Nathan's Enemy

My husband has been on a rampage the last few weeks. Gophers have taken over our yard and made it into a sink pit. Seriously. They've dug so many burrows and holes that when you walk on it you sink into it a little.

So Nathan did what any hunter would. He fought back. With his bb gun. (Is that how you spell it? I have no idea.)













His kill total is now 6. And we think there are more. When Nathan gets home from work he asks me if I've seen any gophers in the yard. My response is usually something serious like, "Right. Because I have so much time during the day to sit and stare out the window watching the yard."

I'm helpful like that.

Wordless Wednesday: Curls

One Year Down, Eleven More To Go

(This post was written in May and I forgot about it. It's important to me so I thought I'd share it anyways.)

For this kid anyways.

Yesterday Abiah took his first state assessment test. He scored in the 95%! And then I fainted from relief.

This year has been so trying scholastically, emotionally, and physically. I'm not going to get into all the details. I'm over it. Or I'm in denial. Whatever.

These last few weeks I feel like a veil has been lifted and I'm seeing more clearly. The crazy of having a newborn and a 15 month old while trying to homeschool a 6 year old is wearing off. Abiah is reading, which makes homeschooling so much easier.And Hazel is mostly potty trained, which makes life much easier.

I think what gives me the most relief is the feeling of being settled into this life that I'm leading. Through whatever message I've been soaking up, I've bought into the idea that this job of a SAHHM is less than, simplistic, and invaluable. Maybe even pathetic. Oh how sad! Especially because it's what I WANT!

Since I used to be the Testing Manager in the office where Abiah took his test yesterday it was also a trip down memory lane. As I watched the ladies in the office answering phones, managing and directing I felt a tug of jealousy to return to that time in my life. Oh, to feel like my life had an impact, to know that I am accomplishing something!

And then we came home. And Abiah read a book. Hazel went potty in the toilet. Amelia toddled around singing and laughing. And Nathan was happy.

Making A Come Back

Wow! It's been a long time since I've been here. We've been busy around here the last few months and blogging became just one more thing to do. I am more than ready to get back on here and share our lives with you all. For now I'll just catch you up.

At the end of May we finished our first year of homeschooling! Abiah took his first state test and scored in the 95%. He's a little smarty pants. He is reading more and more and I love hearing him. I have some new ideas for curriculum for next year (I'll share more later) and I am excited to begin our second year in September.

Nathan is now a foreman! He is still unsure of the shift he will be on but he is a foreman. We are praying for a day shift. He has been working swing for the past 2-3 years, leaving at noon and getting home around 10:30 pm. On the day shift schedule he will leave at 4 am and get home between 2 &3 pm. It is so nice to have him home for dinner. And even better to have him home for bedtime! Although I still help get the girls ready for bed, he has taken over putting them to bed. And dealing with the "I need to go potty, I need a drink, I want my blanket on, I don't want my blanket on, I'm hot, I want my blanket on with the flowers on me" drama.

Nathan and I are doing Dave Ramsey's Total Money Make-Over. We should be debt free in the next year an a half. To free up more money so we can pay off our debt faster I started going to a local food bank. For a donation fee of about $5 a week I am getting at least $100 in food. I get frozen veggies and meat, canned goods, fresh veggies, dairy products, lentils and rice, and unlimited bread. I highly recommend that you check out your local food bank. It is such a great deal!



The last two weekends we had a yard sale here with some friends. The first weekend went pretty but all the men who stopped by were wondering where all the guy stuff was. So for weekend two we had our hubbies bring all the "stuff" they could find and it sold really well. I have never done a yard sale with guys before and was amazed at some of the differences. I wish I would have thought to take pictures of week one but I only have pictures from this last weekend.

This is the view looking out my front door:



Looking towards the house:



And this is what guys use to hold gigantic canopies down:



And these:



Yes. That is a table saw. Or something like it.

I had things like this in my yard:



And this:



At first I thought it was some kind of water pump contraption. Now I'm not sure.

The guys sold lots and lots of "stuff" and made lots of money. Which was the point. And they took the left over "stuff" with them when they left. So I'm happy.

And finely, summer has decided to show up in Oregon. One of my favorite things of summer is that my kids start dressing like this:





And that makes me all kinds of happy.

Confessions of a SAHHM

I love my kids. They make my heart sing and dance. I love my front row seat watching them grow and change. Being a part of that is an amazing experience.

But I know that a vital reason my kids are enjoyable is due to the day-in, day-out training they receive in the 24 hour/7days a week care they are given. Though I know I fail them repeatedly, if I'm honest with myself there are times when I'm maybe a little too consistent. (Is that possible?)

