Fun with Pictures

I was re-doing the Playgroup's information page last night and decided to add some "oompf" to it. I wanted pictures of the kiddos playing, examples of the fun we have, without full-on face shots because the information page is public. A few of the pictures do have faces in them, but I came up with a creative way to take attention away from them. It's not an original idea per se... it is colorful, though!

Horsin' Around

Earlier this week we visited a friend and her daughter at the brand new house. They just finished building it and moving in. They are an army family like us, and the dad is in Iraq just like ours is.

Their new house sits on 10 acres, enough room for 4 horses and 2 donkeys to run and play. Drew and Hunter got to ride a horse named Belle. Louisa did, too, but she didn't want me to take pictures of her. She's too big-girl for that stuff now.

Drew and Hunter had a blast, though. Neither one was scared at all. My friend led the horse around and the boys sat on the saddle very well. She went into a full trot with Drew, but he said he preferred the slower pace.

I don't know too many people who can keep up with Drew and his non-stop chatter, but this friend can. Her and Drew and Belle walked in circles for a long time and talked about horses and how to ride them and care for them.

Louisa got to spend the night and learn how to wash and brush a horse. When we came back the next day the girls had braided Belle's mane! She also got to lead the horses.

They have another horse named Waylon who is still a teenager. He's a bit feisty still and they don't attempt to ride him too often yet. He needs to be broken, yet he's part Arabian which means it will be quite a task to break him. My friend loves his wild side and doesn't want to do too much to take that out of him. She told us not to pet him or get behind him, but Louisa with no fear walked right up to Waylon and pet his nose. She talked softly to him and kept petting him. After that he followed her around. Future "horse whisperer"?

Now of course she's begging for horse lessons. We've been around this circle before. Our friend's neighbor does give lessons for pretty cheap.... so..... we'll have to see.

Until then, here's a few pictures of the boys and Belle.

Soul Searching

I taught Vacation Bible School last week at a church we don't even belong to. The program they used sounded amazing, so I signed the kids up. It's run by the LifeWay Christian stores and it was called Outrigger Island (I didn't actually know what an "outrigger" was until last week). After I signed the kids up the director asked if I knew anyone who could teach because she needed volunteers. I said, "Um... I have 7 years of Sunday school experience...." She said, "Oh great because I have no 3rd or 4th or 5th grade teachers!"
I taught 4th grade so that I could have Louisa in my class. (Next time I think I'll teach a different class!) We had a blast! I had 20 kids in my class and they were amazing. The faith these kids had was inspiring. I loved going every day. I enjoyed preparing the lesson plans and teaching them the word of God and that Jesus is God's son! I loved that I got through to so many of them, and how much they all taught me. One boy who I spent time working with told the youth director on the last day that he was ready to take Jesus into his heart. I don't "get" the whole born-again thing, but I can't tell you how happy it made me that this boy knew his time was right! I really felt God working in this church. I left every day just so emotionally drained, so I know God was working in me, too.
Drew, Louisa, and Hunter had a great week as well. Drew was in a class of 1st graders. We knew his teacher because she's in our playgroup, so I didn't have to worry about him. I knew he was going to be fine. He had a friend in the class, and made a few more. I asked his teacher at the end of the week if he did okay and was he up to par with the rest of the first graders. After all, my homeschooling methods were a tad unconventional and didn't consist of sitting at a table doing worksheets. Her reply, "Oh my gosh, he's so far beyond those kids! He was quick witted, he *got* everything I was saying, his reading far surpassed the kids.... He'll be fine in school next year!" Whew! That's a relief! She also said that she could tell when he got bored because he'd act up, so I need to keep on those teachers next year to keep him busy.
Hunter was in a little 2-year-old room. He already knew his teacher as well. She was one half of the couple who were Drew's cub scout leaders this year. We spent a lot of time with her and Hunter was comfortable with her. That didn't stop him from crying when I left, though. He clung to me both Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday the other teacher in the room ran up to him when she saw him and said, "Hunter! I'm so excited to see you this morning!" and that was enough to get him off my leg and holding her hand as he waved good-bye to me. Then Thursday and Friday he gave me hugs and kisses and he was off in a dash. The 2-year-olds had a curriculum just like us older kids did. They had crafts and songs and "dummied-down" verses.

