Grandparents Day!

Grandparents Day!  A long standing tradition at our local elementary school.  I guess that makes sense since half of the school is being raised by their grandparents (not so far from the truth, sadly).  Not my kids, though.  In fact, their grandparents are nowhere near. 

Last year I skipped out on the monumental talent show/assembly that is the highlight of the celebration.  "Why should I go," I thought, "I'm not their grandparent."  But, with two kids in the program this year, one of whom is extremely sentimental (Cael), I packed up the younger two and we went.  NEVER AGAIN!

2 wiggly (and bored) kids. 2 HOURS LONG. Only 2 minutes worth of appearances from the children of my womb.  Like I said....."NEVER AGAIN".  I'm surprised the students themselves didn't mutiny.

Anyway.

One good thing that came out of it......Little red's artistry.  Introducing.....

Grandma G.

 

Grandpa G.

 

Grandma H.

Grandpa H.

Now, while his renditions are not exactly spot on, he did a pretty good job of capturing the essence of it all.  he he he......

 

School Daze...I mean days...2012

I used to wonder why I would always hear mothers exclaim in exasperation, "I can't WAIT for school to start." Then I became a mother.

Now I get it.

I'm always happy when summer comes around and more than thankful for a reprieve from "structure" and schedules. I usually carry this on through June and even most of the way through July. Then August hits and I am DYING to say "goodbye freedom" and "hello order".

This year was no exception.

 I must say, however, that having TWO kids in full time school made the commencement of this year even more exciting. (squeal)

I'd like to say we went all out. You know, school shopped until we dropped, made a fancy shmancy dinner to welcome in the school year, gorged our pantry with lots of sack lunch goodies, and even woke up early on the first day to create a culinary masterpiece of wholesome breakfast goodness to get the brain going.

But...we didn't.

Instead we dug through buckets of hand-me-down clothes and found some pants that were in "first day of school shape" (otherwise known as hole-less and stain-less), ordered a few shirts from Target.com (which haven't arrived yet)and pulled dinner together at the last minute with very little thought.  But...we DID go to Burger King for $.50 ice cream cones to "celebrate" the end of summer, I DID get up and make oatmeal for breakfast and I DID put a little extra something in their otherwise boring lunches....a string cheese.  Yeah...I'm the BEST mom. 

Don't be too jealous, though. I made up for my greatness rather quickly. 

Gabe spent most of the morning in tears because I INSISTED on doing a bit of painful "doctoring" that just "couldn't be put off a moment longer".  Yeah.....poor kid.  I should have waited.  Sigh....

I may not make "mom of the year" but the kids got out the door to school on time, with excitement in their eyes and smiles on their faces.  Yeay for school!

"Aw MOM...we're gonna be late."

Gabe- 4th Grade

Cael 1st Grade

 It kills me to know that I could have had three in school this year.  However, we decide to keep Isaac at home until next year (bummer). He didn't turn 5 until early August and my "mommy feelings" tell me he's just not ready yet.  Even bigger sigh...... For now he will stay at home and help me entertain Kian.

There are HUGE benefits in that.

Happy School days everyone.  Enjoy it while it lasts.
 

My Little Red turned 6 today!

6 years ago today, 21 hours of labor FINALLY came to an end as Cael Owen Gillespie came into this world.

Boy, oh boy....are we glad he's here.

Cael has been a joy to have in our home.  His exuberant yet shy demeanor is so contradictory yet hilarious to watch.  He is a smart, smart boy who loves to draw and learn new things.  He absolutely adores his baby brother Kian and alternates between taking care of him...and annoying him.  It, too, is hilarious to watch (okay, sometimes).

We're so glad he's a part of our family and thankful to have one day each year to celebrate his coming into it.

We started off today's "celebration" with Cael's breakfast of choice...

green eggs and ham.  VERY green eggs and ham.

Birthday boy headed off to school (for the first time in a week) where he got to "show and tell" the "surprise box"....he was SO excited.

After school we headed off to Burger King for lunch and a romp in the play place (disgusting and germ infested but, nevertheless, JUST what my cooped up boys needed).

