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Going to the lake today. Because we have to, remember?
Hot dogs on a stick and marshmallows. Wish me luck!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Going to the lake
Camping
We composed a sensory poem while walking to the restroom one evening. I thought I would share it with you. More of that whole educational field trip thing.
I went first to give an example
Camping
Looks like a starry sky
Sounds like zippers
Smells like bug spray
Tastes like marshmallows
Feels like wet grass
Lenna's:
Camping
Looks like a flashlight
Sounds like wind
Smells like campfire smoke
Tastes like campfire food
Feels cold
Andy's:
Camping
Looks like a forest
Sounds like gravel crunching
Smells like fresh air
Tastes like hot chocolate
Feels cold and wet
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Educational field trip
I mentioned in a previous post that I hoped our summer vacation would be filled with educational filed trips, among other things. Well, Friday we started our cross-country trek by driving to the in-laws in Maryland. I am not sure about what the kids learned, in fact I am a little afraid to know what they picked up over the two days we were on the road. I, however learned a lot. It was definitely a learning experience for me. So in honor of educational field trips, 6 miles away or 600, here is my travel-log:
Questions I wish I knew the answers to, and some answers I wish I didn't.
Some questions:
Why is it that no matter how carefully I pack, that the one thing I really need at the rest stop is in the bottom of the bag that is at the back of the trunk, under a stroller, a sleeping bag, and two other suitcases?
How is it possible that I can cram three duffel bags, two kid suitcases, three sleeping bags, three winter coats, a stroller, three backpacks, a jumbo bag of pampers, and a case of water bottles into my compact car's trunk, but after removing two backpacks and the diapers for an overnight stay, nothing will go back in?
What is the internal mechanism possessed by the baby that allows her to instinctively know when we are within an hour of our destination, that makes her think that it is acceptable to cry inconsolably for the entire last hour? How can she know it is the last hour, when we are driving 4, 5 , or 6 hours?
How many rounds of 20 Questions can a mother endure before she goes completely insane?
At what point in time is it acceptable to pull over, stop the car, and answer "Yes! Everybody out NOW!" an d really mean it when you hear "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer?" for the one thousandth time?
Is it strange that at the end of our drive, I actually came out loving my children more than when we started?
Some answers:
Yes, it is possible to get all three kids asleep at the same time. Just before you have to stop to use the bathroom and fill up on gas.
A four-year old who drinks two glasses of juice for breakfast, chocolate milk for lunch, and two water bottles in between will have to stop to go to the bathroom 5 times in a 6 hour period.
Cherry coke and peanut butter m&ms.
Yes, it is possible to clean up a baby who has a blowout on the interstate at a rest stop bathroom by holding her naked bum under the faucet, drying her under the hand-blower, and dressing her in the car.
Um, no, you can't feed the baby french fries to keep her happy. If you don't want her to kick your nose, move your head away from her feet.
You can keep a four year old boy busy by loading his backpack with new toy and coloring books and then telling him not to open or use them until he gets on the plane on Tuesday. He will proceed to secretly color and trace and peel and stick as quietly as he can for the next three hours.
Traveling is definitely better with a friend.
10 kids under 9, three moms, three pizzas, three hotel rooms, one pool, and a lobby with warm cookies at bedtime and sugar cereal for breakfast = barely controlled chaos and an exciting sleepover. The neighbors only requested to be moved once.
It is possible to make a baby bottle while driving five miles an hour in rush hour traffic while waiting for the "next stop in ten miles!" to take an hour instead of ten minutes.
7
I love welcome center rest stops with lights, plumbing, lawns, and custodians.
There is a Wiggles tape in a trash can at a rest stop somewhere along I-81 that my children miss. I don't.
Frosted animal cookies with sprinkles, when left in a car trunk for two days in 90*, will melt into a sticky, drippy mess. When put into the freezer to solidify, it will turn into a solid lump of sweet, sprinkled, cookie chunks. This will not deter hungry people from devouring them and licking their fingers at the end.
Everything is better with Daddy along. We miss you, Mike!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Mud monsters
Saturday was Andy's last baseball game. I went outside to tell the kids to get ready and into the car, and found this. I guess leaving the lid off the sandbox for two days of rain results in great building opportunities- castles, moats, race tracks, and spa treatments.
We have a nifty outdoor shower with an on-call attendant that took care of the mess right away. He works for free, his only pay being satisfaction in a job well done.
We were only five minutes late to the game.
Summer Vacation?
I remember it was about mid-April when I started counting down the days until the end of the school year. Between doctor visits for everyone, soccer games, baseball practice, car repairs, school, preschool, prek registration, summer activity sign ups, a new church calling, and the normal daily to-do lists, I was feeling completely worn out. I couldn't wait for summer break to finally get a chance to rest. To have time to catch up on household chores, forgotten craft projects, and neglected family time. We would sleep late, spend quality family time together, take afternoon naps, visit the library and read great adventure stories, take daily field trips to parks, pools, museums, movies, and county events.
What was I thinking?
We have been out for a month, and are just as busy ever! Except now we get to do it all in the suffocating summer heat without school to keep the kids while I run around. It never actually stops, does it? There will always be something no matter what.
However, we are keep busy with things we want to do as well as the things we have to do, so it is an enjoyable busy.
The kids finished their swimming lessons and did amazingly well. If we are all in a life raft together and we all fall out, one of them will probably end up saving me. We spent every morning and afternoon for two weeks at the pool. I am happy to report that no one drowned, got lost, threw up, convinced me to buy the $5 muffins or smoothies at the snack bar, or got a sunburn.
