Where does the time go?

What has it been months since I wrote? There is definately not enough space on the internet for me to update so I will just give you the condenced version. I took on the job of moving my family cross country...... Minnesota to California. That was an adventure. But we made it without incident. I am glad to be home. It sure is nice to have air conditioning.

Dad and the dog arrived 2 weeks before we made the trip. Grammie spoiled the dog but she says that is what Grammie's do. He was sure excited to see his kids again.

I am on the prowl for a new job and Dad comes home tonight. I realized one thing out of all this caos..... Family is EVERYTHING. I couldn't have done it without them and some REALLY good friends too.

I will keep you up to date as I have new adventures. I have to admit it feels good to blog again.

Last can be the Best!!!

Saturday we all loaded up for the zoo. Grandma packed a lunch and we all loaded in the suburban. Off to the zoo we went. We ate and then walked around for about an hour. Off to the park and the kids all played. We headed home and off to the yard to play.

It is amazing how this week went. I really enjoyed each day. It is nice to have a family that is close enough to us to make us feel comfortable enough to call them part of our family. The week ended with Spooky eating all his food all week long, Mr. 501 and Just a Goalie realizing friends are the best thing in life and are free, and Princess figuring out boys aren't so bad especially when it is like having 2 extra brothers.

I knew this was the end and their parents would be here on Sunday to pick them up, but even I was hoping that their parents would say, "we will be gone another week". I am so proud of all of them and proud of me for not pulling my hair out. But if they are all good there is no need for me to pull any hair out and they were all "Amazing". I will always treasure this week and now there is no doubt in my mind that Spooky and Mr. 501 are welcome "ANYTIME"!! Thanks for the gift, I finally get my coffee.........

Boys Will Be Boys

I would have started this last night, but I was extremely busy washing laundry. OK, that is definitely a drawback of 4 kids and a dog that likes to swim in swamps. I made pizza for dinner that no one ate at supper time, but it is now almost gone. I guess playing outside works up an appetite. After sitting down for dinner they all went out to play. I was going to tackle the 7 piles of clothes I had to clean. I only missed one day of laundry. 2 loads were towels, because no one wants to use a towel more than once in this house. I figured I would pick my battles until I had to battle laundry. NOW, they each have a towel and they need to use it twice.

Anyway, the house was quiet and the dog was out with the kids so I felt safe. Dad and I started cleaning out the Utility Room, I guess "de-junking" as our friend King Turd from Turd Island says. All of a sudden there is giggling at the door so loud that we hear it and the door is closed. I open it at my own risk to find 3 boys so full of swamp water that as they walk their rubber boots are acting as cups that are holding at least 2 cups of water per foot. Now, swamp water isn't clean water and the smell is enough to kill anyone, so I was inventorying how high the wetness really goes on each child. SURPRISE! It is up to each of their shoulders. I quickly tell them to clean up outside and it is time to come in.

Dad greats them upstairs as they attempt to enter the house and all I can hear is, "your not coming in like that, Mom will kill you." I tell the kids if you are coming in you are stripping your clothes off out here. Spooky without hesitation I guess takes all his wet clothes off and takes off running because in just a moment thru the basement windows all I see is a little boy in tidy whiteys streaking thru my yard. Dad is calling him back and he is laughing like no tomorrow. Just a Goalie ran in the house to shower and Mr. 501 and Spooky followed. I now had another load of dripping Swamp water clothes to wash. So much for completing the laundry in one day.

I have about 2 loads left, I will work on today, but first it is off to the zoo. I am so glad this week has been all about having fun for all of us.

