OUCH...do you feel that?

Why, it's my buttons being pushed. No wait, not pushed...but pounded, yea, pounded. I now have developed a spasm in my neck...seriously. Before you know it, my eyes will be twitching (which they have done before) & I will be laying in the corner in a fetal position, eating the head off of a bird. Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating a bit...not much though...maybe everything but the bird deal.

The kids have been sick since Friday. When one gets it, they all get it. That's just how it is. I guess it's better to get it all over with at once. So for 3 days, we have been up to our knees in snot. I've been lysoling everything.

Today though, they seem to be getting better. There is still snot everywhere, but the pitifulness (is that a word?) isn't as bad. I told myself this was going to be a good day. I took some deep breathes & focused. Welp..that turned out to be a bunch of crap. For some reason, Jasper has been, well, I guess you could say feisty. That's a nice term. Anything to test me today, he's done it. For instance, right now they are supposed to be napping & I've went in three times & told them to be quiet. Now everyone is quiet, but Jasper.

He's been throwing toys all morning, taking toys, pushing, pointing his finger & saying "no." Okay, so that one may be my fault. And he makes me chase him to discipline & put him on the couch. He thinks it's so hilarious..just laughs & laughs. Whatever happened to the days when kids had to go pick their switches from outside? Sometimes I wouldn't mind that.

And then there is the eating issue...they just don't eat. Unless, of course, it is french fries. But, they do love to throw their food on the floor along with their drinks. Apparently I'm not being harsh enough on this. Most moms I talk to say, "the first time they throw something on the floor, they are done with the meal. After a few days, they'll realize they don't want to do that anymore." Why can't I do this instead of giving them two or three more times!? Ugh.

So anyway, I guess this is a vent. My neck is now spasming & I need to go brush my teeth because I'm just now getting time.

Well, at least Iz didn't throw her food

You Got The Right Stuff, Baby

Oh yea...THEY'RE BACK! That's right all you New Kids On The Block fans...the Boston boys are back! Yippie! I'm as happy as a little girl. You don't understand. Ashley (my sis) & I were obsessed with NKOTB..I mean obsessed. Our walls were covered in their posters & we went to 5 or 6 concerts. And yes, I cried like a baby at one of them.

We loved them all, but our favorites? Well, Ashley's was & still is:

Mr. Jordan Knight
I'm pretty sure he was dreaming of Ashley in this picture

And mine was & still is:

Mr. Donnie Whalberg
And I'm pretty sure he was saying, "I want you...Shannon" in this picture

So Ashley calls me tonight..about 8:55 pm to let me know they were going to show a 1/2 hour special on VH1. I go in the living room & tell Nate he has to turn it to VH1. And OMG..it was awesome! I got up and danced. I asked Nate if he was embarrassed & he said, no. I think he was lying. I did the "Right Stuff" dance right along with the boys. Granted, I was out of breath when it was over. I said, "I gotta call Ash & I don't care if I wake the kids up." She picks up the phone & immediately says, "I am groovin!" I say, "Me too...I was dancing." I told her if they come to town, we are there! And I don't care how much it costs...we WILL get front row. And yes, we will probably embarrass ourselves. But I don't care. She said she told her hubby the same thing, " we will get front row!" And then she said, "I gotta go on a diet." How hilarious!

Donnie? If you are reading this, your still my favorite. Oh, I also read where you just got divorced. Call me! Just teasin, Nate!

Fun in the neighbors backyard

We've got some pretty good across-the-street neighbors. They are an older couple from Hungary. They have been here for 50 years, but still have thick accents. Let me tell you, I've never seen anyone work in their yard as much as Lewis & Sofia do. Lewis probably mows his grass 4 times a week & their backyard is like Heaven. We've lived here for almost 8 years & had never seen their backyard till this weekend. When the kids & I walked back there, it was like "awwwwwww...is this...Heaven? Where am I?"

And then I think, "they must think that Nate & I are a bunch of lazy as*#&." Here we are, probably 40 years younger than them & our yard looks like a jungle. We have dead flowers and weeds growing every which way. It's pathetic. But their yard, oh, their yard...it's beautiful! The back had flowers everywhere! And a vegetable garden! The kids helped Sofia pick veggies & Lewis played with them & gave them rakes & brooms to help with yard work. It was so fun!

