Children!!!

My kids have been a special mix of orneriness and cuteness for the past few weeks.  Saying cute things and pushing the limits of mommy's rules have been the daily routine.

CUTE

Matt wants us to buy a "hick-up truck" (a pickup truck).  I cannot help but smile each time he shows me a "hick-up truck" that he likes.

The twins currently say the most unexpected things and it always reveals something that they have noticed or a new "plan" to get out of trouble when they break a rule.  When Matt was at Grandma's, Luke let me know that Matt had pushed him.  When I told him that Matt is not home, Luke quickly said, "I meant Mark".  Mark had been drawing pictures quietly at the table (in another room from Luke) said, "Me got a paper. (It) Says me didn't."  (Get past the bad grammar and his alibi is pretty solid!)  

David went with me on a trip and told someone, "I'm with mom so she can drink and drive."  Now before you call the authorities on me, you should know what that REALLY means.  We had been to Happy Hour, BUT at Sonic.  David was handing me my Sonic ICED TEA from the cup holder on the floorboard while I drove so I didn't have to wait until a stop sign to reach it for a drink....unsweet tea in fact!  (Not breaking any laws and NOT even breaking my diet.)

ORNERY

Monday a kid was in the Principal's office for talking back to a teacher.  On Tuesday two kids talked back to a bus driver so they went to the Principal's office.  Then Wednesday, I discovered that a kid stole money from older sister, used the money and lied about it.  My fear of today...Thursday has been huge, but the kids are in bed and no teachers or principals have called.  I can tell that Daddy has worked several weekends/nights away from home because these things don't happen when the kids know that Daddy will be handling the discipline.  I'm ready for Daddy to be home for Spring break because a dose of Daddy time can end a streak of orneriness!

40 & Cranky? Got Iron?

Well, last weekend was terrible, and it bothered me more than it typically would.  I've admittedly been unusually negative and cranky for about a week so when I went to the weight loss nurse yesterday Corrine was quick to point out to her that I was cranky.  (Sarcasm ahead) I love it when my kids help me out like this!  So after a complete checkup, we determined that I could use some more Iron.  This is the first that I have heard that low Iron can cause crankiness and come to find out, low Iron causes fussiness in children.  How did I not know this!  We struggle with the twins and Matt's Iron levels, but no one told me that this could contribute to fussiness.  Needless to say, I see red meat, deviled eggs, and greens in our dietary future!

I started today with a multivitamin with Iron.  Then I went to TOPS and found out that I had lost 3.75 pounds this week.  Needless to say that was an encouraging start to my day so I'm not sure if the Iron or the weight loss improved my mood.  BUT I think I know lots more people who may need some Iron!

40: Weekend Days 32, 33 & 34

This weekend was all that I had expected.  I spent all of Friday trying to get my calendar organized and double checking that all the routine check-ups had been set up.  Friday night was a quiet evening, and it was an early bedtime since Ed had to leave at 4:15am to go to the tournament.

Saturday without Daddy was hectic.  The twins and Nate were ready for Daddy time, and he was at the tournament for work.  Grace and Corrine did their best to try to offer Daddy type activities to wear them out.  It helped that David and Matt went to visit Grandma and Grand-dad so it was just the 3 four year olds trying to overthrow the balance of power.  Our newest struggle with one of my little guys is about underwear.  He wants to go commando, and I say no!  I had to set a new rule that "Underwear is required at the table."  Then at dinner his brother came and pulled down his pants to show me that he had his underwear on...so obviously my new rule has some disadvantages. LOL!

Sunday I was exhausted so Ed let  me sleep in.  For dinner, I made two 4+ pound London Broil with roasted herb potatoes and carrots.  Much to my surprise, our kids loved it.  There was no leftovers to put away, which means that some kids ate a pound or more of beef! 

I've stuck to my diet and even made a balsamic reduction in preparation for next weeks meals.  I'm trying to prepare more and more of "my" kind of foods for the kids.  Some of it has been well received and some hasn't.   So far Hannah has liked more of the "healthified" foods than anyone else, and I appreciate her willingness to try these foods!

A Little Bit Forty: Days 23 & 24

The last two days have gone quickly as they always do thanks to teaching in Branson last night and taking Grace to flight ground school in Bolivar tonight. Plus trying to do the usual stuff like run errands, emergency grocery shopping when 3 gallons of milk don't last 30 hours, and get finished with my usual work and home appointments and paperwork.

