Our Epic Disney Adventure Begins

Our plan was to get up early this morning and hit the road for Florida. But, when Ruth's family birthday party was over yesterday, we all just had the itch to get on the road. So, in an act of complete spontaneity, we loaded up the van, and off we went. We pulled out of the driveway about 6:30 and drove until about midnight, stopping for the night in Orange, TX.

We were on the road again around 8:00 this morning and almost immediately passed into LA. Just as we got across the seemingly endless bridge over Lake Charles, and within eye shot of the increased speed limit sign, we were met by the state police, who were out in force, and they welcomed us to the state with a lovely little speeding ticket.

Undaunted, we pushed on (at a slightly lower pace). We were hoping to celebrate Weston's half-birthday at Chuck E. Cheese's in Pensacola, FL, where we also planned to spend the night, before making the final push to Disney tomorrow. Again, our plans changed. We made it to Covington, LA before our "check engine" light started flashing and our engine started chugging, reminiscent of our little trip to Amarillo last month. Not wanting to push the van beyond its limits, we found the local Chuck E. Cheese's and proceeded with the half-birthday celebration. And, while the kids played, Jeff called the Honda dealership and every rental car place in a 50-mile radius. Since it was Sunday, and Memorial weekend, nothing was open. (Well, there was one rental place open but they had exactly zero cars of any size to rent, so we weren't really sure why they bothered coming in today).

We finally figured out that the rental car places at the airport in New Orleans would be open, and a quick call confirmed that they also had cars (and vans) to rent. Eventually, we decided to stay in Covington for tonight, with the plan of leaving our van here at the Honda dealership and heading to Florida in the rental tomorrow. We found a hotel with connected indoor and outdoor pools and some very large suites. (According to Ruth, it's the most amazing hotel she has EVER stayed in). Jeff dropped the kids and me off, along with our swimsuits, and took a cab the 40 or so miles to New Orleans. When he returned, we modified our plan to leave our van at the Honda dealership in Slidell tomorrow morning, so it would be more convenient to return the rental to New Orleans on our way home. And, then we went out for cajun food. Followed by a quick trip to the pharmacy, because we are afraid Weston is coming down with a cold.

But, aside from a few little set-backs, the trip just couldn't be going better! The kids are having a blast and were very well-behaved in van and very flexible when things didn't go according to plan. We are hoping to hit the road early tomorrow and still make it to our resort in time to swim in the grand piano-shaped pool. Stay tuned for more stories from our Disney adventure.

Another birthday party under her belt

Celebrating 7 1/2 with Chuck. E Cheese

Half-birthday requests: "Abe Lincoln hat and baseball stuff"
(Don't know why that kid isn't smiling.
He was really, really excited about these two things!)

Two of my little fishes in the hotel pool

Chillin' before dinner

Peace and Joy

From Pre-Med to Peppermint Oil

Life is funny. It has a way of changing people. Sometimes big changes, all at once, and, sometimes, gradual changes we don't even recognize until we look back. I began my adult life with a very specific focus and determination to go to medical school and become a doctor. I graduated with a decent GPA, from a decent university, with a pre-med degree. But Life was working, even then, to change me. In those early years, I believed in modern medicine wholeheartedly. I decided not to go to medical school for a variety of reasons, but it wasn't that I stopped believing in the marvels of modern medicine.

Around the time I started having babies, I remember thinking, "Women have been doing this for thousands of years, without the aid of doctors or machinery or hospitals or epidurals. What's the big deal?" I even told the doctor that delivered Weston that all I really needed was a catcher. My first three babies were delivered in hospitals by doctors, because we had big, fat, corporate insurance, and it just seemed easiest to pick an in-network doctor and go with that. But, even then, I didn't feel it was necessary to have a doctor present. I just knew that Jeff probably wasn't up for playing catcher, so we needed someone else in the room. I didn't have an epidural or any medication. I just did what my body knew to do. (Max was a little bit of a challenge, as he decided to come out like Superman and got himself stuck. It wasn't quite as straightforward as the other deliveries, and I was thankful to have some extra, knowledgeable help to get him out and to help him through the next few days as he recovered from the experience).

When the corporate insurance went away, we took a longer, deeper look at the role of modern medicine in our lives, and we decided most of it wasn't necessary. Originally, we were motivated almost solely by money and convenience. We started using homemade cough remedies for kids who seemed to be too young for all the over-the-counter stuff. And, we experimented with using hydrogen peroxide to treat ear infections. And, it worked--sometimes on about the same time frame as medicine and sometimes quicker. And, when it came time to have our fourth child, we chose to have a midwife deliver him at a birthing center. The cost to deliver there was significantly lower than to deliver at the hospital. But, money aside, I can tell you now that I wish I would have chosen that route with all my babies. No one bothered me. Or hooked me up to a million instruments. Or told me what to do. Or tried to pump me full of drugs. When I was ready, I just told the midwife, and she stood beside the bed to play catcher. Then, we went home later that day, and it all just felt so much more natural and comfortable.

I find that the more years I get under my belt, the less I depend on, and even trust, modern medicine and the more I look for alternatives to keep my family healthy. Now, granted, we are generally a pretty healthy bunch. Thankfully, we aren't dealing with any major illnesses or chronic conditions. And, I'm not saying modern medicine isn't useful. I was very glad to have a skilled doctor sew up Max's chin a few months ago and one to staple my head closed last summer. And, I'm thankful for all the modern medicine involved in helping my dad when he had his heart attack a month ago. Certainly, it has it's place. But, I no longer believe in it like I used to, especially for non-serious medical problems.

