Letting things slip

Some of you may be wondering how it has been going around here with Chad working out of town.

Well, I haven't killed, maimed or liquidated any of my children yet.  Does that sound a little harsh? I'l let you borrow my shoes for a mile.

Housework has become a dirty word.  And endless days of 90+ degree weather in a home with no air conditioning doesn't make it any easier.

For this reason, I am just now turning my attention to the kitchen floor.  It's pretty sad that I can sweep up a pile of food and dirt that big and turn to see a surface so in need of mopping that even I question if I already swept!

Daniel is outside mowing a very large lawn with a heavy lawn mower.  It's already 85 degrees.  He is dieing.  He has been at it (with lots of breaks) for two hours now.  He is half done.

Running a home and yard is much more efficient with both parents.  I am praying that our situation will change quickly and that we can hang on until it does!

School starts in less than 3 weeks.  I think that will help.

Honoring Daniel

Daniel turned 12 last month.  He had been looking forward to this particular birthday for a while.  All of his school friends had already turned 12 and he was feeling left out when they'd go to scouts or a Deacon's activity without him.

This past school year, Daniel became extra interested in Legos.  It seems to be a bit of a fad with some of his friends.  I'm OK with this kind of fad.  There are so many negative this that I hardly bat an eye at this one!

So it was only fitting that I make him a Lego cake.  Unfortunately, a real Lego man cake pan is small and PRICEY.  Fortunately, I had a Wilton astronaut/space man pan.  It was close enough!  I trimmed a bit and used the frosting to my advantage, but it passed the 12-year-old boy test.

He puffed up his cheeks and blew out the candles.  He almost did it all in one breath, too!  Almost.  Twelve candles is a lot! 

Eventually, we got through half of a Lego Man before we were filled.  I think it's great that he can keep smiling after all he's been through!  hee hee

 We had a visitor this day...Grandpa Peterson.  (This was also the day we sheared the sheep.)  We got to take Grandpa to dinner with us...a reverse of what usually happens when Grandpa visits.  We were glad to treat him for a change!  Daniel was pretty excited that his visit fell on his birthday.

The following Sunday was a pretty big day for Daniel.  He had picked out his first official suit and was looking forward to wearing it to church.  He was ordained a Deacon by his dad in a small group of family after church meetings.  The next week he passed the sacrament for the first time.  He was nervous but happy!

 Along with the ordination to look forward to, Daniel also anticipated his b-day party.  It had been 4 years since his last one. (We celebrate every year, but not with friends.)  Daniel invited several of his friends.  They ALL came.  They did not all RSVP, but I planned the most important things for all of them and was only a little thrown off to have them all show up.

We played some Lego-themed games, including shooting the BB gun at a target of their own (to take home).  We opened presents and had cupcakes.  

While we waited for rides to come take the boys back home, we visited and ran around the yard in true young men fashion.

I was pretty impressed with the behavior of these 11 and 12-year-old boys.  No one complained when they lost a game or accused anyone else of cheating.  They took everything in great stride and joked and laughed equally with each other.  They weren't all members of the church and it didn't cause any stir at all...either way.  I am glad for a first hand witness that Daniel is choosing good boys for friends!

Shearing Sheep

Part of owning sheep is getting them sheared each spring.  It's easiest if you can do it yourself.  We do not do anything easy.  Fortunately, our bishop had some experience shearing sheep as a teenager and offered to help us out this year.  It was very nice of him.  Especially since he's the Bishop and very busy. 

He loaded up our 6 sheep into his trailer and drove them 3 houses up the road to his shed he'd already set up for our activity.  The day was hot and he'd be dripping in sweat by the time he was through.

In the end, we had 6 MUCH skinnier sheep and two bags of wool (Baa, Baa, black sheep).

After the work was done, Bishop got out a horse for Leah and Joseph to sit upon.  The other kids were invited, but too shy to accept.  Leah gets excited when she only smells a horse.  Being on it's back was major points in the Bishop's favor!

As fun as the shearing was (which it really wasn't, though we tried to ignore how hard the Bishop was working while we stood and watched), we may not have the opportunity again.  We are trying to sell our little flock.  With Chad's frequent absences, it's not something I relish doing in the winter.

 But at least we tried it and have the memories!  meh-eh-eh, meh-eh-eh

Cups on the fridge - Hey! I made something!

We have a serious problem in this house...our cups runneth over.  Right over the edge of the sink!  I was so sick of the cupboard being empty and the sink full of cups that were used for 5 seconds, that I got desperate.

I bought these cups for $3 at Big Lots way back in May (I was desperate way back then, but only acted on it now).  I bought some strong magnets at the craft store and pulled out my 15+ year old glue gun and glue sticks.

I piled the glue on a magnet.  I was really generous.  Heck, if I still have this thing after 15 years, I know I'm not going through glue too fast!

Then I set the cup on the hot glue.  I usually have to learn the hard way, but this time I knew it would be foolish to try to handle that little magnet, the glue gun and the cup.  This way, it was almost too easy.  I pressed down until I could see the glue oozing out evenly all around the magnet.  This was easy to do with translucent cups!

