The Puddles

I swear Madie could sell ice to eskimos. A newspaper report came to our Girl Scout meeting today.  We even had a visiting Girl Scout come to our meeting in order to speak with the reporter.  She (the one in the green vest)sold over 1000+ boxes last year.  Now Madie has upped her goal for selling cookies.  Does she realize that I have to deliver all of those cookies?  Not wanting to be someone who stands in her way when she makes a goal . . . I guess we will be walking the streets of our neighborhood this weekend  selling cookies.

Most of my girls tried selling cookies to the reporter.  The reporter was amazed that my second graders (the girls sitting around the table in the first picture) were telling them about which cookies were low-fat and which ones were good for diets and which cookies were the tastiest.  And did you know that you can freeze Girl Scout cookies in order to eat later?  I’m not kidding.  My girls are amazing.

Remember if you need any cookies . . . you know who to ask!

Read Full Post »

I was walking around the house a few weeks ago taking pictures of every one here and there.  Feeling aimless.  Chris turns to me (after this last photo) and accused me of taking pictures in order to feed the blog.  What does that mean?  Upon further  explanation, I realized that yes  . . . he was right.  I was trying to take cute adorable pictures of my beloved children in order to share my children with friends and family. So shoot me.

Read Full Post »

Thank God It’s Over.  I don’t think that that is a real acronym, but it suits my feelings about the oven.  It is in.  It is working.  It is finished.

Mr. Dave came and supervised the installation process.  I was so grateful to have him there.  It made me feel better about us installing it, especially after my husband pulled out his ipod and used the level application to level our new oven (see picture 2 for proof).  Mostly I stayed away from the process because it drove me crazy.  I am sure that Chris knows what he is doing and I definitely think that Dave knows what he is doing, but still . . . an ipod as a level?

It looks really good.  We ended up ordering at 27 inch oven to fit in our  27 inch cabinet, but Chris (after many hours of discussion with the Sears guy) assured me it would fit.  Chris sent me to the Sears store with all of my pans and cookie sheets to make sure that they would all fit.  That wasn’t embarrassing at all (that is sarcasm. a note for all of those like myself who miss it sometimes).  “Excuse me, sir. May I bring my cookie sheet in and try in out in all of your ovens?” But I worked up the courage to do it.

What have we learned throughout this process?  Chris learned that leaving major house projects for his wife to do is a HUGE mistake.  I learned that sometimes even the most thorough person can miss something and that it is just better to just roll with the punches than cry.  (Although crying can often feel better.)

A special thank you to Gene and Susan Lake for purchasing the oven as a birthday/Christmas gift for Chris and I.

Read Full Post »

That was my greeting this morning from Ben and Madie!  They appeared in our bedroom this morning at 6:30 dressed and ready to go to school.  The last few mornings were rough (with a lot of yelling to “Hurry up!”).  The children on their own decided to wake up at 5:50am and get dressed.  When I asked why (after I told them how proud I was of them), they said they were tired of being yelled at.  Ouch!  Mom and Dad made a promise to be better as well.

And so . . . the kids left for school at 7:30am (yesterday it was 7:52.  not good at all.).  There were smiles on everyone’s faces when the truck was pulling out of the driveway.  So a good start to an even better day!!

Read Full Post »

It was a beautiful day today!  The sun was shining.  The air was warmer.  It was at least warm enough for the puddles to go outside and play.  Playing outside is good.  Playing outside with a dozen blankets and pillows is good if you are kid.  Not so good for mom.  I am on the phone and I heard a herd of children go up the stairs and drag down every blanket and pillow from upstairs.  All I can think of is the loads of laundry.

Deep breath . . . It has been a busy week with most of my head in another world.  While the chili simmered on the stove, I went outside with kids and took pictures of their “house.” Everyone had a place to sleep.  The girls said that it was a real house with bedrooms and a living room.  It even had a basement.  Ben, on the other hand, said that it was house in an airplane.  The picture is him flying the airplane and bombing the neighbors.

The kids are in bed and I am hoping that it stays that way.  The kids are slow to get back in their routine.  It is only Wednesday but I hope that it won’t take until next Wednesday for the routine to become “routine.”  I have high hopes.

Read Full Post »

I have often thought that I need to add up all of the hours that I spend waiting in the car rider line.  But then I stop myself . . . do I really want to know????  No, not really.

I was waiting in line for Ainsley today and the following thought occurred in my mind, “How do you know that you are waiting in a car rider line in the state of Texas?  When every vehicle (except yours), requires a step stool to climb into.”  I think that it is time to rethink my vehicle.  My minivan fit right in while I waited to pick up my kids from school in Nebraska.

Sometimes I think that I spend way too much time in the car rider line.  I need to find something to occupy my mind while I wait.

Read Full Post »

Today is Monday.  Normally today is a day held with dread by most people.  Today was a day of joy and celebration for the Lake Family.  Ben went to school today!  He was so excited.  It only took him two minutes once he reached the classroom to pull up his shirt and show the ladies his scar.  At least I should be thankful that he waited until he made it to the classroom!  He is tired though and up to some mischief this afternoon.  Something about opening up the gas tank to Daddy’s truck and pushing buttons?!  Not sure of the entire story.

