The Message It Sends

I'm sure all of you at one time or another have been in a group of people and can't get a word in edgewise. Sometimes everyone is talking over each other.

I hate these situations. And I happen to like groups of people in most cases. Granted, not to group of rioting revelers, but still you know what I mean.

I know that most of the time when people talk over each other it's because they don't feel they can get "center stage" any other way. That they are having a hard time being heard. Sometimes the only people heard are the ones talking over everyone else. I find this sad.

Sad mainly because of what it does to those who are being talked over.

It distinctly tells those people "I don't give a flying goats fart about you or what you have to say."

A Long Looooooong Time

So it's started... Goober wants school to be out again! lol so I did what I did halfway through last year. I made a chain so he can have an idea of how long it will be. Ya. It's HUGE! So I put it downstairs where it won't be a constant reminder.

Would You Take 6 More Kids?

I can honestly say that my three kidlets sometimes nearly push me to screaming my lungs out. I love them, but man they can be testing. Then I think about adding 3 more to the mix and I get a little nervous... I may end up in the mental institution after a major breakdown. Then 3 more after that? Ya, it's no more a "may" end up in the mental institution, it's a I "would" end up in the mental institution!

Well, taking 6 more kids into their home at one time is EXACTLY what one of our friends has done! Going quickly from a family of three to a family of NINE!!!! But honestly, with their personalities... if anyone can do it... THEY CAN. They are some of the most giving people we know and so full of love you can almost taste it in their presence.

When we first met Josh and Deneece we were still newly weds (as were they). We happened to be next door neighbors. We would often go to each other homes for dinner, cause HEY two people is NOT much to cook for and any "normal" sized meal would last us a week of dinners. We talked about many things and played many games teasing each other the whole way. I remember at one point talking about the number of kids we wanted to have. My response? Five.... though that has changed since and three is good. :) Their response? LOTS!!!

As the years went by I had Goober and they adopted Eli. Then I had Missy, and they kept trying for those kids they knew would be theirs. Then I had The Energizer Bunny and they began looking into adopting another child. And low and behold they found those kids that were supposed to be theirs! They just didn't know they would find them all at once!

Needless to say their family is going through a lot right now. Instead of one 6 year old they now have 7 kids ranging in age from 12 years old to 4.....and they need a lot of things!

So if you would like to help they have a fund set up at our local WestMark Credit Unions or you can go here and look at the list of things they know they are in need of right now. Or if you have questions you can email amazingadoptionstory@me.com.

What an awesome family!!!! God Bless them... every single one of them!

No Regrets

So today is Jer and I's 8th wedding anniversary. Quite frankly it does NOT feel like eight years. Though I look in the mirror and know that time has definitely passed, I'm so glad that our relationship is just as strong and the day we got married... no, I'm wrong. It's a whole lot stronger!

I honestly could never ask for a better guy to be my soul mate, because honestly, that is what he is. I can't imagine having a better friend or a better husband .... oh, or of course a better father for my kids. That is an important one.

I miss him every day he goes to work and always look forward to the time when he comes home again, even if the only thing we are doing is sitting next to each other on our computers. The company is awesome. I can't imagine life without him.

I know when we first got married that people thought we were a little nuts. Yes, we were young and the courtship was short, but I know through experience that when you meet the person who you are supposed to be with sometimes you just know. I'm so glad I knew and I'm so glad he knew and was willing to work towards that end... he did ask me to marry him three times before I said yes (what can I say, we are both stubborn!).

As I watch other people and how their marriages work, I'm constantly reminded of the awesome man that I get to call mine. We are so similar in so many ways, we rarely fight (though often disagree) and usually the fights are caused by mere differences in the definitions of words and the confusion as to what is causing our communication to not quite be right. I'm so glad that I have never been called names, or told that I am not so smart. I'm SO glad that when we do fight we still keep in mind those things that would be going too far and wouldn't touch them with a 50 foot pole even if we are severely frustrated with the other person.

Oh how I'm grateful for that man. Oh how I'm grateful we found each other. And oh how grateful I am to have someone I could truly trust with anything.

I love you Jer. You are the other half of my soul.

Phone Menus

Yesterday our Internet was down (GASP how did I survive it!?) and Jer had taken the day off of work. So since he works for the phone company I had him call to see what was going on. His company has a phone menu.

I know most people complain about phone menus. You know, the "Press 1 of you speak English","Press 2 if you speak Spanish" (said in Spanish of course).

I know many people just simply press zero until they get someone with living breath on the other line. And truly I understand that desire. On the other hand I also understand that in large companies sometimes the best way to get you the service you need is to make sure you get to the appropriate group of people to help you.

I actually don't mind "Pressing 1". I have a completely different reason for disliking phone menus.

It's called kids.

You see, recently the companies who utilize phone menus started to do something that is incredibly annoying for mothers of small children (or as it turns out men with loud wives *snicker*). They started using "Voice recognition". You know... those phone menus where instead of pressing 1 you say "Service" or "Representative"... and if it doesn't understand what you said after a while it a) acts like you pressed zero a bazillion times or b) disconnects you (this is usually with the government ones).

I'm sure these people never considered what would happen to a parent of small children when trying to use on of these types of phone menus.

