Canada Here We Come

YEAH, WE ARE INVITED BACK

And I cant wait to get there and spend a long weekend roaming the beaches, berry picking at the local farms and walking through the quaint town of Bayfield. Our friend Maureen is so generous with her house. She is even letting us bring Puddin' along. The kids will collect several pounds of rocks, we will walk miles of beautiful beach and for only the second time ever, Kam will be able to share in the experience with the kids and me.

Out of the Fryer and into...

I cant believe it's been nearly a week since I last posted. Had I mentioned how tired I've been? Or that my body refuses to sleep more than 2 hours at a time? Or that mind races with stupid "to do" lists all night long but yet during the daylight hours completely forget what those pressing things are? Did I mention I've taken on double the number of children I usually hold hostage during the week? Did I mention that I gained 2o lbs this winter and stilll haven't lost them? How is it I lose all the important stuff but when it comes to weight it just sits on my hips and taunts me with it's permanence? Did I mention how mortified/humiliated/depressed/outraged I am by that confession?

My body betrays me in the most obvious of ways. And weight is only one. I'm also a terrible liar. Just ask Kam. He begins laughing before I even have finished whatever covert action I try to deny. My face breaks out in pimples right before every period and when I'm angry or disappointed I lose the ability to see any point of view but my own. I am a traitor to my self.

What is the point of this rambling? Im not sure except inspite of all this, I have been having a much better week than last. Routine is setting in around our house and that keeps everyone calm and happy. Mostly me.

A Weekend of Surprises

While I was thrilled the weekend was here, so I could take a deep breath and only keep one eye open while taking care of my own kids I turn around yesterday morning and what do I see? I see 2 little girls walking over my lawn and into my house asking to play with my kids. WTF??? Can you believe while I had to deal with the constant cries of, " I want to go home" all last week, they end up back at my door, playing hide and seek in my house on a Sunday while their parents ARE HOME. Apparently one day apart was all it took for the four kids to realize how boring their lives are without eachother. CRAZY!!!!

We did other things to, Noah scored 2 goals in the last game of the season, Emily caught a butterfly a in water pitcher, and she helped her dad bathe a very stinky dog.

This is why they call it Hump Day

Today was our 2nd day of Vacation Bible School and my 3rd day of career babysitting. I played the part of Candy Shopkeeper in the Biblical Marketplace. It was a lot of fun. 60 kids weaved in and out of my shop while I presented a "presentation" both dramatic and candy coated. I am so tired I can barely see straight. Madison and Emily fell asleep 20 minutes before it was time to go home, so Noah and McKenzie and I were forced to stay an hour longer until the little girls woke up before coming home. While everyone is having a great time ( with a few melt downs in between) the 4 are most challenged by just being around each other for 10 hours a day. Arguments are breaking out left and right between them and it seems like I spend the last 2 hours of the "work day" trying to establish peace and find quiet activities each can do without the other. Emily, the youngest of the four kids, had Madison, the 4 year old, in tears a few minutes ago. Her size and cuteness is just a guise with which she hides the determination and stubborness. Did I mention I'm exhausted? I hear some yelling outside once again, apparently Im not the peace broker I think I am.

Killer Headache

For anyone who lives in the Midwest as I do you know what a blessing and a nightmare spring is. We buy tissue in bulk, drink copious amounts of liquid antihistamine and put cold compresses on our foreheads daily. Today is my turn apparently to feel like shit. It hurts to keep my eyes open, and since my job requires me having "eyes in the back of head" along with the red, itchy ones up front, I am suffering. Any suggestions for headache relief? Ive tried caffeine, over the counter meds, and an ice pack - nothings touching this one. Please leave a comment with your brilliant ways to relieve the hammering in my head!!!

Citizen of the Year

Unfortunately Noah didn't win Citizen of the Year. He was bummed but because no one knew of his aspirations he felt okay to share his disappointment with me. A private defeat is not as difficult as a public one. I sometimes wonder how politicians feel, putting so much time and effort into campaigning and to have every aspect of their lives scrutinized until voting time. Does it feel like a popularity contest only? How do you cope when it appears you lost because you aren't as well liked as the someone else running against you? Can you say you don't care what people think about you if you are a politician when so much you yourself is put out their for people to critique in the first place?

I am far to thin skinned to run for anything. Even in 2nd grade I would never have been brave enough to want to be voted Citizen of the Year. I am proud of Noah for being honest enough to admit he wanted something and was working toward it. And I'm even more amazed and proud that he doesn't fall apart when things don't work out his way. He accepts his loss with grace and to Grace. She is a sweet girl who we've known since the kids were 2 years old. Even Noah couldn't object to her winning. Well, not too much anyway. He thought she was also deserving, "for a girl".

It's 3 am,can't sleep, again....

Its 3:00am and I am wide awake, as usual. I don't know why, but at 1:00am I sit up in my bed with my mind racing ( unless of course I take meds , but they make it hard to function in the daytime)So here I sit, awake for just over 2 hours now and I am tired of watching tv, tired of listening to my dog breathing, my husband snoring and I don't want to eat *shocker!* God but I'm tired, I just want to sleep but since I cant I want to hear this song. If you haven't listened to it you really should check this out by John Mayer,
"Stop This Train"

No I'm not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but...
I just can't sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly won't someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't but honestly won't someone stop this train

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game to find away to say that life has just begun
Had a talk with my old man
Said help me understand
He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate
Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
Don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we'll never stop this train

See once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark.

Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train

(think I got 'em now)

Flyin' High

It's official, schools out for summer! Thanks to Mr. Bill, Noah's 2nd grade teacher and Official Knower of All Things, decided the kids should go fly a kite. He meant it in a nice way too.


Yesterday was Noah's last day extravagaza of activities and food to make even the most seasoned partier dizzy from excess. After bags of candy that could rival any halloween party, hot dogs, juice boxes, water balloon games, tree climbing, cake and ice cream, 2nd grade ended on a warm, sunny and hyper note of celebration.



After the festivities we came home and I proceeded to put the babysitter promptly to work ( thank you tv) and lay down on the couch for a nap that resembled more of a coma. With the school year over and summer just begun, I think it might take a few naps to catch up and keep up with my kids....not to mention the neighbor girls who will be here 7am-5pm Mon-Fri. Lord Help Me!

Art in America

I love the cover of this months Art in America magazine. Kam subscribes to this because he thinks that my copies of InStyle, OK, and Redbook are making me far to knowledgeable about pop culture and less informed about real culture. So while I may not read the article about Art and Politics, at least I look at the pretty pictures . And share them too!

Gas for 99 cents?

YES WAY!!!!
Our local news station reported on a gas station a mere 10 miles away that would be selling gas for .99 cents from 7am -11am today. Thank you BP Gas Station. Kam says Im crazy to go there and wait in line and possible use up all the gas in the tank while waiting just to fill up but I am to excited to see the possible logic in that.
Found the kung fu pics of my kids and I trying to do our martial arts on eachother. Who knew a animated flick could inspire such flailing and thrashing about from this family? It takes so little to amuse us!!( notice the painted finger nails? Thats my boy!)

Kung Fu Crazy

I'm not funny. I realized this while trying to tell the unlikely story of our adventure while seeing Kung-Fu Panda on Saturday. So I wont write ..or focus as my husband sees me staring blankly at our television which is showing the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. ...what is happening to me? My brain is turning to mush.
Okay brain - engage- there are more posts to come - when I can I will write about:
1. Flip Flop Love( Emily's idea of a safe marriage)
2. Uniform Protest(names will be changed to protect the guilty)
3. Kung Fu Kids ( pictures to accompany)

Inspiri-ng my ass: I'm too tired!

My house is a wreck. Kam is in a building mood and has been at it for a few days now, while the unfinished work lies on the floors around our feet. It's like a game of American Gladiator just to see who can reach the kitchen from the family room in under 2 minutes. Noah is at school for the final Monday of 2nd grade. He is really excited about trying to get student of the year. I am concerned this isn't happening for him, but he seems so certain that he has a good chance of being selected by his peers and teacher that he cant imagine a scenario where he isn't awarded with this honor. I find myself holding my breath and making tiny bargains with God. Not that I believe God can be swayed, or cajoled but ya never know......it cant hurt to offer a little prayer ( bribe) up to heaven to help Noah's chances. After all I have to let him fail(or not) - but that doesn't mean I don't want to throw a mattress underneath to catch his fall so it hurts less. Yesterday I found Noah on the landing to the steps and he was staring at the ceiling with a troubled look so I sat down and asked him what he was thinking about. He didn't look me in the eyes as he told me that Time for Kids magazine said that Antarctica was melting and in 10 years it will have melted to such a degree that Noah feared for all humanity because we would be swept away in the flood it created. These are his words, and his worries and I find myself confused and confounded by the depth of his concern. I tried to reassure him that this was speculation and that if indeed the article said the melting of Antarctica would cause flooding in the world that "all of humanity" isn't in danger of being wiped out. He said," No mom, I have a bad feeling that this will happen". So the best I could do was assure him that his dad and I would protect him and that we had to look on the bright side of things: we have 10 years to solve this problem and that scientists and children like him could come up with a solution to global warming or whatever is causing this to happen and help our environment. He felt better and finally I got him laughing and forgetting his worries - for a while anyway. Sometimes I think Noah is a 70 year old man trapped in a 7 year olds body.

Wrappin Weenies

I have 45 minutes until I have to be at church for the annual weenie wrap. This has become a tradition in the past 6 years since we began an Children's Nurture All Church Brunch on Sunday to thank all those people who have volunteered their time with the program throughout the school year, and to recruit for the up coming year. Nothing like stuffing folks full of treats to make the amenable to working with children for free! So you would think the big deal is the Sunday Brunch - which it is- except that it's the Saturday weenie wrap that is the cog in the wheel of success. HA, that doesn't even make sense, does it? The gist is this: a few of us get together at church with some good tunes, choice of caffeinated beverage and wrap ONE THOUSAND weenies! No exaggeration. Those weenies are gobbled up faster than we can make them. They are the hit of the brunch and the one time we veered off course to try something else - the brunch and Sunday school recruitment suffered for it!So I'm off to church with cookie sheets, cup o joe, ipod and docking station. Here's to another great church brunch!

