Am I a terrible Mom because....

my last post stirred up some comments that made me wonder...at least about my ability to discipline which to be honest is some days in need of Nanny 911. However I think that a lot of my parenting goes to the part of me who doesn't like to be told what to do...and do not like CONTROLLING people (either telling people what to do, or people that feel the need to tell people what to do)...I guess I have the mixed up idea that for some reason people have brains and that they should be able to make good choices...

now don't get me wrong I BELIEVE that children should be guided, nurtured, disciplined and taught right from wrong, and I do Get after my kids...though for some reason they laugh and think I am playing with them....maybe it is because most of the time I am playing with them, and every once in awhile my mean ugly voice comes out and they know I am serious...

It is tough being a parent, and knowing what to do...and yet at the same time, I know how tough it is being an adult and making big decisions and caring for others, that part of me just really wants my kids to enjoy life and not have to worry about it. There will be plenty of time to worry about it later.....

Anyway yesterday I took Two and T-Rex to the church, I am a nursery leader, in charge of the kids under 4...and we cleaned the nursery and organized the toys. T-Rex and Two were so excited to be there and took the cleaning wipes and were cleaning toys and putting things away. Two even helped put out a toy struggle between T-Rex and some little boy.

One of the gals helping out there said "Man I need to take your kids home, they help clean and they help take care of kids..."

And the thought came to me, "she should of seen them YESTERDAY" but then it also occurred to me, that you know I am doing something right sometimes.

So its is wrong of me to:

let my kids eat cupcakes for breakfast?
walk to the store with me and pick out lunchables for lunch and let them eat them before 10 am?
gather up their toys and sell them on the front lawn?
offer to mow a neighbors lawn?
watch a movie before bed instead of reading stories?
nights when they are scared let them crawl into bed with me?
let them eat the popsicles until they are all gone? knowing that they won't have anymore the rest of the week?
curl up with me and read stories instead of taking a nap?
letting them go outside and play instead of helping me clean? (i mean how much easier is it to clean up with out them around helping??"
let them eat in the car?
let them lick the beaters and dip them back in the batter?

I don't think so! They are good kids, they make me laugh most days and CRAZY the other days! And hopefully we will all remember the laughs more than the tears!

And then this happens!

So maybe someone needs to call Nanny 911 on me! I just went to my computer to answer a few emails, and the kids were down stairs playing....then Two came up wanting water, and I told her just a minute, then she comes running back into me, "OH no MOM come quick, you have to see what T-Rex is doing...Its bad, berry berry bad!"

"Just a second I say.""

"Come quick, hurry, you gonna be berry mad!"

I walk in to find the above mess....and T-REX laughing and laughing! Oh the little stinker....the girls have cleaned it all up...now time for me to fix the rest...Oh my goodness!

THough I am laughing have you ever played in five pounds of flour...its so soft!

Why a Mother Can NEVER be SiCK!!

I have not been feeling well the last few days, actually some of the sicker I have felt in a long time. Some moments I think maybe I should head to the doctor but then I realize how the heck will I get there. But then again, I just can't afford to be sick anymore.

However, I have stayed in bed most of the day other than to put out fires, fortunately no real fires but I wouldn't put it past Two and T-Rex to set the house on fire. Those little turkeys!! They are quite the duo.

Yesterday as I lay in bed, but for a brief moment because I was switching out loads of laundry, when I heard a loud noise down stairs. I didn't even dare go look. A few minutes later Two came up with the biggest smile on her face. I am talking BIG!

I asked her "what happened down stairs?"

"Me and T made a big mess. We knocked the books off the shelf, dumped all the toy buckets, empty out G-Man's legos, and tipped over the doll house. Its a big mess. Want to see?" In the proudest of voices she told me this....really should one be proud of this?? I don't think so.

Well I took her invitation and followed her down those stairs as she gave me a tour of her mess. The toys covered the floor like a winter quilt on a bed, you wouldn't know there was carpet down there! Could two small children possibly make such a mess? Are you sure it wasn't a tornado??

After getting after it, I told her she needed to clean up, I know a job insurmountable for a mom let alone a four year old, but I told her. She looked up at me and said "No Greg will do it when he comes home." I was too tired to argue with her, and too tired to help. So yes the basement is flooded in toddler mess.

To add to the mess downstairs G-Man decided to add the wretched smells of puke, of which landed smack on the floor, the only open floor space in his room. Thank you much. T-Rex brought some up with him all over his foot and PJ's this morning. Can I just tell you cleaning up that stuff is hard but even harder when you are already so sick to your stomach.