Now my conflict. This church is Southern Baptist, or So Bap as I like to say! I'm from the north. We don't have So Bap churches up there. What we do have is a bunch of ultra conservative Christians running around telling us that my family's centuries old Irish Catholic foundation is wrong. I don't like to be told what's wrong. Especially when it comes from a person and not the Bible, and when it pertains to something that we can trace back for centuries in our family. I may have given up my Catholic ways, but most of my mom's family hasn't. I grew up with a good, Catholic grandmother who I know is floating around in heaven as I sit here and type. But up north, these ultra conservative Christians like to tell us the Catholic faith is wrong. They teach their youth that God doesn't reside in "dead" churches like Catholic and Lutheran. Another faith very close to my heart.
So I come down here and there's this church with the word "Baptist" in the title. I'm not sure because up north I heard so many bad things about Baptists. I'm confused. But this church seems very nice. I know so many people who go here. People from all walks of life, people I've met here on the army base, people I see every day. And the things this church teaches really makes sense. And yes I've given my heart to Jesus, and yes I live every day walking the walk and talking the talk. I minister to children and I talk to my friends and I give to anyone who needs anything and I'm an obedient wife and daughter and .... yes I do all I can do.
So what's stopping me? What is holding me back from just checking this church out and giving it a chance?
I have some praying and soul searching to do. And I need to stop making "Baptist" a bad word in my head.

Just Another Day

Well, another holiday without Husband around. So I guess it's just kinda.... "a day". Like any other Sunday. I'm not too worried about missing holidays with him (not like people give us much sympathy anyway!) What I really miss is all the little things. Holidays, birthdays, I could give or take. I just want the small things back.
Him watching the kids while I ran to the store for just one thing.
Or him hitting the store on the way home from work.
Him taking the kids to the park so I could rest, relax, or get a few things done around the house.
Him getting a few things done around the house for me because he works SO much faster than I do!
Us staying up late watching movies together.
Us going out for lunch dates while the kids are at school.
Having someone to vent or complain to any time I need it.
Having someone who understands me so well that so many things can go unspoken.

I could go on for ages with all the small details I miss. I notice them more and more as time goes on. We're not even at the halfway mark yet. It's been 6 months, we've still got 9 to go! Whoever put this 15 month deployment into effect is obviously a sadist. No one else in their right mind would send these guys to a combat zone for that long. Away from families, away from comforts of home.... away from me.

True Heroes Do Still Exist

I have such an amazing story to share! I've received one of the greatest honors ever, and I'm so excited to write about it.
Almost 2 years ago I participated in a blogging event called Project 2,996. A 9/11 victim was randomly picked for me to write a tribute for, and I was lucky enough to get a firefighter named Lt. John Napolitano II. My tribute, while not one of the best of those written that year, struck the heart of one particular individual. John Napolitano Sr.
Last week Mr. Napolitano emailed me saying he's visited my blog, and specifically the tribute for his son, several times. He wanted to thank my family and my husband for picking up the banner where his son left it off. He's shared with me through two emails and a letter that he wrote shortly after 9/11 to a service member about to deploy for the first time, his strong love and admiration for his son and friends of family who died on September 11, 2001. He was friends with many of the first responders who didn't make it back out of the towers that day.
John Sr. himself was part of the crew who, without ever being asked, dove headfirst into a pile of rubble looking for loved ones, friends, strangers, survivors. He and his childhood best friend went back day after day. Helping, praying.
Of all the heroics John II performed in his many years of firefighting, up to his last day, he learned it from somewhere. And I am so honored to have contact with the man he learned it from.

Small people, Big world

Yesterday we took our friend Andrea and her baby Colton to the airport. They live here on the army base with us, but are from Portland so they flew home to be with family for the summer. They'll be back mid-August. We'll miss them! If we're not hanging out with them, we're on the phone. If we're not on the phone talking, we're texting, or emailing.
Not that I don't have a plethora of other friends to hang out with. But Andrea's that one friend that you can call up and she's always ready to go shopping (at good ole WalMart!), or out to eat, or we can come over to her house any time with food, or ordering pizza, watching movies... whatever. So I'll miss that one friend to call when we just want to "hang" and don't need a reason.
After we dropped them off we stopped by a memorial with old WWII to Vietnam era military planes. We've driven by it countless times to and from the airport, but this time we could actually stop and look. They made us feel very small. Small people in a big world that constantly confuses us.
Drew and Louisa are my little sign readers. They take after their Gramps. My dad will stop to read any informational sign he finds. Going to zoos or museums with him can be... um... interesting. And time consuming. Believe me, I'm not complaining. I realize that by inheriting this trait, they'll also become as knowledgable about world events as my dad is. Drew kept running up to me, "Mom, come read about this one it got struck by lightning!", "Mom, come see this one, it flew in World War Two!" (which to him is the time equivalent of the Revolutionary War!)
I had my camera with so I could have a few pictures of Colton and Andrea before they left. Since the camera is an actual extention of my body, it's always ready and able to buzz to life and get to work.
There's not much that makes you feel smaller than a very large aircraft hovering above your head!

Mom's Night Out?

