My brain is oozing from my head

through my ears. I learned about the "full" office procedures today. Ordering, shipping, receiving, invoicing (both sides), cutting checks, making paper trails and matching all the paper trails together. By the time I got home today my vision was blurry. I don't know how Linda (my supervisor) has been doing all the AR/P + purchasing. Uggg. Just after one day I'm exhausted. =D

I must post about the silliness of my kids. It seems that every member of my Quartet is eager to grow up. The other day (during breakfast) Zach asked when his adam's apple would make its appearance. HA! I'll just say the conversation lead to puberty and sperm production. It was only a 5 min. conversation! Since Babe had already explained everything I was thankfull this talk was just a refresher. This is going somewhere I promise! The kids spent time with my folks yesterday and today. My dad quoted Esther talking to her Twins "Well, when you're going through THE puberty your legs will get hairy just like Sam's". WHAT?! Nothing passes by her eagle eyes. I cannot believe how very large in heart and body the kids are. Freakin' crazy.

My G.P.A. suffered a 'B' this term. This is my second since my beginning college in the fall of 2009. I was not pleased when I first learned about it. Then reality sunk in. I began counting my blessings. Both Babe and I went to college for 6 consecutive terms, and we have no debt because of it. This will be a huge help in saving for a house! Oh, and we were able to go.and.learn.for.almost.two.stright.years. Awesomeness is what that is!

one down.three.to.go.

I've completed one of my four classes. To say I'm pleased would be right on. YAY!

This term came with an unexpected surgery and shifts in our goals. I have been exposed to works of writing that have caused me to ponder about society. I have questioned myself, my government, our consumer culture and my place in it. I have learned that I can learn much of myself through what I write. Sometimes I wasn't sure the words on the page were mine, it was so unlike the me I knew. Woah. This has been a good term indeed!

Society by Eddie Vedder

It's a mystery to me, we have agreed with which we have agreed. You think you have to want more than you need. Until you have it all you won't be free.

Society, you're a crazy breed. I hope you're not lonely without me.

When you want more than you have, you think you need. And when you think more than you want your thoughts begin to bleed. I think I need to find a bigger place, 'cause when you have more than you think, you need more space.

Society, you're a crazy breed. I hope you're not lonely without me. Society, crazy and deep. I hope you're not lonely without me.

There's those thinking that more is less, less is more. But if less is more, how you're keeping score? Means for every point you make your level drops. Kind'a like it's starting from the top, you can't do that.

The words alone do not do this song justice. I would suggest a listen on youtube or playlist to get the full effect.

Laughing

It's good to laugh. There are real health benefits.....but it's also just fun!

A couple weeks ago Joey was doing something in the kitchen and spilled a container of crackers. I was in the kitchen completing my own task and saw that he started to walk off. I said "You need to take care of that mess. Go get the vacuum." As he was vacuuming his mess he was mumbling to himself. I noticed and just continued on with my task. When he turned the appliance off, still kind of mumbling to himself, I say "Joe, you did a good job! Thanks." He stops and looks at me. "Did you say my butt did a good job?" he asks. Totally confused, I say "What?". Then he explains "I was just telling you that my butt felt weird and then you said 'Good job'. Were you telling my butt good job for feeling weird?" HA! Yes. We are a family that get so engrossed in our jobs that we really don't pay much attention to the other people in the room. Sad! Isn't there a rule of propriety that one is to look at the speaker as they are speaking???? That'd solve alot of problems.

Then again this a.m. Joey said something so silly! He'd gotten a tattoo from a speaker at school and has been itching to get it on. I like the kids to bathe and dry for a day before we apply them and he remember TODAY was that day. After he's applied it he came to me and read what it said. "'Take a bite out of crime'. *smiling* At first when I read it I thought it said 'take a bite out of cream' and I was thinking what does cream have to do with polices???" Smart boy!

