Double sigh

There are not many things we outright demand that the kids to do around here. Pitching in with the laundry/dishes/yard as asked are just chores we tend to throw out for one of them to do at a moments notice. Mainly for torture and our evil enjoyment;because, after all,  parents have to find the thrills where they can.

 Keeping their pigpens,er, rooms straight and feeding the dogs are the two things that are nonnegotiable. But  where the bedrooms are concerned, I am pretty relaxed. As long as I can walk in to wake them up in the morning without breaking my neck, I'm good. After all, they say to chose your battles, and I have come to realize that my kids enjoy slumming in their rooms.My definition of straightening their room will evidently never mesh with their definition and the daily reminders to clean up have gotten monotonous. However, gone are the days of when I have enough of my own nagging, I step in and do it myself. We have arrived at the "you can suffer" age, although I think it bugs me way more than it does them.Nowadays I just shut the doors and ignore the situation till THEY can't stand it anymore.

Making sure the dogs are fed is the only daily chore that I am fanatic about.After all, the dogs have to eat, ya know?  But, upon arriving home from work today, I am reminded that I haven't been on the ball lately and things have been a tad bit negelected.  Walking into the kitchen, I find this:


       Seriously???










Is Bella just making herself useful, or is she making sure that I know it's time for yet another family discussion about responsibilities?Hmmm, I know which way I am voting....OHHHHH, KIDS!!!!

When the dogs take charge of feeding themsleves it makes me wonder just how long they have been overlooked.This chore is really a no brainer and things never should have gotten this far out of hand. Now I have to punish the crime; well, that is, as soon as I can figure out which "not me" was supposed to feed the dogs  today.Apparently this chore needs to be added to the list of "Things I Need To Keep Up With Better". Maybe one of these days I will finally sit down and create the chore chart I keep threatening the kids with....

 Or, maybe I can just put Bella in charge of the whole thing. At least she looks like she's got a good handle on the situation.

They never cease to amaze me or fail to make me smile.

And for once I am not talking about my children, although they can do a fantastic job of both!

Growing up I had two absolute favorite comic strips: Calvin and Hobbes and Foxtrot. Every afternoon and Sunday morning, I could not wait for my Daddy to finish with the paper and slip me the comics so I could see the latest installments. Back then I could identify so much with Calvin's imagination and his love for his stuffed tiger, Hobbes.And might I add,  Hobbes' wit and sarcasm made me what I am today. ;0) When the announcement was made in 1995 hat the strip was ending, I cried. There are childhood fixtures that you always expect to be present, you know? The thought of no more adventures between a boy and his imaginary friend was just heartbreaking.

As for Foxtrot...... well  the love, torment and abuse experienced by Paige Fox was eerily familiar to the relationship with my own two brothers. I am so happy that Bill Amend has continued the strip into my motherhood years.  With AleCam channelling Jason, and Haybug sharing many qualities with Paige,(and I even have to say, Daddy Weasley can do a fantastic imitation of Roger every now and then.),  I now find myself identifying with Andy Fox as I raise my own brood.

I am thrilled that the kids have started reading my old collections. Calvin, Jason and Peter are very dear to AleCam. Many a time they have come to me to discuss something they read, whether it's Calvin's misadventure with Ms. Wormwood or Jason's obsession with *cough* Harry Potter or online fantasy games. They can see some of themselves in the strips, just like I did reading them as a girl, and it gives us a chance to laugh together. That right there is magical, and something I try so hard not to take for granted. Every shared bond, every square inch of common ground is precious when the twins are so close to those dreaded teenage years of pulling away from us, the parental units.

Not many strips rank on the level of admiration I have for Calvin and Foxtrot, but I have added Baby Blues to the elite list. Talk about finding solace and a comfort that I am not alone in the crazy adventures of motherhood. I mean, you can't make this stuff up, right? More often than not, I would swear that the geniuses behind the strip have a camera allowing 24/7 access into my home. The chaotic adventure of raising multiple children is a blessing and a challenge and both views are well documented in this strip.

