Finally a ray of sunshine

I'm sure it won't last long so put on your bathing suit and run out and in join the sun, ok now you know that doesn't include me. Since I've sworn off bathing suits until they come up with one that slims and tucks every part of the body! So on that note here is the ray of sunshine. Since we were on day 5 of no poop in the pants (I'm hanging up my Crown of the Queen of Poop) I sent another email to the school. Since I've left messages and 3 emails and no replies. With in 10 minutes of my email I receive a call from the principal. There goes that sinking feeling like I'm back in grade school, but nope it was good news today! They were able to move another kid into the afternoon PreK and move Cole into the AM! Yipee it may just be that ray I've been praying for. So Rick will drop Cole off for AM PreK and I'll pick him up in the afternoon to go to Grandma Pat's, we'll try this for 1 month to make sure we can do the wiping thing by our self. Who knew one's world could be all about ones child wiping them self, really when I signed up to be a mom no one told me how hard potty training and sending them off on their own would be! So now comes the gut ache of hoping that he will continue the running to the bathroom to go potty and then wiping! A note to all parents don't try to be the "Healthy" mom and pack your child's lunch box with applesauce, 100% fruit rolls (because it's natural), raisins and oh yeah a fruit juice. If you do this you will have a child that has uncontrollable BM's that can cause you and the child to be completely embarrassed and almost asked to leave school. So on a positive note today is our first day back to school, fingers crossed we do well on our own!

As for the other resident in my house, not sure where we are there since it still is a toss up. I got a very nice letter from the coordinator letting us know how much they appreciate us and really are happy we are host parents. They also let us know that we do go above and beyond than any other host parents and have made their job extremely easy by sending weekly updates with pictures. So from their point of view we're GREAT host, but it just doesn't make sense that the report from the child are so different, since the pictures and talks we have are so different. After talking with many other parents with older children I've come to see this is just a way for him to cover up for maybe being scared and also just being a child and pushing the boundaries. Hopefully now that he knows the coordinator and I talk and I know what is being said that we can have a little peace and effort to try to fit in.

So here's the deal with my life one child is going back to school on a trial basis, as long as we stay away from the poop life is good. Again where did my life go, all I talk about is poop? I really need a spa day! I have a child staying with us who is testing the waters and likes to lock himself in his bedroom. Youngest is just hanging in there trying not to get stepped on. The fish are just happy they have fresh water and get feed 2 times a day. A hubby that feels like his mornings are being over run, since now for 1 MONTH he has to take a kid to school. A mom that is looking at all of them, thinking really you all think your world is hard!! You have a live in maid that cooks, cleans, plays taxi, solves problems and fights along with making sure your all clean and have fresh clothes. Yup it's a tough life and I feel for you all, what I can't feel anything since I've worked myself to the bone with 2 jobs and a full time house wife/mom job also! Life is grand and your all lucky I haven't totally lost it and throw you underwear on the front law. Hmmm ... now that is an idea, I bet that would get everyone to realize that they have it good!

Cross your fingers that I have good news about our first day back at school!

Peace is restored is it just a false hope ... time will tell

Today was great beside the fact of being woke up at 6:30am by both boys, since I went to bed around 2:30 I wasn't the happiest camper with this. With a little luck and some bribing I was able to get everyone back down and we didn't wake up until after 9am. I don't think I've slept in past 7am in 3 years! Wow could it be things are changing around? Or is it just a fluke that today everyone was tired? I guess I'll choose the glass half full theory and run with it. Feeling all refreshed I got up and made banana chocolate chip pancakes, with fruit on the side. Betty Crocker here I come, oh wait it was Bisquick and I added 2 items big whoop!

My lovely friend Amy invited me and the boys over to hang out and play. It was so great to let everyone run in her huge back yard. We only had a few moments where the ball throwing got out of hand, besides that peace was in the air. We even had one of Amy's famous concoctions of crystal light and vodka (It had to be noon somewhere right?). I'm telling you these last few days have been trying and it was so nice to just veg and talk to someone, get a little advice and also here that I'm not just being one of "Those Mom's" that thinks it's always the other kids fault. We had a fun time tossing the ball, Amy's husband even threw the football around with the boys. We had a wonderful lunch and enjoyed the sun, I'm sure my bliss will be cut short soon enough with some email or call but right now I'm enjoying the time. Choosing to ignore the door being shut and just going with it.

Rick's back was out today so we didn't stay too late, I had to bring some food home plus I needed to do a few errands. We got home the boys played well together, but again you know the rough housing was there. It's hard to say stop it your both laughing I don't want to hear that you didn't like this since you're the one that started the rough housing. I'm not sure what to do except just keep a close eye and make sure Cole stays on his best behavior. In a way it's good for him, but also I don't want to make it so he can't be a kid and play. A fine line that one must walk to make sure the peace stays.

So the quick post before I go to bed, hoping that the calm and the storm has already hit and that another one is not soon on it's heals. Also no calls about Cole's school about letting him come back. They have a Field trip tomorrow that I really wanted him to go to, that really bums me. I am VERY proud to say we are on day 4 of no accidents, doing pretty well at wiping so it's looking well on his end (LOL, his end ... ok bed time). But Mr. Caden has now taken on the role of poop boy. We are on day 2 of him pooping in the tub! I live in Poopville and I am the queen, yippee for me!

Did you wake up the right side finally?

So today we're back to happy go luck everyone loves being part of the family. Even give the chance to stay home while I take the boys with me, he opts to go with us? But of course as soon as we come home the door is shut. Now do I push this rule and make my shelf stressed out or do I let a rule to be broken and almost shoved into my face? Which is worse stress or your pride being stepped on? At this point I'm not sure if I have the fight or the pride left in me. Rick says just leave it, let him act like this is a hotel. But the whole point of this is to experience our life? I'm so not sure I even want to go on and then I have to tell them he's not listening to the rules and he's sneaking food in to the room. This was clever I think I might have done this trick when I was young (and maybe have done it last week with a peace of chocolate at my moms house, I'm not even going to tell you). The trick is to sneak into the kitchen, gently open the cupboard and take your item out, quickly shove it under your shirt. Then slyly walking almost sideways to your bedroom nonchalantly holding your shirt. Yup never a dead give away that your sneaking food or have that look on your face. Am I being punished for the things I put my parents thru? Isn't it suppose to be my kids doing it to me, not a kid I'm helping!

So today we went to a birthday party and I even took the boys to buy footballs to play with. Some how it has been assumed that they are for the people and not ones I bought for the house. Guess I'm just going to have to eat it and not say anything. Today was a great day he helped with Cole all day long. They played nice and even ate nice together. So I guess just letting the door be closed is my ticket. I eat crow and my household is at peace. But hey don't get too comfortable I'm sure I'll get another email that will totally blind side me!

On a positive note I started the Saturday morning show and it went really well, so no more late Friday nights. Just early Saturday mornings and Saturday late nights. Hopefully I can pick up these hours and get a little extra money to help out. Who knows when the octopus will drop the shoe that pulls him out of here and that extra money will be gone. So we'll just plan like we don't have any extra. The little I get after I pay for food and all the other stuff really isn't worth my hair falling out, which it has been. It also could be my diet, but I'll blame stress.

It must be an octopus since yet anothe shoe has dropped.

Here I was thinking the visit Thursday went great, everyone left with big smiles and it had a warm fuzzy feeling to it. When am I going to learn that warm fuzzy feelings usually mean some peed in the snow :) ... LOL. Guess never if I'm using that grade school analogy, guess I at least stepped it on the descriptive words.

So here's yesterday in a nut shall, the day was going GREAT I was making progress on cleaning my desk and getting everything out the door that needed to be out. I worked on everything I was feeling great, then the sky opened up and poured on my parade (I know another school yard saying). I get an email from the host people, who all is well it seems like he is adjusting and talking more. Then we go for the full steam a head with the next 5 paragraphs, talk about being hit from the side. That is exactly how I felt, like when they leave everything is perfect then the next day I get an email about something. Again the trouble was said that Cole hits, throws toys and spits. Ok as you all know Cole is far from perfect and I'm the first to acknowledge that he is a VERY active 4 year old. Also when one child is in their room with the door closed, how can this other child be doing these things? Also as I've stated before Cole has been complaining about being hit and comes crying holding some body part, so in any parent situation who do you believe. Normally you would look at both boys and tell them to knock it off before you knock them out (not literally, but a mean look sure does the trick). In my current situation poor Cole gets almost 95% of the punishments. Besides that something was said about having a hard time doing homework at the kitchen table. Which every day I ask do you have any homework, no its all done. So I'm not sure what the comment about the kitchen table was about except that a desk has now been requested for the bedroom. Along with wanting to keep the door shut for these "quiet times". Now this is our newest sour subject and just being a mom and going with my gut I believe this is the reason for the fabrication on other events. Starting this last weekend we have gone with our "house rules" which up until know we've been rather laxed on since it was still an adjustment period. Well the door open policy during the day has gone into effect, and met with much resistance. The door not only keeps getting shut but locked during the day! So I have to knock probably around 15 times (no lie) that the door needs to be open. So we open it to a wide crack, around the time of 15 minutes the door creeps slowly shut inch by inch until it's closed AGAIN! So once more I have to knock and start the whole thing over AGAIN! Now my gut is telling me since this has been met with such resistance that I may have hit the nerve that is causing the outburst, that you expect from a child but is of course heighten with trying to meet needs and over compensate.