I love to laugh. I've laughed alot the past several years......kids do that to you ;)

Sacrifice

About a week ago Zachy woke (1.30am) up with a night terror. Yes, you read right. Terror. This was way beyond a nightmare. There really is no preparation for a parent being woken up by their child's screams. He was yelling and crying. Poor Baby. The saddest part, though, was when he was sitting (still sobbing) between Ben and I in our bed and said "I just *gulp* don't get it *sniff-sniff*." "What don't you get?" we ask, trying to wipe the very present sleep from our eyes. "I don't *sigh* get why I *gulp* had a bad dream. *sob* I slept with my Bible." Ooooh. How to conquer that one? He was hurting. He was scared. He felt abandoned by the most Powerful Person past, present or future. Not easy to explain that away.

I prayed. and. waited. For an answer, that is (while still trying to wake up). "Buddy. The Bible is God's words and His words are powerful but the Bible isn't magic. Bad things still happen. It's not fair but it's true. God loves you and doesn't want you to be afraid or hurting."

We prayed together and he stayed, between Ben and I, I'll add. I'll also add here that we've never let or had the kids sleep with us in our bed. NEVER. I always felt that it was our bed and it'd stay that way! Back to the story.....I was just thinking that I was going to finally get to sleep when I realized there was NO WAY I really could. I then told Zach I'd carry him to his bed and sleep with him there. By 2.45, I left his room quietly and went back to my bed. My nights sleep wasn't so successful. It was toast. I kept thinking I heard him asking for us or crying. Oh well.....as my Uncle says "I'll have plenty of time to sleep in heaven."

As a result of his dream he now wants, even, requires that I sit at the entrance to his room and wait until he's asleep. So, for the past two weeks I've been doing just that. They go to bed. I sit and read. They sleep. I LEAP! Kids rock but I value my time at night when they're in bed. I'm hoping this time goes quickly and yet.....treasuring his need of me. I'm sure that when he's 16 he won't require or even ask I wait and sit by his door until he's asleep. So, for now, I'll treasure and sacrifice the 'me' time for this 'need' time will pass.

I must leave you with this quote from Sis. All the kids were completing their week-end homework and Sis comes to me. Looking like a deflated balloon she asked "Did God put me on this earth to just do homework?" Heh-heh! Soooo dramatic! But I also heard her pain. After encouraging her I said "Yeah. For right now it is!" I will not soon forget that one. =D

More of Inside-out

Because of this information, for the past several nights the kids have been sleeping with their jammies inside-out. =D

All the kids and I were waking up and talking, when Zachy realized it had snowed last night.

Z~ "It snowed! And we didn't even (looking around at the other kids' jammies to see if theirs were inside-out) sleep with our jammie's inside out!"
Essy~ "Eva must have." (She's the little girl from school.)
Katy~ "Haw, haw, tee-hee!!!"

Even to the last, children will believe.

Inside-out

A class mate of Esther's told her an amazing story. One night this little girl wanted it to snow so she turned her jammies inside-out and voila, that next morning she woke up to snow!

Saturday night my kids decided to try out this theory. And the rest is history. Sis was heard exclaiming "It worked!!!" on Sunday morning. He, he, he!

___ days 'till......

It's 13 days 'till Christmas.....today. I.am.completely.done.shopping.and.wrapping. I have to help Joey with one gift and Sis still has a few things to get, but it's all easy. And I am making all my siblings stuff.....alot of things still left to do.
Zachy (He asked to be addressed as Zachy. He said he likes it better. How cute is that?!?) and Joey's birthday is in 19 days. They also happen to have a dental appointment today. At our house we love going to the doc and dentist. When I told them they were going Zachy said "Is it because of our birthday?!?" He thought it was an early birthday gift! I wish I got that excited for dental appointments. Such simplicity.

5 minutes and tape

I'm tired. I was in the ER until 1.30 this am getting diagnosed with a bladder infection (severe to my estimations). Yuck.

But I don't want to re-visit that (just an fyi). I did want to tell you about some changes we've been making with the kids.

We've been having and increasingly difficult time with the boys being sluggish in the mornings. Like nearly making all the kids tardy for school. It seemed nothing I said would get them moving. Until today, that is.

I was reading a great book "How to Make Kids Mind Without Loosing Yours" by Dr. Kevin Leman. Super good read. I don't agree with every single idea he has, but most of them. He wrote about being consistent and dishing out discipline instead of just punishment and trying, as best as possible, to relate the discipline with the issue or mistake. And treating the kid with respect as you do. And not to refer to our choices as 'good' or 'bad' but as high or poor quality. Much more descriptive and truthful.