You either end up doing this:
and usually fail is making yourself understood, or you could try to ineffectively hide in a closet from your young ones (who have phone radar and immediately start fighting, asking you incessant questions, or screaming as soon as you get on the phone with ANYONE including phone menus and hold music), OR you could give up and get an annoyed representative who wonders why the crap you didn't just push the numbers to get to the people you need to talk to and then (after asking three or four "account" questions) transfers you to the number you need to be in.

The worst is when you get disconnected. :P

Sunday Slacker

Ok, so today I bailed on church (again) and went fly fishing with my dad. (I, of course, forgot my camera)

It was great! We don't get many chances to talk one on one anymore these days, what with my kids and with dad's work. So it was a great change to go out into the outdoors and race up the river on his little boat.

We saw an eagle that was sitting on one of the gravel bars take flight and soar majestically above our heads and off to some unknown destination. I noticed that the leaves are starting to show the first shades of yellow that will soon become fall.

We anchored the boat and dad lent me some of his waders and we ventured out into the river to try and snag a fish. We saw plenty jumping. I had never tried using waders before and actually really enjoyed it, even if the footing was a little slippery. Moss will do that you know?

The wind did chase us off the river after a while, but we were able to get a little time in and lunch on the way back down the river. Dad even spotted a "Hog" ... pst that's a massive fish in dadese.

We didn't catch anything, but honestly... I didn't really care. It was just so nice to be out of the house, out of the neighborhood, out of the city. And then add the added bonus that I wasn't trying to coral my offspring and I was in good company and you have .... mom nirvana.

Ever have one of those days...

where you feel like nothing you do really makes a difference?

Well, this is one of those days.

What the President Said.

That I don't think Anyone can disagree with, be they Right or Left, Conservative or Liberal.

Kenye West is a "Jackass".

If you didn't see it, you have probably heard about it. At the MTV music awards while 19 yr old Taylor Swift was making her acceptance speech this butt head came up on stage, interrupted, took her mic, and promptly told everyone Beyonce should have won.

He has done this before. In Europe. At their music awards. He blamed it on the alcohol. And yes, he was drinking again this time. Don't you think that maybe he should lay off the booze if he is that out of control? The way I see it, is this guy is racist. If someone of a darker complexion than white wins he is okay with holding his tongue. If not then BAMMO... out comes the slime.

I Think it May Be Time.

Or it may be close to time for The Energizer Bunny to be in a "big boy" bed. You see, for the last few days EB has wanted to take his nap in Goobers bed, and I have let him, I figure as long as nothing bad happens to the bed (which I would end up cleaning up anyways) Goober shouldn't care cause he is at school.

In order to get EB a "big boy" bed we have to steal Missy's bed. I know that sounds kinda weird, but her bed is one part of the bunk bed and Goobers is the other. So we would need to get Missy a new bed because somehow I don't think Missy would like to sleep in EB's crib with the side taken off of it.

I would go get the new bed now, 'cept mattresses are expensive! Grrrrr.

It's Fair Time!

Today we went to the Fair. I love the fair. Good Food, more good food, flubbing on the diet, more good food, kids face painting, riding rides, and more good food :)


This year Jer was able to come with us, so all together we had Me, Jer, Lissa, Goober, Missy, EB, and Mr M. Yay for friends and good times!

Quote of the Day

"EB, you want me to tickle your bum?" - courtesy of Goober.

Odd question that.

Car Pool?

Okay, so maybe you all can help me out.

I have a schedule conflict and a conundrum. Mornings are good, but it's the afternoons I'm having issues with.

You see, Missy has afternoon preschool (believe me, I WISH it was morning Preschool.... she pesters me all morning about when she is going to "school". Glad she loves it though!). And EB takes a nap at 2pm (usually... I can move it forward, but later in the day makes him a royal pain.) ...... now here's where the problem comes in. Missy needs to be picked up from Preschool at 2:45. Goober gets off the bus at 3:10ish and then needs to do his homework, lest he fights me tooth and nail over his daily reading etc. And believe me people, when I say he WILL fight me on it.

Technically I can put EB down for a nap right after I take her to school (12:30ish) and wake him up to go pick her up. But then he is all over crazytime hyper while I'm trying to help Goober with his homework.

Now, Ideally I would get in a carpool for Missy and take her and other kids TO preschool and have someone else pick them up. That way EB would be able to go down for nap at his normal time, sleep through kids coming home and homework time, then get up about the time the kids are ready to play.... around 4-4:30ish.

I have attempted to arrange carpooling with a couple of the other mom's in Missy's class.

One of the mom's had her oldest daughter in the class and "just wants to get into a schedule", plus she's preggo with a 2 year old at home. I thought it would be an ideal set up, her two year old takes an early nap.... about the time the kids have to be at preschool... but for some reason she is reluctant. Could it be that she is having a rough time letting her oldest child go to preschool? Maybe.

The other mom lives nearer to me (which would be nice) but "runs errands in the mornings" so she is already out and about and has no issues with dropping her son off at preschool except on Fridays, which she may need help with.

sigh.

How do others get the carpool thing going?! Do you have to already know the people before the need arises (aka get your kids in the preschool your friends kids are going to).

I have gotten a list of the kids and what their parents names and addresses are to see if I can scrounge someone up, but honestly I don't think that is very likely.

I may end up dealing with the hyper EB while trying at the same time to get Goobers homework done. :P

Any suggestions?