Ebeth's 4 and no more

This holiday season has been a whirlwind to say the least. My return to work has marked a barrage of events, activities and demands. It should have been no surprise that school "break" would be just the same. When you couple such things with hosting family and friends there is no true break. BUT it was all worth it and I would hands down do it all again. Maybe. Just kidding :) Up until today I would have been honest in saying non of my children have spoken the ever dreaded I hate you, or you don't love me words. But all good things must come to and end and in my 11th year of parenting it finally did happen. Whom said such you ask... #3. I would have let the whole jackpot ride on number 4 myself. She has her own phrases today too, but one kids story at a time. #3 is tired, T...I..R..E..D, tired! He is a physical kid who needs his sleep and maybe a bit more rest than a typical 7 year old should. I will deal with that via doctor after this "vacation". All the con...

Too tired to be creative I will get to my point. #4 was full of anything and everything from the moment she walked in the door from school. Her first conversation went like this: Mommy where is your car? (I had traded cars with hubby and then G drove mine leaving nothing in the driveway). I didn't. Love her, hot pink boots simply must be worn. Always! How did you get home? (Since I did take her to school in the van this am). I just did. Did you walk? Yes, yes that's what I did. (insert sarcasm here) Really? (hands on hips, shocked and amazed) Yep. Really? (same as above) uh huh On the road? Of course. Cars will bump you Mommy! They didn't. Did you walk on the grass? (head tiled nearly pleading with me to answer correctly) Yes I did. Ok cause if you didn't I would be very mad at you. She then exits the room satisfied. Next conversation hours later: #1 says "What The" at something he saw on tv. Me, annoyed with that slang say his name. Th...

 I DO IT! Don't help she says!  A little dark but captures him so well. My my my.. my youngest kiddos seem to be up to trouble. What is even more interesting to me than a preschooler who is resourceful is that my oldest son didn't do his phase until so much later than the others. After having survived a lie first be honest later phase from one I can smile and deal with ease. That is until #4 ups the anty like she is known to do. Then and only then will I begin to pull hair out. #4 adapts to the ever changing intelligence of those around her. She used to be easy to find and then she began understanding true hiding. Recently all you had to do was look behind the love seat for a makeshift bed of stolen fun. You know, sleeping bag or blanket including pillows with treats and electronics for her pure enjoyment. Another place is behind the recliner in my bedroom. There have been many times that she seemed lost or outside when in fact the chair would sing, play music etc....

A little bit of redneck for this country family that is just too darn much fun! Every year we buy, acquire or this year grow pumpkins (at least one per kid). THEN when Thanksgiving is over and pumpkins are not so "in" we chuck them off the deck. The Sat after Thanksgiving I though for a second they were gonna do it off the rough but Daddy veteod it on this particular day. Back story to fill in those gaps: A few years ago (2009 to be specific) Daddy allowed #1 to join him on the roof for father/son lighting project. Honestly I do not know that year just how much help he was, but proud is the word for how he looked. He taunted the others large and mighty up there too. A couple years later #2 got her turn and she was far bolder about her opportunity. Ya know for being the only kid who broke a bone in a traumatic slow motion golf cart incident you would never know she understands pain! Anyway, the roof was a no go which is probably just as well. #4 would not stop short of get...

I am reading or rather beginning to listen to Dr. Dobson's Bringing up Girls. This story is on it and I am so going to work on making/getting one for my girls specifically the oldest one for just the right moment to give her. How it would have changed my path I am sure! Charm bracelet If you have a daughter or niece you simply must read!

Highs, lows, joys, frustrations that is about the story of parenting. Patting myself on the back I once again report that I did not loose my temper even once today. Raise my voice, yes but completely appropriate manner making sure to sandwich the critical with the complimentary still holding "people" accountable. Sigh, yep this is how it should go since it is inevitable they will make mistakes. Highs: (One I forgot to share last week) Unbeknownst to me G-ma and littlest had a moment snuggling in her bed. They prayed together and G-ma introduced speaking in tongues with her. Nothing major came about it until the next day. While playing in the living room she stood on the couch showing off her best challenging grin (since I scowled and the marching on furniture routine). Then she began spouting off random sounds and words like well praying in tongues. I know some of you dear readers just left me here but well it is in fact in the Bible and what I believe. Feel free to ask me ...

