Good people exist

We have a website where you can sell/buy/give away items near the base.  I have used it to sell kid's clothes, shoes, toys, strollers, etc.  It's great.  I don't want much for stuff so it's a win-win.  Well, last night I requested boxes/containers and even offered to pay. 

I woke up this morning to an email from a lady living on base who had containers (even better) we could borrow, with no rush in returning them.  Ohmygosh, there are good people out in this world still.  Some of these containers are the BIG ones, which is even better and she let me borrow about 10 of them.  TEN! 

I'm just amazed, amazed. 

I'm documenting this as a reminder of something positive happening during the actual packing/moving phase. 

How the cookie crumbles

• Hubby has some leave days built up, so we planned a trip to IL for the next two weeks. 
• Monday we got the call about possibly moving on post
• Drove by house and said, "Hell to the NO."
• But, still made an appointment to view it today. 
• Went inside a completely renovated house with loads of room for all of us and our "stuff."
• Spent the afternoon going back and forth with what to do.
• Talked to current property management and even though our year is not up we can still get out of it since they never technically signed a lease and because hubby made a RIDICULOUS fib.  
• We made the decision to go ahead with it.  
• We leave for IL this weekend, will have to be back no later than the 12th to sign a lease
• Mom is going to keep the monkeys for a couple days so we can head back and move. 
• We don't have any boxes or extra containers to pack anything up
• This is going to be the worst move ever.
• No doubt about it. 
• The end will be worth it for various reasons: 
• saving money
• walking distance to spray park and playgrounds
• closer to work for hubby
• more space
• every single child will have their own room - hallelujah!!!  
• saving money
• saving money
• I just need to remind myself that it will be worth it in the end (at least we hope).  

Talking Tuesday #2

I am so inconsistent, I know.  I used to do sticky notes on Tuesdays with some truths posted, and I will when I feel like I have something I need to admit, but lately these kids have been saying some pretty ridiculous statements that I have to share. 

In the van driving

Eligh:  "Mom!!!!  She won't get away from me!"

Mom:  "Who?"

Eligh:  "The sun." 

Daddy:  "Eligh, you want a knuckle sandwich?"

Eligh:  "No, it's too messy."

Addy:  "Mommy, can we go to the zoo today?"

Mommy:  "Not today, but maybe soon we'll go back again."

Addy:  "You never take me to the zoo alot of times." 

Kinsley is crying in the van
Addy:  "The ambulance is going to come and get you if you don't stop crying." 

Zoo Favorites

Yesterday we went to the St. Louis Zoo, which has free admission for all, and if you get there early enough you can get street parking for free as well.  I am cheap and will find ways to make the most out of any family activity.  We woke everyone up and left the house by 6 am, walked for 4 hours or so exploring all the animals and the amazing landscape on a perfectly comfortable morning.  We finished up the zoo in time for my brother-in-law to meet us to my sister back home.  We drove home and enjoyed our packed lunches (free, again).

Here are a few of my favorites from the day

He is petrified of the carousel, so he sits patiently

Had to miss the stingrays because of course she had to go potty as we were in line

This was walking around feet away from us

Cody trying to get as close to it as possible

Don't mind the fat roll, please

Love Kinsley's cute smile here

Me and big chief 

The boys

Had to bring her purse

I'm so big (Kinsley, not hubby)

A picture of us - no way!

Butterfly exhibit, Addy's favorite because it had pink. 

What makes a princess - according to Eligh

Eligh:  "Mommy, yuuuur a princess." 

Mommy:  "Thank you.  Why am I a princess?"

Eligh:  "Because daddy was kissing you."

 Pffft....I may have to disagree with this.  I think daddy is a prince because mommy was kissing him. 

Friday Night Leftovers - complicated

 

•  This week Addy had dance camp and of course Kinsley wants to be a ballerina, too.  I'm looking into driving 20 minutes or so to get them both enrolled in August, this wait list crap is pissing me off.  
• I also looked into gymnastics for the girls, wait list for Addy no wait for Kinsley.  Fricketyfrack.  Plus, if I put Kinsley in gymnastics I would have to assist her, which is impossible with two other kiddos in tow.  
• My sister is still being a bump on a log and has no interest in much of anything.  You want to do something?  I don't care, or whatever.  Not really an answer.  
• Going to see a movie tonight or tomorrow with her depending on when Cody gets home from work.  
• Cody is taking Eligh to see the new Cars movie as a reward for being potty trained.  
• Addy is insisting that us girls do something fun while the boys are at the movies, but I don't know what yet.  
• This new class is going to kick my butt and I am going to be visiting family for a week or so and will want to do absolutely nothing but am going to be in the middle of a big project while up there.  Sucketh. 
• I went to the doctor this week to inquire about a couple things, and now await referrals for a dermatologist and neurologist.  
• On a good note, I worked out at home the past two days and the foot pain is gone, and I hope this steroid shot lasts a while.  