As G and I laid in bed today watching his shows, Two and T-Rex were left to fend their own. Well lets just say Two sure can keep him busy.

They decided they needed to take a shower. Not a bad thing, but Two ran in and slammed the door shut and locked it. In a modern house this is ok, but in our 1922 house, we have a dead bolt on the inside of the bathroom door with no way to unlock from the outside. After trying to talk her through opening the door, I went and sat on the bed for a minute, yes I posted a facebook status, and thought about going to the outside window. Thoughts of calling 911 entered my mind, as the kids had turned the tub on, and we know how dangerous that can be. So I went outside and put a ladder to the window. Emily stood on the edge of the tub smiling at me, "Hi Mom."

After trying to tell her again how to unlock the door, I had G bring me a screwdriver and plied open the window that had been painted shut. I got it about an inch or two open and just couldn't open it anymore. Just then I hear "Corrine, Corrine, You ok??"

Gina to the rescue. My friend stopped by with some juice, crackers, popsicles and can soup. She climbed the ladder and pried the window open, we shoved G through and he opened the door. Thanks so much Gina!

Oh you think the excitement would end there! How is a sick mother ever to get any rest??

After eating almost a whole box of popsicles, T-Rex went to the kitchen to get another, why has he learned to open the freezer and fridge???...I followed him but was stopped by slipping on the floor on a half eaten, half melted popsicle on the floor. UGHHH!!

Then I decide its time to just lock them all in my room, because T-Rex can't open these doors. So I do, and he brings crackers in with him. And before I can stop him, they become confetti all over my bed!! Thrown up in the air and then jumped on!!

So after cleaning that up we actually all fall asleep and nap. Yeah Rest!

Not for long, G wakes me up to remind me we have to pick up Bee from school. Oh yeah! I had no idea who to call so I pry myself out of bed and go get her.

Once we get home Bee entertains the younger two and I rest a little bit, but the door knocks, not a bad thing, a friend of Bee comes over to have her come play. Mixed emotions because she was entertaining the two while making some more messes but keeping them busy, I could always use her help, but know she needs to get out, especially after she came home and sprayed the whole house down because "it smells like throw up!" Which I am sure it did, does.

She left, and then the monsters hit the bathroom again. They filled the tub, dumped the handsoap in, two towels, a full roll of toilet paper and a roll of paper towels...ARGHHH you have got to be kidding me. So I grab the strainer and sit for about 30 minutes straining the toilet paper out of the tub. All the while I have told her she needs to go to her room.

Dad ends up coming home early to help out. Two walks up to him "I am suppose to be on my bed, but me didn't do anything wrong!" What a stinker. Now her dad is sitting in her room with her and here I type.

Now to get the Dad to help and clean up the mess, you know the dishes in the sink, the crumbs all over the floor, sheets to be folded....oh the messes that happen when mom is out.

Night! I need to rest!

So am I the only mother that can't rest, and if she does all falls apart??? Should I be keeping a better eye on them??? oh my!!

Monday Mumblings: Modern Technology

T-Rex is asleep on the floor, he pulled a pillow off my bed and made himself a little napping spot. I think he is exhausted. And so am I for that matter, but unlike him I can't seem to turn my mind off to the world around me.

Two is curled up next to me watching Dora on tv via our DVD player. I am laying in my bed, not feeling well, haven't felt well for a few days. Who knows sometimes I feel like I haven't felt well FOREVER, but really I didn't or don't remember feeling sick this summer, other than the day after the fourth where I slept all Sunday but that was exhaustion. Anyway Eric so kindly commented that I am a hypocondriact....so nice to have loving and kind support from your spouse. I am not a hypocondriact (so I can't spell that word)....I don't know what is making me sick, could be the tumor on my uterus, could be the ulcer, but my abdomen is not my friend lately.

And you know modern technology should be able to help me figure it out, and yes they located the above mentioned things in my abdomen, but there they sit...and lately it doesn't feel like they are sitting, its more like they are doing somersaults and flips, and its not a cute little baby I will get to hold.

Maybe I should find a doctor around here, but since we have become medicaid patients people are not willing to see us, nor are they taking new patients. And our government wants to take over health care! It scares me. Our wonderful health care will go to pot. However on the other side, being one with out private insurance at the time, I am very appreciative of the program, but now understand why our ERs are full, because no private doctor will see us. Can't they come up with a system of paying small businesses, or employers of hourly employees, money towards private insurance? Giving all employed people access to insurance but not government run?

