Better than the Comics

Spencer watching David saw wood - "Dad, watch out for the crumbs!"


Kylie asks, "Mom, can I use your most beautiful wrapping paper?"  "Why do you need it?"  "We are doing a project in school and my teacher says that it needs to look really nice."



Their FAVORITE movie is 'Bolt'.  While Kylie is away at school Spencer and Ashlyn act it out.  I found Ashlyn pinned to the ground with Spencer on top saying, "We're not going to have any more problems, are we cat?"  He totally says it EXACTLY how they do.  David was snuggling Spencer and said, "I love you, Bud."  Spencer replied  "No, Bolt, you're wrong.  Penny doesn't love you.".   It's like the kid thinks in movie quotes.  Hilarious!

Only if things happen as Ashlyn envisions is she happy.  She wanted to lay down on my bed, so I, of course, let her.  Moments after she disappeared, she came running down the hall in tears and snot everywhere.  'What is the matter?'  "You said I could lay down on  your bed, but there are clothes everywhere!"

I asked Kylie to be quiet because it was quiet time.  She replied, "It's always quiet time.  When are we going to have loud time?"

Fall in North Carolina

I stole this photo from a friend, so it looks a little grainy.  The leaves are changing and falling off the trees.  Every day we wake up to high-30s/low 40s.  It doesn't get warmer than 68.  We are loving fall!

Washington D.C.

After my surgery in August, I wasn't able to teach my gym classes for at least a week (doesn't sound horrible, but that's torture to me especially since I was feeling fine by day 3), so our kind friends, the Kaneyukis, agreed to let us visit.  They are seriously the most wonderful host family!  Super laid back, willing to do what we want to do, are patient with the whining, offers to let me go out alone, super fun and lets me raid their refrigerator.

It was just me and the kids making the trip.  Kylie's requests were to see the White House and swim.  They did awesome in the car; well, except one incident when Spencer had to pee super bad on the way home and there was literally NOWHERE to stop - not even the side of the road because there were railings on either side.  Which left us to stop at some random place where Spencer announced, as soon as we walked in, "THIS PLACE STINKS!", and sticky floors, a mirage of people that didn't look anything like us and no bathrooms (thank goodness).  We high-tailed out of there and found something a bit more clean down the road.  I digress...


We got to see the White House (but never swam), Ashlyn made her mark by peeing on the Smithsonian carpet and I even ran into someone I knew at the National Mall.  My children were introduced to edible seaweed and LOVED it, we rode the metro, I ran in our Nation's capital (shhhh, don't tell my doctor, but I couldn't resist) and we experienced seeing lightning from the 10th floor.

We are hoping that they still like us, so next time we can eat at fun places and take a tour of the White House - with David.  Thank you, Kaneyukis!

Excuse all the tired faces, we walked a lot.

Time to be more consistent

I don't really have an idea of how many people even care that I keep up on my posts, but I know David, at least, checks it regularly.  It's enough motivation when he says, "You haven't updated in awhile",  "Can you post more pictures",  "I like reading what you write", (no one ever says that to me), etc.

Even though we are very blessed, I tend to look more at what's going wrong or not happening.  Keeping up on this blog, as well as writing in my journal, helps me remember the good.  For example, I need to keep reminding me that the kid below actually makes me laugh more than he drives me crazy.

I made it!

All the way through September without a post, but you didn't even notice did you?  It is amazing how time can slip away from you so quickly!  Between working out issues with Kylie and her teacher (I cannot believe how much energy that in itself zapped from me) from saying good-bye to really great neighbor and friends to follow-up appointments from my surgery in August along with all the day to day stuff that goes on, time ticks by so fast.

I have to ask myself: 

• How much time was wasted with unimportant things?  

• Through the months experiences, what did I learn and how is it going to make me a better person?  

• Are my priorities in the right place?  

Then, as the month ended, I realized that I don't remember answering those questions after August or July or June or May....you get my drift.  Therefore, I took to journaling again and, once again, am amazed at what comes out from writing thoughts down from the day or week.  My thoughts turned to setting small goals and reviewing them each day or week.  I feel like this has helped me not get so overwhelmed with stuff that I waste my time doing other 'stuff'.  Some of the goals should be stuff I do everyday.  For example, hug/kiss my family at least 3 times a day.  Don't laugh.  I seriously have to make a conscientious effort to do that or else I am only cleaning rooms, making lunches and getting everyone where they need to be and completing what has to be completed.  I shocked myself in realizing some of the goals I made were simple, but I rarely did them even though I thought I was doing them.  Does that make sense?

I am beginning to understand better that this is how the Lord wants us to grow...not getting every thing done in one day, but perfecting the small and very important tasks each day.

Colorado

We thoroughly enjoyed being with David's family in Colorado for 10 days this summer.  It was much quieter with only 3 out of the 6 siblings there.  Instead of 26 children and 15 adults, we only had 11 children and 9 adults.  Awesome times we had by all!  Many hilarious quotes were written down and our kids showed how comfortable they were on stage.  The night we have 'sharing time' to share talents, they got up on stage to dance while Melanie played the piano.  I have not laughed that hard in a LONG time.  Spencer had his gangster moves, Ashlyn somersaulted and pole danced and Kylie twirled her way across the stage and back.  If I can ever figure out how to get movies posted on blogspot, I'd post it....it is freakin' H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!

Thank you Mom and Dad Astorga and Grandma Johnson for being fantastic hosts and always opening your place to us.  And our children couldn't have asked for better cousins who juice them, kiss them and play with them ALL DAY long.  