Ok forgive me for calling Thanksgiving such but well turkeys and turkey stuff is such fun too. As I sit here with sucker remnants stuck in my hair not quite sure of when I picked that up I have to giggle at the roller coaster of a day. I hate how pictures seem to look. Apple crostada and my first pumpkin pie Clearly being home just one day a week, basically a four day week, would be my dream! I believe I achieved all that needed to be done to keep my ship in shape. Sigh, I could have nearly that if only I didn't work my church job. Alas the time will come when I get that back too. Heck maybe next year   I will have such luck who knows really. Anyway, I slept an hour later this am than normal which was a decent extra. 6 kids later the house is humming with activity. The older girls, (cousin K and #2) sat on 2 computers creating PowerPoint's and wordles then playing educational games in some quirky unspoken competition to learn more. The boys well no surprise that they youn...

Tonight we headed out for a rare treat of dinner at a restaurant. I mean don't get me wrong we have eaten non cooked/purchased food often enough since I have been working. But well this was the true sit down and be waited on kinda meal. Honestly I cannot recall the last time it wasn't family Chinese dinner or Pizza Street. While both we love (well Chinese) but otherwise it is just plain expensive for us now. #1 eats an adult meal and then some these days, growing boy syndrome was bound to hit sometime. Yet, kids eat free seemed as though it would work for the other 3. Sadly, that still meant we spent 30.00 plus tip but hey there are just plain times we need the opportunity to be together like this. Here is a recap which will demonstrate just why I have to keep it real and light these days so I appreciate them all and don't go crazy. Time is relative for sure! Arrival scene: Cheers and crowd excitement as we pull into a parking space, everyone rushes out of the vehicle h...

SO, not sure I mentioned I am on a calm, patient, natural consequences momma train. As in I am trying my level best to get there. No I mean REALLY I am trying more than ever. I admit today was the first day in at least 3 I think that I did raise my voice beyond stern. I did not loose my cool completely nor did I say anything unfair (which I typically don't anyway but we are all human). Instead of letting my lack of sleep, ( 3 hours to be exact due to a shift at dispatch last night), I organized my kitchen cabinets. No not my dishes but the other cabinets, ya know the ones with all the spices, sprinkles etc. Yes ma'am and maybe sir I sure did. But to add the cherry on the pie I even did so while making 5 kids french toast (sleepover friend) too. Ah HA! I was feeling quite proud if I do say so myself! In turn this helped me be flexible with the literal disaster that hit my living room, dining room classroom and entire downstairs! See, aren't they so pretty? Ok well I know no...

Praise God that today I was not only able to roll with the ups and down but keep a great attitude in the midst of it! It did help that hubby picked up his fair share all on his own for sure! Wednesdays are now another one of several days when I change hats more than I will change clothes in a day. By that I means I start my day as babysitter to a little girl I lovingly call my hitchhiker cause she eats breakfast and rides to school with us. Then one by one my children wake up adding the momma role until off to school they each go. From there I become preschool coordinator going between the two churches I am responsible in planning, preparing and setting up lessons. Next I head to my other job where I am a resource/gifted teacher and first grade teacher. That job is like juggling because I teach soc studies, science and art to one class, gifted to 4 kiddos 2 days a week, remedial work for a K student, spelling groups for 2nd grade and then simply random other things as they come up...

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sigh! There is a mountain of laundry on my bed/moving to the floor so I can sleep. This seems to be the weekly event when it takes me 3 days to get things put away only to need to do it all over again. Yep this is me these days. I know I have said it before and I am sure I will say it again but man I just cannot seem to get a balance. I really need my Wednesday mornings to stay on top of the mounting house duties that hubby at his 6 days a week jobs and my 6 to 7 days too. But well for now I have to set up the 2 churches preschool classes (children's church) I am heading up. I know that it is only a matter of time, my goal of Jan 1 is reachable but man oh man it also seem so darn far away. That and well I keep adding more responsibility to my life. IE my promotion, yep I said it promotion. My title has changed to resource teacher because well I a...