Anyway so not what I was planning to blog on. But guess its on my mind!

I am just grateful for so many wonderful modern technologies.....

My computer, I love to type and write and with this I can do so with out white out to correct all my miss spellings!

The Internet, allowing me access to the world around me. I mean I recently was able to meet someone from Canada, that with out blogging and Internet I would have never met and gotten to know! It is just amazing, and Facebook?? I love that place, and being able to catch up with people that I haven't even seen since fifth grade, it truly is amazing.

Washing machines....with kids throwing up in the night, wetting their beds and throwing up again, it is so nice to be able to throw those stinky things into the machine and let it do the work. Now to come up with an automatic folding machine and I would be set.

Texting, ok maybe I am grateful for to many things that allow me to be social with out being social. I love to text. So much easier than calling on the phone, I can send a message while using the bathroom, not that I would, or in the middle of screaming kids, and no one knows...well I guess now you do. I can mass invite people to do something with out talking to five different people, saving time for me to um....I don't know fold laundry, or surf facebook and see what y'all are doing.

I love modern technology. I love Dvds so my kids can, when they want and that is not very often as those who watch them know, watch a favorite show.

I love living in the time we live in. Did I mention I love having a car? That is the best, because we can literally go any where we want, well not really with gas prices now, but you can live "far" away and still be close enough to get there shortly. Very cool.

Ok off to nap!

Wow my 445th post! Lots of Randomness

Well when I got ready to post I thought I uploaded the pictures in the order that I wanted them. However, now it appears my whit and ability to tie them all together may be a challenge. And since my computer is being a butt head it is difficult for me to move the pictures around. So without any further delays, my week, my 445th post in 15 pictures of less!

Little T-Rex sums up the last weekend before school! Holy Hannah it was a night mare! Blinds were ripped off the wall, a picture frame took a shattering death, mascara was unevenly applied, sink was over filled, dinner was spilled all over the floor, water was spilled, watermelon splattered, just to name a few things. Here T-rex sits in the sink, caught red handed and naughty! Actually I went to get the camera to record the nightmare of a night and put him back into the sink to get this photo! :) But did not have enough patience to photograph the rest of the mess....to say the least G-Man called Eric in a panic and told him he needed to come home...I guess I was really losing it.

But I gained enough composure Sunday to get the kids all ready for school on Monday Morning....actually Eric had the idea to dress up their dolls and stuffed animals in the outfits for the morning. They thought that was the coolest thing ever.

After blessings from their dad, they headed off to bed with some stories. And bright and early they were up and off to school! They ate breakfast, put on their new clothes and headed out the door with me behind them with my camera around my neck. However, Eric said "No way you aren't going to be one of those mom's are you?" So I decided to take my camera off as soon as I got a picture of them heading down the stairs. However we have a really old cool school and I just might have to be one of those mom's and bring the camera to school the second week. Which I will probably look even weirder than bringing it on the first day. Why do I listen to my husband???
First day of school went off with any hitches. I actually had the opportunity to go to lunch with Eric and make it home to put together a little snack and gifts and cards for the kids. Look at G-Mans face....so filled with joy! He was so thrilled that I thought of them and did something for them. I guess the weekend was really rough and they thought they had lost their mom to a wicked witch :)

While the big kids were at school on Tuesday the little ones and some friends hit the dinosaur park. Such a cool place. So much so that after school on Tuesday I took the kids there! We had a blast!

Two really likes her little friend! She wanted to me to take several pictures of her with him. He is a cutie, I don't blame her. Notice her shoes are on the wrong feet. Gotta love that girl!

This morning while trying to catch up on some blogging and photo uploading, T-Rex came and sat on my bed with me, notice he is wearing a hula skirt, and a Thomas the Train jammie shirt. He loves to dress himself and is so stinking stubborn about what he wears! Oh the blackmail pictures I have!

Speaking of pictures, do you know how hard it is to get some people to take a good picture of you with a friend you meet for the first time?? Yvonne, a wonderful fellow blogger and one of my newest dearest friends, came all the way from Canada for a visit. Well actually she was dropping her son off at BYU but still SHE came all the way up to the restaurant to visit us, dragging her sweet and kind husband with her. And they didn't even eat anything. So we packed her up some food to go. We had such an enjoyable time chatting and catching up just like old friends. If you ever want a chance to read an amazing woman's blog, check her out. I am not the first blogging friend she has met, she has touched many people's lives! Thanks Yvonne!