Stop by Danifred, to see what others are bringing to the table.  

Pajamas

The girls like to choose their form of pajamas:  nightgowns or shorts, and then my OCD self will only allow them to have the top pair of the chosen form. 

Addyson was in the tub while daddy bathed her (he is in charge of baths 98% of the time - hallelujah!)

Mommy:  "Addyson, what type of pajamas do you want?  Nightgown or shorts?"

Addy:  "Ummm...daddy, what are you going to wear?"

Daddy:  "Pajamas."

Addy:  "A nightgown or shorts, daddy?"

Daddy:  "Shorts."

Addy:  "Daddy, will you wear a nightgown?" 

Mommy:  "Addyson, daddy's don't wear nightgowns, that would be silly."

Addy:  "Ok, then shorts."

Why having three small children potty trained sucks

Slap me if you want, but now having three small children potty training is a pain in the ass. 

A list of times when having potty trained children sucks

• Eating out includes 31 bathroom trips.  
• Solution:  Skip eating out as a family all together OR
• Bag up your food so you can eat it on the drive home or when you finally arrive home
• Traveling includes pulling over for potty breaks every 15 minutes
• Solution:  Never travel with small children OR
• Keep a potty seat in the vehicle at all times
•  Fighting over who is going to use the potty
• Solution:  Have bathroom stalls built into one bathroom for as many children as you have
• OR Work on having your children learn how to wait their turn
•  Toilet is flushed 551 times a day
• Someone is always yelling "I need to go potty/poop"
• I'm still wiping (poopy only) booties, which is always at the most inconvenient time

With each milestone comes another challenge....

Talking Tuesday

Kinsley:  "I love your butt."

Mommy:  "You love my butt?"

Kinsley:  "Yes.  I love your face."  

Mommy:  "Thank you, I love your face, and I love you."

Eligh:  "Mommy, I like you."

Mommy:  "I love you."

Eligh:  "You're beautiful."

Mommy:  "Thank you."

Eligh:  "You're welcome."

Addy:  "I want a special kiss."

Mommy:  "Ok."  

Daddy has been cutting Eligh's hair lately.

Daddy:  "Do you like your hair cut?"

Eligh:  "Yep.  Now, I'm handsome."

The monkeys are all about earning money lately, you know since we drained their piggy banks.

Mommy:  "Addyson, can you grab that bottle of sunscreen for me please?" 

Addy:  "Sure.  And then, you'll tell me thank you and I'll say you're welcome and you can give me money for doing something nice."

Kinsley cuteness

Kinsley has been growing like crazy and trying to do everything her big sister does, and has even graduated to a 12inch bike this weekend.  Here are some recent pictures of her cuteness

Friday Night Leftovers

 

• Addy is home and my younger sister is here this week.  It has taken my sister three days for her to finally play with the monkeys.  It bothers me.  When I ask her if there is something she wants to do her response is, "I don't care."  How about a damn opinion?  
• Eligh has been wearing underwear all week and has had two days of no accidents.  He is wearing pull-ups at nap and bedtime and I am a-ok with that.  
• The part about training a boy, in my opinion, is figuring out to sit or stand and the whole aim issue.  We chose sitting and will address standing when he gets a little taller.  
• I had a bone scan appointment scheduled for Wednesday and my follow-up appointment for today.  Idiots schedule the appointment wrong and were going to make me wait another week, which would have been two (as my doc is going to be gone next week).  I made it very clear how pissed off I was that their mistake would cause me to have to be in pain even more. 
• Today, I got to go to the hospital three different times, but it all got taken care of.  Results - some type of ligament strain or tare, but no way to really know without some trial and error.  Anywho, I got to choose a steroid shot or a cast, I went with the shot.  I thought it worked, but I believe I was wrong.  I will give it another day or two to see if the pain is from the shot itself or if it is still the annoying pain I've had.  This simply sucks and I'm tired of it.  
• While I was there my blood pressure was ridiculously high and she wants me monitoring it three times a day to make sure it is something else I need to be concerned with.  FML.
• Kinsley has started putting her hands on her hips when talking in a new attitude forming, but seriously cute manner. 
• I stared my next class with school this week and had no access for two whole days due to their own technical difficulties, which is making me feel overwhelmed.  

Go check out Danifred to see what others are bringing this week.  

More potty talk

We are in full Eligh potty training, so here are a couple conversations from our experience. 

Addy:  "Mommy, I don't have a tallywacker, right?"

Mommy:  "No, you don't.  What do you have?"

Addy: "A business."

Eligh:  "I am too tired to wear underwear."