So after a brief cool down and a few phones calls to Rick and Grandma Pat, I type up my response. I run it by our receptionist first who helps me reign it in and make sense of my jibber jabber since my blood pressure was thru the roof. Pretty much saying that kids will be kids, that 4 yrs and 10 yrs is totally different. Cool down periods after rough housing can help the other know that it is NOW time to quit. Also that this is a two way street and we have bent over backwards to be welcoming and accommodate, but now I'm almost bent so far that I'm coming back around and I CAN NOT give anymore then I am right now. That if a change needs to be made then we understand because the stress it is causing is not healthy for anyone around. Thankfully I have two hours before I leave work, so I can be calm before I pick up anyone. Since at that current moment I thought my top my just blow, I might have looked like a too wound up Jack in the Box.

By the time I left work I was calm and had my speech all planned out. Now is the time to let him know that I have been in communication and know what is being said. We got in the car and found that the host people were there talking to those kids, they came over to the car to say he needed to call them tonight. So we get on the road and I let him know we need to talk that I received an email from the host people. The face that looked at me looked like what mine use to when mom would catch me eating sweets that I was told over and over again not to get into. That is what I thought ... that things could be said and I can get my way but I'm not going to be called out for it. Well the mom in me is screaming and I'm sorry I wouldn't take this from my kids and for the moment your one of my kids. So I pretty much went over what I said in the letter and ended with if you want to go to another family please don't think we'll be mad maybe you would like a house with no kids better. Now stop thinking I was trying to be harsh, I was being honest just like I would to my kids, here are the facts, here is what we are doing to change and here is what the outcome can be you choose. I ask do you want to go to another family? I don't know? Do you know when you might know? Tonight they will let you know? Puzzle look from me: You mean they are going to call me tonight and tell me what your decision is? Yes. Another puzzle look from me: In other situations this is where the kettle boils over in me, but I happily rolled down the window and counted to 10 and then counted again to 10. From then on the ride was rather silent, not good for one who's mind is working and not having the best thoughts.

We get home in time for Tarra to run away with Khari. While I'm making dinner he trys to call them and no answer, so after dinner I give him the phone to call again. While I'm in clean up the phone is shoved back at me. Where I'm greeted with "You asked him to leave tonight" ... WTF really people if you could see this puzzled look on my face, my mom would curse me because I'm wrinkling my forehead and going to need botox sometime in the near future! No this is where I loose my cool and really want to pull a family meeting except exclude my kids and bring in these host people. I'm sick of games being played I understand being a child and being young and doing silly things, but really there has to come a time where someone goes come on TIME OUT! So it looks like the whistle blower is me and I'm blowing so hard that I may just puff out those wrinkles mom! I do my best to clear everything up with out sounding like a child myself with the he did this crap that my inner child was screaming to say! I said I sent an email with what I'm thinking and hope that we can come to some even ground soon! Now I remember being a child and pulling stunts to get my way and can understand ... oh WAIT no I can't understand my mom would have told me to buck up and make it threw the short time I'm there, along with I should be grateful that a family took me in, gave me my own room (while the other 2 boys share), make sure I always have food and oh wait the kicker take me every weekend to a new thing! So the break times you have to be part of a family during the week and not locked in your room can help you grow and enjoy this experience. Then again the difference between how people were raised, my mom would have flown across just to slap me silly for being a pain in the butt! LOL god love her she has made me one strong woman that can take a bunch of bull and still be lady like (ok maybe not lady like but a person that can bite one's tongue)!

Today is yet another story, but I'll let this one soak in for a while!

Back to the basic's ...

So yesterday Cole went back to Grandma Pat's which when we pulled up really hit him hard. He didn't want to get out of the car, he wanted to go to school! Talk about a time for me to buck and hold my tears, no time like the present! So I put on my brave face, thanking that he is young and can't read my eyes and I tell him in my most cheerful voice that he can go back soon we just have to work on going potty by ourselves. After a few minutes I talk him out of the car and into Grandma's house. Well today is going to be a wonderful day is all I can think!

Work of course was crazy as usual but a bright spot is my mom was being so sweet an brought over some groceries and a check for the hours I did on my grandfathers estate. Score we can buy groceries now! I even made it to the bank and was able to leave a little early to drop off a bill before they closed early of course. I picked the boys and Khari up and dropped the bill of in 5 minutes to spare. I know this because the lovely receptionist told me, I was waiting for her to bust out in the seconds and count down at any moment. After that lovely experience I ventured with all the kids to Save A-Lot, yup that was a treat. Cole running, Roy running around, Caden smelling poopy (I just can't get away from poop) and Khari trying to bite threw the wrapper on the string cheese. Yup it was a lovely experience, I loved it so much that I ventured over to the organic store to see if they had any deals on cereal since Roy loves that for breakfast. The organic store has a cat and shopping carts that is a design of 2 hand baskets attached to a little kid size cart skeleton. Enough room for Caden only so Khari had to walk. This store is very small I didn't think we would have any problems. My mistake it just makes it easier to run around and chase the cat. Roy would go out the door an the kids would follow, I almost wrung every ones neck by the time we got back in the car!

I did get home and start on dinner, in between doing laundry, playing referee with Cole and Roy, telling Caden and Khari to stay out of the remotes and the videos. By the time Tarra got there I was about to have a nervous breakdown. Of course this is the day that Tarra had training and was running behind, any other day would have been fine but today it's like I had 4 demon children running around. And oh yeah the host people are coming that night at 7:30pm, let's just add more to the mix. I was able to finally get food on the table, and just sat down when the knock at the door happened. It wouldn't be life if they weren't 25 minutes early! Everyone finished up, and thank the lord for Tarra she took the 3 youngest into the bathroom for bath time. You could hear the kids threw the house I know she was having so much fun, you could see by the amount of water that was on the floor, which of course I didn't get cleaned up before Rick got home who of course wasn't happy. While the bath wars were going on I was talking with one of the host people, while the other person took Roy into his room. It was a nice talk I had the lady came out and talked to me, she let me know that Roy really likes us and my parents but Cole is a little much for him. Now most days I'm very sweet and just smile, but after the week I've had I wasn't doing it any longer. In the nicest voice I could muster I let them know that Cole is 4 and Roy is 10 they are boys and play like brothers. Either one wants to play and then the other is done, there energy levels are also at different levels. Also Roy spends more time in his room for this "quiet time" that he is needing and that he comes out, plays for a while and then goes back in. The only rule I have is keep the door open and NO eating in the room. So I think that went over well, I didn't burst into tears and I didn't scream so I'm calling it a good talk! I must state I know my child is far from perfect at times I would love to have "Quiet Time" but life and especially my world is far from it either you are part of it or you not. I think I may have finally reached a breaking point. So it seems that I have gotten it off my chest and waiting for the other shoe ... wait haven't all the shoes dropped? Maybe it's an octopus above me and I have 6 more shoes coming my way?

Well 8pm is Cole's bedtime, but our visitors didn't leave until 9pm. Talk about fun time trying to get everyone settled down and in bed! So Rick decided to clean the fish tank since it looked like poop, yup the theme in my house is now poop. Soon I'm going to have nightmares of poop, like that charter that show Rick likes "South Park".

Before I have some silly song stuck in my head I'm signing off now, I'm sure today will have more fun to add!

And the gig is up ....

Well yesterday I took Cole to school hoping for the best and of course worrying like no tomorrow. Being the crazy wonder woman that I am starting asking the ladies at work if they ever had this problem, I put a call into the nurse and did a quick search on the Internet. After the reality of what I've been doing knocked me over I had a huge light bulb that clicked on. Being the healthy mom that I am (well at least with Cole's lunches) I've been giving him an overload of fruit with applesauce, 100% fruit snack, 100% fruit drink and oh yeah raisins. Am I complete idiot? Poor little guy has fruit with the breakfast they give him at school and here I give him too much fruit later on! No wonder he can't make it to the bathroom in time! Now I know this doesn't totally solve the problem since he isn't telling people that he did it in his pants or that he tried to go to the bathroom and clean up but just made a huge mess. So we so need to work on that also, but I guess if we're back to solid BM then hopefully the mess will go away? I also heard of a book everyone poops, that I ordered from the library so I'll go pick that up today. So I think I'm top of the game I'm going to pick Cole up right after school we're going to go shopping together to pick up Bananas (Fruit that binds) and string cheese for his lunches. I sent a quick note to the admin at the school and go about my day.