I have to admit that even though I am all grown up, my Daddy is still slipping me the comics when he is finished reading them. He sends me copies of Baby Blues by email  every morning. He will even put a side bar in the email title to let me know which person he feels the strip will pertain to; and usually he's right on the money. Every now and then, one of the strips hits so closely to home that I just want to share it.
 The strip Daddy passed on this morning is one that captures life at the Weasleys' spot on....Enjoy!

Despite first impressions, this is not a science experiment gone wrong.

Over the years, we've had "minor" medical emergencies in the Weasley household. With 4 kids there is just no way to avoid a broken arm or two, a stick impaled into a forearm from falling out of a tree, stitches or even staples in the head. All emergiences with their share of muss and fuss, but nothing to ever call 911 over.

 This past Saturday night we advanced to the next level. We experienced one of the worst things that could happen to a parent and found ourselves calling 911; frantic and so worried about our youngest redhead.

After a day of playing in the woods,visiting with family and fully enjoying the last Saturday of Spring Break, Jacks fell asleep in the recliner while I prepared dinner. No big surprise, as all our schedules had gotten off track during the break. Concern started to build just a little when he refused to eat dinner though. And when he all out refused brownies and ice cream, I knew that my baby boy was coming down with a virus or ear infection and he'd just extended his Spring Break by at least a day. Haybug helped me track down the thermometer and sure enough, Jacks was running a fever of 101. He curled up in my lap, and within 10 minutes of first identifying the fever all hell broke loose.

Jacks had what has been classified as a febrile seizure. The worst 5 minutes of  my life....honestly it felt so much longer than that. I have been told the seizure itself was probably less than a minute, but it felt like a freakin eternity. My baby stopped breathing and turned blue; his father administered rescue breathing. It's an image I don't think I will ever forget. Thank goodness we live in a town with an excellent 911 service. Response time from the fire ddepartment rescue squad was 2 minutes, and the ambulance pulled up with them. They were all wonderful at what they do, and very reassuring to panicked parents.

Within 20 minutes of the seizure, Jacks was in the ER and already having tests run.He had slept through the ambulance ride, a fact that still makes him sad. He slept through most of the ER treatment as well, although he is not fond of anything involving a thermometer, Tylenol suppositories and his rear end.

The less than 12 hour stay in the pediatric ward is remembered fondly by Jacks...not because of the care he received per say, but because they served excellent pancakes for breakfast.

Jacks has bounced back incredibly fast and appears to have  no lasting emotional/mental/physical scars from the experience.Wish I could say the same. Fortunately, as the week has progressed and I see that he is fine (still my super, dooper little boy), I am dealing with all of the experience much better.

 And then there was today: when we finally got to go in for a long awaited EEG. It's just a precaution mind you, but I should have known it would not be easy.  Who ever thought that a 6 year old boy and 26 motion sensitive leads all over the head and torso would be a good match needs their head examined. The test could not have been a bigger disaster. Honestly, as soon as you tell a child not to move or talk, they are going to do just that. No one in their right mind should expect a little boy to sit completely still, in the dark, for over an hour. Due to his fidgeting, I have been told that most of the data collected is probably unreadable and we might have to try again.

 Uh, nope, I don't think so. Like I would put Jacks through another hour and 20 minutes of misery.
I wouldn't be surprised if someone shoots me for ever agreeing to that little misadventure in the first place.

But, on the bright side Jacks has another story to share and he even remembers all of this one. He thinks it's funny that he got to have his hair in several tiny pigtails and he thinks Haybug should try the style. Evidently, he sees it to soon become all the rage.

