Summertime insanity

This is what I have come into my family room to find the past 3 days straight:

I actually told them yesterday that they were not to do this, at least for one day. I'd had it with folding blankets! You see that red one? It weighs about 100 lbs. They do put them away, they just can't fold them how I want them. Anywho, I was on the computer and then I came out and lo and behold, they'd done it again. But alas, I could not muster the strenght to get angry with them. Mostly because I know it's hot out (not as hot as it could be, but still) and they are just looking for something to get rid of these blasted summertime blues. So if you need me for anything this summer, you can find me in my family room. Folding blankets.

Even Miss Mae got in on the fort action. She's starting young!

Maybe I'll have to buy a box fan and teach them the bubble fort technique, eh Kristin...that only requires a sheet or two. It'd be worth whatever the cost. And then I might just join them in it!

33 and feeling the misery

Today was Bret's birthday. I gave him quite possibly the worst gift ever...strep throat (You're welcome dear!). He started up with it Tuesday night and it's been pain and misery ever since. Actually, Bret always gets his own birthday/Father's Day gifts...season tickets to ASU football. I get off pretty easy in the gift department. I did throw in some cologne though. I took the kids to the dollar store today so Bret could get some rest; they just can't leave him alone when he's home. I let them pick him out a gift from them. Aiden picked out some squooshy rubbery rabbit thing, and I'll give you one guess what Grayson picked for him...cars! They let Bret open the toys and then took off with them themselves. It's the thought that counts, right? Bret was feeling a bit better so I made him his birthday breakfast for lunch. Then Aiden and I made him some cupcakes (these were probably more for me!). All in all it was a pretty crappy birthday! Here's hoping 34 is better, Honey! Happy Birthday, anyway!

Do I have E.S.P.?

We ran errands today with Grandma. Usually that means lunch with Grandma, but today Grandma had lunch plans with Aunt Valerie. Aiden was none too happy about this. So I told him we would go to Taco Bell and get a bean burrito, no onions (his fave). To this he replied, "Mommy, you just read my stomach." I can't make this stuff up!

Aiden with a mouthful of said burrito.

One Happy Baby. Two Topsy Turvies!

I just have to say that Mabel is the best baby I've had! She'll sleep and sleep...or at least I think she's sleeping and then I go in there to find this:

This happens so often! She's just content to be in her crib doing who knows what. I love it!

Aiden, Aiden, Aiden. He has told me all about the Debbie Meyer Green Bags, the Moon Sand, the Aqua Globes, and lately it's the Topsy Turvy! He was explaining last night about how we need a Topsy Turvy plant. No more fruit on the ground! No more back breaking work! And in case you were wondering, it's not just for tomatoes. And if we had called during the commercial, they would have included a tomato slicer!! But that's not all, they would have doubled the order...for free!!! After Aiden was done, I felt like I had watched the infomercial myself! I think I'll order my Topsy Turvy today!

Kindergarten...Check!

Well, one year down, only 12 more to go! But don't tell Aiden that! It's been a love/hate relationship for Aiden this year: he loved recess, and hated everything else! He's definitely ready for the summer break. He had his kingergarten completion musical yesterday. I wish I could say it was cute, but I really didn't see much of it! When you have a "stage" that is only about 2 feet off the ground and about 20 rows of adults trying to see their little one, it makes things difficult. The songs were cute though. Bret had to hold the video camera up in the air the whole time to even get Aiden on video. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but from what I was watching while filming, it's gonna be a shakey show! But for all of you, here are some still pictures.

Here's Gray, Mabel, and Daddy waiting for the show to start.

And here's Aiden. Is this the start of the show? No, this is just how Aiden "waits":This is what I saw of the show. The backs of peoples' heads. Fantastic. I couldn't see the little actions they were doing with their hands or the facial expressions. And mind you, this picture is with my hand up in the air trying to get a good shot...that's why it's blurry:
After the show we got a shot of his little shirt they made. All the kids drew their own faces and they printed them on the shirts.

Here is Aiden's self portrait. Have I ever told you about my relatives in Transylvania? No? How about my Chinese ancestors? No?! Well remind me next time we talk. Apparently Aiden knows something I don't. He gave himself vampire teeth and Asian eyes. The hairline is quite accurate though...if he didn't have bangs! I thought it was funny!

After the show, we headed back to Aiden's classroom for some picture time with the teach and teach's assistant. Here's Miss Hardy, some friend of Aiden's who wanted to be in the picture, Aiden, and Mrs. Angie.Here's the fam in the classroom: And here are Grandma and Grandpa Yellow who were able to make it to the show!

Unfortunately Grandma Chloe wasn't able to make it. She was stuck in the hospital due to some major surgery...that's okay, she'll have a better view from her TV.

Happy Mother's Day to ME!

On Sunday I probably got one of the BEST Mother's Day gifts ever. EVER! While eating my breakfast in bed, I hear a knock on the door. Bret comes running into the room to throw a shirt on then heads back out to answer the door. He returns a few minutes later and asks, "Can today be Father's Day?".

Bret was feeding Mabel breakfast and while he was answering the door, she got hold of the Oatmeal and Blueberry concoction and made a big old mess for Daddy. The reason it's the best gift ever is not that Bret had to clean that mess, but that I didn't! Thanks for the gift, Mabel (and I guess, in part, to our neighbors for needing syrup)!

Surely Daddy can't stay mad at that face!

MOMOMOMOM

I remember one day when I was a wee little lass, my sister, Kristin, trying to teach me to spell mom. She had repeated it to me sooo many times that when she took me to tell my mom, I just kept on going..."M-O-M-O-M-O-M". I was so proud of myself!

This Sunday is Mother's Day (for those of you living under a rock). And so here is a little something about my mom. Where to begin? The main thing I remember about my mom growing up is that she always put her children first. It seemed to come naturally to her, and why not, moms are supposed to wait on their children hand and foot, right? I've since discovered that this didn't come so naturally to me. Sometimes I just want to tell my children to freeze so I can take care of me for a minute...and I have...it didn't really work...but it was worth a try. Mom rarely spent a dime on herself; oh the will power she must have had to exercise! She birthed six kids...I find my sanity slipping away each day with only three rug rats about. I don't know how she ever managed six. She babysat other peoples' kids on top of all of it, just to help make ends meet...another thing I never appreciated until recently doing this myself. She crochets and paints like nobody's business (I'm working on finding you another project, Mom). She would give anyone the shirt off her back if she saw the need. She will buy her grandchildren anything they want at the drop of a hat (please stop, you're spending my inheritance). She's quite the puzzle fanatic as well...and don't come at her with any weak puzzles, she wants 1,000 pieces or more! She's even gone vertical with a 3-D puzzle (that was a bit of a nightmare if I recall correctly, the thing would NOT stay together when you tried to put on another piece). We rarely ate out or ordered in, so she cooked A LOT...and got the same response most mothers get, "We're having that? I don't like that!". I hate those words with a passion! We order pizza a lot around here because of that... that wasn't really an option for my mom. In short, she fed, clothed, pampered, nursed back to health, cleaned up after, bussed, supported, and cheered on six kids! I am in awe at the greatness that is my mother. If I had known then what I know now, I would have celebrated her each and every day! But now that I know it, I'm a mother myself, so I can't, I'm too tired. Sorry, Mom.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day, MOMOMOMOM!