Eighteen

Hard to believe that Nolan is well over a year old!  At 18 months he is a busy busy boy.   He is currently sitting next to me at the kitchen table in a big chair coloring all over my "summer notebook" and chattering away at me.   I am letting him because he is happy and not destroying something or making a mess.   He has a chocolate covered face from his Nutella bread he had for breakfast.  Chocolate is a good breakfast...I think it has some protein right?   

At 18 months we follow him around stopping him from doing the same things every single day.  He things my computer mouse is his toy....the kitchen table is for climbing on...the lego's and rocks for eating...the dog water is for splashing in...my bathroom drawers are his toy box.   Basically he's a pretty typical 18 month old.   He is rocking 13 teeth and is saying so many words now I have lost count.  He is starting to put 2 and 3 words together like "Mommy watch" "Mommy help"  "Mommy get it" Most of his words only I understand at this point like "gogo" = yogurt.   "Baba"=water/cup/milk/bottle  but a few he says quite clearly like "Ow" "Mommy" "Daddy" "goggles" "shoes" to name a few.  He seems to understand everything we say to him and sometimes listens and most times not.  

He has learned how to make us laugh and does so with intention daily.   He cracks us up and at 18 months we are all still pretty obsessed with him.   We are still working on hitting and throwing things...he has quite a little temper!  He still has rocking hair and brown eyes...still quite a peanut.   Obsessed with shoes and loves putting his little crocs on by himself.   He is still a huge fan of his paci and is starting to carry around, request, and sleep with his little monster or puppy "snuggly".  He is a ball of energy and happy and moody and love.  

At 18 months he is at a fun and trying age and we are enjoying every second.  

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.   We are 2 days into our first full week of Summer Break and are just rolling with it....we have Gavin's tonsillectomy on June 10th so we are trying to squeeze in a few fun days before then.

2.  I am desperately trying to get "caught up" on laundry...which is a joke really BUT I have a laundry "schedule" I try to stick to and it's all out of whack so right now I am just trying to get back to that.   Almost there.

3.  The end of the school year went well the boys racked up awards and had a blast at their end of the year parties.   Room mom's are in charge of planning and coordinating those just about 100% so knocking those out was a sigh of relief.  Glad to help with them though and the kids always have a blast.

4.  I am letting things roll as they do with our foster care licensing right now.   I have a lessened since of urgency with all of that lately so I am just letting things happen when they do for now.  

5.  Robert and I however are dying to get to the beach so we are hoping we get that worked out asap!

6.  The boys are working on rocking out their library book reading for the summer....hopefully we can stick with that!

7.   Jakeb and Zachary had their first piano recitals this past weekend...Robert and I couldn't have been more proud of them.   They did fantastic.

8.   They were both incredibly nervous but pushed thru and did it and just for that alone we were beaming...but they also played marvelously.   Awesome dudes.

9.  Gavin received 2 medals in his awards at the end of the school year...Mr. grumpy woke up that day saying there was no reason for him to go since he wasn't getting any awards anyway...stinker butt earned a citizenship and PE award!  

10.  And not to leave out the baby...He was amazing for the last days of school and hanging out at the school all day.   He seriously was fantastic all day.

11.  Hoping summer is smooth sailing this year....

12.  Trying to sit down and knock out a few computer "jobs" tonight...this is one of them!  Done and done!

Countdown...

We are in the final 5...4..days of school and I am seriously not believing how quickly this past year has gone!   (Side bar:  There are 2 babies sleeping in this house right now and the neighbors dog is yelping like no other and I may lose my mind....)   I will have a 2nd, 4th, and 6th grader very soon and that is amazing and baffling and I would say sad {that they are getting older}...but it's not.   I am proud of them and so happy to see them growing up and doing so well.   The idea of them not getting older is preposterous and while I certainly love my babies and from time to time DO miss little baby Jakeb, Zachary, and Gavin...I also love watching them grow and learn and change.  I don't tend to get caught up in the sentiments of not wanting them to get older...I really enjoy each stage and age.  Of course this is not assuming that other parents do not, I just don't get all weepy about it.  Granted I don't get all weepy about much.   (Oh.my.goodness.  Barking dogs are the worst)  I love looking back at their pictures and reminiscing about this or that and certainly miss their little toddler voices and toddler curiosity because while toddler hood is quite trying it is also my favorite (really they are all my favorite...).    They are learning and discovering so very much and as Nolan is stepping in to full fledge toddler hood I am remembering all the reasons why I say it's my favorite.  The curious glances, the hesitant pause right before they try something new. The new words.  This morning he said flower (fower) and yogurt (gogo)  and yesterday he said Ellie (eddyeee) and Glasses (gackes) and bottle (bobble) and every day lately it's so many new words that we are losing count.   Watching the kids grow and learn and discover is just really my favorite no matter what age.  And as the school year is coming to and end and we are passing over into new ages and stages I just can't help but be proud of them and the people they are and are becoming.  And also a doing a little {big} happy dance because I can slide the little button on my phone that says "alarm: 6:01 am" over to OFF.    And I can pretend we will have fun days of lounging by the pool and relaxing in the house watching TV or reading or playing happily together...taking happy hand holding walks at the park or trips to the zoo where we marvel at every animal....Hahahaha...one can dream.

