Oh Yes,

He really does eat popcorn for breakfast. And I will not apologize for it either.

And check out this cute chair Monte and his friend made for Carter out of duplo legos. I should have posted a picture of just the chair. It was adorable and actually held all of Carter's weight. All 34lbs. of him. For about 2 minutes anyway, and then he tore it all apart.

We are supposed to get up to a foot of snow between now and tomorrow morning. I was hoping they were wrong, but it's just beginning now. I have plans to help a friend that is moving do some packing tonight. Damn snow. And if we have another snow day my kids are going to end up having to make up 4 days of school this summer. At this rate it will be the middle of June before they get out.

One more thing. If you see me today and your wondering why I'm hobbling around and walking funny, it's because I did an exercise dvd yesterday and I'm feeling the effects (affects?) of it now. Ouch!

The Kind Of Mom I Am

I'm the kind of mom that at 10pm the night before her son's 8th birthday party , goes to the store to get buttermilk and cream cheese because he just reminded her that MONTHS ago he said he wanted banana cake with cream cheese frosting for his next birthday.

I'm the kind of mom that lets her children eat those banana cupcakes for breakfast the next morning because if other people let their kids eat doughnuts, how is cake any different? At least these had banana in them, right?

I'm the kind of mom that lets her toddler eat popcorn for breakfast because she is tired and just doesn't want a fight. I'm choosing to pick my battles people.

I'm the kind of mom that likes the quiet time during the day with her toddler but still looks forward to the loud, crazy, and busy nights when her older children are home.

I'm the kind of mom that asks for every Sunday afternoon off work because I can't stand to miss just one basketball game that my child is playing.

I'm the kind of mom that needs to take more pictures of her older children so they know when they grow up that they lived here too, and more video of her younger child so he doesn't wonder why all the tapes are of his older brothers.

I'm the kind of mom that is going to put off her shopping this morning one more day so her 2 year old can walk around outside in the inch of snow we got last night. Well, I'm telling myself that's the reason anyway.

Merry Christmas To All....

Apple-licious

Randomness

1. I am babysitting for a friend a few mornings a week. She had a baby the end of June and had to go back to work part time. I wasn't sure that I even wanted to babysit. I've been babysitting on and off since Monte was little and this time around I just wanted to be home and enjoy Carter. But since it's just in the morning and not everyday I decided to try it. I wasn't sure how Carter would do either but he has done fabulous. There has been no jealousy issues at all and the only "problem" we have had is the amount of kisses he wants to give her.

2. I am still just working one night a week which is working out just fine thanks to the babysitting money, but between work, soccer, and basketball starting next week we have no nights free. This doesn't make me happy.

3. While driving past the library last week I realized Carter is old enough for toddler time. Yesterday was his first "class". He seemed to enjoy it.

4. Our washing machine took it's last breathe Sunday afternoon. There is nothing like opening up the washer to take out your clean clothes only to discover they are soaking wet and have NOT been washed. Our 10 year old washer was not worth the cost of a new motor so last night we went shopping for a new one. The one I wanted wouldn't be in for 2 weeks, and I thought about waiting, and hubby said he didn't care, of course since a laundry mat wasn't in his future, but the thought of a laundry mat for the next 2 weeks was enough for me to go with my second choice. Which will be delivered tomorrow.

5. The mosquitoes are TERRIBLE right now. I have like a billion from soccer practice Monday and they are driving me crazy. That will teach me to leave my bug spray at home.

6. A couple weeks ago I woke in the middle of the night and the first thought in my head was It's been 4 days since Carter has nursed! I guess we are weaning. He is weaning! I have some serious mixed emotions about it. I feel like he is ready, he is old enough, but he's my baby.

Tear Stained

Today was a bad day. The kind of day that you finally give in and admit that you aren't as tough as you want others to believe you are. The kind of day you finally break. You spend the day in tears. Because it's all you know to do. I have worries. I have fears. I am just like everyone else.

And then comes my favorite time of the day. At night when I get to put Carter to bed. I can snuggle up with him in the rocking chair and breathe in his baby smell, and all my insecurities are washed away for the moment. Tonight I needed him more then he needed me. Yet he was so clingy, twirling his fingers through my hair, but didn't ask to nurse. He is weaning, and I know he is ready as he asks less and less, but tonight he just wanted to climb on my lap with his latest animal friend and rock. And I held him longer then I had to, long after he was sound asleep. After my arm had gone numb. After I wiped the final tear from my eye.

