Henry's Favorite Gift

Before preschool I snuggled with Henry and Vivian to read from our wonderful stack of Christmas books.  We read The Joy of Giving, which is a Berenstain Bears title.  At the end, I asked Henry, "What is the best gift you have ever been given?"  I sat there thinking, and reflected that my children top my list (Robbie too!!).  Young Henry answered, "You, Mom.  You are the best gift God ever gave me."  Wow!  I was expecting, "My Incredible Hulk costume or my big boy sized Lightning McQueen car that I can drive!!"  This guy has been in a lot of trouble today.  He marked on the kitchen table.  He was slow to get into his gym clothes, then even slower to change into school clothes.  He didn't share the couch cushion fort with Viv.  He pushed the big girls' bunk beds away from the wall, and messed up Ev's carefully made bed...and on, and on, and on.  However, the core of my little guy is so pure and amazing.  Little boys will be active and messy, but this little boy of mine has a heart of gold, AND he loves his mama dearly.  I am blessed.

With Loving Thanks

Yesterday was a gorgeous day.  I woke up knowing my children would be able to run and play outside in perfect weather.  I decided to change up my strategy to include the children in preparing our Thanksgiving dinner so that each one would get some one-on-one time with me.  Plus, one mama and four children over a pie crust doesn't go down too well for anyone involved.  The kids seem to fight when we bake, which negates my whole intention of bringing us joyful memories!  My plan worked.  I started with my young son, and Henry helped roll out Emily's mom's recipe for pie crust and mixed up everything to make his pecan pie.  The big girls each made one pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkins picked this fall on outings to the pumpkin patches of KC.  They rolled out butter pie crusts like little baking pros.  Vivian mixed up the corn bread recipe that we use for Grandma Gloria's corn bread stuffing recipe that Robbie makes each year.  He tasted Viv's bread and made a hilarious exclamation that I can't publish.  He liked it!  All of the children were very proud of their efforts, and we had a really fun time baking together.  They wore small aprons and looked so cute with hands dusted in flour.  The big girls also helped me make a cranberry upside down coffee cake that we'll eat Thanksgiving morning.  It is quite beautiful, and they are impressed with the invention of spring form pans.

Robbie had to work into the afternoon yesterday, and my parents were delayed traveling from Illinois due to illness.  I was solo most of the day with all of the kids out of school and much work at hand.  Although they played very nicely and got along fine, Henry was in wild man mode.  The night before, Robbie and I talked about our goal to enjoy the children and remain mindful of the blessings they bring, even as they quarrel and make messes while we prepare our holiday feast.  First off, my son exploded a bowl of flake cereal all over the dining room floor and spent an eternity sweeping the mess.  Henry dumped tire mulch from the play set on Olivia's head and his own.  He spit chewed orange peel into the serving pitcher of tea during their picnic...TWICE!  He licked his whisk as he beat raw eggs!!  He put a quarter in his mouth. The rare time that I served hot dogs, he stuffed 3/4 of one into his mouth (with bun) and tried to talk.  CHOKING HAZARDS, BOY!!  He couldn't get out of his PJs fast enough, because he had stuffed super hero slippers into the bottoms to resemble muscles (so he said...).  He came to me with, "Mom, I couldn't get my PJs off when I had to pee."  I asked, "What happened?"  He said, "Pee got EVERYWHERE."  He jumped on the couch.  He got our 14 lb. turkey (which was luckily wrapped) and hoisted it above his head in the kitchen.  He stood with his nose in the corner for ugly talk ("You don't even love me at all, Mom.  You never take care of me.") and pouting about something so minor it escapes me.  He played with a giant stick in the backyard, which is an Overlease No No.  Henry received too many consequences over the course of the day to even name! Through much deep breathing and prayer, I managed to remain calm through all of this.  It was not until past his bedtime (which resulted from extra storybooks and warm cuddles) when he filled the toothpaste tube with water that I let loose and loudly voiced my frustration.  I hope this day brings a less energetic Henry.  So help me God.

Olivia delighted us with her new piano piece from The Nutcracker, the main Sugar Plum Fairy song.  The girls have also been singing some Christmas carols as Olivia plays piano.  I love those moments.  They later put on beautiful Dance with your Daddy music, wore ballet garb, and danced happily and gracefully through the living room.  Evelyn crafted Thanksgiving decorations, which affords her a creative outlet.  Ev's like the MacGyver of 1st graders!  The girl can craft!!

Vivian has been praying in an amazingly beautiful way.  I received a rosary from a friend, and she keeps asking to hold it to pray in the van.  She says, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with ME."  Big brother Henry then tells her, "No, Viv.  That's not right.  You don't say, 'The Lord is with ME.  You say, 'The Lord is with V, like in your name."  Henry has trouble with the "th" blend, so I explained, "Actually, buddy, it is the Lord is with THEE.  Bite your tongue when you say the "th".  It means, 'The Lord is with you."  This in itself is comical, of course.  However, baby knows her prayer quite well.  She asks for our morning drive to school standby, The St. Teresa Prayer, which I have published before.  Henry asks us to pray for those in need when we hear sirens.  Vivian even said a lovely unique prayer for my brother, "Dear God, please help Uncle Anthony to not be sick ANY MORE.  Please make him feel well and healthy."  Nice word choice, Viv!  However, her most profound utterance came as we spoke of Heaven and she listened as I answered a question Henry voiced about if we get to go to our house when we die.  "We don't go to our house, Henry.  If we live a life of kindness and compassion, then we go home to God, and we get to be with Jesus forever."  This topic was discussed during mass last weekend by Fr. Shawn, and Henry was listening.  Two-year-old Vivian said, and I'll never forget it, "and God will hold us in his loving hands."  That line is from a beautiful prayer we say about Trusting in God that I got from another friend.

Trust in God - by St. Francis de Sales 

Do not look forward to the trials and crosses of this life with dread and fear.  Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God, to whom you belong, will deliver you from them.

He has guided and guarded you thus far in life.  Do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all trials.  Whenever you cannot stand, He will carry you lovingly in His arms.

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow.

