Happy Birthday Little Man!

Karl, my little man, turned ten years old yesterday.  

I cannot believe how quickly ten years have gone by.  Any one who has a child knows what I am talking about.  I can still picture Karl's fat little face looking up at me from a crawl and his flirty head tilt.  He was the smartest baby...he loved to laugh...he was HUGE...and was just a wonderful first child.  To be turning TEN!  I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that.  If these ten years flew so quickly by us, then in another blink of an eye we will be celebrating Karl's 20th birthday - that just is so hard to swallow.  

In his first ten years he has learned so much and grown so big.  From his first words - dada, mama, ball; to going on the big boy potty before he was two; to tying his shoes, dressing himself, learning to read; and all the way to flipping pancakes for our Sunday breakfast - WOW...he has learned so much.  In the next ten years he will be learning to drive, experiencing relationship highs and lows, getting pimples and muscles (hopefully more of the latter and less of the former), and graduating from high school - WOW.  That is all I can keep saying.  My baby isn't really a baby at all anymore...

So happy birthday to my little man - our little Karlybar - KDog - KarlD - and anything else he may go by.  To another wonderful ten years filled with laughter and love and learning.  Love you Karl. 

My Piano Man...I Mean Men

Karl has taken piano for the past three years now. This week he has been putting in extra practice time because he had a piano guild performance. Mike and I are not real sure what a guild is exactly but we were proud of Karl for working so hard preparing for it - he was ready. He looked sharp too - ever since Karl was little he enjoyed dressing well; Karl likes neck ties and nice shoes and when he is wearing all of those things he walks a little taller...it is awesome to watch.

What else is awesome to watch is my other piano man pounding on the piano. When I say pound, I do mean pound. Sam LOVES the piano. When Karl or Abby are practicing, he will crawl up to the piano, stand up, and stretch with all his might to reach the keys. Both kids get a kick out of this and often pick him up, sit him on the bench, and let him pound away. He plays, laughs, plays some more, laughs again, and just goes and goes. When you take him down off the bench he lets out a blood-curling-don't-even-think-about-taking-me-away-from-my-favorite-thing scream that just makes you take notice and is so intense it kind of makes you laugh at its extremety.

Regardless of the noise the piano causes - music, laughter, or screams - I am thrilled we have one and love to watch the kids use it any and every way they can. Mike wants to leave it here when we move (whenever that is) and well, that's just not going to happen...unless he wants to buy us a new one ;)


Results are in - Karl got a perfect score on his guild!! Wow! Way to go Karl!

Summer Plans

Mike finalized reservations for our summer vacation. I am so excited. We are taking the kids and traveling to South Dakota with Mike's parents. We do not get to see Mike's parents/family as much as we would like and so we wanted the kids to have a lot of great memories with them and figured it would be a lot of fun to take a trip with them. We are driving to South Dakota with my parents' RV thing and camping at a campground for a week while we travel on day trips to Mt Rushmore, Bear Country, Reptile Gardens, Dead wood, and the like. Our campground has parks and water parks and all sorts of fun things.
Anyhow - we have been talking about this for months and the finality of making reservations kicked our excitement into high gear. Cannot wait!
While we are there we are going to be able to go to a free Lone Star concert. When I told the kids, Karl and Abby both started singing "Already There" which is "Daddy's' song" from when he was gone for 14 months overseas. I was really tickled they remember that and can't wait to experience all these great things with my awesome husband, wonderful kids, and crazy (in a good way) in-laws! It will be a blast.

