To Jeimy and Shannon and anyone else who has solicited me for any parenting advice...

So the story about the picture is evidence that I am in training still. I am really clinging to the verse about completing his good work in me...:>:>

I tried to fix Annie's mac-n-cheese and I got distracted and the noodles burned. THEN, I poured too much milk and it became soup. I just told the kids it was a new recipe. They looked concerned but ate it and too my surprise LOVED it and even had 3rds. The next week Caden asked for " the new yummy noodle soup" and it took me a bit to remember what he was talking about. Then he described it: "the noodles with little bits of black and lots of milk." and I remembered. HA! Good to know that not all of my mistakes will end in hours of future counseling or some adult onset post traumatic something or other disease/syndrome.

His attitude and the blackened pot reminded me that it's ok to screw up and mistakes are inevitable. That it's sometimes as simple as our choosing to change our outlook at a new normal or life's latest recipe; our willingness to take out the scouring sponge and scrub the dirty areas and begin again and again. We are Mom's and we are not superhuman. WE screw up and our children need us to be honest with ourselves and them, because that is how they learn by example to say "I am sorry." or " I was wrong." This is when they can be given the opportunity to say "You're forgiven." and "I still love you." We learn by living and we live by learning.

WITH enough said, hoping to encourage and motivate you all.......

My honest mother confessions and proof of failures:

-I giggle at the wrong times, like when they fall.

-My children have said suck and screw, NOT referring to candy and screwdrivers.

-I have let them stay up as late as possible just to see how long they would last.

-I have let my children go to bed dirty (just for you Shannon).

-I have locked myself in the bathroom and hoped for a stomach problem that would render me unavailable for longer than 15 minutes.

-I scream.

-I asked Richie if we could change the way we spell Sofia 6 months ago.

-The backseat of our van looks like a refrigerator exploded.(Richie here... amen to that... and I'm not cleaning it again).

-I beg at times.

-I am the worst side-line Mom! I yell and charge the field at all the wrong times.

-I have sat on the floor and had temper fits with my children.

-I believe in hand-me-downs and sharing.

-I am a sucker for humor and Caden knows it.

-I MAKE them watch Christmas movies starting in September even when they protest.

-I throw away artwork.

-I over do it with the photo journalism.

-I say "yes, honey" sometimes when I haven't a stinking clue what they have just asked.

-I pull band-aids off real fast.

-I have dipped things in Chocolate to make Sofia eat it.

-I forget how we spelled Sofia's middle name on her birth certificate.

-They have seen me have road rage. (You would not let me forget that Pam, right?)

-I teach there is always a loser and a winner and they should be the winner.

-I have tried to convince them that the burn marks on food makes things taste better.

-I have no idea when they first rolled over, spoke, ate real food, etc.....

-I have served ice cream for dinner.

-I say "Suck it up."

-My daughter has had worn, chipped, red polish on her fingernails in public.

-We've had cupcakes for breakfast.

-I forget how much they all weighed at birth.

-I replace, not repair.

-I have allowed them to color their bodies with Marker.

-Their socks don't always match.

-I am a horrible baker....the smell of fresh baked pie comes straight out of an airwick.

-Silas has worn a Hannaford bag and Caden's underwear as a diaper before.

-I try to convince them to let me tell about surprises before they happen.

-I keep forgetting to teach Caden how to tie his shoes because most of his shoes are slip on.

-I allow them to wear, in public, their Halloween costumes during the rest of the year.

-I don't knit, I tie knots.

-I tell them to "Go ask your Father."

-I have never sowed a button on.

-I forget to make them write Thank you cards.

I could go on and on......but I wont. We are all a work in progress and I pray that everyone has patience with me. I know that I love my babies...and they love me. We need one another to learn with and experience life together.

KIDISM'S

Caden after Thanksgiving: "I get so tired after I eat Turkey. Why does turkey make me tired?" Rich explains the science to him, stating basically that it's due to Triptophan, a hormone in the turkey meat. He's quiet for a minute. "So then... are turkeys always tired?"

Sofia had a very interesting conversation withe her Aunt Jeimy that is worthy of blogging but I must first issue a disclaimer or it may be taken the wrong way. The kids at various times in the past (and currently) have raised money for African children and missionaries in Africa. At our church a couple years ago, they discussed with the children that a lot of the drinking water in Africa is contaminated and they used a very good visual of dirty water to reach the sunday school kids. It really impacted my children and since then they seem to be fairly sensitive to problems in Africa. Their grandfather has also gone on a couple missions trips to Africa, bringing back pictures that the kids have seen. And most recently, they went and saw the African Children's Choir in Camden which raised money for their orphanage. Now, here in Maine, the population is predominately white. Other than her cousins and Aunt Jeimy who are Ecuadorian, the only other colored skin that she is familiar with is a new friend she has at church and a family that we have recently hung out with. Her ratial experience is nill. Soooo, sitting on her Aunt's lap she is looking at her skin and commenting that it is very different from hers. She is pondering this and then states "The black kids in Africa are very poor. They are poor and have no mommies, and yucky water." Jeimy "yes's" her and Sofia carries on. "and their water is black and that's why their skin is black. We all have to send them money for good water." Thankfully Aunt Jeimy with her brownish skin cleared a few things up for her.