Today I had to go into the post office since one of my packages was being shipped overnight.  As I stood in line, a cute little girl was chatting with everyone in the line.  An older gentleman asked her how old she was and she clasp both her hands together and twisted her body as though she was suddenly shy and thinking.  After a moment she said quietly, "Well, I'm a little bit 4."  Her dad chipped in that she had just turned 4 in January so she hasn't been four very long.  The whole line giggled and I tried not to laugh the loudest, but I could really identify with this little girl.  She had just had a whole comfortable year of being three and she could do everything that was expected of a three year old.  However, now she was in the strange world of 4 year olds and she already knew that she hadn't mastered all the 4 year old skills yet.  I can so understand how she feels.  I had 39 mastered and 40 just kind of slipped up on me...so for today, if anyone were brave enough to ask my age, then my answer would be, "Well, I'm a little bit 40."

Shoe Boxes & Candid Camera

There are days that some of the conversations and happenings at our house are so surreal that I expect the Candid Camera crew to reveal themselves....Its like one, two, three...where are those camera guys?  They MUST be here....somewhere?  Today was one of those days.

While Mr. Workman & I were at a meeting this morning, David calls and leaves this almost completely unintelligible message...we could make out the words dead, food, & I got it.  We called back and couldn't understand much better so we asked for Angela (our house helper) and she explained that David fed the chickens but one seemed to choke on a crumble and died.  We told her to tell David that we would be home soon.

We get home & had JUST pulled in the driveway when David came running to tell us again what Angela had told us.  As I was going up the ramp to go inside, David hands me the box that Matt has been carrying his new shoes in.  As I am taking it inside, David pulls the box lid back showing the dead hen, which he has placed there for burial.  I ask him to close the lid and hand the box back to him.  I directed David to leave it closed in the garage until Daddy can help with burial.

About 2 hours later, David and Daddy are ready to give our chicken a proper send off, only for Matt to start throwing a huge fit.  As I try to find out the problem, the meltdown continues!  Finally, through tears and sobs and shudders, Matt explained that he wanted HIS shoebox back!  David had taken it without asking so I offered him 2 identical shoe box for 2 sizes smaller of the twins' shoes, BUT NO!  Matt wanted the box back, which had held a dead chicken in 95-103 degree heat since 9:30am  and it was around 3:00pm!  For the next 45 minutes, Matt threw a fit while I dug out and offered him many shoe boxes of ALL sizes...this whole time I'm thinking "Candid Camera must be nearby."  Finally Matt went to sob silently with the occasional shudder as he watched TV.  We have had several break through tears all evening....and Candid Camera is still not here....BUT the shoebox and chicken are now buried in a location non-disclosed to Matt and I!

I tried to think of a verse to "council" my young Matt, but all I could think of is,

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."~Matthew 6:21 

I have several for my David!

Tahiti & Chickens



Corrine has been working on improvements to the chickens' country cottage.  She went to the dollar store and bought a lot of the "Tahiti Collection" to properly outfit her cottage.  She got bamboo roosts and shallow bowls for nest boxes and place mats to keep the bowls in place.  She even bought the hens a mirror so they would be less bored.  Yes, Corrine is concerned that her chickens might get bored. (I can assure you, my grandmother NEVER considered if her hens were bored and they still laid good eggs.)  These chickens just need a disco ball and we will be approaching having scenes like out of "Shaun the Sheep"!  (BUT I'm glad Corrine is enjoying her chickens.)  Below are some pictures from the cottage. 

I find the toy phone on the wall to be a bit surreal
in a fabulously funny way!

Nesting boxes:  Tahiti Collection bowls and place mats
on a shoe organizer.

Driving Lesson One

Ready for her first driving lesson

 Our oldest daughter Grace is going to be 16 in April and for the last several months, she has been eligible to get a driver's permit.  Now as 16 is quickly approaching, she is becoming more anxious to learn to drive.  She has taken Driver's Education at our Home School Co-op.  She has studied the state driver's manual, and now it is our turn as parents to do our part.  So after a brief conversation with my hubby, it was decided that it is actually my turn to do my part.  (Don't worry...Daddy will be teaching ALL the boys...maybe even Jon and Nate!)  So you may wonder why Daddy is waiting until later lesson to get involved and why I'm not jumping for joy about the opportunity to teach her.  The answer is that she has rarely driven anything!  Grand-dad taught Grace to drive the riding mower....not straight or to where we didn't close our eyes as she struggled to make each turn, but he taught her to turn the mower on, engage the blade and butcher the yard in a weaving pattern that a drunk would struggle to copy.  After many gallons of gas and several tries to fix her original mowing, we said, "Good enough, I think we will start mowing again."