So, you mean to tell me that moms actually get away.... withOUT their children? Hogwash! I've never heard of it.
What you're saying is I can go to dinner and a movie without yelling at the kids to eat their food sit in their chair be quiet so mommy can think please don't stick the straw up your nose and no the fork doesn't go up there either no you can't have a large popcorn and soda I have no idea why it costs eleven dollars for one large soda but I'm not buying it and no you can't have a four dollar box of candy please don't tell me you have to pee in the middle of the movie I'm not taking you you'll have to wait I don't care if you pee your pants stop talking so loud you're disturbing people around you stop making the chair next to you wiggle back and forth oh my gosh you did not just spill your eleven dollar soda!!!!!?
Wow! If that's true, and this fantasy night really does exist, I'm going!

And so I went.
Saturday night, Mom's Night Out! I got to sit in a restaurant with other (get this) "grown-ups", and not once did I have to tell them to clean their plate! And I got to talk about things like shaving legs, and mommy 'n daddy time.... I mean "sex" (and yes, I got to say the actual word without whispering!), and oh my gosh all the other subjects that are a big no-no around young'ins who enjoy repeating everything I say. It was fabulous!
And speaking of "fabulous", I saw a movie with the word "Sex" in the title! I got to enter the movie theatre, without chasing anyone off the video games, and sit down.... by myself! Even better.... I watched a movie without missing half of it because someone has to go to the bathroom.... 5 times.

It was heaven!

Ahh... Summertime!

Whether summertime makes you think of watermelon, beaches, or bbq chicken, down here in Loosiana, it's officially here! And it's hot. And muggy. And the bugs are out in full force. And did I mention... HOT?!

Today was Louisa's last day of school. She flew through the year with straight A's and is now a 5th grader! I'm one proud little mama!

Drew is going to do some more lessons throughout the summer. We will do a fun "summer school" sort of program. Mid-afternoon here is too hot to play outside anyway. Most kids go in around noon and come back out after dinner. We can use that time constructively. Hopefully.

There is a school that is not in our school district that I'm going to try and get the kids in next year. I can't in good conscience send them to the schools they're actually slated to attend. Neither one would get the schooling they deserve. It's difficult living in a state where the school system is so far below any standard you're used to. One of the downfalls of being a military family and moving around so much, especially if you can't afford private schools and the kids don't respond to homeschooling. People don't understand what the schools are like here. They don't believe the stories I tell about the understaffed, underfunded schools my kids have to attend. So, we're praying that we get the kids in the school we are applying for.

Back to summer! I'm off to eat my corn on the cob that I grilled... all by myself! Because yes, I grill a mean burger, without the help of a husband :)

That's Mrs. Head-Playgroup-Organizer to you!

Yes, I'm officially the new playgroup Organizer. And for my first act of duty I'll panic, bother the old organizer relentlessly, and chew my fingernails in worry! I'm slowly realizing I may not be cut out for this. Okay, quickly realizing. It sounded like a fun idea until I actually took over... less than a week ago.

We have our own website that can be found here. If you are thinking of starting a group that needs a calendar to post it's activities, Meetup.com is great. We have our calendar, and when you add a meet-up to it, an email gets sent to all the members letting them know there's a new meet-up added. They can go to the calendar and RSVP yes, no, or maybe. That way we know how many to expect. And some meet-ups, like ones in our homes, have a set limit. With the calendar, and the RSVP's, we can set it to a maximum of 6 or 8, and then the RSVP's turn off as soon as it fills up. Nice, huh?! There's also a message board that we keep pretty hoppin'!

Now here's where my problem comes in. Summer is typically slower (although this is only the 2nd summer this particular playgroup has been in business). A lot of the husbands/daddies here have summer leave, wives/moms who's husbands are deployed go home for the summer, and it's just too darn hot down here to meet at the park all the time like we do in the fall and the spring. But it seems to me that it's all personal. I feel like everyone is saying "Oh great, SHE'S taking over! I'm not going to go to meet-ups anymore!"

Yes, that's silly! People wouldn't actually do that.... would they?

Why does it always feel personal when everyone drops out of activities as soon as I take over? This really is a reoccurring thing for me. And I take everything personal as it is.

So I email the former organizer, yet again, asking her if I'm doing everything okay, and why did everyone drop out of the past two meet-ups when people are usually so excited to go to them, and why isn't anyone RSVPing "yes" for the new meet-ups I put on the calendar? And did she worry this much when she took over? She told me she stressed a lot in the beginning, too. She worried that there wasn't enough on the calendar, that people weren't happy, that people complained all the meet-ups were full all the time... but she realized after awhile that she wasn't ever going to make everyone happy. She settled for making some of the people happy some of the time.

So I'm not crazy! That's good to know.

And it's okay if I don't have 25 people signed up for my Father's Day craft. I have 8, and that's good, and that's 8 Daddy's who will get cute little handprints of their kiddos, and that's all I need to do!

This won't be the last you hear of my playgroup woes, I'm sure! I have a long road ahead of me. I'm excited, though! I've never been in charge of anything big like this before. I'm always the one helping out in the background.

