Those Pictures I Mentioned...

A Tulip!

Yesterday and the day before and today were all absolutely gorgeous, sunny, warm almost-like-summer days. We've had the kiddie pools outside and the ceiling fans inside in just about constant use. This picture though, was taken during a brief sunny break in what seemed to be an unending stretch of wet. That day Butler, Ricka and I discovered our very own tulip flower in the front yard. I think it was a volunteer from one of the neighbors since I've seen two or three lovely tulip gardens on our street.

Ricka has decided she's too big for her crib. Nearly every night I find her somewhere in Dolly's bed, often sprawled across Dolly somehow. She has also decided she's too big for diapers. So she switches them out for a pair of her older sisters' underwear. Sometimes I notice. Often I do not because she's smart enough to cover the evidence (the underwear) with her own clothes again. So now I've taken to checking all of her layers multiple times throughout the day. I will be glad when we're both ready to potty train her.

That same night that I took pictures of Ricka in Dolly's bed? Well, I peeked on the top bunk and found this. Earlier in the day Emma had been telling me how she needed sunglasses because they 'protect your eyes'. I um hummed, and we both went on with our next thing to do. What the camera didn't catch very well was all the rest of the stuff this little pack rat saves IN HER BED. Like the puddle boots (rain boots), the school uniform, cowboy boots, spare pajamas, notepads, pens, stickers, lotion, germ killer, play outfits and coloring books.

Bus Anyone?

A couple of weeks ago, we found a bigger van. We've been looking for one since February, but they're not so popular anymore apparently. We were really looking for the old 12 passengers kind, but those are even more hard to find. This one is a 15 passenger, but for it's age it's mileage and engine quality were really good. We're planning on taking the last bench seat out to make a bit of cargo space, and that will still leave us three benches to fit 6 kids onto. As soon as we sell our current van, we'll switch over to the big van. The kids are all excited about that happening, because then we can have sleepovers again!

And finally, the pictures that prompted these last two posts... The smiles I was talking about. Butler was holding our little guy and I was able to get a handful of pictures in the various stages of a full smile/grin.

This picture was my favorite and it's what's basically gotten the worst of the cobwebs swept away when it comes to my blogging again. I think I'll call him 'Hal' around here. If something better comes up, I might switch, but so far, I like the sound of it.

But right now, I'm going to bed before I fall asleep on my desk. Good night.

Baby Steps

Today was like my birthday. Not only did Lily watch my kids all day long, but Chasm's Lady sent supper over and Aunt Casey spent all day helping me unpack stuff that's just been getting shoved from one room to another! We worked on the stuff I've been procrastinating on unpacking because I didn't have enough time to focus on finding spots for it and putting it away!! I found so many thing I've been looking for too. Dry erase markers, the yard waste calendar, yard waste bags, the 'play' sprinkler, my small bottle of vanilla extract and the grocery list pad that has a magnet for sticking it to the fridge just to name a few! We got picture frames hung, kitchen cupboards more organized, a box of stuff collected for goodwill and even the curio cabinet curios finally in the cabinet. And we sorted out the stuff that needs to go to the storage unit from the stuff that can be put away here so I can make a trip out to the storage unit tomorrow. It's progress, and it feels so good! The Bird Room looks like it lost a ton of weight, the living room is down to just a few boxes, my room is almost box free and there's only a handful of boxes left here in the middle room. Getting so much done was wonderful, but all the help was even dearer. I'm often reminded of what a loving God cares for me by the people He's put around me who are so selfless. It's nearly overwhelming at times.

Butler took his first steps today! I caught him playing in the toilet and I think he was trying to get out of trouble and wasn't thinking as he dashed towards me taking at least 6 little steps before crashing into my arms. By the time he went to bed even he knew what he was doing and would take a step, catch his balance again and then take another before trying to dash/lean and toddle into my arms. I totally forgot to address the 'playing in the toilet' issue in all the excitement of coaxing him to walk. I'm sure the matter will arise again. This wasn't his first visit to the toilet bowl as I've often found toys floating in the water once the culprit has moved on.

And PC is on his first Sleepover. Aunt Casey took him home with her - it's been planned for a few weeks now and PC has been looking forward to this weekend so intently, it's been a blast to watch. This morning he woke up and told me, "Mommy! I get to go to Aunt Casey's house today!" "I know!" I enthused then he continued, "But I need to wear long pants because Uncle W and I are gonna make fire and I need to be safe." He called me before going to bed tonight to tell me that after dinner they went and "saw a lot ah lot of airplanes!" landing. My little shadow is growing more and more independent all the time. Sometimes bittersweet for me, but really it's a good thing for him. I just need to get all the hugs I can while he still offers them!

