that's funny, waldo

I found a "Where's Waldo" photo of Urban eating an apple.  He really chowed that apple, though it kept slipping out of his hand like a wet fish.  He would chase it all over his body until he got the right grip and would then show it no mercy.  And, though it doesn't seem like it, he didn't mind me taking his picture.

I went to youth group last night and passed a bag of tomatoes.  It was on the "give away" table.  My garden's done.  I took at least ten, that I will finish probably by Saturday.  When it comes to free garden tomatoes, etiquette goes out the window.  I wasn't a complete tomato snob.  I mean, I only took about half.  Maybe semi-snotty.  I'm okay with that.

Our morning routine is running smoothly with a few occasional bumps here and there.  The children still insist I take them to school even on the days Josh isn't working.  I can manage that compared to the screams and tears we were dealing with before.  I asked them to each make a rule they feel will help with morning jitters.  But, the rules about making a rule is that it can't be that they get to stay home, and I get to make a rule also.  They agreed.

RULES

Mom: NO screaming

Emerson: Don't be late.

Ida: Drive slow.

Go figure.

Go Tigers.

Remeber the Wallpaper.

That's all I've got.

the kirby vacuum

(A peek-a-roo at the blue, blue room)

While the kids were getting their learn on at school (another great morning, by the way), Urban and I cleaned the house from top to bottom....a seriously easy task with only one child at home.

Our day looked something like this:

8:15--home from the morning school run

8:20--eat oatmeal, which only took a surprising 5 minutes to do.  And, it was so quiet.

8:25--sneak out to put the trash by the road while Urban is still in his high chair staring out the window at the blowing leafs.

8:30--Clean the toy closet and call my sister....which only took a surprising 10 minutes to do because my sister wasn't home and the older children weren't here to play with everything I had gotten out to clean.

8:40--vacuum the entire house.

8:50--swiffer wet jet the remaining floors.

8:55--change a stinky diaper

9:00--throw first load of laundry in the wash

9:05--empty dish washer

9:10--Urban and I take a morning nap.  AWESOME!

11:00--wake up and walk around wondering what I should do next.  I decide to just hang out with the little man for a minute.

11:25--Make and eat lunch.  This only takes 10 minutes because I am only feeding myself and Urban.

11:35--Clean up lunch and prep dinner.

11:45--Change laundry

11:50--Feed Urban his bottle

12:00--Clean and organize my dresser and closet.

12:20--Clean and organize the kid's closet.

12:30--Call my sister and play with Urban

1:00--Afternoon nap.  AWESOME!

3:00--Wake up and go get the kids from the bus stop.

The whole time I am cleaning, prepping, organizing or vacuuming, I am thinking.  Yesterday I happened to think about the Kirby vacuum.  Seems like a totally random thought, but in fact, it isn't.  A few months ago, during a nice summer evening, a car pulled in the driveway that we didn't know.  A man approached the door selling the Kirby vacuum.  I didn't know people still go door to door selling vacuums these days, but apparently they do.  When I heard Josh agree to see a 10 minute demonstration of the Kirby's magic I could have jumped from my chair and strangled him.  What was he thinking?  When the man ran to his car to get the Kirby, Josh explained to me that he was the grandson of Arnold, the man we purchased our house from.  I countered that that was just a line to get in and suggested he was probably casing the house.  Josh laughed and me I lived in Central American too long.  Then he told me the guy knew we have a hot tub in our basement, he knew Arnold's full name because it is his grandfather and that his cousin was the one who was living here in a wheelchair and that is why we have a tubless shower.  He was for real.

Anyway, he did his little presentation and really wanted us to purchase his $2,500 vacuum.  I let him know that we really weren't going to.  Seriously!  We have bought cars for less!  He understood and packed up to leave.  Before he scooted out the door he said, "You sure have made a lot of changes to the house.  I don't know that I like them, but it's your house now.  Have a good night."

And finally, yesterday while I was vacuuming with our Eureka and thinking about the Kirby and Arnold and all the nice advice about decorating I have gotten from you guys here on the blog and in emails and "all the changes we have done to our house," I got it.  I had gotten it before, but it felt good to get it again.  This is my house and I can't mess up!  DUH!  Phew, glad we are moving on!

So....this all leads to the Wallpaper. 

Question:  What are the lessons you have learned as you have journeyed through your experiences in life so far?

the bad, good and great newses

Do you want the good newses or the bad ones first?
Okay.  Lets start with the great.

THE GREAT NEWS
1.  Ida has been to school two days in a row with no tears. Yesterday she was brave and "just decided in her brain she could do it."  Today she was standing outside my door when I woke up.  She said, "Good, there you are.  Let me go get Emerson."  Then she ran in their room and threw his covers off. "It's time for school.  Get up!"  She said.  Whoa.  It's even raining outside and she has gym today.  Gym is her nemesis.  It's not Mr. M, she told me.  She thought it was pretty cool that he gave her a sticker last gym class and he isn't bald anymore because he grew hair over the summer.  So not caring about gym day is huge for her.  WHOA and WHOA!