Check out this amazing sunset!!! I was driving home Tuesday night and had to pull over to get a shot of it. I love all those oranges and yellows and purples! Amazing beauty!

And a Barbecue plug! Tuesday night we did a back to school night at the restaurant with free hot dogs and watermelon for the kids. They had a blast and it was fun to see people coming and eating with us. When you get the chance you really should make a trip up to Texas Pride Barbecue. The scenery is amazing! And the food is awesome! Also we will be having a fall festival, every Saturday of October! Come on out! www.texaspridebarbecue.com

And have a great week....man I am worried about posting this and seeing the mess that I made!

Summer Ends

Tis bitter sweet to mark the end of summer. How is it possible for something to last "so LONG" and yet go so very fast? We have played at the lake many days, sunning our legs and lightening our hair. We avoided sickness...for the most part!! We have spent many days helping out at the restaurant and playing at the park.

Visited the library and lost some books....Gone swimming at the rec center. Caught up with old friends. Journeyed back and forth attempting to visit cousins, and yet we didn't get to play with them as much as I would have liked.

Living in a new neighborhood we have made some new friends, and yet we feel so new and not yet enough time to know them all.

Monday school starts. YIKES! I am so excited and yet so sad. As much as my kids are driving me bonkers today, I am mixed with emotions. Did I do enough fun with them? Did we enjoy our time together?

We did. I had fun. I enjoy just going and doing stuff, yet there are several things more I wish we could do. There are always weekends right??? We have actually slept in this summer, will we be able to wake up?? There will be days where just T-Rex and I will be alone...and as G-Man reminded me, soon there will be days when all will be in school and I will be so lonely....for a split second I thought about having another....and that fleeted as fast as it came.

I am so looking forward to the older kids going off and making new friends and having some structure in their so unstructured life. Actually going to bed and bedtime routines get to get started again!!! Do I have to start making dinners???

Today is the LAST Saturday before school starts!! and so far the kids have built a furniture fort in the front room and have sat on my bed watching Saturday Morning cartoons, well more like infomercials...what happened to Saturday morning cartoons????

Roller Skater

This morning I was talking to my mom on the phone, and she mentioned that my brother was in town again. He came by the restaurant yesterday after going with some clients to get their new contracted house inspected. So I called him, well actually texted him because well I don't really like to talk on the phone much. Anyway, unfortunately he didn't drive his own car, he came up with his clients and was unable to visit us.

However to encourage my kids to clean up their mess I told them Uncle D was coming by this morning. (they did a little cleaning and well my parents ended up showing up...GREAT to see you! feel like we moved back to Texas or something....)

Bee has a tendency to all of a sudden need a nap or a drink when asked to help around. She hopped on my bed, yes I was dicating cleaning orders from under my sheets... looked at me and said "Is Uncle D still a roller skate gent?"

"I am sorry is he a what?"

"A roller skate gent...you know sells houses?"

"Oh yes he is a realtor."

It just made me laugh. Reminds me of my childhood and how I misunderstood sayings or rather said them wrong.

For example:

I always thought (and I am talking just figured it out not too long ago when I read it in a book) that the saying went "better than life spread" did not know it was "better than sliced bread"....I mean really there are a lot of better things than sliced bread like spreading life!? :)

And I'd say For Heaven Bids instead of Heaven Forbids .... I could go on but I might just embarrass myself...but anyway the Roller Skate Gent made me laugh!!

And by the way don't ask me to sing you a song because I mess up the words all the time because I hear something totally different. Or my mind turns the words around and something totally messed up comes out. I will read lyrics and think man how the heck did I miss that....well looks like I passed that great mental twisting on.

Uncle D,,,,keep skating on!

Relationships

As I was in the bathroom doing my morning business of showering, my kids were off doing who knows what. Rinsing my hair, I startled to a little hand opening up the curtain. Standing behind the beige plastic was T-Rex all covered from head to toe in water colors. It appeared he ate more than he painted.

He held up a paper with small markings and drawings at the very bottom, pointed to his work and said "Temple."

"Did you paint a temple?"

"yeshhh!" Pointing at his picture again he said "Temple."

"It is beautiful T, I love it." I do love it and am amazed that one of his favorite and new words is temple.