The same Eternal Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day of your life.  Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you the unfailing strength to bear it.

Be at peace then and put aside all useless thoughts, vain dreads, and anxious imaginations.

Vivian listens to us as we pray, and our words have settled into her heart.  What an amazing discovery for a mother to make, and what an incredible blessing.  I wish you a very wonderful Thanksgiving.  May your blessings be many.

Potties, Potties, EVERYWHERE!!

Viv still sleeps in a crib in a room with "my Henry".  A few nights ago those two stripped naked before bath time, and I found them crawling around on Olivia's top bunk.  I scolded them, and quick as a whip, baby Vivian flung herself over the side of the railing, lowered herself until she was hanging from the side rail with her arms straight, then dropped to the floor, and landed on her feet.  Her moves were amazing!  Also, dangerous, but truly amazing!  Each morning she calls to me from her bed to take her to the restroom, so I just lowered her crib railing and showed her how to crawl in and out.  My hope is that she will take herself potty at 6 am, rather than yell so loudly for me on a Saturday morning that she wakes five other family members.  One can hope.  Maybe I should pray too.

I took the youngest two to a showroom this morning.  Henry spied toilets EVERYWHERE, and I could see the wheels turning.  I was taking pictures of shower fixtures, and Henry was lifting toilet seats.  "You can't pee in that toilet, Son."  Now, I am so frequently amused by the words that I am forced to utter to my small children.  Recent quotes include, "We don't throw furniture!!!!" after Henry flung a child-sized chair across the room while pretending to have super hero strength, and "You may not wield that giant piece of bark like a sword!" on the playground.  Thankfully, the showroom remained clean.  Nothing truly "blog worthy" as my children say, happened.  In the restroom Vivian struck up a lengthy conversation with a fellow shopper.  Viv said, "What's your name?"  Jessica answered and returned the question.  Vivian, dressed in her Halloween costume, a darling Snow White dress that her daddy bought for her, answered like a big shot, "IIII"m (pause) Snow White."  I love these funny little people.  I have the best job EVER.

Strep Throat Gone Way Wrong

Life can turn on a dime.

Last Monday Olivia woke up with a sore throat and stiff neck.  I acknowledged both issues, and I sent her to school.  That evening, she was diagnosed with strep throat.  The doctor said her lymph nodes were swollen from infection, which explained the tenderness she experienced upon moving her neck.  Thursday morning, she was still complaining to the point of crying about pain moving her neck.  A follow-up with the pediatrician led to a CT of her neck (with an IV for contrast).  A retropharyngeal abscess was found at the base of her skull inside her neck in the area behind her throat and sinuses.  She was sent to the Emergency Room for a consultation  with an Ears Nose and Throat surgeon, which led to emergency surgery and hospitalization for IV antibiotics.  She went from run of the mill strep throat to surgery with general anesthesia and being admitted to the hospital.  She's so wise for her years.  She expressed the sentiment that life was funny in that things could sure change and get serious in a hurry.  The day after her discharge, she felt a little puny.  I told her I'd stay home from mass with her while Daddy took Evelyn.  She said, "I don't feel great, but I feel well enough to go learn about Jesus!"  Be still my heart.  What a little blessing of a daughter.

As we approach Thanksgiving, it is abundantly apparent that I have much for which to be thankful.  Without easy access to prompt medical care for my child, my life could be much different today.  During a recent scripture study gathering, one lady shared this notion.  "Imagine that you wake up tomorrow with only those things for which you thanked God yesterday."  The children and I discussed this after school, and Olivia decided it prudent to develop an all encompassing prayer of thanksgiving.  That's not a bad idea.

During my time in the hospital with Olivia, I was so very grateful for the support I received through prayers and actions from family and friends.  My dearest friend, Emily, appeared in the Radiology Department right before Olivia's CT.  She took my two little ones, and she kept all three younger children for over 28 hours.  I was able to focus on supporting Olivia during her time of need.  Thank you, God.  As Olivia would recommend, "Thank you, God, for my loving husband.  Thank you for the health of my children and relatives.  Thank you for every blessing in my life.  Amen."

"I won't eat ANYTHING, so I won't grow any more!"

Vivian is black or white.  She alternates between practically crying, "I want you to HOLD me!" and "I want to walk."  She wants to walk in parking lots and when it is time to get into her crib.  She wants me to hold her when I need to cook dinner or must carry a laundry basket.  Complicated.

I read a sweet story to the little two before preschool today about the growth of children and flow from one generation to the next.  I got tears in my eyes at the thought of my children growing up and getting silver haired...meaning that I will no longer be on this earth.  Vivian was very concerned about me.  Henry said, "I won't eat ANYTHING, so I won't grow any more!  I'll stay little."

Evelyn is my kid who sees a problem and takes it upon her responsible little self to solve it.  She cleans messes.  She organizes books in office waiting rooms.  She vacuums basements and arranges toys on playdates.  Yesterday, she put away clean laundry (that wasn't hers) that was on my bed.  She said an entire rosary.  As an act of goodness, she made a birthday card for a little girl who has been making snide remarks to her at school.  She heard Vivian crying for me to help her at bath time, and listened to me explain I had to make lunches.  Ev started making a lunch for her daddy and herself!!  That's my after dinner chore, so I was overjoyed.  I got a text just after noon today, "Who made my pitiful dry sandwich?"  I called Robbie back laughing and listened to him detail his lunch....dry bread, one piece of deli meat, one slice of cheese - no mustard.  He had a sack of pistachios that he couldn't open.  I guess Ev found the remnant sealed shut ones.  She put a sprig of five grapes in a bag.  Next, she gave him five chocolate covered almonds and a yogurt.  I hope his blood sugar doesn't drop during surgeries this afternoon!  If nothing else, he can feel lucky that I make him such nice lunches each day.

Olivia checked out a new book yesterday, and she loved it.  She read and read after finishing her homework.  She missed bedtime she was so engrossed in her reading while snuggled up in a comfy chair.  I love it!!

