Beach Bums

 Vacation with 8 people is not easy.  But the beach is so worth it.  Even on a chilly March day, it's where I would choose to be 9 days out of 10.  My kids are so happy at the beach.  I'm sure part of that is the novelty of it, the fact that we only visit once a year or so regardless, they love it and I love seeing them happy.  


Nash played in the wet sand for an hour straight.  No whining, no crying.  Even when he fell flat on his face and ended up with a mouth-full of sand.  Still happy as a clam (sorry couldn't resist that one.)

Luc's  not a fan of the water.  He was a little worried about sharks.  And crabs.  He's so stinkin' cute.

 The water was just shy of ice cold but the girls didn't care.  I could barely stand it for longer than a minute and that was just my toes.

No wonder beach property is so dang expensive.  Who wouldn't want to spend their days like this.  I can't wait to take them somewhere really nice someday.   Somewhere warm with clear blue water.  I don't know, say Hawaii or Mexico.  Someday.

Two things I've Learned Today

1.  I do not like the smell of Lemon Clorox.  I like bleach and I use it to mop my floors every once in a while.  It makes me feel like my house is squeaky clean (even when it's not.)  When I went to get bleach this last time Clorox was on sale so I splurged (.15 more than the store brand) and since I love lemons I figured I'd love Lemon Clorox.  Nope.  It isn't at all what I had imagined.   A swimming pool full of lemons?  Not sure what I expected but it wasn't what I got.

2.  I am always blessed when I serve others.  I need to remember that when people ask for my help.  I usually help out when I can but sometimes it's done with a bad attitude.  I watched a couple of kids this morning for a couple hours.  And I thought it wouldn't be a big deal, that I would be able to get stuff done while they were here.  That was not the case this time.  And I got a little frustrated.  Not at them just at the fact that my house was a mess and I wasn't doing anything about it.  Then I made a conscious decision to just let it go.  Sit down and play with the kids.  Hold them.  Whatever would make them happiest.  And most of all let it go.  Just not worry about it.  They came and went and my house was still a disaster.

Nash ended up falling asleep right before I was supposed to go pick up Luc.  Now I was the one who needed a favor.  I called a friend and asked if she could bring Luc home.  She picked him up and kept him for 2+ hours.  Paybacks.  In full.

Then my kids came home and have been playing nice and entertaining Nash for the past hour.  My house is  very nearly clean and I think I may even get a shower in.  And we are going to a friend's for a birthday BBQ so it might actually stay clean for a while. Blessings.  And I truly believe it's because I decided to help out a friend.  Only thing that would make this better would be if it smelled like I dreamed.  Oh well.  I'll take a clean house and happy kids.  Even if it stinks.

Spring Break - California Style

Nash and I are hanging out in the hotel lobby at 6am.  Something about a hotel that makes him wake up way too early.  And while I would much rather be sleeping in on my little vacation me being tired is much  better than my whole family + two being tired.  Especially the plus two.  Teenage girls are moody and emotional enough, no need to add lack of sleep to their list of complaints.  Plus Nash has  been SO good this week.  He has  barely made peep in the car and we've been in the car a lot.

Today is our last day in California.  It's been mostly really fun. I have realized that keeping everyone happy (from toddlers to kids to teenagers to adults) is not an easy task.  I've done my best.

Nash is playing in the trash.  And my brain is lacking focus.  Time to pull up pinterest.com and pin a bunch of really cool stuff that I will never get around to doing.

BRING ON THE BBALL!

Apparently I had thoughts of blogging yesterday but only got the title out there.  The title was enough to explain how my day was.  It was Monday.  No more explanation needed.


Now on to Tuesday.


A couple months ago I had this brilliant idea to cancel our cable.  I was sick of paying the bill.  We had just bought a new car (with a slightly higher payment) and the biggest reason of all... college football had ended and NFL was very nearly over.  So I pulled the plug.  And saved us about $180 over the past 3 months.  Well now March Madness is starting this week and I just couldn't stand it anymore.  I only really missed two things; sports and news.  And news I can read online.  Reading about sports just isn't the same so we're back up and running!


Bring on the basketball!!


Better go fill out my bracket.