Bragging 'Bout My Weezie

Weezie, Sheesha, Baby Girl, Sweetpea... she's got many names in our house, and every day she makes me a proud Mama! Sure she's got a sassy mouth and likes to argue and always has to have the last word. And true she bosses her brothers around and acts more like a mommy than I do sometimes, but I also know that she'll be able to stand up for herself when she needs to, and that she can take charge of any situation.

All year long I've been getting notes from her teachers about how they are so impressed with her maturity, leadership, creativity, and so on. And every time I nod and say, Yep, that's my Girl!

Whenever she brings home a report card I tease her and say "You know it's ok to get a B once in awhile!" but at the end of the year when she gets honored for her straight A's I see how important it is to her that she didn't get any B's. (I, on the other hand, was the queen of B's. And C's for that matter!)

Yesterday the boys and I went to an awards ceremony for our Sheesha (as Hunter calls her). We sat a little too far back so I didn't get any good pictures of her receiving her many awards, but that doesn't matter. The look on her face every time they called her name is what matters. The realization of just how hard she worked all year is what matters.

It was an hour long ceremony and I was surprised with how well Hunter was sitting through it. He had a few books to look at, and he enjoyed clapping for everyone. After awhile he decided it was time to go visit Sheesha. He ran over to where she was sitting and sat on her lap. She loves that she has a little brother who looks up to her so much, and he loves that he has a big sister who pays so much attention to him.

She got called for an award, so he sat on her chair until she got back. Then he decided it was time to go see what everyone was walking up on stage for. He ran up to the front and stood by the asst. principal. The AP looked at Hunter and smiled, then he grabbed a program that was sitting near him and handed it to Hunter. Hunter, thinking he'd won an award too, turned to face his audience. He smiled and everyone clapped for him! Most kids would be embarrassed if their little sibling did that. Not Louisa! She clapped for him, too!

There was a very tearful moment when Louisa's gifted & talented teacher was handing out Math Olympiad awards (of which I didn't even know Louisa participated! ha!) At the end the teacher paused and said she had one last special award to give someone who was very dear to her. She got teary and said that she's had a hard year, as most people know. Her grandson spent the past year in St. Judes being treated for leukemia, and the school did a tremendous amount of fundraising for the family and St. Jude. She wanted to give a special award to someone who worked hard and earned the most money in the St. Jude Math-a-Thon. I got very teary and tried hard not to cry. This G&T teacher is amazing and she will be one of those teachers Louisa looks back on someday, knowing what a big impact the teacher made on her life. Louisa volunteered a lot of her time helping the G&T teacher with the younger classes and I know they grew a strong bond. So Louisa walked up to receive her award and I wanted a picture but I was too far away and I was trying hard not to cry. The teacher hugged her and was saying something to her and the award is so cute!

Her other awards include: "A" Honor Roll (all year), President's Award for Educational Excellence, Math Olympiad (although she didn't "place" at the state level this year, she did work on 6th and 7th grade math and she's only in 4th grade).And two big accomplishments for her this year were getting elected as class Treasurer on Student Council, and applying for and getting a job working in the library where she did everything from re-shelve books to helping the little ones find a book to check out.

Also, the school popped a big surprise on us. The 4th graders had their standardized testing this year. In each category the highest score you can get is "Advanced". There are 4 categories, math, reading, science and social studies. Louisa got Advanced in all but math, but she got the next highest score in math which is called "Mastery". The principal said that 27 kids got at least one Advanced score, and because of that the school was giving the kids each a WalMart gift card with $10 for each Advanced! Louisa looked straight at me and you could see the dollar signs in her eyes!! She holds up three fingers, knowing she'll get $30! She was the only 4th grader to get three Advanced, and there was one girl (Louisa's best friend) who got all 4 Advanced. So those two girls really made out!

I'm so excited to see what lies ahead for this girl!

