Month: February 2009

OK.  It’s another rainy, dreary day in Woodstock.  Lovely.  Just lovely.  I decided to reach into our photos and pull out some pictures from warmer, sunshiney days….just to lift the spirits!  I hope everyone is planning for a fun weekend.  

Sidenote, Josh called last night at 10:30 pm and let me know that he didn’t have his keys to get into his truck, and therefore, Molly had no pull up for the night.  He found a size 2 diaper for Molly to wear in the night.  Funny.  She was STILL TALKING NON-STOP that late at night.  Whew.  She also slept with Josh.  That could not have been good.  We miss them, and we are looking forward to seeing them and hearing her this evening.

 

 

 

 

It seems that summer answered my letter with a beautiful 70 degree day!  That was fast, huh?  I think I will be writing her more often….

Josh has called several times and each time I hear Molly talking and talking and talking in the background.  It makes me laugh.  She only slept for 20 minutes on their trip to Albany.  That makes me laugh, too.  I know Josh is understanding why I call him several times a day.  I am checking my sanity…wanting to make sure I can still carry on an adult conversation.  He was doing that today.  Again, making me laugh.

Ruby, Mack and I went to the park, to Old Navy, and then to Steak N Shake with our friends.  Katherine came home with us to spend the night.  They are quite a pair!  If I think about it, I will get some pictures of the sleep over.

Dear Summer,

I am aware that what I am about to ask of you is a bit much, considering that we are still in the month of February.  However, I need some help around here.  The dreary, cold days are starting to make me crazy.  All the jackets, the nasty runny noses, the grass that sticks to our shoes and pants if we walk in it, and my gas bill have pushed me to the limits.  Not to mention that my children don’t get thrown outside to play and frolic in the warm sunshine each day.  Instead, they are stuck inside with me and all of these “boring” toys.  Going to get an ice cream in the middle of the day or making a stop at Sonic during Happy Hour just doesn’t make sense these days either.  

And while my legs could use a month (straight) in the tanning bed and my arms need to lift a dumb bell from time to time to get ready for wearing short sleeves, I am still begging you to arrive early.  Really early.  Help a mom out.  My sanity depends upon it.

Crazy in Woodstock, Ga,

Kristy

Pilates?  Didn’t happen.  Ruby and Molly each wanted a book read to them, they each seemed to need extra hugs and kisses, and neither of them wanted me to leave their room.  “Could you just stay for four minutes?”  “Will you lay on my bed?”  UGH.  I hate leaving their room at night hollering, “Give me a break!!!!  I have been with you all day, would you please just GO. TO. BED?!”  So, instead of leaving them with that to have a night mare about, I decided to lay down on Ruby’s bed.  She had been at Katherine’s for the afternoon.  Since she had been home, she seemed to have genuinely missed me…she kept hugging me and telling me that I am her “best mom” and that she and I needed to go somewhere on a date all by ourselves….OK, sounds good to me.  And last night she started crying and saying, “Mama, I don’t want you to go to your room by yourself and be in your bed all by yourself.  You might cry.”  Josh was gone until the wee hours of the morning on a bus trip.  Anyway, I just laughed to myself because the sweet little booger had no idea how wonderful that very thing would have been.  In my bed–by myself–nothing to do but lay there and sleep. all. by. myself.  Maybe in my next life.

Update on Gran:  The surgery went great, and we are so glad that the surgeon was pleased with how it all went.  Please keep praying that she has a very easy recovery and gets to go home soon.  Pray for Irvin as he works and takes care of Deb.  They are a good team.  Josh is taking Molly down to Albany on Thursday and staying a night.  As we talked about him taking her, I was surprised that I felt a little sad.  I realized that I have gotten used to her being my shadow.  She wants to talk to me all of the time.  She always has something for me to do for her, some snack to go get for her and most definitely a book to read to her!  I am afraid I will feel a bit lost without her here, but I also know how good it will be for her to have the one-on-one attention of her wonderful Daddy.  Molly will do a much better job of keeping him off of his cell phone than I ever could!  Persistent, demanding, relentless, pushy, and sweet are all words that could describe Molly on most days.  I am sure Gran seeing Molly will be a big spirit-booster though.  And Molly won’t be at a loss for questions as she sees Gran in the hospital….I hope it won’t wear Gran out!  I am worn out just thinking about it.  

