Where I live....

Don't you often wonder what other peoples homes and surroundings look like? No? Well, I do. :) So, I thought....I'll take some pics of what I see from my front door. Just a little piece of my life to share with those of you who aren't over at my house weekly.

You can click on these pics to make them larger.

Step out onto my porch, and look to the right:

Same postion...but notice two little trouble makers in action...

Now...looking to the left:

Looking straight ahead:

Uh oh....trouble makers on the move....

Going down to the sidewalk, and looking to the right: (trouble has found it's place)

Two shots looking to the left:

Well, there you go. City living. Houses right on top of eachother. One way street...and honestly, I love it here.

A Mason-ism.....

There are times when, fortunately, something stops you from saying something you might regret. Tonight, this happened to me.

While getting the kids ready to go to Grandma's house for a much anticipated sleepover, Mason and Julianne went out in the backyard to try and get the dog. As they head out, I see Mason go straight to my one and only rosebush left standing, and he starts to try and rip off one of the flowers. I tell him NOT TO do that. A few minutes later, he runs in with the rose petals in his hands. The words form on the tip of my tounge and I feel myself start to frown....BUT...

before anything makes it out of my mouth, he says this....

"MOM, MOM!!!! Quick, put these in a bowl so our house can smell like a rosary!"

I love that kid.

Here is a pic.

Just Fun!

I wish this would have had more light....but this is fun at our house.
And.....please excuse the disgusting ending. :)


You probably want to turn off the music on my playlist (click the "pause" button)....

Politics by a 9 year old...

A recent converstation in my front yard.

Alena: MOMMY! Our neighbors are moving....

I look to see an Obama sign in their yard.

Mom: No. They aren't moving. They are just showing that they will be voting for Obama for President.

Allison: Well, if I could vote, I'd vote for McCain.

Mom: Really? What do you base that decision on? Why do you think he would be the best man for President?

Allison: Well, he's really old, and it would be nice if he could end his life doing something fun.

There you have it. :)

Could Not Ask For More...

Do you hear that song playing right now? Over there.....from my playlist? It is "I Could Not Ask For More"...by somebody, lol. Well, last night, while I was driving home from work, after my LONG 13 hour shift, that song came on.

And it hit me like a ton of bricks. This song...sums up what I have. My life. My children. My home. My family. My friends. Really, all I ever wished for when I was young enough to have aspirations and dreams, was to have a husband, a house, and children. And I have a husband. I have a house. And boy do I have kids. I don't have the biggest, cleanest, nicest, prettiest house...but I have a home. ...and really, I could not ask for more. I have it all.

Going through what our family has gone through the past two years....money issues, loss of a business, extreme stress, the birth of a baby in the most stressful of times... it has all been made clear. We NEED nothing more than we have. God has shouted at me to realize that things are things, and that he provides....at all times.

Just wanted to share an awesome moment in time I had last night, while listening to this song.

:)

Open House!

It was "Open House" tonight at my Kiddo's school. Jeff and I both got to go, and the kids went downstairs to the cafeteria for the 8th grade babysitters to deal with. YAY!!! Well, Allison didn't go downstairs, she had a mini "Allison melt down", and she just stayed with us. ...whatever... ;)

It was nice. I LOVE our new Principal, Mr. Danzeisen. He seems like he is going to be fabulous for our school, and I am very excited with all the new things!

They had a raffle tonight also, where you could win $2000 off your tuition for this year....Well, we didn't win. Saprise saprise saprise!!!

Anyway, the kids actually had fun, even Audrey, and I got to go see the kids rooms and talk to the teachers again. Seems like we just did this....but, oh well. :) Here are some pictures....they are not very good...because I really did them fast, as I was seemingly the only one with a camera, and started to feel silly. :) These pictures are of some of the work on the hallway walls, by MY wonderful kiddos! Enjoy!

The need for patience....

That is what I need. I'll give you the story that is on my mind for this post....

So, Allison is on a volleyball team. This is her first year being on a team. She has only had two practices, and that's all! So, her games are on Friday's and/or Saturday's. That translates to: I will be the one to take her to all games WITH ALL THE OTHER KIDS in tow.