A Day for Moms

I did end up "celebrating" Mother's Day after all. I couldn't let the kids down by telling them I didn't want to open their lovely homemade gifts. Mother's Day technically has nothing to do with my husband and whether he's here or not. So... I guess, we'll do this Mother's Day thing and make everyone happy.
I did enjoy my gifts, though. Louisa learned how to make a Power Point in school, so she and Drew sat down one morning and whipped me up a very nice Power Point, complete with pictures and pretty backgrounds and sound. So proud of them!
Drew made me a "nature bottle" which consists of everything you might find in nature.... all dumped into a bottle. He enjoys making them. He'll put a little dirt or sand in, then some sticks and flowers and rock and whatever else he can find. He wrapped up the bottle all on his own. He was quite happy with his gift and it's sitting next to a jar full of seashells I've collected over the years.
Hunter refused to tell me Happy Mother's Day, insisting that it's still Daddy's birthday. Daddy's birthday was on May 10, the day before Mother's Day, and Hunter had a great time telling Daddy Happy Birthday over the phone, many times. And then singing it for the rest of the day, and most of the day Sunday and Monday as well. Daddy is quite pleased that he's so high on Hunter's list of important things.
Two of my friends are first time mommies, and this was their first Mother's Day. Without hubbies here to spoil them, we couldn't very well let them sit at home all alone. So the kids and I invited them for a fun day of shopping and eating in a very old Louisiana town called Natchitoches (pronounced Nakadish). We had a yummy Mother's Day buffet, and I ate a seafood lasagna that was awesome! We did a little shopping, but I had forgotten that many businesses in the south are closed on Sunday's. Being a northern girl, that concept is totally foreign to me.
I hope I made the day special for my friends. It's hard doing all these "firsts" without your husband. You don't get that back again. Even if you have another baby, all the "first" firsts are gone. I did take some pretty good mommy and baby pictures for them to send to their husbands, though. Hopefully the husbands can take some comfort in knowing that their wives and sons have friends here who care about them and help them when they need us. I know it takes a load of my husband's mind knowing that I have a big, solid support system here.
And on that note, here's a cute Mommy's Day picture of the Chaos Kids. Since I was behind the camera for most of the day, I didn't get one with me in it! But that's okay because without my three wonderful, loud, crazy, creative, smart, amazing Chaos Kids, I wouldn't have a Mommy's Day to celebrate!

Hunter's doing what my friend called the "toddler squat". When I squat down to take a picture, he often squats down with me. And as you can predict, he did fall in the water. Luckily I had an extra set of clothes for him. Drew slipped and fell as well because the part they are standing on was slippery. I didn't have extra clothes for him, though. He got to come home wet and stinky!

It was a nice day and I'm so glad I had the kids, and friends, to share it with.

Looking "Forward" to Father's Day

Yes I am a Mother, and by default "Mother's Day" is a day for me. However, we're not "celebrating" my mommy-hood this year. And yes, I'm being stubborn. I have no husband here to run and get me my donuts when he wakes up at 6:00 am. I have no husband to take the Chaos Kids out and buy me all sorts of the little trinkets they like to buy me. So nope, no Mother's Day this year. Besides the fabulous homemade gifts I know the kids made me, it's just a regular day in my house.

We are, however, looking "forward" to Father's Day. We want to make sure this Father's Day is special for Daddy. Even if he's 7000 miles away! Last night the kids and I met up with some of the families in our family support group to make Father's Day cards. Everyone brought whatever arts & crafts supplies resided in their homes, laid it all out on a big long table, and let the kids have at it! They all made some really great cards and some of them (like Drew and Louisa) had time to make more than one.

We had a few moments where one little guy got emotional about making his daddy a card. He's 7 and this is the first time in his whole life his daddy has ever been away. He just doesn't understand. His daddy had never missed a birthday before, or Christmas, or Father's day. My kids are old hats at this by now, but for some it's new and this hurt in their heart is something new. We gave him lots of hugs and made sure his card was extra special! By the end he was running around with the kids and fighting with his brothers as usual.

I did have a bad-mommy moment, though, because I had to make the executive decision to leave Hunter's "card" there. It started out very nice, with some glitter glue and creative cutting. But when I came back to check on him it had turned into a giant glob of glue/glitter/sticker mess that was best left in big circular file (as my 6th grade teacher used to say). I will take the time with Hunter one on one to help him make a new card for Daddy before we mail the box. He's very creative, but he needs someone there helping him a little. Daddy has been impressed by all of Hunter's creations that we've sent him so far. He has all the artwork that the kids have sent him hanging on his wall, proudly displayed for his fellow soldiers to see and go, "Wow! Your kids are great artists!" and to which he'll nonchalantly reply, "Ya, I know".

I hope and pray that everyone enjoys their much earned Mommy Day! I feel I have Mother's Day every day because my kids are truly grateful for all I do for them as both Mother, and Father. I don't think I'm missing out on anything because I'm not pausing for one day to go out and eat. We do special things every day, as anyone who knows me well knows! I do have a friend who's spending her First Mother's Day alone and I feel it my personal duty to be her um.... "husband" for the day! Otherwise, the kids and I are are looking "forward" to Father's Day because someone very special to us doesn't get daddy hugs and kisses. He doesn't get to sleep in and have us make him a big breakfast, or take the kids fishing, or go to the zoo. He gets to put on his boots, put on the 80 pounds of "protective" gear, and the 40 pound ruck sack he is required to carry every day, pick up his M-16, walk out into the 110 degree Baghdad heat, slide behind the wheel of his Humvee, and do what he's done every day for the past 6 months. My job is make sure he's surrounded by the love of his children and his proud wife before he steps out of his room and starts his day. Not to worry about what I'm not getting, or what I don't get to do on Sunday, May 11th.

