Mount Lang

We have spent the day working on Tabi's volcano model for school.  I began this afternoon with a little research and having Ricky experiment with different "recipes" in the sink.  Then I did more research, lol.  Did I mention this was TABITHA's project?!?!  Anyhow, it turned out great.  She had been working on the project for a week, it was just a matter of confirming the chemistry part and we took that right down to the wire.  We finally got it done and the paint and clay will hopefully be dry by 5th period tomorrow (yes we had to paint wet clay, not recommended).  And now, Ricky wants to build his own tomorrow.  At least we know how to do it now.
(Oh, and did I mention that after we did all that work to make a working volcano, Tabi turned around and said, "well I'm not sure if we are allowed to have it erupt".....  aaaahhhhh!!!!!!)

I have also started putting together our daily schedule after "reading" my new wonder book, Masters of Thier Home. (My definition of "reading" is opening the book to make sure there are actual word inside, take note of the  font size, color, and possible quick referencing pictures that can give me a good summery of the book, while kids distract me from being able to actually make sense of any of the above mentioned things)  I am sure it is a great book if I can get a chance to read more than just the introduction and listen to the CD Conference, thank goodness I paid extra for that CD or I wouldn't have gotten anything done with the book yet.  But in just the little that I have read and listened to there is so much encouragement and so much more.  The biggest thing that stood out to me when when Terry talked about her 2 year old getting into the bathroom and taking all the toilet paper from the roll and sort of "decorating" the whole bathroom with it.  She, like most moms, talked about how she broke down in tears while rolling the toilet paper back up, then confesses that now that her 2 year old is grown she really laughs and wonders how much did that toilet paper really costs?  She should have just picked it all up and threw it away and moved on!  Seriously, how may times do kids get into the toilet paper (or computer paper, or anything else of little value for that matter), and what is a mom's first response?  yep, cry and neatly roll the darn thing back up, WHY?!?!  I dunno, when someone figures that out would they please let me know.  There should be a club for moms where you stand up and say "Hi, my name is Michelle, and I'm a mom who cry's over spilled milk but tells my children not to".  Kids, Do as I say, not as I do! Lol.

Other news from the home-front.... We have really been trying to crack down on the rules in the house.  We have been getting a wee bit lazy with them lately.  I have decided to take them one by one, first one being the yelling.  (And no I am not talking about yelling at each other in a mad sort of way, that is a big no-no around here no matter now lazy we are with rules)  Oh my, we live in a small house and the one thing that is getting on my nerve is the fact that no one can walk across the house to talk to anyone else, they have to YELL the whole conversation across the house.  I can just see now that the weather is nicer, the neighbors bringing their chairs and popcorn and lining up in our front yard for the free reality show.  I will just simply open the curtains and they can see and hear what real life is like in a large family.  No charge, don't even need a antenna or working tv.  Thankfully everyone is catching on to this rule.... except Tabi.  It is like she has no volume control what so ever, just constant loud and constant on.  I'm blaming it on being a teen!  Only 2201 days, 22 hours, and 48 more minutes until she is no longer a teen, not that I'm counting or anything.

And last, it looks like Ty is following in his older siblings foot steps.  8 months old and crawling and pulling up, but can't sit on his own, not even for a second.  Just goes to show you, my kids just don't like to "sit" still.  Maybe a early sign of ADHD? Can't even pay attention to the "correct time frame and sequence of typical development" (that's just a joke, isn't it, a bunch of old people saying when and how kids are supposed to develop and how they should act.  I say it is just a few doctors just wanting another reason to run more tests just to earn a few extra dollars prescribe a few more meds....  ok I won't go into that now or I will be here all day).  What am I to do with Ty? I Guess I'm just going to have to cuddle him some more because he is growing up way too fast.

~Nite

Sally Saw Sea Shells

FYI, getting a 7 year old who just lost both front teeth to say "Sally Saw Sea Shells by the Sea Shore" is great entertainment.

I haven't just been enjoying having Ricky say tongue twisters (some phonics lessons turned so funny we have decided to put them on hold until the front teeth come in, haha). We have also been entertained with cootie catchers. Remember those little paper fortune tellers from middle school? (pick a color, then you flip it around to reveal numbers and you pick a number, and so on...) Our house is filled with them. We have the "magic 8 ball" one, with this one you ask a question and it will tell you "yes", "no", or "maybe". We are also enjoying some of the fortunes the kids wrote, the best one is "today you will be pestered by someone younger than you", in close second place is "you smell like a toilet!". On the way out the door the other night rick managed to get the fortune "you will soon travel to far off places, he is heading to Texas this week, maybe there is some truth to these fortunes?

Help Wanted

Looking for individual to fill in for stay at home mom! Duties include being capable of simultaneously refereeing a street hockey game from dinning room while feeding 9 month old baby cereal, cleaning off dining room table, and entertaining a cranky one year old who must be held or sit on your lap. Other duties include light house work (example, moving a full refrigerator to retrieve lost toys, min 7 load of laundry A DAY along with 5 loads of dishes), regularly cleaning bathroom after unplugging toilet before it overflows and without causing any more overflow then explaining to children why they could not flush what you found in the toilet, cooking dinner (or breakfast or lunch) with a newly crawling 9 month old and one year old and 2 year old underfoot, the ability to explain why you are not going to cook 7 different dinners/breakfasts/lunches so each child can have what they want. Must also have the ability to lift and carry 3 children at once for undetermined amounts of time and be able to do all of the above and more with only 4 hours of sleep and a smile on your face. Must also be able to kiss boo-boo's, give lots of hugs and receive 100's of little sloppy/sticky kisses a day.
You can send applications to Mama who can be found relaxing at the local beach (ie, back yard sand box next to the kiddy pool).

LOL

Yep, I have had a long day and it is only 5..... and it only took me 3 hours to finish typing that.