Listening in...

that doesn't mean you should sit on people
no
HEY
get off of me
NO
Mommy, she's sitting on my leg. Momma...
What?
She's sitting on me.
You're taking up all the room.
GET OFF OF ME. MOMMY, She's sitting on my leg and being mean.
How am I being sitting in an area where everyone can sit. Stop hitting me.
I'm able to sit.
I'm able to sit on the couch.
OW.
I didn't mean to and you're miss mean.
MOMMY she's hurting me.
You're hurting me.
I've been asking you to for twenty minutes. Will you please get off of me.
If you'd only asked me that twenty minutes ago.

....listening in to a conversation!

i heard today of a 34, mom, wife, cancer battler

i just heard that a friend's wife is now battling stage 3 breast cancer and i don't even know what to say, i just can imagine a fraction of how she must feel.


Oh women, aren't we all so secure in our lives? Our beautiful babies, our lovely girls and boys growing so quickly, our petty spats with our husbands, the hugs, the kisses, the laughter, the joy.


SCREEEECCCCHHHHHHHH. Halt it right there! So you thought you were protected? You're actively nursing your little baby RIGHT now. You've been a good mom to your kiddos and you're still YOUNG, RIGHT?

Excuse me, I mustn't have heard you right. I have mastitis, not cancer. I have a clogged duct, not cancer. What are you talking about cancer? I just had a baby. That's why I'm tired. That's why I don't feel good, it is hormones. These hormones are so tough, especially after a fifth baby. I'll just stay in bed today, then I'll feel better. Right?

Ladies, we're not safe. We're not protected. We don't have to have a history of sickness. We don't need big "signs" - cancer doesn't care who we are or what we have going on. All it needs is a little hiccup in our health and there it is. And we have to change. Our whole life has to change. Our confidence is gone. Our knowing is gone. Our plans are gone. But our will is still there.

Our will is still holding on, willing us, teaching us, begging us to survive because we're loved and we're needed and we want to hold on and fight.


So pray, pray for the mom, the 34 year old mom with the new baby and 4 big brothers and sisters and a loving husband who wish her well. Send this on to your friends to pray for her to and their friends and on and on because she could be us.

Now I'm not a germa-phob but...

Now I'm not a germa-phob but the handlebars of a shopping cart are DIS-GUS-TING, say it with me sisters, DISGUSTING! So yesterday I went grocery shopping with my little Mallory who can now sit in the cart...second time trying...she's 9 months old this upcoming weekend so we're getting a little bold!

I have a cart wrap protection device..with a cute mirror on the back (how pray tell does she play with that?) toys on the front and no instructions. Lucky me, Natalie, my 7 year old (7 1/2 sorry) was with me and hooked us up. Literally, it was strapped to the cart, she was strapped to the cart on and on...we shopped, she was happy (yeah!) - of course she was happy she's always happy!

And since I was being thrifty and was at Aldi's (is Aldi's everywhere? they're BIG in KC and they're discount heaven) - where I have to bag my own groceries (yes, i forgot the recycle bags, AGAIN) and they throw all items from cart A (where mallory is happily smiling) into cart B (sans Mallory) I had to unstrap the baby protector from cart A and reattach it to Cart B.

Bright Idea Mommy decided to move the baby in the protector at one time to save time (people behind me, not going to keep cooing at baby for long). Well, I unstrapped the protector and not the baby, tugged her in the seatbelt and ended up disassembling the device, removing the baby, placing said baby in cart B, paying and then, yes, while I bagged groceries, reattached protector and replaced baby because EVERYTHING goes in her mouth, ick ick ick.

Why the trouble? My friend Jennifer's little gal got a strange infection requiring a surgical procedure from quite possibly a cart. (throw up in my mouth, UGH). NO THANK YOU!!!! So, Sorry Aldis I don't think all your customers are disgusting, I'm just not willing to take the chance.

...And we're travelling on a plane soon, can you imagine the fun our fellow passengers will have with us if this is how we are in a grocery line!!!

the "think sheet"

So, its no surprise that Maisey had a think sheet sent home from 1st grade, to make yet another, worst day of her life. (we've had 2 so far this week and it is tuesday - monday was a day off).

Guess what for? That's right! Talking too much in class. No surprise here because she IS a bit chatty, not sure where she got that from... BUT her think sheet was REALLY for laughing when she was talking out of turn...like, haha, i'm doing it again (that's what i think she was thinking).

So, I chatted with her about it, made her sit by me still and quiet for 15 minutes (practicing quiet!) and THEN sent her dad to review the think sheet and have "the talk" with her...not sure how that went but according to him, not good.