We made a trip to our old haunt, the library. I missed that place but we could never seem to fit it into our school year schedule. We returned with a vengeance, filling the stroller with books we all just had to read this week. Lenna made her selections with enthusiasm and was happy she didn't have to adhere to the "just one at a time" rule that she disliked so much at the school library. Surprisingly, we all finished our stack and went back for more the next week. I signed everyone up for story time, but unavoidable events (car issues) have kept us from attending yet.
Another great thing about the library is that it shares a lot with a nice park, complete with duck and turtle pond, walking path, playground, and splash fountains. We took a picnic lunch on our library trip and spent the afternoon eating, playing, and getting wet.
Three different theaters in our area offer a free summer kids movies program, where they show kids movies free of charge each week all summer long. Between the three different theaters we will be able to see a movie each afternoon three days a week. A great place to keep cool on hot afternoons!
This week we became official southerners as I sent my kids to vacation bible school this week. After our last two trips to the grocery store left me feeling less-than enamored with my lovely children, I needed a break from all the togetherness. Lenna is returning the rest of the week while Andy opted to stay home after an unfortunate run-in with "a mean kid in a hat that kept growling at me and hitting me."
I took advantage of the few kid-free hours to go work out at the Y. Rebecca usually will give me about 40 minutes before she decides she is done with the nursery and starts crying loud enough for them to page me back. I spent some time on the treadmill and trekking machine. After 30 minutes my clothes were wet, my breathing labored, my legs were jello, and I had burned a lousy 100 calories. I came home and made salad for dinner. I am never eating french fries again. Or cake. Or cheeseburgers. I might just give up food altogether.
Finally, we are very busy getting ready to depart tomorrow on a three-week long vacation that will take us from one end of the country to the other (And to all of you would-be home robbers out there who are reading, don't get any ideas. Mike will be staying behind thanks to night classes and his new job, where he has to earn his vacation time over again).
We will start with a road trip to Nana's house in Maryland, where we will visit with Mike's parents and siblings for a few days. We are sharing the first leg of the drive with some friends that will allow for kid swapping and a fun night in a hotel.
Then we will board a plane to the west where we will meet up with parents and grandparents and siblings for a week-long camping adventure at the beach. Northern CA and Oregon beaches with cliffs and trees and icy water. No sunbathing or swimming! We will however enjoy a nice break from the GA heat and explore some giant redwood forests.
We will finish with a week at Grandma's house visiting and playing, then fly back to Maryland. Mike will meet us there and spend the holiday weekend with his side of the family, and will help us drive home again.
It should be very exciting and keep us busy. If anyone has hints on logging about 40 total hrs in a car and a cross-country plane flight with three children by myself, feel free to share them here.
If we make it back alive, we will continue the summer fun with horse camp for Lenna, gymnastics mini-camp for Andy, movies, swimming, picnics, a weekend trip to the beach, a visit to the zoo, dental visits, school shopping, and hopefully we will eventually get to those afternoon naps!
Lots of posting to do to catch up but I have a feeling I won't get that far. I will get to them eventually. If I ever get out of this chair I have about 6 loads of laundry and a master packing list to do for tomorrow's departure. Wish me luck!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
This stinks (literally)
My fridge is broken.
Just thought I'd share. My best guess is that it has been at least 24 hrs, long enough to let everything warm up and change consistencies, just past the "leave the door shut and you'll be ok" stage.
I knew there was a good reason I had been procrastinating the grocery shopping this week.
Anyone know what to do with 5 dozen luke-warm eggs and two gallons of sour milk?
Blah. There goes the upgraded options package on my new van.
On the positive side- tomorrow I will have a shiny new fridge sitting in my not-so-shiny kitchen waiting for me to fill it with edible food again. And if the opossums and raccoons are fond of condiments and wilted produce, they will have an enjoyable night as well.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
What?
"What?" "Huh?" "I didn't hear you!" "Can we turn it up please?"
Those are the most common words that I hear from my Andy. Well, that and "No!" but I am trying not to focus on the negative here.
I took him to the doc today to get his hearing checked. He failed. He really can't hear me and is not just being annoying or defiant or ignoring me. Good to know!
He has fluid in his ears. It has been there a while. Hopefully antibiotics and sudafed will help drain everything out so he can return to voluntarily ignoring me and can turn the tv down a few notches in the mornings.
Anyway, here's my thing: Why? Why does he have an ear infection nearly every time I take him to the doctor, even when he isn't sick? Why did they have him on three different allergy medicines for two years when he actually isn't allergic to anything? What is making him cough, wheeze, snore, drain, and sniffle all the time? Will ear tubes and anti-inflammatory meds and a tonsillectomy really help or can I throw it in with the allergy diagnosis as more useless treatment?
Ok all you medical people out there, here is your puzzle: 4 yr old boy with night time cough and wheezing and snore, itchy eyes, runny nose, post nasal drip, enlarged adenoids and tonsils, chronic ear infection/fluid build up, recurring sore throat, and cute dimples.
We saw ENT who prescribed flonase and possible surgery. Allergist tested for everything, all were negative, prescribed singulair. Audiologist will re-test in month after drainage issue resolved and possible tubes. Pediatrician gave us antibiotics and decongestant and said she had no idea what else it could be.
Your turn, go! I am awaiting a diagnosis and will send you a check for the co-pay.
Monday, June 1, 2009
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