Without My Kids

Without my kids my house would be clean (or at least cleaner than it is).

There would be peace and quiet and no SpongeBob marathons.

I'd need to set an alarm clock again and wear makeup more than once or twice a week.

No one (except maybe Hubby) would expect their meals to be made, 

their laundry to done, 

and butts to be wiped!

Without my kids I'd have time to workout more, 

read more books

and spend time w/ friends.

I'd get to listen to the radio in the car and not have to explain death every time we pass a cemetery! 

Shopping would be enjoyable again and there would be no reason to buy fruit snacks.

But...

I thought this was cute and oh so true!!!

Comments From the Backseat

We went on our monthly grocery run yesterday. Let's be honest, shopping with kids SUCKS!!! The Easter Bunny was attempting to do some last minute shopping... pretty sure I about blew his cover numerous times w/ the help of Daddy but he managed to grab a few things. After a somewhat drama free day we were on our way back to the homestead when Max had had enough of the car riding. 


When Max was really little (and spent most of every trip in the car in a blood curdling scream), I'd crawl in the backseat w/ him while Daddy was driving, it's been awhile since that was required... thank God! But after two days in a row of road tripping more than 10 miles down the road, Max had had enough! In an effort to keep the last 30 minutes of our drive home somewhat quiet we pulled off the side of the road, grabbed a box of Cheese It's from the trunk and took off... that quieted things down for about 5 minutes.  


After the snack idea failed we decided it'd be in everyone's best interest for me to crawl to the back. But just as I was getting ready to break the law, Max grew silent. Jaxon on the other hand did not! So I did as I normally do, avoid eye contact w/ Max in the rear view while making small talk w/ his older brother. So what if the only thing that came to mind at the time was, "Look Bubba, a cemetery!"


Jaxon: "Wow Mom, there's a lot of dead people in there!" 
Me: "Yep Buddy, there sure are!"
Daddy: No comment loud enough for Jaxon to hear followed by snickering and a "Good one Mommy!"


The conversation only got better from there! Jaxon began asking about coffins, why we put people in the ground and finally, "Does Jesus have to dig all those people up to take them to heaven?" Let's just say, I nearly died myself when he asked this! I explained that coffins are magical boxes that basically teleport our loved ones to Heaven to avoid a bunch of gaping holes in the ground. 


Daddy got a big kick outta that explanation, but ya know what, it worked! And when we went by yet another cemetery on our way to Kindergarten Round-Up tonight, instead of being grilled about coffins and getting to Heaven, he merely commented from the backseat, "Look Mom, a cemetery!"

Pet Cemetary

I've been away from the blog for awhile. It's not that I've been needing new material... with these kids there's always something to share w/ a little personality. It's just that life's gotten in the way and my time's been stretched too thin.


I felt pretty crummy yesterday when I opened an email informing me that my blog had been selected as one of OnlineSchools.com, top 50 Midwest parenting blogs. Not crummy that I'd been selected, that I was honored about. I felt bad that it'd been about 2 months since my last post!


So as I sit here at my laptop today, I vow to get back to the writing and make it up to my Midwestern audience! I'll start by sharing some good old fashioned advice on how to care (or not to care), for your children's pets!

Spring has sprung as they say and with it comes the desire to build a bonfire in the backyard, roast some weenies, a few marshmallows and enjoy some cold beverages with friends. Last weekend was the perfect weather for doing such things so the kids and I talked Daddy into spending some quality time around the fire pit. 


Our oldest has a fondness for fire that's been passed down from my brothers, his Grandpa and his Grandpa the Great (or great Grandpa as most people would call him)! Where there's a fire, the boy will find something to throw on it! Now I know what you're thinking, and yes we try our best to teach fire safety! And if you're thinking this tale goes on to tell of how our son cremated a pet... luckily, you're wrong! I'm merely setting the mood for the rest of the story!


As we're sitting around the fire eating our charred food, youngest Son decides he needs a drink. And while what he really wanted was a sip of Momma's homemade wine, I decided it'd be better for him to have a juice cup instead. When we came back out I could have sworn I heard a cat meowing but that couldn't be right, our cat had just gone "missing" the week before! 


I knew Hubby had heard it too and it wasn't just my imagination when I got back up to my lawn chair, the look on his face said it all. We silently made a pact not to say a word unless small ears heard what we had... it only took a few minutes for that to happen!


2 weeks ago we had a week of the most perfect weather. Everyday was an outside day of play. The windows in the house were all open, the sandbox toys brought out of the barn and shoes were optional all week long. Jaxon's cat Patch had caught Spring fever right along with the rest of us. He managed to pop out the screen on one of our front windows and escape to the front porch. Jaxon thought this was great! After explaining to him that Patch wasn't safe outside w/ the dogs, Jaxon still continued to beg me to let Patch out to play. "I'll watch him Mom, PLEASE?!" 