My Son - Protector of Sisters

A lovely dress is hanging in my room waiting to be mended.  Olivia wore it in kindergarten, and it ripped at a wedding reception.  Evelyn will wear it to the ballet on Saturday.  It just hit me how long ago my oldest daughter wore that dress.  She's now in 4th grade.  In the same number of years, she'll be an eighth grader.  The next jump will make her a senior in high school. How does this happen?  How will her dresses transform over the course of those years?  Who will my child become?  I'm saddened by the realization that my little girl will grow up, even when every waking breath is spent helping her grow into the best version of herself possible.  Life is funny like that.

Yesterday a boy was trying to keep Vivian and Evelyn off the play equipment after school.  I gave them some time to work out the conflict, then I gently reminded the boy that everyone gets to share the playground.  Henry took matters into his own hands.  He climbed UP the slide.  He appeared next to the boy and proudly proclaimed, "Hey, (name), my classmate.  Those are MY sistuhs!  They get to play up here too.  Step aside, Captain!"  I was so proud of him I could have burst!!  The boy yielded, and the girls got to venture up to the top of the play set, which he had guarded as though it was his personal territory.  When I expressed my gratitude to my young son for protecting his sisters' interests, he said, "I will always protect them."  God bless Henry.

The funniest thing Henry has done lately involves clothing selections.  Here are his best outfits...

Red race t-shirt with lime green basketball shorts

Ironman costume (size 4-6) with Tow Mater costume on top (size 3T) - both have puffed chests!!

undies, PJs, football pants, baseball pants, and four pairs of basketball shorts = 9 Layers on bottom

Ironman costume with T. Rex over the top -  He put an Ironman face mask on the T. Rex's head.

My high point of the weekend was when we had the opportunity to go to a chapel to pray for a dear friend who was going to share the story of her life and faith journey with a group.  We gathered around her, placed our hands upon her shoulders, and prayed.  The big girls were at open gym with friends.  As I began the St. Teresa prayer, Henry and Vivian joined me line by line, and it was absolutely tender-hearted and moving.

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities born of faith.
May you use those gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, love, and listen.
It is there for each of us.
Amen.

Everyone in the World by my girls

I have two main expectations of the children in my home.  First, we must practice The Golden Rule.  We must treat one another with the love, respect, and dignity that we each deserve and desire.  Next, we six must coexist in a small space by being responsible for our belongings.  These are basic premises, but ask any parent how much time and negative energy they exert reinforcing these concepts.

Recently, we have had some totally dreadful mornings.  One child keeps waking up on what is the understatement of all time to call "the wrong side of the bed".  Getting out of bed, dressing, eating, brushing teeth - things that children all over the world must do in a timely fashion on school days...these expectations are viewed as a personal afront.   This negative attitude invariably results in raised voices, much frowning, the doling out of significantly more severe consequences, and a tense start to the day.  NOT good. I've had numerous discussions with "my people" about this situation.  One friend of four shared the book title, Cleaning House - A Mom's 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement.  Wow!  That is a dandy, and I quickly begged to borrow it ASAP.  The Overleases had their first ever family meeting on Friday night, and our new plan based on Chapter 1 - Operation Clutter Control, launches tomorrow.  Each big kid will receive 30 quarters in his/her personal jar.  Children are expected to make their beds upon rising.  They are required to maintain a bedroom and bathroom clear of items on the floor...no wet towels, PJ parts, dirty socks, and stray shoes allowed.  No piling allowed on surfaces.  Breakfast dishes must be cleared and put away.  Upon my morning sweep, any undone work will result in a quarter being removed from the negligent party's jar.  The money goes into Mommy's jar.  I has done my children a disservice by acting as the tidying Godmother...constantly screwing on toothpaste caps and carrying shoes to their closets.   Evelyn, my most responsible cleanup gal, is completely ecstatic to get this quarter party started.  She keeps asking, "Is it October 1st?!"  We are ready to roll.

I have other consequences in place to deal with the back talk that has been directed at me.  Fr. Jim Sichko recently spoke at our church.  "The Ten Commandments are not The Ten Suggestions," he reminded us.  Honor your father and mother is a commandment from God, and it is my job as a parent to teach it.  Since calm explanations, and sometimes very reactive vocal outbursts on my part, have not nipped this misbehavior in the bud...let me introduce Plan B.  Fr. Jim shared the story of the one time he talked back to his little Italian mother.  His father fed him a bar of Irish Springs.  Soap in the mouth is on the list of consequences that I presented in writing to my children.  My father's solution to Miss Julie's misdeeds was to make me stand with my nose in the corner.  I HATED standing with my nose in the corner!  My father maintains that that is precisely the point.  Nose in the corner...take 2.  A new generation gets to experience it.  Early bedtime, loss of ability to accept play date invitations, and physical exertion are my new go to stakes.  I took three of the most grueling exercise moves from my workouts, demonstrated them for my children during our meeting, and explained that High Knees, Burpees, and the Duck Walk can be expected as consequences.  Google those moves.  They are no joke.  You won't backtalk me either!  I'm taking, "Drop and give me 20," to a new level.  My kids are going to be good, or they are going to have amazing legs.  Now, I understand there are Love and Logic parents out there who will scream natural consequences my direction.  Natural consequences exist under our roof too.  However, sometimes something more attention getting is necessary. Guess what?  Everyone has already been a whole lot more respectful this weekend.


The beautiful flip side of all of this came this morning.  Olivia and Evelyn composed their own hymn while I grabbed some items at the grocery store on our way home from church.  After Robbie prepared a lovely buttermilk and bacon breakfast, the children started playing mass.  Henry was assigned to carry the crusifix, which in the kids' case was a large foam block on a yellow stick used for sparring.  Vivian was given an angel.  Evelyn carried my bible.  Olivia typed and printed handouts for her parents' use during their church service and led the songs and piano music. They led us in their very own version of a mass, and Olivia read scripture from Genesis.  Robbie and I were pretty amazed by our children.  The original song had no music to it, so we four each sang it in a unique way...simultaneously.  This led to ripples of giggles.  The baby told us, "SHHH, be quiet."  Henry, again dressed in the Iron Man costume purchased by Mrs. Scarboro as a Halloween costume gift, and wiggled under the ottoman during mass until he totally disappeared.  He was a red, squirmy, worm.  He has worn that costume every minute of the day that I've allow it since Thursday afternoon.  There are padded muscles, and he thinks he is pretty cool.  I told him he looks even stronger than Daddy with those muscles, and he beams.  His words to his little sister, "Viv, you dress up like a princess.  (He handed her a Belle ball gown from the dress up bin.)  Let's pretend a shark is eating you, and I will SAVE you!!!"  Her knight in a bright red costume is her very own roommate and big brother, Henry.  What a lucky gal.  After church, my four children play church...what a lucky mommy.

