Still cleaning but nothing is getting clean

This morning was wonderful. I got up early, exercised, showered, picked up a bit, and started correcting papers when the kids slowly woke up. I made them yummy eggs and English muffins for breakfast. Everyone was happy and talkative. After breakfast I explained to the older two, Karl and Abby, that as soon as they were done cleaning their rooms and the "middle" room (big, wide hallway between their rooms) that they could do what ever they wanted to rest of the day. That was at 9:30 am. At 2:30pm their rooms were still not clean and more fighting than cleaning was taking place. At 5:30 we ate dinner and since the work was still not done but the arguing continued, both kids lost privileges for the following four days. How does it take over seven hours to clean a bedroom? How many questions, complaints, or tattling can be thrown my way in a seven hour time frame? These questions and more (like how do I maintain sanity amidst total chaos) were answered today. Lucky, lucky me...
This weekend was MEA-Minnesota Education Association. What this means for students and teachers in Minnesota is a three day week at school. At our school, the students also had Wednesday off and the teachers had a work day. The weekend was too long and I got nothing done I wanted to get done. At the same time, Sam was at the doctor - twice, my house was not cleaned - not once, Aine threw several fits - several, she peed on the floor, the tire blow on the truck when I was driving the four kids back form a day in the cities. I didn't get any sleep, any school work done, class work done, laundry done, NOTHING.
I was cranky, had a constant head ache, and just was overwhelmed by the constant need and fighting of the kids. It is as though they didn't know what to do with each other, together, for that long.
I have good kids - they listen and are respectful - most of the time. But, kids are kids and are not perfect. Well, lucky me, I got to witness imperfection first hand by all three of my older children AND I had to take extra care of a sick, tired but hopped up on steroids and medicine three-month-old who can't get enough to eat and doesn't want to sleep but is still wheezing and not feeling the greatest so needs lots of extra love and care.
Needless to say, I am beat. I need a weekend to recover from the long weekend. So, I sit her e in bed correcting tests and papers (obviously I took a slight break to blog), wondering how long I will be up tonight; meanwhile, my husband, who worked all weekend and complained about how boring it was at work because they had no work coming in, is sleeping peacefully beside me...brat.
OK - enough complaining. Sorry.

A hat

Not too long ago I bought a hat for Sam. We were going to be heading to a football game and it was going to get chilly so I figured I should get one just in case. Well, Aine loved the hat. She has the unique trait of claiming everything as hers no matter who it really belongs to or what it is. When she saw the hat she tried it on and since it fit - it was hers. I continually told her it was Sam's, but she wasn't having that.



Finally, she wanted to see the hat on Sam - as if to check for her own eyes if it truly was his. Well, Sam didn't help us much in his reaction - that was proof enough for Aine that the hat was, in fact, hers.









Just had to throw these in as well. I just love watching Mike with the kids and they all love being around him. Sam was hanging out with Dad online...I just love these pictures.

Missing Mike

Today was the first day of no school for MEA - Minnesota Education Association. Most schools had classes today but our school had a teacher workshop day. Our speaker was wonderful and entertaining so it was a day well spent-for me. Mike, on the other hand, stayed home with our kids and two of our friend's (who teaches with me) kids. The day went fine but Mike was exhausted and had had enough of noise - you stick six to seven kids in our house and it is going to be loud. I got home promptly at 3pm to relieve Mike and not two hours later my sister and her two boys came over to play. I told Mike he should take off tonight to get a break from kids in general and knew he needed a break. He decided to go watch a football game. Now, it was my idea for him to take off and relax away from little humans but now...now I am pouty. I am glad he went out - he rarely hangs out with the guys (mostly because he likes to hang out with his family) so he really deserves a break. At the same time...I like having him around. I have gotten use to us spending most of our time together and when he isn't here - even if we aren't doing something together - I miss him.

Wah...poor me.

Guess that makes us lucky-we like to be around each other.