For those of you unfamiliar with my faith, we attend church meeting houses on Sunday, for our regular meetings and Sunday School and such. All are welcome to come and participate. Our temples are the more stunning and beautiful buildings you will see around. These buildings are sacred, and many wonderful ordinances are performed one of which is sealings, marriages that are sealed here on earth and extend through the eternities. Our marriage doesn't end at death. I am grateful for my eternal family and they truly are a blessing in my life.

I truly have been blessed not only with great parents and siblings but wonderful children. They make me laugh.

I normally don't use my children's names but my youngest daughter gets called all the time by her big sisters name. Always. I know this because when I call her by the wrong name she quickly looks at me and says "you mean Emily?"

"Yes I mean Emily" At least she knows her name.

Today at church I sat and pondered my life. And how lately I have been under a great deal of stress and depression. I get sad. I am happy. I laugh. I cry. I laugh some more. Those who know me in person, you could probably say my laugh is like a period at the end of all my statements. I'd like to consider myself a happy person.

I don't know why I am going through this depression, it has been hard. I truly know that all that is going on is for a reason, and sometime, hopefully soon, it will end like all life's trials, that are replaced by another one, hopefully one that I can handle better, and soon.

I use the word hope because I do have hope and Faith in my Heavenly Father, that this time in my life will be one I will look back on, and know I learned and grew a lot.

Days may be long but years are short. Life goes to0 fast. And I don't want to look back on this stage in my life as one where I spent too much time worrying. Kind of like how I spent my teen and young adult years worrying to0 much that I was fat, when in all reality I was not! What wasted years, because now its just killing me to get back to my "fat" days of youth. But I don't focus on it anymore, (well not as much) because it is a waste of time and energy.

Looking back on that, it sure has taught me to be happy with the moment. Enjoy life. It really is short. We are here to experience and learn and grow and to have joy.

I take the bitter to enjoy the sweet. I will take the tears to really enjoy the laughter.

My oldest daughter and I recently were sitting on the kitchen floor, I think it was ten o'clock at night, and we took out a gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream and two spoons and sat and talked. We laughed. We ate. She looked up at me and said "Mom, when I am a mom like you, I am going to tell my daughter, how we sat on the floor at night and just talked and ate ice cream. She will think that is really great." I do hope she remembers that...and I think I need to do that more often.

And it is moments like that, that we live for. The quiet moments when we can sit with our loved ones, and not really worry about anything else and just enjoy life. Because what it all boils down to, is our relationships and those around us. I don't think they will remember how clean the house was growing up, though they remember more me yelling and getting frustrated when it wasn't clean. They aren't going to remember the outfits they wore (well other than looking in pictures) but will remember the trips to the lake, the zoo, or visiting family.

In the end, its people that matter the most. It is the relationships that we develop that help us become better people.

So in the mist of my struggles, who am I going to help? Because it boils down to that, who around us can we help?

Shimering light through the Grey Clouds!

I just spent the morning, well not the whole morning, reading the journal of the man that killed those women at the gym. He was alone. Had no family, no friends and just lost all hope in life. I read through his journal feeling pain for him, and in some ways understanding him. Not wanting to go out and kill people, but feeling so alone it hurts. But unlike him, I am surrounded by family and friends, and have felt really alone, I can only imagine his pain.

And still with so many family members around I am surprised I guess at how different it is to be around them. I don't know I guess in my mind I figured we'd do more family dinners together, hang out more. Partly my fault, partly not.

I haven't talked much or posted many blog posts for the last few months, mostly because I couldn't find much to write about that didn't come across depressed or lonely or afraid or bitter or whatever I have been feeling since around Christmas.

I did mention in a post early this year my optimistic depression, I have been depressed. I took some anti depressants, I went to some counseling, I exercised,,,,I tried to eat right....I was at a the bottom of my barrel. In all honesty nothing seemed to alleviate any of my pain, other than the little glimmer of sunshine peaking through the top of my barrel.

I am still hurt over things that I probably should be over, but never came to a resolution over and feel tears weld when I think about things that have happened over the last few months. I am a grown up, and yet feel quite childish about my emotions, yet know they are raw, real and there. No amount of exercise, diet, and other things will get rid of them, other than my personally dealing with them, and just saying it is done, it is over and well go on.

Though I wonder if I let them continue to hurt me because of my emotional state I am in or was in? I am sure none of this make sense to anyone, but I need to write.

But recently, I personally took myself off my meds, one because I didn't refill my prescription and two because I just don't like the numb feeling they bring, I rather feel full emotions. And though right now I cry often and easily, I laugh more and I feel more alive. I see the rainbow on the mountains, surrounded by grey clouds with a little sunlight shimmering through bringing the rainbow more vibrant colors. It is going to be ok. I feel ok.

