Summer Time

Today is the last day of school. Yesterday I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. But now that I have had time to think, I am getting excited. There are only so many summers left before they decide that they don't want to be home or they would rather spend their days with their peers instead of at home.

I am thinking of my daily plan of "attack". I hope it works. We will need to have time to clean the house, time to read, time to play (probably early in the morning, before it gets too hot). We also need to work on respect in this house. That was so important to me before I got married, and well, the kids aren't showing any. I want to do a weekly activity, whether it is pain something, make something out of paper, sew something, or just do something that is creative.

I want summer times to be times that they remember, times that they are able to kick back and enjoy themselves, times when they can see that it really is ALL ABOUT THE FAMILY, that is the most important thing. I want them to feel safe in our home and for us all to feel secure with each other.

Need to Record

I am feeling a need to record what is going on in our lives.

Last week Abby was sick for 3 long days.

The first day she had diarrhea,

then the next two days she was throwing up.

She couldn't keep anything down.

She lost some weight.

I was feeling a little scared.

She is very strong minded.

All she wanted was sugar.

The first night she was sick

she would come in during the night saying,

"Mom, it happened again."

She had diarrhea while she was asleep.

The second night

she would wake me up because

she was hungry or she was throwing up.

The third night was the same as the second.

The third night I woke up feeling panicked

because she didn't wake me up.

I thought maybe she threw up and then choked on it.

She was so week.

But she was fine.

The fourth night that week

Jacob woke me up at 5:00 am

He wet the bed.

He had a bath.

Thank goodness that was a Saturday morning.

Matt took car of him.

After his bath he came to bed with me and Bryan.

Jacob slept till 8:00 am

He woke up because he wet MY bed.

My bedding was washed but I still need to clean his,

how gross is that?

An elderly lady was watching me doze off

during Sunday school and asked me how I was doing.

I told her how my week went

and I made the comment,

"I was just having a VERY motherly week"

Sunday at church

Jacob fell asleep in a pew.

He slept for about 2 hours or longer.

When he woke up he was wet.

Matt took him home

and bathed him.

When church got out I wondered where Matt was.

When he got back to church he was walking towards me

with paper towels and vinegar water spray.

He told me the story and went in to clean up the mess.

This is the last week of school.

I don't know if I am ready for them to be home full time.

They are fighting so much.

Anger with over 100 degree weather is going to be tough.

Each summer I feel like I have to teach the kids basics.

Be nice

Listen

use your inside voices

help around the house

make time for quiet time

make your bed

have fun with each other

family first

then friends

Is that too much to ask?

Red Skirt

I saw a lady today. She was riding her bike, she was wearing a red flyaway skirt a white shirt a straw hat and a colorfully striped backpack. She looked so carefree in this beautiful weather we are having today. The weatherman said it would be 79 today but it feels much cooler with the breeze. I then noticed that she wasn't wearing any shoes. I think if I knew her we would be friends. She made me want to go out and buy red flowing material so I too could wear a flyaway skirt.

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I was thinking about my kids and how funny they can be.

Emma sings the wise man and the foolish man like this,

The wise man built his house upon a rock

the wise man built his house upon a rock

the wise man built his house upon a rock

and the rains came tumblin' down

the rains came down and the

flowers came up

the rains came down and

the flowers came up

the rains came down and

the flowers came up

and the house on the rock stood still.

I've told her several times that it is sung the rains came down and the floods came up. But she insists that it is flowers. I really like her version.

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Abby sings the song I've been working on the railroad

I've been working on the railroad and I'm almost done, this time of year.

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David has given me some insight to why it is so hard for a youngin to poop in the toilet. He said, "Mom, I know why it is so hard for Jacob to poop in the toilet. It's because you have to sit there for such a long time. It's hard."

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I hardly ever carry Bryan in his car seat. Today I noticed that he has grown and it was time to move the straps up a notch, so I brought him in the house in his car seat. For some reason he thought that ride was great fun. Every time the seat would bump my leg he would laugh.

When it was time to leave the house I thought I would let him have a special "ride" to the car. Same thing happened, he would laugh every time the seat hit my leg.

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I've noticed yesterday and today that the spots or rash that Bryan has had around his mouth is clearing up. The rash looks like a heat rash to me, raised red bumps. They don't seem to bother him.

I love that Bryan recognizes me and if I walk by and don't acknowledge him he will coo, laugh or smile till I say something to him. He is such a joy to have in our family.

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While I was serving an LDS mission, the other sister missionaries would come to me asking if I would french braid their hair. I loved doing it, it made me feel good that I could do something that not everyone could do. One of these sisters wrote in my scrapbook that one day I should open up a braid shop, I always thought that was a funny idea, because I didn't think one could make money just by styling hair. I don't want to cut hair, because that is soooo permanent if I mess up.

