Goodbye Teeth!

I finally worked up the nerve to call and schedule my consultation appointment to get my wisdom teeth removed. Amazingly enough I was able to actually go to the appt, schedule the removal and not get pregnant in the meantime LOL So on Friday, Paul took me to the office and they were able to put me under and remove my wisdom teeth. YAY

I don't remember much of Friday, but I do know that I wasn't in any pain. I remember that I was planning to be able to sleep all day Friday but every 30 minutes Paul was bringing in ice packs for me to apply to my jaw area. I was slightly irritated by this non sleeping arrangement but was very happy when I had no swelling. Thanks Babe!

Every time I tired to get them out before, I ended up pregnant. True story. I originally attempted to get them out right before I got pregnant with Coop. We postponed and I was pregnant with Addy before my next 6 month dental appointment. A few years later, I finally got around to booking my consult appointment for 2/15 and on 2/14 I found out I was pregnant with G. I am so glad that they are finally out.

Yesterday, Cooper showed me that he has 2 loose teeth! He was so excited. Then tonight, Addison showed me that she too has a loose tooth! I swear those two were meant to be twins. They do everything together.

After Coop was asleep, Addy was pretty determined to get her tooth out. It's really close to coming out but it's still a little bit attached and hurts when pulled on. We told her to wait until tomorrow, so hopefully it comes out fairly easy...and she doesn't end up swallowing it tonight:) She's going to lose teeth before she actually starts kindy *sniff*. My babies are getting so big!

Room to Grow

Paul and I are always very spur of the moment people. This past week has been nothing but typical for us but was definitely unexpected.

It all started with the thought that we would be purchasing a home next year. We began to save and even though we were planning a year out, I was driving myself insane by looking at houses, land and neighborhoods in our current town.

For one, our house is way too small for our family. We moved in as a family of five and have since grown. Secondly, we rent since we did not want to buy in an area that was unknown to us and I want to own our home.

We love our current town and we also love our current neighbors. So much so, that even though Paul has an big commute, we were all for staying in this wonderful town. I had mentioned to Paul that we should live closer to where he works but he always ignored it.... Until last Friday. I'm pretty sure the commute finally just got to him, but Paul began to send me houses in an area closer to his office. Since it's a totally new area, I want to rent again until we know for sure that we like it. We found a few homes for rent and took a drive on Saturday to see the neighborhoods and homes.

Now, we are looking at big homes and can I just say, very few met my check list. I mean, one looked like it was meant to be in a western movie. One had the model home right next to it so all sorts of strangers would be pulling up in are hood. One was out in the middle of nowhere ( I actually liked this one but CVS was like 15 minutes away...unacceptable). Another had a cliff for a back yard. Sure it was fenced in but with Cooper's past history, he would be over that fence and on his head in no time.

Everyone was starving so we hit up Smithfield's. First ever experience for me and it was pretty good. Of course we had gotten a late start but there were 2 more houses to see even though it was dark. We drove into the neighborhood for the other homes and fell in love with one of the homes. Perfect neighborhood, big enough house, community swimming pool, closer to Paul's office. My mind was made up right then and there. We came home, sent an e-mail and had an appointment to see it Sunday afternoon.

I couldn't sleep at all with all the crazy running through my mind so I was dragging the next morning. Ashleigh came home (she had spent the night at a friends house) and looked awful. Turns out she wasn't feeling well so I had Paul take her to urgent care. The urgent care visit took way longer than I expected and we were going to be late for the showing. I was an emotional mess but the agent was able to meet us a little later and we finally made it to the house.

It was perfect. Amazing! I mean the pics did nothing for this house. I was in love and ready to sign. Our hopes and dreams came to a crashing halt when we found out there was actually another applicant for the house from earlier in the day. Paul's exact words " That makes me sad." LOL I love him!!! We got home and I cried until Paul caved and agreed to offer more money than they were asking. I wanted that house and would do whatever to get it. Let me remind you, me=emotional wreck that weekend. I wanted a bigger house closer to his office but I didn't want to leave my friends, town and transfer the kids schools at the end of the year or remove them from their soccer teams. Probably not the best time for me to be making financial decisions, but whatever!

The agent sent the application to us and said he would review it Monday. Finally, Tuesday afternoon (after another day and half of depression wondering if there was still a possibility that he may give it to the first applicants he told us about) we heard from him that everything checked out and he would be pulling our credit/criminal background. By Wednesday, the agent said the house would be ours! OMG those were the longest 4 days ever. Maybe not really, but it felt like it.

We went from not even thinking about moving out of our house, to finding a house in a totally different area and getting it within a week. That shit cray! LOL The kids are super excited and Coop keeps asking when the movers are coming. Ummm, "you're looking at them kid." We have a ton to get done.
Ashleigh is finally starting to feel better, but just when things got better, Cooper was struck with a fever, chills, and headache. I feel so bad for them when they are sick! I am scheduled to get my wisdom teeth out on the 9th...eeeek! I'm so scared. Ashleigh and Addy are having their birthday party on the 18th...don't be surprised if the house is mostly cleaned out by then y'all;) We've got to get the kids transferred and they still have soccer practice. We still have to sign the lease on Saturday, so I guess something could change in the meantime, but I hope everything goes as planned. Let the fun begin!