Well at least that was the plan before the other shoe dropped! So here I am around 1:30pm thinking ok I need to leave in 2 hours then I'll pick him up and all will hopefully be right in the world. Yup my typical glass half full thinking that always backfires and bites me in the butt every time. This time I hear our receptionist say hold on and I'll get her, my stomach dropped since there is only 5 other women here I just knew the call was for me. Call it mothers intuition or whatever you'd like but I just knew it was for me. This time it was Cole's teacher calling to tell me that Cole after going to the bathroom came back and played and then proceeded to poop his pants in class. Yup the straw the broke the camels back has now come. At this point in time all the good feelings about starting fresh tomorrow with a new meal plan has flown out the door and dread has taken over. At this point I start the phone tree, I call mom since she's on strike to see if she can come take Cole for a few hours. Then I put a call into Grandma Pat to see if Cole could go for a few days. Call Rick and let him know to be on standby if Mom or Dad can't come pick up. Dad calls back he's on his way to our house, while I'm on the way to school. Talk about a well oiled machine, only wish it was under better circumstance.

I get to school to meet Cole's teacher who is the SWEETEST lady ever and says what a pleasure Cole is and how he is the kindest boy she knows but she can't have him in class if he can't go potty by himself it's a state law! So she so nicely suggest we take a few days off, thank God for Grandma Pat to the rescue. They told me he can't come back until he can do this all by himself. So I meet Dad at home and continue on to work, where of course the 1 hour I was gone my chair exploded with lots of items that NEED to be done by the end of the day. Well of course this has made it so I'm working even later than my scheduled 4:30 or 5pm like usual. By the time I made it over to the host family I could see they weren't too happy, when am I going to win?

Home we go with only 3 kids in tow, it really doesn't matter how many kids you have over 3 the noise level is about the same ... Good to know! I get home to find Rick and Tarra have beat me. Rick is off to his new Sheriff academy for citizens. Tarra and I have a great chat while I make some chili for dinner. We sat down and had a pretty quite dinner as well as could be with out Cole and Roy go at each other, LOL Ms. Khari made up for it just playing. It was a nice night Tarra helped me fold laundry and I actually got all the laundry hung up and my bed made before my parents came back with Cole. While they were there I got both boys beds made and everyone ready for bed. Geez if only I could have help all the time, a live in nanny is looking awesome! Now only if I could wiggle my nose to add that 2nd wing to the house and while I'm at it add the money tree in the back! What a day I can't wait to see what today holds for me!

I'll end with this picture, I took this Monday night and forgot to add it to the blog. If only they were sweet like this when they were awake, well Caden is ... LOL.

Guess what I did yesterday?

I got to put my voluminous butt into a VERY small 2 person aircraft and fly around for a little over 2 hours taking aerial shots. Now I've done this once before and had no problem at all, mind you that was a 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It was a clear beautiful day and no ups and downs. Now today was a very nice day also but as I soon learned it was very windy. Maybe stopping to eat a granola wasn't my best idea because I was starting to feel very puny. Or it could also be my nervous since I asked the pilot how long he's been flying and he looks at me and says oh regularly for 3 years! Now 3 years is a great time, but for one to give their life into a person that's been up for that short of a time. He did tell me he learned when he was 12 and has been doing it off and on since then. Yup that made me feel oh so much better since he only looked 16, just playing but he sure was young. And let me tell you those little planes are little and when you're not a stick figure, sitting in there can be a little too close for comfort. Yup I'm so on a diet! I did get some really cool pictures of the mountains and the very tiny plane just to show you that I'm not being drama queen (well I might be just a little).

Here are few of my favorite pictures that I took before I felt like thrown up:

Here is Mt RainierThe Tacoma Dome

Tacoma Narrows Bridge (New and Old Bridges)Ok he said this was Mt. Baker (I'm horrible at Geography, I'll take his word)

And the closterphobic machine, I mean the airplane I flew onSo after my flight I'm feeling queasy and not really wanted to deal with much. I get back to the office to do a few things before I have to pick Roy up. Then we pick up Cole, he's in a different shirt then I put him in. Oh crap what happened now, please God just be he got paint on himself. Yup no luck there, he had an accident while going potty. He hasn't perfected the wiping technique yet, bravo he had it to the toilet at least! So I got "the talk" that he has to be able to wipe all on his own. Then she looked at me with that look, really I almost cried by this point, that they will give it a few weeks, then .... that is where she stopped and the look went on. Oh crap what the heck am I going to do. I'm so exhausted these days, trying to hard to please everyone and get everything done and now this. I know he's trying and he's scared and really wants to be good, but just hasn't been able to figure out the whole wiping thing. So here I am not knowing what to do. If any of you have suggestions or know anything I REALLY would appreciate any help!

Well that is how my night should end me just spent and trying to figure out this new dilemma. But instead Roy informed me last night that there is a meeting at his school tonight! Really, I guess he has a paper that is suppose to come to me every Thursday that he hasn't been giving me even though I've been asking every night if I need to sign or see anything. Kids they really may be the death of me. So I hop back in the car with Roy and set out to his school, of course I'm 15 minutes late since I had to deal with Cole and feed everyone. We got to stand outside since the gym was packed and we were late! I did get to see his teacher, who I emailed for help today. She did the thing I needed the most she gave me a hug. Who would know that the simple little thing was what I needed? We stayed for a 1/2 hour and then headed home.

Home sweet home, NOT! LOL poor Tarra and Rick I left them with the 3 youngest kids and the house was crazy and there was screaming. Roy looked at me before I answered the door and said Cole. I'm glad to say this time it wasn't my kid, but Cole did try to go poop again by himself and made a HUGE mess. So Rick was in the bathroom scrubbing it down. I am now the proud owner of a bathroom that you could eat out of (well that is probably until this morning) but he bleached and scrubbed the whole thing. He has been on a cleaning kick, thank the lord! So I put everyone to bed and decided that I'm going to pray for help.

Here I am hoping today will be better and I won't have to pull Cole out of school. He's doing so well in school it's just the daycare part and having to poop! Lord give me strength because right now I really need it. And P.S. Thank you Tarra she also saw I was needing a hug and give me one too last night. Just the little things that make me a little teary.

On the edge of my seat ...

The moment of truth, I turn over the boards I had done up yesterday. Now this could be oh we love them or What did you do and we have no time to fix them! I'm glad to say the boards went over well along with the other material I printed up for the meeting. Phew is all I can say right now I was tossing and turning all night long! My desk is completely covered and I'm trying to get my mind back into the gear and not think it's sleep deprived!

While I was out running an errand I heard a commercial for ground beef on sale, so I ran into Albertsons. Ok I was looking and looking and couldn't find it for the life of me, so I ask she's like it's in the butcher block. The what? Ok for those of us who don't use the meat counter since usually everything in there is so out of my price range, it's called a butcher block. I felt like a rich gal today or at least in my mother league. They actually wrapped it and separated it in 2 lb bags for me. I felt like the queen of the ball, walking out with my brown paper wrapped meat. Ok I know your so rolling @@ your eyes, it not a big thing to most but for us who never go to the meat section it's a HUGE deal. I'm so a fan of Albertson's now.

The rest of the day flew by and I could hardly get everything out the door. At 5pm the phones hadn't been turned over yet and guess who answered the phone and who was on the other end. The other host family was calling me to make sure I was coming to pick him up now, they had an apt to go to. I'm telling you I use to be able to get out at 4:30pm no problems, now that people are expecting me to leave at 4:30pm I hardly can get out until 5pm if I'm lucky, just life sending me a raspberry that's all! So of course right as I'm running for the door the big boss wants to talk to me, it never fails. Well it looks like we didn't get the job but they commented that they liked our presentation so that's a plus and hopefully they'll remember us for the next project. I run to the car forgetting that I parked out front and not in back so like a dork I went out the wrong door ran to the car and made it there only 15 minutes late, well if you add in the 30 I worked over it's technically 45 but who's counting right ... I know they are! Well in my mad rush for the car I totally forgot my gourmet meat, so I had to go back to the office to pick up the meat and head out to pick the rest of the boys up. I made it to Cole's daycare 10 minutes before the time they start charging per minute. Phew talk about a busy day.

I got home made taco's which Cole ate up like nothing I've seen before. While I was cleaning up one of the ladies called about the cleaning job. Out of 8 people that emailed she's the only one that actually kept on me since I'm so good at calling people back. She stopped by the house her name is Leah and she seemed very nice, I'm going to try her out this Saturday. I'm really happy to have the help. Now I can have Rick be the yard boy, Tarra be my bath girl and play with the kids while I make dinner and now Leah to help clean the bathroom, kitchen/dinning room and the vacuuming! I'm so set so I don't have the typical house wife but this is the best I'm going to get!

Are you sure it's Sunday? It feels like a work day!