Henry's Reality According to Evelyn

Henry is a bit philosophical for a 4-year-old male.  We have been spending A LOT of time in the van driving to and from school and activities.  He asks a lot of questions about God that frequently come up in our van.  Most recently, he asked if there are many Gods.  I told him we believe in one God.  He said with perplexity, "Then how is He in everyone's heart?"  I couldn't explain that one.  I tried, then told him we'll have to have a chat with one of the priests.  On another occasion, he asked who is in our heart, God or Jesus?  "Both," was my reply.  To this my son said, "Wow!  They must be all squooshed up."  I love the laughs that are induced from the comments of my children.  I got a great one as we read, Let Me Hold You Longer, a book that suggests parents are so busy celebrating firsts with their children that we don't recognize their "lasts".  One line went something like, "The last time you tell me you want to marry me when you grow up."  Henry pointed to the illustration of the young son running toward his mother's open arms, and he very seriously told me, "If he marries her, then Evelyn says their children will grow an extra eye right here."  He pointed to his forehead, and I erupted in laughter.  Apparently, Miss Evelyn has explained something about reproduction to Henry so that he has been advised against marrying his sisters, cousins, or mother.  On a long, sunny walk on a brisk morning, Henry inquired about how God put him in my belly when he was "a tiny baby as small as a bug".  He wanted to know if God had to use really strong tape to close the opening in my body that He used to put Henry in there.  He's always thinking and wondering, and I treasure this privilege of being with him daily so that he turns to me with his beautiful questions.

I think my son misses mom when he goes to preschool.  He asked as I pulled into the preschool parking lot, "WHY do you want me to go to school all the time?"  He only goes three afternoons a week.  After I happily reported that friends and family bought magazines from him during the school fundraiser, he got really worried.  "MOM, I don't HAVE any magazines."  Again, more laughter.  Finally, shortly after 6 am this morning my little buddy crawled into my bed for his morning snuggle.  After a bit, he got right in my face, his nose practically touching mine, and said, "When are you going to get up, Mom?  I'm so hungry."  Henry sat on my lap all during Olivia's first volleyball games yesterday, and he was not still.  Robbie chuckled next to me in bed, and said, "You see little monkeys or cubs who are all over their mothers, bothering them relentlessly.  There are similarities."  More laughter.

Olivia is totally excited about playing volleyball and dancing ballet this fall.  She will likely audition for The Nutcracker with the Kansas City Ballet.  Evelyn has been earning gold coins at school for her cooperation and fine behavior at a record setting pace, and she's working hard on school skills.  She started back to gymnastics last week, and she loves it!  She's been doing all sorts of moves on the swing set bar.  Vivian is a talking machine and wearing panties.  What has the world come to when I don't have a baby in diapers?  I'm kind of in a funk about it, rather than celebrating Viv's accomplishment.

This is a beautiful morning.  Robbie and the children are outside playing on the swing set.  I am enjoying my second cup of hot coffee after a scrumptious breakfast of Robbie's "from scratch" pancakes, a new recipe today, 100% pure Michigan maple syrup, melon, berries, and bacon.  Life is GOOD!  Thank you dear God.

A Typical Saturday of Mayhem

My morning began with one of the children (who ran fevers yesterday) coughing to the point of retching.  I am potty teaching Vivian, and after making her first morning trip, she said, "May I please see my penis?"  I explained, "You don't have one."  She emphatically replied, "Yes, I do.  I saw it yesterday!"  Later, I was on hands and knees again cleaning pee off the floor, and she had to be bathed.  Just after one of her potty breaks I stupidly thought I was "all clear" for a quick shower.  While I was occupied, "someone" gave her a banana.  She tried to wash it down the hall bathroom sink.  That didn't go too well.  I later found the peel stuffed between couch cushions.  Evelyn coughs and she sounds like a dying, barking seal.  This only got worse when she and Henry fought over who owned the stuffed tiger.  Olivia came to me in the afternoon, and she had broken a key off inside the lock of our back door.  Robbie is on call, and he spent most of the day helping an extremely ill individual with a serious eye complication.  His day home for family time and some relaxation was shot.  Henry just came to me, and said, "When I grow up I am going to give birth to a chicken!"  He then bent down and strained a bit.  Luckily, no chicken appeared.  His inner workings amaze me.  I have fed my family dinner, and I'm ready to say, "Okay, everybody.  That's a wrap."  I will certainly welcome the peace of some quiet time on the couch with Robbie after the children fall asleep tonight.  I am worn out.  My own throat hurts something fierce.  However, I am thankful for all of the "excitement" that is my household's norm.  Someday, I'll be bored to tears, and I'll miss being needed so dearly.

Progress

Vivian is my alarm clock.  Each morning she wakes me as she loudly calls out something from her crib.  This morning, the words were of the loveliest sort, "MOMMMMYYYYY!  I love youuuu!!"  She said it again and again until I was able to peel myself out of bed.  It was very sweet.  Sometimes she'll yell, "Is it morning?" She's really getting big, and she keeps telling me, "I am NOT a baby anymore.  I'm a big kid."  She demonstrated this today during my workout by coming upstairs to take herself potty, and she didn't just make a little "tinkle music" as we call it.  I was so proud of her.  Henry got tucked in for nap time, and I said, "Buddy, can you even believe that you are about to be a school boy in preschool?"  He said, "Don't worry, Mom.  You won't be alone when everyone goes to school.  God will be with you."  Wow!  What profound words from such a small boy.  Well, I have my big girls and a friend dropping homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, so I better run.