SEVEN.

Oh um hi....so Gavin my blonde boy turned 7 a little under 2 weeks ago now.   He's our last of the "birthday extravaganza" that has become our spring months.   All the big boys birthdays are within 6 weeks or so of each other so we are partied out by May 2nd.
Gavin my boy is seven and very stoked to be SEVEN.   At 7 Gavin is in first grade and doing wonderfully.  He is seriously loved by everyone.   He is friendly and happy and very thoughtful.  He likes to open doors or pick things up for people and just generally be a nice guy....at least most of the time.  It helps too that he's super cute :)   He still has mornings where he wakes up and seems to have left his body and has been replaced with a mean hateful person...but usually a quick bite to eat and he snaps out of it.   At 7 Gavin is reading amazingly well and is quite a little math whiz.   Gone are the days of his perfect penmanship but he still has to have a great many things just so....he is still very much our dramatic one.   Sometimes this makes us giggle and sometimes..not so much.  He is a love 100%.   In the past couple months his personality has emerged even more and his confidence seems to have sky rocketed.  He is chatty and friendly with so many people.  No longer hiding behind my legs he seems to rarely meet a stranger these days.   He is still ever so bouncy and also dancing and singing and just being silly.  Even his teacher has noticed this at school and commented on it the other day.   He is still very well behaved at school and prides himself on this quite a lot!  He has lost 4 teeth and wiggling out the next...he finally mastered the bicycle with no training wheels...by basically hopping on it and riding it.   He is playing baseball and seems to be enjoying it very much.  We are certainly loving watching him play...his coach has him playing "pitcher" where he spins and sings and dances and practices his next play and/or swing and every once in a while throws a kid out at first.    
He is snuggly and cuddly and loves to hug.  He is smart and silly and funny and bossy and chatty and kind and demanding and handsome and thoughtful.   Gavin is a wonderful happy boy!  Happy 7th Birthday Gavy Gav!

Twelve on Tuesday.

1. I have had to stop and double check that it is in fact Tuesday like 27 times today. I am still not sure that it's Tuesday. I will probably discover it's not....actually in 55 minutes it won't be....well that is assuming it IS actually Tuesday right now.

2. This is the last week of Baseball....but also the first week of the very busiest month in all of time for this family.

3. I would say that I need to see June roll in pretty quick...but Gavin is scheduled for a tonsillectomy June 3rd and while I know he will do fine it is still surgery and just thinking about it makes my stomach in knots. And also June means Jakeb is officially done with elementary school...and that also knots my stomach a wee bit.

4. ALSO...because also is my favorite word...also Gavin turns SEVEN in like a day. And what how is he 7?! He is so excited to be 7 and I am so excited to be done with birthday's for a little while.

5. I am also excited to be done worrying that I forgot to send in some form or that the boys had a test we didn't study for AGAIN or a library book or lunch money I forgot or a ball game or SOMETHING...so yes summer please get here.

6. Just for the record we haven't forgotten a ball game and fortunately they are allowed to charge lunch sometimes.

7. BUT a big thing?! Nolan the great sleep issue baby is actually sleeping...still not thru the night BUT like going to sleep on his own in his own bed in his own room and not crying. Like a happy baby chatting to himself til he falls asleep sleeping...on.his.own. I am beside myself about this. We rock and we snuggle in the chair and he nurses a bit and then he gets all squirmy to get down so I put him in bed give kisses and cover him up and he just like goes to sleep. Like that's it. AMAZING.

8. I go Thursday for a tour and orientation of the middle school...nervous? Yes....but also trying to remember I survived middle school. In fact 6th and 7th grades were probably my better years now that I think about it. He will be fine.