Typical Mama Stuff

Yesterday the kids and I headed to the Big City for a dentist appointment and to play hooky for the day. With gas as much as it is right now, I need to take advantage of being in the Big City with all it's restaurants and stores while I'm there.
Our typical morning is made up of getting ready on time, and then rushing around yelling, being almost late because we all have to go back in the house 10 times each for things we forgot. Yesterday didn't disappoint. I hadn't had time to feed Hunter because I always wake him up last, so I grabbed a sippy cup of milk and a banana (his usual breakfast) and handed them to him in the car. Everyone's buckled and ready to go.... but we need gas. Of course. I've been dreading the moment when I'd have to fill up my monster gas tank, but yesterday I knew I had to suck it up and fill it. *Ouch!* There's few things more painful than watching that money ticker rise on a gas pump. Especially with my husband in Iraq, fighting a war about that very oil that's going in my gas tank.
Finally, we're off! I made sure everyone had their books and notebooks and pencils and crayons and whatever else we'd need for the hour drive. Hunter was happily eating his banana, Louisa was drawing pictures, and Drew was studying his "holy grail", the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Pokedex. We cranked up the music and made the hour trip in record speed (because we were running late!)
When we were not even 10 minutes outside the Big City, I heard a familiar noise from the backseat..... "BWWAAAPPPP" Then I hear Drew and Louisa simultaneously yell, "Hunter barfed!" Yep, Hunter gets car sick. Not often, and not every trip, but sometimes when we're driving more than a half hour and he has just put food in his belly, he gets sick. But hey, at least now I have an excuse as to why we're late for our dentist appointments!
A gas station happens to be up ahead, which is lucky because there are no towns or stopping points on this trip until you get right outside the Big City. I pulled over, got him out, cleaned him up, threw away the stuff he threw up on that wasn't valuable like crayons and pencils and a small notebook, washed up the savable stuff as best I could, took his pants off, changed his diaper, and we were off again. Except now Hunter has no pants (and I forgot to bring shoes in the first place! no clue how that happened), and we both smell like banana barf. Well, the whole truck smells like banana barf, so I rolled down the windows, except that is was unusually chilly out.
I was almost at the dentist when they called asking if I was still coming (because it was 10:08 and our appt was at 10), and happily I said "I'm so sorry, my son just got car sick and I had to pull over. We're almost there." hehehe!!! Now, I'm not delighting in the fact that Hunter threw up and we all get to smell regurgitated banana for the rest of the day, just glad I have an excuse as to why we're late instead of just being late like usual.
When we get to the dentist, I pull Hunter out of the truck and carry him in, realizing how odd it looks to have a toddler his size in nothing but a diaper, and of course everyone has to stare when I walk in. Why do people stare so much? When I see a mother who is obviously not having a good day, I offer a smile and then avoid eye contact as to not make her feel bad. Or sometimes rattle off my extremely long list of bad days to make her feel better!
They called Hunter and Drew and Louisa back for their various check ups and Hunter excitedly runs back, dipey butt and all. As I sit down with a magazine to read a hilarious article about a woman, her husband, their son, and the Star Wars addiction that has overtaken their lives, I notice something on my beige shirt. Banana. Slightly chewed. I pull it off and stick it in the garbage, only to sit down and notice more banana, with some sort of stain that I don't even want to try and figure out. Although to me, this is typical mama attire! What's an outfit without a little barf, spit up, goo, unrecognizable squishy mess?
When the daunting thought that I've been changing diapers for 10 years non-stop hit me a few weeks ago, I also realized that I haven't left the house in 10 years without either changing my shirt first, or using a baby wipe to wipe off whatever the heck that brown stain is as quickly as I can before we get where we're going.
A few months ago, two of my online friends sent the kids and I a gift card for Applebees, so after the dentist we hit the 'Bees with a ferocious hunger (very aware, again, of how odd it looks to have Hunter tramping around in his diaper and no shoes). I ordered the wrong thing, Hunter ate nothing of what he ordered, but we got big desserts to make up for it! As we left the restaurant, I felt many eyes on me, business people on their lunch break, a big church group, a few contractor guys trying to avoid looking at me. I have no doubt they were all thinking "Wow, look at that awesome mom! She can corral those kids like a circus clown in a rodeo!" Until I got home and I realized I had more... um... banana, on my back.