KINDERGARTEN?  REALLY???  Josh and I went to The King’s Academy on Monday night for a parent meeting in regards to Ruby starting school in the Fall.  It is crazy that Ruby is ready for Kindergarten, but we are so excited for her.  The school seems to be amazing.  The story of how it all started and how God has grown it and used the people there was quite inspiring!  We got to go into the two Kindergarten classrooms and see the little chairs and little crafts and all the calendars and weather boards….and it was so sweet.  Ruby will go to school two days a week and do the rest of her schooling at home with me (and Molly and Mack).  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be with her and teach her so much.  The main reason we wanted to home school was to be the primary influence in our kid’s lives for as long as we can.  The principal that shared at the meeting mentioned that this was her reason for home schooling, too.  People do it for all sorts of reasons and don’t do it for other reasons, but I am so convinced that this is what God wants for our family, and I am thankful that there is a school already in place that will help in such a huge way.  FUNNY STORY…we came home and Ruby was watching a movie with the babysitter and Molly up in their room.  Josh said, “Ruby, we went to see your school.  It was so neat.  You want me to tell you about it?”  Ruby acted excited and then said, “Can it be a surprise?”  Code for—“I don’t want to hear about it right now because I am in the middle of my movie.  Can this wait?”  And while this conversation was going on, I was going downstairs to pay the sitter and chat with her.  Molly tagged along, of course.  She somehow talked me into a tootsie roll (at 9:00pm).  I left the jar of candy on the middle of the island out of her reach.  I walked Ashley to the door, then when I went back into the kitchen, Molly was gone.  There was a slight change in the furniture though.  She had moved the bench over to the island, climbed up there and got several more pieces of candy, then high-tailed it into her room.  Can’t take my eyes off of her!!!  Sneaky girl.

WORD POLICE:  I do not have the time or energy to write in detail about this, but Molly is THE WORD POLICE.  She doesn’t let you say a word wrong or use a wrong word.  She’s done this since she started talking, and I was reminded of this habit of hers today because she corrected me several times.  Some examples are:  “Molly, go get your shoes.”  Molly says, “flip-flops.”  OK….”Molly, sit down on that chair or you are gonna fall off.”  Molly says, “bench.”  OK….”Hand me that pen, please.”  Molly says, “marker.”  “Go check and see if Daddy’s car is here.”  Molly says, “Truck.”  Today I was answering Mack for the ONE HUNDRETH time, “Where’s Daddy?”  and I said, “He is at the bus.”  I meant to say “on the bus,” but got a bit tongue-tied since I was saying it over and over again.  Molly didn’t even give me a second to correct it before she said, “He’s ON the bus.  You said at the bus.”  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  There are so many more examples, but it would get ridiculous to share on here all of her “Word Police” moments.  

THE STATION WAGON:  Well, if we were ever confused on the fact that our “new, used car” is JUST A CAR, we have it straight now.  Friday when I was leaving the mall, a man bumped us.  I got out and looked to see little to no damage. He was very nice and apologetic.  He said he was driving a rental car and had one foot on the gas and one on the brake…for some odd reason….so that was that.  SUNDAY after church, Josh went to get the car because it was so cold outside.  He drove up to get us and told me someone had ILLEGALLY  parked next to us and dinged the driver’s side door and left white paint on it.   LOVELY.  So this wagon is getting worn in quite quickly.  And we are aware more than ever that this is JUST A CAR.  I didn’t think I thought any different, but what do I know?  

I am ridiculously tired this evening and hope that the girls will not put up a fight when I go in there and tell them it’s time for bed.  I need to do my Pilates video, but oh my….I really am tired!!!!  At least you get to sit down for most of it.  