The best quote from my Tuesday read? (This is not an exact quote as I don't' want to violate the copy right.) "Your home needs to be a place where freedom to fail is a rule. Some of our greatest successes are a result of our greatest failures. It's just the same for kids." Basically, let them make the wrong choice and learn how that feels (my kids are leaning it's not-so-scrumptious). That's really hard for me to do. But making mistakes has great results.

Case and point. Back to the goofing-off-boys-of-mine. They were being poky this am. So I, without warning, moved up their bed time 5 min. and told them why. Oh the teary eyes. Then it happened again. So, I bumped up the time another 5 min. This totally got their attention.

We were also having problems at the table with manners. So now, when we notice someone chewing with their mouth open or elbows on the table, they are required to put a small piece of scotch tape on their cheek or elbow.

We have had ecstatic results. And in just two days! I only wish I'd read it sooner =D

I'll post about the results we've had with our Girl another time.

To me, $20 a day seems like alot.

So, I went grocery shopping today. When I get to the check out I always hope and cross my fingers that I stayed under budget. Sometimes I do.....some times I don't. Today was a, Katy-didn't-quite-make-it, kind of trip. I went over budget by $11 and change. UGGGG! I HATE going over budget. Even if it's by a tiny bit.
While we were consuming our gourmet dinner (pot pies...can't beat $.58!) Ben averaged our daily food cost.
Now, to be well understood, I'm going to attempt to explain.

I go to Winco and Spicer Brothers Produce twice a month and I go to Costco once a month (I hardly ever use coupons.....like.....once a year hardly). We averaged out our dates and impromptu dinners to Wendy's and our total grocery bill for the month is.......$600($20 per day....for all three meals). (That includes all our house hold stuff....soaps, sponges.....etc.) Most times I do keep it to about $550, but there are those times when we are out of EVERYTHING!
To encourage myself (I think that $600 is alot to spend) I went to the USDA site and gathered some info. (You can too....here.) For the size and ages of our family we could be spending more.

We could be spending: $810.70 (what they considered thrifty) or $1,058 (low-budget) or $1,314.40 (moderate) and lastly $1,582.70 (liberal). That made me feel better. I didn't feel better that others spent more, just that we were doing well. And all without coupons =D (That's me smiling.)

I'll leave you with a little humor. Es was finishing up a job and chatting with both Ben and I when she jokingly exclaimed "You should know that! You've lived longer than I have!" Mmmmm. If only it were true!

Honest

We have had a busy week.....er.....month......um.......past five years!!! But this past week was a whirlwind.

1) Es has a HUGE project and presentation due THIS Thursday she's been busy with (correction.....we've been busy with). 2) All the boys had homework (that I forgot about *grrrrrr*) that they finished either at school or quickly at home this a.m. 3) We had a get together with Mom Lewis, Jenesa, Hannah and H.'s friend Joe (FUN!) 4) All the regular stuff that goes with 4 kids and our life!

One great memory of mine this week (I did have another to share but I've since forgotten):
I was eating lunch with the kids on Friday (I think) and Joey (6) choked on his juice. I said "Hold you hands up Buddy." (For those who don't know, patting the choking persons back is no longer thought to help. Instead the very intelligent people suggest lifting the hands up....why? I'm not really sure why). He does and while hacking and wheezing he says "I know *cough-cough* why I should *wheeze-sputter* hold up my hands. So God can reach them."

There won't be moment's like this forever.......savor each one.

