Vampires, feather dusters and visits, oh my!
The boys and I had lunch with Gammy one day last week. As we sat at the table Wy slowly turned into a wild man. He was trying to climb onto the table, he was trying to climb behind me on my chair. He was doing gold medal dinning room chair gymnastics. I finally barked at him "WYATT! You are being super naughty!" He grinned at me and calmly said "Yup. I am." Then he went back to his lunchtime attempt at a triple Salchow.
Later that afternoon the boys let me know that we had lost Toby the steam tram. Jack thought we left him at the restaurant. I circled back around so we could check with our waiter. No luck. Jack was absolutely sure we had left Toby there. He checked all around our table, under the seats, he asked the waitress again if she had seen Toby. He didn't believe her so he began describing Toby in detail to her. I had to tell him Toby was not there and started to head to the door. Jack threw his hands in the air and said "Well, Mommy, Toby is in outer space."
Devlyn found one of my wedding pictures. She liked it so much she bit it. Twice. She bit the top of the frame and the bottom of the frame and left the imprint of her teeth in both locations. It looks like a little baby vampire was trying to get to the two people inside the picture frame.
Devon and I were running errands with the three little ones. I don't know what we were talking about but Jack piped in with "Mommy, you are my butterfly." Just when I was feeling like I had a soft caramel center Wy spoke up "Mommy, you are a cheeky little engine!"
We aren't sure if it was Jack, Devlyn, or Wyatt but one of them nearly burned the house down. I guess if you follow the chain of blame all the way back it leads to me, but how was I to know that one of the children under 4 was going to turn on my new table lamp and then set my synthetic feather duster on top? Abby noticed that something smelled like it was burning. She told Jess. Jess told dad. They followed their noses to my living room - Thank GOD the thing wasn't in flames as that lamp was right next to floor length curtains. I honestly cannot believe that the only things destroyed by this episode were the duster and the actual light bulb in the lamp. OK - the house was stinky all evening, but stinky goes away - I'll take stinky over burnt down house any day.
The big news of the week was our visit from Jude and company! The final proceedings were in Iowa yesterday which is what brought Jude and family through KC for the weekend. We had a lovely time and even had the opportunity to meet Jude's God parents!
(If you want to see more photos of Jude, go over to Linky Dinks on my sidebar, click on My Shutterfly and select March 2010 Jude's visit.)
Devon set up an appointment for us (and by us I mean 19 of us) at a photo studio where we had our pictures done. I was surprised at how quickly the session moved along considering how many kids we have! What I found most interesting though was our photographer. This fella could not stop adjusting anything and everything between his belt and the bottom of his briefs. It was like watching a pitcher communicate to his catcher; scratch, bump, touch, shake a leg, tug, squeeze a cheek...The only time this guy wasn't messing with something personal was when he had both hands on his camera. I stood there mesmerized and shaking with laughter. I was so bad that my sisters asked what was wrong with me - and I was evil enough to share it. Finally we had everyone just watching this guy.
Once I track down the CD with all the photos on it, I will post a few from our session. They came out great.
That does it for me this week, friends. Love and blessings to you all!
Love,
Owenland Park
Later that afternoon the boys let me know that we had lost Toby the steam tram. Jack thought we left him at the restaurant. I circled back around so we could check with our waiter. No luck. Jack was absolutely sure we had left Toby there. He checked all around our table, under the seats, he asked the waitress again if she had seen Toby. He didn't believe her so he began describing Toby in detail to her. I had to tell him Toby was not there and started to head to the door. Jack threw his hands in the air and said "Well, Mommy, Toby is in outer space."
Devlyn found one of my wedding pictures. She liked it so much she bit it. Twice. She bit the top of the frame and the bottom of the frame and left the imprint of her teeth in both locations. It looks like a little baby vampire was trying to get to the two people inside the picture frame.
Devon and I were running errands with the three little ones. I don't know what we were talking about but Jack piped in with "Mommy, you are my butterfly." Just when I was feeling like I had a soft caramel center Wy spoke up "Mommy, you are a cheeky little engine!"