Daddy stayed home most of the day and played mommy while I went to learn for the day.  Daddy did awesome.  He even went and read books to Ben’s class at school (which is my usual volunteer duty for Mondays).  I came home this afternoon to a tired Chris.  Doing Mommy duty when you are not used to it is hard.  I am sure that he will be ready to get back to work tomorrow. Or at least he will be glad to not have to have Mommy-duty and be with people again.  I had a good day of learning.  It was nice to concentrate on something other than children.  I came home rejuvenated and ready to practice what I learned.  I can’t wait for the kids to go to bed!!  Is 6:00pm too early for bedtime?  Just kidding.  Putting kids to bed at 6:00pm is only a punishment for parents.

Ainsley and Madie were healthy and ready to go back to school.  So everyone was happy and ready to make this a great start to the best week ever for the Lake family.

Read Full Post »

I was on my way to bed at around 2am this morning when I was met on the stairs by both Madie and Ainsley.  Madie’s tummy hurt and Ainsley’s ear hurt.  Both were crying.  I gave Ainsley a dose of tylenol and she went and crawled into bed with Chris.  Madie, on the other hand, hurt really badly.  Nothing helped.  No medicine. No body position.  She said that it hurt worse upstairs than downstairs (that’s a new one). So downstairs we stayed.  Until about 4am.  I am looking at the clock thinking that there are people actually going to work at this time and I have yet to go to bed.  So I convinced Madie to go upstairs and and let me lay down next to her.  She slept off and on between trips to the  bathroom.  Nothing helped.  Finally around 8:30am she vomited.  She finally feels good enough to sleep.  She has slept since then.  The other children are under the penalty of death if they dare to make any noises at all.  So far so good.

This is Chris’s one big day of work, so at all costs we don’t bother daddy on Saturday night.  I still had hopes of going to church this morning.  I had so much do to, but yet taking my sick child to church and exposing her to all of the other nice children seemed mean.  So we stayed home today.  My poor Madie told me that she doesn’t even want to go to school tomorrow.  She just wants to stay home and rest.  Wow.  The only thing that she is upset about is that she has not been able to sell any Girl Scout cookies yet.  Luckily there are plenty more days left to sell.

Chris called to check on the girls and I told him that I am praying that I don’t get what either of them have.  Chris says that I have an iron immunity.  I don’t think that he knows me very well.  But let’s pray that he is right.  The lysol spray and wipes have already emerged and have been implemented.  I have washed my hands in the freezing cold water that is coming out of faucet so many times that my hands are red.  Let’s hope that it works.  I can’t get sick. I can’t get sick.  I can’t get sick.  I am practicing mind over matter.  I can’t get sick. I can’t get sick.

Read Full Post »

That’s right.  Be prepared to be asked.  Madie has set her first goal at 175 boxes.  Her second goal, if she reaches her first goal, is 500.  She is quite the seller.  If you don’t want cookies, you can donate boxes of cookies to St. Vincent de Paul’s food pantry.  No money is necessary today.  Only upon delivery.  Our troop receives $.56 for every box sold.  It is our troop’s only fundraiser.  Call or email if you want to help Madie!!!!!

Read Full Post »

We had some wonderful friends from out-of-state call last night.  I always enjoy talking with them.  They were my children’s  surrogate grandparents while we lived in Nebraska (because their own grandparents lived so far away) and they still are adored by my children.

During our conversation we were talking about Ainsley.  I was commenting how she is my loving child who adores being hugged and loved on by all those around her.  Marsha reminded me that this was not always the case (how soon a mother forgets the woes of the early years).  She is right.  Ainsley refused to go to anyone from about six months through 18 months.  And I mean anyone.  She didn’t even like Chris.  After Ben’s first heart surgery and she was mainly taken care of by others for the week Ben was in the hospital, she totally changed.  She wouldn’t go in the nursery or to a babysitter.  She adored everyone . . . as long as Mom was in the room.  One of her favorite people was Marsha and she wouldn’t even go to her when Mom left.  One time I had to leave for a meeting at school and our dear Marsha watched Miss A.  Ainsley refused to be loved on or soothed.  So she spent the hour standing by the front storm door crying for mom (while of course Marsha watched her helpless to make her happy).  Our favorite babysitter could handle her long crying sessions when Chris and I would leave (God bless Valerie for tolerating her.  I think that there were lots of swinging in the swing outside to get through all of it) but none of it was easy.

I reflect on this because this is not the Ainsley of today.  When you are in the depths of diapers, it can be hard to see past today.  When this was going on with Miss A, I had a two year old son with a heart condition that required open heart surgery and a four year old who at the time needed speech, physical, and occupational therapy (half of which required us to drive 120 miles round trip once a week for her to get it). It just all seemed endless when we were dealing with it, like all of the drama would never end.   But here we are . . . and I have a happy child who loves being loved.  I just need to try to remember those early years of difficulty when I am in the midst of childhood despair today.  These times of woe will soon pass by.  I will (apparently) forget how hard it was and only remember the good times. The mind is a wonderful thing.  It will help us forget the pains of the past so that we can move on towards tomorrow.

Read Full Post »