A Day with Spooky

This morning was exactly the same. All the kids up at the crack of dawn and no complaining. I made fried eggs and english muffins for breakfast and Spooky had Fruit Loops. I went off to work and Spooky and Dad got to stay home and babysit our nephew Little O. About lunch time Dad asked Spooky what he wanted and he didnt' care. He is on a roll with eating great so Dad decided "popcorn chicken". When it came to the table Spooky asked him what was for lunch and when Dad told him he said, "I don't like popcorn". Dad explained it is just chicken and Spooky was concerned what chicken with popcorn on it would taste like. He made a funny face when Dad put it on his plate, went in the kitchen to get the chips but when he returned all the "chicken with pocorn on it," as Spooky said, was gone. Dad asked where it went and all he could say was it was it in his belly. He finished all of it and was full.

After another trip to Grandma's for water Spooky found another tick on his neck crawling and picked it off telling Dad, " I think your house is made of Wood Ticks." Afterall this was the 2nd one he found on him today. I guess that is what you get when you live in the woods and have a dog.

Mr. 501 and Just a Goalie along with Princess all came home and wanted to know what was for dinner. It was hamburger meat pie. Mr. 501 asked what that is and Dad asked if he liked hamburger, corn and mashed potatoes. Mr. 501 said yes and Dad said what about if you mix them together.... then you have dinner. Mr. 501 loved it and everyone cleared there plates.

It is now time for all the kids to go to bed and Dad is reading a bedtime story to Spooky and Princess. Life this week with 2 extra kids hasn't been as crazy as I thought. I actually think it is smoother than normal. I asked the kids earlier if they are excited about going home on Sunday but they both asked to live here forever. I know they miss their parents but it makes me feel good to know they are so comfortable here and that they fit in as if they were meant to be part of our family forever. They are great kids and I will miss our Spookyisms, and the 30 minutes it takes to tuck each one in with their own bedtime game. I didn't think I would ever say this but I love my day's with Spooky,
day's with Princess.
day's with Just a Goalie,
and day's with Mr. 501. It will be a trip to the zoo on Saturday that I thought would be the best day but in retrospect all the days have been GREAT!

What's for dinner?

I didn't get much sleep last night. The phone started ringing about 11:30 and continued thru 12:30. Then my sleep pattern was all messed up. I heard te alarm at 5:30 as Dad had to be at work by 6:30 and all the kids needed to get up. Coffee was ready as I made my way up the stairs. Kids all got up a bit slower this morning. I think they are all getting tired as the week is coming to an end. Good news for them, Friday is a short day for school. I got all the kids ready and off they went.

I worked all day and got out of there about 4:30. Dad was already home attempting to warm up after a cold day in the water.I ran to the grocery store to get the final fixings for dinner. I walked in to have Spooky and Princess meet me at the door, digging in my bags for some idea of what's for dinner. I wasn't gonna tell. After I fixed it all and called to the kids, Mr. 501 and Just a Goalie were first to get to their seats.

Just a goalie and Mr. 501 were busy talking when I arrived with the freshly made taco shells. Spooky asked what are these and picked one up and started eating a plain fried corn tortilla. Princess said, "we are having taco's not shells" and started to laugh at Spooky. He didn't care he was too interested in making his shell into a donut. Dad made him half a taco and he and Princess ate all their food. Mr. 501 and Just a Goalie ate 2 each. Grandma even came for dinner. After we were all done, they went out to play but Princess came back and ate 2 more. I can't believe she out ate the boys! Although I think all the kids liked dinner, I am sure it is Princess' favorite. I am so glad Spooky has made it 5 days and each night, there is nothing left on his plate. I am not sure what I am making for dinner tomorrow, but I hope they like it as much as tonights.

It's hard to say goodbye

UP again at the crack of dawn and knowing that today was a day to attend the funeral of Dad's uncle I was truly wishing I was the one in Mexico with the margarita. I awoke all the kids but Spooky as he didn't have school today. Mr. 501 rolled out like a trooper and without argument from any of the kids they all got ready in the blink of an eye. As the kids sat down for breakfast, Spooky came upstairs and wanted to see the kids off so he could go to the funeral. Out the door the kids went and I was off to quickly clean up and get to the church by 10. Yesterday (in the words of the two of them) Spooky and Princess went skating on a pond that had no ice. SO his shoes were still wet. I threw them in the dryer in hopes that it would dry what the heater didn't finish last night. After an hour they were still soaked and they were the only shoes he has other than his rubber boots. Dad came up with a great idea. Go to Grandma's and go thru all the old shoes she is saving from Just a Goalie and see if there is anything that fits him.