Daily I am reminded that I am loved and am not alone. I may find quiet moments where I will feel sadness but it is usually interrupted with a child asking for something, hugging me, telling me they love me, or a call, or a message on facebook or an email. Little small blessings reminding me I am not alone.

Yesterday I was having a hard time getting out of bed, even though my kids were like get out of bed...feed me...MOM! I was tired. I'd do some chores and then go lay back down on my bed. I turned the news on and heard about a woman who crashed her car killing herself, her children and her nieces, and then the above man I mentioned. I cried hearing their stories. I felt bad for the families of those involved. I cried because I have my kids and am so blessed to be apart of their lives.

Then back to school commercials came on, and I cried once more because I don't even know how we are going to get their supplies, or new clothes for school or shoes, or anything. The restaurant is going well, but not well enough for income for home. I am grateful for the patrons and the success we have had.

Then my sister in law showed up, with bags and bags of groceries, a microwave (are old one was catching fire and not working right) and school supplies for the kids. Tears welded up as her children brought the bags in to me. THANK YOU!!! I really really appreciate it. She did explain the microwave was our Christmas present, but the timing was perfect. We had such a fun time playing too! But thank you!

And recently, when unsure about how the heck I was even going to keep T-rex in diapers, a friend who offered to watch my kids, so I could help out at the restaurant, handed me some diapers and much needed laundry soap. I don't think she knew I couldn't even go get those things for myself, but she gave them to me.

Also I recently muttered, ok complained about the heat in our house, and a few days later, a window AC unit showed up at our house. It has made a world of difference. Thanks Dad!

Our computer crashed, no no one has given us a new computer, but Eric left his home today so I could write. You know it gets a little hard pressing numbers on my phone to write out messages and stuff. It is hard to express your thoughts and words with little continuous presses on numbers.

Lastly I have a neighbor friend that is suppose to be moving, but things are not working out for them, and I hope things work for them but I really enjoy our nightly chats on the lawn and will miss her when she moves. It has been a blessing having someone to confide in, laugh with and just hang out with.

And if you were truly able to read to the end of this, kuddos to you. Thanks for listening.

Holy August???

Eric and I celebrated our Tenth anniversary on the 30th! Hard to believe we have been married for ten years, sounds like a long time, but doesn't feel like it. He gave me these flowers. I set them in our window sill in the kitchen, and realized it was right next to our photo that we took on our honeymoon. Seems just like yesterday we were sailing around the San Juan Islands enjoying the peace and beauty....and now....ten years later...

We got T-Rex! He is such a sweetie and keeps us on our toes that's for sure. And apparently he has a hard time keeping up with his own toes because...boom crash....at least his forehead caught his fall....

Speaking of Fall, its hard not to fall in love with this little sweetheart. Her smile warms you up and just makes you feel good. However she has become our little liar...yes she can lie, and unlike her dad and older brother who I can tell is lying just by their smile, this one she doesn't crack a smile. Oh boy not sure what we are going to do with her. Then there is.....

G-Man who is so tender and sweet, and so active and loving. Though hard to find him to take pictures, been looking all over this morning.

Bee who is just too sweet. She is always concerned about the others and quite my little helper. Always, well not always, willing to help....but she sure can throw some fits. She is so excited to be starting school in 21 DAYS she can't wait....

I also am trying to get my portfolio up and going to start making some money with one of my hobbies/talents....I took pictures of my little sister and her family. For more pictures from that check out www.corrinescapturings.blogspot.com

Just for fun!

I took some pictures of my kids on Sunday and well they weren't be the most cooperative but they turned out ok.. I blew up a few and put them up on our mantel, with a sign that says "all because we fell in love. Its for Eric for our tenth anniversary! Can't believe we have made it ten years! Time flies, post more later.

I can cause a good scare every once in awhile

Yesterday evening Eric surprised us by coming home "early" he arrived about 8:20. The kids were still awake, I mean who wouldn't be when the sun is still up and the temperatures are still warm? So we got them out of the tub and I told...asked him if he would put the kids to bed. As he was heading down stairs I told him I was running to a friends house real quick. I thought he heard me.

Apparently he didn't. I visited with my friend and stayed for about an hour. When I walked in, all but T-Rex was asleep in my bed, or so I thought. I whispered to get Eric's attention to let him know I was home. When up popped G-Man, who ran to me and just hugged me. He held on to me for awhile and cried just a little bit.