Now I have never been known for my patience.  Granted my kids have improved (or maybe just stretched) my patience, but I should still be VERY humble about the virtue of patience.  I didn't want to be a mom clinging to the car door, stomping my imaginary brake and yelling directions so I decided the ideal "calm" place to teach Grace would be at the farm.  When I told grandma this, she said, "What if she meets a car?"  My response was, "In the driveway?"  So with guarded expectation of "if I would let her" leave the yard, Grace and I switched seats for her first lesson.

THE SEAT

So the first thing we had to do was to adjust the seat to the best position for her.  I had never considered Grace to be picky about her seating, but apparently when preparing to drive a vehicle, she needs the positioning and support of a NASA astronaut.  (7 minutes including pictures)

THE PARTS OF THE CAR

Next we reviewed where the gas and brake are and I discovered that she had to look at her feet when selecting the needed peddle.  I also discovered that Grace was going to insist that she needed both feet and preferably one on the brake, while one was on the gas.  So we practiced, with ONLY her right foot....gas, brake, brake, brake, gas, brake....notice the peddle that I'm focusing on.  Then I had her turn on the car and we practiced shifting between P-R-N-D and the importance of keeping her foot on the brake.  (10 minutes)


Almost to the church



MOVING

Finally I explained to her, that the Durango will go when she removes her foot from the brake and I suggested she try it without using the gas so she could use the brake to stop and get a feel for the brake...well, Grace had to look at her feet to find the brake and when she located, she applied it with all her might.  I must tell you; I NEVER thought a person traveling at 3MPH could be thrown through a window of a car, but I now know it is probably possible...ALWAYS wear a seat belt, even in the driveway when rolling at 3 MPH.  Lucky for me, Grace caught on to steering turns fairly well with only a few laps around the oak tree and the yard.  Backing up seemed more challenging, but Grace had perseverance on her side....well, that and the fact that Grand-dad attached the porch hand railing to last a lifetime...yeap, can't even tell that she "nudged" it, while I said brake and she looked at her feet. (20 minutes)

ON THE ROAD

Grace was actually catching on very fast, except for looking for the brake and the gas, so I decided that she could drive the dirt road about a mile to where the church used to be beside the cemetery.  This is where I was starting to wish for a hidden camera.  It was becoming obvious that America's Funniest Home Videos would have  received the video and just mailed us the prize money.  The highlights of the 1.7 mile drive to/from the old church were the following:

• Discovering that Grace stops the car to sneeze or cough...or just when she needs a break from the fast pace of driving at 2 to 4 MPH.
• Grace drove so slow that the problematic neighbors were changing the signs along the road from "No Trespassing" to "No Parking".
• The old gravel road has branches that stick out.  I reminded Grace several times to watch out for them.  Finally I just let her hit a small protruding branch to which she declares, "I have to be looking out there too?!" as she motions to my side of the Durango.  (40 minutes)

THE PEDESTRIAN



As we approached the driveway to the farm again.  My Cousin Carl was standing along the road waiting for us.  While we were still 100 yards away or so Grace wanted to know why he was standing so close to the driveway because it made her nervous.  Carl was standing behind a concrete filled metal pole at the mailboxes which are well beyond the driveway.  (Not to say that he wasn't as nervous as her!)  Carl visits with us and has two fabulous offers...1.)  free venison and  2.) to open the gate to let Grace drive in the hayfield.


A zoomed in photo of "Traffic"
at a narrow gate

THE TRAFFIC

Grace and I picked up the venison and got it in the cooler.  Then she headed down the lane to the hayfield.  A long ways ahead of us, Cousin Carl pulls out with his tractor to take hay to the livestock.  Grace declares, "Great traffic!"  I point out that she won't need to pass him because he is going to the same place as us.  She said she could tell that, but it still was more to keep track of while she drove.

JUDGEMENTAL COWS & NARROW 14' GATES

As we get to the hayfield, Grace must go through 2 generous "farm equipment wide" gates.  Grace slowed to several stops as she lined up with each gate.  Grace was thinking outloud when she wondered, "why the gates were so narrow".  Grace did an excellent job getting to the hayfield, but it was obvious that each new element was adding "more to this driving thing" than she had thought.