Lewis pushing Jonah on a tricycle
The boys! Lewis & Jonah on the bench & Jas on the trike
Lewis pushing Isabel
Jonah loving the attention from Sofia
Jonah in the garden
Jonah walking up the stairs that I told him not to go up...100 times
Jonah & red flowers
Handing out tomatoes
The kids helping Sofia

How sweet is this?? Jasper look like a big kid in a chair
Jasper & flowers
Jasper & the trike
Jonah by a flower garden

Handing over the tomatoes

The flower garden
Isabel with the broom
Izzy & Sofia
The ladies working in the garden
My "flower girl"

Some more backyard pics

Sweet Jonah ~ The picture of him smiling on the mower is one of my favorites ever! The boys were loving the mower. And you can see Jonah's reaction in one of the pictures. He did not like it one bit when Jasper would mess with the mower. And I don't know if Jonah thought it was a ride or what, because he kept sitting on top of it. It was so cute!

J

Backyard Shenanigans

Last evening, the kids & I went out back to play. Nate was at a metal festival & I decided we needed to get out & play. Our backyard isn't all the way fenced in, so I really have to keep a close eye on the little buggers in case they try to make a run for the border. Welp..Jonah sure gave me a workout. Seriously, how do you stay calm in situations like that? It's impossible. When I see him walking down the driveway, towards the road & I say, "Jonah, stop...please come back here." He turns & looks at me & walks faster & faster & then starts to run...all while he is laughing. He thinks it's a game. And mama freaks. I'm sure the whole neighborhood heard me. And let me just say that I absolutely am not in shape. So running down the driveway just gets me out of breath. Not a pretty sight!

Jasper
Jasper pushing his sissy...awwww

I can't believe I made it to the top!
So cute

Miss Izzy..she loves that darn swing. If I don't push it, she gets hysterical.
Giving me a "look" because I stopped pushing
Now there's a cute smile
The boys...manly mower boys!
Jasper talking to Jackie (the neighbors dog)

The boys loving Jackie
Brother's...so sweet
The boys definitely love playing in the house. Good, this means they will "know their role" when they take a wife...hee, hee!
Gonna get ya, Jackie
The sweetest girl!

A visit to the doctor

Today I had to take Jasper to the doctor. He just hasn't been acting like himself lately. He's been messing with his ears, whining, and he's been wheezing when he breathes. The doctor didn't find an ear infection, but he does think that Jasper might have allergies. SHOCK! Another one of Nate's kids with allergies?! Ok..I'm being sarcastic. If you know Nate, you know that he is the allergy King. Poor guy is constantly battling those darn allergies. So, my kids are bound to get them. We already know that Jonah has them.

But the doctor looked at me & said, "He looks like an allergy kid." I knew exactly what he meant. My boys both have circles under their eyes. It looks like they haven't slept in days. He also noticed that Jasper has some red bumps around his mouth. We've noticed, too. I said, "I can't think of what it would be." He said, "well, is he drooling some? And I'm sure he doesn't take a paci...like at night or anything, right?" I say, "Weeellll...yes, he takes a paci at night & at nap time (they all do)" The doctor says, "oh, I'm not judging you..I'm just wondering where this came from." He's a super nice doc & I just thought, "oh crap, am I gonna get in trouble because they are over 2 & still taking the paci?" He was totally cool though. But I took this picture on my camera phone because he was sitting the waiting room like a big boy & he looks so precious.

FYI...it's soooo easy taking one out. My friend Courtaney & her son Abe came over to watch the other two. Thanks Courtaney! You're the best.

No Thanks

When I went to get the kids out of their beds from nap time yesterday, I found Jasper & Jonah reading. I got Isabel up first & changed her diaper. There's no way she wants to stay in that crib. As a matter of fact, I'm catching on to her schemes. As soon as I open the door, she stands up & says, "I poopie, I poopie" and points to her pants. When this first started, I thought, "oh good..she realizes she has pooped." Now, I notice she does this even when she doesn't poop. She just wants to make sure she is the first one I pick up. Conniving little kid!

So after I get her changed & put her in the living room, I go back in to get Jasper. He flips over to his belly & reads. I said, "come on...don't you want to get out of your crib?" He says, "nope." I go over to Jonah & ask him the same thing & he just looked at me. It was just so cute. They looked like a couple of big kids reading. Oh, you will notice in the pictures that they don't have their pants on. But...ol' mama finally started duct taping the diapers, so at least those are still on.