My Baby Climber

Vivian is a wild one.  Today as I made lunch, she disappeared from the living room where the children were quietly watching a nature show on a HOT day.  I began my search, and I couldn't find her.  I looked behind the rocker in her room.  I checked on Robbie's side of the closet, down where his pants hang.  I pulled aside the shower curtain, and on I looked.  Finally, I heard a faint answer, but I still could not figure out where she was in the house.  Olivia found her in the unfinished part of our basement.  She was back in the storage area where we have broken down boxes for our next move and where we save boxes to ship packages.  She climbed five feet off the ground onto suspended wooden shelving units that Robbie built for storage.  She even manged to get her sippy cup and a toy puppy bank onto the shelf with her.  She looked so proud of herself up there high off the basement floor like a big shot6.  She peeked out through the side of the shelf with an enormous smile.  What next?!

Nail polish nightmare

I just took a shower after a workout.  I put Vivian into her crib with some toys and books.  Henry was playing cars in their room, and I was quick.  I wasn't fast enough.  Vivian crawled out of her bed, confiscated her big sister's purple nail polish (thanks, Aunt Des), and proceeded to paint both feet, part of her leg, and our hard wood floor.!!!  NOT GOOD.  Once I fixed that problem, Olivia "helped" Vivian use the big potty.  She let her fall into the potty bottom first, so then I had to clean her and change her clothes.  Oh MY GOODNESS!

I am going to sing over and over in my head a song that came up on the iPod during my workout..."Let it go. Let it go.  Let it go!!  Let it go.  Let it go.  Let it go.  When the world is coming down on me, I let it go."  There.  I feel better.

No, let me update that.  As soon as I finished typing, I discovered that Olivia was using thumbtacks on our basement wall in the area where our Aerobed serves our guests.  What?!  We just had to replace it at no small cost due to a slow leak.  I wonder how that got there.  When I corrected Olivia, her reply was, "Now we can't make our museum.  Thanks for ruining our whole life!"  She is now on her bed in big trouble.

I will survive their childhood.  I will survive their childhood.  I will, right?

A Rough Morning

Today we had what I will refer to as a "rough morning".  To summarize some of the challenges experienced, I will say that the big girls didn't want to wake up and get ready.  Evelyn changed her mind about the clothing that was selected last night.  She then thought her French braid was too puffy.  The redo took forever.  Olivia grabbed Henry's Iron Man talking/light up mask, put it on, and he totally flipped out by kicking things.  This did not go over well with me on numerous levels.  The baby screamed she wanted her DADDY to get her out of bed, but he had already left for work.  On the drive to school, which began late, I learned that even though I reminded her, Olivia left her piano lesson books at home.  You get the picture...a rough morning.  All mommies have them.  All mommies survive.

We often pray on our drive to school.  I am now driving kids to and from school over one hour daily, so I figure praying is a good use of some of those minutes.  We recite the prayer of St. Teresa, which I love.  The kids have it pretty much memorized, and Henry even helps out his sisters with the final line about the soul.  This delights me to no end.

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.         It is there for each of us.  Amen.

After our prayer I talked to the children about how I love them no matter what.  No matter what they remember or forget.  I talked about what could have made our morning go better, then said I know that someday when they are all away leading their own lives I will long for a crazy morning like this morning.  I'll long to fix warm milk, change a diaper, grab a snack for my child, braid hair, tie shoes, and more.  I made up a funny song about how they do naughty things that make me crazy (yet I love them dearly) to the tune of Home on the Range, and they were all laughing.

Henry is most talkative during our car rides.  This morning he said, "When I grow up, I want to have childs."  He also told me that he wants to get a dog, a Husky, when he is a grown up man.  He's convinced that having a dog, in particular a Husky, would make his dreams come true.  He imagines being pulled on a sled through our yard by his Husky.  He doesn't really listen to my climate explanations.  Henry also said, "I want to live with your FOREVER, even when I'm all big."  I can see it now.

"Mom, look! I'm nursing."

I'm terribly behind in so many aspects of life as one who runs the house.  For instance, the kids still (in spring) have loads of fleece PJs and clothes in their drawers, and now nothing will shut properly.  However, with the recent string of deaths and illnesses in young parents around me, I have been attempting to embrace the moments that matter.  We go to the park on beautiful days.  We snuggle on the couch and read books.  One day we read pre-nap stories on a beach blanket in the yard and ate popcorn in the sun!  Bursting drawers and snow boots still in the bedroom closets be damned...we're going to have some fun around here.

Vivian's main source of fun is at Henry's expense.  She figured out that if she wields Barbies at her brother, or mermaids during bathtime, she can totally and absolutely send him into shrieking hysterics!!  I kind of like it, because he gives the rest of us so much trouble that Henry has his fair share coming.  Robbie told me he heard from a friend that having a two-year-old in the house has been likened to living with someone under your roof who is constantly drunk.  We got a lot of hard laughter out of that news!  Yes, they have no impulse control.  They make huge messes.  Reason doesn't work.  Wow, why didn't I think of that sooner?  Robbie and I have been living with 2-year-olds for many, many years in a row.  Someone is always two, or acting like it, around here.

Usually when Henry wakes up we all hear the pounding of his fast feet as he sprints down the hardwood floors in the hall to find me.  This morning I only heard whimpering and some moaning as he entered the kitchen.  He was sore from his four mile run, and his little body was tight all over.  He was in slow motion for the whole morning.  This NEVER happens.  Later, when Henry got up from naptime without ever having gone to sleep,  he entered the living room with a tiger and a stuffed giraffe to his nipples.  "Mom, look!  I'm nursing."  He was SO proud of himself.  He was also very excited recently when he arrived at playgroup and ran to show his boy buddies the My Little Pony Rainbow Dash toy figurine that we are going to use, against Robbie's wishes, as his cake topper.  It is his heart's desire to have Rainbow Dash on his birthday cake.  He's been talking about if for months.  I, as his mommy, will make his dreams come true.  I, as his mommy, will pull this cat out of the bag way down the road when he brings some pretty girl home from college.  I can't wait!!  Again, Henry has paybacks coming.  Bless his heart.  I love him dearly, but he can wear a woman out.