Recently, as we've had little problems come up, I've been researching and trying more and more home remedies. I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil (in caplet form) for hormonal acne and have seen major improvements. I was introduced to Peppermint Oil as a way to treat headaches and have been amazed at how well it has worked. I have also used Vitamin E Oil to treat ingrown toenails on myself and plantar warts on the kids and have seen wonderful results.

It's funny to me now that I once wanted to be a doctor of modern medicine and that I once believed in that system so wholeheartedly. That's not at all who I am anymore. Life has changed me. Of course, I recognize that many readers will not agree, and that is perfectly fine with me. I am not trying to persuade anyone to change the way they think. I just wanted to express my amusement in the fact that Life changes us in spite of ourselves. I am learning to embrace and appreciate change as it comes, and I respect that Life will not take any two people down the exact same path. This is one way in which Life has changed me. How has it changed you?

Customer Non-Service

Jeff and I have long been frustrated with our bank. But, the thought of moving the six accounts we hold there just seems too daunting a task, and it never seems to make it even to the top ten on the priority list.  But, if they keep up their amazing customer non-service, we just might have to get serious about making a change.

For the last couple of weeks, we have not been able to log on to online banking from our laptops. That is inconvenient, but we have just been logging on on our phones instead. But, today, I received a message when I tried to log in on my phone that my account had been locked. Which meant I had no choice but to call the ridiculously unhelpful customer service department. Someone answered, required me to answer a million questions to verify my identity, listened to my problem, put me on hold and then, without further explanation, told me she would have to pass me along to someone else. Fine. Next person answers, asks me the same million questions and then asks me what the problem is. I explain that I cannot log on to my online account, and she tells me I need to use a different browser. Well, I don't have another browser on my laptop, but I tell her I can try on a another machine. No luck with that either. So, she then proceeds to scoff at the fact that I don't have any other computers or browsers to try and tells me that, in that case, there is nothing she can do. She simply cannot help me and apparently can't point me to anyone who can. Then the following conversation took place:

"So, I can't use online banking at all?" I ask.

"Well, can't you just log on from your phone?" she replies.

"I don't know. I wasn't able to log on from my phone earlier, which is why I called you."

"You mean you haven't tried to log on from your phone since you talked to the other rep, because I see here that that person unlocked your account?"

"Um, no. I have been on the phone the entire time, waiting to talk to someone who can help me."

"Oh. You mean, you are using that same phone?!"

"Well, yes. It's the only phone I have. But I can try it when we hang up, and call you back if it doesn't work."

"Ok. That sounds good. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?"

[Words screamed spoken only in my head while banging it against a wall] "Are you kidding me?! You haven't assisted me with anything yet!!!"

Ugh! Anybody out there have a bank they love, with excellent (or at least not lousy) customer service?

The party that almost did me in

I love a good party. Especially a good birthday party. And, I've hosted some fine ones, if I do say so myself. I have planned and served elaborate themed meals. I have toiled over the most minute birthday cake details until the wee hours of the morning and gone to bed with a satisfied weariness that came from knowing I produced exactly what my child described to me as his or her perfect cake. I have designed fancy invitations, decorated the house, filled piñatas, planned fun activities and bought cool party favors. I even once spent weeks creating a firetruck out of a sofa box and arranging for the real firetruck to show up at the party!

But the birthday party that just about did me in was the one that took place at our house today. It was the first one we've had that didn't involve a theme. Or my hand in the invitations. Or me making a cake. (Or even the cookies that were served in place of cake). And, I barely even saw Ruth and her friends during the party, as they tucked themselves away where they could giggle and tell secrets and silly stories and listen to Taylor Swift and do each other's hair. I knew this party was coming; I just didn't know it was going to get here so soon. And, even though I am proud of Ruth for designing, printing and mailing all the invitations and baking her own cookies and creating a special piece of jewelry to give to each of her friends as a favor, I must admit a piece of my heart is completely broken. I feel like I have been kicked out of the loop. Birthday parties are one of the tangible ways I love on my kids. But I feel like I'm no longer an essential piece of the puzzle. And, I know that, while my kids will always love me, there will be more and more instances where they just don't really need me. This, of course, is how it should be. If I'm doing my job correctly, my children should become more independent. That's absolutely what I want. At the moment, though, I'm not quite sure what to do with my emotions or how to re-channel my birthday party energy or why things can't just always be as they were. I guess I've got some growing up of my own to do. Perhaps, I should follow the lead of this lovely lady:

Celebrating 11

Maldives Dreaming

Back in January or February, Jeff and I booked an early anniversary get-away to the Maldives. Our plan was to stay in a water bungalow and go scuba diving and enjoy each other's company and soak up some sun and silence on the private island on which our resort was situated. But, as the countdown to the trip began and we thought about leaving the children for so long and going so far away, we began to get cold feet, and we cancelled the trip. And, filling in the gaps, as life does, work stuff came up for both of us for this week, and that seemed to confirm that we had made a good choice to stay around here. I haven't really regretted our decision to cancel the trip (except for the lost motivation to work out). But, today was a day full of regular life--sickness, crying, spills, broken objects, work, feelings of inadequacy, potty training, messes, technical difficulties, et cetera, et cetera--and a glance at the calendar told me it was a day when I could have been dipping my toes in the clear blue water of the Indian Ocean without any little people around to detract from the solitude. I will admit to feeling sadness and regret at the realization. I really do know it was for the best that we changed our plans, but just for tonight I will dream that I am sitting on this deck, sipping on a fruity little drink, with no house to clean or laundry to do or McDonald's for dinner or countless interrupted conversations. And, perhaps one of these days, the dream will become reality.