9. Did I mention Nolan is going to sleep on.his.own now? I would miss snuggling with him if we didn't snuggle all the time and I would miss him sleeping with me if he didn't end up in our bed every night anyway....

10. Zachary really seems to be enjoying baseball and we are really enjoying watching him play and grow as a player. He's getting there!

11. Bailey has been a little off the last couple days. We are a little worried about him. :( He is fast approaching 13. Bay dog.

12. It's late and I am going to sleep now. And when I wake up it will be Wednesday...I think.

Tuesday twelve

1. I have a birthday soon....eek! And yay because I still love birthdays.

2. Zman gets his braces off soon...super stoked for him about that!

3. Jakeb is really jonesing for a cell phone...I am waffling on my no cell phone til your at least 13 stance. I am seeing more and more times when it would be a nice for him to have one. But still I need to see him balancing his electronic device use a bit better before I cave on that one.

4. I should probably work on balancing my electronic usage as well...if I am being honest. I kinda love my iPhone.

5. I finally finished the pillowcases I was making the boys for Valentines day....I could list a dozen excuses as to why they just got done. None matter...the boys love them.

6. Gavin turns 7 in just 2 short weeks. How did that time sneak up on me!?

7. I feel like I am managing household tasks a bit better these days...still haven't figured out how to email people back in a timely fashion. Baby steps right?

8. Downside to the lack of carpet downstairs? And old dog with gnarly toe nails that tick tick all over the floor. oy annoying.

9. I am trying to hold off on the a/c usage but tomorrow we may cave again with 80 degree temps.

10. I finally broke down and bought banister guard stuff for the upstairs. Nolan can fit his entire head/body thru the rails around the banisters upstairs...as in the ones that drop 20 feet into the foyer or onto the stairwell....the joy of dashing out into the hallway every few seconds when we are upstairs was getting to me. It's basically a giant piece of plexiglass type stuff...it's real fancy.

11. My friend Angela had her eensy weensy little guy last week @ 33 weeks. Super thrilled for her and her husband Nick and their little boy Sam. Baby Drew is doing wonderful!

12. Nolan is talking a lot more lately. His newest is attempting to say all of his brothers names...I haven't been able to figure out exactly how he is saying each one but he is definitely trying. And each one sounds different. He sure loves his big bros!

Spring!

So it's spring....and has been for a couple weeks now...for almost a month in fact.   But outside it's very obviously spring.   True to southern weather form we are being blessed with multiple perfect weather days and having a few cold ones tossed at us.  I have been working on swapping clothes and packing clothes, passing clothes onto friends and goodwill and clothes, clothes, clothes!   Anyone that knows me long knows that I tend to go a bit overboard on clothes....what!?  You only have 7 pairs of shorts....crazy...let's go buy 245 more so you can't shut your drawers and I have mountains of laundry every week.   So I am trying TRYING to keep it simple...but that's hard for me!  So far so good....swapping clothes out for 6 people is a lot.   Trying to store boxes of clothes for the next kiddo is also a lot because there are LOTS of boxes!
The leaves on the trees are green and our azaleas are blooming like crazy...the weeds in the back yard are trying to take over our house is covered in pollen because I just have to have the windows open...it's spring and we are loving it.
We had a home study visit this past week but don't anticipate being officially licensed til roughly June'ish.   Which is GOOD....May is a crazy busy month and the older Nolan gets the better.   We are slowly but surely working out his sleep issues.   For the past week or so he has been sleeping in his twin bed in his room and doing awesome!   In fact I have stopped laying with him to get him to sleep and now sit at the foot of his bed in the rocking chair until his falls asleep.   My goal of having him weaned from nursing by 18 months is not going to happen but now that we aren't traveling out of the country the urgency with that is gone so I am not going to rush that along too much.  I think however that weaning him at night may fix the night time waking but for now it's ok...most nights.
We are fast approaching the end of the school year which blows my mind!   I am very much looking forward to summer and hopefully a beach vacation of some sort.  
One of these days I will get pictures of the stairway remodel up...once I get the darn steps repainted that is...it will get done!   Enjoy your spring day :)

Parenting...Just do it.

