The Wall

I have been wanting to brick the kitchen wall for three years.  We finally did it. It was hard and Steffen did 95% of the work.  It took us three weeks but I love it.  I also love that he didn't sleep the night before because he was stressed about the grout.  It was really hard at first and there was reason to be stressed,but like with everything in our life, we figured out how to make it work together.  It has taken 16 years for us to figure out how to make our life work, together.  We really do make a really good team.  And it really has taken 16 years. Sometimes I wonder how we have made it this long because we do annoy each other, but I KNOW that I am where I'm supposed to be.  And I love him, and I love my life with him.  So, the wall is a symbol of what we can accomplish with teamwork.

Let it go...

Cody's fifth grade concert.  I cannot believe he will be graduating from Elementary school next year.  I really just love the person he is becoming.  He is one of my favorite people to be with.  I can't wait to see what he becomes.

2:30 church sucks and Gingerbread Houses

So, today we planned to surprise the kids with Taste of Texas.  Way too many people so we ended up at Papasitos where we waited for an hour for ok food. But it was a calm meal with no yelling.  Not too many of those on a Sunday.  

We also did gingerbread houses today.  Works of art.

So this happened today.

Alex is a trooper and has done this without pain meds.  He is a rockstar!!!  I am really sick of broken bones. They are a major time suckage.  

CrossFit

I fought it for a year.  I still haven't gone in 100%.  I am still a little weary.  But, I can see where the love comes from.  

I have always wanted to workout with Steffen.  In 16 years we never have.  I would always see THOSE couples at the gym, the totally fit ones that I hate, working out together.  I wanted that.  Well, it happened.  He finally wore me down.  And he said that the only thing he wanted for Christmas was for me to join CF so that we could work out together.  

I am still a little weary about getting hurt.  I use light weights and can't do a pull up, but it feels good to be accountable for my progress and to see my name up on the board.  

My first injury:  scrapped the skin off of BOTH my ankles.  Days later even air hurts.  ❤️ it.

I love my kids.

You never know when they might not come home.  I am trying to remember that the little things don't matter.  That if Shea uses my towel and it is wet when I get out of the shower, is it really a big deal?  Or when I spend seven hours on a photo book for Grandma and because of crappy Internet and broken computers I lose everything, does it matter?  In the big scheme of things, no.  I really do love them and I really can't imagine what kind of person I would be without them.  But sometimes I wish they would set the table, or clear the table, or at least offer to help.  Sometimes I wish Zach could go five minutes without kicking his soccer ball in the house.  But he is getting so good...I find myself not caring about the dirty, round marks on my walls.  I really don't want to wash sheets and make beds every day.  But it does remind me that they are still little.  And who cares that I have to remind my 12 year old that he really does have to shower more than just Sunday mornings?  I just hold my breath.  All of these things remind me that there is still six of us.  And that is perfect.

Turkey Dash 2014

I really do not like to run.  I have never had a runners high.  I don't get an adrenaline rush.  I don't feel accomplished after a long run.  A few years ago I did a half marathon, just to check it off the bucket list.  I trained hard and was prepared.  After the race I didn't run again.  Well, I have a few kids that like to run.  So, I have started again.  We started small, a 5k.  We trained in the unseasonably cold Houston weather and again, we were prepared.  And the race was great.  It was fun to run next to Cody and Alex and it was satisfying to cross the finish line, but not because I accomplished something, but because I did it with the boys.  THEY accomplished something.  The older they get, the more I enjoy being with them.  Cody ran the entire thing without stopping.  I was so proud of Alex and Cody.  Shea, Zach and Steffen ran the one mile.  For them, it was enough.  Zach shot off like a bullet and then 10 feet later said he was done.  But, he is a trooper and finished it and even sprinted the last little bit.  

So, even though I hate to run, I want my kids to love it.  It is a free way to stay in shape and it can be done anywhere.  I hope that it continues to be something they enjoy.  And I guess that I can pretend that I love it too.

I love Trios.

