Philly!

Hello! We are in Philly! I can't even tell you how beautiful it is. The trees, the grass, rivers, ahhhh. I'm a nut for rivers. I love them. Can't stand the traffic, but I don't go out much anyway. :o)

So, lots to talk about, but I'll keep this one brief. We went out to Chinese the other day. I offered Roo a dollar to eat a clam. He ate it. Then 10 minutes later I offered him another dollar to try sushi. He ate it. Then he spit it out. haha! He still got the dollar. Man, that kid is brave. Jamo wouldn't even look at it. haha! And Sugar apparently likes to dip her strawberries into ketchup. Yum, huh. :o)

More info later on the insanity of changing utilities, the house we are moving in to, etc. I'm not sure how soon I'll get to it, and I wont' have internet for awhile next week, so, we'll see. :o)

Out of sight

Hi! Remember me? No? Yeah, it has been awhile, huh...

So, I called out an SOS and my a.m.a.z.i.n.g. grandma came on Monday to help me pack. She is seriously a master packer. And cleaner. She has single-handedly packed my entire house. In 3 days. AND, she has been going to the gym with me every morning. She runs circles around me. I thought I was in shape somewhat, but I can't keep up with her! I'm exhausted! You are all jealous, but that is too bad, I'm not sharing her! GRANDMA, YOU ARE WONDERFUL!!!!!

And because we could all use some lemonade laughs, here is my day for you. Woke up and started cleaning and packing, etc. Got Jamo off to school, came home for more packing, want to cry because my knee is still hurting, decide to go to kettlebell anyway because, hey, it is my last one. Come home and get kids lunch and then Roo on the bus. Drive all the way out to Eaton Rapids (20 minutes) to exchange a plant that died only to find that I forgot my receipt when I arrived. So then I have to drive back home and then another 20 minutes back out to ER. Pick up Jamo from school and then dash over to get Roo. Lucky boys have a dentist appointment today. I get to Roo's school and go to the office to sign him out. I go in and they say, "Oh good, you are here, we couldn't reach you at home." Huh? Apparently he peed his pants during gym class. Nice. According to Roo, he told the teacher he needed to go potty, but she said to do one more lap. That has not been confirmed by the gym teacher, but either way, argh.

I only had extra pants for Sugar, so I didn't know what to do. It was already 3 minutes until their dentist appointment and there was no way I'd have time to make it home and back. So, I went anyway and asked if they just wanted me to drop off Jamo, but I couldn't reschedule Roo because, hello, I'd be 12 hours away. They said they'd take Roo too. I'm the mom that took her kid to the dentist in pee pants. Great. That is what I've come to people! Argh!

So, they had no cavities. One of Jamo's top teeth finally came in after falling out in December. After the dentist, I ran to Elaine's to get more boxes (thanks!) and then to the store to get more tape. Since I'm in stellar parent mode and all, I left Roo in the car because he didn't want to go in with pee pants. Nice. Force a kid into the store with pee pants or leave him unattended? Don't you judge me. I haven't even told you the story about Roo missing the bus yesterday. Don't bother commenting on how it is illegal or what a bad parent I am. I don't have time to read my emails anyway. Anyway, after that, I planted my new plant, and cleaned the van. No, like super-cleaned. Vacuumed, wiped down, super-cleaned. And then we went out for pizza because cooking is officially impossible at my house. We took the pizza to the park and it was glorious. I love Michigan.

Then it was an insane night of baths, getting whiny and tired kids to bed and a wailing 2 yr old. Thank heavens I will have Brad back soon!!! And there is seriously and SERIOUSLY no way I could have done this without my grandma. Brad's dad is coming in tomorrow to help with the loading and actual driving which is awesome because I didn't want to drive alone in a van with the kids. Tomorrow is cleaning. Joy. The packing is mostly done. Anyone want to clean from 11-2 tomorrow? It will be a party! Okay, it won't, I lied, but my grandma is really fun, so it is like a party!