This morning I am sitting down to do something I rarely do and often advise against.  I am looking up parenting advice.  Not advice as a general "How to be a great parent" but the kind about a specific issue.
I am not really one for parenting books or parenting columns...I love a good funny real parenting blog or story.  But those parenting books or articles or movies or what have you's that basically make you feel like a terrible parent?  Me no likey.  Because here's the thing with parenting...you just do it.  And sure there are some people that really need a good book about positive parenting or not spanking or goodness probably more that need a good book about how to not ruin your kid with TOO MUCh positive parenting...because hello WORLD.  Not so positive.  Anyway...Parenting is hard and some advice and help is totally good and totally needed but most of the time you just need to go with your gut.  It's there that spot in your head and heart telling you what to do....we just start over thinking it way too often or just ignoring it all together.  
One thing I have learned over the course of my 11+ year parenting stint and also in my 32+ years of life...90% of the time everyone turns out ok despite it all.   In fact it was just talked about in our foster care classes....these kids have been thru hell and yet are still amazing and resilient little people who just keep on truckin'.   And they will...even if you lose your temper and yell or even if you never punish them for being mouthy or never punish them at all.   If you spank them or don't spank them...they will be ok.   Despite the research saying they will be in therapy or that their brain stress levels are slightly elevated--mine are often VERY elevated and thank you hectic childhood because now I handle it better than most...they will be OK.   Because they just are...it's a catch 22 all day long.  Too much "coddling" and they aren't ready for the world...too much discipline and they rebel.   But basically you have to find what works and what you think works and hope for the best.   Because now matter how you slice it and dice it that's just how it is.  You could do it all perfect and by the book and then low and behold they get caught up with the wrong crowd at 16 and go downhill from there or they don't and wake up one day and decide they aren't down with you because they just aren't.   So we do the best we can with what we know and also with what feels right for us.   I read so many parenting articles by chance or by quick glance that are so judgy and don't do this and do that and it's so frustrating.   The lack of just general every one do their thing and we get a long is so tough in the parenting world...the MOM world.  Because hello Dad's do not have these issues...they are like oh dude it's cool whatevs.   Because it is cool and whatevs...it just is.
Zachary and I are butting heads lately...something we will likely always do.  We are a like that boy and I....stubborn, a little mischievous and devious, and a lot of heart.  That and we like to argue...a lot...and lately with each other.  So I am looking up some advice on dealing with a arguer (hello self..don't argue...duh) and a know it all and a middle kid.  *I* not being a middle kid don't know the issues the middle kid feels.  I was an oldest and a demanding little booger at that...I may or may not still be a demanding booger but that's not the issue.  So we try to be aware and fair and all that jazz but juggling it all is just hard.  One needs this and the other needs that and oh my goodness this one needs something completely different.  SO yes, Zachary needs some special love and special attention to know that he is just that...special.   Because he is and maybe we aren't telling him enough.   But maybe we are he just isn't hearing and we need to be louder...cool I am good with being louder.    We will keep in truckin' and do what we do to make it work and hope in the end we are happy and all talk to each other.   Relationships FTW!

Tuesday Twelve.

1.  I haven't been here much lately....4 kids, busy-ness...same ole' song and dance of excuses.  Basically Life.

2.  Warmer weather is slowly creeping in and we are very much welcoming it.

3.  We are 1 month away from Gavin's 7 birthday.   And he has lost 4 teeth and is mighty proud of it...when I want to take a picture of him he stops and says "wait my teeth" and smiles trying to proudly show off his lack of teeth.

4.  We had a good Easter weekend...nothing exciting, some yard work, house work and just hanging out.

5.  We are into baseball full force...Zachary and Gavin have games tonight.  We are enjoying it all very much.

6.  Jakeb starts swimming at the end of the month.  Looking forward to that as well!

7.  Also how is the school year fast approaching the end?!  

8.  We finished up our foster care classes last week...now we wait for home visits and our home study to be written.  We "should" be licensed in a couple months and will just be waiting for a call.

9.  We will accept kids under age 3...up to 2 at a time and would like to eventually adopt but haven't put ourselves down as "adopt only".  We will see...nervous about the kiddo's leaving and how we will all deal with that but we won't know until we try.   That's the motto right now.

10.  Nolan is napping in the twin bed in his room...he hasn't slept in his crib in over a month.  For whatever reason a couple months ago he started flipping out whenever I tried to put him in the crib so he's been sleeping in our bed both for naps and at night.  I set up a twin bed in his room and finally put him down in it TODAY for nap.  I have been nervous to because he naps so well in our bed and I just don't want to mess up something that has taken so long to get to!  The crib has been moved to the "new kids room"

11.  I need to go get sheets on the big boys beds before Nolan wakes up...I also should attempt a shower really quick but we will see what I can squeeze in.  Nap time is always a race against the clock!

12.  Off to make beds!

ELEVEN.