All summer long Cody and Zach spent the days building things with Trios.  Stepping on Trios became normal.  When school started, it stopped.  Then, this morning, the first day of Thanksgiving break, this is what I found.

I don't know if it's the schedule of school days that keeps the Trios in their box or if they just equate vacation with Trios, but whatever it is, I thank the Trio people.  I love Trios.  I love what they have done for Cody and Zach.  I love the relationship that they have and I owe it all to Trios.  I love hearing "do we really need to have an elevator?"  And then the conversation of the pros and cons of an elevator on the current project.  

Round 56

Zachary.  One of my very favorite people.  He is 6 and is totally self sufficient.  He dresses himself.  He gets his own breakfast.  He can do EVERYTHING all by himself.  Tonight he was dishing out his own icecream and I asked him if he needed me for anything.  After a few seconds of very deep thought, this is what he said.


"I need to you for spelling words.  But I won't need you for very much longer."


I want to raise independent kids that can fend for themselves and can think on their own.  But, I really need to be needed.  I know my kids want my help, but they really don't NEED it.  In the end, I guess it is my fault but I really thought I would have more than six years with Zach. 

Life is precious.

Today a friend of mine's father died. He has been very ill and they knew the end was getting near but they thought they had more time before saying goodbye. It really made me stop and look at my life and my relationships with my family and friends. Do I leave things unsaid? Do I do the little acts of service that I think about doing for people? Or, do I get too busy and forget. I hope my kids know how much I love them.

This sums up Zach's attitude these days...

Thanksgiving 2011

Wild Oak Ranch

This place is fantastic!! We even tried to stay an extra day. The weather has been perfect and we have even been swimming and floating down the lazy river.

Another Conversation

Situation: Mom and Shea eating medium spicy salsa. Mom also doing dishes, feeding Zachary and refereeing a light saber fight.

Shea: "Mom, is there easy?"

Mom: "Is it easy to make?"

Shea: "No, is there easy?"

Mom: "I don't know."

Shea: "Ughhhh"

Hours later. Light bulb moment for mom. Easy salsa...not medium salsa. MILD!!!

A conversation

Mom: "Zachary, what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?"

Zachary: "Grandma."

I really hate to run...

This is my friend Julie. She is a real runner! She was there at the finish line to cheer me on. If it were not for her, I would not have any pictures.

In January we had the Activity Days girls write down their goals for the year. In a very weak moment I wrote down that I would like to complete a half marathon. I kind of forgot about it until around August when I found out about a marathon benefitting adoption. So, I had to do it. I started training. I am not a runner. I do not get that "runners high" that everyone talks about. I curse the entire run. But, Saturday when I crossed that finish line UNDER my goal time, it was an amazing feeling to hear my name announced over the loud speaker. Not only because I finished, but I actually accomplished a goal (maybe it it time to move on to cooking more) that I had made on a whim.

Adoption is very near to my heart and even though Shea and I sometimes just can not see eye to eye, I can not imagine my life without her as my daughter. I am so thankful for the sacrifices that had to be made by one person to make me a mom. I hope that by my running, someone else can get closer to what they want to be.

Cody's big day

Happy Birthday!!

With Cody around there is never a dull moment. The things that pop out of his mouth...and various other body parts, are sometimes inappropriate but are also impossible not to laugh at. He is an amazing brother to Zachary, who idolizes his big brother, and Cody puts up with the beatings from Alex with stride. For his birthday dinner this is what he wanted (without a hesitation):

hot dogs (moms kind)

cooked onions

marshmallows

cheetos

brownies in the shape of hearts and stars with frosting drizzled all over and sprinkles

Cody, we love you!

Happy 6th birthday!!

The Beach

Our biannual trip to the beach was amazing. We usually go in April and October right before it gets to hot and right when it starts to get cooler. It makes for a perfect day. The water was a little cool but it didn't stop Shea and Alex from jumping the waves that were extra big from the wind or stop Cody from shooting us all with his crayon squirt gun (thanks, grandma).

Once he got past the "yucky" on his hands, Zach had a blast.