I'm a little crabby

It has been a tough few weeks for miss Aine.  She no longer naps (unless she is home with Dad, not sure why that is) but she needs to nap.  Since she isn't napping, as soon as 5PM rolls around she is crabby...non stop tears and pouting and disobeying.  It makes for a long 2 1/2 hours of staraight drama before she goes to bed.  Last night she was so cranky that at the dinner table she refused to eat anything until she got some more crescent rolls.  Well, crescent rolls are like gold at our house - everyone loves them and wants the extra one. She already had one and we told her she couldn't have more until she ate her actual food.  Aine wasn't going to have any of this and after sharing with us what she thought about that through grunts and wails, we removed her from the table.  I put her on the couch and told her that this is not how you behave at the table and she was done eating.  She cried and hollered a bit and then it got quiet.  Completely quiet... see - she fell asleep.  It was 5:30, in the midst of defiance, she crashed.  Unbelievable.  The rest of us at the table all just kind of looked at each other, chuckled, and enjoyed a quiet meal together...

In honor of her crabbiness, we had her wear the perfect shirt that my mom, dad, and younger brother Brian picked up for 

Aine at the Mall of America.  We think it is hilarious because it is so fitting to her personality right now.  She thinks it is hilarious because we say, "Aine are you a little crabby?" and she laughs

 and replies, "I am not a little crabby, I am a little girl!"  Ahhh bless her heart.

Hair today...gone tomorrow

We have been pestering Karl for weeks now about his hair. He decided to grow his hair out because he was afraid he was going bald. Like his dad, he has colics on each side of his forehead and hair doesn't grow there so great. He thought his forehead was too high and he looked bald so he grew his hair out to cover it up. It didn't take long for him to see that growing his hair out only made to bigger, empty spots on his head - see, he had one long center bang and then two long sides growing well past his ears. After letting go of his stubbornness concerning the matter, he took a good look at his hair, started laughing and agreed that it showed the colics and bald spots worse this way and allowed his dad to cut his hair.

Everyone gathered in our small bathroom to watch the hair go. It was impressive how much hair fell to the ground - and it is amazing how different our little man looks without his locks.

Sick Mommy

Every mom out there knows that when the kids get sick...Mom takes care of things, When the husband gets sick...Mom takes care of things.  And when Mom gets sick-yet again, mom takes care of things.  Well, life was quite different in my world this past week.  

Every one in my house has gotten quite sick over the course of this wint

er.  I could probably take all my sick days that I used (not including the pregnancy ones) from the past 3-4 years, add them up, and they still would not equal the number of days I have missed this year.  I hate missing work - it isn't like my dad's job where if he calls in sick, the secretary rearranges any necessary meetings; or like my husband's job where others just pitch in and when he gets back he deals with what they couldn't.  No, my job, if you call in sick you have to plan an entire day for hundreds of teenagers spread out through 6-8 different class clusters, all while you are sick and can barely think clearly AND you have to deal with it and more when you get back.  Yes - I chose my job, and yes - I like my job, but any teacher of spouse of a teacher clearly sees how much of a huge pain in the butt it is to call in sick.  

Any who, excuse my rambling tangents, I have spent the greater portion of this winter taking care of my sick kids.  Mike ha

s helped out substantially but the bulk of it has fallen upon my shoulders.  Lately we have had an outbreak of strep...not fun but I hadn't gotten really sick throughout this time.  That quickly changed on Thursday.  

Thursday - I was looking forward to a nice relaxing trip to get my hair cut and colored (and time away from the kids), and I got just that.  The last hour I sat in the chair though, I had the strongest, most uncomfortable cold shivers running through my entire body.  My head began to throb(not good when getting a cut and style), my throat began to hurt.  In the flash of mere minutes I went from cool and calm to cool and trembling.  As soon as I got home I went to bed - and there I stayed (other than the 90 minute round trip doctor check to verify I had strep) until mid Saturday.  I have never ached so much-I couldn't do a  thing.  I whined(hate whiners), I moaned(dramatic!), I pouted(won't work missy), bossed and ordered(do it yourself), I even cried(big baby...)-I hurt so badly.  I didn't "just suck up and deal with it" because physically I couldn't.  It was awful.  