Why have I slept in a toddler sized bed because littlest creature is under the weather and scared of the dark causing a crook in my neck for DAYS to come......                                                                               Cause that's what good moms do. Why did I just refrain from yelling, exhale and count to ten as my boys whom were playing Star Wars vs Transformers instead of brushing teeth broke one of my favorite cups?                            ...

Some days  they are more frustrations than possible to ignore. For example: traffic, long lines with few cashiers, mislabeled items, and wrong insurance on prescription, bad haircuts and rude people, dirty house that was just cleaned the day before and so much wash despite completing it 2 days before, just to name a few that may or may not have taken place today. Yet in all that I stop myself before missing the moments with my one a bit troublesome 3 yr old and a precariously young/tweenish daughters. We miss the fun stop but still enjoy the purchased lunch that truly was a treat. Thank God I heard his voice over my own bad attitude. I have blown it many a time before. Tonight though, once again God shines on me inspiring just what tomorrow's lesson at church will be, and gives me some undivided attention with #1 as we drove back from a bday party he attended. A teachable moment popped up courtesy of the song Slow Fade  . Training kids to discern right and wrong when they are ...

BREATHE, I tell myself once they are all in bed. I have GOT to learn to stop and breathe, count to ten, walk away and walk back. For those of you who may not already know I grew up in a household of yelling. Yelling at each other and at times yelling at me. I know that the yelling came from the generation before said person too but man nothing good comes out of that kind of emotion. I had then vowed I wouldn't be that parent. Yet, too many times I have lost my cool and did just that, no name calling or anything just too loud to be stern yelling. Here lately, now that the pressures of my committments have increased I have found myself losing it stupidly in fact. As in today for spilled milk (well lemonade but ya get it). I am sooooo glad kids bounce back because by the last 30 minutes before bed (after another deserved meltdown at youngest son over major lack of following direction) we were all snuggled in my room playing together. Whew cause mommy guilt would have gotten the best o...

Death oh how terrible it can be to those left living, especially for the youngest of minds. Grownup we tend to make light of it when it comes to animals and unknown people. We shrug and accept that the world we live in is a sad, harsh place. In 2007 my oldest son then 7 lost his grandmother and his horse. This was a devastating time for him and it is still recalled regularly. Of all my children I just knew he would be the one who took it the hardest. I mean he does feed them and water them every morning without being asked. How was I to know this would be the wrong assumption?! The time is approx 10:37 am and I hear the beep of my phone. Expecting some nonsense from my husband about his 2nd job I glance at the screen. Shock covers my face and I cover my mouth like people do when suprised. Why is that the first reaction? Anyway, I see a 2nd text from my mother saying the same (who of course noticed a chicken was losing weight...sure). Before making my way home with niece and nephew...

Yep see that picture on the right... This is a post from me, can you believe it? I hardly believe that next baseball season I will be a die hard fan but well the world series is pretty big and since they are from my hometown I am feeling the excitement. If you live here I think you know what I mean, it is everywhere. PLUS I am constantly around oodles of kids who ARE interested and need to have a clue what they are talking about. SO, therefore Joey and I are watching game. Yep I said that too another strange statement. You see my dearest oldest son is grounded. When he is in such a place he will take a screen any way he can get it, even baseball. You can hear him shouting at the players, cheering with the crowd and intently involved in the action. The whole thing crack me UP! 11 is a rough deal, being old enough to know but still immature enough to maintain expectations. Per hubby's initial suggestion and my gut instinct we are back to earning his time. I am all about the goal a...

Well its been 15 days since I last posted. It seems I had quite a run and then like everything the season hit for a slump. Don't think for a moment I haven't been here...this blank screen beginning and deleting more times than I can count. Non of those ideas made the cut, or really made the finish line. Let's just take it slow in the rewind. I am after all under power. (ie sick) Tonight I arrive home to my sweet youngest child beckoning me to her room. The same room where she has in fact been for 25 minutes. You see she has a clear view of the driveway thanks to the double windows and sheer window treatment covering the blinds. In her ever so intelligent way she has taken to checking outside for the comings and goings of residents. We sang our traditional hush little Evangelene severely lacking because I have more than a frog in my throat, closer to two or three. 3rd story in I cut her off to make my exit when she asked why I do not feel better (I have been sick for a week...