Kids Make Me Laugh..........

Yesterday I was helping out with the book fair at the kid's school. I was taking the money, so when people were writing their checks, I'd get to talk to them a little bit. One teacher told me that one of her students came in that morning with a check for the book fair.
Student: "My mom said she didn't have any money in the bank, so she wrote me check."
I laughed and the teacher said, "Oh, that's not the best part. After she told me that, I thought to myself, I could do that, too! And so here I am."

I was talking with Noah yesterday, too.
Me: How was your day?
Noah: Terrible!
Me: Terrible????
Noah, laughing: No, it wasn't terrible. It was good.
Me: Aren't all days good days?
Noah: Yes, except for the bad ones.

Today I was helping out in one of the Kindergarten classes. We were working in small groups. My group was playing Rhyming Bingo. I told the kids a few words and they had to try and find a picture of something on their card that rhymed with them. Like, I would say "cat", "hat" and they needed to find "bat". I was working with one group and my clue words were "tell", and "well". One little boy yelled out "hell". I smiled and told him that did rhyme but I was sure it wasn't on his card and quickly found the "bell".

I woke up the other morning and McKaylie was sleeping at the end of my bed. Later that day:
Me: McKaylie, why were you sleeping in my bed?
Mc: I like your bed better than mine.
Me: Why, what's wrong with your bed?
Mc: You're not in it.

Not-So-Great-Salad

Last night Myshel made dinner. It was alfredo noodles. The kids all ate it, but I just wanted a salad, which Chad made for me. Soooo, sweet, right? That's what I thought until about an hour after I ate it. I was watching TV and just all of a sudden felt terrible. Less than a minute later, I was throwing up. After every last bit of salad was out, I crawled in bed next to Chad. I asked him what he put in that salad. He said "nothing" and that he ate some, too, and he was fine. So, I laid there in bed wondering if I was just getting the stomach flu or if it really was something I ate. I must have fallen asleep, because I woke up about 15 minutes later and Chad was in the bathroom....throwing up. When he came back to bed, I heard him mumble something that sounded like, "I guess it was the salad". It's the thought that counts, right?!

Catching Up a Little...............

I ended up taking McKaylie to the doctor last Thursday.........because of the rash.......AGAIN! I am so sick of that rash. The poor thing was covered practically head to foot. She was really itchy and giving her Benadryl helped with that, but it made McKaylie a mean little person! You can laugh, but it really did. She would get drousy and tired and grumpy and whiny and it was just ugly. There was a few times I considered not giving it to her, because it was just so hard to deal with her when she was taking it. The doctor suggested Claratin, which we tried and there was no difference. It helped with the itching, but she was still mean! She ended up staying home from school on Thursday and Friday. I've scrubbed and Lysoled my house more in the last month than in the last 6 months combined. We just can't seem to shake this virus. I'm wondering if they're not getting exposed to it over and over again at church or school or somewhere. It's very frustrating. Just when we think we're done with it, it comes back.

Our snow is melting and it makes me really excited for Spring. It's funny how seeing the ground and the brown grass, just makes you hopeful. I told was how excited I was that I could see the ground and it gave me this look, like "you are so pathetic, mom" and said, "you know it's going to snow again, right?" Yeah, I know it will probably snow again before spring is truly here, but I'm still getting extremely excited for spring, nonetheless.

I gave a talk in church yesterday. I think it went ok. I loved the subject, though, family prayer and family scripture study. It was a good reminder to get back to the basics. Without familly prayer and family scripture study, what good does everything else do? I am glad that my talk is over, though. I get very nervous until I'm actually up there giving it and then my nerves seem to calm down once I start. I thought I was doing pretty good, until they passed me the sacrament and I noticed that my hand was shaking. That little deacon probably thought I was crazy!

I printed off a bunch of stuff for Primary and only when I handed everthing out on Sunday, did I realize that instead of saying CUB SCOUTS, my sheet said, CUT SCOUTS. I guess I'll be doing that one again.

I saw this background and had to put it on my blog. I don't know if you can see all four monkeys on the sides (we have a wide screen monitor, so I'm not sure what shows up on the regular ones and what doesn't) but there are 4 monkeys swinging around, 2 bigger ones and two smaller ones. Just like my little monkeys as I refer to my kids often. So, I love this background! It's very fitting.