 That's my boy; always finding that silver lining no matter how dark the room. :0)

Do it yourself: Part deux

      ****I have to admit that there is a considerable time delay on the blog entries. Have you ever tried to commandeer a computer from 4 kids that are celebrating Spring Break? Talk about taking your life into your own hands! And then there is the fact that a Mom never really gets to be on vacation no matter what the calendar says....****

Day two in the home improvement saga and I am happy to report that no-one has been injured, maimed or headed to the hospital. The wet saw we rented from HD was quite neat to play with and Daddy Weasley enjoyed his time with the power tool. *insert "Tim the Tool Man" grunt here*

It is amazing how such a little project can morph into a huge time consuming event. Pulling up the old flooring was not a major issue due to the shotty original instillation. However, once we had the flooring up, we realized that there was water trapped under the linoleum from the shower. We cleaned and prepped floor and as we waited for it to dry,  I took the opportunity to put the first layer of paint on the walls.

The winner of the great paint debate ended up being "Never Land". Turns out that once it's on the walls it is a very pretty jewel tone that definitely makes you think of mermaids, pirates and Lost Boys. I am loving the color and even if it is a bit dark for such a small area, I don't care. I think the kids made a great choice. You can see a hint of it behind Wayne in the picture. I will post more when you can get the full effect.

The spackle, mud or what ever the heck you call it is turning out to be more of a challenge to work with than expected, but Wayne is slowly getting the hang of it. He made quite a bit of progress on the floor Sunday afternoon and evening. By the time he stopped for the night, he only had the more difficult area around the toilet to finish.

                                                

 

I am loving the tile we finally decided on! It is the Montagna Cortina collection at Home Depot and it has all kinds of shading and detail.  A word of warning if you feel the need to rush out and buy some too, as we all well know what trend setters the Auburn Weasleys are: I have depleted the little stock they had of the patterned tiles at not only the Tiger Town store, but the one in Phenix City as well. Anyone with HD stock investments, you are quite welcomed for this quarter's profit.

Do it yourself: a life lesson in confidence, perseverance and strength of marriage

Home improvement. Two words that make the strongest men drop to their knees and beg for mercy; not to mention the test they place on your marriage. Like most people, Daddy Weasley and I like to ignore little problems around the house until they get to the point that they are shouting for attention. Eight years after buying our home,sweet Auburn, home it appears that the bubblegum and kite string the previous owners used to make the house saleable is finally drying out and unraveling.Things are falling apart at an alarming rate around here and the Honey do list is growing by leaps and bounds! Some of the tasks are as simple as replacing a rotted board, sealing a leaky pipe or replacing broken fixtures. But then there are also the big things, like the cheap flooring, for example.

The carpet and linoleum that the previous owners put in the house are unbelievable. For a while now the berber carpet downstairs has been unraveling at the seams. Bella thinks its a game, and I have caught her on more than one occasion running with a thread as it spins out behind her.  Daddy Wealsey and I have been holding the worlds longest debate as to how to attack the problem.  I am against more carpet because of the kids and the high traffic.Why trade one headache for another? Wayne hates the idea of hardwood or laminate because he doesn't want to live on a basketball court. The debate swirls around us and I don't see a resolution anytime soon.

And now in the middle of all that comes the long ignored situation with one of the bathrooms. The kids cheap and poorly installed bathroom floor has had enough with the abuses that come with four children and has started rolling up on one end. Walls that needed painted when we first moved in have driven me to the brink of home decor insanity and the boys are determined to relocate my Winne the pooh decor for the sake of their impending manhood.  My attention has been successfully diverted from the great floor debate of 2009, '10, and '11.

With Spring break upon us and gas prices skyrocketing, we decided to skip the wild, out-of-town adventures and stay home for the week. Home improvements top the list of things to do (well, uh, after sleeping late) and the kids' bathroom is first up. This past weekend the family headed out to Home Depot to start the fun rolling.

First stop, paint department. Honestly, you'd  think that a small selection of Disney paint samples would keep the disagreements to a minimum. But noooo, nothing is ever simple in the Weasley home.  All four kids gave opinions as to what to choose and things got nasty between the Buzz fans and the princess faction. 10 paint chips and two arguments later, we finally had a color everyone could live with.  No Space Rangers or princesses need apply, thank you very much.