It's this consistent need to get up off my keester or drop what I'm doing every three to five minutes to follow through with correction that I desire refuge from. It wears me down until I find myself at the end of the day yearning for bedtime, a glass of wine, and a box of chocolates. Most days I wonder if I'm not living a Groundhog Day.

I say the same things, and correct the same behaviors. I make the three meals, hand out the snacks, read the same books, and play the same movies. I wash the same dishes, fold the same clothes, and clean up the same messes.

Though this post may seem like a You're the World's Greatest Mom, Happy Mother's Day To Me, it's not. I have a confession to make and a question to ask.

I'll just get straight to the point.

Confession: Though I always want my children to be obedient and respectful, when I am gone and they are with Nathan I secretly hope that they are as demanding in the area of training as they are for me.

This never applies to others who watch them. When my kids are with anyone else I find myself more worried for the babysitter than about the babysitter.

But when they are with their daddy I want to walk in the door and have him run to meet me with an exclamation of, "Baby, now I know how you feel. What I don't know is how you do it! Honey, you're my hero!"

Clarification: My kids are good kids. They are just kids. And it takes a lot of work to grow up kids who are obedient and respectful.

Now, my question: Am I the only mom who harbors this deranged desire? Be honest. Leave your answers below.

And don't judge me.

A Month of Funny

Me: "Hazel, what is your favorite color?"

Hazel: "Me favite colo is....book!"

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During our many trips to the potty Hazel kept telling me she was going "fissy poop". It took a few weeks for me to get her to tell me why it is "fissy" poop. Her answer, "Day swimmin, and swimmin, wound and wound."

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We sent the kids to my in-laws for a night when we celebrated our anniversary back in April. While packing the kids bag Abiah asked if he could bring two of his toy guns so he and Poppi could play with them.

After Hazel saw that he got to bring his guns she decided that she needed to bring her pink pistol also. As they were both bringing me their guns Amelia waddled over to the toy shelf and came back with a book and handed it to me so I could put it in the bag for her to bring.

I've got that one hook, line, and sinker! Mommy's little book worm.

After we packed the bag I had Abiah carry it to the front door. As he struggled under the weight he remarked that it was so heavy because it was carrying all this stuff for, "two babies and one... grown up." He'll be seven next Monday.

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When I took Hazel to the bathroom she had a moment of pure sweetness and looking me in the eyes said softly, "Mom, I luff you too muth."

I melted.

She went on, "And I luff Biah too muth. And I luff Mewee too muth. .. and I luff ducky. (the bath toy) I luff ducky the ho why wod." (the whole wide world)

Hmmmm. I've got some competition.

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Me: "Hazel, let's change you up here on the changing table so we don't get dust on your buns."

Hazel: "Don't get dust my buns. Dat dwandess and whood." (dangerous and rude)

Who knew!?!

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Today, like most days, after Hazel was disciplined for disobedience she started crying, "Daddy, daddy." I told her, "Nope. I'm your mother. Daddy's at work." Then she started crying, "I want my Mother Daddy! I want my Mother Daddy!"

When I tried to explain to her that I'm her mother and Daddy is her father she disagreed. "No, you not my mother! You not my mother!"

Oh joy.

Later when she was, once again, being disciplined she called out, "I want my Sugar Daddy! I want my Sugar Daddy!" And no, she's not talking about the candy. She just happens to actually be hearing what I've said before about Nathan being my Sugar Daddy.

So she CAN listen!

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I've always called my kids my "spoiled stinkin' rotten babies". It's what my mom called us. And it's true. It's a term of endearment really.

Hazel and Abiah were arguing about something and Hazel yelled at Abiah, "You, sthink rot baby!" Abiah replied, "I'm not a stinkin' rotten baby. You filthenheimer!" (Daddy's nickname for Abiah) Hazel pointed her chubby finger at Abiah and yelled, "Pretty dress!"

Name calling gone princess.

When P-Dub Came To P-Town

or Why Mommy Needs To Get Out More


I've been a recent follower of Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, and her multi-dimensional website for only a few months now. From the beginning I have pitched my tent smack dab in the middle of her blog and ingested every delicious morsel I could get my should-be-cleaning-something eyes on. From this obsession (because, if I'm gonna be honest, that's really what it is) and her honest writing I have grown to feel like P-Dub is a close friend. Apparently, from the comments and chatter I overheard at her cookbook signing yesterday from the other 400 (give or take) women in attendance, I'm not the only one.





Everything anyone had to say to each other about P-Dub the others already new because, hello!, we're all reading the same blog! Even when the MC tried to tell us her plane got delayed in Seattle we all new he was lying because we had all read her post from that morning saying she was in Portland in her hotel already.