We headed home to put the younger kids down for naps and assemble the "Angry Bird" cake,

(which fell over three times before we finally let the leaning dog lie)

Three of Cael's favorite friends came over to play...

(or in other words...laugh and giggle about bodily functions)...and enjoy popcorn and chocolate chips (random, I know).

Daddy came home and we settled down for dinner.  Meatballs over rice.  His favorite.
(blegh!..not mine)

 and then some cake and ice cream

(which he didn't even eat because he was too stuffed from dinner)

but he enjoyed licking the candles off, nonetheless.

Now...for the Happy Birthday Song...

and who can forget presents

I think he liked them.

("Booyah!")

Before bed, Cael and I spend a few minutes alone looking at baby pictures and talking about the day he was born and such.  Sweet, sweet memories.  Sweet, sweet boy.

We love our "Little Red".

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Incredible(-y stupid) Mom moment

Every once in a while I have an amazing Mom moment.  You know...the ones when the stars all seem to align and you come up with something brilliant to either say or do to make the world a better place...or at least put your children in their place.  Yeah...I like those moments.

But...more often than not, and sometimes in rapid succession, I have Mom moments of a "not so brilliant" nature.  Kinda on the stupid side.

Like today...when I made Little Red a peanut butter sandwich (yeay...for freedom from peanut allergies)...WITH jam.  Little Red HATES jam.  Or so he says (although I don't believe him). 

I know it...he knows it...we both know it. 

And I did it anyway...knowing he would throw a huge hissy fit. 


And...

this is where the "stupid" comes in...

I had the "who knows what" to get angry with him when he got upset about it.  Yeah...like I was really mad....as if I couldn't believe what was happening.

What????

Like I said....not one of my most "brilliant" moments.

H.E.L.L.O! 

But...lucky for me, it all worked out in the end.  I hoped it would.

He did eat it...eventually.  And even liked it, saying "It's sort of good" (which in Little Red language means, "this is actually really good I just don't want to admit it because I'm too stubborn.").

I'm sure the reward of a handful of Heath Bar Baking Bits hanging over his head, with a threat that he would not get any if he didn't eat the sandwich "all gone", had something to do with it.

Maybe next time I will channel my limited brain power toward something a  little less antagonistic.

Bad mommy......bad.....bad...


Just one easy click!

Those boots....

Notice something similar about this picture....

and this one?

Is it costumes?  Super heroes?  My kids?

No...it's the BOOTS!  The cowboy boots.  Little Red wears them EVERYWHERE.  Everywhere except church, bed and school on "P.E." day.  (let's not forget Mini Rob in his snow boots either)

Cowboy up Darth!  Cowboy up Spidey!

It drives me crazy yet is so cute at the same time.

(Kinda like the kiddo who wears them.)  :)

Roberto has never really liked "the boots" but was flabergasted when I let Little Red go Trick-or-Treating in them last night.

"Does it really matter?"  I said. 

I mean, he DID put them on ALL BY HIMSELF.  That scores HUGE points in my book.  :)
Just one easy click!

"My mom is named Melanie" and a plug for popularity....oh, and school pictures too.

Roberto took G-McBabe and Little Red to their school open house the other day.  He came home with a tale of G-McBabe's "funny MOM poster" but I had forgotten all about it until G brought it home from school the other day.

I had a good laugh all over again.  See for yourselves....

 Here's what it says:

My mom is named Melanie.  She has dark red hair.  She has blue eyes.  Her favorite color is pink.  She likes orange!  She likes to jump on the trampoline and read novel's.  I love her because she makes me do only one page off homework. at a time.  She also is in the top mommy blogs.  (She likes blogging.)

Isn't that awesome.  And check out this portrait, up close and personal.

 Sweet.....I had no idea I was that good looking.

Anyhow.  I have to say a few things about this.

I DO have red hair and I DO have blue eyes.  Pink IS (one of) my favorite color(s)  but I ONLY wear orange because of Owen (and G-Mcbabe has his opinion of me wearing Orange too).  I do LOVE to jump on the trampoline (although I can't do it right now with the blasted SI joint injury), I DO love my novels and  I'm grateful, I only make him do one page of homework at a time (since he seems to love me so much for it).