Eligh:  "I don't feel good for underwear."

Mommy and Daddy:  "Eligh, you have to go potty" (over and over and over again). 

What a week away does to Addy

Not only did Addy get spoiled beyond belief this past week from grandma, she also learned a couple new "things."

• She can put her head completely underwater while holding her breath
• Ride a two-wheel scooter
• Will eat the meat off of a rib bone (just make sure there is no "sauce")

Besides what she has learned, she is also adjusting to having to share as well as following some rules.  She has been in timeout the past two days a total of four times already (which she is rarely in time out any more, it could be months in between). 

The most irritating behavior she has picked up is balling her hands up, slamming them down on her sides and shouting some type of sassynastiness.

It's only been two days and the adjusting is getting under my skin.  I know it will get better, or I'll just keep telling myself this. 

Comfort

Addy is home and her big, squeezy, never letting go hugs as soon as she exited the car with the best comfort I could have possibly imagined.

How could this little girl have grown so much in just seven days?!  I informed my mom that seven days is way too long and it will not happen again, maybe in three years when I have my 10 year anniversary, but not any sooner.

Just put her to bed, where she squeezed me tightly and said, "Mommy, I'm so happy to be home with you."  

"Big Guns"

Waking up early is not for me

I woke up before five Saturday, made some money at the yard sale, had a couple drinks, food, and my first experience with spoons. 

PLUS

Turned around and was up and out the door by seven this morning, wrote my last paper for this particular class, mopped the floors, fought with an overly tired I will not nap little boy, cooked, and cleaned up dinner. 

 

Equals

An extremely tired, not feeling well mother and wife who misses her oldest daughter (2 more days).

Friday Night Leftovers - too long

• Addy has slept part of the evening in Grandma's bed every single night since she has been there.  One night involved the scare of a bug, and the past two evenings they have had some crazy storms.  
• I miss her terribly, and I suck at this whole letting your child have some fun without you.  
• She only had one evening of sobbing for mommy due to being overtired and stimulated.  I begged to come and meet my mom sooner than she had planned, but she is refusing.  She said, "One full week, she is fine.  Enjoy the break."  But, I don't.  I miss her.  
• Got rid of the "monkey diapers" and transitioned to pull-ups for Eligh.  He now says, "Mom, I'm cold!!!"  Daddy is going to attempt potty training boot camp this upcoming week as he is off most of the week.  He did have three successful trips to the bathroom this week, so he is showing signs and we are going to run with it. 
• Cody moved the treadmill in the garage so it is facing the middle of the garage vs the wall, after several hints, and now I can run and work out while the kids play in the garage.  It's working with just the twins, and hopefully it will work when Addy is back.  
• Kinsley misses her Addy and will only go to sleep at night if we leave her door open until she closes her eyes (which is super fast compared to when the two of them are in the room together).  
• Eligh is doing this annoying horse sputtering nose with his lips.  I want to staple his lips together so he quits.  
• I have convinced my younger sister to ride back with my mom and Addy and come stay with us for a while.  
• We went to a children's museum with the twins on the way back from the switcheroo and this particularly awesome museum is free until September for military members.  SWEEEEET!
• The twins convinced me to buy, "Ohme-o, Ohme-o." ("Gnomeo and Juliet") this afternoon.  Their singing of this song was too cute not to give in.  
• I'm having a yard sale tomorrow and hoping to get rid of a crap ton of toys and clothes and make a little money.  Report back soon. 

To see what others are bringing tonight, stop by Danifred. 

How to wash a car according to my monkeys

1. Put on your swimsuit

2.  Have your own clean rag 

3.  Sprint around the vehicle as fast as you can

4.  Repeat this several times

5.  Decide the van is too large and move on to smaller vehicles

6.  If you are dripping from head to toe in water, you have mastered "how to wash a car."

Because it's funny

We are sort of working on potty training with Eligh, as he is the only child left in diapers.  I am leaving this more for daddy, though, so it is in the introduction stage.  Tonight after dinner, right before bath, he needed a diaper change and instead of wasting a diaper daddy told him to run around with out his pants on and just his shirt, which he has done in the past. 

I was in the process of washing dishes and he insisted on standing right next to me the entire time.  If I moved a little to the right, he moved to.  The whole time I'm thinking, please don't pee on me, please.

Mommy:  "Hey, what are you doing?"

Eligh:  "Umm...touching my tallywacker."

Mommy:  "Why?"

Eligh:  "Because it is funny." (giggles and big smile)

And the penis tugging begins.

It's time, it really is

Tomorrow morning the 3 hour drive to send Addy to grandma's for a week begins.  I really, really, really can't imagine her gone for that long at all and am going to be sad (yes, because I am a wimp like that).  But, tonight made me realize that it NEEDS to happen, and here is why. 