Then the fun really got started. In marriage there are few things that really rank on the wild side, but picking floor covering definitely makes the top ten. Wayne and I headed into the flooring department to look at ceramic tile and  spent over an hour debating colors, patterns and just how to install the stupid floor. Twice I was willing to admit defeat and walk out.  It might not be pretty, but it's not like we don't have a bathroom floor. Surely I could just live with the bathroom looking like it belongs in some run down hovel, right?

Frustration and murderous thoughts must have been more apparent than we realized because we luckily found help from one of the brave (hey, he willingly jumped into the fray) tile department experts and the man in the tool rental section. We owe my sanity and still full bank account to their assistance and knowledge. Two hours and a full cart later we wheeled out of the store and headed home to fumble our way through the latest project.

 Here are the before pics I made Saturday night before the demolition began....

Such a small room, only about 25 square feet...who knew it would turn into a mammoth sized headache??

Notice the Toy Story poster?  Yes, that is the theme the boys deem more "man worthy" than my Winnie the Pooh decor. :0)

                                    

Next is a picture of us playing with the design to make sure we get it just right....did I ever mention just how meticulous my husband can be? I think we set up patterns in the living room and bathroom at least 5 separate times.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

                              



As we fumble along the path of our first ceramic tile adventure,we invite you to tag along. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two about the process along the way. The worst that can happen is you learn that maybe paying someone to do it for you is more than worth it.  

My littlest bookworm

I should have blogged about this much sooner, but hey, in all honesty there is a lot of things I should have accomplished by now....


Anywhoo, Jacks received the coveted blue ribbon at the AEEC for reading 100 books. Its quite an honor among the kindergarten set.We now have a complete set of four. I am so proud. :0)

 I would like to share the photo sent to me by his teacher, the fantastic Mrs. Dixon, and Mrs. Oakes, the wonderful librarian that has been loving on the AuburnWeasley children for years. They have been instrumental in growing Jacks' love for books and I am so happy to have another avid reader on my hands. Thank goodness we have years of book collections in our home library waiting for him to read.

 Hard to believe this will be the last 100 books ribbon to be awarded to this household. *sniff-sniff*

 

I can see clearly now, the hair is gone....

Okay, so I admit that haircuts are not high priority on my to-do list.

With all the chaos around the Weasley household, I tend to put that dreaded chore off until the kids themselves start begging  for a cut. We have lots of thick hair around here, so the four boys (Daddy included) easily spend 2 hours together at the barber, no matter the length they go in with. Haybug and I are anywhere from 35-45 minutes each when we wander into a salon chair. All precious seconds that I just have trouble letting go of unless it is clear that it is time.

Daddy Weasley will tell you the procrastination really boils down to my vindictive side and wanting to make sure the hairstylist is earning every penny of what they charge. What can I say, I am frugal and  I want my money's worth! :0)

So, with it being spring and a time of renewal, the shearing has begun. Off with the winter coats so the kids can enjoy the warming wind as it teases their hair.


First off is Haybug, because honestly I was starting to think that Cousin It had decided to move in.....

                                      

This is a picture from Daddy Daughter date night in February. If her bangs were not swept to the side and pinned back they would be long enough to cover her nose and upper lip. Yep, definitely time to meet the shears.

 

So...here is Haybug this morning before heading off to school with a much lighter head.....

                             The bangs still need work, but that's due to mom being hairstyle impaired.
                                                   
                                                        And now for the mugshot spin.....

                                

                                                                            

I agree with all you salon enthusiast that she looks quite cute with the new do! And, why yes,  I had forgotten just how pretty her blues eyes are.       

As for that haircut on Jacks in the Daddy Date night photo? Well, that's what happens when a 6 year old, a pair of scissors and a quiet room all meet. As Jacks told his teachers at school after that fateful night..."I cut my hair myself, in the dark..... it was surprisingly easy." Three months now we have been trying to grow out his handy work. And while the cut definitely suits his mischievous side,am I am more than ready to have him back to "normal" (relative term, I know). :0) Maybe once first grade starts in the Fall he will once again look like his Daddy's mini me.