And in case I don't manage to get on a computer tomorrow, I'll see ya'll in Philly!

Oh, and my Google Reader has 340 posts waiting to be read. Sorry everyone. I'm really behind on reading.

I am so ashamed

I am a bad mom. If there were a license for parenting, it would get revoked today. Okay, maybe I'm being dramatic, but I am feeling really guilty.

I love that my boys can read. They amaze me every day with their abilities. Well, I've had a long and fairly wretched day. I've been trying to get Sugar to sleep but she keeps playing the potty card. I've been trying to listen to Roo read, but it is frequently interrupted by Sugar's potty calls and Jamo's homework help. There is only one of me and I can't do it all. One of the kids is going to be neglected and mom is going to feel pulled in all directions and worn thin.

And on that note, I had just finished another trip upstairs to impose sleep, when Roo came up to me with a look of concern on his adorable little face. He was holding something in his hand that I immediately recognized, a tag from the mattress. Now you know where I'm going and why I'm an awful mom, huh.

He tells me his story about why he ripped off the tag and then says, "But mom, it says 'do not remove under penalty of law', so what should I do?" And in my moment of weakness, I said, "I guess we need to tell the police." Of course, wailing and tears followed, after all, what kind of mother would torment her poor son like that? I felt guilty the second I saw his face fall and the tears flow and I told him I was only kidding, and that the tag says it can be removed by the consumer and he is the consumer. Then I had to explain that the tag is for stores only, not people. Anyway, it took a bit of explaining, but he is no longer worried about prison. Poor 5 yr old boy. If I had energy, I'd probably be crying from mommy guilt, but as it is, I don't even have energy to cry.

Putting the break in mental break down

So, after 3 days of being sick and absolutely miserable (3 kleenex boxes worth), 2 nights of fitful sleep and last night's massive headache that bordered on torture and 3 whiny and not very helpful children, I'm just about done. Packing isn't happening, let alone keeping the house in a decent condition. My fabulous fellow Bollywood-lover, Neysa, came over to help me price stuff for the garage sale. We got through quite a few boxes, but I still have the majority of the stuff in the basement. And it is near impossible to do because if I'm down there, the kids will be down there. And if the kids are down there, then they are whining and complaining about what is being given away. Therefore, nothing is getting accomplished. It is all just so frustrating.

This afternoon (stupid early release Wednesdays, I hate them), the kids kept complaining and saying how I was starving them. I started dinner at 4. The big problem with dinner, (besides being sick and not wanting to stand, oh, and besides not wanting to go to the store with kids, and besides the fits Sugar was pitching because I wouldn't let her eat dessert and Jamo was pitching because I threw away the checkers that had been on the floor for 2 days) is that we have to hurry and use the food we have before we move. Makes for some interesting recipes. I might have made different purchases had I known we'd be moving so soon, but it is what it is. I boiled some water and threw in frozen peas, carrots and corn. Then I threw in some radiatore (super cool looking pasta). I mixed all that with some cooked ground beef. Then I let the kids pick a dressing to stir in it. Ranch was the favorite, but Greek Vinaigrette and Italian are also quite tasty.

Roo looked at it and asked, "What country other than America is this from and what is it called?" I told him it was called, "Mommy has been sick for 3 days and is super tired and no one is helping me with cooking, cleaning, laundry or dishes and I've been listening to whiny kids for the last 2 hours." "Oh, that's a long name."

Yeah. I'm coping quite nicely, wouldn't you say?

Dessert, for the record, was thawed berries with Cool-Whip, slivered almonds and a smidgen of chocolate sauce (though I personally prefer it without the chocolate sauce). I think I'm going to throw some mini-chocolate chips in next time I make it though...

And don't you worry. I'm not going to be adding either of these to the recipe blogs I'm on. Yes, they both tasted fine, but who needs a recipe for "Mommy has been sick for 3 days and is super tired and no one is helping me with cooking, cleaning, laundry or dishes and I've been listening to whiny kids for the last 2 hours." That's what I thought.