Jakeb turned 11 a little over a week ago and I am still amazed that it is even possible that he is that old.  A few days later he lost his very last baby tooth and I am still in disbelief...but also when you lose your LAST baby tooth you get a little bit extra coin from the good ole' tooth fairy so that's awesome for Jakeb.
At Eleven Jakeb is just as amazing as he was the day he was born--I dare say 11 years more amazing.   He is our oldest and the one that made us parents.   He is helpful and thoughtful and considerate.   He amazes me every day with his eager and willingness to just be nice.   Sure he has his moments but overall he is a helpful sweet boy.
He loves his brothers with fierceness that melts me daily.  He is smart and creative and just a great kid.  His love for others and their feelings is one I envy.  His compassion to do the right thing and the good thing is beyond most his age...heck most MY age.   He is and always has been wise beyond his years.  He has a raging sweet tooth and can sniff out sugar better than an ant.  He is still a picky eater that eats eensy weensy bits of food but no longer balks at every meal in front of him.  At 11 Jakeb is just a wonderful boy we are enjoying watching him grow and change into the man he will become.  Happy Birthday Jakeb!

MIA

Still here...still doing our thing.  The house was in a bit of an upheaval for a couple weeks...we had a stomach bug make it's rounds about a month ago and then as that was on it's way out the door the boys had winter break.   Robert took the week off and the original plan was to be in TX for a training for our adoption...but as that is now off the books so to speak we had some free time and funds.   So we slapped some new floors down and are still in the process of trying to finish that up...the floors are down but the trim and paint and "little" things are still left to do.
The floors look wonderful...Robert did them himself and did an amazing job!  Took him all week but it got done!  We have had guests and baseball and busy-ness starting up with that.  
I am anxious for spring to get kicked into full gear...we had snow flurries this morning!  But I am ready for sunny days and green grass and trees.  My goal this season is to get grass growing in this blasted yard....we will see...I know it takes several seasons for it to look nice and full but I need grass!  
We are halfway thru with our foster care classes...we still have medicals and home visits to knock out and at this point we aren't in a huge rush, though it's hard not to be.  Nolan is a handful and still quite needy of me so taking our time with it is good.   Our county is in desperate need of foster/adopt parents so we likely won't be waiting long for a call.   We are both hesitant and excited about starting this venture...nervous about the many unknowns but excited as well.   I would prefer to be into summer before we are giving things a go officially.  Nolan will be 18 months and our days will be less busy with practices and school and homework and what not.  Of course the big boys will be home and my quiet times will be nonexistent!  Either way...time is good :)
Birthday's are coming around again too...Jakeb is fast approaching his 11th birthday!  Crazy.  Really just crazy.
Hope you have a great day...stay warm!

Nine.

This is the 2nd nine year old birthday I have written about on here and while I have had double birthday's discussed on here...9 is different.  The last year before double digits forever...officially into the "tweens" and moving right onto a big kid age.
Zachary's birthday was 2 weeks ago and I have promised myself I wouldn't write another post until this was addressed.   I wanted some time to give thought and reflection on my newest 9 year old boy.
Zachary is an amazing boy...this is obvious!  He is such an awesome kiddo...thoughtful, insightful, helpful and so very full of life.
At 9...Zachary is in the 3rd grade and very shy in front of new people, especially school people.  At home he is a bundle of energy and bouncing excitement.  He is a rule tester.  He is eager, so very eager to learn and to try new things.   His personality is just fun.  He is emotional but often quiet about his emotions and feelings.   On the flip side you know when he's angry and certainly know when he's happy.  He loves his brothers fiercely and think Nolan is the best thing ever.  Can't get enough of him or any baby and little one.  He loves to be helpful.  Loves cooking and helping me in the kitchen.
He is a wonderful student, rarely in trouble and almost always a very hard worker.  He loves his video games and in general any game...card games, video games, board games...he's game.   At 9 he is happy go lucky about most things...he is boy thru and thru...is starting his 2nd "official" season of baseball and is doing really well with it.  I can't believe my Zachario is 9 and fast approaching a decade of life.  Happy Birthday Zman!

Tuesday Twelve.

1. I am waiting on the guy to come by to give me a quote for cleaning the house.

2. I am also feeding Nolan some lunch. He just woke up from a good morning nap....he still is taking 2 naps a day most days. Our day runs a little smoother when he gets up early, it makes "scheduling" his nap time easier.

3. He slept pretty good last night...filling his belly with food may be the key to longer sleeps. This is hard because he isn't a very good eater.