Mini Golf

There are some places Carter would not go if he didn't have older brothers. He wouldn't spend 3 months at the baseball field, he wouldn't have to sit in a stuffy gym for basketball games, or have to be quiet on back to school night. And I don't think I would have taken him to play miniature golf.
This kid has a thing for balls. Any ball, or anything that looks like a ball, is a ball to him and he loves to throw it. So my worries for mini golf was 5 balls rolling on green carpet as Carter ran like mad to pick them all up and throw them into the water. Splash!

But he was content to let his brothers go first and then with a little help from daddy hit his ball down to the hole. Then he would run and pick up his ball. He was done with that hole. After a couple times we stopped trying to keep him off the green and me and my husband golfed with a moving obstacle on the course. It was actually quite fun!

I Love Vacation

Vacation, stay-cation, whatever you want to call it. I've heard that term a lot this summer with gas prices so high and just everything in general. But my husband has been taking a week off work every summer for years and we stay home and do something around where we live every day. Not that we sit around the house the rest of the summer and go nowhere, but this gives our kids the feeling of a vacation without us as the parents getting stuck with a week long hotel bill. But just like every other vacation I've done no house work, and I have cooked nothing since Friday. Unless making toast counts.

Until today. Dad and Grandpa (my in-laws are also on vacation this week) took the older boys to the shooting range and me and Carter are relaxing at home. And by relaxing I mean he's watching Cars, and I'm doing laundry. Well, Hunter is wearing his last pair of clean shorts today. I guess I have to do something. A trip to the grocery store is in my future as well I believe.

Saturday was my husband's company picnic where a good time was had by all. He won a grill, (too bad we bought a new one a couple months ago) Monte won a $15 jar of pennies by having the closes guess, and then won Hunter a football playing bingo. Me and Hunter won nothing. And Carter? He just wanted to ride the ponies over and over. He won't pet the neighbor's dogs, but he'll ride a pony? Go figure!

We spent Monday at the beach with my in-laws. Carter is not a fan of sand but gave it a try. For about a minute.


Then he decided he'd rather spend his day on the blanket. Shh! No one tell him he's still got sand all over him.

But not this much sand.

We've also been to the Zoo, and amusement park, I had my bunco night, and get another night out with friends tonight. Oh, and no vacation is complete without a trip to the doctor right? Monday evening Carter got bit by a mosquito and it really swelled. By Tuesday night after we got home from the Zoo his whole forehead was completely swollen and it seemed to be traveling down his face. Wednesday morning his eyes were swollen as well and his whole face was distorted. Freaked Me Out! I can not even try to explain how horrible he looked. And I couldn't even bring myself to take a picture. Not an image I care to see again. None of my children have ever had this kind of allergic reaction to a bug bite before. But after several doses of Benadryl, and just a couple days he's doing much better.

It doesn't seem too bad

Cost of book fees for a 5th grader and a 2nd grader - $220

Cost of school supplies for a 5th grader and a 2nd grader - $55

Me and Carter having the house to ourselves for 7 hours a day - priceless

A Post? For Real?

So whenever I don't blog for a month, or two, I always feel like I need to explain where I've been. Well, it's summer. I think that says it all. We've been swimming in our pool, going to the beach (with a 2 year old that hates sand, fun) and a few trips to the water park. Yes, I'm really raising a family of fish over here. We had a crazy but fun season of baseball, been to major league baseball games, bike rides, fishing and camping, and the occasional plane crashing into the living room!

I went shopping with just the older two boys last night. First time at the mall all summer, but they had money and both wanted new jerseys. So the mall it was. Little did I know there was a terrible storm headed our way. After standing by the doors for 15 minutes waiting for the rain to slow down, I decided to just make a run for it. After 30 minutes of gripping the steering wheel and with a headache from all the squinting I had to do from the lightning, I finally made it home safe and sound. Only to discover that the security tag was still on Hunter's jersey!

So back to the mall we went this morning after school registration (school already?) They gave me back $8 for my gas. Okay, whatever. I'll take it. But I of course got talked into lunch at the food court (I'm weak when I'm hungry) and a little trip into Abercrombie. Where Carter grabbed the top of his stroller where I had put my pop and the boys blue slushies. (I told you I'm a push over) Two blue slushies and one pepsi flying through the air in a store that I can barely afford anything in. Nice. Oh, and did I mention the kids working there are like one day older then 16! Attitude. But then again I'm assuming they don't have any experience with toddlers who don't want to sit still and like to grab at everything.