Well today started off on a great note, or should I say last night that ended this morning set the tone for the rest of the day. My 2nd job that is suppose to end at 1:30am ended a little after 2am, thankfully not too many nasty callers but still was asked to work an extra 1/2 hour which usually isn't bad except today is going to be a rough one. Rick got home around 1am and went to bed since he had to be up at 6:30am to work the football tailgate party and the game. So at 2am I'm so tired but I know I need to go to work to get the presentation boards done to get them to Kinko's in the AM if I have any chance of this project being done for Monday. So I set the alarm with a little grunt, I couldn't manage more then that at this time in the morning.

Just as I get to sleep the alarm goes off, really that was 2 hours? Yup it's 4am and I'm off and running, well at least I'm stumbling towards the door. That is until I look down at the fleece pj bottoms I'm wearing. Now I know the chance of me running into a co-worker at 4am is rather slim, but my luck is I'll be like my friend Amy who one day took her boyfriend to the UW and got into an accident. Now on a normal day that would just be a bummer, but when you're not wearing a bra and probably just a skimpy t-shirt and sweats along with no shoes you may look a little weird. The same look of me in PJ bottoms that are mulit colors of red, yellow and a shirt that use to fit pre-babies. So I stumble back to the bedroom, and put on a pair of fuzzy black pants ... yup at 4am that is dressing up! I get to work and look at my notes that made since yesterday morning but not so much today. 2 hours later and I'm getting back in the car to go home, praying everyone will sleep in a few minutes late today.

I get home in time to wake Rick up and get him going for work. I just fall asleep and I hear Cole's door open, "Momma I want to watch cartoons". Sure kid 7:30am is a perfect time to be up and watch cartoons, I finally get him to settle down when Roy gets up. He then comes into my room to ask me about movies, of course the first 2 he brings me are R and I say no and the 3rd is a go, mind you this was not a simple come in and ask. No each visit was like 10 minutes apart, so each time I get back to sleep here we comes again! Crap I guess I'm getting no sleep today. I guess I'll get up and make breakfast for everyone, I wish I won those free cans of Blaster Batter on Because I Said so blog that would have helped right now. Instead I'm making pancake make it from scratch well with the help of Bisquick :).

After getting the boys seated at the table and hoping if I put them at opposite ends they can't get into too much trouble, I got dressed and ready. I found a Kinko's over on the way to the zoo that will do the boards the same day for me. The one by the office told me they don't have a "Media Coordinator" available on the weekends, I asked so spraying adhesive on a poster board requires a "special person" and like I was nuts she said yes and they only work Mon - Fri, well that makes complete sence. So any ways I found one and hey it's on the way to the zoo, but first I need to pick up the paper for the boards (thankfully I printed those at 6am this morning). So all I need to do is swing by work, drop these off at Kinko's and pick them up on the way back right. Well doing this of course is going to make me late meeting Anngie at the zoo, it just won't be me life with out something. So I had to call and move us back by 1/2 hour which I know sucked, sorry Anngie I know that messed with your plans too.

Well the trips before the zoo only made us 15 minutes late, well if you add the 1/2 hour I already buffed in it's technically 45 minutes late. Geez one day everything will work smooth, I'm thinking if I say this enough it may come true ... positive thinking! We had a great time at the zoo, we got to watch the fish being feed and had a great time walking around. Well the Cole and Kailey had fun running from us and hearing our Mom voices go up a few levels, yup we got a few looks! I politely told a couple well at least we're outside! Got to love me I know!

Here are few great pics from the zoo:

Here we're starting out all smiles, just remember that kids! Today was meet and greet with animals! Look Mom a Rat!

The Zoo says this is the best house pet! Thanks for that insight!
We even got to touch a snake, thankfully it was fake!
The owl that can turn his head almost completly around! Now get this right this is NOT an ant eater, as Anngie was so quickly told by the zoo people.

Man those Zoo people have good ears!

Smiles gone, yup it's time to leave and find food!Look at Cole trying to copy Roy's peace sign.

Only if it was peace around the house.

Lunch was a quick one at McDonalds before we hit home for naps right? Anngie I hope Kailey went down for you since my house wasn't having it! Well Caden fell asleep I got maybe a 1/2 hour nap before Cole came in screaming about Roy. Oh geez I can't wait until Caden gets big enough to be in the mix. So I finally sat up and went to watch my movie Made of Honor cute movie, not a buy one but it did pass the time well. Caden got up and the boards were ready, so we hoped back in the car and went to pick them up along with a little grocery shopping. You know it Roy was asking after the boards if were going home, nope now we get to go shopping! I know it's a dream but I did get Jo-Jo's for the boys to snack on! Nutricion is always my top priortiy when I'm trying to get the groceries and the boys back in the car within a nice time frame! I think I'm going to really sit down and make a montly menu and plan it all out, buy the groceries all in advance! Yup you keep reminding me of this post in a few weeks and see how I'm doing, I'm sure I'll be so on top of it!

Wrangling 3 boys is so much fun ...

Well I didn't get off the phone for my 2nd job until almost 2AM!! This guy kept asking questions and then pausing for long breaks, finally I just had to tell him that I had a queue of calls and had to go. I'm not sure if he was old or if he was some stupid pranker that thoughts its funny to make me sit on the line with him for 25 minutes! So I finally got to bed after 2am and of course couldn't fall to sleep, Rick had stupid Robocop on and my brain was being stupid and wanted to watch it. Then Cole woke up and instead of trying to get him to calm down and wake the baby I brought him in with us. Guess where he decided to fall asleep at, yup the end of my bed sideways. Now if he was at the very end and I could curl up and go to sleep that would be just fine, but no he's up towards the middle so I had to find away sleeping crosswords so much fun. Then at 7am he decided to get up, I talked him into go back to sleep and guess what happened yup Caden got up. Well I guess sleep is overrated and I don't need it caffeine can keep me going right? Well maybe a few chocolate chip cookies too, a few meaning the whole pack right?

Around 8:30am I check my phone and see I have a message from one of my bosses that he would like me in at 10am to put together a project. Sure no problem I can do this with 3 boys! So of course we get there 12 minutes late and I set everyone up in the kitchen to color. Well then Roy gets water and of course then Cole needs water, he then spills it and Roy hits him. It's a great cycle of brothers. I go in there and talk to everyone, mean while asking my boss if he'll wait! Oh geez I'm so earning brownie points! Then we get to talking I hear more screaming, in the course of 30 minutes my boys are crying and screaming, Roy keeps walking around making Cole want to follow him. I once more tell EVERYONE that they need to sit down and color. Yup that last a total of 2 minutes, Roy got up, Cole got mad and Caden rubbing his eyes started to cry, at this point I wanted to join him! After an hour of pure torture for all involved we got back in the car, where it took all my strength not to turn my oldest upside down and tie him to the roof, really I'm just joking but mom strung out and no sleep make you have wicked thoughts that at least make you smile and laugh so that you can get back in the car with out crying.

We head back to the house to meet mom to go to the Korean Market she told Roy about. I'm sure we'll all be on our best behavior. Only if I could buy a bigger car so Caden can have one Roy, Cole can have one row and Roy can sit in the front, in may be worth the money I would spend in gas just for my own sanity. So the market was fun I bought a few items for Roy and then mom and dad took Cole for a while. It was great we had quiet time around here I tried to take a nap but of course that was too much to ask for. It was a peaceful few hours, I should have known it was the calm before the storm.

Mom and Dad brought Cole back plus a new fish, 2 snails and a bunch a greenery for the tank. It was great we were acclimating the new fish and snails and my parents were about to leave when all of a sudden the sound all moms hate to hear. Yup you got it puking, I look down at Caden who is know in tears puking all over the floor. You never saw 3 grown ups run around like crazy people until you seen me and my parents trying to clean up puke that keeps coming, I think I have the next Linda Blair on my hands. I get him undressed and in the bath, I clean him up and hear my mom complaining about the floors and how dirty they are. Crap you don't hear how clean the rest of the house is, which is a HUGE thing since Rick cleaned ... darn that reminds me I need to call the few that answered my cleaning ad. Ok back to my floors, I walk into the kitchen to find my mom on her hands and knees cleaning, oh look there is that macaroni that flew when I opened the box a few weeks ago. I've never claimed to be a clean freak like my parents, probably my rebelish streak against my childhood, too much therapy to think about that. So then she moves on to my table and even more comments. Crap here I was thinking right on they'll visit and the house is clean and they won't be able to say anything. This is while I'm thinking ok they don't have to get that close to the floor to see the film right? So we're about finished cleaning up, oh ok my mom is when the sound comes again. Yup Caden erupted again, on the newly clean floor and clean PJ's I just put him in. Clean him up again, while mom cleans the floor again (my floor is now in shock). By this time my parents are trying to rush to the door before he erupts again and they have to clean again. Well to late, I sit down on the couch and oh yeah all over my shirt and hands. Crap, stop the washer for a 3rd time and throw in my clothes now too, hey why not I so wanted to do a 7th load of laundry today! Now my parents are literally running out the door just waving no hugs nothing, hey I can't blame them it's starting to smell pretty bad in here!