"I told you I would smoke you up, Grandpa!"

This morning we got up at 5:30 am and headed to Country Club Plaza for the 4-mile Trolley Run race.  This was Henry's first Trolley Run.  He is 3 for another week.  The temperature was in the 50s, and it was raining.  Grandpa Mike and Grandma Mary drove over from Illinois so that Robbie and I could cover each child with an adult runner.  Our running partners were Robbie and Olivia, Mike and Evelyn, Julie and Henry.  We had a ball!  Baby Vivian stayed home with my mom.  This year we ran on a team called Jude's Dudes.  Jude is the third son of a mom I know from church, school, and my moms' group.  Her other boys are the ages of Henry and Vivian.  Baby Jude was born blind on Leap Day, and his parents organized a race team to benefit a wonderful school called Children's Center for the Visually Impaired.

Upon exiting the trolley bus, Henry felt cold and said he wanted to go home.  He found lots of mud puddles to stomp.  The funniest pre-race moment came in the Port-a-Potty when I had to suspend him in the air so that he could clear the urinal.  Stinky!

Robbie and Olivia had a great run.  He timed her around 38 minutes, and he said they enjoyed the entire race without side pain issues or any complaining.  Olivia has really grown in her running since her own first race when she was like Henry, just a couple of weeks shy of four years old.  This was her fifth Trolley Run, and she's 8!

Evelyn and Grandpa had fun together too.  After two miles Ev started skipping and sliding her feet.  I guess she about slipped onto her back on the wet pavement once, but Grandpa's hand saved her from falling.  She was happy and excited when she met up with Henry and me at mile marker 1.  This was Evelyn's second year running the race, and we plan to enjoy racing together as a family for many years to come.  Her finish was a wonderful accomplishment.

Henry and I had the best time.  He's a machine.  We started off hand in hand so that I could control our path and pace.  He never wanted to let go, so we held hands the entire run.  My little buddy ran three miles before he ever walked or stopped.  It was amazing.  We chatted about his upcoming birthday, his love of transformer toys, spied dogs on the sidelines, and got high-fives from fans on the sidelines.  If he had not been handed a cup of water at mile 3 that he didn't know how to handle while running, I doubt he ever would have stopped.  He asked me a couple of times, "Mom, are you impressed?"  Then he'd say, "Mom, are you SUPER-duper impressed?"  "Am I like a super hero?"  "Am I super fast?"  I answered, "You are super fast like Lightning, KA-Chow!!"  He didn't complain.  He didn't stop.  Somewhere during mile 3 Henry informed me that his running was going to make his poop come out, and I got a little worried.  We got to the final stretch, and we saw Robbie and Olivia waiting on the sidelines.  They started calling out loudly and happily, and he kicked up his pace.  He was certainly tired, but he ran all the way to the finish line.  His time was 52 minutes 38 seconds.  We then sought out the much anticipated donuts!  The girls enjoyed strawberry milk.

As we entered our van, cold and wet, Henry settled into his seat and declared, "I TOLD you I would smoke you up, Grandpa!"  Grandpa Mike and the rest of us erupted in laughter, and in fact, Henry did finish ahead of Grandpa.  They challenged each other to another go for next year's race.

Mary Jane Scarboro and Mom made a wonderful hot breakfast for us at Mary Jane's, so we were able to drive straight to a super and much desired meal.  We hung out, told stories, took pictures, and realized that this is the stuff that family memories are made of...what a wonderful morning.  Rain or not, we had a ball.

Our Girls Can Ski!

This vacation has been so much fun for our family. The most surprising part has been Henry's stamina. The boy was in three days of ski school from 9:30 am to 3 pm, awkwardly moving through snow trying to learn ski techniques. He'd return to the condo revved up with new found energy that didn't wane. Is the altitude messing with his brain? He doesn't stop. We had to prevent him from climbing on and jumping off of furniture! The first morning he was up at 4:24 am, and we had to send him back to bed. At six o'clock sharp he appeared at my bedside this morning, and happily said, "Good Morning! Is it time to run and play?!"

The most impressive part of the trip, aside from the spectacular mountain views, has been the speed at which Olivia and Evelyn mastered skiing basics. No joke, both girls left ski school yesterday and asked to go up on the mountain to ski with their daddy. He took them, and he said they did great. Unlike their nervous mother, they have confidence. Also unlike their mother, they seem perfectly able to control their speed. I start off fine, but my lack of fine braking ability results in way more speed that a beginner needs by the time I get down the hill. There are times when I am hauling, and it isn't from trying to ski at warp speed! Anyway, the girls simply make wide S curves back and forth with their toes pointed toward the sides of the run, and they stay in control. Robbie added a day of skiing to our plan so that he could take just the girls out by himself today. Ev skied all morning, and now Robbie is on some more difficult greens with Olivia. Olivia's instructor took her way up the mountain yesterday, and she said she's doing awesome. She is even getting her skis parallel.

My favorite moments were those spent going up the ski lift with Robbie. All was quiet, except for wind through the trees. The sun was out each day, and the temperature was near 40. We had some of God's most lovely creations surrounding us with snow-covered pine trees and mountain peaks. Robbie looked so totally happy and relaxed. It was wonderful to share those moments with him. I love my man so dearly. He has wanted to take the kids skiing for years, and now we'll likely make it an annual event.

I made the three youngest take a nap this afternoon (the first one of our trip), and I enjoyed some quiet reading. I'm writing near the fire, and I can see expert skiers high, high up the mountain out the window. Yesterday after my legs had experienced all of the contractions they could handle for one day, I sent Robbie up the high speed lift to get some speed and steep runs out of his system. He says it is no fun to ski alone, but I don't believe him. I waited outside in the warm sun with a cold beer and watched for the children to finish ski school. What fun!