Caden at bedtime after he hurt his arm: "Well I guess it was just part of God's plan that my arm's hurt." I say nothing. "I wonder why it wasn't God's plan for your arm to get hurt instead of mine?" I still say nothing.

Caden at bedtime: "Mom, during Pearl Harbor did the American birds fight with the Japanese birds?"

Sofia in the car: "Mommy, when is Silas gonna be born again?" Me: "I don't know Sofia, that's between him and God." Sofia: " Well, I sure hope it's soon because I sure liked that ice cream at the hospital." (Sofia had unlimited ice cream and juice when I was in labor.)

Caden at dinner: "I know how to spell puppies!" He begins to spell out loud "D-O-G..." Then looking perplexed he sounds out what he has spelled..."D--duh, O--ohhh, G--guh" and then looks at us and we all laugh.

Horse play is for Horses

It's been awhile but I do feel I have worthy reasons. Since Oct. 1 we have visited either the hospital or the Dr.'s 11 times in total. Yes, 11 times. Only once for Sofia. She's made of iron, I do believe. Most have been for normal to moderate fall sickies. Same-ol' same-ol'. The excitement did peak last night though. Caden and Sof were playing horsey; a pretty normal activity. Caden was a horse and Sofia/horse/turned wild dog, shifted to attack mode and it got a little crazy. I was busy cooking and peeked around the corner just in time to here a very real "OUCH". Caden suddenly jumped up and began running all over the house. I thought perhaps, he was still an untamed wild horse. Then I hear "ouch, ouCH, OUCH!!!!" and crying. I put my wooden spoon down to go and locate the ouchy hollars--he was still running but I quickly realized he was no longer a horse. I get Caden to stop bolting and gyrating about so I can take a look at him and figure out what the devil's going on. He won't move his arm and his screams are escalating. Sofia begins to cry because she is afraid she's in trouble and that "Caden's gonna die!".Silas begins to scream because he now doesnt know what the devil is going on and then Richie appears at the door about the same time I smell something burning. Oh Yeah! I grab my now black, smoldering, wooden spoon and submerge it into water and turn off the burners. We call the Dr.'s office and then we are instructed to go to the ER, and follow up with his primary in the am. The ER went relatively smoothly. In and out with no solid diagnosis. A night of restlessness later we show up at the Ped's to another Doc who isn't real sure what's wrong. Could be this, could be that routine. She sends us to a specialist who makes me wait an hour....UHG...and then tells me HE'S not sure what's wrong. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Meanwhile, poor Sy has been woken up all day to go either in or out of an office at each nap.

AT THE DR.'S: Sofia opened up the fish tank, was told to leave a candle alone, dragged out all the stickers, opened the office door and yelled "Hurry up." at the staff, bit her tongue so bad it bled, took the ped's stethascope and almost blew out Caden's ear drum. Silas sat still and smiled. Caden cried a lot. AT THE SPECIALIST:Sofia begged the Dr. for a cast like her friend, Addie Maddie, (these are 2 different girls she knows and Sof's never real sure which one's which.) grabbed all the bone displays, asked the receptionist to read her a book, asked receptionist where the potty was, asked receptionist for candy, asked 2 different nurses for candy, somehow spotted a huge jar of candy and informed the staff that they were wrong and DID have candy, helped a sippy cupp upside down and watched the water drip out, cried when she bit her tongue again, and got candy stuck in her hair. Later when the nurse had to X-Ray Caden again, Sofia timidly watched her prepare him for it. She saw a red laser beaming down on the tabel where Caden was going to have to sit. She began to cry and said "there's lasers, Caden's gonna be blind Momma!" I explained that he would be fine. Then the nurse asked her to step away while she shot the X-Ray and the Sofia screamed and cried "Oh no! There gonna shoot him, Momma!" I explained that he would be fine. Caden cried a lot and we left with a splint, a sling, and another follow up apt. Silas pooped and other than that he smiled. Life is good now because of Codeine. Pictures soon to come:>:>