4. Our new pup's name is Lucy and so far the house training is going ok...I am glad it's not freezing outside because the trips outside every 45 mim-an hour would be no fun for everyone!

5. She trots all over the house looking for things to attack...her 2 lb self is very ferocious.

6. Gavin took a peanut butter sandwich for lunch today ...this is huge. And a relief because fixing him lunches have always been frustrating!

7. Gavin was also writer of the month for 1st grade this past month. Awesome.

8. Zachary will be NINE next week. Nuts.

9. We are taking the boys to an indoor water park in TN for their birthdays...they are stoked.

10. We also need quotes on repairing damage we have to the back of the house (thank you previous owner..ugh)

11. The dogs barking outside would lead me to believe house cleaner guy is here...

12. Nolan's new word is Uummm and he will chat with me in baby. I ask questions and he jabbers back to me...cutest thing ever.

Quiet.

I think this is the least I have posted on here in a long time. For some reason I have had a slow start to this year...not slow in that I have caught up and am good to go. Rather just the opposite, it's dawned on me quite a bit recently that my feeling of overwhelming'ness is quite self induced. Aside from the obvious...we.have.4.kids.craziness....we are just a little chaotic around here. And rather than do what I dream in my head...I just continue to rotate the thoughts around in my head not actually DOING anything. So yeah...that's not much progress at all. I am all like go To-do list but never actually make one. My favorite is being all like hey boys you are going to do XYZ today..they grunt groan and grumble and then that's that...no XYZ is done and then yeah. Go team slacker!
So in a an attempt to "get my shit together"....I am going to do exactly that. This is kinda not that easy...one kid is a no brainer and while planning is needed the amount of planning isn't as much and on top of that the planning portion is just well easier (don't get me wrong I know that the one kid thing is tough...it's just different...one kid 10 kids it's all tough). And if it doesn't happen it's ok...no big dealz. However we are our a house of TWELVE living beings...that's not counting the rodents that I am sure are living in our attic...but there are TWELVE beings in this house that us 2 adults are to take care of. If you are counting that's 1 extra than last week....because if we weren't crazy enough we were all like hey I have a GENIUS idea lets get a puppy. Mmmhmm us? we did that...right so anyway.
When there are TWELVE breathing beings in a house there needs to be some organization or things start to get hairy (quite literally) and also things start to not happen and also it's just more chaos than needed friends. So my goal is to start getting real up in here about well the goals...like I dunno....for starters...I am totally getting a quote for a house cleaner like tomorrow. A giant check off my "OMG I CAN"T DO IT LIST BECAUSE NOLAN is DRINKING cleaner while I scrub the tub" So whew done and done. Also on the list? Meal lists and After school lists...both for the boys and for me...we need check lists and we need some rules on friends coming over and snacking and well just in general less chaos. It's gotten a little out of hand really....and maybe it hasn't but my take on it all is. Because trying to remember who has this test or has that and who has library books and Piano (for the love of god remember to practice piano) and also sheet washing and goodness is your head spinning? Mine sometimes does...like today trying to help Jakeb add fractions without common denominators--which I remember only bits and pieces off so thank god for YouTube--he was frustrated and near tears and all the sudden the realization that there were 5 kids and a puppy in the room where he was trying to do his work and they were loud and crazy and "OMG right now, give me that dog and all of you OUTSIDE instantly." And also wow, we need some better friends over after school rules. And then the dog was out and roaming around on her gimpy leg and Nolan needed a nap and Jakeb needed to be driven to a friends which rarely he gets to do so I couldn't say no but you go here and you go there and I will be right back and if that dog gets hit by a car I won't even shed a tear (yes, I totally would) because I am so mad at her right now. But at the end of the day dinner was made and was even good! And kids are clean and we even got piano practice in and homework and the house is disheveled but I needed that hot bath and a beer more than I needed to clean thank you very much.
People are always saying...we are crazy and/or I don't know how you do it. Well first off some days I feel a little crazy {today} and honestly barely do it. But also...I don't know any different. If I had one or 2 kids I would probably say the same things--but I don't and I don't know that life. I just know this one...and while it's working and some days are great and some days down right stink. I need it to run a little smoother. We can handle all of this because we can and we do because we want to. I try to imagine things being calmer and less hectic but I know if they were I would be looking for ways to fill it. Expanding outward filling all the cracks and crevices with every bit of life we can, it's what we do. Twisting and turning and just living. Lots and lots of living going on here.

And just some because I need to explain the puppy....this is I am sure sufficient....