"The ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them here [in your heart]"~~Sirius Black

Dear Mom,

Spring is about to make it's arrival in Auburn. I am already enjoying the fuzzy, green baby leaves on the weeping willow in the backyard and today I noticed that the dogwoods lining the driveway are covered in tender shoots. The kids are full of anticipation of Spring Break and the countdown to a week full of freedom is on. The birds that are so well fed every March at my bird feeder have returned to remind me that it is empty.

But as I am filled with spring fever and the joy of watching the world around me awaken from it's winter sleep,  I am also reminded of the fact that ten years have passed since our final conversation.  How many times have I replayed that last conversation in my head to make sure I told you I loved you before it all ended? How silly it seems that we were focused on getting the twins electronic toothbrushes and how you were going to check at Wal-Mart for Blue's Clues before coming to South Alabama to visit the next day.  I was so focused on the mundane; did I stop to make sure you knew how important you were? 

That morning of March 6th, 2001, my whole world came to a crashing halt. With one early morning phone call I realized that I was without  my mother, my friend, and my mentor.  I'd never thought of the possibility that you wouldn't always be around to call several times a day to fuss to, ask a question or to brag about the simplest accomplishment of the kids. At 29, even though I had never imagined I would have to navigate motherhood without you, I was suddenly without your guidence.

So much has happened in the 10 years since you were called Home. 6 short months after we lost you, Wayne and I survived the loss of his job with the Dark Side after a wave of lay-offs. At a time when my faith was already tested, Wayne and I held on to each other and quickly realized that God is always in control no matter how dark the path ahead might appear. But how I wished you had been there to reassure and to promise it would all be okay!

God may not always answer prayers in the way (or even when) I expect, but looking back over the events of the past 10 years  I am reminded that He always knows the best way to proceed. Wayne has been blessed with a job where he is allowed to reach his potential and he is appreciated for what he does. 2 years after you passed, we moved back home to Auburn. As much as I longed to leave here growing up, I am now thankful for the roots Daddy and you planted for us.

The kids are attending the same schools of my childhood and there is comfort in the familiarity. Many of your friends are still around and I never grow tired of hearing how much I remind them of you. There are still places you loved to shop at and visit and taking your grandchildren to those same places now is yet another connection for them to you and a comfort for me.

 Ten years have passed and yet not a day goes by that I don't think about calling you. Thankfully though, just driving around town ensures that you are still very much a part of my day even if we can no longer talk over the phone. Tiny memories or well traveled paths make me think of you.  Tiger Rags still makes a mean Auburn shirt, Toomer's still serves the best Lime Coke ever, and Samford Hall chimes away with "War Eagle" everyday at Noon. It's those types of small things that now mean so much when I need that connection with you.

And your babies!! You wouldn't believe how much they have grown! We have come so far from the 3 year olds and 15 month old you last remember. The twins just had their first meeting about Junior High, and Haybug is about to graduate to the middle school.  The Grandbaby you never (or even I) expected to be blessed with, is wrapping up his year at the kindergarten and is growing at a rate that makes my heart clinch.

Ten years ago the thought of  surviving years of birthdays, Christmases and a new baby without you here to lavish love and attention on the grandchildren you waited so long to spoil seemed impossible. And yet, here I am. How I wish you were here to enjoy watching the kids grow and to witness the milestones that seem to be flying by.

In fact there are a lot of things I still wish for..... I wish you were here to call me a thousand times a day. I wish you were here to fuss and argue with over the most trivial issue. I wish you were here to attend Haybug's elementary graduation and to watch me sweat over the twins being teen-agers. I wish you were here to nag me over the fact that the boys need haircuts, Haybug could really use some new shoes and shouldn't Jacks be going off to Chickalay with you for lunch?

I wish you could still get bear hugs from your grandkids; to have the joy of seeing their faces light up as you walk into our house. I hope you know just how much they still miss you.

But most of all, I wish I could thank you for all you taught me about motherhood; for all you taught me about loving my children and how to be a wonderful wife.

I miss you still so much Mom..... I hope you always knew how much I love you.