What was wonderful throughout this time was my husband.  He left work early on Friday to help me (and was welcomed at home with three kids running through a trashed house, baby Sam in a high chair with toys and finger food, and mom crashed on the couch oblivious to it all.  He got me up, took me to bed, helped me get comfortable, brought me a covered drink(of Sprite and orange juice, my favorite), a phone, remote, tons of blankets and pillows and saltines before he closed the bedroom door and left me alone. 

 Then he got the four kids ready, took them out to eat for dinner, treated them to a movie and didn't bring them home until nearly ten.  I slept the entire time.  The next day he scrubbed the house.  I haven't had such a strong Lysol and bleach smell permeate through my home in ages.  He dusted, vacuumed, got on his hands and knees and cleaned floors, (I think I should type that again... see...he got on his hands and knees and cleaned the floors) AND continued to let me be a complete sick slacker.  

Not a single complaint from him.

Not a single request later.

Nothing but help.

Nothing.

Maybe I was truly delirious and I simply envisioned it all.  Maybe he secretly has a uterus.  Maybe he just loves me and is sick of all the sickness.  

Not sure - don't care.

I'll just take it.  

What a guy.

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and was able to spend time with their family and/or loved ones.

Twins!?!!

Is it just me or do my kids look alike?

If there wasn't pink on the one picture it would be very hard to tell them apart...

I wish I had one of Abigail to throw in here too - the only thing that makes her different from these two is she is missing the red glow. Karl doesn't match as well but he is close too.

Super Scrappin Saturday

Today Abby had four girls over for a scrap booking party.  It was really cute.  Lexi, Martha, Olivia, and Paetyn all came over to make a paper lunch-bag book and a frame using funny face pictures from our computer.  The girls had a blast and made some very cute stuff.  I was nervous that it was going to be crazy and the girls wouldn't be interested long enough but I was wrong on both accounts.  The girls were giggly and energetic but not at all crazy and over the top.  Also, we started at 1:30 and the parents were picking them up at 4 - they worked on their stuff until 3:45-3:50.  It was great.  They were all so very excited to show their mom/dad what they made when they picked them up.  Abby thanked me and said she had a great time.  She said it was fun because, "I got to play with my friends and hang out with my mom and make the books."    It was am awesome day - a great memory of my Abby and her friends.  

So that I could focus on Abigail and her friends I had Karl stay with grandma and grandpa, Sam napped the entire ti

me (I put him down five minutes before the girls arrived and he napped until 4!), and I had our special sitter Kristin take Aine for the day of girl time. 

 Kristin picked Aine up at about 12:30 and they were on their way.  Kristin was suppose to bring Aine home at 4:15ish...around 5:30 - before requesting the Amber Alert - I called Kristin to see where she was.  She and Aine were fine and running around still and she said she would be here soon.  Well, by 6:50 she rolls in to our house.  She comes into the house with Aine and a big red target sack like Santa carrying his sack.  And, like Santa, Kristin opens her bag and has gifts for everyone.  Aine has new undies, a swimsuit, and a baby doll; Abby got some little pet puppies, Sam got some cool shades and light-up morracas, and Karl got a baseball tee thingy.  I knew the kids liked Kristin and now I know even more why they love her so much...seriously though - I know Kristin is going to read this (hi Kristin) and my kids love Kristin, not just because she likes to shop and sometimes she happens to shop for them , but they like that she plays guitar hero, laughs, and pays attention to them.  Even is she is the only person I know that has slammed her finger in a trunk - twice - yes...twice - I still think she is an awesome person and a great sitter.

So - here is to a good day for everyone.  Abby had her special party, Karl had special alone time with grandma and grandpa, Aine got special Kristin shopping time, and Sam was able to sleep and laugh and play like a special baby.  The only one who got the shaft was Mike - poor Mike...although - this was his last Saturday to work so I guess that is a special thing too.

To many more wonderful days like this one.  

Sam eats out of something other than a bottle or jar...

MMMMmmmmm...this stuff is good.  