In ten minutes, I had 6 cups on the fridge.  Some kids of course tried to hang their cup on the fridge with water in it.  Be prepared for a wet floor if that happens to you.  I used a Sharpie to write initials on (it's so handy to have a different letter of the alphabet for everyone's name) and we were ready to roll drink.

Admittedly, I have not tried washing the cups with the magnets on. We don't use our drying option on our dishwasher, so I am hoping these will wash OK.

Poor Me

I am supposed to be in the kitchen, but I am on my 2nd week of killer heel pain and I am looking for any excuse to sit for a moment.

I just sent 6 kids to bed and yelled at them to stay there.  I yelled at them to get their drinks, brush their teeth, go to the bathroom, bother each other and get through all of their excuses now because I did not want to hear them 30 minutes from now.  Isn't that a lovely way for your mother to tuck you in at night?

I am feeling quite overwhelmed with the things that still need to be done at 9 PM.  The dishwasher needs to be unloaded and then loaded.  Laundry needs to be folded.  I have a zillion little projects that are perfect for after the kids are in bed, but I won't get to them because the dishes and laundry will eat up my time.

And honestly, I just want to put up my feet and read a book or watch TV.

The garden needs weeded.  It's like laundry - endless.  I really am sick of going into other people's gardens and hearing them make some excuse about the amount of weeds.  Muchacho...you don't know what weeds are!!

(Sarah just appeared without any underwear or pj bottoms on.  I guess my threats tonight did not scare her.  If I ignore her, will she take care of herself?)

I think what really frustrates me is that I request, cajole, threaten, suggest and demand help constantly and my kids act like I've sent them to the coal mines.  Daniel is molasses personified and Nathan nearly has a heart attack when I give him a job.  Leah is usually the one to get to work and will jump in when she sees a need.  Rebekah suddenly becomes deaf and can only communicate by stomping and huffing off to her room.  Joseph starts screaming in mind-altering decibels and turns red in the face.  Sarah is still too innocent (or is smart enough to still use it) and goes off to do whatever she wants.

So what do I do?  I turn into my mother and lecture them.  At least I haven't resorted to singing "There Is Beauty All Around" every time they start fighting.  I do have standards (and I couldn't stand to sing that song all day long)!

Ramblings

We made it through Sacrament Meeting with less drama today.  Notice I didn't say no drama.  We were just more discreet.  It seems that I am very popular among the masses when it's time to claim a spot on the bench.  And even though I feel like I am eight-sided, I still only have two sides if lots of people want to sit by me.  Sometimes I can come up with a 3rd side, but you have to be under 35 lbs or my legs will go to sleep.

So even though it was not the most relaxing hour and 15 minutes, and I started to consider moving to a less stressful bench, we had a few comments that things were quieter for us during the meeting.  Ah, we are so good at faking!

We had FHE on pioneers tonight.  We generally love FHE, but sometimes I want to sit on the kids to keep them still.  If it isn't then, it's surely during scriptures.  I am fully expecting these kids to thank us for not killing them once they experience these moments with their own children.

Chad spent the week with the deacons at scout camp last week.  Daniel was with him and things were quieter, though we missed both of them.  It was a hot week, ending with rain. We had to call in a neighbor to help put down a cow.  I drove everyone down (minus Leah  - who wanted to stay behind with her daddy) to Utah on Saturday to visit my dad and make a stop at my sister's house.  The rain helped keep things cool.  Is it bad to be wishing for winter already?  I don't like to be hot!

I am definitely rambling here because I think I'm supposed to say something and be entertaining, but I have no focus tonight.  I'll end the random thoughts with some pictures I took of Sarah and Joseph a couple of months ago after they spent considerable time in the dirt.  I'm certain they will thank me for these later.  ;)

Children's voices...oh how sweet.

Sacrament Meeting last Sunday was fun.  Joseph had thrown a couple of high-energy tantrums before we left for church and was warmed up for just about anything to set him off again.

Halfway through the first adult speaker, he got into an argument over a small activity pad and ended up ripping it in half in a tug-of-war he started.  I saw the signs of a nuclear meltdown forming rapidly...a twisted facial expression, darkened eyes, sitting back on the floor, and his arms rising.

I let him know that it was his fault the book ripped (because I'm a firm believer in acknowledging fault...like any other award-winning parent) and then reached down to scoop him up to take him out before the tantrum was fully formed.

Sadly, I was wrestling a writhing 4-year-old while trying to squeeze past Daniel and my extra large church bag sitting on the floor.  I nearly made a quick get away, but my long skirt got longer and grabbed my foot, almost taking both of us down.  As I finally approached the chapel doors (shh...be still) with Joseph in a football hold, he started kicking and screaming and raised his arms straight up in an effort to slide out of my grasp.  So my free hand went over his mouth and his heels made repeated contact with my left shin.