But this is the part I REALLY want to focus on here.

"She is also in the top mommy blogs.  (she likes blogging.)"

I promise...I did not put him up to this.  In fact, I had no idea he knew about it.   But, I thought I would use it as a plug to get some votes.  :)

So here is my plug.  VOTE FOR ME ON TOP MOMMY BLOGS! I need you, my friends, to vote for me so that I can climb the charts.  :)  (I joined TMB to try and spread the word about depression/anxiety with my other blog MMUW (totally not a popularity thing) but with this blog I joined to just feel "cool".)

So...if you like me, even a little bit, please click on this banner today....and any other day you come here to visit (you can vote 1 time in a 24 hour period).  THANK YOU!

Oh...and here are our "first day of school" pictures.  Yeah...I'm that slow....

Here's G-McBabe's 3rd Grade self.... in all his glory

 This picture is a "hurry-mom-the-whistle-just-blew-the-sun-is-in-my-eyes-my-glasses-are falling-down-do-I-HAVE-to-smile?-look-at-my-snaggle-teeth" kinda pictures.  

That, and he's a goofball...we hardly EVER get a "normal" picture our of him.  Ha ha ha ha.....

and

Little Red aka

Mr. Kindergarten

This photo was shot by our sweet neighbor's sweet mom, who insisted I be in the photos as well.  Fortunately for me I have editing software and although I don't know how to do a lot of things, I DO know how to crop.  Ha ha ha....

Isn't he adorable, though?

So...don't forget to vote....one click per day.....and  also...don't forget to enter into the HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY TESTOSTERONE OVERLOAD GIVEAWAYS!
Just one easy click!

Eclectic fashion in our home of XY's

We used to live in the land of outfits.

Drawers and drawers of matching items.  It was blissful.

Well, as you can imagine with four boys...those kind of luxuries were short lived.

Shirts are stained, ripped, distroyed...eventually earning them a home in the nearest landfill, leaving their matching counterpart sad and alone...but still very functional. 

Pants generally sprout holes rather quickly, within a matter of DAYS sometimes, and are repaired accordingly until there comes a time when they can no longer be recognized as pants.  Hello shorts.  But after time, even the shorts start to sprout holes in the most unusual of places, looking a bit like Swiss cheese (does this happen to you?), and they end up joining their long lost friends in the landfill.

Add to the eclecticism, the boxes and boxes of clothes people give to us (and believe me...we get A LOT!)  You know...The survivors from THEIR children's wardrobes...some most of which have already parted with THEIR matching counterparts as well.

The pile of eclectic fashion grows.

My point...

We have the makings of some VERY exciting outfits under our roof.  VERY exciting!

Here are some of my favorites!

 Our 4 year old

 (he's going to be SO excited when winter finally comes and we actually get snow...if we get snow)

 and

Our 5 year old

 (Sarcasm emphasized in italics)

Between the thumping of the moon boots and the clicking of the cowboy boots, these two turn a lot of heads.  Once the heads are turned the comments fly.  It's AMAZING!

My reply, "Well...at least they get themselves dressed in the morning."

I mean, really....that's what matters to me.

I wonder if I would feel differently if they were girls.  I'd like to think I would....you know, that I would want my girls to be cutesy and pretty and put together all of the time....but in reality, I'm not so sure. 

I guess it really doesn't matter...since I they aren't and I don't.

By the way, a sweet sweet friend of mine recently dropped off another box of clothes.  I'm currently somewhere in the process of sorting and washing.

Just think....A whole new world of interesting. 

Can't wait to see what they will come up with next!


P.S.  I just wanted to emphasize that we are always VERY grateful for the offerings we receive.  We have a hard enough time feeding a house of boys, let alone clothing them. :)  We have truly been blessed by others generosity.

Click here if you love Testosterone Overload...

Hiya...take that Sir Laughs A Lot....who's laughing now?