Monday

Thank You

Yesterday while I was running around doing errands with 3 of my 4 children a lady walked by and said "wow you have your hands full."  


Kimball perked up and said "there are 3 more at home."  (the kids include the exchange students as part of the family.)


To which the sweet lady looked at me and responded "well aren't you blessed."


Thank you.  Thank you for not saying "oh my you poor thing" or "oh I'm so sorry." (both comments I have heard more than once.)  


It's refreshing to hear someone voice how I feel.  Blessed.  Very, very blessed.

On My Mind

Time to dejunk the mind again.  Here's what's clogging up the brain right now:

We need a new computer.  I'm thinking laptop because we don't have a lot room and I like the idea of no big computer on the desk and floor.  I also like the idea of sitting in bed checking facebook and blogs and such.  I have no idea where to start.  I don't want a mac so don't bother suggesting it. I do like Mac but I can't afford it and I don't want to buy all new software. 

I started watching Downton Abbey last week.  It's on Netflix and I had heard good things about it.  Seth and I finished the first season in a week.  It is really good.  And we don't have cable right now so it was a nice addition to our Hulu Plus/Netflix line up.  We started the second season on Sunday and then it all came to an abrupt and sad end.  The second season was online and now it's not.  Its gone.  But I can order it for a whopping $20!  Lame.  I don't want to own it.  I just want to watch it.  Sad.  So, so sad.

Nash is walking.  He is so cute.  Super, super cute.  I need to take more pictures.  Oh wait my computer is a piece of junk and I can't upload the pictures.  Back to the first point, I need a new computer.

I should quit soda but I can't seem to get motivated.  I mostly drink Caffeine Free Diet Coke, so it's not the caffeine.  I just really really like soda.  I drink too much though. I feel like it's affecting my weight loss.  Hmmm.  Lame.

I feel like there was/is so much more dejunking to do but that's all I've got for now.  I'm tired.  And I still have to tutor some Spanish 101 tonight.

Planning, Preparation and Other P Words

I am beginning to think that having a plan for a day and actually preparing myself for it is a recipe for disaster and disappointment. 

Last night Seth and I had a meeting.  It went longer than we thought it would and subsequently the kids got to bed an hour later than normal. 

I knew this would make for a grumpy, uncooperative morning for at very least one child.  So I made a plan.

I got up a bit earlier than normal and with extra love and kindness I gently coaxed my children through the morning ritual.  I made sure their little tummys were full before asking them to do anything.  I set their clothes out on their beds and then let them watch their favorite show (H2O something or other, bad acting with really annoying Australian accents) and then proceeded to get myself ready since I had to go straight to a Dr's appointment after dropping them off at school.  (I was so nice I didn't even make them ride the bus.) 

Luckily Luc slept late.  I got myself ready and then started to wake Luc up to get him dressed. 

And that's when it all went bad.  Luc was fine.  Kimball on the other hand was being over taken by the evil forces of "not-enough-sleep."  Out of nowhere she started crying uncontrollably.  She didn't want to go to school.  She just "wanted her mommy!" 

At this point I had 20 minutes to get them in the car and get them to school.  She could not be consoled.  I offered all sorts of incentives and consequences.  And in the end said "fine stay home from school but you can't go bowling tonight for Family Night."  Oh the sadness and heartbreak.  How could a mother make a child go to school or take away bowling.  The injustice!! 
I loaded them up and off we went.  I said a silent prayer, pleading with my Heavenly Father, please let her get control before we get to school. 

My last ditch effort would be to make her laugh.  Kimball loves laughing.  She loves things that are inappropriately funny and/or gross.  So I began to make "bum jokes".  Nothing too bad, just your run of the mill "does my bum look big to you?" humor.  She was not amused.  I consigned myself to the fact that I would not only have an extra child home but I would also being spending the evening trying to justify the fact that she and I were home while the rest of the family was off having fun. 

Then McKay stepped in.  She took "inappropriately funny" to the next level and completely crossed the line.  She used the "p" word.  Yep she said penis!  It was so shocking coming from her sweet little mouth that I totally laughed out loud.  And that was the end of Kimball's sadness.  She was instantly laughing just as hard as she had been crying a second earlier.  I do not condone such actions but bless her little inappropriate soul, McKay saved my day.