By this time everyone is hungry (well the two older boys) so I heat up the Olive Garden my parents brought us and was about to sit down myself when Roy tells me Caden did it again! Poor little guy I think it's going to be one rough night! Since I'm now in my PJ's and we're so not leaving the house I put on the Speed Racer movie that arrived today. Both older boys sat down for a record breaking 15 minutes before they each stood up, ran around and drove each other and myself insane! I'm so putting everyone to bed early, taking a little nap before I have to log on for my second job. I'm so spent I think it's time to add a wing and move in a nanny from Brazil or somewhere as long as she's not hot! LOL ok I've lost it I'm signing off before I loose it completely.

Finally Friday and I don't feel like cooking I buy a pizza ...

More fun today I worked on that project that I got did a while back that got us to the interview stage. After a few hours of making it pretty and flowing with the font and color I had done for the proposal I was so happy I patted myself on the back. Well technically I can't reach back there but in I mentally was doing that until one of the guys came into my office to change the font and colors, yup my pretty hard work was thrown out. Well that went that morning, no pretties here just the info and get it out the door. Well there went today I spent the rest of the day deprettify ... if that is even a word my project. But man what a day between that and a line that actually went out my door at one point, I was feeling like a telephone booth. Maybe that could be my new career. After that day of fun all I wanted to do was go home, but wait there has to be more. Yes you got it a call from Cole's school, the 20 something daycare lady informed me that during his nap he pooped. Yup like this day could get any better, so I call Rick who has the day off. Well grumpy butt was busy doing stuff around the house and wasn't very happy that he had to go there. Well come to find out it wasn't much and could have been dealt with but the girl didn't want to deal with it, which really I couldn't blame her it just was a bad day. So that was my day in a nut shell, oh wait I still have to do my second job and oh yeah pick up the kids?

Picked the kids up and was so tired that I called in a pizza order. Rick had to work so it was just me and the kids and Tarra. We had a peaceful night between the juice and milk being spilt, toast landing on the floor twice and poor Khari getting a fever. Just your typical Friday night around here, plus I got a bunch of nasty callers on the phones from my 2nd job! I'm so done that done doesn't even count. I'm sure it will be yet another early morning for the kids since my shift ends here at 1:30am. Tomorrow we're meeting my parents at the Korean Market so Roy can walk around and then Cole is going with my parents for a while. I think he needs some time being the star again. Fingers crossed this helps, I'm finally done with the 2nd job I'm going to bed.

From Fancy Free and Flying to unhappy and grounded

Today was another day of pure craziness. The thing I knew this morning was I had a big project to get out the door by 11am and I had a flight scheduled for 1pm to fly in a very small airplane taking photographs. Well that was the plan and plans and I do so well together. My project turned out to be a nightmare and with soon I called in the reinforcements ... or should I say re enforcement, since it is only one guy. My helper was way sweet folding 11x17's and punching the wholes in the booklets. The thing was another gal in the office was having a crisis projects also. So this poor guy was in a tug a war between us two ladies, I'm sure he was feeling like he was in a by technically it was just a verbal one. Well I guess at times we might have really wanted to pull him over to our side. And just to be catty my project was so more important, that's my story and I'm sticking to it ... LOL.

So around 11:30 I start to look out the window and notice those grey clouds don't look like they are burning off. So midway thru my project, leaving it in the hands of my helper big mistake I left him right open to be stolen. I try to ask the big boss if I should reschedule. After much debate and a call from the pilot I end up rescheduling my flight for Tuesday. So I go back to my project to find I had been bumped, to say I was miffed would be mild! After nicely "shoving" the other project off the work station because you know it's only mine it couldn't be used for any of the other 50 people in the office! I know I was channeling my 4 year olds tantrum stage. Well at least I didn't stomp my feet like he does, ok maybe just a little! I went back to assembling my 3 volume calculation times 2! My helper tried so hard to be nice and help us both, but this DIVA was taking over. I think at one point I may even had hip hit him out of the way and made the other packet so it would go faster. I know I'm ashamed too, well ok I felt bad for a minute ... oh ok less than a second, stop huffing at me!

After helping the helper get the other project done and making my 3 volume calculation book turn into 3 volumes with one volume continuing into a fourth book I sat down for a quick lunch since you know it was almost 2pm. Yup that 11am went right out the window with my flight. But guess who got to get in their car at 2pm and drive up to Bellevue, you got it me. Well I guess I should be grateful it was Thursday and not a Friday and that the Boeing people are still on strike so my drive only took 2 hours and 45 minutes! If I could tell you the seconds I would, but let's just say my 1 1/2 hour drive was a bit longer today. I was so sleepy in the car I stopped to get an iced coffee, which of course made it's way out of the lid and down my shirt. I pulled into the office half soaked and very miffed off. I had just enough time to pick the boys up and of course Khari, throw together dinner, change my clothes and tag Rick so I could run to the school. I'm so proud to say I was one of the first mom's to be there, it's a first and I'm going to celebrate it. The mandatory meeting didn't hold as much fear in all the parents like it did in me, as I sit in a half empty chapel I notice that not that many showed up at all. The ladies were true to their word and kept it short and sweet and very informative. We as parents help raise money to keep the cost down and even can earn percentage off or FREE tuition you know that got my ears perked up and I'm so down to calling business for donations I have no shame!

I was hope shortly after 7:30pm and had a quick bite with Tarra and Rick. Rick had feed the kids and everyone was watching TV. I have found my house wife, not the way I thought I would but hey I'll take what I can get. Rick cleaned the whole kitchen and dinning room, while Tarra gave all 3 kids baths and I made the lunch's for tomorrow, it was heaven and I'm so not letting anyone out of it! LOL ... it's perfect and Tarra and Khari are invited for every weeknight, as long as she'll do the baths and I'll do the lunches, not sure if we'll always get Rick helping but I'll take what I can get. So my night thankfully ended on a smile, I'm just going to choose to forget the rest :)

Will it ever end?

Yet another sleepless night with Caden, pretty soon I'm going to be a pro functioning on a few hours at the most of sleep. I feel like I have a new born again, but at least then I didn't have to get up at 6am to go to work. And work I have to do, I only get one day before my desk is completely swallowed up by the elves that hide stuff on it and then ask days later why I didn't do the project at hand, I digress!

Today was not to bad until about an hour before I suppose to leave work, now I say suppose to leave since of course I ended up staying over yet again. Which usually isn't too bad but since I have another host family that picks Roy up I'm sure it effects them if I'm a half hour late. Which when I got home and got a call from the wife I learned that I do effect them and I need to make sure I get off on time Tuesday and Thursdays. One more reason I really would like Roy to go to extended care at his school, that way I don't have to inconvenience anyone.

Today we did the pack as many kids in one car as you can. I'm thinking of changing my car color to yellow for a taxi or maybe shrink it down like the clown car it has become! On our way home Roy told me the car ride was boring. What do you tell a child "It's life and deal with it?" or "Do you think I enjoy taking over an hour to get home when I only live 7 minutes from work?". Now if this was one of my boys I'm sure the latter would be coming out of my mouth, but since I'm trying to keep up the June Cleaver instead of letting my inner Roseanne come out I just smile and ask where his book is. So we pack everyone into the car and head home. I let the younger runs outside since it's better there then screaming and running around the house, I'm trying to save the carpets ... which as you'll see later took a beating yet again tonight! During the time of me getting in the door I got count them 5 phone calls! One was Rick telling me he should be home on time, Tarra saying she'll be late, my girlfriend Amy who's been calling and I'm such a bad friend and haven't called her back and yup you got it 2 calls from the host people. The first guy called to talk to Roy about the hitting situation, he got me back on the phone to say he doesn't speak Korean which 1st blew me away and then that he asked if the situation was better or the same, Roy said the same. Which of course blew me away since the boys haven't even been really in the same room for a few days. So the 2nd host person called and talked to Roy since she spoke Korean, and got back on the phone with me to tell me no the situation was better and he understood that I told him that if Cole bugs him to come get me and not to deal with the situation himself. So I guess all is better, Tarra did tell me Saturday that there was some back and forth ruff housing, but at one point it did get a little much when Roy stuck his foot out to trip Cole on the concrete. I know boys will be boys and Cole will soon be doing the same things to Caden and it's just the cycle but it's still hard!

After the whole ordeal I finally start on dinner, hey's only 7pm who needs to eat at a normal time like normal people. Well after I looked in the cupboards blankly it came to me to make a Spam Casserole a girl at work talked to me about. After some searching and of course not finding the recipe I went onto the Internet, can I tell you how nice it is to type in a subject and a whole list appears right before you! So after a quick search and prep time we have dinner, it's only 8pm that's not late right? Dinner was uneventful if you count kids hoping up and running around the table, at least nothing was split. Well that is until Rick came home and you all know what a clean freak he is. That's when it happened Khari took juice (yup you guessed it, red juice) into the living room and of course it went on the carpet. I knew when I heard Rick's voice that something happened. Well the carpets needed to be cleaned tonight, right? So a quick swipe with the carpet cleaner and all is well (thanks to my Christmas present to Rick, that's been one smart investment). Rick had seconds of the casserole which cleaned out the dish for me! Roy even had seconds, so this recipe is so a keeper and so easy to make if you start out on time dinner would be early :).