Lunch According to Ruth

Summer tends to get chaotic for us when there is no schedule to follow. And, chaos tends to make me cranky. So, in an effort to combat that, I have put together a little summer schedule for us to follow. It's nothing elaborate, and it still leaves plenty of room for all kinds of spontaneous fun, but I need to hold on to all the sanity I can, and I find structure helps with that.

One of the things on the schedule that the big kids are really excited about is that each of them is responsible for planning and preparing (to the best of their ability) one meal a week. Today, Ruth made lunch, in true Ruth fashion. She prepared a vegetarian meal in three courses and pulled out the crystal and china for serving. The finer points of this meal may have been lost on her brothers (the only other diners), but I found it to be a delightful little luncheon. It's fun to have someone around here who appreciates the finer things and enjoys pretty things just because they are pretty. (As opposed to those whose menus call for classy things like canned meat). Ruth did everything herself for this meal, from chopping to serving to hand washing the china.

pretty preparations

Ruth's 1st course: homemade bread and dipping oil

2nd course: cold cucumber soup with tomatoes

3rd course: goat cheese and grapes

Mother's Day

a little love from Max

from my friend Weston

sweet words from sweet Ruth

my babies' birthstones (from oldest to youngest) on a beautiful ring

So blessed to be the mom of these amazing kiddos!

Help me with the happy

As you know, we are Disney bound in a few weeks. And, y'all. I am completely overwhelmed. Several people have told me that planning is half the fun. And that makes me a little worried about the whole trip, because I am not finding the planning part all that fun. I'm finding it rather maddening. Since it's my first (and probably my last) time to go, I have no idea what to expect in terms of lines or crowds or how long it takes to get from one end of a park to another (or anything else, for that matter). I mean, is it even possible to meet Mary Poppins in UK at 1:00 and Mulan in China at 2:00? Of course, there are millions of people on the worldwide web expressing their opinions about must-dos and definitely-avoids, but they are all over the board. And, frankly, some of it doesn't sound like "Happiest Place on Earth" type stuff. ("30 minute lines for bathrooms"). Not to mention, I can't really make Disney planning into my full-time job. (And, of course, I didn't start 6 months ahead of time, as has been suggested as the best course of action in various places on the Internet). Pretty much everyone says, "Don't go without a plan," but they fail to actually give me a plan. I am using the Disney planning tool, but what I really want is for someone else to tell me exactly what I should do, how much time it should take and, basically, give me an exact plan for my exact family that will actually work, without anyone in the group getting overstimulated or overtired and going into meltdown mode. I mean, really, is that too much to ask?! Almost everyone we talk to and most of the things we read online indicate that people LOVE this as a family vacation, so I'm hopeful that we will find that to be the case as well. If you've done this before, don't hesitate to send some encouragement my way. And, if you've got a fool-proof plan that will work for my family, you'll become my new best friend.

Enchanted Silence

I opened my eyes at 6:51 this morning, feeling cursed to have missed those extra minutes of sleep before the 7:00 alarm. But, then, another feeling took over: the feeling that an enchantment of a different sort was at work. It was a feeling that made me wonder if I was even in my own house. For all the world, what it seemed like was absolute silence. And, it wasn't just the morning fog in my head. It actually was completely noiseless in the house. Even the annoying birds that linger in the tree outside our bedroom window had ceased their morning chatter. At once, this new sensation made me feel exhilarated and uncomfortable. I hated to put my feet on the floor, for fear of breaking whatever spell had been cast upon our home. But, the treadmill beckoned, and I could not refuse its summons again. So, I got myself up and reluctantly made my way upstairs, knowing that those precious silent moments, which seemed so out of place here, were now in serious jeopardy. For close to 30 minutes, the quietude was only interrupted by the sound of the fans blowing, my feet rhythmically hitting the treadmill and my labored breathing, evidence of the workout neglect that has been taking place recently. Just as I finished up my two-mile run and began my cool down, there was an insignificant clattering of dishes in the kitchen, and I thought surely things had returned to normal. But, then, no other sound followed. No crashing or banging or arguing or rustling or whining. Not even the sound of juice being spilled all over the floor. The silence resumed, and it was consummate. The oddness of this unusual situation now seemed to outweigh the novelty of it. I wondered if it would all go away when I walked down the stairs. Much to my relief, it remained intact. I found only one other being milling around--another as entranced by the quiet and concerned with maintaining it as myself. It was this one who had produced the minor sound I had heard earlier. We sat for a few minutes across the dining room table from one another, exchanging hushed morning greetings and pleasantries, but keeping our interactions to a minimum so as not to pollute the perfect soundlessness that seemed to be penetrating our home. Eventually, I made my way to the shower, as the silence lingered. It wasn't until almost 9:00 that other life forms started appearing and a buzz began around the house. Even then, heck, even now, it remained and remains at a reasonable decibel level, which is utterly amazing, given the inhabitants of this house. This is mainly due to the fact that most of the children have been outdoors since breakfast. But it still feels like an enchanted sort of day, and who knows if I should ever be so lucky as to encounter another one like it.

Sweet Summertime

Our kids worked really hard this school year, and they met their goal to finish at the end of last week. The PSIA state meet marked the end of the school year, and yesterday was our first day of summer break. Fortunately for us, the weather has decided to be absolutely gorgeous this week, so the kids are spending most of their waking hours outside. Consequently, Jeff and I could no longer keep Ruth's special birthday present a secret. We pulled the new bike out of the attic and presented her with it today. This is a pretty big deal because all of Ruth's previous bikes have been garage sale bargains. Not only is this one brand-spanking new, it is also officially an "adult" bike. Ruth is very proud of her new ride, and she and the boys had a great time cruising up and down the driveway. I foresee many more hours of bike riding in their futures. In my mind, summertime and bicycles are deeply entwined, and I hope my kids can make as many happy summer memories riding their bikes as I did.