Sick kids...still

Well, my fourth child has been sick and has caused me to stay home from work. I realize that I have four children and children get sick - but I think I have missed more school this past month for sick kids than I was all last year. The thing that stinks the most, other than seeing their sad, miserable faces, is the fact that they just keep getting each other sick and I see really no end to the cycle. Oh well...eventually they have to be better.
The nice thing is - Sam, who we had to take to the doctor because he was coughing to the point of not breathing, has been on meds and he is a completely different person. The down side - he is done with his meds now and the cough has resumed. I was relieved to see him so healthy when taken the medication. I thought there was something wrong with him developmentally - blind (he wouldn't look at us) deaf (he wouldn't follow our voices) socially (he didn't seem to smile when we were around). The doctor said that kids from large families tend to develop physically first (would explain why he was rolling over at a month old...seriously). Though that explanation helped me somewhat - I wasn't 100% convinced. There was just something off. Well, on his meds his matty eyes cleared up, he began cooing and talking, he was bright eyed and just a different, happier baby. So, it is good to know that when healthy - he is great. We just have to keep him healthy...easier said then done when all the kids keep getting each other sick.
Well, hopefully the bug is done in our house and will leave us alone for awhile. Hoping health for you and yours!

Birthdays and BooBoos

This weekend was full of activities for the kids - which meant it was full of running for mom. Friday the kids were suppose to start the weekend cleaning (since there was so much to do) but I ended up watching a couple of my friend's kids so...being that it was a gorgeous day and I wasn't going to make my little extras help Karl and Abby clean, I decided to take the seven kids (yes seven!) down the street to the park. They were having a blast. Karl and his friend Nick were playing catch and the rest were chasing and playing and goofing around. Until...Aine was running and not watching her feet, she tripped over a pile of sand and...landed chin first into the corner of the slide. She immediately started crying. Well...I picked her up and got the kids back to the house (Karl carried Sam), got everything ready (my friend would be there within five minutes to git his kids). Anyhow, we ended up at the doctor and Aine got all patched up with this tape stuff (the doctor was really cool and preferred the tape to the stitches...which I thought was great). Cute thing is, Aine told us, and the doctor, that she "want my band aid on my owee." The doctor smiled and told her she was going to need a little more than a band aid.
And, just to brag things up a bit...my daughter is TOUGH. She didn't even cry or make a nose when they put the stingy stuff on her chin. Nope, she just squeezed her mommy and daddy's hand. What a sweetheart.
The next day we cleaned, watched Karl play football, and celebrated Aine's birthday with my family. It was a full, non-stop day. Aine got a lot of nice presents (Abby was jealous). For the first time Abby had to ask Aine to play with something. It certainly changes the dynamics of their relationship and is very good for Abby to deal with. All in all, Saturday certainly made up for Aine's Friday.
Happy birthday to my big three-year-old! Now if we can just get her to go on the potty before the year is up!

Go Packers!

This past Sunday, Mike and I were fortunate enough to attend the Packer game at the Metronomen Minneapolis. The day was perfect. We drove to the Mall of America and took the train to the dome. Once at the dome we met some of Mike's friends from his tour of Iraq. It has been a long time since seeing them last so it was great for Mike to get together and tailgate with them for a bit - even if they were Viking fans. Mike was also able to meet up with some college friends - Wisconsinites who are Packer fans through and through. We finally made it inside to dome and to our seats - and they were great seats. I brought my mom's camera to hopefully capture Brett Favre's record breaking touchdown pass - which I was able to do. I only wish he was at our end of the field rather than the opposite side. Oh well - I am definitely not complaining though. Not far into the game, Favre scored his touchdown and we happily cheered as history was made before our eyes. The rest of the game was a fun one to watch. The day was wonderful, there are not too many moments any more that Mike and I get to spend just the two of us so this day was special. We both enjoy football, we enjoy each other, and we enjoy winning - the only thing that would have made this day absolutely fabulously perfectly perfect would be if the game had been played at Lambeau Field...again - definitely not complaining.