Ten on Tuesday

So, I'm going to try a quick list, just to make sure I get to blogging more regularly. We'll see how it goes.

1. I'm really sad to take down the Christmas decorations. They're all so festive and beautiful. When the decorations are gone, it feels a bit empty for awhile. I just love the Christmas season and am always a bit sad to see it come to a close. I get frustrated with American Culture that wants to start selling decorations in August and take them down on Christmas Day. Traditionally the Twelve Days of Christmas are from Christmas Day until Epiphany and I like that.

2. Stuart thinks there is a secret passage from the main building at CCS to the fifth & sixth grade center. More on that later.

3. My baby girl is adorable. And a great sleeper! Most of Christmas break she slept from 10PM to 10AM. I love it!
4. I've been writing a parenting column for an online newsletter for a little over a year. My column this month is about responsibility. I asked a question on twitter/facebook: Parents, what are some words that you want to describe your children as adults? I was so surprised that not one person mentioned responsibility. I think lots of responses included words that are part of responsibility, but no one mentioned responsibility. Another thing I think I need to blog about later.

5. Chase has been invited to participate in the school's chess tournaments. He's 7. The tournaments are at McKinley High School in downtown St. Louis. I don't have a lot of info, so maybe that's why I'm nervous. I just feel uneasy about a first grader down town with an indefinite end time. We'll see.

6. I've been writing some study guides and tests from one of the Trilogy courses. It's reminded me how much I enjoy studying, learning, and teaching. It's also reminded me how little time I have!

7. School has begun again. It's a great thing! Break was wonderful and lovely and just the right amount of time off. We weren't desperate for school to start or thinking it had come to soon.

8. I'm a little too excited about getting my hair cut on Saturday. It's been about 4 months...shag-0-rama!

9. Ten things are hard to come up with.

10. I'm also using this to avoid working on my newsletter article and my Trilogy work!

Not Me! Monday

Oh, yes! It's the return of Not Me! Monday! MckMama will be so proud. I know the tens of you that read this blog will be thrilled at list of all the behavior I DID NOT exhibit over the past week (or months in this case!)

So the first thing is we DID NOT get U-Verse. Nope, we have NOT succumbed to American TV culture. We are NOT so excited to have anything other than rabbit ears for the first time in over a decade! (Yes, that's right we've had regular TV for years) I DO NOT feel the need to justify our choice by telling everyone that it's cheaper for phone, fast Internet, and TV than we were paying for just phone & Internet. No, I DO NOT care what people think about me. I AM NOT that self-centered.

I AM NOT in love with my DVR. Nope, I DO NOT think it's the best invention ever. I DO NOT love the control it gives me over what the kids watch and when. We HAVE NOT become acquainted with the "Smile Channel" that plays old Christian TV that our kids love. Seriously...Super Book, Colby's Clubhouse, and Friends & Heroes. Nope, our kids DO NOT love that!

I DID NOT record the Yule Log on channel 11 on Christmas Morning. Nope, I've NOT played it every day since then just because I love the fire and the music! My children have NOT asked to watch the Yule Log or put it on for me just to be nice. Nope, NOT in my house!

I DID NOT write the entire post just about our new TV. I would NEVER be that addicted! Not me!

Happy New Year and Happy Monday all!

I'm trying!

Ok, I know. I've been awful at updating this blog for a bit. Really, almost 3 months...how is that possible? Well, 4 kids, the holidays, barely functioning computer, I guess that's how! I will write more soon, but here are some fun images of the kids.

Sabrina



Sliding High Five Attempt 43

Wordy Wednesday

6:00AM
Feeding
Diaper change
Check email/listen to the news/get the paper
Kettle on
Wake up children
Press coffee
Baby to bed
Herd children to bathroom & getting dressed
Fix breakfast
Remind children to speak in kind voices in the morning
Remember to pour coffee into mug
Dole out a consequence for hitting/being mean/sassing
Hug a crying child
Help children bus dishes
Help children do jobs
Check homework
Fill backpacks with lunches and folders
Drink coffee I poured in mug (ahhhhhhhh)
Stop a fight
Herd children into car
Drive to school
Drop off
Drive home-call someone
Clean up from breakfast
Feeding
Diaper change
Play with baby/Sabrina
Laundry sorted
Pick up living room
Baby down for nap
read to Sabrina
Plan menu
Check budget
Replan menu
Make grocery list
cut coupons
Feed baby
Diaper change
Race to the van
Race to school
Pick-up Stuart/Sabrina
Listen the exciting school stories on drive home
(Are you tired yet? It's only 12:30)
Put girls down for naps
More laundry
Make supper/Finish cleaning kitchen
Help Stuart with homework
Feeding
Diaper Change
Drag Sabrina out of bed
Race to the van
Race to school
Pick up Chase
Listen to him NOT tell me about his day
Break up more fights
Put baby down for nap
Check Chase's homework
Finish getting dinner ready
Twitter/Facebook/Email
Break up more fights
Remind children to speak kindly
Hug a crying child
Read to someone
Feed the baby
Michael & Sam get home (HALLELUJAH!)
Dinner
Put baby down for nap
Clean-up from dinner
Bath 3 children, get them in pjs
Remind children to pick out clothes for tomorrow
Talk to Michael
Remind Stuart 4 more times to pick out clothes for tomorrow
Remind Sabrina that she has more than pink clothes to wear
Break up more fights
Remind everyone to go to the bathroom & brush teeth
hug many children
Read stories
Sing
Pray
Read
Lights out (Ahhhhhh)
Someone out of bed
Put back in bed
Someone else out of bed
Put back in bed
Email/twitter/facebook
Finish cleaning up
Remember the laundry
Make lunches for tomorrow
Set out breakfast stuff
Feed the baby
Diaper change
Put Annalise to bed
Talk to Michael some more
Fall into the bed, exhausted, but full of love!
11:30PM

Not me! Monday

Yep, Monday, Labor Day, and a week of things I did NOT do!

While feeding the baby, I did NOT discover that size 1 diapers are much bigger than newborn diapers. I did NOT discover this leak by a huge wet spot on my shorts. I did NOT continue to wear the shorts the rest of the day. I certainly did NOT wear those shorts the next day.

Stuart does NOT insist that whenever Annalise cries, that she needs to burp. When she cries really hard, he does NOT say that Annalise wants him.

Chase has NOT discovered that he can play games on our iPods and Michael's work phone. One of those games is not Ms. Pac Man. This was NOT my favorite game as a child!

I do NOT not remember when I showered last. I am NOT using the excuse that I'm doing laundry and don't think that there will be enough hot water.

I am NOT totally eating up these girls together!


My youngest baby is NOT 2 weeks old. It does NOT feel like she's always been a part of the family.



Leave your own "Not me!" antics in the comment section!

Friday Funnies

While changing Annalise's diaper & cleaning her cord:
Sabrina: Mama, can I help?
Me: Sure, baby.
Sabrina: (Handing me the rubbing alcohol) Here, Mama. Here's the dry up juice.


While Stuart is playing and Annalise is hanging out on a blanket:
Stuart: Mom, has her raisin fallen off yet?
Me: Raisin?
Stuart: (Pointing to her cord) You know, her raisin.

Sabrina was dropping food on the floor while she & Ruth were eating at the table:
Me: Sabrina, don't drop things from the table. That makes a mess on the floor. If you drop something on the floor, you will need to pick it up.
Sabrina: Na, mom, Miss Lisa will get it.

Wordless Wednesday

Stuart's favorite song to dance to: Footloose.