Baby Vivian is back to her sweet and happy self. I think a combination of things gave her trouble and caused her to not feel well. I had a terrible headache and even some nausea our first morning here, even though I made a huge effort to stay hydrated. Everyone else has adjusted fine to our elevation. We played in a giant hot tub this morning, then we walked through the village cobblestone shopping area for fun until it was time to meet Evelyn. Vivian was dressed for the cold air, and a man called her a snow bunny. Her little mittens didn't come all the way out of her coat sleeves, so she looked like she had no thumbs. It was funny. It's a wonderful life.

Ski Patrol to the Rescue

The first and only time I went skiing I was Robbie's girlfriend in college. That was a lot of years ago, but I will never forget our final run down the slopes. I fell (again). When Robbie tried to help me up, our skis crossed, and we began sliding hooked together backwards down the mountain. I was not very happy with Robbie on that trip. He kept getting me in way over my head in terms of skill level. Somehow, sixteen years, one wedding, and four children later, we are back in Colorado on a ski trip. It was even my idea.

Naturally, before our 10 hour drive, Robbie had to work 90 minutes from home. Luckily, he finished clinic before noon. I had the van loaded, and we were off. We drove 4 hours to Hays, KS where Robbie made dinner plans at the restaurant of a patient. The kids loved the pizza, and we checked into a brand new hotel with two beds for six people. We thought we were only going to make it to Colorado with three children, because it about killed Henry to settle down and go to sleep with Olivia and Evelyn. God bless him. He has way too much energy for his own good.

We were on the road for another gorgeous travel day by 7:45 am. Robbie made great time, and the children behaved beautifully. They love movies and books, so they were set. It wasn't until we passed through Denver and got high into the mountains that high winds warnings, blowing snow, and slick road warning signs got me terribly nervous. It was a very slow 75 miles from the outside of Denver to Copper Mountain. The scenery was spectacular. We all absolutely loved it.

Our condo is spacious and has a lovely view. We are really enjoying it. Robbie and Olivia picked up some groceries that we couldn't bring along, and I about flipped when I pulled the receipt out of a plastic bag. The total was $10,000.76!!! I called Robbie and he had no cell phone reception. When I told him about the receipt he said he only spent $100.76. That took some time to fix. Can you imagine?! That afternoon we went to the rental shop and spent WAY TOO LONG getting all of our lesson/lift tickets, boots, skis, poles, and helmets. It was miserable. I have no idea what slowed the process, because Robbie pre-ordered the rentals online. My friend Emily told me that the hardest part of our vacation would be lugging skis and poles while dressed for winter wearing ski boots walking in snow. She predicted phrases such as, "I can't walk! Carry me!!" She said we parents would barely be able to walk and carry our own things. It came true, and it was hilarious on account of her warning. Everyone was tired and totally hungry. We had SO MUCH stuff to carry. My goodness. I wondered what we'd gotten ourselves into.

The bigger kids were enrolled in ski school. Henry promptly pointed out the robot on the side of his highly coveted ski goggles to his instructor. The poor boy has been waiting weeks and weeks to wear them. He and Ev were in the same class. Olivia caught on so quickly that she was on the ski lift and skiing down the mountain with her teacher and class all afternoon.

My ski instructor was 82-year-old Dick. He didn't mess around. At the end of my lesson I inquired about a good run to try with my husband, and he said the only run that I should take was the one at the top of the Kokomo lift. I told him Robbie wanted to try some greens, and he said, "You need to stay on Kokomo, and if that husband of yours tries to pressure you into anything else, you tell him to go to hell." Ha!! Had Dick been with us back in college? I needed a nice easy run to get my bearings and gain some confidence. It was really fun. I skied all day with Robbie yesterday without falling once. I was so happy. The funny part is that small children were skiing down that same run with parents holding them by ropes. Some tiny tots were speeding past me too. The only hard part of the easy hill was avoiding all of the fallen beginners.

Robbie was yearning to ski alone with Olivia, and she begged him to let her try something other than Kokomo. Well, it didn't go well. Olivia entered the condo and said she fell, and couldn't see from snow spraying in her face, and couldn't stop, and the ski patrol had to give her a snow mobile ride down the mountain. "What?!" I angrily flashed Robbie. He shushed me. Olivia told me the story in bits and pieces as Robbie stepped out to change the laundry until I finally had to tell Robbie to tell me the whole story. They took a green that was too steep, and she went out of control in a straight downward path in a snow plow position that didn't stop or even slow her. After Robbie yelled, "STOP, Olivia!," she sat down and kept sliding. As Olivia told it, a fallen snow boarder man ran as fast as he could across the mountain to get into her path to stop her. She told me that was the first of four times that she went out of control and had to be stopped by someone. Once Robbie had to stick out his ski pole for her to grab, then another time or two some ski patrol people got involved. Robbie felt terrible about putting her on something that was too difficult. He said he was very worried about how in the world he was ever going to get her safely down the long run. Finally, without anyone radioing for help, a snowmobile appeared and casually offered my darling daughter a ride down the mountain. I think those two made an unforgettable memory for sure! Thank God she stayed safe. I said, "Were you screaming?" She said, "Why, no. I wasn't screaming," as if to ask, "Why in the world would I scream, Mother?" I asked her if she cried, and she didn't do that either. Robbie said she handled the whole situation very impressively. Today she went down a run with her ski class that was on the harder side of the Timberline lift that Robbie and I skied all day. I kept making Robbie nervous by getting too close to the tree lines on my wide S curves. Sometimes I gain way more speed than I intend, and that is a scary feeling. All in all, I think snow skiing is challenging, thrilling, and a total blast. I promptly forgave Robbie his error in judgement after I saw his true remorse over what transpired. My confident and cool husband was scared for Olivia's safety.

Today Ev's instructor praised her gains, and said he kept trying to turn her over to an instructor going up Kokomo, but Evelyn wouldn't leave Henry. She cried when I told her that she gets to be in her own ski class tomorrow, for day 3. I can't wait to see how she does. Henry goes down little hills, but we have also spied him climbing on snow banks and licking snow off his mittens. He's a mess.