Tarra and Khari take off and I get the boys to bed. This is when the furniture started to be moved, I guess all the carpets are being cleaned tonight. He even dusted and picked up the front room! Wow, I just have to say nothing and enjoy these rare occasions! Well I tried to go to bed early but of course it isn't happening, so I guess I'll go watch TV. You know got to catch up on my teeny bopper TV shops, 90210 & Privileged were on tonight!

And the sicky boy begins

Well yesterday I said Caden was sick, well we now have entered the world of cranky sick boy! Let me tell you the fun we had last night, we would get a 1/2 of sleep bliss and then we would wake up and would scream for an hour! Then the bliss of sleep would take over for a 1/2 hour and we would start the fun all over again! I think I got maybe an hour of sleep or two, oh since I'm such a nice wife and knew there was no way I was going to work I took Caden and I out to the living room and made a bed on the floor. So not only do I have bed head, no sleep and a huge pain in the butt (no not Caden and actual pain in the butt from sleeping on the floor).

I let the other two boys sleep in before I took them to school. Then back home for a little sleep right? Who am I kidding Caden was back awake by this time! So it looks like no sleep for me. I do manage to go grocery shopping, hit the library and the doctors office! Yup as Rick would say it was a VACATION day for me!

I'm so going to bed now, before I fall over maybe tonight Caden will sleep. Oh Shush your mouth I know it won't happen but I'm not already in my dream state while I'm standing here!

Cranky sick little one to the fair

Today after going to bed at 2am, I'm woke up at 5:45 by Caden screaming. He was burning up, I gave him some Tylenol and tried a bottle. Around 6:30am Rick got dressed and tried to take him for a drive to calm him down. I took that as my chance to get a little sleep before the day started. Around 7:30am they arrive back at the house, guess I have a break light out and Rick got pulled over. It was a nice cop who just let him know, probably saw the sleeping baby and had a soft spot. Caden was sleeping so I took the opportunity to sleep with him until 9am. At 9am I got up made belgain waffles from scratch ... ok from bisquick but that is mostly scratch right? Well Sandra Lee says it's Semi-Home made so I'm sticking with that. While the kids ate I got dressed and started to get Caden dressed. The fever broke but he was oh so cranky, I knew if I took him out and kept moving he would be oh so much happier then if we stayed inside. So leaving 15 mintues after the time I was suppose to be meeting Tarra, we hit the highway. We meet Tarra at Safeway for a quick supply run, I refuse to pay $5 for a drink, the food you got me but the drinks I'll bring in with us. Plus batteries for my camera since it seems mine are yet again dead. So an hour behind schedule we head to the fair, but not before we paid $12 a peace for parking! Can you believe that you have to pay that crazy amount to park your car in like sardiens, talk about making a killing plus they charge you a premium to get in and don't get me started about what they charge you for food. Got to love a day out of fun items!

We started out at the big pumpkin carving, which was so cool those pumpkins are HUGE. I could only wish my pumpkins would grow that big mine only get to be the size a small melon not even big enough to carve. We then walked thru to visit all the pets, it was so cool they had baby pigglets the night before. Those pigglets were so cute and I counted 10 could you imagine having that many babies at once? I think we walked around for hours looking at the animals, it was so fun I think Roy even got a kick out of it. We then walked over to the kids zone so Khari and Cole could ride some rides it was so cute the big smiles are their faces. We then went over to the roller coaster for Cole and Roy to ride together, but Cole was too short. His feelings got hurt so while Roy went with another big kid we ran Khari and Cole over to ride one more ride together. A few more quick rides for Roy and we headed towards the door. Both Tarra and my feet were killing me and Caden was so done. Poor little guy hung in there like a trooper, I can't wait until next year when he can ride on some rides also.

Some Fun Fair Pictures:

Look Mom I'm Driving Khari

Look Everyone being so nice and decorating thier tiles!

Look Mom at my Tile I decorated!

Do you think I can see your face? Oh ok fine!

Look at me I can drive! Oh boy watch out world!

I'm tried mom can we go home.

I think I'll ride and you can pull me.

A rare moment when Caden was awake and happy.

And this is what we saw most of the time.

He flipped himself around and was trying to escape until he feel asleep.

Back to the car we go and then sit in traffic forever, which wasn't helping the situation with Caden who know had elevated to a very high pitch scream. I took a short cut and finally got to a main road that didn't look any better, so the back roads is the way we went. Finally home to chill out and let my knee rest which is know double it's size and hurting so bad. Geez anymore of thius and I may have to get that knee replacement ... grrr.

Caden is having a very rough not so far, I can only imagine what the rest of it is going to look like. Fingers crossed tonight isn't too bad, but I'm not holding out hope.

What a day ... Why do I pack so much into one day?

Today started off GREAT, and if you believe that then well I don't have anything but you're sure gullible. So you remember how I said my computer was acting up? Well of course 6am comes around I try to log on, no problem until 25 minutes into my shift the whole computer freezes. Not only does it freeze it won't boot back up, I tried at least 6 times and nothing would work. Know the girls are really counting on me and I can't even log back on. I have a full out panic and call my dad's cell phone praying today will go my way and dad will answer. No luck I leave a message which I'm sure was hardly audible since I was in full panic between high pitch voice and tears. Yup I was a mess, I don't it had to do anything with those lovely 4 hours of sleep I got. Then my phones ring it's mom thank heavens she's up this early, she even went and woke Dad up. Well it turns out that I'm a dork! My dad put our old hard drive in and he told me this key was to turn it on to get the stuff off it. Well hear is the dork who turns OFF the new drive and doesn't even do anything to the old drive. So an 1/2 hour late I pull out the old drive turn back on the new drive and log back on. Guess what the show is over and I'm not needed any long for the morning. So I'm up it's now 7am and guess who's up too, Caden. So my luck that when it goes bad it goes bad. So I run around do some housework (where is the maid, oh wait that would be me). I get the boys bathed and in the car, I still need to pick up the gift for the shower. Since I was a dork and didn't go yesterday like I said I would, no I'll go the morning of the shower. I gave Rick a call with the items on her list thinking I could get them at his store this way I could get a more expensive gift, but with his discount it would be the lower amount. Well of course his store is getting ready for Christmas (I know it's September) and most of the kitchen items are put away. After a few calls he did find me a bread maker, which I know she'd love since she makes bread every Sunday. And it's a huge score regularly $180 and with his discount and the no sales tax it brought it down to $80 which is what I had left over. I even splurged and had it wrapped, well it was more because I didn't want to take all 3 boys shopping for wrapping paper and then have the pleasure of wrapping it with those 3 boys. Score, now all I have to do is go home and iron my clothes.

After a brief few minutes oh ok 45 minutes we're in the car and heading up to Tarra's house. She was so kind and said she'd watch Cole and Roy while I went to the shower of course with Caden who freaks if I leave him anywhere. We pull up just as Tarra and Heather are, I give my good-byes and hop in the car. Now I'm thinking ok this will be simple it's just in Seattle and that shouldn't take more then 40 minutes. RIGHT? I know stop rolling your eyes @@, I did it again thinking everything would go my way. After driving past Seattle and over the Ballard Locks I think I'm almost there which is Magnolia (I'm not in Kansas anymore). Those who know me know that me and a stick with the GIANT hills in Seattle is so not my friend. I'm sweating which is so not an attractive thing to do when you're about to go to a party. I'm so silly I only brought the directions (which didn't have the address), so I think there will be balloons no worries. Well no balloons, this is so not that type of party this reminded me of a VERY formal wedding. I get there, and try to unload the presents along with Caden. My 3rd trip to the house, which was Caden in a sun stroller, I'm greeted by a very nice lady who is VERY nicely dressed. Yikes Toto I'm so out of my league. I walk in this amazing house pushing my sun stroller, yup I was looking high class! The girls were so sweet, bringing me a nice plate of food. Now when I say nice I mean, hello it was CHINA with REAL silver fork and knife. Now the only time I break out the China is for Thanksgiving or Christmas, oh wait that's a lie my China is still in their boxes in the cabinet in the kitchen (well at least I think it is, I haven't looked since we moved in 5 year ago). So here's a picture I'm in nice slacks and a button down shirt trying to balance this CHINA on my lap while giving Caden little treats. I look down at my shoes, well at least there black nothing to write home about especially since I've entered the clinked clack world, you know the world that all woman were those pointy 6 inch heels that clicky clack every time the walk. Can I sink into this chair and melt out the door? It's not happening, I politely put my plate with the uneaten lamb Popsicle (hey I learned that on Food Network) since wasn't sure how I was going to eat it with out it going down my lap. I stroll me and Caden to the immaculate kitchen, where I meet the one lady that you know is not happy I brought my son. Now to Caden's created he didn't make a peep, well he laughed but no screaming we were so golden! Oh yeah I got the look like that lady in Trader Joes got the other day. Not only did I get it once by maybe 4 times I stopped counting after that. I politely stayed for her to open her gifts and headed to the door as quickly as could. I do want to thank a very sweet lady who told me she had a 9 month old, she brought me food and even talked to me the whole time. It was great since I think I forgot to mention that it was an almost all Greek shower. Remember in my "Big Fat Greek Wedding" were his dad says "It's all Greek to me" since the whole ceremony was in Greek. Well most of the lady's talked back in forth in Greek, I was so out of my league. Between suits that I swear were Armani, to Pointy Clicky shoes and Greek speaking I was so lost. I hoped in the car and got us on the road. Now don't get me wrong everyone was so sweet to me (minus one evil looker) but it was just more classy then I've ever been too. One good thing no stupid games!