My Sweet Little Bitty Claycito:

You are "tchoo," which is really unbelievable! You are my baby. My last baby. And, you are tiny. So, in my mind, you are little. But, in reality, you are becoming a big boy in so many ways. You haven't been sleeping in a crib for a couple of months. You rarely sit in a high chair or drink from a sippy cup. You can express yourself so clearly these days and have recently learned your colors. And, just this week, you became very interested in using the potty, so you have been wearing training pants during the day, instead of regular diapers, and you've been doing a great job of keeping them mostly dry. You love the flushing part and, of course, the treat that follows a successful trip to the restroom. When I let myself, I can see you are truly getting big!

You are just the sweetest little thing, and you bring so much joy to our household! (And, frankly, outside our household, as well)! You give away hugs and kisses freely, and you are often content to snuggle in someone's lap for longish periods of time. And, you are maybe the smiliest baby I've ever seen. You can certainly light up a room!

When you are tired, you are more than happy to go to bed, as long as you have your "friends" and you get to say "noit, noit" to everyone. There is a whole multitude of stuffed critters and "blanks" (blankets) who attend you at bedtime, but you have two special friends that you ask for by name and cry for if they are unavailable. And, though they are two separate friends, you often call them by one name: Ooshybear. (Translated, that's "Fish" [who is really a dolphin] and "Bear"). It is really sweet to see you love on them. 

That's Bear in the lower left-hand corner
and Oosh's blue tail sticking up

It is also sweet how you love on your siblings. You think the world of them and want to be involved in whatever it is they are doing. You don't know you are little and sometimes get frustrated when they do things that are beyond what you are capable of. You adore them all but are especially fond of Max. He is also especially fond of you, and you two are great buddies. You spend most of your days not far from each other's sides. I pray you will always enjoy each other the way you do now. 

You love balls, and one of your first words was "hut-hut." You would say this when you wanted someone to catch the ball you were about to launch. You also think I am hiding "balls" in my shirt (in the chest area), which has produced a few awkward but hilarious moments in the last few months. 

You are a big fan of Elmo. And, you like to stack things up and pour liquids from one container to another. You also love hammers, which you call "barns," because Grandpa has a hammer for you to play with in his barn. You are enamored with Grandpa's black truck, and you think every red car is Mimi's. You like animals and usually call them by their sounds. The cutest are pigs and monkeys, but the one we probably get the biggest kick out of is when you call chicken that we eat "bawk-bawk." You are fascinated with the cows and calfs that frequently stop by the house. And, they seem fairly fascinated with you as well. 

sweet babies

You enjoy bath time and like to play and splash. But, when I pour water on your head, you sit perfectly still, with your hands in your lap, and look straight down at your belly. After your bath, I wrap you up in a towel and then turn to face the mirror. You always point and say "Momma baby," when you catch the reflection. It melts my heart. Every. Single. Time. Then, we brush your teeth, while you say, "AHHH; EEEE."

You always enjoy getting dressed and will point out that you need "bits" (pants) and "auks" (socks), and you know shoes are required to go "out-ide." If the shoes can't be found in your room, you are always quick to assume they are in the van. This is because you cannot sit in the van for more than five minutes without shucking shoes and socks. I have finally learned to just leave them off of you until we arrive at our destination. You also enjoy wearing hats and other family members' shoes that are way too big. And very often you can be found carry around a "boom" (gun).

You are moved by music...literally. Whether we are in the grocery store (or other public place), the car or at home, if you hear music, you start dancing. You don't seem to prefer a particular genre, but will rock out to hymns, country, pop and elevator music with equal fervor. It's like you just can't help yourself. 

Clay, I cannot put into words what a joy you are to our family, and even to those who are not related. You are loved beyond what you can even imagine. And you are a blessing to all of us. And, even though you'll always be my "Little Bitty," you are getting big, and it's so fun to watch. Dad and I love you, and we are proud of you! Happy Second Birthday, Claycito!

With much love,

Mom

 P.S. Here are some pictures from your party:

                   

State

Last night, we celebrated Ruth's qualification for the PSIA State Meet with dinner at Medieval Times restaurant in Dallas, and a fun time was had by all! After dinner, we made our way over to Ft. Worth, where we spent the night, so we could be close to the TCU campus for the contests today. Ruth participated in the Spelling contest and the Vocabulary contest. She didn't place in Spelling, but she got 4th place in Vocabulary, which provided her with another medal for her collection. We are very proud of her!

The princes and princess of the house of Watts

cheering for the red and yellow knight

4th place in Vocabulary

Let's get this party started

Here's our party schedule for the month of May. It's completely ridiculous, and super-fun! I think I'm already starting to feel a little full!

• May 1--Jeff's half-birthday party at Double Horn Brewing
• May 2--CC's End-of-Year Celebration at our house with close to 60 people
• May3--Dinner at the restaurant of Ruth's choosing to celebrate being at the PSIA state meet
• May 4--State PSIA meet
• May 5--Clay's 2nd birthday, to be celebrated at home with a small gathering of family
• May 7--CC Challenge preview party
• May 10-11--Mini Watts family reunion at my in-laws'
• May 12--Mother's Day 
• May 18--Ruth's (non-themed, boys-included, super-big girl) birthday party with her friends
• May 25--Ruth's family birthday party
• May 26--Weston's half-birthday celebration 
• May 26-June 4--Disney World vacation
• May 29--Ruth's 11th birthday

Memory Master

Yesterday was "proof" day, and Ruth accomplished her goal of becoming a CC Memory Master! We are so very proud of all her hard work and wanted to share with you just a very small portion of what she memorized. For now, the only video I can get to load is of her singing the presidents, in order. 