I finally decided to just let Jaxon prove to me that he could do as he said and watch him. After all, the dogs weren't really bothering him anyway! As the day went on Patch stayed out and Jaxon had done as he promised. Just before dark we made our way in for bedtime baths and guess who forgot to let Patch in?! ME! 


As I was draining the tub and getting the boys in their PJ's I heard a horrible sound coming from outside... that's when I remembered the cat had gotten left behind! I ran out the back door Jaxon questioning what I was doing all the way out to the driveway, where the dogs (who were all bloody) had Patch cornered. Patch was holding his own, that blood all over the dogs was their own! I chased the dogs off and corralled the cat back up to the porch where Jaxon by this time was hysterical. 


After calming him down I simply explained that Patch would have to stay outdoors now but that he'd be fine and asked him to go in after his food and water dishes, which he did. When Daddy arrived home later that night, Patch was still hanging out on the porch so Jaxon was content. After the boys went to bed Daddy & I decided it'd be in Patch's best interest to take him for a little ride up the road! We both knew he'd probably not make it through the night and didn't want Jaxon stumbling across his dead body the next morning!


I didn't even want to get out of bed the next morning. I felt terrible about our decision and even worse about having to lie to our son about where his kitty had gone. Normally lying to him (especially to protect him) doesn't bother me so but this time was different. I knew it'd be the first thing out of his mouth upon waking and I still didn't have a story prepared. I let him sleep later than normal to avoid the conversation that ended up not taking place!


He went to school and didn't say a thing, came home not asking about Patch at all, in fact a week went by before he said anything at all about that cat! The night of the bonfire, you know the night the prodigal cat returned?! That was the first time we heard him say anything about his kitty! He ran up to Patch asking, "Where have you been?" "I've been so worried!" And that was that! 


Hubby and I joke about how it's a little like Pet Cemetery


If you liked this story, check out the link below for the list of all top 50 Midwest parenting blogs chosen by OnlineSchools.com! And thanks for reading!!!
http://www.onlineschools.com/blog/50-top-parenting-blogs-in-the-midwest.html

Tide Story

I ran out of laundry detergent the other day. Having 2 messy lil' boys & 1 very messy Hubby makes this a not so good thing. Not to mention the fact that it's been a muddy mess outside, the eldest child wet his bed the other night and Mommy had to walk through the calf pen in her running shoes! The laundry had piled up as it always does and since we were running out of clothes, bed sheets and shoes... off to town we went for some soap. 


We live in a rual area. Normally I'm all for buying locally unless it's laundry soap! Seriously... $25.00 for Tide, really?! So Wal-Mart is my spot for cleaning supplies. I was at Wal-Mart last week and forgot the soap... this is BAD! Now normally since we've had children Tide doesn't fit the budget so I buy Gain. I wash the clothes never paying any attention to what they smell like as long as they come out clean. 


Tide was what I brought home yesterday since it was by far the best buy. After the first of 7 loads I knew I had something special. The coveralls and poop covered shoes smelled of Mountain Fresh Air as did the laundry room! The freshly washed and dried towels smelled like Grandma according to the Eldest Son. Even the cat seemed to be enjoying the new scent, rolling happily in the loads of unwashed clothes piled on the floor!

He must love Tide too!

So I'm hooked! That's my Tide Story... what's yours?!

Snow?! I Thought it Was Spring!

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning! Weird considering the warm temps we've been seeing over the past several weeks. Max was the first to spot it since he was up making sure Daddy got out to do the calf chores right away at 6. Jaxon slept in till 6:15, that's late for him!


We spent our morning digging out the playroom so I treated the boys to an afternoon of sledding in the 1/2 inch of snow we got! (Who knows, this may be the only snow we see this winter!) 

This was Max's 1st sled ride. Jaxon was not too happy about having to ride in the back! 

This became a fun game... that and bailing out while flying down the slopes! 

Max was making a snow angel! 

Here's Jaxon making his snow angel!

Of course they both had to taste it!

Yummy! 

Not sure if he's trying to be an abominable snow man or what?!  

The snowplow made a pass through the driveway so we can get to school in the morning!!!

If this is the only snow we see this winter... I wouldn't be too disappointed! 

SHHHH... don't tell the kids!!!

Bathroom Break

Want to see what happens when Mommy decides to take a bathroom break w/out help?!

Take a look!

YAY me!

Coffee Anyone?!

I've actually been going to bed each night excited to wake up in the morning... not sure that's ever happened before! Why you ask?! Because of this little machine!!!

Keurig - best coffee drinker's invention EVER!!!

The boys have been getting great enjoyment out of it too! Jaxon LOVES hot chocolate... the Keurig makes the very best he's ever had (he claims)! Max LOVES to watch the machine at work and insists on using a coffee mug for his juice each day now! If anyone can tell me where to find a plastic coffee mug that comes w/ a lid, let me know!

Jaxon ran us out of hot chocolate K-Cups over the weekend and is devastated that he now has to use the mix packs again for awhile till we go back to the store. We are wanting to try some different flavors but are having a hard time deciding what we should try. 


Any suggestions?!