Love Bug Valentines

I found a ton of cute cards on Pinterest for Valentines Day, but I really liked this one I found here. She even provides a template to make it super easy.

Of course, I waited till last minute to search for the bugs. Typical.  I actually wanted to find individually wrapped bug candy to attach to the cards instead of the plastic ones but couldn't find them. I know they make them but it is probably something you come across more easily during October. I did find a pack of the plastic bugs at Joann's but they only had one pack. ( I am sure everyone saw this on pinterest and did it too LOL). In the end, I bought foam insect stickers. These turned out great since the kids were able to attach them without any help.

Their finished product:

I can't wait to see all the Valentines they get from their friends. They were so excited to go to school and pass out their cards! Thanks dandee for such a great idea!

Peeled!

There's always going to come a time when someone's patience runs out. Being an only child, it was very rare that I ever had to wait long before someone was able to get me what I needed. As a mom of 4, I find that I do say "In a minute!" ALOT! Last night was no exception.

It was a pretty hectic week and we decided to take the kids to Skids, the drop in daycare, and have some down time with Bean. While everyone was getting ready, Cooper came in and wanted an apple. Fine, eat an apple. Then he came up and asked for someone to peel it for him because he doesn't like the skin. My thoughts... "Seriously? Eat the apple. It comes with skin, eat the damn skin. " What I actually said, "In a minute, I'm changing Bean."

Paul and I exchanged a few words about our plans, while he found my belt that I wasn't able to find all week (the reason I never left the house :/ ). Then as I was walking towards the door to go downstairs, Cooper bursts into the room with his hand held out and blood everywhere. I mean blood was EVERYWHERE! I immediately asked if he had cut himself on the peeler and he said that he had fallen off his bike and hit a rock. So Paul took him downstairs to see what the damage was and I went to get a towel.

I go downstairs to find an apple with a slice taken out of it, a wad of bloody paper towels, a bunch of bloody bandaids strewn everywhere and a trail of blood from the kitchen to the stairs. So I go all CSI and put the pieces together and ask again if he tried to peel his apple. He finally caved and confessed that he thought he could peel the apple and instead peeled the tip of his thumb. UGH

I'm amazed that he was able to 1. keep quiet when the incident happened and 2. tried to take care of it and bandage himself up. I would have 1. screamed out and 2. fainted and hit my head on the table.

Ashleigh also peeled her finger this past November on Thanksgiving Day. Peelers are no joke people!

Lesson I learned...keep the peelers out of the kids reach so that Addy and bean aren't it's next victims. Lesson Cooper learned...if he wants to get away with something, he better do a better job of hiding the bloody evidence...literally! Oh yeah, and not to try to peel his apples!

THE INVISIBLE MOM

I came across the below on my local Mom forum and it really had an impact. If you know me well, you know I am far from being religious but I think this message will hit home with any caregiver, no matter what their beliefs. Basically, it's all worth it:)


THE INVISIBLE MOM

One of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

Some days I'm a crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's my phone?, What's for dinner?'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was Almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.

No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he'd say, 'You're gonna love it there...'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers.

Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know... I just did.

Got Moves?

Ashleigh loves her iTouch! Actually the entire family, including G, loves Ashleigh's iTouch. Ashleigh is also obsessed with video taping herself. The kids (Sn: I always think of baby goats when I refer to them as kids, but I think calling them children sounds too formal, so I think of baby goats often LOL ) kept trying to video tape themselves, so I offered to help.

Ashleigh, Cooper, and Addison making their debut to "I'm Sexy and I know It" ...the Chipmunks version. Use this link and enjoy!

Cooper was able to convince me to dance as well, but the video was somehow deleted. Not sure how that happened ;)

Stained "Glass" Hearts

While perusing Pinterest, I came across an oldie but a goodie. Using wax paper and crayons to make stained "glass"....something that I did as a child and totally had forgotten about. It also made me remember a few other things that I did with wax paper that will keep the children busy and happy.

Things Needed-
Crayon Shavings ( I used a pencil sharpener)
Wax Paper
Iron
Scissors

I told Addy that we would do this for Valentine's Day so that she could make hearts. I am sure she could sharpen the crayons for the shavings herself, but I get a little OCD with messes, so I did the crayon shavings. I placed all the colors (oranges, reds, yellow and white) in one baggie.

I placed an old towel down on the ironing board and we put a sheet of wax paper on top of the towel. Addy sprinkled the crayon shavings on to the wax paper. Then we placed another sheet of was paper on top. To protect the iron, I placed a wash cloth on top of the wax paper and ironed the wash cloth. The heat melted the crayons and made the wax paper stick together.

Once cooled, Addy cut the hearts out.

The ones I had seen online were hung up with string, but I wanted them placed in my door's side window, so I just taped them up. I just love them!

I'm sure once Ash and Coop see these, they will want to try to make them. I should probably start making more crayon shavings now! :)