So I have a certain 5 year old (Little Red) that gets himself into a lot of trouble...A LOT OF TROUBLE...because he is so set on making other people laugh.

His excuse for everything..."well, but ________ was laughing."  As if that should excuse his behavior.

I have tried many approaches to cure this kind of thinking (you know, that it's okay to do anything as long as someone finds it funny)  I've tried:
The "just because it's funny doesn't mean it's right." approach.
The "I don't give a crap if he was laughing" approach.
The "you think that's funny...give me 50 burpies" approach.
The "oh, you still think it's funny?  give me 50 MORE burpies" approach.
and sometimes The "go to your room until your dad get's home...I don't want to see your face for a very long time" approach (which I used the other day when he scissored off some of Golden Locks's (16 month old) beautiful curls).

But...this one takes the cake.  Not only was it really effective..but it made ME laugh.  In fact, I'm still laughing.

Pure mommy genius.

A few weeks back we were having a particularly heinous day....the kids were giggley and obnoxious and I was a bit sleep deprived and not finding much humor in their antics.

Little Red was in the bathroom and needed me to come wipe him.  I walk into the bathroom not only to find G-McBabe (our eldest) in the bathroom with Little Red (a big no no in our house), but the ENTIRE new roll of toilet paper unrolled and in a heap on the floor.

I glared at Little Red with a blazing flame of fury in my eye...

"What?...What?....he says...and then "Well [G-McBabe] was laughing."

He and G-McBabe exchange their little smart "A" glances...you know, the ones kids use when they are being completely disrespectful and are really trying to tick you off?, and began to giggle.

Cleansing breath...cleansing breath...I told myself (I just saw the Hulk this week for the first time and feel like I may have found my kindred spirit... he he he)...and at long last I calmed.

The two boys were still giggling...which annoyed me to all get out...but I calmly replied.  "So...it's okay to do anything just because you think it's funny, huh?"

Giggle, giggle..."Yeah," they replied...giggle, giggle....along with more shifty glances and a bit of hand over mouth "I promise I'm trying to keep myself from laughing but cant quite control myself" gestures.

"Oh, okay," I said.

"So....G-McBabe...do you think it would be funny if I were to take Little Red's head and dip it into this toilet of poopy water (and believe you-me, Little Red had the runs and it was pretty poopy)?"

Again, more giggles and even a few loud bursts of uncontrolled laughter from both of them (probably because of the mention of "poop" and "toilet"...boys, seriously?), and finally G-McBabe answers, "Um....Yeah..." with a huge grin.

"Oh, Okay, .......well then," I say.

I think Little Red could sense something in mommy's mood had changed...he stopped laughing.

I quietly rolled back up the toilet paper and calmly wiped his bottom.  I, ever so gently, helped him off the toilet and waited for him to pull up his pants.  Meanwhile, G-McBabe is still giggling in the back ground (what, did they have too much sugar that day...i mean, REALLY?)

Little Red finishes and, before he could even blink twice, I snatched him around the waist, tipped him upside down and lowered his head within mere inches of the water line...poop and all.


The giggling and laughter turned into pandemonium....

I hear, "MMMMOOOOMMMMM!  MMMMOOOOOMMMM!  AHHH AHHH AHHHH AHHHH!  HELP!  HELP!  HELP!  from Little Red....screaming....crying....the works.......PUT ME DOWN PUT ME DOWN ......PUT ME DOWN!!!!!

and simultaneously from G-McBabe, "MMMMOOOOMMMM!  MMMMOOOOOMMMMMM!  IT'S NOT FUNNY!  IT'S NOT FUNNY!  MMMMOOOOMMMMM!  IT'S NOT FUNNY IT'S NOT FUNNY IT'S NOT FUNNY IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!!!!PUT HIM DOWN...IT'S NOT FUNNY...IT'S NOT FUNNY....ETC."

After a few seconds (but what I'm sure seemed like HOURS to both of them), I calmly put Little Red's feet back on the floor and reply, "Oh...that wasn't funny to you?"

(pant pant pant)  "No," they replied.