Hammer Time

Grandpa bought hammers (or "barns," as Clay calls them) for each of the boys while we were in Austin on Saturday. And, today, they discovered an unused pallet out beside the trash cans. It was quite possibly the best day ever for three* little boys! They spent the better part of the day hammering on that pallet. And, best of all, I didn't have to get on to them, because it truly didn't matter if they smashed it up. Finally, their desire to destroy was not at odds with my desire to keep all of our property intact! I will definitely be on the lookout for another pallet (or a dozen) to have around for when this one gives up the ghost!

*Weston isn't pictured, because he slipped off before I got my camera out, but rest assured, he did his fair share of hammer swinging.

Eclectic Trip to Austin

We ventured into the big city today, and it was quite an eclectic trip. We began with a stop at Pottery Barn, so Jeff and I could take a closer look at a bed frame I saw and liked online. Then, we stopped by Tuesday Morning. From there, we located one of the few remaining Souper Salad restaurants in the area and stopped for some lunch. After that, we visited the Saxet gun show, an eclectic experience all it's own. From there, we made our afternoon Sonic stop, and I stepped out an ordered something other than my usual. My kids are dying to try the new peanut butter and bacon shake there, but we decided today wasn't going to be that day. Our next stop was Half-Price Books, where we acquired all the Star Wars movies, some required reading books for Ruth's CC Challenge class next year, and some fun reading for all. Then, there was a fabric store/thrift store/hardware store stop. And, we ended the day at the Hill Country Galleria, where we stopped for dinner at Iron Cactus. We also had an unplanned visit to Dick's Sporting Goods while we were at the Galleria to get Max a whole new set of wearable clothes after he slipped in a mud puddle and was covered head-to-toe in some very stinky mud.

I know you are all now feeling like I just made you look at a hundred pictures of my newborn, but, what can I say?! We don't get out much, so this qualifies as high entertainment. Plus, I thought a blog post about our fun day in Austin was better than no blog post at all. Having now been subjected to it, you may choose to disagree.

A little chair repair

Recently a tiny terrorist toddler got his hands on an ink pen and went to work redesigning some of the surfaces of our home. One of the places hardest hit was Dad's Chair. This chair is just about the same age as Ruth, and it's been through some stuff, but the pen marks just really wrecked the appearance for me. My first attempt at cleaning up left an even more noticeable eyesore. Jeff told me to call a professional upholstery cleaner. But, unwilling to part with the cash that would require, my brain began to churn and I remembered something that completely justified all those hours brief moments I've spent pinning stuff on Pinterst. I had pinned a step-by-step tutorial from this blog on cleaning mircofiber furniture (which, if I'm honest, I figured I'd never get around to trying, like most of my pins). But the ink everywhere and water ring on the arm were driving me nuts, so I didn't think it could hurt anything to give it a shot. And, wasn't I pleasantly surprised that it not only got the ink out, it also got some of the other icky off! It doesn't look brand new, but it does look a heck of a lot better. And, I think with another round of scrubbing, the look will be further improved. It couldn't have been simpler. All I needed was rubbing alcohol, a spray bottle, a scrubby sponge and a bristle brush.

pen marks all over the seat
(this is only a small portion of the markings)

my first attempt at clean-up just made things worse

no pen marks and no water marks

24 weeks gone in a flash

Today was our last CC class day for this school year, which is absolutely unbelievable to me! It seems like just yesterday I was trembling in my boots, wondering if I had bitten off more than I could chew with this director gig. But, it has been an amazing year! I have thoroughly enjoyed watching our students and parents grow in friendships and knowledge. And I have relished being in a leadership position within this wonderful community, which has stretched me in some very good ways! I just can't believe we've come to the end of our 24 weeks. It went by so incredibly quickly! My kids and I are already looking forward to the next school year!

In the afternoon Essentials class, the kids read a big research paper they wrote during the year, dressed up as characters from Ancient History. Ruth was Cleopatra. After they read, we had snacks and the kids got to "shop" for prizes. It was a very fun way to end the year!

Immeasurably More

Yesterday morning, my dad had a pretty severe heart attack while on a business trip in Amarillo. This morning, we hopped up and hit the road for Amarillo so we could spend a few days with my parents. On the way, we had some car trouble and ended up leaving our van at the Honda dealership in Burleson, renting another van and going ahead with the trip as planned. This is not a complainer post, though. What I want to convey is that in the midst of some difficulty, we have received blessings above and beyond what we could have even thought to pray for.

First of all, my dad drove to Amarillo by himself and stayed in a hotel room by himself, but he had his heart attack in the lobby of the hotel, where someone was immediately able to start CPR on him, which certainly saved his life.

For us, this happened at a time when our schedules were relatively free of any pressing matters, which made it easy for us to come, and also gave us an opportunity to stop by my parents house to pick up a few things for them.

While we were at their house, the trash truck came, which allowed us to take their garbage cans back to the house so they don't remain at the street while my parents are away.

When our engine light started flashing and we realized there was a pretty serious problem with the van, we pulled off the freeway to try to look up a nearby mechanic. That exit dumped us right at the entrance to the Honda dealership, so we pulled right on in to the service center.