Help wanted

I have some requests for assistance.

1) I have a beautiful dark blue and dark red betta who will not be making the trip to Philly with us. He was adopted from Holli before she moved, so he has some abandonment issues as I'm giving him away too. He comes with his own tank, greenery and beautiful glass stones. Also included, a mostly full container of food.

2) I'm hoping someone can take my kids while I pack the last couple of days (next week). The boys will be in school on Friday until almost 4, but I'll need someone for Sugar. It would be about noon until 4. She USUALLY sleeps about 2 or 3 hours, but hasn't done so the last 2 days, so no promises. :o) And on the Saturday, I would love to have all 3 kids out of the house. Maybe someone could do the 9-noon shift, someone else the noon to 4 shift? That would be SOOOOO appreciated!

3) Does anyone have a folding table or some way to display clothes for a garage sale? Possible available tomorrow and returned on Saturday afternoon? Please?

THANKS!!!

I need caller id

Hi.

Did you just call my house?

Did my two-year-old pick up the phone and say, "Hi. Mommy potty."

Yes? Well, if so, please call back as I am available now.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hey ladies! Enjoy the day we get to celebrate being a woman!



I am so grateful for the wonderful women in my life. I have an amazing and strong mom who has been a great example for me. I have a thoughtful and generous mother-in-law who just ran a marathon. Wowza, right? I have a fun an adventurous grandma who took me all around Europe and another grandma who always had an open door for this starving college student. And I can't even begin to mention all of my aunts and my friends who have been wonderful and supportive. Love you all!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Ah, snap!

This is my last kitty post. It is done. It is over. Phew!

Before I went to the dentist, Piplup was in the trap. I put the ornery thing in the carrier and reset the trap. Trespasser was in the trap but wasn't going in far enough to set it off. He walked back out, and Brave came over. Brave wouldn't put more than one paw inside the trap. Brave is also smart too, apparently. But, when I came back from the dentist Trespasser AND Brave were in there.

Now they are on their way to a lovely barn to eat all the mice they want. We can all stop worrying now. :o)

I'm a winner!

Okay, not really, but my friend Trisha sent me a super funny video that I thought I'd share with you. Now go make one for your mommy. :o)

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=AR7nhyRPHRyhVBOlf3K4qzEwODUzNTMy&referred_by=15484720-NbMm2Hx&p=moveon

And in kitten news, I have relearned that I don't have the stomach for this kind of thing. I was worrying about them all night and probably checked the trap a dozen times or more. Poor little kitties had to sleep all alone. :o( Actually, we did catch one of the kittens, Scaredy, who got to go home and eat and snuggle with a surrogate mommy. I know animals don't form relationships like humans do, but I just can't handle thinking how sad and lonely to other kittens were. And the poor mama.

Meow!

Nobody guessed right on the poll. The first one to be caught was indeed Smarty Pants, the mama. She is freaking out in the animal-friendly trap as I type. Poor mama.

And in case you guys are wondering why I love my 3 sump pumps (2 in the basement and 1 in the yard), here is your answer:

http://www.wilx.com/weather/headlines/44122807.html

I am SOOOO glad Brad came home and fixed it. We are supposed to get storms the next few days. I won't complain. Our new grass seeds could use it!

Bloom where you are planted

You are all so wonderful. Thank you for being so supportive! As excited as I am to go, I'm already crying about leaving. This is such a wonderful town and I've loved it here. Because this is a college town, a lot of my friends will have moved by the time we could come back. :o( The new people will probably be wonderful too. I'm just very thankful for blogs and Facebook. It makes keep in touch so much easier!! I'm also hoping Sarah will take pictures of my plants. I'm not going to get to see all my flowers and plants bloom or see all the grass come in before we leave. I am a bit surprised to see them all coming back through the dirt and wood chips. I didn't kill them all! The clematis are getting huge, the hostas are coming out, and I'm seeing signs that the butterfly bush is starting to get leaves. Ooooo, and the flower crab has big beautiful bright pink buds that are just starting to bloom. I love my house.