"Oh...cuz I thought it was funny,"  I said smiling.

They both stared at me like I was crazy.

I let that thought sink in while I washed my hands.

"So...maybe it's NOT okay to do things just because we think it's funny, right?"

"Yeah"...they mumbled as I walked out the door.

And that was that.

I will say that the lesson learned was quite effective for a few days.  Any time I had problems, I would kindly remind them of the toilet incident and they would shape up rather quickly.

I had forgotten about it for a time....shame on me....it's good ammo.  One that I will be using rather often, I am quite sure.

Hey, a mama's gotta do what she's gotta do to teach her children the lessons of life.

Just one easy click!

Lack of Balance, Salt and Pepper, Atheism, and Exercise

I've been out of sorts all morning.  Not only did I stay up WAY past my bedtime, e-mailing a new atheist and depressed acquaintance (find a post on MMUB about it here and his blog here), but realized this morning I had forgotten to take any of my medications/vitamins yesterday.  Not so good when you are taking an anti-depressant. 

When I finally dragged myself out of bed I was feeling a little groggy, a little nauseous, an a whole lotta unbalanced-ness (as if anything is new, I mean the name of my other blog is Methodical Musings of an Unbalanced Woman ha ha...just kidding), meaning I was dizzy.  Right off the bat I had a bum to wipe, a baby upset about being trapped in his "jail" (aka crib), 4 hungry boys and a really messy house.  Such a wonderful way to start off a Monday.

I scrambled to get ready to head out to our local church, where I freely give of my semi-fine tuned Jillian Micheals-like services twice a week (aka teach aerobics--boot camp, mean lady style).  I love it.  It's a fun outlet.  Unfortunately it's not the same as teaching in a gym...I don't get paid (which I am totally okay with) and my kids have to go with me (which I'm only semi-okay with).

It was while we were there, at our church, that the fiasco of the morning occurred.  It was one of my previously mentioned little bundles of energy (the 3, almost 4 year old) that was in the middle of it.

I'm working up a good sweat, kickin' some lady butt (including my own) when #2 comes to me with yet another complaint/question/thought (he's always interrupting).  I heard something about Mini Rob (3 year old), salt and pepper, and glass.  What did I do...ignored him.  "Please go away until I am done."

We're finally done....cooled down...ready to leave when #2 saunters back and requests my attention.  "Okay, Little Red...what do you need?"


"[Mini Rob] and ***** (neighbor boy whom we love and whom M.R. LOVES to get into mischief with) got into the salt and pepper shakers in the kitchen and dumped them out and broke some glass."


"HE WHAT?"


Yeah...they dumped out somewhere around 20 glass salt and pepper shakers and then decided to throw and shatter them all over the church's kitchen floor.  Lovely...just lovely!  At least Mini Rob was wearing shoes, ***** wasn't.  And he managed to escape with only one cut.  Don't ask me how.  Glass was EVERYWHERE!!!!!

*****'s mom and I (with the help of another lovely friend) finally got it cleaned up, amidst the sneezing, while another mommy held my shoeless, screaming one year old.

What a nightmare!

Now it's nap time.  I'm so happy I could cry....but I think I will just sleep instead.


Tell me..what kind of naughty things have YOUR kids done?

Fancy talking commitment issues

I don't know about all y'all moms but I am a mom that has a very hard time giving a straight answer.

When asked a question I often answer with "maybe" 's, "probably" 's, "I don't know" 's, etc.

It started with "being of testosterone" #1.  He was SO regimented, so routine oriented, so anal about everything (I have NO idea where that comes from...) that I started using these terms to make him "more flexible" in case things didn't work out.

 He handled it pretty well.

Well...it doesn't work for "b.o.t" #2.  He wants things straight, precise, exact.  And he will keep asking the same question over and over until you give him what he wants. 

Now that he is 5 I thought he was finally catching on...the whole "abstract thinking" thing.

This morning he asked me if he could go over to a friends house after "quiet time."

"Probably," I said.

"Mom...is probably your fancy way of saying no?"  he says.