We hobbled past a few surprised and amused folks sitting on a couch in the foyer to an empty classroom. There I dumped him a little less than lovingly in the middle of the room and walked out, closing the door behind me.  I sat on another couch and made as if nothing were amiss.  I don't think I was convincing because the screams of rage coming through the very thick door just over my shoulder were pretty loud.

Eventually, he screamed himself out.  He and I returned to the chapel doors (shh...be still) and waited for the intermediate hymn to begin before calmly returning to the rest of the family. 

And what song do you think they were singing?  Yes...In Our Lovely Deseret (Hymns, #307).  "Hark!  'Tis children's music.  Children's voices, oh, how sweet.  When in innocence and love, like the angels up above, they with happy hearts and cheerful faces meet."  Verse three nearly had me laughing out loud...

They should be instructed young
How to watch and guard the tongue,
And their tempers train and evil passions bind;
They should always be polite,
And treat ev’rybody right,
And in ev’ry place be affable and kind.

Find the entire song here.

Most people at church can't believe Joseph has a temper because he's just so darned cute and quiet in his classes.  There are few more believers now!

I imagine all the great grandmas and grandpas in heaven were smiling down.  Heaven would have been a much better place to experience it from!

How to pick yourself

Our little Sarah gives us lots to laugh about.  She is going on 3, going on 10.  She learned "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" a little while ago and has perfected it just a bit.  It goes like this:

Catch a tiger! My. mom. said. to. pick. the. very. best. one. and. you. are. not. it.  I'M IT!

While she says the words, her finger points around wildly and always lands against her chest.  If she keeps this up, she will never have anyone else playing on her team!

Double Duty

I have had the hardest time getting time to blog!  Summer is definitely to blame.  I also have a hard time justifying long amounts at the computer.  Most of my visits lately have been short stops to sit for a minute, catching up on any recent updates in the world (or Facebook) and then up again to do something that seems more pressing.

That is all compounded by the fact that I am now pulling double duty.  Chad has accepted a new job and doesn't always come home at night.  He has to drive over 2 hours to get to the office, so it's not only cheaper for him to stay with his parents (they live another 30 minutes away from where is he is working), but he can't survive that many early mornings and long hours on the road.

He started his job less than three weeks ago and we are still making the adjustments.  I was really feeling a little overwhelmed one afternoon and confided some tears to a friend.  That night I was reading in Ether 6 with the kids.  It's about the Jaredites in their barges, traveling for 344 days with their animals and provisions, separated from other friends and family and even bearing children.  Ha!  At least I am not stuck in my house with poopy animals and being tossed upon the waves.  I have a new outlook! :)

It's all been a warm up for this week because Chad's church calling as scoutmaster has taken him away for the entire week to scout camp.  He took Daniel.  So it has been quieter, but it's a lot of responsibility.

Meanwhile, we had a cow go down.  His legs just seemed to lose strength.  Since a week ago Saturday, he's only been on his feet a handful of times.  We don't even know what happened.  But it's been hot and today was at least 95 degrees.  The cow was failing and I finally had to call some friends for help.  The cow was shot between the eyes, loaded into a dump truck and hauled away.  Then I read scriptures with the kids and put them to bed.  Just a normal day for the family! 

As far as family health goes, Chad was reminded that he has high blood pressure.  He was told that there wasn't really anything he could do about it now because he isn't overweight.  Huh.  Is that all it takes?  Daniel has still been struggling with his jaw.  (Come to think of it, I'm not sure he took any medicine with him to camp.)  He has seen a physical therapist multiple times.  It helps.  Nathan has been diagnosed with spastic hamstrings and is often crying about his sore legs.  He's just supposed to keep stretching the hamstrings and taking ibuprofen for the inflammation.  He's taking medicine daily for the pain.

Leah is sleep walking regularly and is the most likely to have a nightmare.  I had my first experience with vertigo two days before Chad was supposed to start his new job.  On the 2nd day I was able to find help that was helpful.  The first P.A. I saw (it's so hard to see a real doctor these days) gave me a medicine that made me very, very tired and still didn't stop the room from spinning.  I was supposed to add Valium to that if it wasn't working.  Yeah, right!  How the heck was I going to care for my family on my own if I couldn't even function!?  The 3rd P.A. I saw was able to preform an Epley Maneuver.  It worked wonders on my vertigo.  That was 4 weeks ago today.  I still feel dizzy if I tilt my head the wrong way or spin around too quickly.   But I don't need any medication, so I'm happy.

As for my relationship with my family?  I rarely hear much from them.  I am still OK with that.  They don't know very much about what is happening my life or the lives of my children, but they don't seem bothered by that.  So they shouldn't be surprised when they eventually hear about some major change...long afterward.    Right?  I am more bothered by my local friends who didn't make attempts to contact me when I stopped initiating contacts with them.  That hurts more because they were the family I chose and they still decided I wasn't very important to them.  I think of the therapist who told me I am hyper sensitive.  How sensitive am I allowed to be before it's too much?  I don't know.  I'm not a brick, after all!

So, there's a really long excuse as to why I have not been blogging.  I have been preparing some pictures to get myself caught up.  Hopefully, I can get them posted before I forget the stories that go with them!