into the school. It was a zoo there, and I kept having to tell her to wait up. She had an awesome day, loved her teacher and can't wait until tomorrow. Monday, I will be doing all again with Middle.

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Skool Daze

More than on New Years eve, I always viewed the night before school as the end of an old year. The next morning I would wake up, and there would be a clean slate. A new beginning. Each September I always thought, this is the year that everything will be different. This year I will be the perfect student, ideal friend, homework will be done on time, my tan will last until November and of course, nothing bad will happen. I would wake up positive and hopeful. Then I would get to school, compare schedules with my friends, hear awful stories about the teachers I had been assigned to and my resolve would be shaken. By the time October came around, it was the same old, same old and my 'resolutions' would be buried in the back of my mind, along with due dates and last years locker combination.
Even though I'm long since out of school, I now have kids that have their first day each September, and I can't help but get those mental resolution lists in my head, even still. Now a days I think, 'I will be so prepared this year! We will never have a rushed morning, I will not run out of bread for sandwiches, clothes will be picked and set out the night before, homework will be in the backpack and ready to be turned in, and we will be peaceful and relaxed EVERY morning!' I know these are just pipe dreams, but I'm still hopeful. Even if I can accomplish just a couple of these goals this year, it is better than nothing. I mean, a girl can dream, can't she?


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