We aren't sure if it was Jack, Devlyn, or Wyatt but one of them nearly burned the house down. I guess if you follow the chain of blame all the way back it leads to me, but how was I to know that one of the children under 4 was going to turn on my new table lamp and then set my synthetic feather duster on top? Abby noticed that something smelled like it was burning. She told Jess. Jess told dad. They followed their noses to my living room - Thank GOD the thing wasn't in flames as that lamp was right next to floor length curtains. I honestly cannot believe that the only things destroyed by this episode were the duster and the actual light bulb in the lamp. OK - the house was stinky all evening, but stinky goes away - I'll take stinky over burnt down house any day.
The big news of the week was our visit from Jude and company! The final proceedings were in Iowa yesterday which is what brought Jude and family through KC for the weekend. We had a lovely time and even had the opportunity to meet Jude's God parents!
(If you want to see more photos of Jude, go over to Linky Dinks on my sidebar, click on My Shutterfly and select March 2010 Jude's visit.)
Devon set up an appointment for us (and by us I mean 19 of us) at a photo studio where we had our pictures done. I was surprised at how quickly the session moved along considering how many kids we have! What I found most interesting though was our photographer. This fella could not stop adjusting anything and everything between his belt and the bottom of his briefs. It was like watching a pitcher communicate to his catcher; scratch, bump, touch, shake a leg, tug, squeeze a cheek...The only time this guy wasn't messing with something personal was when he had both hands on his camera. I stood there mesmerized and shaking with laughter. I was so bad that my sisters asked what was wrong with me - and I was evil enough to share it. Finally we had everyone just watching this guy.
Once I track down the CD with all the photos on it, I will post a few from our session. They came out great.
That does it for me this week, friends. Love and blessings to you all!
Love,
Owenland Park
Thomas and The Missing Trains
Thomas and The Missing Trains and Engines and Machines.
One day on the Island of Sodor, Thomas was looking for machines. "I can't find them anywhere!" But he found a dozer. He found Jack the machine. But where was Alfie? Alfie was nowhere, but Thomas found Byron and Jack. But Alfie was going to the smoker's yard with Trevor. But then there was trouble. Diesel 10 was there. Then Jack and Trevor said "GASP, I don't love you Diesel 10." And Diesel 10 said "I'm going to get you!" and Trevor said "AAAAHHHH" Then Diesel 10 went the wrong direction so Diesel was on the Big Big Bridge and he was like "OOOHHH" and the bridge broke and Diesel was in the water going far away to Wonderland. And then when he got in Wonderland he saw friends that were mans. They were going to eat him, but they were just friendly. So Diesel asked his friends in Wonderland to build a track. Then he popped on the track and then he got back on the bridge and found Trevor. But Alfie was back at the smoke person's yard. And then they heard a crack. It was a crack from Stanley. It was a loud giant crack. "That might be the giant." said Trevor. It wasn't. It was just Stanley. And then "The end."
One day on the Island of Sodor, Thomas was looking for machines. "I can't find them anywhere!" But he found a dozer. He found Jack the machine. But where was Alfie? Alfie was nowhere, but Thomas found Byron and Jack. But Alfie was going to the smoker's yard with Trevor. But then there was trouble. Diesel 10 was there. Then Jack and Trevor said "GASP, I don't love you Diesel 10." And Diesel 10 said "I'm going to get you!" and Trevor said "AAAAHHHH" Then Diesel 10 went the wrong direction so Diesel was on the Big Big Bridge and he was like "OOOHHH" and the bridge broke and Diesel was in the water going far away to Wonderland. And then when he got in Wonderland he saw friends that were mans. They were going to eat him, but they were just friendly. So Diesel asked his friends in Wonderland to build a track. Then he popped on the track and then he got back on the bridge and found Trevor. But Alfie was back at the smoke person's yard. And then they heard a crack. It was a crack from Stanley. It was a loud giant crack. "That might be the giant." said Trevor. It wasn't. It was just Stanley. And then "The end."
A great day for an Icie-Pop!
Jess took the kids out to play in the back yard yesterday. I have no idea whose idea it was nor why anyone had the idea to suck on icie-pops while playing outside in the cold, but these are kids we are talking about here...
Hope something makes you smile.
Love, from Owenland Park
Hope something makes you smile.