2.  Tile is dropping off the bathroom wall as I type.  I love the sound of ugly tile seeing it's last days.  Josh just told me the bathroom looks like a war zone.  Have you ever heard anything so lovely?  The pretty tile is sitting safe and sound by our new bathtub in the garage.  Oh, a bathtub.  Who would have ever thought I would have a nice bathtub in my life?  I DID!  And it's here and it's great.

3.  Teacher package received very well!

THE GOOD NEWS

(source)

1. I envisioned something like this for our dining room.  Kind of along these lines with some personal touches.  Yesterday I painted the dining room a dark navy.

2. We have chairs similar to these but they aren't super white....more like a putty.  That is good.  But do I want these chairs?  Some days I do and others days I feel they are too trendy.  But, I painted the room a trendy navy...why not the chairs?

3.  I found other chairs on craigslist that I really like too!  That is good.

THE BAD NEWS

(Playing in the huge box our chandelier arrived in.  This too FOREVER to clean.  It was pretty fun though)

1. Urban has a cold!  Fall and winter put me on the edge worrying about illness.

2.  I woke up this morning thinking I did not like my dining room one bit.  Then, now as I type, I have decided I do.  So really, herein lies the problem.  It is me.  I have wanted a house to decorate for a loooooooong time.  Now I have one and I feel like I know nothing about how to do it.  I am worried I will made a mistake and I feel that keeps me from getting really excited about the house things.  I don't give myself enough credit and I lack confidence in what I am doing.  I can tell you what looks sassdazzly in magazines and on pinterest, but getting it in my house is another story.  I can't seem to "sit in the pocket" with my plans.  I want something that will stand through time but packs a punch.  I need some wow without a lot of wowza!   So, I guess my plan right now is to take today off.  I am excited to see what the paint looks like with the floors and go from there.
But, hey, it's Friday!!

teacher love

We all know the school year has gotten off to a rough start over here.

This morning was better which might be indicative of more good mornings to come (cross my fingers).

Ida has three teachers this year.  Mrs. R is her classroom teacher.  Mr. P is a student teacher.  Miss. B is a classroom assistant.  How happy I feel that there is so much help in Ida's class because it is a challenge: 3 regular criers, 1 regular very loud scream crier (Ida) and a boy who is obstinate defiant.  I know the year will get better once all the personalities and routines gel, but until then, I am giving these teachers as much love as I possibly can.  They are so wonderful and deal with everything flawlessly.

I made them a little Christmas Right Now care package.  There will probably be another in a month or so.

I filled it with: chapstick because they are always smiling.  Sweetums Clementines for their sweet attitudes each morning.

Dr. Pepper for some daily help and because "it's what the Dr. ordered." Extra classroom supplies that I appreciated having when I taught.

Some items on Mrs. R's wish list....things that are extras for her class lessons.  And, some gourds from our garden to use as decorations or whatever.

 I'm taking it tomorrow.  I can't wait.

thinking of halloween

We have been thinking about Halloween lately.  We need to start early because the children have very specific requests for their costumes this year.

Ida wants to be a witch.  Simple.  That is until she decides that she doesn't want to be a witch after I have already purchased a hat, skirt, leggin's and shoes all for very low prices, but still.  She wants to be Gwen from Ben10.  I say, "okay...?  What does she wear?" 
"Actually, I want to be a witch."
Catastrophe avoided.

Emerson is going to be a pirate that is Captain Hook-like.  His must-haves include: hook, sword, hat, FEATHER, black tight pants, belt for his sword and black shoes.  Wow.  I found a pirate shirt for $2.00 at the Salvation Army as if the thrifting Halloween Gods knew I was coming with a very specific specifics.  Sword for $2.00 at Walmart with an eye patch.  That wasn't on the list but it was received gratefully.

We have differing opinions about a costume for little Urban.  The kids say he should be a dog for sure.  Very cute idea.  I had some other ideas last night while giving Urban his bath.

Albert Einstein?

(source)

Gene Wilder?

(source)

Uncle Chris?

(source: My brother-in-law)

I did have a snicker about this:

Maybe he should be Mike!

no fever and the flu

(When Ida's fever broke, I let her cut her Barbie's hair.  We celebrated!)

Our kindergartner told me on the way to school that she was not getting out of the car when we got there.  For the love of morning trial.  If it's not going to kill me, it's going to make me more like Granny.  Oh, my poor mom.  I apologize for every morning I cried at you about going to kindergarten, first and second grades.  We all know about karma.