Once we were though the gates, the cows were gathered to eat and Grace had to drive around them.  She said they were looking at her judgemental-like and here is the kicker...I have to agree!  There were a couple calves who seemed to recognize the potential to be hamburger when in the presence of inexperienced drivers.  I even tried to photograph "The look", but it was getting darker and the field was bumpy with cow patties (and Grace didn't miss a one with my Durango.) (20 minutes)

THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME

I was really dreading Grace's first driving lesson, but she did very well.  She listened, followed directions and made jokes to ease both our tensions.  Don't tell hubby, but I'm really glad that I got to take her on her first driving lesson...and not just becauseit is over and he owes me!  Plus Grace and I used our trip home from the farm to stop and enjoy dinner together at cousin Sheila's Restuarant in Marshfield, which is always a treat!

Grace is a great young lady and she will eventually be a licensed driver so don't follow too close, she might sneeze! Love you Grace!

Early Morning Phone Call

I got a call crazy early this morning.  The kind of crazy early that you hope the call is a prank because otherwise you know it is terrible, bad news.   Mr. Workman and I rolled out of bed, located the phone and answered it.  It was our 3 year old twins.  They were calling us from my iphone from their bedroom. They greeted me with a "Hi Mommy!" and from what I could tell, they even had me on speaker phone at 4:20am!
I can barely make a call from my iphone.  I have no idea how they knew to unlock it, navigate to the phone section and pick home.  I assume that was the last call that I made so it was easy to pick.  However, tonight as I was putting them to bed, Luke let me know that Grandma wasn't home this morning and he didn't know how to call Wal-Mart, which is apparently where Grandma is, if she isn't at home.  So I just checked my phone,  the call before the one this morning was to Daddy's cell phone, which was turned off.  I guess they thought they had called grandma. 

Needless to say based on the twins love of water and flooding the house, I'm just glad they didn't wash my iphone...and yes, it is put up REALLY high tonight!

Christmas Toothbrush Story

Like all mom's I try to teach my kids to share and be generous, especially with their siblings.  However, sometimes younger siblings can really damage their older brothers' and sisters' stuff so a balanced approach of teaching the kids what to share and then with whom can become a complex web of rules and developmental considerations...yet at other times, it seems like the rules are pretty obvious.





On Christmas Sunday morning, I had Christmas stockings full of fruit, candy and a couple special treats like friction cars for the toddlers and earbuds for the tweens and teens.  However, I had David at age 8, and he is right between friction cars and ear buds.  He loves electronic games, but that was outside of the budget so I had struggled to figure out what he would consider a fun treat/toy.  After a lot of consideration, he said something to help me out.  He mentioned that he had seen a picture of me getting an electric Bugs Bunny toothbrush for Christmas as a child, and he wanted to know if I still had it because it was "awesome".  So I started looking at Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, etc and finally found a SpiderMan electric toothbrush that I was sure David would love!

On Christmas morning, I was disappointed to see that David had gotten up before me, opened his stocking gifts and was already settled into watching a video that he had gotten from grandma the night before.  I had hoped to see him open his stocking, and I wanted to know what he thought of his toothbrush, which I KNEW he would love!  So you can imagine my horror when 4 year old Matt met me outside the bathroom with toothpaste suds everywhere and letting me know he LOVED the Spiderman toothbrush.  I started explaining to Matt that you cannot take things out of someone else's stocking.  He said, "I know.  David said I could."  Well, as you can imagine, I was crushed that David had given away a gift that I was sure he would REALLY love. 

So later when David had finished his movie, I asked him about the toothbrush...was it too noisy? Did it scare him? Was it too much vibration?  No, no, no, he assured me that it got his teeth really clean as he pointed to his teeth and showed me his big smile.  My heart sank.  I knew I had to tell him what Matt did.  I called Matt to the kitchen with David and I, then I started to explain that I was so sorry that Matt had taken his toothbrush.  David glared at Matt and yelled, "You broke it! I told you to be careful when you tried it!"  I felt a little gag in my throat as I got the boys to clarify that they had both used the toothbrush.  Matt was especially proud as he declared, "David shared it with me."

So we had a talk about things that you share and things that you don't share.  Then I spent about an hour boiling and replacing EVERYONES' toothbrushes, especially as I thought about all those times my own toothbrush was unexpectedly damp...and as I realized that David had wanted my old Bugs Bunny electric toothbrush to USE again.  Icky!

BTW-Neither Matt or David could remember if they had ever tried my toothbrush!  I'm laughing now or I would still be gagging!

And this commandment have we from him,

That he who loveth God love his brother also. ~~I John 4:21