Spooky and I jumped on the wheeler to make the long ride (1mile) to Grandma's house. We ventured down her muddy driveway splashing mud all over us and on to Grandma's. Once we got there Grandma pulled open her attic dropped the ladder and climbed up to not only find him a pair of hiking boots but cleats too. He was excited. We started to leave and he thanked Grandma for letting him go shopping at 'Grandma's Attic'. She smiled and off we went. Back down the muddy road with him laughing the whole way. When we got to the end of the driveway he turned to me and said, "My mom would never get muddy like this, but you and my dad are crazy and would." I smiled and returned home.

Off to the funeral we go and Spooky really wanted to wear the cleats but we prevailed. Hiking boots it is. People were crying and some smiling and Spooky just watched and never fidgeted or complained. He was such a trooper. Even when he had to walk in with the family procession. After the funeral, we went to the cemetery and he was so interested in the people with the guns and the ones with flag and why they were saluting. It was such an innocence that I know Dad and I needed especially at a time when we know this is "Good-bye". Once the 21 gun salute happened my tears began to fall and he looked up at me and gave me a hug that meant the world to me. It was at that moment I knew this week will end and I will be sad to see them go home and the possibility of us moving away and us having to say good-bye to the kids will be one of the hardest things I will have to do.

Let's Play Ball

6am and we are up and rolling. All 6 of us rise and shine. 2 showers need to be taken and 4 kids need to be fed and a dog needs to go out to take a break. I can handle this if I have my coffee and this time it will happen. I got Spooky up and to my suprise, he was up dressed and teeth brushed in probably 5 minutes. If only they would all be this way. One can dream right? I wander up stairs and get that cup of coffee I have dreamed of all night. I walk to Mr. 501 and before I can get to the edge of the bed he is bright eyed and bushy tailed because today is Baseball tryouts. I tell him to go shower and then brush his teeth and unlike my 2 kids, he does this without a fight. Off he goes. On to Just a Goalie's room, and he is the same. Up and adam with little effort. He gets dressed and awaits Mr. 501 to come out of the bathroom. Oh didn't I mention we only have one bathroom? Anyway on to Princess who won't budge. No matter what I say or do she is determined to stay in bed. Finally Dad has to get involved and he gets her to at least open her eyes and say just a few words. But Princess never has just a few and if they are few they are right to the point with no hesitation. She mutters, "I need more sleep!" and rolls back over. Dad finally gets her up with the bribe of Barbie cereal. They all are done and at the table and the two older ones are discussing todays tryouts. I can tell they are excited. 7:25 and out the door for the bus to pick them up for school. I head off to work.

2:50 Dad and I go to the school to get the kids and take them to tryouts. They stand in the first line to do the timed run. Just a Goalie first and he really did well, next was Mr. 501 and he did well too. They have so much fun together. I cheer them on and tell both of them as they go to the throwing station to not think about it and just have fun. They waited for eachother as best friends do and both completed the station. Just a Goalie, goofed one of the throws but Mr. 501 nailed all 4. No big deal to the two of them, they moved on to the next station, batting. Again both hit every ball. I was so proud. Just as if they are both mine. Still cheering them on it was off to the last station. Fielding! Just a Goalie missed one grounder but got all the pop flies. Mr. 501 fielded the grounders and missed both pop flies, but nailed the throws to 3rd base. As Mr. 501 comes off the field (I think a little bummed) and there is Just a Goalie waiting for him with the words I am not sure I am supposed to hear but did. "You did great!" Mr. 501 smiles. It is so nice to know that no matter where we go or what we do these are 2 kids that will be friends for life.