Anyways I have found that when I do my girls hair it relieves stress. I should take pictures and post them. The girls get so many compliments on there hair. It is lots of fun.

This Morning

This morning, a neighbor started his car radio at 7:05, our house felt like it was shaking. At 7:15 Matt went out to talk to the young adult.

Matt was approached by the mother. Matt let her know that the music was too loud. In a matter of fact tone. She got in his face saying that, yesterday for 15 minutes she watched our son (Jacob) beat up on his sister with a green stick. She was very disturbed.

Matt said to me that it was probably good that I wasn't there because of how rude she was being.

Here is what I would have said, "They were sword fighting like any 3 and 5 year old would do. And, the son was hurt not the daughter. They were laughing till the "boy's" fingers got hit." Then after thinking about it a bit longer I would have said, "I am "disturbed" that you would stand there and watch my daughter get beat up and not do anything about it!" Then as I thought about it longer I would have said, "Isn't it nice that, if you don't like how a neighbor is acting you can turn your head and forget about it, but when one is blasting their noise, there is nowhere to hide."

Anyways, Matt didn't know what to say because, well he wasn't there yesterday while the said kid beat up on the sister.

So, Matt wanted to talk with the adult kid whose music was too loud and she would not allow it. She said that she will tell him. I think Matt said that he tried to talk to the kid 3 times till he was finally able to say something. He just said, "hey, your music is too loud." The kid then said, "Oh, I didn't know you could hear it." He then turned it off.

This explains a lot... at 2 and 3 in the morning we hear drum sounds coming from his house. We can hear it! If it wakes us up you know it is too loud!

Bryan

Do you ever feel like the doctor just jumps to conclusions, just to rule out something? I wonder if Bryan is allergic is even allergic to anything, it could be just really bad gas.

I am very concerned about his constipation. Although the doc doesn't seem to be. She says that constipation is little hard balls. I say it is when one has a hard time pooping even though there is A LOT that needs to come out.

I know that Bryan did have 3 times of having a little bit of bloody spit up. I wonder if maybe he was so backed up that something could have ripped inside. She said that it is probably because he is inflamed inside. I want to trust the doc but I don't feel like she is looking at what I am looking at.

I am still off dairy, soy, eggs and nuts and I am fine with that. But for Bryan's sake, something just doesn't feel right. I can tell that his tummy is more content after nursing, but he still has times of being really gassy.

His next appointment is June 2. It feels like it is a long time away. He still has spots around his mouth. Not sure why, I am thinking maybe yeast, or clogged pores.

Wish he could talk and tell me what hurts. By the time he is old enough to talk he wont recognize what hurts because he is used to the pain.

That is, if he is having any pain.

I can tell when I am stressed or having troubles figuring things out. I just don't get much done. I am too busy pondering. I need to get out and do my visiting teaching I've missed two months and I hate that. I miss the sisters that I visit. But I still struggle making the call, figuring out how to get 4 different schedules to match... that is just for one visit. Myself, companion, sister to visit, and a sitter. Hmmm, need to do it anyway!!

Respect or Fear?

I am Mom,

hear me ROAR!!

Yesterday, no really it's been

ALL WEEK.

I have been agitated and frustrated.

I have had sick kids that haven't let me sleep

straight through the night.

Heavenly Father has sent me a boy

who is now three.

This little boy has been sent here to challenge me.

This week more than others.

Yesterday I had had it!!

I need to give you some information before I finish this story.

We have been having problems with the neighbor kids

and their very loud BASE.

So loud that the picture on OUR walls

are shaking.

Long story short we have called the police

twice.

The first time we just filled a report and

the second time we had them come out.

Did you know that it doesn't matter what time of day it is,

if you are making too much noise

you can be fined

$250.00

1st offense.

It goes up from there.

Anyways, back to the story...

So, I had had it, my blood was boiling.

Some guy came into MY neighborhood

and started playing his base for all the kids to hear.

I walked outside just fuming.

I see one neighbor kid run around the car

and jump into the passenger seat.

I see other neighborhood kids start to back away.

Then I see the owner of the car,

I gasp.

He is a huge black guy that has a beard.

And well he just looked scary.

Then I remember Jacob and how frustrated I am and I hear that horrible base playing.

The adrenaline is still running through me.

I walked right up to the owner of the car who did not see me coming,

he was getting into the drivers' seat.

And I said as loud as I could.

It wasn't loud enough.

"Excuse me, I have a sleeping baby.

Will you please turn that down."

I don't think anyone heard me.

The neighbor kid did turn it down,

not because he heard me but because he knows I mean business.

I said, "thank you!"

turned to walk away

when I saw David,

Cute boy, he walked over with me.

I surprised the owner of the car.

The neighbor kids must have told him that I am known to call the cops.

Because he loaded up his stuff and was GONE within

30 seconds.

Yep,

I am Mom

Hear me ROAR!!!