This can't be good

The other day my soon-to-be-5-year-old preschooler came home with a hand delivered envelope from none other than a boy! She was so proud to show it to me with her rosy cheeks, googly eyes and innocent giggle. All the paper inside revealed was a bunch of scribbles but I am certain it was a love letter just the same.

My oldest was never convinced that "boys are yucky" but, I had Kayley convinced up until now it would seem. I had really high hopes that I could keep on convincing her until she was at least 30. I see grey hairs surfacing just at the thought of it. What ever happened to cooties?!

It wasn't too long ago that I got a phone call from a yucky cootie infested boy asking to speak to my 7yr old. These girls are seriously going to have to take it easy on their fragile mama. I just can't handle all the drama of boys (eeek, I shutter just typing it) chasing after my girls, just yet.

As if I wasn't already bamboozled enough over my preschoolers new gentleman caller, my oldest adds insult to injury, with a certain spicy letter of her own. I had noticed her sitting quietly to herself writing in her notebook but quickly noticed how deep in concentration she was and again thought "this can't be good." I asked her to go get me something in the other room, she handed her notebook to me and asked me to hold it for her but not to read it. SCORE! Of course I was going to read it, i wasn't born yesterday! This is what is said:

What me and my boyfriend did.

Swimed together.

kissed

deared each other to slide in the swimming pool

huged

the most of all we said we love each other

There were also several hearts drew on the paper as well.

OHHHHH EMMMMM GEEEEE!!!!! Where do they come up with this stuff? And if this wasn't made up (please be made up) where was I when all this spiciness took place? I can already tell I am going to have my hands full with these 2 and may need to look into home school soon, as well as installing bars on their bedroom windows. She isn't even in her first training bra and she's already doing some blogging of her own about making it to first base. Holy Cow! I would very much like someone to tell me it gets easier. But, I know they would be lying and I can't stand being lied to either so, shit out of luck... I AM!

I've always heard when you have boys you only have to worry about one penis. When you have girls you have to worry about them all.

Nope, this can't be good!!!!!

Why I love my dog...

• He loves me no matter what even if I did just rub his nose in his own poop.
• He is always there to listen and NEVER back talks.
• I only have to fill his food bowl once a day which requires no cooking or dirty dishes.
• I can talk to him as often as I like and he always listens without interrupting. He gives me someone (other than myself) to talk to without making me look crazy. Or as crazy, whichever.
• I am greeted every morning with a tail wag and slobbery kiss up my cheek. No temper tantrums, fights over clothing or dirty diapers to change.
• After coming home I am greeted again with more tail wags and slobbery kisses up my cheek and no questions asking "what did you buy me?"
• I only have to give him a bath once a week or as needed when smelly.
• He never has any dirty laundry.
• He doesn't require being wiped after he poops.
• I can leave him home alone and don't have to drag him in and out of every store I need to go to. If I do take him along I won't be frowned upon for leaving him in the vehicle alone as long as there is a window cracked.
• I am also not frowned upon for having him on a leash when he is taken outdoors.
• He goes to sleep by himself without having to be rocked, pampered, tucked in or threatened.
• He wakes up by himself without having to be drug by his feet, repeatedly told to get up, or threatened.
• He is easy pleased with a daily belly rub and a small basket of inexpensive toys or he just chases his own tail.
• He drinks water without crying or fussing that he hates it and instead asking for Kool-aid.
• And lastly, as long as he is in the same picture as me he turns everyones attention to how cute he is and takes emphasis off how awful I look & how plump I'm getting. "Oh what a cute dog" :)
  

Scary dreams, school bullies & other disturbing headlines.

I am a mother. I worry. More than I probably should. But it's in my job description.

First the good news; my daughter has not been caught in another lie, nor caught taking anything else since my husband and I sit her down, had a long talk and grounded her for the weekend. We faced the situation head on and it's been resolved... let hope it continues.

Now on to the next situation at hand; scary dreams and school bullies.

She has waken through the night frequently saying she is having bad dreams. Won't go back to sleep in her room and has to lay in our bed for awhile, then eventually she will go sleep the rest of the night on the couch. I can't figure out what is causing them. She doesn't watch anything scary or violent on TV, her sugar intake is very limited and we do not allow our kids to have caffeine. So, where are they coming from? I feel so helpless. She's even scared to the point of crying when an Orkin commercial comes on and she sees the big roach they use in the commercial. She says she has dreams about big rats and bugs that are after her. We have been telling her to say her prayers at night before bed and maybe God will take all her bad dreams away.

Now about the school bully; everyday when she gets off the bus she is upset because this student always sticks her tongue out at her when she is walking up her driveway. I told Catie to not look out the window at her. But, she says this little girl will yell for her then call her a loser when Catie looks. I also suggested that she just ignore her and eventually she will stop. When what I really wanted to say was "stick your tongue out at her and say it takes one to know one" but that wouldn't be very appropriate motherly advice. HAHA! Kids these days can be so rude & cruel.

Other disturbing headlines recently have hit close to home. Last week a 15 year old boy shot & killed both his guardians. Police say the motive was because they wouldn't allow him to have his 12 year old girlfriend over at their house. I just can't imagine how troubled one has to be to commit such a crime at any age, but especially at 15 years old. The reason it is overly disturbing for me is because he lives and attended school in the same county as my children. In just 5 years my daughter will be out of Elementary and in Middle School. He could just as easily brought that gun to school and opened fire on his classmates. It horrifies me that she could be attending classes with children capable of such acts. I know I shouldn't worry about it now. But, when I watch the news everyday and see things happening all over the country to children her age my mind just won't let me forget it. This is one of the reasons I don't even know why I watch the news in the first place. It's all bad.