Is it only Tuesday?  Are you sure?

***reminder to self:  post pictures about what J found in the couch!  It was a great day.

Today we are praying a little more than usual for Gran as she is having surgery today.  We talked to her last night, and she isn’t anxious about the surgery, but is calm and ready to go ahead and get it done and over with.  We are praying for the surgeons, the nurses, and for Irvin as he is there with her and all the other family who want the very best outcome for this surgery!  Today after Bible story time, Ruby prayed for Gran and said, “God, please help her to not have any shots and to be all better soon.”  We all pray that she will feel all better soon.  Say a prayer for Debbie if you read this.  We appreciate it.

Speaking of Bible Story time.  Today we read about how Jesus didn’t have an earthly home, but he actually left Heaven to come to earth because He loves us so much.  Ruby listens so attentively and answers the questions with the right answers, usually.  Molly cracks me up.  She was asked, “Molly, why did Jesus leave Heaven?”  She said, “Because he wanted to see how it was to live in a house.”  (Ummmm, no.)  “Molly, why did Jesus leave Heaven and come to earth?  He didn’t have a house when he was here.  Can you tell me why you think He came here?”  She said, “He came to wash our sins away.  He washes our sins away with His hands…like this…” (she put both of her hands over her heart and washed it.) “Ms. Tammy told us that.  And I see her do this.  Jesus washes our sins away like this…”  (she “washes” her heart again)   She says all of her answers very matter-of-fact, and I tried hard not to laugh at her, but she is just funny.  Mack just sits in his seat hollering out from time to time, then when it is time to pray he holds his chubby hands together and bows his head low.  I say, “Mack, say ‘God’ (GAAA), ‘thank you’ (hang oooo) ‘for’ (fo) …then he starts naming everybody….(Daddy, Roo-Roo, Mohee, Mommeeee, Pawpaw, Wee-wee, GG, Co-Co).  It is all quite cute.  And by the way, no grandparent should get their feelings hurt…he covers you all in his little mind when he says PawPaw and Wee-wee…one day he will figure out the difference, I guess.  And “Co-Co” is a little guy in his Sunday School Class.  His name is Coker, but Mack calls him “Co-Co.”  Funny guy.

The mall went great!  We definitely had fun in “Hollery Yarn” Kids, as I found TWO twin bedskirts on sale.  Yipeeee…..slowly, and I do mean s-l-o-w-l-y, the girl’s bedroom that “no one is going to see” (according to Josh) is coming together.  Did I mention I found two sets of twin sheets at Ross last night for EL CHEAPO!  I am talking each set was about 8.99.  THE Pottery Barn Kids wanted $69.00 for a set of their sheets.  I am sure there is a drastic difference in thread count, but give me a break.  Ruby is 4 years old and Molly is 3 years old.  First of all, I don’t think they care and second of all, how else will they appreciate an 800 thread count sheet if that is what they start out with???  It is all for their own good, I tell you.  

I managed to talk them into a 1.29 cheeseburger rather than a 3.99 piece of cheese pizza and that did my heart good.  They enjoyed the soft play area, a cookie, a slushee, the Disney store, and we even stopped at Publix where they rode the green race car shopping cart of which Molly informed me, “It has been too long since we have driven one of those!!!”  I would have gone into a lesson on how Wal-Mart is much cheaper than Publix…that is, IF she really cared.  She doesn’t care.  

So after a very busy day, we are home and Ruby wants to watch a movie…of course…so she picks out FOX AND THE HOUND.  She was watching the beginning of it and then she leaned over and asked me, very seriously, “Mom, why do the pets only talk when the kids are not around?”  I told her it was all just pretend that animals talk…and I think she was disappointed.  I felt bad, but, hey…she asked.

I am now going to lay down and read a cook book about how to make healthy food for your kids….or maybe I will lay down and hold the cook book, then just close my eyes and dream about being a healthy cook for my kids.   Wonder when Josh will be home?