(Giggling in my head)

"No [Little Red]...No.  Probably, usually means 'Yes'."


"So...can I go over to a friends house after quiet time?"

Sigh...maybe he is not catching on as well as I thought.


"YES [Little Red]...YES!"

It's so completely aggravating...

And yet I realize....it's Not him! It's me!

It's my problema!

Apparently I have some SERIOUS verbal commitment issues!

Bummer...I hate it when it's me!
Just one easy click!

"I'm the dad and you're the Father and you're the brother"

 I was just in the hall, changing a rancid poopy diaper when I overheard my 5 year old (little red) playing in his room with two neighbor boys.

"Let's play Mommy and Daddy," a neighbor says.

Okay...this could be interesting.

"No...let's play Daddy and Father," red says, "...oh, and you be the brother," he tells the three year old neighbor.

"Okay," they say.

You see...at our house...there are no females to play the "mommy."

The game continues...."Okay, let's go to sleep."  "Cockadoodledoo...time to get up."

"What does a father do?" one of the neighbor boys asks.

"I don't know," little red says.  "Well,  where is the mommy?" neighbor boy says."  "She's dead," informs my son.  "Oh...."

"Let's go shopping," red says.  "Okay."

then my 4 year old want to join in...."I wanna go shopping to."  "Okay...you can be another brother."

Yep...that's how it is in our house.  Boys, boys, boys....and mom's dead (or at least on the computer writing so much she might as well be so...he he he).

Now they are singing "Happy Birthday" and there is a horse involved somehow.  My how life evolves in just a few seconds.

Just thought it was funny.

Melanie

Just one easy click!

Lifelong dream DO come true!

I have ALWAYS wanted of one of these....

I used to spend all day, every day trampoline hopping around the neighborhood (since we never had one).  I loved to jump.  I still do.

We ordered it online.  It arrived site to store while we were on vacation.

So...instead of unpacking and putting my house (and life) back in order, I spend the day putting up this puppy.


Took me 3 tries and most of the day but I finally got it put together 100% correctly...at about 10:00PM.

IT.  IS. AWESOME!

Kudos to Roberto hubby.  I couldn't have finished (and finished, and finished) without his brute strength.

I know what you are thinking...injuries, injuries, injuries....but it can't be any worse than putting your child in football or gymnastics and both Rob and I survived those without brain damage (at least I did...he he he...Mr. Five Concussions Man).

Little Red and Mini Rob also put good use to the boxes.  They used them as "beds" last night.  We didn't think they would actually fall asleep like this....but the did.  Too funny!

I'm happy to say that I have not been on the trampoline yet this morning.  I have been getting down to business and taking care of my responsibilities.  Already I have...

De-laudryfied the laundry room

Washed the Leaning Tower of Pisa replica-made of dishes

and swept the floor

Now I will feel guilt free as I spend all afternoon throwing tricks and just all-out-enjoying myself on my (I mean, my kids) new toy. 


Questions?
What is YOUR favorite thing to do on the trampoline?  Any favorite games?  Any rules I should consider?  Any warnings?  Tell all...we are newbies at this.



Just one easy click!

I love them...and I'm even liking them a lot right now.

This last week has been a "zero screen time" week at our house (which means, no movies, no tv, no video games, no computer games).  Mini Rob is REALLY feeling the effects.  So...he took matters into his own hands.

Me- "Hey [Mini Rob], what 'cha doin'?"

Mini Rob-"Watchen' a movie....on the puter (computer)."

 

(Hilarious boy.  He even got his animals lined up watching the "movie" with him.)

 after I took these shots I heard...

"Okay mom...now can you take a picture of me?"

 

 (Such a handsome, photogenic boy.  I love him.  

This is one of those pictures that I look at and can picture what he might look like as a teenager or adult.)

Then I take the camera out to take pictures for my couponing blog and Mr. Golden Locks comes toddling over saying "sheeeessss"....."sheeeeesssss" ("Cheese").  

I guess he wanted his picture taken too.  :) 

I just love this little bundle of joy.  Such a spunky little turkey.