Little Birdies

I was talking to my mom on the phone this evening, chasing Hunter down the sidewalk on his big wheel trike, when I saw a little bird hopping along. Actually, it was pretty big, so I wondered why it didn't fly away from us. A bigger blue jay swooped down by the bird and stood it's guard, then flew back up in the trees again. As this little bird hopped I realized it may be big, but was too small to fly yet.
I told Hunter we needed to head back home because this birdie's mama and daddy were checking on it and they did not look too happy to have us so close. They were flying back and forth between the trees right above our heads, calling out to the baby telling him it was okay, no doubt.
All the while I'm watching this I'm relaying what's going on to my mom. She was chuckling because I obviously haven't changed much since I was 8. I used to bring home every poor baby bird who had fallen out of a nest that I came across. My mom would give me a shoe box and I'd try to make the baby bird comfortable, only to have my heart broken when I'd find it dead the next morning. I felt awful that I couldn't take care of a baby bird.
As this baby bird hopped around aimlessly today, I noticed that Hunter was hopping too. He was telling the bird, "Jump birdie, jump!" Then he started to flap his arms and he was telling the bird to fly. So here's Hunter, running around in circles in front of the bird flapping his arms and hopping, trying to "teach" the little birdie how to fly. It was just instinct for him to do that. He doesn't know that this baby wasn't supposed to be on the ground. That it was too soon for the baby to leave it's nest. For Hunter, this was an equal. A fellow toddler who had just stumbled a little like his friends in playgroup sometimes do.
We let the baby hop up a hill and conceal itself behind a bush. His daddy flew down to check on him a few times, but unfortunately we have several cats that roam the neighborhood and I'd be surprised if the baby bird was still around in the morning.
Then another thought hit me. This mom and dad are completely helpless. They can do absolutely nothing for their baby. They flew down to check on him, and you could see and feel their panic, yet they couldn't help him. There was no way they'd ever get him back up in the nest, and blue jays can't really fight off an attacking cat the way maybe a hawk could. And somehow I'm guessing the nature world isn't *really* like a Disney movie where they could just call their hawk friend to help them. Especially since in real life the hawk would just eat the defenseless baby bird.
I think almost all parents will at some point feel like the mama and daddy blue jay. They'll feel that desperateness where you know that you can do nothing to help your children. I thank God I'm not at that point, but with three kids, it's bound to happen. Even the most perfect parents have that one renegade, the one with the restless soul. I've been that one for my parents, as has my sister at one point. We've both put them through trials and challenges and come out just fine on the other end. Some kids don't. Sometimes a big cat comes along and the parents can't do much more than watch.
I have a tattoo on my leg of three birdies with their wings spread. That's my metaphor for the kids. They are my birdies. I work hard at giving them their flight wings, like Hunter worked hard with the baby bird today. It's instinct. Not really anything my mom could have taught me, just something I had to learn on my own. I hope I'm doing a good job. I've got three great kids. But some day they'll find those wings and fly and all I can do is pray. Pray I've instilled good morals, a solid Christian base, and the knowledge that they can return to the nest whenever their wings get tired.

Hunter's Foot is Free!

Hunter got his cast off this past Tuesday. It must have felt good because he was wiggling his toes a lot!

We went in for the appointment and Drew saw the saw sitting on the counter in the exam room. He kinda freaked out a little, but I told him to stay quiet and not make a big deal so that Hunter would be okay with it. It's nice having a 2 year old go through all of this because he doesn't really know what a saw is, so he doesn't know to be freaked out by it. Besides his little toy saws at home, he hasn't seen one in action yet.


The doctor came in and Hunter jumped right up on the table and stuck his leg out. He knows what's going on! We kept asking him if he was ready to get his cast off. I think he was kind of growing fond of it. He wasn't too sure about getting it taken off.


The doctor barely sawed through it, just enough to crack it open. Hunter sat very still. He was interested in what they were doing to him. They sawed through one of the signatures and he didn't like that too much. He pointed at it and said "Madelyn?" Yes, honey, they sawed through Madelyn. Good thing we took pictures of it before we went in. I was not about to keep the thing! I have more trash in my house than I care to move again. I am not interested in moving a cast, too.


When the cast came off, his little foot was so dirty! I had used a baby wipe at bath time to get up in his toes, but there was dirt and gook stuck way up there. The nurse, who's obviously done this before, had a dish of warm soapy water waiting. Hunter thought it was funny to have his foot washed somewhere that wasn't his bathtub.


She asked me to pick him up and take him to the x-ray machine. I set him down by the machine and he knew just what to do. He placed his foot in the right spot and stood very still. He's an expert at this x-ray thing by now.


His little bones looked good. The fracture was healed. We go back in a few weeks for one last x-ray.


Hunter complained about some pain the past two nights so I gave him a little Motrin at bedtime both nights. He's walking a little gingerly on it, but the doctor said that's to be expected. It's not that he's adjusting to walking without a cast. He adjusted to that right away. It's that his foot is a little tender still. Sturdy tennis shoes help ease the pain a little more than his bare feet do, though.


So proud of my little guy. He's such a go-with-the-flow kind of kid. He does not get upset easily and he's very trusting when I tell him it's going to be okay. He's done very well through this whole thing from the 9 hours in the ER (never complaining once), to getting his cast off two days ago.