Love, from Owenland Park
"That's my Jesus stick!"
Devon stopped at the Salvation Army one day this week and found the slippers Jack has on here for something crazy like $1.25. Jack wore them 3 days straight, taking them off only to change into or out of pajamas. He was kind enough to give his little brother his "old" Thomas slippers. Wy could care less, he is in 7th heaven with his very own Thomas slippers!Jack and I were talking about his birthday coming up. He is still working hard on understanding any timeline beyond tomorrow - so the fact that I said his birthday was "in a few weeks" was no help to him. He kept asking me "Is it after this day?" I told him it was after a lot of days. We counted days on our fingers. I showed him calendars. None of it made sense to him. He wouldn't leave it alone and I finally said "Oh, Jack! I'm not talking about it anymore!" He threw his hands up in the air and said "Fine! I'll leave you alone!"
Jack, Devlyn & Wyatt are very into sliding down the steps. They will sit on the top step and try to sort of scoot/slide their way down step by step. Someone always winds up sliding all the way down the steps and wounding themselves, but this doesn't stop them from going at it again the next day...Mom & Wy were hanging out together in the dining room last week. I don't know what they were doing, but mom says suddenly they heard Jack crying in the downstairs living room. Wy put down his things as he gasped and said "My bruver needs me!" Then he ran away to take care of his "bruver."
The kids are all settling into their new rooms. The boys really love their room. They don't particularly enjoy being sent to their room for time out - but Wy has discovered what he thinks is his revenge. He dumps out the toy box, the dresser drawers and empties the book shelves until his room is a disaster. This is rather upsetting to poor Jack. He is invariably the one who finds the mess. He finds me and tells me how "Wyatt ruined EVERYTHING."
Jess told me that Wyatt came into the living room chewing on a kid's rosary - the kind with the large wooden beads. She asked him why he was chewing on the rosary and he told her he was just playing. She told him it was her rosary and he said "NO!" (He & Jack have one just like it, but this one was indeed Jessica's.) He started to walk off with it and she took it from him. "Wyatt, this is MY Crucifix." She told me that he looked at her and screamed "NO! THAT'S MY JESUS STICK!"
Look who is growing up so fast. Anyone wanna take a long term bet that Jack will be taller than his daddy?Wish me peace and quiet on my 2 week stay-cation, friends!
Love and blessings,
Owenland Park.
P.S. Thank you for the prayers for my friends!
My left chi
Jack has been having bad dreams this last week. His bad dreams is that "No one will EVER get me a Thomas turn-table." He still loves to do his homework and actually asks each day if he can sit down with me for some homework. He stabbed himself in the eye the other day with his homework pencil. As he was trying to show me which eye was hurting, he stabbed himself again. I felt horrible that it was so hard to not sit there and laugh at his little comedy of errors. A few days ago I heard a minor ruckus upstairs. I didn't go tromping up to see what happened. I figured I would wait it out and see if anyone started to cry or fight. I only had a few seconds of silence before I heard Jack quietly calling out "Mommy, my chi hurts." I asked him to repeat himself and he said "My left chi hurts." I smiled and asked if we needed to work on opening his chakras. He pointed to his face and said "Mommy, vat's not funny. I told you my left chi hurts." I still wanted to make cracks about opening up his chakras, but he's four.
If you, dear reader, are interested in opening up any of your chakras, you can go to: www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/chakratest.php (I can't get a link to post in this silly blog.)
I cut the boys' hair on Sunday. Jack agreed to the ordeal only after he negotiated for a slinky. Wy wasn't having it until I mentioned chocolate. He stopped on a dime and said "OK." He was only calm as long as he had a chocolate in his mouth and one in his hand at all times.
Every Monday morning I spend a good long while working up a menu and grocery list for the whole week. In an attempt to save money on the grocery bill, I try to figure out meals that don't have too many ingredients, have inexpensive ingredients, are foods that the kids MIGHT eat and keep some variety going. Feeding 10-11 people healthful meals on a LOW budget is very challenging. Once I put all the groceries away, my menu gets posted on the refrigerator.