Chad's been reading the Twilight series lately. He's on the 4th book. I love that he's reading. It's nice to sit and bed and read together. When we were first married and didn't have a TV (oh those were the days) we used to read all the time. We also used to read out loud to each other and I loved that.

I have a busy week coming up. I have parent/teacher conferences, extra volunteer days at the school, speech, book fair, church activities, etc, etc. The list seems to go on and on. This week is our game night/date night with friends, though. That should be a very nice ending to a crazy week. I also get to pick up our portraits today. I'm excited to see them and get them on my wall!

Ahhhhh

Garbage Disposal Woes!

Last week I posted about Noah and the garbage disposal and every since then, my disposal has been a topic of frustration around here!

Friday afternoon I went to rinse out some dishes and the sink and garbage disposal were backed up. I called the housing office, but there was no answer so I had to leave a message for my trouble call, hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with that all weekend. Chad worked on it for awhile, but didn't have any luck. At a quarter to five, housing called and said they were sending someone over. The nice maintenance man showed up shortly after that. He asked if my washer was backing up too. When I told him no, he said I was lucky because the two are connected. I guess I'll call that lucky.

Saturday morning Chad and I ran to the store and left the kids to do the dishes. Myshel called to inform us that the dishwasher was full of nasty, dirty water. The water from the sink/garbage disposal had backed up into the dishwasher. We had to take all the dishes out and run it twice, empty, to get it cleaned out! Frustrating!

Last night Vance was changing the water in his fish tank and came in shortly after and whispered to me that he broke the garbage disposal. So, Chad and I went and checked it out. We had told Vance not to let any of the rocks from his tank get down there, but he said he forgot. mmmmHmmmmm Likely story! We worked on trying to get it un-stuck when the clamp or whatever it is, came loose and the disposal wasn't attached to the sink anymore. Not exactly the desired outcome! It took Chad awhile, but he got it back on and un-stuck.

Considering it's suppose to be one of life's conveniences, that disposal sure has been a pain in the bum!

Family Portraits

Saturday we went to have our family pictures taken. It's been quite awhile since we've had our entire family in one picture. Well, that's not completely true, but it's been awhile since we've had them taken in a studio. I tried to make it easy........Everyone knew ahead of time, days ahead, tat we were going to do this. We were wearing white shirts, blue jeans, easy, casual, comfortable...................Uuuugggghhhhh! Saturday morning I heard complaint after complaint about anything and everything. Noah didn't want to wear his jeans, he wasn't going to wear his shoes, Vance didn't like the long sleeves, Myshel was put out with the whole thing. She half-heartedly fixed her hair, which I wasn't happy with at all. On the way there in the car she found out that we were having a picture taken with just her and then she was upset that she didn't take more time to fix her hair! So, apparently, she can look wonderful and beautiful for her own picture, but no the family picture. McKaylie didn't complain too much and Chad just knew better. We were late getting there and I was very grumpy! (Is there any questions now about why this doesn't happen very often????)

After all that, the pictures turned out pretty well. Despite the fact that Vance wouldn't smile in a single one! Teenage boys! I (of course) don't like the ones with me in them, at all, but that's a whole other issue. The kids looks so big and so much older. While I was watching them get their pictures done, I couldn't help but feel completely blessed at the beautiful family I have. Each one has their very own personal beauty. 4 completely different individuals, that contribute their own special traits to our family, helping make it whole. 4 little duplicates of Chad and I, but in their own right completely individual. I can't image life without any of them. I truly am blessed.

These are just the smaller/email-able pictures. I'm hoping that they'll still be clear enough on here.I love this one, it was probably my favorite of the all the kids. Just casual and fun and full of smiles....except Vance's! grumble grumble

Myshel
Vance
McKaylie
Noah

Kids Say The Darndest Things!