Going Green

It's all over the news, on reality shows, even daytime soap operas are touting the benefits ( and demonstrating the trendiness) of "going green". It seems like everywhere I turn I get bombarded with ways I can save the environment. And that's great. I mean, everyone I know wants to find ways to save money, be more efficient, and waste less. I've been hearing a phrase I've never heard before, something about not leaving a "footprint". It's all good stuff, as far as I can tell. It's made me aware of the number of bags I use to bring home my groceries in ( now I use the canvas totes you can buy at just about any grocer), it's also made me re-think the bottled water we used to consume in truck loads. Since September Noah and Emily have their individual water bottles they carry with them to school, practices, games and other outings. This summer Kam and Noah are building a large compost bin to put our organic waste and lawn clippings into, and I am looking into purchasing a Community Supported Agriculture(CSA) subscription. While buying produce this way is expensive because you pay a large sum of money up front, you get the benefit of buying organic, local produce, and if you want to you can contribute to the farming of the veggies too. My friend Elizabeth, who is the coolest hippie chick I know, told me about her experience with a local farm co-op, and helped me look into it. I think this is an especially good ideas since Kam read this news headline to me this morning,"Tomatoes linked to salmonella outbreak reported in 9 states." Very Scary! Since I've been gardening crazy lately I have planted a few veggies, so on second thought I'm just going to buy some more and be my own grower this season. In the past, if I can grow it the deer end up eating much of for themselves. Maybe I can find some creative ways to get them to share with the farmer this year.

Orthodontics are our Future

UGH!
Yesterday I took a impromptu trip to our dentist when Emily began crying about something in her tooth and I could see redness but couldn't seem to do anything to help her. A short drive, a long wait and 2 x-rays later showed that she didn't in fact have anything stuck in her scratched and bleeding gum, but something much worse. The technical jargon escapes memory, but what I'm left with is a basic impression that thousands of dollars will be necessary to correct the problem of what I can only call: crooked jaw, crooked teeth, cross bite, confusion. Her bite is so off center, so misaligned that she apparently chipped one tooth when she bit down and it hit the bottom tooth. Then when she instinctively tried to correct that bite she caused a small tear in her gum line. The good news (a silver lining?) is that with improvements in dentistry she wont require surgery, but can be fitted with some contraption that lengthens the jaw when you turn a key. Can you believe that? That was the extent of the good news. Some time later we walk out with referrals, follow -up appointments and the advice of my dentist to start a orthodontic fund for my children ASAP, 'cause we're gonna need it. Apparently unless you are willing to give up the kids college fund or take out a second mortgage you have little in the way of options when it comes to paying for the astronomical costs of fitting and maintaining braces, headgear's and contraptions with keys. Just when the student loans got paid off too. DAMN! I'm getting a headache just thinking about this.

And I remember when I thought the worse thing about braces was smiling with metal teeth.

Chicken Hammer, please!

Emily loves food. She eats almost everything I put in front of her with the occasional "YUCK!" thrown in between. Based on my limited information and experience, this is kind of unique. Where Noah lived on pb and j sandwiches for 2 years Emily will try any cuisine; spicy noodles, tofu, couscous..whatever, she's usually game. And so I had to laugh as we sat at the dinner table last night and she asked for a chicken hammer(drumstick). Noah laughed til his nostril were flaring, and eyes were weeping. I popped up to get the video camera to save it for posterity while Kam proceeded to withhold the food until she asked for it, again,for the 5th time, just so we could capture the moment. My recommendation - don't make a hungry 3 year old wait for/and request her food several times over - it wasn't so cute and no one was laughing by the time I hit record.

Bipolar or Just Plain Crazy?

It's a scary place to be, in my house today. It started before my eyes were even open. I had kids on top of me screaming and demanding and breaking the peace of what would have been a beautiful morning. I have not gotten my prescription of xanax renewed in a while and I thought I could handle that. Obviously not. Its strange admitting to my dependence on a chemical substance, " Hello, my name is McGee and its been 36 days since I last popped a xanax" It's not a cure all, it can't help me in many ways. I don't worry about everything any less and it can't make the kids stop screaming, but it helps me stop. That's responsible pill popping I think! But then again, it's not like I am dependent on this to function day to day. It takes the extraordinary bad day and make it bearable for my family to live with me. I'm surprised my husband doesn't have the pharmacy number ready to speed dial on his cell phone. But he doesn't and he never knows what to make of those crazy looks I give him that plead for understanding to simply take the kids away for a few short hours. I have to spell it out or more accurately he hears me screaming at one of the kids and ambles in the room and inquires, "everything okay in here?" He's assaulted with a barrage of voices all at once trying to explain that, "No, everything isn't okay, that mom is about to lose her mind and please help!" What he seems to hear is white noise so he just yells for everyone to stop yelling and go to their rooms. Me included. Well not really, but I wish I could be sent to my room, alone, but that never happens. I realize I share everything in my world with the kids and Kam. Short of my box of tampons and mascara, whats mine is theirs as well.