I pull up to pick the boys up and find out the Cole not only had 1 but 2 mistakes in his pants. Yup add to the fun day I'm having, guess I'll be doing laundry yet again! I got everyone to bed and even took a little nap myself before getting on the computer to start job #2 again. I'm happy to note that the computer only froze up one time and was only extremely slow towards the end of the night. Hopefully I didn't peeve off the guy that I asked to call back since my computer completely crashed before I could finish his order! Cross your fingers tomorrow will be better!

I made it to Friday ...

I didn't think this day would come, well I knew it would but my mind it would come but my body and head just didn't want to believe it could come true. Today was like how the rest of this week was crazy and I thought I might just break down and either cry or pull my hair out or if I was lucky throw a stapler and hit someone. Just joking I would never do that, but it made a great picture in my head to make me laugh and to stop from crying. It wasn't that anyone was mean or rude to me it was that nothing was going right. First I had a going away card that was on my desk the other day until someone came in and told me they were taking it. Ok good it's off my desk, well today of course that person is out of the office and the card is missing guess who is getting the look like they lost the card. I have this great feeling it will somehow appear on my desk and make me look like a complete goof. I know it's not there I searched and cleaned and it wasn't there so if it reappears on Monday I'm going to be one unhappy camper. But of course it's not like you can say really I didn't loose it, it really wasn't hear the other day. That's when you get my famous third eye look, like I really am crazy. So after crawling on my hands and knees to see if maybe if fell down, I got up brushed myself off and tried to appear as lady like as I could while trying to stand and not hit my head on the desk. Yup that went over like a lead balloon, grace is not my middle name. So after running around crazy I'm still no closer to finding the card or completing any of my other task. I keep starting on a task and then someone comes in and ask me to do something else, then it takes forever to get back to the first task. I no longer can say it's "One of those days" because the days have been weeks, and then months and now I'm going closer to a year. I'm starting to loose hope that theirs a light at the end. I think I just need to except that my life will always been crazy with crackers mushed in my carpet, half eaten fruit snacks on the couch cushions and food not only on the floor but been walked in and trailed thru the house! Bring on the crazy I don't know what to do with out it.

Ok I so need a break after thinking that whole sentance up! So just to add some fun to my life I take a trip to my parents house. I can't believe it's almost 7pm by the time I get there, what a long day. It was nice though everyone played outside and I was able to just chase one kid. Dad took Cole and played ball, while Mom took Roy and played Whiffle ball, my only charge was the youngest Caden who know that he has learned to walk is oh so daring and NO is not in the words he chooses to listen to. Rick was suppose to be right behind me but of course got caught up and didn't get there until 7:30ish. He took Roy out Jetskiing while Cole threw Rocks and Caden tried yet again the escape routine.

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A few pictures from my parents house

Wiffle ball (Mom, Cole & Roy)

Dad hang out on the decks with Caden

Dad, Caden & Roy hanging out on the dock

Monnie & Bapa and Caden

I'm a sleep mom take my picture

It was a great night we got home in time for me to set up my new Internet. Oh you mean it takes time to do that? REALLY can't I just plug it in and it will start up? Of course not it took forever for it to load. Just in time for me to log in for my 2nd job, computer was acting very slow and hung up a few times. Now a normal person would take this as a sign and call their IT guy in the morning (in my case my dad) and not try to push it. Not my case, I say I'll take on a 2nd shift at 6am even though this shift ends at 1:30am. I can do it, just bring on the coffee! Fingers crossed today goes well!

Taxi Hat Back On ...

I think I have a new calling as a taxi driver. I got to work barely got my butt on the seat before I headed out to take a co-worker to the airport. I dropped him off and headed back to the office, before I left the office I grabbed my book on CD thinking good I can finish this on my way back. Well in theory that is a PERFECT plan, but it helps if you take the car with a CD player. I of course grab the ONE company car with out with, who heard of a car with only a tape player. It's not like this is an old car or anything, so there went that plan. I of course got stuck in traffic so no CD and just the radio that I swear was on a commercial streak. Do you think I can complain anymore? LOL

I was planning to leave a little early to do a few errands before I had to pick up the kids, no of course everything was going smoothly. That is until about 2pm when I'm told 2 jobs are going to hit my desk soon that need to go out today. That's no problem I can get those out with some help. As soon as the first job hits my desk, my boss comes in with a delivery that needs to also go out today that should be coming my way soon. Yup I know never ever make plans to get out early as soon as the thought goes into my mind, the switch goes on to bring on the craziness to Alexis. So here it is 2:30pm and I'm off to Auburn, but I think someone was looking down on me and the traffic was good there and going back to the office. I'm back and it looks like I may get out on time instead of early. My helper and I work hard and get everything packed up and I run out the door.

And the race begins I pick Roy up and then head to pick Caden and Khari up. Before I pick up Cole we stop by the grocery shopping, since I've learned that 3 kids is my max for shopping experiences. We ran thru the store and picked up a few items and then went to pick up Cole. Now I should have known something was wrong when a teacher was waiting at the door at me! Oh crap now this is a very sweet lady, but here's the picture she's about 4' 9" and wow was that a stern look. I wanted to cry myself at this moment, yikes is all I can say to be a kid when she's made at them. So it looks like Cole had an accident he got to playing and didn't tell them he had to go poop. So instead he tried to hide it and I have no clue what happened but it got all over his clothes. You want to see an embarrassed Alexis, lead me into a bathroom where you have a teacher wearing plastic gloves and wipes, cleaning up your child. She hands me a bag with Cole's clothes and I wanted to hide myself. After cleaning him up and putting him in some clothes they had we headed towards the door. I wanted Cole to say sorry to his teachers, of course by now he's embarrassed himself and won't look at her. This made the situation worse and had the teacher very upset. Cross your fingers we'll have a better day tomorrow!

We get home and Cole goes and hides on the couch. I get going on dinner when Tarra comes in. Sounds like I'm not the only one with craziness going on in my life. I finish up dinner and get everyone dressed and ready for bed. I'm about to sit down when Roy's uncle would like to talk to me, did I mention I took a shower right before this and looked like a wet rat? Oh yeah video conference is oh so much fun! The whole time I'm trying to shake my head oh so gracefully to get the water out of my ears and oh yeah fluff my soaked hair. I didn't have time to completely dry off when I heard the knock on the bathroom! I'm sure I made a lovely 1st impression, at least it was memorable! After this I started to hook up the new Internet, after 45 minutes of clicking next I gave up. Made Cole's lunch, while Rick took him on a little drive to have a "talk" about today and the importance of going to the bathroom and NOT hiding it if you have an accident. I have a feeling a bribe was given of a new goldfish! I feel like I'm back in school and don't want to go tomorrow because I'm embarrassed, I can only imagine what Cole feels like and what tomorrow morning is going to have in store for me. During this time Caden is having his new "nightly" freak out doesn't want milk, doesn't want to be held, doesn't want to be left alone fit. So I clean up and let him do his thing, when all of a sudden it's real quite. This usually means trouble and I better run quick where the last noise came from. But to my surprise this is what I found:

Rick brought Cole home and everyone seemed to be in a better mood, Cole of course woke Caden up. So I put Cole to bed and feed Caden real quick. Rick and I had a great time catching up on today's events and finally I think I better head to bed. Tomorrow really does have to be better right? It's Friday tomorrow right?

Tomorrow has to be better right?

Well I woke up with the thought that today would be better, but no such luck. Work was crazy, darn my alarm clock didn't warn me! It was a run around day and of course that meant I would get out of work 1/2 hour late. Yup wracking up those points with the kids, I know! If only I could get this super mom cape to work!