I cooked and froze lasagna, chili, and Italian Beef that we packed into a cooler. We just heat the food while we clean up after skiing, and then dinner is served. We eat, wear our PJs, sit by the fire, and chill. We are really enjoying ourselves. Baby hasn't acted like she feels all that well. However, today she got to go to special Critter Land outdoor snow play area for babies with her childcare group. She wears snow bibs and boots and gloves...the whole bit. We call the babysitting Baby Ski School. They have snow playtime each day, too cute.

"OR ELSE!!"

This morning at mass I noticed people in pew across the aisle from us. Their faces showed panic, and I saw someone help a man lie down on the pew. I got Robbie's attention, and he stepped over to see if help was needed. All of this happened right before Communion, and Henry was set on helping his daddy. "I'll be right back, Mom. I need to see what's going on. Daddy needs me." I had to carry him to the altar for his blessing to keep him from walking the wrong way to get to his dad. Once we got back to our seats he could not be distracted. EMTs, two firemen, and a police officer were in the aisle right next to us, and Henry wanted to go check on the patient. He got frustrated, and finally asked somewhat loudly, "Did somebody poke their eyeballs out?" Olivia and I started laughing, and the service was still in full swing. I had a really hard time controlling myself. The matter was much more serious than an eye injury, so I had no business laughing. We happen to have some fun friends who have witnessed Robbie assisting fallen parishioners on numerous occasions, and the wife at one point joked that if Robbie is on the scene they better hope somebody poked their eye out. In truth, my ophthalmologist husband's Advanced Cardiac Life Support training is current, and he's calm under pressure. He may not be a cardiothoracic surgeon (which I honestly summoned on another occasion at mass), but he's no slouch.

Henry's other recent funny quip came after I asked him to share his high point and low point after some time in a classroom. He said his high point was the train table. He said his low point was when some little boy hit him on the back of the head with a toy hammer. "Do you know what to do when somebody does something like that to you, Henry?" He didn't. I said, "You turn around and say in a strong voice, "DON'T hit me." Henry smiled and replied, "Then you say, OR ELSE!!"

"Actually, No"

I just shared with my children that the 3-year-old child, Chloe, of my brother's friend is being celebrated in a memorial service today. Her brain tumor won the fight for her life. Back in 2000 on this day, January 28th, Anthony was diagnosed with AML - acute myelogenous leukemia. By the grace of God, Anthony's strength, and modern medicine - Anthony survived. His life has been a blessing to my family. My children adore him, and the sentiment appears to be mutual. Anthony makes me laugh each day we're together, and that adds great joy to my life. On this diagnosis anniversary I wish to reflect on Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient under trial, persevere in prayer.

I met with a group of women recently, and one shared the story of a friend whose husband left her after she was diagnosed with cancer. She obviously went through a difficult time. She made the decision to think of five good things in her life for which to be thankful before getting out of bed in the morning. Two years later, she was able to begin her day with ten such reflections. What a testament to the power of looking at life with a "half-full" perspective!

My nerves are frazzled as I type this entry. My children woke up before 6 am, and they are now behind me twisting a giant blanket around each other as they run, wrap, and yell, "Kamono! Kamono!" My first cup of coffee isn't even empty.

Last night we had another picture perfect family movie night. Our last one was a nightmare, so we're thankful for the amazing ones. All six of us were piled on the couch, we enjoyed our popcorn, and the youngest ones were still and quiet for Spy Kids 4. Robbie and I love such evenings. Vivian kept saying, "Moe pah-cone PLEEASE!!" She now requests Chap-Stick each time her diaper is changed. She has a bit of an addiction. Her sisters found some tubes with winter labels, so now Little Miss will respond, "Actually, no. I want the green snowman Chap-Stick." No joke. She says, "Actually, no," to various questions. She's one, and we find this hilarious.

Evelyn got upset after bath time this week. Robbie was talking to the girls about a matter from earlier in the day, and he explained that they did not listen. Evelyn came to me on the verge of tears and complained, "Daddy says we never listen." "Well, Ev, sometimes you don't listen." She said, "He needs to keep that to himself." "Evelyn, Daddy is disciplining you, and he does not have to keep that to himself. He's the boss." Her response told me she does listen to some of my mantras (thank you Grandma White). My 5-year-old stated firmly, "You always say that if we don't have something nice to say, then we shouldn't say anything at all. Daddy isn't saying nice things." Ev then got laughter and a hug....and further explanation on our responsibilities as parents.

Henry has a green bruise under his eyebrow from where Evelyn accidentally hit him in the head with an aluminum t-ball bat. Thank goodness that was her first swing of the season. We got really lucky, but it was a scary event. I had just given Henry a safety talk in order to keep Vivian away from his bat, then Evelyn entered the picture and promptly cracked him right by his eyeball. It hurt. His pain cries told it all.

Ahh, my coffee is now almost gone, and the children went upstairs. I have a quiet moment. Henry complimented me on my diamond rings, and I told him that Daddy gave one to me when he proposed marriage. Henry said, "When I grow up, I'm going to get some money, and I'm going to buy a Rainbow Dash and a Lightning ring to marry Grace Hill." "She'll be lucky to have you, Henry."

Henry and Evelyn really like the singer Adelle. My brother told me about her, and Santa gave me a cd for Christmas. Her voice is powerful and full of emotion. She's pretty amazing. Henry asks for her songs by title, and the kids sing along and say, "Please turn it UP!!" I think I will look back on the years we spent driving between our little house and school and fondly recall all of our singing in the van. The baby amazed us all by singing Ave Maria as a gospel song played on another cd we love. Her small voice was so pure and pretty.

Olivia now has several piano songs that she can play for the family while we sing along. We really like this activity. She's catching on well, and when she practices she improves greatly. I can't believe that the tiny little baby I once nursed is now doing multiplication tables and writing in cursive. She's a hard working student and a loving and helpful big sister. A few nights ago she did everything to get Vivian ready for bed while Robbie was working late and I was tied up with dirty dishes, packing lunches, and Henry. Vivian calls her Mommy Yaya. I love these children.