The Statue of Liberty and stupid coffee makers

Some of you may be wondering what the two have in common. Let me tell you, they both can be found right here in my very own homey- home- home. First the Statue of Liberty. Recently my husband, while brushing his teeth, noticed that we have an image....a priceless image.... on our very own bathroom sink that resembles her. No, not Mary....the statue of Liberty. At first it was like those black and white images that you get forwarded to you in emails that take like 10 seconds for your eyes to adjust and see. I stared at the area he was referring to and I just couldn't see it. THEN---my eyes focused and I found her...in all her glory....outlined in a delicate stencil like sketch on my hideous bathroom sink. She seemed to be shaded into the very fake essence of white marbling, in our tacky but functional, pink counter top. Pink and white marbling...what the heck is that about anyways....???? I thought about the piece of toast that went for thousands on eBay that had Mary's image. I thought about the wine glass that had the face of Jesus on it that made it on the nightly news. I thought about the gum that Brittney Spears chewed that sold for mucho dineros on eBay. And then, I thought long and hard about our sink. Hhmm... could I manage to sale it ?? What are images of that Statue of Liberty going for these days ya' reckon? So if you squint long and hard maybe, perhaps, you can see her also. Any bidders??????

Secondly, there is the issue these days of my coffee maker. We have gone round and round and round trying to find a decent one. One that is consistent. One that brews HOT, clean, fresh tasting coffee. One that doesn't sputter, leak, and scream. We found one that we thought would be a cure to the burnt coffee problem. It brews one or two to go cups at a time. BUT....that really stinks when you have company. We keep forgetting to tell everyone to bring their to go mugs. It does have a filter, so the taste is a bit better. BUT, the thing about this coffee maker that drives me nuts is the one mug or two mug switch. It's the topper that tips this maker to the poopy pile with all the others for sure. On Sundays we click the switch to 2 cups; were both home; we both want coffee at the same time. Life is good...two cups to go. Then Monday comes, I want one cup. I forget the switchy bc 5 or 6 days a week I don't switchy the switch. I push "on" and walk and way returning minutes later to the entire counter top flooded with coffee. Two cups in one cup doesn't work. Blasted coffee makers. I just want my daily Dunk---from Dunks.

Cheap Birth Controll

These are my legs and feet in my jammies. I found these P.J.'s in the little boys section of Target. I Love love love.....the kiddos love them as well. They think it's supper cool that I have P.J.'s like there's. I think it's supper cool that I found something to keep me warm and as an added plus they glow in the dark. How awesome is that? I figured it would be a great way to insure that I don't get prego this winter as well. HE HE HE.

Sleeping Beauty and GI Joe

Well, he's Army soldier Caden...not GI Joe. FUN FUN FUN!!!!! We love to dress up. Not so big on all the scary halloween crap but I love the candy and the fun costumes. We go to festivles and fun things like that rather than trick or treating....it's easier and more safe. This year Sofia really protested the princess thing. Funny girl. She wanted to be wonder women or a horse with a person on top. HHAHAHA.... Those costumes were a bit to difficult for me to muster up so she had a choice...princess or princess. She got to the festivle and there were lots more just like her so she was very upset. Most of the girls, I think, rather liked being all dolled up bot Sofia grumbled and told me, "Next year I'm a horse k???" She did not like the fact she looked like everyone and so she lost her crown and wand and at one point I caught her in the bathroom trying to disasemble her costume. I asked what she was doing and she explained she just wanted to wear the slip and t-shirt because it was different from all the othere girls. How funny is that??? Caden loved his military get up. I had allowed him to carry a toy gun to show his auntie and uncle but told him he would have to leave it in the car when we went into the church and on the wagon ride. Well, directions were not followed and I was tracked down by an adult who, rightfully so, was not happy that Caden "JUST SHOT ME IN THE FACE!!!" I confiscated the rifle and princess droppings and the rest of the night was great. Just a few glitches. Caden won best costume. He really was upset that he couldnt show Army man Jack and Uncle Josh his costume. He thought they would "dig it!!" ---Im sure they would.:>:>:>

Boredom+A box of hair dye=Not good.

Yeah, so it's not so much the look I was aiming for. I think I have a problem. I know what I expected but it surely wasn't what I got. Rich needs to create a support group for husbands. I would think its rather exciting to go to bed with a blond and wake up with a red head but he no likey so much the frequent changes. Never the less, I continue morphing and cutting and coloring and changing---it's cheaper than therapy, I think....??????

I like to blame it on something when it goes wrong and credit it to my creative bravery when it goes right. This time its wrong...very wrong so I will blame it on the fact that a new drug store opened down the street. I was browsing the hair isle and felt a gravitational pull towards the color....feeling like there was some hidden treasure awaiting in the little boxes. I grabbed the auburn brown thinking the color is fallish...and its fall so a good time for a warm change. Right?? The trees look different each season so why shouldn't my head? Well, it's not auburn BROWN...for sure. It's auburnish-pinkish-kinda. Oh well. The show must go on.

Parental harrasment

My dad has been guilting (:>not really)me about the absence him and my mother on my blog, well other than my few references here and there. So, as an ode to them I will leave you a pic of my parents, me, my brother, and sis-in-law about 10 years ago. Not much has changed. I also will try to uploaded a couple more on flicker.

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