Weekend fun

This weekend my oldest 3 went to my mom's house for the entire weekend, but because my youngest still gets into mommie's bed at night she had to stay home. So we had a special weekend just for her.
We let her walk the dog....watch towards the end.



We took her to the park




and to the store for special treats and her Grandmother and Grandad ( grangran) took her ( and her mommie and daddy) to eat a burrito. Daddy made her homemade pizza,cookies and grilled cheese sandwiches.
We also to her on a walk and to see the puppies and kitties at our local humane society.  We played all of her fave and some new games with her. This is why my blog, social media and projects went on undone. All I can say it was well worth it, she loved getting mommie and daddy all to her self.

Going to the park

Today I took my kids to the park. It was a lot of fun for all of us. My husband has borrowed my BIL's metal detector and when we get to the park you would think he had produced a magical wand. Many of the kids followed him around, helping him dig hoes in the sand if the detector beeps. The excitement on their faces of the prize yet to be found is beyond cool. I also love their fearlessness to to go and investigate something new ( even if a strange person is the new) and allow the excitement of it bring them joy. As adults we often bypass anything new, especially if it involves talking to a complete stranger. Now I know there are some who have no issue with walking up to a person and just striking up a conversation like it is nothing at all, but these people are not the norm. Some of that is that  as kids we are taught  stranger danger, which these days ever so much more.  I once read an article that said as parents we should teach our kids not stranger danger but stranger aware. To teach kids to follow their gut. While I can see a point in that because they will need to know how to maneuver with many people and age groups in their lifetime and yet something I find myself asking is do I really want to lose my child because their gut was wrong or just plain ignored. I think as parents we need to teach our kids to be aware that there are strangers who mean you harm and sometimes they present themselves as a friend or innocent person. That there are strangers who are dangerous. That if anything ever happens ( no matter what it is) to run screaming to the nearest adult and to not stop telling someone what happened until they are heard. Now as adults we should trust our gut, but allow ourselves to meet new people and try new things. Trust our guts because there are still people ( strangers) who will mean us harm, but statistically the people you should watch are the ones you know. So why not make some new friends and try some new things. 

Funny little side story though. while at the park today I was going down an inclosed swirling slide with my youngest daughter ( many times) and to young boys were getting the slide right behind me. They startd whispering behind me and this is their conversation.
Boy one - she has red in her hair. Why does she have red in her hair? (I have red patches in my hair.Not a norm for the area I live in or my age group)
boy two - I don't know. Touch it.  ( I went down the slide before he could )

Guns in real life vs Tv myth

My husband and I both are capable shooters. My husband grew up using guns. We both know they are no toys and have taught our kids the same. We have set the rules if you see a gun you do not touch it unless you are being supervised at the gun range ( for our teens), our younger ones are just told to run and tell an adult. We ask our kids friends parents if they own guns and if so what precautions they take to be  sure the kids will not stumble upon them.  All guns are loaded always no matter what anyone else says.We know guns are a controversial issue and we firmly believe that it is each parents choice but we want our kids to have full knowledge of a gun and the consequences of using one improperly. GUNS ARE NOT TOYS and DO NOT MAKE YOU LOOK TOUGH.  This is where TV myth comes in. Not all guns just go off if they are dropped ( some can but most wont). Once an automatic gun is out is does not keep clicking, the slide stays open to show the gun is empty. You do not cock an automatic gun except for a few models like the 1911 and few other models. Being shot in the shoulder or side is not just a wound you can wrap and go with. Shooting the gas tank in a car will not make  the car explode. Hugging the corner to enter a room is not the most effective way to enter and clear a room except under team related instances.You can not curve a bullet, you pull your shot you pull your bullet off target hitting an unintended target. Spinning a loaded gun on your finger is not a cool trick but a very stupid and deadly act ( you will end up killing yourself or someone else). Guns really do only have a limit on bullets that are loaded and need re- loaded. 99% of people will not pick up a gun and be able to make some ridiculous shot it actually takes practice to get good at shooting. Bullets can go through walls and a car but most civilian bullets can not go through body armor and no hollow points are not armor piercing.   Shooting a gun will make your ears ring, you will not be holding some long dialogue with your opponent, well at least not easily. I wish Hollywood would not play up a gun making you a bad a** and portray them in their true form. A gun is a weapon and a tool not a toy. It also not the way you handle your problems. It is a last recourse to save your life.

Please Don't Share!

We have had a really hard week here. It started with a migraine for mommie and then a stomach virus. When it started we thought oh it is food poisoning because  our two eldest came home from a youth group party with tummy aches. Unfortunately it was not just food poisoning. I was abruptly woken by my 3 year old throwing up on me and my bed. Then later as that was finishing it's work through my family my husband thought he might be getting a scratchy throat. As we have been trying to contain this it made think of how many times we tell our kids to share. Share your toys, share your snack( i.e goldfish, crackers etc.) share share share. Now I am saying wait stop. Please don't share my drink, my food, your food, etc. Please Don't Share Your Germs. I do not want any more illnesses this year thank you.  So I am rethinking the sharing thing. The next time my kids are playing in the park and a snotty nosed kid wants a few of my kids sand toys I may just say you don't have to and when the insulted mom says it's just allergies I will look at her suspiciously and wonder if it really is just allergies or if she is just completely oblivious to the fact her kid has some kind of cold and is infecting my child with it ( nice side note learned the hard way if it looks like pink eye and the parent says it's allergies trust your gut). Perhaps the next time I am at the McDonald's Play Place I will insist my child not play with the child who is repeatedly coughing in my child's direction and when that child's parent says oh they are just a little warm and that makes them cough I will give her a crazy look and cough in her direction and exclaim oh I understand I do the same thing and it is so really warm in here.  No I wont really do these things but I will start teaching my children to not put their hands to their faces with out washing them first, wash before eating and after being out ( especially during cold and flu season which typically lasts till May here). I will keep my kids from being the kid that spread the germs. We have got to teach our kids to not share their germs.