Once inside the building, we realized we were actually at "Honda Wonderland." There was a top-notch playroom, a spacious waiting area, a complete Starbucksesque coffee bar, and a gift shop. And as if that wasn't enough, they were having a special event on site, and they had bouncy houses set up and were dishing up free hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and bottled water. Our kids thought we were on a special vacation!

When the diagnostics were done on the van and we knew we would have to leave it, we started looking around for a rental vehicle that could accommodate all of us. There were none to be found. Then, randomly another person working at the dealership mentioned that someone had just turned in a mini van. It was reserved for us, and someone from Enterprise was sent to pick us up. I went to the car rental place, which was only about 3 miles away and very easy to get to, while Jeff stayed at the carnival dealership with the kids.

I arrived at the rental place at 11:50 and discovered they closed for the day at 12. I also found out that the only reason there was a van available was that someone had cancelled their reservation at the last minute. Finally, the contract allowed for both Jeff and I to be drivers, rather than just me, like we thought it would be.

We were able to get everything transferred from our van to the rental and be on our way fairly quickly. And then, 3 out of the 4 children fell asleep. The other one followed suit a little later. And even when they were awake, they were very well-behaved, even without a DVD player to keep them entertained.

We arrived in Amarillo just a couple of hours later than originally expected, and we got a room at a hotel less than a mile from the hospital, with an indoor pool.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory...  for ever and ever! Amen." (Eph. 3:20)

Truly, "His strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9).

Testing. Testing.

Today was the first day of our yearly SAT-10 (grade-level) testing. It was Weston's first time to participate and my first time to proctor. The kids were totally calm, but I was a nervous wreck. Thankfully, the day went well and the kids felt good about their tests. Weston's comment was "it was a really long, but really fun day." I guess he'll be glad to know we get to do it again tomorrow!

After a fun morning of testing, Ruth spent the afternoon...testing. She is trying for a CC honor called Memory Masters, in which the students memorize the entire school year's worth of material and then prove their knowledge through four "proofs:" 2 parent proofs (or 1 parent and another adult, if one parent is also a tutor or director), 1 tutor proof and 1 director proof. For the first three proofs the student must go through every piece of material, which takes about an hour and a half to complete. The fourth proof is simply a spot check and takes about 20 minutes to complete. A few mistakes are allowed in the first proof, fewer in the second and none in the third and fourth. A child who completes all these steps is considered a "Memory Master" and is recognized and rewarded on the local CC campus at the End-of-Year celebration. This was Ruth's second proof, and she made it through without a single mistake! This year's memory work includes 161 events and people in a chronological timeline; the 44 U.S. presidents; 24 History sentences detailing events from Ancient History; 120 locations and geographic features in Africa, Europe and the "Old World;" 24 Science facts, including the classifications of living things and each continent's highest mountain; 5 Latin noun endings and their singular and plural declensions; English grammar facts, including 53 prepositions, 23 helping verbs and 12 linking verbs; Multiplication facts up to 15 x 15, common squares and cubes, and basic geometry formulas and unit conversions. That's over 400 pieces of memorized information! Her last two proofs will be within the next two weeks, and we feel fairly confident she will reach her goal of becoming a Memory Master. 

Regardless of the final outcome, we are so proud of both Ruth and Weston for all the hard work they have put in this year at home/school and at CC!

Airing my dirty laundry

Y'all. The last couple of weeks the laundry has totally gotten away from me. And, at this point, I'm not sure if I'll ever recover. I am able to get everything washed and dried just fine, but the folding and putting away keep getting shuffled to the bottom of the to-do list, while the bench and counter in the laundry room keep collecting the clean garments and linens, and the inhabitants of this house keep making early-morning hunting trips to that room. Frankly, I have no motivation to try to complete this unfulfilling chore. Clothes folded only end up unfolded in the first search for what to wear. Or scattered to the furthest reaches of bedrooms and bathrooms. Or dirty. Again. The level of Mt. Laundry has just about reached the level of my insanity, though, so something must be done. So, I'm clearing my schedule for tomorrow, and I'm going in. If I don't make it out alive, know that I did, in fact, die in vain. I'm thinking perhaps it's time to revamp the whole laundry system, so feel free to share your tried-and-true tips. Or, just chime in with your own story of laundry gone amuck. (Of course, I will recognize that these stories are completely fabricated just to make me feel better, because I KNOW none of you would ever let your laundry get out of hand!)

Matchy-Matchy

Years ago, Ruth discovered some outfit in her closet that resembled an outfit in my closet. She was absolutely thrilled and couldn't wait for us to have a matching day. And, then, when the day came, she was even more thrilled. That's a quick way to a mom's heart, I can tell you. And, in a moment of prophetic clarity, I saw that those moments would be fleeting and that there would come a day when she would want to look like anyone but me. So, I decided right then and there that I would not force, but would completely embrace, every one of those opportunities until that sad day. That is why I own a pair of zebra-striped, cowboy-style rain boots. Oh, and because I'm cool. But, I digress. These days I feel like the dreaded fulfillment of the prophecy could be just around the corner, and I'm especially sensitive that every opportunity for us to go out all matchy-matchy could be the last. Which is why I put my non-island body into my island dress, even though it was too chilly to wear it to the ladies Bible study we were attending together this evening. And, why I had Jeff take our picture. I will definitely want to remember this sweet stage when it is no longer something to be grasped.