This morning while I was waiting for the bus, I decided to clean out the fridge. I took out all the leftovers that had been in there too long and dumped them in the sink, so that I could put them in the garbage disposal all at once. Noah watched me the whole time and then smiled and said, "I sure am glad I'm not that chicken." It was such a random statement and I just had to laugh. He's just so cute and says the cutest things. He must do the same at school because I am always hearing just how darn cute his teachers think he is. I agree with them. He is awful cute and I'm also glad that I'm not that chicken.

"I'm Sorry I Made You Sick" Flowers

Chad brought these flowers home for me on Monday. He gave them to me because he felt bad that he gave me his cold and that he was only sick for 2 days and I was sick for 10. He also gave me a get well card (picture in the corner) where he wrote another apology! The roses are absolutely beautiful. They really are. One of them broke, so that's why it's in a small vase in front. They smell wonderful, too! I'm so glad that this week I can smell things again or else I wouldn't be able to completely enjoy them! So, let's hear it for Chad! Ahhhhhh, that's so sweet!

Fortify the House..................

Check! (With a little help from Mother Nature)

Happy Birthday Vance!

I can't believe it........Yesterday was Vance's 14th birthday. I think he had a good day. He told me he wanted an angel food cake decorated with a gecko on it. So, I made him one out of gum paste. I thought it was pretty cute! He woke me up at 6AM to tell me that he loved his cake. :) yeah! His favorite gift (I think) was a docking system for his PSP. He gets to pick it out today. But, the suction cup blow dart gun was a close second. I've had darts suctioned to just about every smooth surface in the house! Whose idea was that anyway??????

Vance is such a sweetheart and we love having him in our family/house. He's lots of fun and makes us laugh and so it's extra nice that we get to celebrate him and the day he joined our family! We're so proud of him and that he's ready to be ordained a teacher! We love you so much, buddy! Happy Birthday!

A Warm Weekend....

We had a nice warm weekend. It was up in the 50's. That might not seem all that warm, but for us it was like a heat wave! The kids went and built snowmen, wearing just sweatshirts and gloves. They had a great time, but when they did come in their clothes were completely soaked. They got some fresh air, though, and a taste a spring!
Noah ended up getting "the rash" last Thursday. He came home from school with it. We called the doctors to ask about it, because it was on his cheeks, too. (the others didn't have it on their face at all) They had a bring him in that afternoon, just to take a look. They told us it was probably the same thing that his brother/sister had.....surprise, surprise! His looked a lot different than theirs, though.

I am still fighting my cold or whatever it is. I've been going back and forth about going to the doctor to make sure it isn't anything more than that. I guess I just don't want to go in and feel silly that it is just a virus. I've been hoarse, coughing, congested, etc for over a week now. Maybe if it's not gone by tomorrow.........my favorite saying for the last week!

All the kids are back in school today, except Noah. He woke up with a headache and coughed hard enough to make himself throw up. I hate to send him to school before he's 100 percent because I know there's so much going around for him to catch, especially if he's not feeling all that great to begin with. But on the other hand, I feel like he's missed lots of school lately and I don't want him to get behind. Vance looked like he was getting a rash on his cheeks this morning, too. I hope it doesn't go around our house again. I sent him to school, though. He's taking MEA's (Maine Education.....whatever tests)

I'm seriously Lysoling my entire house today.........again! If it can/has been touched, it will be Lysoled!

I hate it when the kids are sick! And when I'm sick, it makes it all that much worse! Winter and cold season need to be over! I'm tired of it all this year!

I'm Tired of It All!!!

The only thing that's ever new around here is people getting sick and snow, so I'll give ya a little of both! Chad was feeling fine all day Friday, but by Friday night he was really sick, coughing, aching and congestion. We went to church on Sunday and were all fine, but by Sunday night his icky germs had spread to Myshel, Noah and me! It just seemed to come out of nowhere and hit hard. We're all miserable. I laid in bed last night trying to fall asleep listening to everyone cough. The only ones who aren't sick are Vance and McKaylie. I'm wondering if the virus they had early helped to to build up some immunity to this virus. I hope so, 4 sick people in the house is more than enough!

And to top it all off, they're having another snow day, today. Between last night and today, we're suppose to get an additional 10-15 inches of snow. My kids will be going to school in July at this rate. I'm just hoping that since March in coming in like a lion, it leaves like a lamb! NO MORE SNOW!