I pick up the Roy and head to daycare and grab Caden and Khari. This is where the fun begins, if only you had a youtube video of me trying to fit her monster of a booster seat in. Ok really it's not that big it's just with Caden big seat and Cole's booster seat on the other end trying to squeeze one more seat in is really pushing it. Plus the non removable drink cup holder on the side that of course points towards the door. I think after dying of laughter Grandma Pat took pity on my and brought me her booster that is like Cole's with no back. Yup that fit right in, a little crocked but hey 3 car seats in the back of the car is a lot to ask of my poor car (I'll have to send a picture of all 3 of them it's actually comical. So I strap Caden and Khari in and think I'm so ahead of the game. I close the door and look down, oh crap now where am I going to put her booster and her bag and 2 blankets. I open back up the passenger door throw the blankets in and shut the door quickly (praying that it doesn't hit anyone in the face). Then I open the back of my car to remember I have the wagon back there along with the towel cake for the shower. So 15 minutes later I rearranged my back to the best of my capability. We then get in the car and head towards Cole's school, when I look down at my gas. Oh yeah the light goes off in my head reminding me that the light came on earlier. Geez I just don't think I can have a smooth day ever, my life is just crazy and the people around me just are going to have to deal! Sorry did I get a little touchy there, must be the day I'm having! A quick gas stop and off to pick Cole up. I should have known today was going to be a bad day, I walk in Cole runs to me and clings to my leg. I look down "what did you do?". We get over to his locker and his teacher stops me to tell me that Cole got in trouble in class today. They had group time and Cole wouldn't sit down or listen, so he got put in the corner. I knew the last week was too good to be true, my little monster has shown his face. We walk out and Cole's in tears, at least he feels bad about acting up that is a step in the right direction.

We finally get home and unload everyone. Cole and Khari hit Cole's room and I mean literally hit his room full force, most days I would be stop jumping on the bed today I just wanted to get dinner done. Tarra showed up a few minutes after we got home and I was stumped for dinner. After looking thru my cookbook for 20 minutes I went to the old standby spaghetti. It was so nice having grown up talk while I cooked dinner. It was a GREAT dinner, most of the food stayed "around" the plates. I won't even mention the floors, they so badly need to be washed I need help maybe I can get a house cleaner again to help me out?

After dinner I cleaned up while the kids ran around like wild horses. Tarra was such a sweetie and helped Cole make his lunch for the next day. A quick bath time and clean up of the toys and I think I'm done. Tarra and Khari go home and I think I'll get a little down time. Rick was exhausted and went to bed, Cole fell asleep on the couch and Mr. Caden was having a rough time after a 1/2 hour of crying not wanting a bottle he fell asleep. I sat down to watch my shows got 1/2 way thru Bones and the DVR had a problem and stopped recording, so I start ANTM and that also got 1/2 way thru and died. Well if only I could watch the first half of one and the last half of the other, instead I got the first half of both. No clue what happened on either :(.

Well I guess it's time to go to bed. Then I remembered crap I didn't get Cole's show-n-tell ready and we didn't go over her memorize bible versus either. And oh crap I didn't do it with Roy either. Double Crap I think I need to take the advice of the guy at work and get a "House Wife" ... LOL he's wife had a baby and became a stay at home mom, he says I need one also. I'm really starting to think that is true. If someone took care of the laundry, the cooking and the cleaning. I so could handle the homework and everything else! I'm telling you this working 2 jobs and Rick working 2 jobs and 3 kids is a lot of work and the math is just not adding up! I think I need some sleep, I need to get up and get Cole's Show-n-tell ready along with Roy's Breakfast and oh yeah go over the 3 clues Cole needs to talk about his Show-n-Tell. Yup I have no worries about this! Keep praying for me I think I'm going to need any help and good karma coming my way!

Just call me taxi driver ...

I think I need to put a taxi hat on and just go for it ... LOL. I'm thinking if I could invite an alarm clock that wakes you up buy saying today is going to be crazy have a minimum of 4 cups of coffee or today will be relaxed ok to stick with the tea. Wouldn't that make our life SO MUCH easier? You could start up by waking up and mentally preparing for a crazy day! I could have really have used that today!

Today we started out with the same as usual, breakfast for Roy, get the boys dressed and head towards the car. Drop Cole off, then drop Caden off and last drop Roy off, then I head to work. I had enough time to drink my coffee and weed thru my desk and the piles I just cleaned up on Friday. My boss comes in and asked if I could do him a favor and pick his wife up for an apt, sure no problem. She's a very nice lady and had surgery on her foot and needed to go to the doctor. I actually like being able to get out every once in a while, plus on the drive there I can listen to my book on CD and win for me. I get there and after a little bit of organizing we get on the road, and then we drive to the place I'm just driving and go with her directions. We get busy talking and totally pass the place, so UP is notorious for there U turns because of the lovely florals in the middle of the road that don't let you take lefts. We turn back around and head to the clinic, I drop her off and then run to the music store to return some music for her while I wait. I picked her back up and we hit Trader Joes which I've never been in and was more in the looky mood instead of the shopping mood. It was such a cool place, I will have to go back soon. While we were there a poor mom was having a moment from her child, you know the one where they are screaming and nothing you do will make them happy. You try so hard to grab your items and make it to the check out, avoiding eye contact as much as you can. Now I'm usually on the other end of this, so I don't get the perspective of seeing it from the other end. I just gave her a smile, since I know I need one in those moments. The other shoppers were a total different story. One older lady actually rather loudly said "when that happened to me, I immediately took my child outside" and then with a nasty glare and a huff she continued shopping. When the child would give up his "moment" the lady once again made a comment it was past nap time, by this time I distanced myself from her since I didn't need my mouth to get me in trouble with my bosses wife next to me. All I can say is so lucky lady, how easily we forget how it is to be in that mothers shoes. It's not easy being a mom and getting dressed and in the car and actually making it to the store is hard enough, then you add in a child that is not happy and your whole world is just too much. You so want to either shrink into the corner or just grab what you can and run for the exit hopping you pay for everything, including whatever item you gave the child to hold hoping that would keep them quite. Yup, that was interesting and I will now step down from my soap box.

Ok back to our trip, we then headed to the chiropractor who was closed early for of course this day ... I think my luck may have rubbed off just a little. We got back on the freeway and headed to the pharmacy, it was a cool looking one with lines for pick up and drop off ... go figure! Stop rolling your eyes @@, yes I did start to go in the wrong line because apparently I can't read! A very pleasant girl (NOT) took the RX and told us 15 minutes, oh wait that was after we asked how long. So with 15 minutes to kill we headed to Panera Bread to pick up some lunch. We picked up an amazing lunch, I had chicken salad sandwich. While I was there they had a deal on bagels so I picked a bag up, the yummiest flavors ... cherry vanilla, Cinnamon crunch, french toast and some other yummy apple one. Looks like I may start to eat breakfast this week, don't even ask the calories I'm pretending right now! I load up the car and back to the pharmacy to pick up the RX. We head back to her house I unload the groceries and set up her lunch, I look at the time and have to head back to the office.

I rush back to work to swap cars real quick so I can make it to my hair apt that is to start in 5 minutes! Yup I'm making that on time. Thankfully my hairdresser was just finish up her previous client when I walked in 10 minutes late. She is great, she did my Winter Colors ... LOL. It's a little on the dark side and she put 3 colors in but right now I'm only seeing 2 dark and very blonde :). I'm sure in a week it will be lighter, but her it is (0k it was styled when I left the house this am, but I'm not sure what happened, I'm going to need better products) ... Hmm looking at this I think I need some Sarah Palin glasses what do you think? She has so many cute ones.:

So after my hair was beautified I got back on the road to pick up the boys, start with Roy, then pick Caden and Khari up (Tarra's daughter) and head for Cole's school. While I'm driving I get a call from my postman to let me know 2 pkgs from Korea arrived and are at the office (wow who knew customer service was still alive). So we head towards the post office and Tarra calls her BF's car broke down and her mom was picking her up, so I'll bring Khari her way. So we pick up the boxes which of course they make Roy come in, not to see an idea but just to see him? WTF I could have brought in an ethnic person, not like they knew he was Korean or who he was real safe! So the boxes are HUGE, so we drop them off at home and head back out.

I've learned the 4 kids and one adult in a car for a long ride can put the test to any one's sanity. We hit the mall and drop car off with Tarra and we head back home. Oh crap I need milk, so we stop at Summit for milk and of course a few more items. I'm on a roll, we might be home a little after 7pm, I'm sure this is helping my cause with Roy saying that it takes too long to get home. Welcome to my world, oh how I miss he single kidless days of home right after work a bowl of cereal and TV.

Ok back to reality, we get home and unload a whole cupboard for Roy's treats his parents sent. I get the boys in PJ's with no luck on bedtime in sight. They both were not having it. Finally get everyone in bed and call rick since he was suppose to be home at 8pm and it's now 10pm. Meeting ran over and he's picking up a bite with the guys. So here I am a little after midnight now and he's just getting home. I swear guys have no concept of respect to call to say hey I'm still with the boys it's going to be a little longer than 11pm like I said. GRRRR ... then you try to talk to them about it and of course your the bad person. Some days don't you wish kids and husbands came with instruction manuals? Maybe I can make that with the alarm clock. Hey let me dream, now I'm going to bed before I kill my hubby or pass out not sure what is going to come first. Hugs.