I dug into my Granny genes and came up with the most clever, outrageous and confusing reply I could muster.  It confused me.  I was so confused all around.  Why won't this child go to school happily?  What would she reply?

Nothing.

She got out of the car.

Phew.

When I picked her up after school she was so happy and monstrously proud of herself for going to school.  I gave her a pack of strawberry bubblicious.  It was my favorite growing up.  She talked the whole way home telling stories between blowing bubbles.

Emerson wasn't with us.  He was at home with the flu.  He missed school today and counted that he threw up 6 times.  He loves missing school but also hates it.  He feels special being at home but the thought of getting behind in his work drives him crazy.  When Ida and I pulled in the driveway Josh was out pushing the stroller in the rain to give Emerson a break from his sick-sibling-seeking brother.  And to keep Urban away from the illness, of course.

I spent most of the day on the floor keeping Urban away from Emerson.Though madness was bursting all around the acres, my mind was clear.  Wearing my boots in the rain is for sure one reason. The others? Ida ate 5 plates of lasagna for supper. Emerson asked me to make muffins because he was hungry. I did. Though he didn't eat one, he smiled the whole time he watched Ben10. Urban calls me mamamama and Josh dadadada. It could be accidental, but still cool.

All the tile came!!!

things that are snarly

Things have been rather snarly around the these sleep deprived, house-projects-on-a-stand-still acres.

Little Apple has been to school three days in the last two weeks.  After fighting off her fever over the weekend, she headed back to school on Monday to resume life as a kindergartner going to school grudgingly and only after much persuasion.  Something a pair of striped leggins could not even solve or make better.  She was home again on Wednesday with a mild fever and off to the doctor.  Ear infection.  I hope she feels better NOW!  She has been sick way too long.  Tomorrow is picture day.  I think she may be ready 100% physically and I know 0% mentally for the day.  A pair of Twinkle Toes can't even solve this problem.  She is determined that school is not for her.

Listen to this snarly tid-bit.

It starts with checking the mail.

After Urban's second nap and picking the school-goers up at the bus stop,  I usually enjoy a walk down the driveway with baby in stroller to check the mail.  I really look forward to it.  I do until it is interrupted by......

a cat call. 

I didn't even realize what had happened until the noise rang three times over in my mind and I had already turned around in response to it.

HORROR!

After calling my sister and feeling mortified that the origin was a white trashy 40 year old with a mullet and trucker hat, and I can only imagine acid washed jeans, she suggested it could have been a 14 year old boy cruising around with his older brother thinking he is hot stuff because he didn't have to ride with his mom and assuming I was the teen-aged babysitter.

We'll go with that!!!

My boots came.  It's autumn!!

urban and big fern

Urban turned nine months old a few weeks ago.  I would have posted a picture of him earlier but he will not stop moving, making it terribly difficult to take his picture.  This is what I could do.  I will keep trying and switch the pictures out later if I am lucky.  Here he is at eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and birth.

A little about Urban:

-He waves "hello" and "goodbye"

-He gives cute and slobbery kisses

-He loves playing with trucks, cars and tractors.  He is a pro at pushing them around the floor.

-He goes crazy for blueberries.

-He pulls himself up and is now starting to get brave and let go.

-He loves pulling himself up at the windows and looking outside.

-He has moved from being interested in tongues to being obsessed with teeth.

-Speaking of teeth, he still has two on the bottom.  Where are the others?  I don't know. 

-He loves cords.

-Drooooooool.

On a side note: I read this post about 9.11 and couldn't stop thinking about it. I thought you should read it too. 

waiting for the bus

We waited and waited and waited for the bus to bring the kids after school the first day. 

It seems like we waited forever, but the bus came right as scheduled.  We were probably early.

Urban was squealing when he saw his brother and sister.

It turned out to be a great day.

Today is different. 

Ida was home yesterday and today with a fever and throwing up.  I am guessing she will be home tomorrow too.

I feel terrible that she is missing her second, third, and probably fourth days of kindergarten. 

She is extremely bored.

Emerson wasn't thrilled one bit to go to school without his sister on Wed.

He had a very difficult time and leaving him upset in his class put me to tears in the car.  I just prayed his day would turn out to be the best day. 

When he got off the bus yesterday he yelled, "Mom, I decided I LOVE first grade."  I was SOOOOO relieved.  He did have a great day.

Taking him to school this morning was a breeze.  He is much more comfortable.  When I asked him if he would ever want to eat breakfast at school (they offer free breakfast for EVERYONE in the entire school every day!) he told me, "Mom, I would never, never, never, never, never do that.  But, I would get hot lunch sometime.  The cheesy bread sticks."

Well then, I thought.

This is BIG news for Emerson.

Can't wait for the girl to get feeling better.