Earthy Pictures for Earth Day

I've been in a nature picture taking mood lately, so here are some fun, earthy pics for Earth Day!

Birthday Party Southern Style

Yesterday we went to the cutest birthday party for one of our favorite little girls. She's in our playgroup and all the kids just love playing with her. She's a little shy and can be quiet, but get her going and she can almost keep up with the Chaos Kids.

The theme was alligator, the colors were pink and green, and the food.....

Crawfish!

Living in Louisiana for a year and a half now, I've seen plenty of people at festivals and restaurants eating off plates piled high with these little mudbugs, but I had not yet tried them. Until yesterday.

Louisa and Drew put a handful on their plates, along with a few alligator shaped peanut butter sandwiches. They have tried crawfish before, and didn't mind them. Hunter was excited about putting crawfish on his plate, but lost interest when he saw how much work it was to get just a little meat out of the tail. And frankly, so did I! But I ate my fair share. I ate all that was on my plate, Drew's plate, and some extras that a friend piled on me. They tasted like shrimp. Spicy shrimp.

You snap the tail off to get just a little meat out, so it's a lot of work and I knew I was never going to get full on them. But, it was a fun experience. It was neat to sit with southern families and share in their tradition. (Although I was NOT about to suck the claws or the head like true Cajuns do!) The family of the birthday girl admits this was the first crawfish boil they've hosted, but being from the south they are not new to eating it!

After getting our fill of crawfish, and playing on the playground, it was cake time. And what's a southern style, alligator themed birthday without the alligator king cake? A king cake is a mardi gras tradition. It's usually filled with cream and/or fruit. And this has to be one of the cutest alligators I've ever seen. His name was Gaston. I say "was" because of course Gaston is no more!

We had a birthday party last weekend, a birthay party this weekend, and a huge family fun day with our playgroup next weekend. All at the same lake, appropriately named Alligator Lake, all with the same friends, and all at the same picnic spot. An interesting coincidence.

Deployment Gremlins and Bubble Pictures

The Deployment Gremlins gave me a run for my money the past few days. They strike weekly in our house. There's always something that happens that would never happen if Husband weren't deployed. Keys gone missing, keys locked in truck with $20 worth of fast food going bad (this week), not getting a bill in the mail until it's way overdue, a bedroom door coming completely off its hinges, both bathtubs leaking, a flea infestation, being so sick for two months straight I couldn't function, Hunter breaking his foot and the fun 9 hour ER trip.... the list goes one.
Deployments Gremlins are a twisted version of Murphy's Law. Instead of, Whatever can go wrong will, it's Whatever can go wrong will wait until the husband leaves... and then will.

On a happier note, we've had gorgeous weather lately. The boys and I get out almost every afternoon for some ball playing, bubble blowing, bike riding fun. And on that note, I leave you with some fun bubble pictures we took today (after the nice MP got the truck unlocked for me so I could get the already-bad fast food and Hunter's carseat out) .

{I love the look on Hunter's face in this picture! Sheer excitement!}

{The bubble popped right on his face!}

{Giant bubble coming from my wand,

it appears as if Hunter is caught in it.}

{The bubbles are chasing Hunter}

{Look in to my bubble tunnel... he's hypnotized.}

{Through the Bubble Wand!}

what kind?

what kind of computer did I get? someone asked.
well, THIS kind, of course!

I NEED MY INTERNET!!

The last post I made on my blog is kind of ironic. I turned off my computer last week for Earth Hour, and that's the last time I saw him alive. The computer that is. He didn't turn back on again; "crashed" would be the term.
I spent the last week with no computer and no internet access. I was going insane! Do you realize how many times I need to hop online for something? I never realized until I was without for a week! Recipes, addresses, pictures, friends, volunteer work, school.... every time I turned around I needed to get online for.... *something*!
I finally got a new computer ordered on Friday and they said it would be here Monday or Tuesday. In real time that means Tuesday, or possibly even Wednesday. Thank the Lord it came Tuesday. I was having PMS! PMS over a stupid computer and some internet. I felt completely shut off from the world when I couldn't just hop on and email my family in the middle of the afternoon, or check in on all my online friends, or print Drew up one more homeschool worksheet because he blew through his activities faster than I thought he would. When Hunter got his hard cast last week, I had to run over to my friend's house just so I could email everyone the picture of him smiling widely, showing off his green cast.
What I did do instead was cooking, baking, reading, crafts, and giving the kids 100% of my attention all day long. I got a lot of cleaning done (not enough to invite my mother-in-law over yet, though!) So today, when the UPS guy delivered that wonderful little box, I felt like Ralphie in A Christmas Story when he finally gets his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring in the mail. I ran inside, tore it open, hooked it up and.... this is where I've been ever since! (Trust me, the kids didn't even notice I was gone!) And unlike Ralphie, I'm not disappointed!