Sick days are still good days.

Sorry this week had been so slow. I was sick with a headache for two days and then we got hit with a stomach bug. Which we are still dealing with. Hopefully it will stay at 2 kids and not the other 2 or us the parents, but I am fairly certain if it is contagious I have been contaminated thanks to my kids swiping drinks from my pop the night they got sick. YA me.  My poor little 3 yr old has no understanding what is wrong. She started throwing up and decided she was done with it so despite still going she tried to get up and walk away saying she was done. I wish it was that easy it breaks my heart for her.  So that has been my week so far add that to the fact I have to finish getting ready for a craft show. Very long week but I know one of these days I will miss having a little one to take care of. Hearing mommie coming out of a bedroom,being trapped under a body that is finally sleeping or even being asked to just be near. Someday that will be gone and my home will be silent except for the occasional visit. So even these days I have come to be thankful for. I just don't want or need to many of these weeks.

To Bathe or not?

My 3 year old hates - yes I said hates- being washed especially her hair. Has since she was an infant. You would think after years now of being bathed she would at least tolerate and expect it, but no it is a screaming nightmare for both of us. Now she loves to "play" in a bubble bath, but if I pull out the soap she freaks. I have tried all kinds of tricks like covering her head with a rag, using the rag to rinse her hair,acting like the rag was a puppet, washing her hair in the sink while she lies on the counter with a rag over face, etc. Now some of you are thinking  why not let her clean herself.  Well that is because she tells me things I'm all clean I washed my feet and the rest her is bone dry. Now some days if she has only played inside I do let the whole I'm clean the bubbles cleaned me slide. I know eventually she will be able to 1. understand why she must bathe and or 2. tell me why she dislikes it so much. I just am not sure that day can come fast enough for either one of us. It is so bad that I will admit some days I let her win and she wont have to bathe that night. Honestly there is only so many mommie no with great big sobbing puppy dog tears  chasing the toddler forcing her to get and stay  in a tub of water screaming like she is being beat severely nights one mom can take.  I know I am not alone in this. One of my sisters has a kid who has developed an issue with water being on their head. Yet I sure feel alone and like a mean bad mommie when it comes to bath time. Being mom is not always as what June Cleaver, Carol Brady, Shirley Partridge made it look like. Heck even Morticia Adams made it look to easy and her kids were crazy.

Parent talk

Today in the mix of a day of playing in the snow, housework, neighbors visiting I got a call from my sister L. Which is always a nice treat. We have a lot in common but also she has kids who just like mine inevitably come to ask her a dozen questions while she is on the phone.  It is so awesome to hear some one else actually say because I said so. After our discussion I started thinking about some of the funny and unusual conversations that you have as a parent with another parent. Here are a few I have heard or had with others.


1 My kids have I'm on the phone radar which has caused me to literally hide in my closet or bathroom just to get a conversation out.
2 My kids have the ability to hear the crinkle of a sugary snack in another room so I pretend to be looking the freezer or fridge to eat the snack with out being trapped into giving one to my kids.
3. I am always doing laundry. It never ends. I will wash and dry it and then just leave it in a pile on the couch hoping someone else will want to fold it.( which does not happen not even if you try to make it a game)
4 I only lightly wash over the sides the shower with a rag and cleaner but today I discovered that what I thought was off white is actually white.
5. My potty training toddler spilled pee all over my shoe as they tried to dump their own potty with out telling mom.
6. My potty training toddler tried to wipe their own poopie bottom and ended up getting it all over their bottom and the toilet seat.
7. My toddler asked me to clean their bottom with water because it was itchy.
8. I can clean my house and as soon as I am done with one room the kids have messed it up again while I tried to work on another room.
9. Hold on a second....... you went poop yay..... did you wipe
10. Hold on a second ...... no you can not have another snack
11 Hold on a second...... I said to leave your sibling alone
12 Sometimes I bribe my kids with candy to get them stop throwing a fit in the store
13. I threaten that if they don't behave I will take them to the bathroom in the store and spank their bottoms...it works but I have never done it so I don't know why it works
14. my kids have the stinkiest farts, biggest poops etc.
15 How is that an infant can fart bigger than an adult....so when you blame the baby in the store the perfect stranger looks at you like you are awful for blaming your sweet innocent baby for such a thing. that is unless they are parents too then they just smile or giggle with you.
16 and finally hold on a second.... can't you see I am on the phone

I think sharing these things and so many more help keep us parents sane and feeling a little less like this is only happening to me and my kids are ............
So get other and share. You will feel so much better and may just get a good laugh into, just remember the closet is a good place to talk. haha