And for those of you who voted on the kitty poll, last night's attempt was a major failure. We couldn't even get them to come out from under the porch, let alone catch one. Professionals may need to be called...

I'M MOVING!!!

REJOICE WITH ME!!!

My wonderful friends Sarah and Ben are moving here for residency. They are going to rent our house while we are gone. We will both be finishing at the same time, so we can move back here if we want.

We are beyond excited. I get to go live with Brad, and I have someone I completely trust in my house. WIN-WIN!!

And guess when I'm leaving..... 3 WEEKS!!!! Memorial Day! Brad actually has a 3 day weekend, so it seemed like a good time to do it.

I think I'm going to be going a little crazy the next 3 weeks... :o)

Sheep, kitties, and pumps, oh my!

Baaaa. I'm feeling sheepish. :o)

So, Brad came home for his birthday. We are soooo glad to see him again. We feel almost spoiled seeing him again when he was just here for Easter. We love having him home! First thing Saturday morning we went to check out the sump pump for the backyard. After much digging and wire testing, it was discovered that, drum roll please, the wire had come unplugged underground. Baaaaa. Granted, it is the most basic and easy thing to say, "Are you sure it is plugged in?" But in my defense, it was a buried wire. So, yeah. Plugged it in and that puppy started pumping water like no one's business. Speaking of puppies....

Or kitties actually. I listed them on Craigslist tonight and I already have them spoken for. Did you know that PETA includes a message on CL about listing animals as 'free to a good home'? Apparently people look for ads that say 'free to a good home' to find animals to maim. Sick, huh. But you can't list animals as 'for sale' on CL either. You can ask for a nominal "relocation fee" though. Crazy world we are living in people. Now we just have to figure out how to catch the kitties. And perhaps call the Humane Society to come and get the mama. Oh, and Brad took the honor of naming the black one. He named it Trespasser. Can you tell he is a cat lover? You're right. He isn't.

Brad cut the boys' hair and even gave SugarPea a trim. Pictures will be coming. Eventually. :o)

Here kitty kitty!

I'm more of a dog person really. Don't hate me for it, I just wasn't around cats much growing up. In fact, Brad and I have talked about it, and while we are super excited to get a dog someday (think 4 years or more...) we will not be getting a cat. Ever. I have nothing against cats, but my mom is allergic. And I want my mom to ALWAYS feel welcome in our home, so we won't be owning a cat. But that doesn't mean that I can't think that kittens are absolutely adorable!!

Today I grabbed some hot dogs out of our trash (don't judge me) and took the kids (Roo and Sugar - Jamo was at school) out to feed the kittens. It was hard getting them to come out from under the shed. I'm sure you all know that 2 yr olds don't know the meaning of "quiet" and "still" especially when baby animals are involved. And it turns out I was wrong. There are 4 kittens. The one that comes out the most and the furthest is gray. The black one and the gray on top, white on bottom one will follow the gray one, but stay a little behind. But there is also a brown top, white bottom one that rarely comes out and doesn't go far. We named a most of them today.

Jamo named the gray and white one Piplup. (Pokemon. He's a little obsessed.)
Roo named the gray one Brave. (Roo loved to see how far out this one would come.)
Sugar named (via me) the gray and brown one Scaredy. (Because he's a scaredy cat of course.)
I named the mom Smarty Pants. (When I was out there on Saturday night, I had no clue that she had kittens. She hung out in the woods and while I was out there, went under the wheelbarrow, but never made a move under the shed while I was watching her. Smart girl.)

I'm open to suggestions for the black one. Anyone? Along those lines, does anyone here want some super duper cute kittens?

Brad is coming home for his birthday tomorrow. YEAH! We are incredibly excited and can't wait to see him!

And, for the record, you should be grateful that our camera is awful because I took 6 or 7 videos and even more pictures that look too bad (blurry, washed out, grainy, etc) to put up here.