 

1) I made a boo-boo and forgot to post pictures from a GREAT Valentine’s box that my mom and dad sent to the kids ON VALENTINE’S DAY.  They were thrilled to get a package……thanks Sweetie and PawPaw for being so thoughtful.

2) This morning I was having a mini bagel and sharing with Mack and Molly.  When Ruby saw, she said, “Hey, I want some pumpernickel bread!” I think she learned that word from Barney.  And for the record, she doesn’t really like “pumpernickel bread because of the raisins.”

3)  One of the fun things the kids do is all three get into Mack’s crib and play together.  I recently put new batteries into his fish aquarium, so they really like being in there to play with that.  Here are some funny pictures of them all together playing in the crib.

 

4) And now I am about to load everyone up and go to the Northpoint Mall for the soft play area, Hollery Yarn Kids (pottery barn kids), a walk through the Disney Store, overpriced pizza, then a cookie and slushee….say a prayer for me.  This life I lead is not easy, but somebody has got to go to the mall and spend some money.  I am just trying to do my part to keep the economy MOVING.

There are mornings I wonder how I am going to make it through another day with the kiddos…that sounds awful, but I just mean that at times the days are full of mundane tasks or very, very routine ones….they wake up about 7:15am ready to eat breakfast, Molly wants a snack at 8:30am, but settles for me reading her some books instead, Mack is roaming around looking for something to destroy or a marker to draw all over his body with, Ruby would be content with videos and a few pretzels as long as I don’t make her get dressed….and on and on the day goes.  BUT, I want to be intentional with my kids.  I want to make memories with them.  I want to teach them to read, teach them to use scissors, to play games, to write…but these things take effort, creativity and lots of patience.  

Today was a productive day, and I got some pictures of all the wonderful learning that was going on around here!  

 

 

 

 

It has been a fun and productive day.  Laundry is also getting done, so I am feeling no guilt about leaving as soon as my sweet husband walks through the door to roam TJ Maxx and hang out at Starbucks before going to a ladies Bible Study tonight.  Happy Thursday to all!

Mack is so funny in the morning.  He loves that I finally put batteries back into his fish thingy that hangs on his crib.  He loves turning it on, then turning it off, then turning it on again, then off…you get it.  I walked in this morning and watched him do this, then I said, “Where’s Elmo?”  Elmo was laying face down, so Mack leaned over to him and looked around to see if Elmo was sleeping…then Mack whispered, “Elmo, bed, shhhh.”  It was so cute!  I got him out of his crib and went straight to the changing table to change the enormous, wet diaper.  As soon as Mack’s feet are up in the air and he spots them, he says, “ooos” (shoes).  And he keeps saying shoes until I get them out to put them on his chubby feet.  This morning he was particular and asked, “Where hocks?”  (where are my socks?)  I picked out a pair of socks, but he went into the basket and handed me a different pair.  Picky boy this morning.  He was very happy to have a new diaper and new socks and shoes on this morning.  He must be like his big PawPaw (my dad) who doesn’t come out of his room until he has showered and is dressed from head to toe.  I rarely saw my dad’s feet growing up…and never saw him in pajamas or a robe for goodness sake.  He is not one for lounging around.  He wouldn’t do well with our pajama days that happen far more frequently than I am willing to admit.

Funny how different each child is.  Ruby gets up and immediately wants to put on a dress-up outfit.  Even after a shower, she asks if she can only put on panties because she wants to dress in one of her outfits downstairs rather than real clothes.  Even last night after coming in the door from church, it was’t two seconds before she was in her princess gown.  

Molly is also different than the other two.  She has a shower-radar.  The second the shower turns on, she appears and wants to get in..”Can I take a shower with you?” (as she steadily takes off her clothes and opens the shower door…only with ME, not Josh…she is much too old for that).  Then, she disappears to go and dress herself in “day clothes,” as she calls them.  You never know what she is going to come out in, but I am just glad she wants to be dressed and is willing to do it herself.