And Dexter has found a new best friend.

He's mobile!

Well, it isn't the prettiest or the fastest but it gets him from place to place.  Baby Sam is crawling!  Not really sure I can call it crawling yet, but it is darn close.  He does this army crawl, on his tip-toes, butt in the air, plop forward move that is entertaining to watch because you are never quite sure how exactly the little guy is going to end up.  It is clear he likes that he can move from place to place.  When he sees something he wants he is focused and moves rather quickly to get there.  

I have seen this many times before and know that within days baby Sam will be navigating the house in a perfect crawl.  Mike though, being in the military and deployed numerous times, has a different perspective.  He was watching Sam and was quite amused, got that wonderful sparkle that I just love in his eye as he chuckled at Sam trying to master this new technique.  Mike took his eyes off Sam for a moment and looked at me and said, "I have never watched one of my children learn to crawl before."  It was a special, sweet and sad moment.  He was amazed, sad, happy, proud, and just captivated by his fourth child developing before his eyes.  I stopped watching Sam and became more entranced watching Mike - I will never forget the look on his face, his ever changing expression matching Sam's progressions and setbacks.  Makes you fall in love all over again.

I am feeling very snackish...

For the past several weeks our little Aine has been using a new word combo that gets us all laughing.  She simply takes the three little letters "ish" and puts them at the end of everything that she wants/doesn't want.  It is common to hear, "mom, I am feeling snackish" or "Dad, I am not feeling very nappish right now." She does this with such fitting, comical expressions that you really cannot help but laugh.  If she wants to watch a movie she is feeling "movieish," craving brownies, "brownieish,"  doesn't want to eat dinner, then she isn't feeling very "pizzaish" or what ever it is we are eating, and so on.  When we ask her to go on the potty she says, "I am not feeling very poopish though mommy."  Fortunately she oftentimes feels "peeish" so we all hope the "poopish" feelings begin to develop because none of us ever feel very "diaperish."  She has begun to get more specific in her "ishisms," the other day she mentioned that not only was she feeling "movieish" but she was really feeling "Fairytopiaish."  So I asked, "You want to watch Fairytopia?"  "Yes mommy, I am very fairytopiaish right now."  Now, we are not sure where she got this.  I guess  am glad she is in touch with her feelings.  It is really cute, with the tone and head nod, and when she uses it on mom, dad, Karl, or Abby - she may not get what she wants but she certainly gets a laugh out of all of us.   You should try it once in awhile - it is silly and will make you smile, "Honey, can I have all the credit cards, I am feeling very shopish right now..."  or "Sweetie, I need to watch the game and not do anything else all day because I am feeling very relaxish..."  Again - may not work but guarantees a couple smiles.