 

A Couple of Birthdays

From the middle of July to now has been one big birthday celebration and we only have 2 birthdays within that time frame.  We were in Colorado for Spencer's birthday and celebrated it with family.  But, I couldn't bring any presents and we were trying to find our routine for a week after that (do we even have a routine?).  Which brought us to celebrating it in our own home the 1st week of August.  Spencer's birthday...complete.

 

 

A week later, we celebrated Kylie's 7th birthday, but it was the day after I had minor surgery and I was not fully with it.  You can guess how that celebration turned out...it didn't.  A few days later, presents were opened and that was the extent of that - simple.  The simplicity ended there since Kylie wanted a party with friends which is what transpired today.  Kylie's birthday...complete. 

Birthdays around here are not a checklist item - I really do love extending the celebration into weeks, I'm just glad we don't have another one until December:).

Check these out!

Kylie had both of her eye teeth were extracted and she was a trooper.  I have known since June that she was needing in done, but drug my feet in scheduling the appointment and telling her about it.  I told her that we needed to go back to the dentist for more work and she was super excited because she LOVES her dentist.  I kept feeling like I was hiding something from her by not telling her what was going to transpire.  Finally, a couple of days before the procedure, the timing was right and I told her what was going to happen.  I left out some minor details (i.e. she was going to get a shot in the mouth - which she still has no idea about).  She was nervous, but I assured her that she wouldn't feel anything.  Because her dentist was so wonderful last time, she believed me.  I asked the nurser to not even say the word "shot" around Kylie or else she would have a freak attack.  When they were prepping for the procedure, Kylie asked if they were going to give her a shot and the nurse replied with, "No, we don't even do those around here".  Some things are better left unknown.


After an hour of Ashlyn and Spencer literally climbing the walls (because they are allowed to in this office:)), the nurse called us to come back.  Kylie's mouth was full of gauze and she was trying to be so brave, but broke down into tears when she saw me.  The tears didn't stop for another 3 hours when the Novocain wore off - an afternoon I wish to never re-live.


The good news:  We survived!


The bad news:  It will be some time and money (aka-braces) before her teeth are 'normal'.  But, it's cool, every kid goes through the weird teeth stage.

Do you know what a calico is?

And, no, not a calico cat.  Spencer carries around a black tube that he calls a calico.  This has been going on for weeks.  I can't figure out what the heck it is.  The girls say that it's something he made up.


Today, the mystery was solved.  We were cleaning out the play room (the kids were paid $2 for every bag of toys they would give to Goodwill) and he pulled out this....

...'my CALICO', he announced. 

 It 's just nice to get outside sometimes, you know.

Umstead State Park

 Trying to pose a shot, but Ashlyn knows the rule -

every child is NOT supposed to be doing the same thing at the same time.

 They made a map to find 'treasure' and, of course, it's hidden under a rock.

 Ashlyn - 'I'm smiling, but f-a-l-l-i-n-g...'; 

Kylie - 'Come on, Ashlyn, we've got to get this picture.';

Spencer - 'Wait, I am missing something?'

It's always sad to leave (this picture was taken from a bit away - he was calling my bluff).

Zero Excuses

I have no excuses for not blogging regularly except that we have been crazy busy, but isn't everyone?  School starts for us in 3 weeks and I am DREADING it.  I love having my kids home.  Do they drive me crazy?  Yep.  Do they fight?  Yep.  Do we do any workbooks?  Nope.  Do we do any school charts?  Nope.  For these reasons, I could never home school - I would never do any work.  Okay, never is not true, but we wouldn't do it very often.  As much as I loved homework growing up (are you surprised?), I totally dislike homework as a parent.  I try to put on a happy, encouraging face for Kylie so she'll be motivated to get it done, but I think she sees right through me.  And, as much as I love to have a plan, I hate being on a schedule.  Weird, I know, especially since I teach classes at the gym and have to be on a schedule, but that little bit of forced schedule keeps me at least doing stuff with the kids, cleaning my house and doing laundry, otherwise, none of that would probably get done.

Other reasons I love to have them home - I enjoy watching them interact, use their imagination and be creative.  We work together and talk about stuff.  I am fascinated with their personalities - how they learn, what they are interested in, how they react to situations and how they show love.

Here are a few things I snapped pictures of...

Those last shots are taken at this awesome park.  It's not awesome because of the cool stuff it has, but the layout is fantastic.  The swings, playsets and sand box are in the shade.  The rest of the park is open and HOT, but I can go where the kids play, push them in the swing and slide down with them without being miserable - LOVE IT!




A story to go with the picture - Kylie drew these pictures of her, Ashlyn and Spencer and wanted to give them to me as a present (at this point, I had no idea what she was planning).  She asked me for 17 popsicle sticks.  I told her that we didn't have that many due to the fact that they are always using them for projects.  She was heartbroken, but only for a moment.  "I have an idea, Mom" - classic Kylie.  So, here's my surprise present, framed.  Love this girl.  So creative and thoughtful.

 Each day the kids rotate chores between dishes, wiping the counters and picking up the living room.  This was Spencer's day to help with the dishes.  I was getting after him for taking FOREVER to load the utensils, then I realized what he was doing...organizing them just like he would to put them away in the drawer.  It's crazy to me how their brains work.  He was taught to put the forks, knives and spoons together and, to him, this meant every time.  He quit when he saw that he could no longer squeeze in another spoon with the spoons, forks with forks and knives with knives.  He was frustrated that he couldn't do it how it knew it should be done.