We do our best to teach our children right from wrong, punish them appropriately when they need it, lead by example and pray that you and your children make the right decisions. At the end of the day that's all we can do as parents. I just hate feeling so helpless and knowing there are situations my children will be faced with that I can't control. No matter how much I try to shelter them from all the evil and bad in this world, they will be faced with it eventually. We just never know what each day holds. Life was so much easier when the biggest thing to worry about is what your going to buy them for their birthday or what brand diapers to put on their little tushes. The older they get, the bigger their troubles are. We have to do our best and keep pressing on regardless of what life throws at us.

Is She Serious?!

I am an Oprah freak. I watch as often as I get the chance to and I am totally heartbroken that her show is over. I have laughed at her shows, cried at some, learned some advice, bought recommended books after watching. But, sometimes after watching I have this "I love her, I hate her" feeling about something that aired on the show. Take yesterday's show for example. It was on happiness and how to be happier in your life. Goldie Hawn was a guest and they discussed ways to bring more happiness into your life like having more sex, making the ideal amount of money, taking time for yourself, etc.

She also had polls that she asked the audience. One went a little something like this; "How many of you take time out of your day for complete silence?" I thought complete silence?! It's obvious that Oprah doesn't have any children. I can't even go to the bathroom alone much less make time for complete silence. I'm not even sure that I understand the concept. In my household there is always the pitter patter of little feet, a washer/dryer or both running, the tv on, the dog barking at something, kids arguing, me mumbling something under my breath or "growling". Then I thought about it some more; make time? She speaks of it like it's something easy to do. I can barely find time in my day to take a shower, how can I make time for something I don't even fully understand the meaning of?

Another poll was about sex. How often you 'do it'. They suggested that the happiest people are the ones having more sex. I am so exhausted by the time I go to bed that all I want to do is sleep! Sleep makes me happy! When you have kids, jobs, and a household to maintain I don't grasp the idea of having a lot of sex. When exactly am I suppose to do that? Especially without the kids hearing, because that is something that I am just not ready to explain. Ha.

I got a good chuckle at the info they were trying to pass along such as complete silence and have more sex to be happier. But I became frazzled when they touched on the money issue. Oprah is rich. Her definition of poor and my definition are very different. Some expert on her show said for a family of 4 a yearly income of $75,000 was enough to live happily. Well I must say that we are a family of 5 (soon to be 6) and my husband doesn't even come close to that figure. Of course when that number was threw out there, Oprah's jaw dropped like she just couldn't understand how someone could live happily on a salary such as that. I'm sure 75k is pocket change for her, but not everyone in this world is that fortunate. I like to think we do live happily on the salary we have. We have all our needs met, most of our wants met. So, what exactly am I not understanding? I don't need piles of money to be happy. Sure, it's nice to have but there are far more important things in my life to make me rich and happy. My children are something I could never put a price tag on and the joy they bring into my life is something no amount of money could ever buy.

So, am I the confused one or is Oprah? Maybe she needs to come walk a mile in my shoes so to speak to understand that it doesn't take silence, sex or money to make you happy. It's about finding joy in the small things and being grateful for what you do have not focusing on what you lack.

Small Town Living

I love where I live. It's just a speck on the map that no one has ever heard of. Everyone knows everyone, and if they don't know you they know who your married to. Everyone waves at cars passing by and everyone speaks when they see you out. When you go in the bank they know you by name. You can even charge your groceries or gas the local station and pay on your next visit. It's so peaceful to live in a place such as this. I wouldn't trade small town living to live anywhere else in the world.

Now, the trouble with small town living is; everyone is always in your business. For example, my husband and I bought a new living room suit, a much needed new one I may add, our other one we had for over 7 years and it had been excessively used.. anyways, while packing our old one out, everyone that drove by our house rubbernecked. I'm sure they were thinking "are they moving." You literally can't do anything in privacy.

That however, doesn't bother me as much as the talk. I will use this for an example: "oh my word, she is knocked up again?!" Yes, I am pregnant with my fourth child. So what? I can not express to you enough how sick to death I am of people sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. Does it really matter if we have 4 kids or 14 kids? They are our children, we raise them, we love them, we were blessed with them. My grandmother gave birth to 10 kids! Years ago it wasn't uncommon to have a dozen. So why does 4 sound so extreme in this day and age? No, I don't plan on having any more after this pregnancy. But if I did, it's none of anyone's business. That is between me, my husband and God to decide, not you. Every child is sent to this earth for a reason. God chooses the parents for each angel he sends down. I am so very thankful to have the 4 angels he sent to me. I am blessed beyond words that each one is smart, happy, beautiful and most importantly, healthy.

And a note to everyone who judges us for our 'amount' of children: no one is asking you to be happy for us, either you are or you aren't. But don't pretend to be then go behind our backs and make comments about it. If we want to buy all new furniture and leave our old sitting out in the front yard, we will. If we want to run around our house in our underware, not that we do but if we wanted to, we will. If I want to be barefoot and pregnant every year for the rest of my life, I will. This is our life. So shut your small town mouth.

Spring Has Sprung

The weather has been absolutely beautiful. I broke out my flip flops, capris and short sleeves.

Oh yea!

Handy Household Tip

This handy household tip is brought to you today by: None other than the Mess Master, Caleb!

Tip: Rubbing alcohol will take ink pen marks right out of a microfiber couch! Test a small area first. Then use a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a white cloth and gently rub over marks. Ta-Da No More Marks!

I've also learned that hairspray works wonders in getting ink off of clothes. Just spray and put in the washer.

As a mom you learn all kinds of handy mess cleaner upper tips!