Where or where can we channel that energy during the day? AND if anyone laughs, or if she gets nervous because she's getting the attention, eeek...not pretty! i just hope she doesn't have to scoot her desk next to the teacher's...that is TORTURE (not that i'd know)....

By the way, my friend Alison at thatsanovelidea.blogspot.com is having a FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY for a kid's book. Check it out!!!! (she is giving 2 grown up books away too!!!!)

'bout time, right?

Hi! Bout time I wrote another blog, right? You've been missing what I have to say, I'm quite sure. My audience as I like to call you has been checking back religiously for what, the same pictures, no new stories and well, truth be told, its been a little BORING...

Now that I've figured out how to log back into my blog, life is good...as a matter of fact, my friend Alison at thatsanovelidea.blogspot.com has been outblogging me by a book...haha!

School is back in session, for that Ken and sleeplyand are grateful.

Mallory is pulling up in her bed and thinks she's going where? I'm not sure because I fixed her today! I lowered her crib. Which, by the way, have you lowered a crib side lately? Yeah, not fun!!! Natalie and I worked on the crib (she's 7) while Maisey (she's 6) "babysat" the baby on my bed...which is scary - your one job is to NOT let the baby roll off my bed...sounds easy, not when you're more distracted than me!!!

Soccer is in full swing and by that, it is truly a part time plus job. this past weekend friday to sunday we had 5 games and a practice. Natalie scored a goal, you go girl! Maisey fought her teamates for the ball and won, next time score then they won't be so upset! And Nora (9) took a dive at being the goalie - in her first game since first grade...nothing like kicking it into high gear!

I'm feeling like a nervous school kid because there is a life group I really think would be a good match for our family...busy families trying to juggle schedules and life taking time to study and live and get to know each other...sounds like a good one for us! AND they're studying a book by Andy Stanley and that deserves a blog all on its own. SOOOO with 4 kids we need them to have enough space for us and to be the kind of group we mesh with etc, prayer matters!!!

I am moved to pray for families who are struggling through the unimaginable. Not sure in the past couple of weeks how many times I've heard of sick children/babies with cancer. Unimaginable. All I know how to do is pray. I don't have a talent for people with sickness or with loved ones who pass away I am tongue-tied and don't know what to do or say, but I do know how to pray. Strength will rise...

So my baby Mallory needs a baby friend!!! If you know any 8 month olds still searching for that perfect (well Mallory is perfect) playmate, we can schedule a meeting and interview session to ascertain whether that baby is to our liking...must like pooping, eating, babbling, pulling hair and scooting on the floor. fresh and clean is nice but not required.

Mornings...oh mornings!

Our big accomplishment: we've successfully mastered (and at our house this DOES deserve the word master) getting out the door in the morning 4 of the 5 days a week without a total meltdown...on time...with smiles...AMAZING! Why we don't serve coffee to elementary schoolers is BEYOND me! I don't like to function without caffeine and early...think about 3 girls in the bathroom AT THE SAME TIME, choosing outfits - they care at this age...believe me, they care! Seriously, if it isn't the color, how things coordinate (which has NOTHING to do with how we the parents think things SHOULD coordinate), how they feel (nothing like the scratchiest for my girls apparently), how warm it is outside, how cold it is outside, the lack of socks, wrong sized undies, that is MY shirt mom NOT hers, what i think fits them funny compared to what they think fits them funny, we don't have anything going...I forgot they all have hair too...let's see, the longer the tanglier, we're growing out bangs with a hatred for hair clips (oh yeah, momma it is shaggy baggy even with a new haircut), and styles only a girl developing her sense of self can create...BIG BREATH!!! that's what our mornings need...new credo: CALM AND GENTLE!!! (Crazy and Great according to Natalie)...ut oh now i'm running late...more later!

'09 just in time!

This is our year!!! I'm so excited about all the fun we're having in '09. the girls are at a great pace, baby mallory is here in full force and the fun has just begun!

Stats of the house:

Nora: 8 11/12s (way past 8 1/2)...3rd grader...brownie...newly starting gymnastics, and hopeful gecko owner

Natalie: 7 1/2...1st grader...soccer player...daisy...newly starting softball player

Maisey: 6...kindergartener...daisy...newly starting soccer player...gymnastics hopeful

Mallory: 10 weeks...daycare attender...smiler and coo-er...rolling hopeful

all girls: cheerleader wannabe's!

Tiffany: 32 1/2...mommy...window worker...ladies group attender...jazzerciser...clean house keeper wannabe!

Ken: 36 1/2...daddy...baker (ok he wishes, really they don't let him touch the ovens)...daytime sleeper (gotta give him something, poor guy!)...hobby searcher

Now that doesn't even begin to cover the PERSONALITY of our house. Big, bold, bright, beautiful, boisterous and so so fun.