"What is wrong?" I asked him rubbing his head.

"I thought you left us forever! I love you Mommy and I missed you so much."

"G I just went to the neighbors house."

After comforting and getting him to bed, I asked Eric what happened. He said that when I had just disappeared he asked G what they did today to drive me crazy. So I guess that made him think that I left because of a rough day. Then I reminded him of the invite I had received and how we had talked about it, and that I had told him I was going. Anyway I felt so bad for G and well so loved.


And on another note, the kids and some friends went to the lake. We stayed for a long time and had a blast....however I ran out of sunscreen and got all the kids covered but not me...I feel like a little Kentucky Fried Chicken...I am toasted....roasted and fried!

Also this week I have been running again and am really enjoying it. Sure makes a difference to have a friend to go with. Thanks L!!

Well off to get the little ones cleaning up a mess they were suppose to before we hit the lake!

And we bought four little gold fish today....well I should say the kids did with some cash they had saved up. Great way to learn responsibility. Ok that's all...

Some Summer Fun

Today my sister and her family drove up to have some dinner at the restaurant and to play at the lake. We had a great time. We have actually been to the lake a couple of times and I kept forgetting the camera. So here are some of the shots from today!

Anyone else want to come at the lake with us??? We also discovered the hot springs love to have you come with us!

Carrying the cooler, great team work...young love can't beat that :)



My little surfer boy!

Cousin M carrying the cone of water to fill their man made lake.

Is there a cuter face?? He did have catchup and ice cream and all kinds of stuff, and a little well not so little scar from recent stitches from a tramp accident.

Digging in the sand!

Don't they look like they are having a good time in the water!

Bee Floating out to "sea"
"Nemo's swimming out to the BUTT!" "Come back here, Do Not touch the boat!"

T-Rex and his cute cousing building a "lake"

Cousin K trying to dig up a rock. This is what she found!

Is he just not the cutest!! Love this little guy!

Building Sand Castles......

Cousin A after a swim!

Sand castles! did I not already say that??? Opps duplicate photo :)

Cousin M delivering some wet sand!

Little Two helping out!

A little Update

because I know you want to know :)

I got a call on my phone today, I guess that is the only place you really get a call, and there was a message from my Nurse Practitioner's nurse. See a correction is needed to be added last week I saw a nurse practitioner not a doctor. Anyway so the nurse told me all my test results, other than some really high levels of sodium my blood work came back with nothing alarming. Good to know. I think I might have coca cola in my blood stream. :)

Anyway I then asked about what I was suppose to do about the mass in my abdomen. She said "oh yeah I remember seeing something about that. Let me open your charts again."

"Yeah that would be great because I left kind of confused, told to get a scan and then told that there were other options and one being waiting until my next physical to have another ultra sound."

"No you don't want to wait a year. Yes it says here you need to consult with the doctor. I can schedule that for you now. We don't want to wait. How about tomorrow at 11:20"

"Um sure I guess. Sure."

"You need to see the doctor to have a consult because they are the ones that do the procedures."

"Ok"

So there you have it. I am heading to the doctors tomorrow to hopefully discuss the next plan of action and not be left in a conundrum.

I am not worried, or scared. I am pretty sure this is routine and all will be well.

I understand Wife Beaters

No not the guys that beat their wives but the white tank top. I need to get myself one. I know I'd look pretty hot in one :) but lately with no AC and no real way to cool off my house, I have thought having one of those on to walk around in sure would make things cooler. I could answer the door and be "covered" and yet cool. I could take the trash out and not worry about being undressed. I could walk outside and yell at my kids to stay on the sidewalk and not even get a second look.

But seriously I have mentioned the heat, and I am not meaning to complain but in my moans people have made some great suggestions on how to stay cool....so here are Corrine's top TEN ways to stay cool this summer....in no particular order, rather than what pops in my head first....