From left to right: Person to close to camera, Mom, Summer

My Mom, sister Summer, and I have been planning for this night since P-Dub announced the new addition to her book tour a few weeks back. If you follow her blog (which you should) and have read any of her posts about her previous book signing engagements you would know:

• Babies are her weakness
• Especially if they are cute
• Pregnant women are another weakness
• Previous book signing attendees have brought homemade treats for her
• She's hilarious
• She does an amazing Ethel Merman impersonation

So, in making our plans my sister and I took this knowledge into consideration. Although I do have the most adorable kids on the planet...





I knew that by the time we waited for our turn to have our cookbooks signed not only would they be be sleepy, cranky, and disheveled, but I would look like I'd been through a tornado and barely survived.

They have a bed time for a reason people! ME!

So, no kids. Decision made. Only slight wavering because of extreme cuteness that I am faced with everyday. Especially when Hazel discovered Charlie's pictures in the cookbook and my mom taught her to say, "Poor old Charlie" while making this face:


Poor, old Charlie

So we decide to bring our "bestie" homemade goodies. I made Sleepy House Cookies which are a family (and anyone else who's ever eaten them) favorite. Summer brought a bottle of wine and Fudge Decadence (another fav). It wasn't long before a "friendly" sister competition started between the two of us as to which one P-Dub loves the most. Because she knows us so well and all.


cookies for my "bestie"


Who will win P-Dubs heart?

While we worked our way through the crowd to snatch spots to stand in the back I realized we weren't alone in our idea to bring gifts. Plus we were one-upped by all the cute babies and adorable pregnant women in attendance. Cheaters.

When P-Dub arrived she happened to walk down the isle where we were and I have to say that woman is as beautiful and friendly as she seems in her blog posts and interviews. When she was next to us my mom kept telling me to reach out and touch her. I didn't. I so missed out on an opportunity of a life time. Dang it! Let this be a lesson to you young whipper snappers: Always listen to your Mom!


Summer offering me abc gum (funny face)


Summer offering me abc gum (practiced posed face)


Summer trying to ignore her irritating younger sister

I enjoyed the Q&A time before the book signing commenced. Especially the Ethel Merman impersonation. We had a long wait before we got our books signed. I was number 307 out of 340 tickets.


Person to close to the camera with her cookbook (Does anyone else notice the phone holder the lady in the green shirt has? Reminds me of a few of my aunts...)

We used that time wisely, of course. We got coffee at the Starbucks where P-Dub's MIL and daughter got their coffee. I know. Cool, huh? You envy me. Admit it.

We were then grateful to find three empty chairs in the event area. While we waited we: looked through Cake Wrecks book and laughed so hard I cried, tried to decide if the person sitting in front of us kissing the woman next to him/her was a him or a her (Welcome to Portland, ya'll!), and counted how many times the woman behind us said, "Well, like I said" when she was talking to her friends. Loudly. But she stopped playing my game and I got bored with her and so we came up with ways to make a lasting impression on P-Dub. These are the ones I can remember:

• Faint when I get up to the table (There may be a story about that happening at my Gpa's funeral. Not on purpose, of course. But I was wearing a short dress.)
• Use my "extra skin" to make myself look pregnant
• Make a list of the similarities between me and P-Dub (ie. excessive seating when nervous, habit of taking pics of hubbies tush, love for butter and wine, her name is Ree which is the last part of my name and one of my nicknames, Broadway show tunes etc. ect. ect.)

I'm sure she would have enjoyed my list. I decided, instead, to ask her about her plans for a children's book staring Charlie and told her about Hazel's face she makes when talking about his pictures. Hazel is going to be so excited when it comes out in the next year. I also asked her to sign Charlie's picture for Hazel.

Summer tried to out do me by having P-Dub sign her book to: My very best friend Summer Bryan. Though that's what Summer's books says, she doesn't have proof that it was signed by P-Dub because P-Dub didn't actually write her own name. Also, if they were best friends P-Dub wouldn't be using Summers last name! Amateur.


Ree-United and it feels so good


Notice the use of first name only. Hmmm...I wonder who her best friend is?


Poor, old Charlie

We had a great evening together and can't wait for the next one. Here's that cookie recipe:

Sleepy House Cookies
Cream together:

3 C brown sugar
2 C butter softened to room temp
2 eggs
set aside

Combine:
4&1/4 C flour
2 tsp soda
1 Tbl cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Add to creamed mixture then add:
2 C chopped pecans
3 C chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
Mix well

Refrigerate dough for about 2 hrs.
Roll 1'' balls into powdered sugar and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
We like to make all the dough into balls rolled in the powdered sugar and then freeze them to use when we have company or an emergency craving. Enjoy!