My two favorite things about this menu are: 1. I don't have to figure out what I'm going to cook after a long day and 2. The kids aren't bugging me about "what's for dinner?" They just look at the menu! We operate off of this menu so much that Jack will ask me "What is for breakfast?" I tell him and he replies with "Is that on the menu?" What is everyone else's favorite part about the menu? Friday night. I work nearly every Friday night and have found the fam really likes to get out from under my menu thumb when I am away. I now have Friday night's dinner listed as "GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD" and allow the family to pick/purchase/prepare dinner that night. 90% of the time that means a call to Pizza Hut.
Wy has discovered that the bottom shelf of my little kitchen island is a perfect hiding spot. He loves to pull all the lunchboxes out onto the floor so he can crawl into his little spot. He and Jack remind me of the cats - whenever Libby finds a new cozy spot in which to doze, Gracie makes her move and takes over the newly discovered hang out.
Before I go, please pray for two friends of mine. One is going through serious health issues with her father and the other is going through serious health issues with her child. My heart aches for both of these women.
Blessings on you and yours,
Owenland Park.
Jess' mask
Jess is studying Romeo & Juliet in her English class. The teacher asked each student to pick a character and create a mask. Here is the beginning of Jess' mask for Romeo. She picked red, gold and yellow sequins and feathers to symbolize the "fiery nature of Romeo's passion for Juliet" as she put it. She says her teacher was impressed with the finished mask. From what Jess tells us, a lot of the other kids used paper plates as the base for their masks.Wy came down with pink eye the other weekend. I have no idea how he got it. I bless the Dr. who didn't want to drag us out to the office that Saturday morning in the ice - he just called in an RX. Getting Wy to endure the eye drops was a Herculean feat. We finally managed to get him to cooperate by popping chocolate in his mouth and hold him down long enough to get a drop in each eye.
What I found super puzzling was the fact that Wy had an uber crusty case of it but all the other kids were fine...That is until 3 days later when Devlyn came down with a puffy faced version that looked like we had been punching her only she hadn't bruised. Then the next morning Jack's eyes were crusted over...All 3 kids suffered5 days of eye drops in the morning and at bedtime. We went through a lot of chocolate.
Jack went to see Life on the Mississippi with me on Saturday. He ran a few sound cues in the booth. You should have seen his head whip around when he ran a boat whistle sound cue - this cue sounds EXACTLY like his train whistles. He begged and begged to do it again. I told him he had to wait till the show was over and he could run it as much as he wanted. We had our archival photo shoot after the show that day and I let Jack run that sound cue between each set up. The cast thought it was so funny how happy and bouncy Jack would get every time he ran the cue. It was very nice of them to put up with that. Later that evening, John and I took Jack to see Around the World in 80 Days at the Rep. I got pretty worried that we would have to leave as he started getting pretty squirrely near intermission and throughout Act II. Then as we were leaving, the couple in front of us commented on how well behaved he was! Jack said his favorite parts were the super loud boat's whistle and what he called 'the banging part' This was the big gun battle in act 2.
Please say a some prayers for my friend Shannon and her family. Shannon's dad had three heart attacks in 36 hours and is having a valve replaced and a triple bypass on Monday.
My little nephew, Noah was helping his daddy fix breakfast last weekend when he slipped his hand past his dad and laid it palm down on the piping hot glass top stove. The little guy has a large 2 degree burn covering his palm.
Jack & Wy got little blasa wood models for Christmas. John helped Jack put together his jet enjine weeks ago. Poor Wy has been waiting patiently for us to help him with his race car. I finally sat down with him last night and we put it together. The directions were so utterly un-helpful and confusing that I thought my brain was going to explode. Anyway, Wy named his car Frankenstien, said we would paint it orange and then he was going to drive me to the candy store. I thought this was a brilliant idea as I deserved a piece of candy after all the brain trauma I endured in putting that car together.Jack is still doing 'homework' nearly every day. He has discovered the Instrument point. For days I had no idea what he was talking about, until he was reading something to me and he ended the sentence by saying "instrument point" He meant exclamation point.
I hope to be get back to more informative and regular updates. I have had a couple of rough weeks and my spirits have been low. Lucky for me I have the best guy in town and he has some great shoulders for my tired head.
Love and blessings,
Owenland Park.