iPod craze

For Christmas this past year my parents bought me an iPod.  I knew they were getting me one because my husband didn't buy me one and he promised if they didn't get me one that he would.  I was so excited to get it and I listen to it all the time.  I just love it.  Well, Karl, my nine-year-old loves it too.  A few weekends ago he had a basketball tournament that just he and I went to, well Sam went too but he isn't much of a conversationalist, anyhow, the entire hour + that we were in the car, Karl listened to my iPod.  Then, as soon as we got in the car on the way back he had it out again.  Then just this past weekend he was at a friend's house and discovered that his friend's dad created a playlist on his iPod with all his son's favorite songs...needless to say, Karl was so excited about this possibility.  I told him that would be fine with me if he picked a handful of songs to have in his own play list - so for three/four days he has been asking Mike and me to help him create this.  Well, today was a snowday so there was no school so Karl and I tried to figure out iTunes and iStore and all these other iHaveNoIdeaHowToUse type sites.  Finally I threw up my hands and told him he would have to wait for his dad.  I could get the songs on my computer, but couldn't get them on to my iPod so I was no help to Karl.  While he waited for his dad, he sat patiently on the floor with the lap top on his lap (what better place could there be for a laptop) a notepad and pen by his side and he browsed the iTunes store for songs.  He wrote down all the titles and artists and by the time he was done he had a dozen songs.  I looked at the list and saw KISS, Alice Cooper, Smashing Pumpkins, and Willie Nelson.  Now Willie I can understand, he has been a country fan his entire life, but the rest...?  Then it dawned on me - he had basically created a Guitar Hero soundtrack.  Ahh yes, guitar hero - we play it all the time.  Karl is wonderfully impressive, I am not too bad, and much to the annoyance of Mike, he is lagging behind (but he practices when we are gone and thinks he is sneaky - which he is not - but he is getting better).  Anyhow, I wasn't sure how I felt about the list.  All the songs were appropriate(no swearing, sex, or other stuff - just rock) but I really am not fired up about creating a future hard rocker.  The fact that Karl gets down to "Paint it Black," Abby loves to shake her hips/butt to any music and likes "I like big butts" and knows the words... and Aine gets fired up to White Zombie and "rocker music" makes me a little nervous.  Bring back the VeggieTales, The Wiggles, play me some Peter, Paul, and Mary - kids love Puff the Magic Dragon...right?  Not quite...

She's ALIVE!

Hello, it has been quite some time since I last posted.  To be honest, I hate to post without pictures and my old laptop stopped functioning in that department so I was never in the mood to post since I couldn't add a picture or two.  Anyhow, I got a new laptop (YEAH!) and I love it (and don't share it) and can use the picture functions so I am a very happy gal.  A lot has happened since I last posted but there is just no way I can cover it all so I will get to the basics.

My husband applied for a promotion at work and got it!  We are all very excited about this but to prepare for the change he will have to work nights for one to three months.  We are all not very excited about this.  He also has been doing very well in his classes which he is nervous about this term because they are tough and quite important to do well in if he wants to get accepted into his program.  Those of you who are my age (30-40 range) do you remember in college (if you went) that "nontraditional" student who drove everyone crazy.  It was as if they had nothing better to do than study all day and night and raise the curve in the class.  We would all get about

 70-85% on some tough test and think we were awesome and then the annoying nontraditional student would be upset they got 98% and would be arguing with the prof about the question they got wrong and we all would throw daggers with our piercing eyes at their backs...well...that is my hus

band.  The "old guy" in class who throws the curve off for the 19-20 year-olds.  At least this term his classes are online so he won't be getting evil looks, just evil thoughts.  

I am so proud of him though.  School just wasn't his thing when he was younger.  He was always VERY smart and could do well with little effort but see, you have to actually go to class, especially on testing days, to do well in college and that...that was his downfall.  Crazy though how, when your life is different and you "go back" to school how much better of a student you are.  The money isn't just random money but money taking away from your kids, a nicer car, going out one night.  And the grades are not just grades...they are a ticket to a future that you wish you would have built ten year

s before. 

 This is why nontraditional students do so well in school, they have been out in the real world 

without school - and it is hard.  They know what they did wrong the first time, what is at stake, and how much better life can be if they do well in school, get an education, and go out in the world and use it at a job that values your knowledge and skills, pays you for it, and if they lose you as an employee they care b/c they can't just replace you with some other person off the street.  

Sorry, I am rambling.  Can you tell I am a teacher and I value education?  Hmmm...

Mike wanted to go back to school for a lot of reasons.  He wanted a job he enjoyed, one he could advance in, and one that paid more money.  He says a main reason he went back though is that he thinks education is very important and struggled with how he could instill that belief in his kids when he himself never finished school.  So, he went back and he is kicking butt and we are all very proud of him.

Well, I didn't intend to turn this into the Mike show...

I won't turn this into a Christmas typ

e letter thingy either where I cover the moments of each individual in our family...nope, instead I will drag it out and make you wait for what is going on with the rest of our brood.  

Life is good and I am glad to be back.