ANNOYED

I'm tired of politics. I would LOVE to see government without politics.
Ben's watching the debates right now. I say Ben because I'm so disappointed and get so easily frustrated with politics I can't stand to watch, super annoying to me. SUPER. The debates do no good. They prove three inquisitional facts: 1) The speaker is good at twisting things back to a spotlight on oneself. 2) The speaker can debate well, which by no account means that they are telling the truth or even a 'good' person. 3) That it's terribly annoying to hear, repeatedly, the speakers speech impediments. Such as stuttering or over-use of words.
Both candidates are guilty of these things, regardless of how often the candidates are guilty of these things (I cannot accuse speech impediments), both are guilty.
Ben and I have done hours and hours of our own research and it's all so superficial (I mean the debates are superficial, not the facts =). There is so much that doesn't get said. And frankly the debates are rude!
Let's just all hold hands and sing Kum By Ya. Pleeeez?
I can hope, right?
I'll leave you with a quote "The real test of a man is not when he plays the role that he wants for himself, but when he plays the role that destiny has for him." Vaclav Havel

Crazy Happenings

At our house school is in full swing, complete with homework and assignments.

Here is a little taste of our life. (more for my own documentation.)

Night Before: On Sun., Mon., Tue. and Wed. nights (no school or work Fridays!) I give the kids two options for the next days breakfast and set out bowls, spoons or fill the tea pot up if they want oatmeal. I also set out our vitamins and make sure we have bread and meat thawed for sandwich making. I fill the coffee pot with water and grounds. I have the kids fill their water bottles and put them in the fridg. Get out the sandwich containers and lids. Fill snack tubs and veggie or fruit tubs (they get one or the other every day). If I'm making P.B. and J. or H. then I set the items next to the thawing bread. Make sure all home work is packed and that all kids have all parts for their uniform washed and in rooms. Kids in bed by 7.30pm. Mom to bed by, no later than 9.30.
Day Of: I've switched up my exercise schedule. I'm working on running again, so I get to the club M-F. I wake up at 4.10am and go to the gym. Home by 6. Smelling the coffee as I walk in the door! Ahhhhhh. Shower. Read Bible. Wake kids at 6.30. Keep the boys on task =D (there are three of them in one room....lots to get distracted by!). Eating breakfast by 6.55 and if they get done with their bed room charts before breakfast they work on their job charts. Brushing teeth by 7.18. In car and by 7.28 school by 7.45. I go to work. Mon., Tue. and Thurs and I'm done by about 2. Wednesdays done by noon. Go home. Clean or start dinner. Leave to get kids 3.15. Home with them by 4. Get them started on school work and have them do job charts. Fix or finish dinner. Prep for the next day. And on it goes!

What they're up to???
Essy has chosen to play the flute for band. We've found several good brands on ebay for $28!!! YEA! She's taking Spanish and loving it. She's also going on her first away trip with her class the end of the month. Oy. Breakin' my heart! She learned about personal space today too. Someone stole her $.89 bottle of Aveeno lotion from her desk. I got a call form the Principal saying they do not accept this kind of behavior and they are taking care of it. Oh my word! Loved the swiftness and efficiency of their code of conduct. LOVE IT.
Sam is required to play the recorder this year but he can move to strings and band next year (he already has his violin ready!!!). He has chosen to study Chinese again this year for his foreign language. He enjoys his new teacher!
The Twins are both in music appreciation, Spanish and Chinese. No, their teacher cannot tell them apart. Poor woman! I'd dress them differently BUT they have uniforms!!!! They do wear different colored shoes.......maybe that'll help. I think Joe has a crush on Ms. King. Zach best friend is sill......SAM! The first few days of school I asked him what his favorite time of the day was. He responded "Playing with Sammy." Awwwww. Here come the tears.

Well, I must continue on with my regime. I've learned that the earlier I start to hustle and rush, then I can always slow down later. Here...comes........Mr............slow.................d-o-w-n. "Welcome!" I say and turn my brain off. =D Hey, I can still smile even when my brain is dead. It's that sort of far-off-dazy-stare-smile. Nice.
Next post: "How to look beautiful and carry on a conversation while brain dead". *smile*

before I forget....

I simply MUST write some absolutely funny things Sis has been saying.

1-After Joey had gotten done explaining something funny to me she said "I did not tell him to say that!"
2-She was working diligently to complete some summer school and I was complementing and commending her hard work. Her response (with her hand fluttering to her chest) "I risked my life to do it."
3-As I was laughing over before mentioned quote she noted "Mom's are weird sometimes."

Yes dear! We are weird sometimes but we're not the only ones!