Chasing the one with the ball...hmm, where is the ball? Does Shea really have it or is it just reason to push her down in the sand? Who knows.

Whoops, I missed.

We have taken this same picture since Cody was a baby. The line just continues to grow.

A Pact Between Friends

Last week Cody came into my room at 2:00 in the morning and wanted to sleep with me for a while. After a minute or two, I carried him upstairs and when I returned to my room, Shea and Alex were asking Steffen if they could watch a little TV. I couldn't figure out how they got by me and they proceeded to tell me that they had been up since 1:00 playing their DS's in the playroom in their little fort. They had made a pact to wake up at one and sleep in the fort. Only Shea would really wake up. All this would have provided a good laugh except for the fact that it was the first school night after Spring Break. I mean seriously, they couldn't have pulled this stunt two days earlier when I would have laughed about it?

Playing Catch Up

What a crazy week. We will start off with the cats. One morning we could hear crying from across the street and of course, the kids had to investigate. They found three tiny kittens. They had appeared in our neighbors bushes the day before and she didn't know what to do with them. The kids became a little obsessed with them and the next night, the cats moved across the street to our house. That night it was going to get a little chilly so we caught the kittens (which was no small feat) and made them a bed. I spent all the next day trying to find them (in the beginning there were three) a home. I called all the shelters and homes and noone had a place for them. So, Lindsay had the bright idea to try Craigslist. Brilliant!!! Five minutes after I posted the kittens we had found a home for one of them. The next day animal control came and got the others. The kids were crushed...but I am not a cat person and besides, they knew Grandma would never come visit if we had cats.

CHEESE!!

It was slightly warm and sunny and the kids were begging to go outside and get wet. As a nice mom, I said yes, knowing that in five minutes they would end up like Shea. The boys lasted a littel longer but in the end, jumped inside and asked for hot chocolate.

A few thoughts about sickness and the medicine that cures it

Last Wednesday, Cody came off the bus a little sluggish. He put his head on the counter and didn't move. I asked him what hurt and he said his throat. I grabbed the nearest flashlight and took a look. Bright red with a few white spots. I have a little history with Strep so I grabbed all the kids and ran to Wal-Mart. Why Wal-Mart? They have a new clinic that I consider amazing. We walked in, filled out a little information, Cody got a Strep Test, bought a few groceries, got the test results, was given medicine and 25 minutes later, we were out the door. This sure beats the three hours we would have spent at the "real" doctor. It was obvious that Cody would have to stay home from school on Thursday, but I was not ready for what walked down the stairs Thursday morning, "Mom, I feel totally better". You have got to love the brilliant invention of penicillin. The above picture is of Cody on his sick day. This was after ChickFila and after many, many games. I am so glad I do not have to entertain a five year old all day...sorry Lindsay.

So, Wal-Mart Round 2. I woke up Monday not feeling so hot, but because it was Spring Break, what choice did I have but to move forward? We went to the rodeo (see earlier post) and had a fabulous time but I was just not 100%. That night, I just could not pull it together. So, Tuesday morning I grabbed all the kids once again and we headed to Wal-Mart. The same guy was working and so he kind of rushed us through the registration process. He took all my vitals and then shined his little light in my throat and just laughed. He must have seen the same white spots that I had seen earlier that morning. After he finished his little chuckle he asked if I wanted him to actually do the test or just give me the drugs. I saved myself ten bucks and just said, "give me the drugs". Twenty minutes, in and out.

Zachary. Zach has been a little off for a few weeks and because of the Strep thing bouncing around, I decided to take him in yesterday. Because he is still just a little guy, I did take him to the "real" doctor. Our normal pediatrician was out of the office so I saw a new lady. We usually wait between two and three hours for appointments so imagine my surprise when we were called back before we finished even one book. The nurse did her stuff and said the doctor would be in shortly and lo and behold, 20 seconds later in she walks. She checked both ears - double ear infections and his throat which was bright red. I was out of the office 25 minutes later.

So, in conclusion, I am now fully stocked in three different forms of penicillin. All given with different doses and on different schedules. Why do these things always happen during Spring Break?