Anyway, it's getting late, and I'm tired. Last night all four kids were up between 4 and 5am because I accidentally missed the charger when I put our cordless baby monitor down on my nightstand. Consequently, I didn't hear Butler wake up the second time because he was still hungry, and I didn't hear him wake PC and Emma up and I didn't hear Emma wake Dolly up until they were all wound up and I finally tuned in to the commotion from the other side of the house. When I rushed to the rescue, I found PC shining his flashlight for Butler "to make him be happy" and while I started settling the boys down I could hear Dolly telling Emma that she (Emma) was just pretending to be scared which only upset Emma all the more. So, I left the boys which didn't make Butler happy and took care of the girls before going back and addressing the boys. By the time they were all quiet, I was finally awake and it was starting to get light out so going back to sleep was a little tricky at first. At least they all went to bed without any fuss tonight!

And now, I'll follow suit!

Drifting

Today has been a slow day. I'm either really lazy, still exhausted from the whirlwind of activities recently or we're just in the eye of the storm of busyness. But it has been nice to not have to do something that needs to be done before I can get to something else on the TODO list because we need to get to yet another thing that needs to be accomplished. Yes, there's still lots to be done - piles of laundry to go through, stacks of boxes still to unpack, the bathroom to scrub and water seal, but I can flit back and forth between them or just leave them undone today because I don't HAVE to be anywhere doing something by a certain time.

Watch, halfway through nap time I'll remember something that was supposed to be done today, but right now all is escaping my memory and I'm savoring doing nothing (ok, not nothing, but very little). The next thing on the agenda is a camping trip in two weeks. Which means I need to find, collect and assess our camping supplies before it's time to go.

It's supposed to get hot this week! So last night the kids and I filled the kiddie pool in anticipation of our annual heat wave week. This morning was cloudy and cool but the kids donned their swimsuits and shivered away in the cold water anyway. I felt sorry for them and dumped about six gallons of scalding water in the pool to raise the temperature a little. They've been out there ever since. Emma added a frisbee of dirt to the water and now Dolly and PC are almost done emptying the pool cupful by cupful - their idea,not mine. I assume they're going to want me to refill it once they get all the water out. I did rescue Butler since he was crawling around under foot and getting dripped on drenched in the process. Now he's crawling all over me while I try to write.

I should go while my kids are still being good. I guess feeding them lunch might be a smart idea. Now that the pool is empty they're going to remember that they're hungry and it's not going to sound very cheerful.

Not that I have time to be writing....

I should be packing furiously - we're down to the last 5 days before this place is history.

The kids and I picked Sir up from the sky train this evening and on the drive home Dolly started talking to Butler. "Butler, you can't go to sleep yet... no you can't." She cooed to him in a sing-songy voice. "You haven't been feeded yet." I don't remember if it was Sir or myself, that corrected her, "It's not feeded, Dolly. You FEED something, and when it's full, it has been FED." Then the other of us, repeated the lesson in almost the same words. "It's kind of like 'feet' and 'foot', Dolly." I explained, You have one FOOT, but two FEET - not FEETS." "And not FOOTS either, right Mommy?" She clarified. "Well, FOOT'S would be something that BELONGS to your foot - Like your foot's shoe" I answered. "WHY?!!" Sir whispered to me incredulously amused, "Let's stick to the subject on hand!"

The subject was interrupted by the sighting of a tow truck pulling a mini-van and the 'foot/feet fed/feed' conversation was forgotten. Until we pulled into the alleyway just before our driveway. "Butler," Dolly cooed to him, "You have to be FEDDED before you can go to sleep!"

Emma has been falling and scraping her knees a lot recently - well, she's always falling, but recently it has come with scraped up knees. After re-opening a scrape a day or two ago, she came to me and said, "Mommy, I need a bandee (band aid). See, wook! my weg is blooding!"

I gave the kids their laundry to put away last week. A few minutes later, I went to their room, and told them we had to get going (I don't remember where we were going now) and to put their socks and shoes on. PC was still putting his laundry away, but he was quick to respond, "OK! I will put my shoes on, Mommy. You can put (the rest of) my laundry away - it's only a little bit!"

Checklist

PC is turning 3 on Tuesday. We're having his birthday party on Saturday. So, for my own organization this will be a check list for what I have left to do. I might take pictures later, but right now, there are priorities. :)

Bake cakes
Make jell-o
Wash dishes
Unload and load dishwasher
Find tape
Wrap presents
Assemble cake
Make and color icing
Ice cake
Make taco filling
Chop vegetables
Grate cheese
Get matching shirts ready for kids
Take garbage out
Feed birds
Take a shower
Clean bathroom
Make guacamole
Make iced tea
Sort through last clothing container
Wash Dishes (again)
Figure out how to get everything to the park or if we won't be going to the park(right now our car is dead)

There may be more, and I'll add it if I think of it, but right now it's almost 11 and I need to make sure the cakes are baked tonight.