That time of year

Rock Stars

Jeff and I were invited to a benefit gala for the Phoenix Center tonight. The theme was "Rockin' the Ages," and everyone was to dress like a rock star. Our goal was to go as rock stars we could more or less make out of what we had on hand. Jeff picked Roy Orbison, who, in addition to being fairly easy to replicate, also has a special place in Jeff's heart, since they both called Wink, TX home during their early years. I decided to go with Bonnie Raitt, who was a real-life friend of Roy's. Here's how we turned out:

And here's what we were going for:

Fun Mom

I hate to admit it, but I am not one of those "fun moms." I don't do crafty things with my kids or make homemade, nutritious and exciting after-school snacks. I don't have a constant stream of play dates lined up, and I don't sit around playing board games with them everyday. I do occasionally pin something fun-momish on Pintrest, but my follow-through isn't so great. But, every once in a great while, I channel the fun mom I wish I was and come up with something that will hopefully be enough to keep the kids out of therapy when they are adults. (And, during those moments, I'm extremely glad I spent time pinning ideas on Pintrest.) So, today was a fun mom day. And, by that, I mean I told Ruth and Max (but not Weston, because he's away for the weekend) we could make dessert, and then I let Ruth browse my Pintrest "Sweet Tooth" board and pick out something we already had all the ingredients for. But, she picked something fun, and I oversaw the project and suggested the really amazing make-your-own-ice-cream-in-a-Ziploc-bag part. So, I'm going to go ahead and take some fun mom credit. We made ice cream sandwiches, which consisted of chocolate cake waffles and the aforementioned Ziploc bag ice cream. If you're in need of your own fun mom ideas, here's what you do:

Mix up a chocolate cake mix (or any flavor), according to the package directions. (We added chocolate chips, because, hello, fun!) Then, pour reasonable scoopfuls into your waffle maker, and cook it until it's done. Then, freeze the waffles for a while to firm them up. Be sure to let your kids lick the chocolate off the spatula and bowl, for full fun-mom points.

For the ice cream, pour 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 Tablespoon on sugar into a quart-sized Ziploc bag. (I actually quadrupled the recipe in the quart-sized bag to keep the bag usage to a minimum). Let most of the air out and put it into another quart-sized bag, again letting out most of the air. Then, put that whole package into a gallon-sized Ziploc, surround it with crushed ice, sprinkle in several tablespoons of salt, wrap it in a towel to keep your hands from freezing and shake the heck out of it. (This is the fun part!) After about 10 minutes, you'll have a nice little soft serve. You can stick it in the freezer for a while to make it firmer.

When you're ready, put some ice cream between two waffles and bask in your fun mom moment!

Flexing some serious ice cream muscle

Massaging the bag

Serious business

Enjoying the finished product

Reaping the benefits of Ruth and Max's labor

Baby Love

Lost

This is the sad story of one woman's struggles over the course of two millennia days, in which she was without her life-support purse. 

A woman's purse has long been a thing of mystery to men all over the world. "What's in there?" And, "Why does she need such a large vessel to hold all her things?" And, "Can I just put my               in there for her to carry around, since she's carrying it anyway?" These questions have all been posed in one way or another. And the answers are: "Everything she might need." "Because it is women, contrary to the Boy Scout motto, who are always prepared. She needs a large vessel, so that when someone sneezes she can hand them a tissue. Or so she can apply/reapply lipstick when necessary. Or so she can pull out a book to read while she waits for one of her offspring to do whatever it is he is doing." And, "Are you kidding me?!" The Purse also houses her keys and wallet and phone--things she absolutely cannot live without. 

Which is why, I was completely lost on Monday and Tuesday, after leaving my purse at my parents' house, in the midst of shuffling kids to the van, when we picked up Clay on Sunday. I realized the loss on Sunday night, when I was getting ready for bed, because I needed to set the alarm on my phone. That's when I started to feel like the breath was being sucked out of me. I tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable without this important appendage. I waited until 7:00 am on Monday to call my mom, unfortunately waking her, (Sorry, Mom!) to request an emergency transfer. She understood the urgency and could, no doubt, hear the life ebbing out of me, so she agreed to get The Purse overnighted to me. 

Meanwhile, my breathing became shallower and shallower, as I faced an outing later that afternoon. Jeff had a meeting and was unable to take over the chauffeur responsibilities.  Fortunately, he was able to provide some band-aids to stop the bleeding, by loaning me his van key and one of his credit cards, so I could get where I needed to go and purchase milk and bread necessary for the sustenance of my family. I was still without my ID and completely cut-off from the world, but there was nothing to be done about that. 

On Monday evening, the panic attacks became stronger, as I envisioned all the CC emergencies that must be cropping up. Through the miracle of modern Science and by a strange set of circumstances, we recently acquired a land line at our house, so I was able to check my voice mail and put my fears at bay.  But, I still didn't know what might be happening on the text front. And, then I was forced to face the lack of alarm once again. 

On Tuesday morning, I borrowed Jeff's van key once more and just enough cash to pay the CC nursery worker, which I stuffed in my mini purse, normally reserved for ridiculously fancy events that my kids are not invited to. Following my normal Tuesday routine, I made a stop at Sonic for fuel for my day, before reaching my final destination. I pressed the button and placed my order before realizing that no purse meant no wallet, and no wallet meant no money. Embarrassed and already starting to feeling the pangs of withdrawal, I was forced to cancel the order and kiss my lifeblood for the day good-bye, though I hesitated for a moment, wondering just how disappointed the babysitter would be to not be paid. 

Once at CC, I quickly realized that no purse meant no keys, and no keys meant I couldn't get into the supply closet where several necessities for the day were stored. Fortunately, the church had a spare key they were willing to loan me. 