1. Add an AC unit to the house....great idea but we are renters and unless we could get rent off for a few months probably not going to happen...
2. Ceiling fans in all the rooms, another great idea however look at number one...
3. Buy window units....tempting really tempting but still not getting paid at the restaurant so money is a little tight, we do have one in our bedroom window...its helping.
4. Wet down our pajamas and go to bed wet, haven't tried this but sure sounds like a great idea...I like going to bed with wet hair..but does sweating at night count as going to bed wet?
5. Go outside...this is how we do it most days, its crazy that 90s outside is cooler than in our house....a little heat box...
6. Open windows and doors....we survive mostly like this but for some reason the box elder bugs and the flies think its an open invitation to join our family, go figure.
7. Drive around in the "free" ac of the car, believe me it isn't very free with gas prices going up but the kids and I have been doing a lot of driving with the ac blasting and the radio blaring....I think this is why summer drives and road trips were invented.
8. Go to the lake, this I think has been the kids favorite. We sit at what little water edge there is and the kids play in the "sand" (I wouldn't call it sand more like mud and rocks but whatever they have fun and stay cool)
9. Find a friend with AC and hang out there, still kind of working on this one.
10. Send the kids off with their dad and lay on the bed in the room with just underwear and let the little wind fan cool you off....that's what I am going to do now, Eric took the kids to the Lake and I am going to just lay on my bed...was going to fold laundry but that would exert energy and cause heat and I am trying to avoid that.

Have a great one and hope you are staying cool!!! Any other brilliant ideas???

I do like to open the fridge and stand there for awhile, but our fridge has "you have had the door open to long beeper" and it gets kind of annoying to have your fridge tell you to shut it.

Well Hello John Stockton

Every year we women have the great...ok not great...and probably not every year.....opportunity to visit the doctor for what we hope to be "you are doing great see you next year visit."

Yesterday I showed up at my doctor's office and met my mom, who took all four of my children, so I could enjoy this experience in peace, enjoy is probably not the correct adjective but you know what I mean.

So I sat in peace in the waiting room, taking in deep breaths, so my blood pressure will be normal, not my normal but normal normal. I didn't wait long until my name was called back.

"Hop on the scale." Not too bad, not the number I'd like to see but not the numbers I fear to see either.

"Sit, lets see how your blood pressure is doing, I will prick your finger while we are waiting to check your iron." Ok not too bad.

"Lets go to the office." All the standard questions are asked. I answer, laughing and joking like I normally do.

Doctor comes in, we talk. I tell her a bit of my history. Mention to her that for some reason my body keeps producing lumps. She and I talk about that. Then she has me assume the position. I look up and low and behold staring above me John Stockton...what the heck? So I mentioned to the doctor that I have never had a professional ball player in the room for this. I am trying to make light conversation and joke while I hold back the tears of uncomfortableness.

"Does this hurt."

"uh uh."

"I will stop."

"Thanks."

She then hands me a box of tissue. Ok thanks I guess.

"We need to do a belly scan, I feel a large mass."

"It couldn't be a baby could it?"

"No, its too hard." Relief flooded over me. I am not sure if that is the right response, a mass is more comforting to me than a baby right now?

I went to the sonogram room, and lay down on the table, and asked her if I could get a DVD...I laughed, and she said "Well if it is a baby I will turn it on for you."

"Thanks, I really hope its not a baby, I guess there could be worse things."

The screen fills with black and grey blobs and she is clicking and measuring, and at the bottom of the screen I see "mass" and measurements.

I asked "do you see what she felt?"

"Yes there is a tumor."


So here I sit, with no John Stockton passing to Malone to look at, and wonder what the heck is going on in my body. First the chest than my face and now my uterus. She wants me to call my insurance and see if they will pay for a CT Scan.

Honestly, is my fourth quarter of problems up yet?? Can I pass the ball to someone? I feel like a ball player holding the ball and being guarded by the whole other team and no one to pass the ball to...I am about to double dribble here.

So I heard someone say....

I was watching something on TV the other night and the news teaser commercial came on. The lady said..."I have you ever heard someone say 'Another man's treasure is another man's trash'...well this weekend..."



You know that screaching sound that records play if you push them backwards? Well that went through my mind and I was like "what did she say?" I laughed.



Yesterday my daughter invited a neighbor friend over for a bit, and she well both I think were already emotionally charged. But my daughter was getting annoyed with this little gal. And told her "I need to be by myself now and you need to go home." Did my daughter say she needed a time out? WOW then it got better because the little girl as she was leaving my house, Bee was showing her to the door, yelled at Bee saying "Go Away!! Get Away from me!" I thought isn't that why she is sending you home. I was shocked.



Then while at the store my kids were asking for this and asking for that, and I said "we don't have any money to buy that." I know in the past and I know many people say that when usually meaning we haven't budgeted for that, or that it really is something we don't need, or you just don't want to give in to the pleas and whines of small children.



But for me, its true. I can't even buy toilet paper. I cried.