So, maybe I am just really stressed out, and have anxiety issues, (which I do), but I am not good at taking my kids to places where they need to sit still and be quiet...because THEY DON'T!! and it makes me furious. :(

So, we are at the game...and there are bleachers, and ALL the other moms sat together, and I sat with my kids...who very quickly required me to get up and move and try to deal with their restlessness, which only made me frustrated and mad. As has happened with so many other things..(Kindergarten graduation, Christmas programs, Special masses, weddings....) I end up not even seeing what I went to see, and am livid at my children. I hate that I am that mom...and I hate that I have not been able to teach my kids to sit still. I hate that my husband isn't off when I am off, so we can either go together and tag team, or that I could leave the kids home and go by myself.

Having a husband who works very hard for his family is great...but it certainly has its drawbacks when it comes to time....

So, I have spent today trying to get my nerves under control, and to try and get Mason and Audrey to listen to me. She plays of him, and he is a poster child for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder if I've ever seen one.

Oh, and Julianne woke up with a fever and sore throat in the middle of the night...took her to the doc today, and guess what?

Strep throat.

again.

Poor baby.

Notable Quotes....

"This shirt is inside out...I want it outside out."

Mason





"I want to be a Cop when I grow up. Well, I want to be a tree, and then a cop."

Mason



"Don't you know you are not supposed to put old pizza in someones lunch box."

Speaking of leftover pizza...... Julianne





"My leg sleeves aren't working right."

Speaking of pantlegs..... Alena



"Barbies boobs may be bigger than yours, Mom, but yours are longer."

Allison



"I want a Spiderman Bra for my birthday."

Mason



Allison: "Grandma, why do you put on Makeup?"

Grandma: "To make myself pretty."

Allison: "Next time use more."

Allison was 2 when she had that conversation.

I will add more, when I remember them....or as they happen.

I love my kids. They are my life, and I am devoted to them eternally.

I would tell me....

If I could go back in time, oh, about 10 years, and tell myself something...something that I would need to know in the future....it would be this:

Self...never, ever, ever start letting your children have drinks of your soda. Because if you do...everytime you have a drink in front of you, all FIVE of them will be asking for a drink. .. . and it will drive you nuts.

A Kidism.....

I think I will devote some time to listing some kid-isms. I mean, I have enough kids to hear them from. Here is one for you this fine day.

"I called it."

Last night, my husband made a cake. My bigger girls were playing with a friend down in the basement. Alena, my 7 year old, came upstairs right at the same time my husband was "mixing" the batter.

Alena: Oh my Gosh! Are you making a cake!!!??!!!

Husband: Yup.

Alena: Awesome! (and as she starts to run back downstairs....she says....) I call licking the bowl!!!

Now, we as adults all know what this means. But first, let's look at this sentence.

I call licking the bowl.

Really, it makes no sense.

But we all know that it means she made a claim to the bowl with the batter, and in doing so, she gets to lick it. We all did this as kids...for different things. For seats, for snacks, for sitting next to somebody.

When do you think we stop doing that? I mean, there comes a time where we must realize that this is just not a social norm, or an accepted slang. I mean....imagine, standing at a bus stop...and somebody shouts, "I call front seat". really..... Or, imagine being at a mall, and it's Christmas shopping season. Just what if a person says, "I Call Four Elmos!!". really......

Interesting, don't you think?

Just for you Loryne!!!

My good cyber friend, Loryne, has brought it to my attention, that I have been neglecting my blogging-ness. So, even though I don't really feel like doing this tonight....I am doing it for you, Loryne. ;)

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Pretty soon I will be a speaker at a black tie event...a fundraiser for the Scottish Rite Center my daughter goes to for her speech/language therapy. I'm very excited, and have started working on my "speech".....but I am beginning to worry I might have a panic attack, like I did on my wedding day.

My husband and I BOTH love the show, The First 48. In our 12 years of marriage, this has never really happened before.

My daughter Julianne couldn't fall asleep tonight. So I ended up making a "tent" for her in her room. It is made with a top sheet, tucked into the top dresser drawers, and tucked into the pulled out trundle bed mattress...propped up a bit with a barbie bus, a metal stick, and some boots of my husbands. I'm a bit worried she is going to smother under there.....but I am going to go with the idea that that is just a worried mother fear.

I am sick. It is my turn, as all the kids have already had it. Cold and sinus symptoms, but I am so lucky, I got the added bonus of diarrhea. Fun times.

Tomorrow is a half day of school for the kids. Which in reality means, my nice quiet day off work will be ruined.

:)

There you go L!!! Love ya.