When it was time for our general assembly to begin, one of the tutors had not arrived, and no purse meant no phone to check for voice mails, texts or emails about whether she was just running late or whether she was going to be absent. Fortunately, another tutor had heard from her, and knew she was just running late, which made all the difference for how the rest of my CC day went. 

Jeff had to physically come to the church at lunch time so that we could firm up our plan for the afternoon and evening. Because, you know, no purse meant no phone for texting and calling to take care of all the little details we need to take care of throughout a typical Tuesday just to keep our family running somewhat smoothly, and even more so on this Tuesday, which contained some atypical elements. 

But, then,  the Epic Hailstorm of 2013 changed some of the plans, and no purse meant no phone for updating statuses. Fortunately, a sweet friend loaned me her phone. 

I could not get home fast enough. And, yet, I could not speed. 'Cause, you know, no purse meant no ID, so a visit with a police officer was something I was anxious to avoid. 

I realize these are the epitome of first-world problems. I also realize that not so very many years ago, no one had a phone to carry around, and no one seemed the worse for it. But, I must admit, I have never loved FedEx or my mother more than when I saw that package sitting on my porch. Opening it was like sucking in pure oxygen, and it restored a life that had all but fizzled out. 

Oh, hail!

This day was gray and drizzly from the outset, and the kids at CC were disappointed that I had to put the kibosh on an outside recess. But, about the time CC ended for the day, the grayness turned to an almost blackness, and the skies let loose the most impressive and terrifying hail storm I believe I have ever witnessed. Inside the church where we meet, the sound was deafening. And outside, the lawn turned solid white with the golfball-sized balls of ice, which soon became lakes. As the children pressed their faces to the front door to watch the spectacle, the hail claimed a window on the other side of the foyer. This sent several children into hysterics, and the adults quickly began moving the kids away from the windows and into the sanctuary.

When the worst of the storm had passed and the rain had subsided enough to allow us passage to our vehicles, we quickly loaded up our things and made hasty inspections for damage. No car was left undented. But one also revealed a cracked windshield. That one was mine. It's a low crack, on the driver's side. It's not detrimental for driving, but it's just crazy that it happened at all. And I can't tell you how funny it is to know that, for the first time in my history of car ownership, I had a nice, safe, hail-free place to park my vehicle at the house, and it hailed on the only day I had to be away from the house and have my van parked out in the elements! Good one, God!

Weekend in Dallas

Many months ago, we bought tickets to the Elite Eight Championship tournament in Arlington. We didn't include Clay in our little trip, because 1). he's a toddler, who hasn't shown great interest in watching basketball games (though he loves to play with balls of all kinds) and has absolutely no taste for sitting still for more than five minutes and 2). he had an invitation to spend a weekend alone with Nana and Papa, without the other kids. (The other kids also have an invitation for a solo weekend with the grandparents). So, we dropped Clay off on Friday afternoon and headed for the Big D.

After checking in to the hotel in Dallas and resting for a short while, we made our way to Cowboy Stadium in Arlington. We got parked and settled into our seats just in time to see Michigan and Kansas take to the court. The kids loved the mega-jumbotron and all the fun snacks. But they also really enjoyed picking a team to root for (since none of us were particularly loyal to any of the teams going in to it) and watching and learning about the game. We all decided to go for Kansas. It was a very close game and was very exciting, even going in to overtime. Weston kind of got caught up in the emotion of it all and was sad (to the point of real tears) that Kansas didn't win. We had to remind him that he had never even heard of Kansas before we started following the teams this year and that there was nothing on the line for him personally. We had a nice little break and a trip to the concession stand to assuage his feelings before the next game between Florida and Florida Gulf Coast began. We rooted for FGCU, since they were the underdog and gave a pretty impressive dunking display, especially in the first half. No one was particularly devastated by their loss, but that could have been because it was close to midnight, and we were all too tired to care much one way or the other.

Fortunately, we were all able to sleep in on Saturday morning. After a late breakfast, the kids changed into their swimsuits and spent the next four or five hours splashing and playing in the connected indoor and outdoor, shallow-enough-for-Max pools at the hotel, with a host of other kids who were in town for a big conference, while Jeff and I read and visited in relative dryness from the comfort of cushioned chairs. We even ordered pizza in for lunch, so that the fun wouldn't have to end too soon. When the kids were finally wrinkled beyond recognition, we decided to pursue other forms of entertainment. We found a theater that was still showing Life of Pi  and decided to take it in. It was an interesting and entertaining movie, which gave us some things to talk about afterward, as well. After the movie, we headed over to Magic Time Machine for dinner, where we were challenged to a battle of wits by our waiter, The Dread Pirate Roberts. Tired from the late night and all the swimming, the kids were ready for bed early.

On Sunday morning, there was time for more swimming, before the final game of the tournament. We came in thinking we would go for Florida, but got cold feet before the game started and switched to Michigan. (The boys actually switched back and forth throughout the game, probably to avoid getting overly attached to any one team and becoming too emotionally invested, as had happened on Friday) We were certainly glad we made the switch! Michigan was clearly the better team on the court yesterday, and we predict they may be even more of a force to be reckoned within the next few years, since two of their star players were only freshmen.

We had a great time at the tournament and doing some things that we can't easily do with Clay in tow. But, we were glad to be reunited with our Little Bitty, and he was glad to be reunited with Max. I took only one picture the whole weekend and then I left my camera at my parents' house when we picked up Clay, so I guess I'll add that later. Here's hoping you all had a wonderful weekend, as well!