Cody reads the monkeys a story, I brush their teeth, and pinch their booties until they get into their beds, kisses, no-neeees, and hugs for all, and we close the doors.  Cody and I jump out the front door to put the cover on the pool and clean up some of the bigger toys we keep in the garage, and as I come back inside I hear Kinsley being her loud-mouth self, so I whip her door open to be mean, but instead see Addy crying. 

Mommy:  "Addy, what's wrong?"

Addy:  "I don't want you to go." (full on tears)

Mommy:  "I'm not going any where.  See....I'm wearing my jammies."

Addy:  Checks out and even feels the jammies for proof.  "Please don't go."

Mommy:  "I am not going any where, ok?  There is nothing to be sad about."

Addy:  "Can you please sleep on the couch tonight and not in your bed?"

Mommy:  "Sure.  Are you all better now?"

Addy:  "Can you lay down with me for a little bit?"

Mommy:  "Of course I can."

She has this thing lately of wanting me to sleep on the couch (as it would be on the same level as the kids' bedrooms, and she needs this security.  She has also been having some random nightmares the past couple of weeks that have resulted in her sleeping on the futon in the toy room, which is next to our bedroom.  She needs me, and I love that this need is still there, but she also needs some space away from mommy to I hope help her cope with not being with my 24/7.  Lord, help ME when PreK starts this fall. 

Friday Night Leftovers - Big guns, monkey diapers, and bumps

• After seven years with the same insurance company I have finally motivated myself to look around and I'm now kicking myself for not doing it sooner.  We will be saving $400 a year when we make the official switch.  Don't be like me, take the time to look around. 
• We may be moving before the summer is over. 
• All three of the monkeys like to ask quite frequently while flexing, "You like to see my big guns?"  I wonder who taught them that?
• I have figured out how to save money on diapers when a child is still wearing them, just let him run around peeing repeatedly on the bench at the table and even on the bathroom floor.  "I want to wear my monkey diaper, mommy."  Banging head against wall.
• In a few short days Addy is going to be getting spoiled rotten by grandma and grandpa.  We are meeting half way for a drop off and she will be staying solo for the first time for more than a night at someone else's house; like a week.  She will probably be returned to me with a mermaid tail from all the swimming she will get to enjoy.  
• I am going to miss her like crazy, even her middle of the night nightmares.  
• I'm thinking I'm going to have to call the doc about E's skin.  He has teeny tiny red bumps all over his chest and back.  We have been doing a lot of swimming and I do use a product on him that has no perfumes, dyes, etc because of his eczema problems as it is, but it's not helping.  Any ideas?  
• I am losing motivation for my final two weeks of my current class.  I'm procrastinating on my individual assignments, which is so not me.  

Want to see what others are bringing to the table this week?  Check out Danifred for more. 

Monkey Chatter

Some recent comments/conversations with the monkeys:

Addy:  (To Eligh) "Come here little fellow."

Eligh:  (On our way to the Memorial Day service) "Mommy, I want to go to daddy's gun show!"

Mommy:  (wiping at Kinsley's s'more-covered face) "Come here silly girl, you are a hot mess."
Kinsley:  "Yeah, I'm a hot mess!"

All of them love to say, "Don't get mad, get glad."  (Yes, something I have tried encouraging)

 

   

 

How to wear EVERY one out

Cody has been off of work the past three days (he did have to go in at the butt crack of dawn this morning, but was off for the day at 8).  So, we have been wearing ourselves out, and I thought you all would want a list of how to wear your own kids out, you know in case you didn't know how to do this already:

• Take all of your children to the dentist at the same time right before lunch
• Make sure the dentist's office is kid friendly and has toys and books 
• These books will be read through at least twice by each child
• Take the kids home and whip up a lunch (30+ minutes past normal time)
• Naps begin nearly an hour past normal time
• Have them sleep 3 hour long naps
• Tease them by driving past a spray park
• Have them convince you to go home and get their swimsuits
• Go to a free spray park/pool at 5 (prime dinner time at this house)
• Sit down to eat dinner at 7 
• Get everyone to bed an hour+ past normal bedtime
• Decide that your children do not need a nap (since they napped so long the previous day)
• Take them back to the spray place/pool as soon as they open (after lunch)
• Swim for 2 hours
• Drive to a different spray park which also has a playground
• Feed them a small snack and water
• Let them play for another hour
• Three hours total of swimming/playing in the sun (don't worry we are a sunscreen family)
• Have the children do small chores (shucking corn and sweeping)
• Prepare and eat dinner
• Make a fire and have s'mores 
• Get everyone inside, bathed, and in to bed 30 minutes before "normal" bedtime
• Sleep occurs for the majority 15 minutes upon hitting the sheets