Mild

When you end up talking about how October has been mild so far, you got to know that at some point mother nature is going to show you who's boss.

Personally I think she went a little overboard.

During the middle of the first day we had 9".

I would have been fine with it stopping there.

The problem is, is that when it snows the kids want to go outside. 

Do you know how big of a production it is to get 4 kids dressed in their snow gear? 

Only to have them remove it 4 minutes later because they got snow down the back of their neck.

4 wet boots, 4 wet coats, 4 wet gloves...it adds up.

Laney was die hard though. 

Girlfriend could make a snow angel like it was nobody's business.

Laney tried to convince Penny that snow angels were all the rage...

she should have tried harder. 

Penny didn't go out from under the covered patio...

but she was ready for the snow. 

It was just going to have to come to her.

End of May

I am sure I sound like a Debby Downer but May is over! 

Can I get an amen?

Mostly we spent the end of the month wrapping things up. 

And we learned some things along the way.

Canon finished up his soccer season.

He is pretty sure that he is a pro now.

I think a little more training is in order.

I am not really sure if he knows what soccer is.

I think him and I might just agree to disagree.

Laney had her ballet performance.

She did good, given her stage fright.

At times she looked like a deer in the headlights.

A valuable lesson was learned: Mom needs to pay more attention to what the flyer says. 

Laney is the only one wearing a bight pink leotard and no ballet skirt. 

You will also notice that Laney is so distracted by everyone looking at her that she can hardly focus.

Blake was gone for a good portion of the month.

For one week he was in California doing his FEMA training.

The kids missed him.

Although they did love playing with his gear. 

   To all of our amazement,

we survived.

Laney graduated Preschool. 

They had a program that they put on.

It was cute, albeit deafening at times.

Don't believe me?

Just listen to Screamy McSreamerson on the left.

-With your volume turned down.-

Consider yourself warned.

Laney can't wait to go to kindergarten.

Gavin ran in a race at school. 

Although he would possibly tell you otherwise, Gavin learned that he would not die from not being able to catch your breath.

We also learned that these two already have their wedding mapped out.

You can't hide love forever.

Penny discovered that not only is Brown baby a good companion but an excellent buffer between the ground and her.

Laney learned that sometimes consequences are not fun, and sometimes hard.

 

If I ever need a replacement we learned that Laney is pretty good at doing Penny's hair.

The month was a little trying at times.

But if we learned anything, 

it is that sometimes that is OK.

Mother's Day

They say being a mother is a thankless job. I would have to agree about 364 days a year.

Then sometimes there are things that make it OK that no one cares about what you are doing.

Like little ponytails in nonexistent hair.

It really makes it worth it.

And the cards, oh how I love the cards.

Would it be silly of me to say that I have waited for our kids to be old enough to make me things for mother's day and know what they are doing?

Laney told me that she made me this necklace and should I get hungry during church I could just eat it.

I wore it with pride.

I didn't even take a nibble, even though I was given the green light.

And just when you are thinking you have it all together there is nothing like your kids to give you a good reality check.

Laney the other day couldn't stop talking about my friend Mindy and what a GREAT mom she is.

I should have just kept my mouth shut. 

Instead I said "What about me?"

To which she replied that she liked Mindy because she was (and I quote) "Way prettier than me."

So imagine my delight when they did a little questionnaire with Laney at school about me.

I appreciate the fact that I am 23.

I am not loving the 300 lbs. or the fact that she solidifies it with my favorite thing to do is "Make food."

However, if my favorite food is broccoli, then I am certain that I don't have a problem.

Gavin is a champ at speaking French these days so it was sweet to hear him translate my card.

He also was aiding in me getting a big head when he wrote this poem.

Don't worry. He put me in my place.

He told me "Dads are way better than Moms"

When I asked him why, and told him that Mom's were pretty cool and without Mom's he would eat Top Ramen for dinner every night.

He clarified his original statement by saying "I didn't mean it like that. I meant that everyone likes Dads more than Moms."

Case closed.

     But I know that I am making a impact when I get something like this:

-My Mothers Day Book-

-My Mom has blond hair.-

-My Mom likes pasta.-

Notice the steam? And the fact that I am indulging in a giant bowl of pasta while lounging in a chair in the sun?

(Although this isn't helping me look like I am not obsessed with food.)

  

-My Mom doesn't like me hitting other people.-

True dat.

-My Mom's favorite thing to do with my mom is going shopping.-

Not only do I like to shop, but I do it in style. Skirt on, holding hands, with a little one in the basket.

Then we get down to the stuff that is really important. 

Grab a tissue.

-I love my mom because,

She lets me play the DS.-

And there you have it folks.

Kicking butt and taking names.  

A Series Of Unfortunate Events

First off...what the crap is up with the new blogger? Moving around pictures is about to give me a stroke. Super annoying. 

When I was pregnant with all of my kids I would have dreams about my teeth falling out or crumbling. I would dream that I was chewing gum and the gum would get stuck in my teeth and when I tried to pull the gum out of my mouth my teeth would get stuck in the gum and my teeth would come out with it. 

It was disturbing, no matter how many times I would have it. 

Ever since, loose teeth or teeth falling out gives me the willies.

Kids wiggling their teeth is guaranteed to make me feel like I am going to pass out or dry heave.

When it is your own kid that is doing the wiggling it is hard to be OK with it.
It's even harder to get on board with the whole losing teeth thing.

Imagine my delight that it has taken Gavin this long to loose one. 

Granted he was pleased as punch that the tooth fairy was finally going to come. 

We did it Grandma Dana style and wrapped a piece of floss around his tooth. I manned up and held the tooth while Blake yanked on the floss. 

He said it didn't hurt. 

I almost passed out from listening to the skin break.

Then when I thought we were in the clear another tooth got loose. 

It was barely hanging on...which is almost as bad as it can get. 

If there were sound affects for these pictures you would hear me going 

 "Gross. Eww. Hold still let me take a picture, fast. Gross. Stop moving it.." 

Now we are two teeth gone. Gavin is $5 dollars richer, and I think I am in the clear...at least for a couple months.

Laney. That poor girl can't catch a break.

Last week for snacks we were eating strawberries and all of the sudden she broke out in hives all over her face and body. 

The only thing I could figure was that she was allergic to the strawberries or maybe the pesticides. Then the next day we went to ballet and as a reward for being good I gave the kids some jelly beans. 

Well, she rashed out again. This time only on her face. 

So it seems that for the time being Laney is not allowed to have anything strawberry or with strawberry flavoring.

Like any good mother the only way to reward your kids for good behavior is to make them have an allergic reaction.
That'll teach ya.