"Mooooom, I need some two part poxy!"

My kids ask a lot of questions. Especially Ryder. Personally, I think it's great and even encourage it. It's funny, whatever the question and whatever the answer, it always leads to more questions. I absolutely and thoroughly enjoy defining words they have never heard before or explain why and how something works.

Sometimes the answer lets me "off the hook" from things that would be impossible to take care of. Ryder has several plastic toys and occasionally these toys wind up broken. Now, anyone who knows my kids, knows all their toys are sacred. Meaning they actually play with them and enjoy them. If I try to get rid of some (no one seems to want to go along with my "one toy for every kid" rule?!?), they can name them, explain how they use them daily and hold them as if they were a best friend.

Ryder will come crying to me with a glue stick or tape dispenser holding an arm, a wheel or some random part to his beloved toy and ask me to reattach it. Now, growing up working at Alpine Lumber, I know that plastic cannot merely be glued back together with Elmer's, a glue stick or even super glue.

You must have a two part epoxy if you really want lasting power.

In an effort to deflect the pain of the broken toy and the fact that it will be a part short, I explain this to Ryder. The first few times he accepted this prognosis and went back to playing. Then he began to question.

Where is this two part epoxy?

If you know that is what will fix my toy, why don't we own this stuff?

Come on let's get in the car, go to the store and pick some up.

He hasn't exactly made these statements, but I can see it in his eyes. Just the other day he brought his plastic batman he bought for twenty-five cents at a garage sale this summer, with it's arm dangling and whining: "Moooom, I need some two part poxy!!"

Looks like we'll be heading to the hardware store.

Dump Fest 2008

Most of you know Gage has been quite busy lately. Here is a list, not necessarily exhaustive, of what he has dumped around the house lately:

• Quart size freezer bag of ground flaxseed on the dining room carpet.
• 32 oz. bag of popcorn kernels on the kitchen floor.
• Red, sparkly cookie sprinkles on the dining room carpet.
• Homemade chicken nugget coating, that raw chicken had already been dipped in, pulled from the trash and dumped on my bed and floor.
• Shampoo in not one, but both of Randy's shoes. The little guy even attempted to pour in more the same day.
  

I promise, I am not neglecting the poor boy, he's just the busiest kid in the house. Literally, if I take my eyes off of him for more than thirty seconds, something will be destroyed. I have officially put gates back up in the kitchen to cut down on some of the spillage.

We'll see if it works.

I'm not holding my breathe.

Gotta admire the determination.

The "eeevil" Water Bottle: I miss you.....

With the recent popularity of "going green" and all of the people jumping on the band wagon, I decided to do my part. Well, sorta.

Mainly, I'm just cheap. But, heck if that makes me an environmentalist, I'll take my brownie point thank you.

Usually we always have a case of bottled water in the outside fridge mainly used for road trips, hot summer days when the tap water is just to darn yucky to drink and sitting on the nightstand in our room.

You know, it's the middle of the night, you wake up thirsty as all get out and you reach for that glorious bottle. So refreshing and wonderful to quench that all powerful 2am thirst. Dramatic? Yes. True? Even more.

We've been out of water bottles for about three weeks now. Yes, I am frugal. Yes, I am perfectly willing to drink tap water. Yes, I keep forgetting it at Costco.

The other night as I was climbing in to bed Randy asked if we were still out. "Oh honey, I'll go get you a nice big cup of ice water, much more refreshing than those awful environmental hazards". Maybe if I play the green card he won't question my miserly ways or memory problems.

After taking a few sips out of the cup he tried to decide where to set it down for the 2am swig. Well, first you have to hope no flies land in it, that would be a real bummer. Or spiders. We splat at least two a night running across the ceiling right over our bed. Bet that cup of ice water seems refreshing to them too. Hmmm.

"Babe, when my pager goes off in the morning I'll knock the thing all over". Do I four or five children? "I'll take it and put it on my nighstand, you always say you're like a bull in china shop". We giggle, I put the water on a towel on my side.

I proceed to turn off the light, take the clip out of my hair, set it down on the nightstand and listen to water pouring down the sides and back of the nightstand and all over my books. The sound of the water literally pouring off the dresser was quite noisy in the dark room; I ran to get a towel and mopped up the mess.

I'm still not sure which is worse on the environment. Adding to greenhouse gas effect from cleaning up the mess and washing the towel I used (the dresser was a little dusty, so I couldn't exactly reuse the thing) or the measly plastic bottle I should have had.

Happy Birthday Piper!!!!

*****Disclaimer*****
My head is pounding, my nose is running and my entire body aches.
That being said, my mental capacity for clever, thoughtful, sweet or really anything that would make sense is limited.
*****Disclaimer*****

Happy birthday to my life long BFF, from the first meeting in the drinking fountain line at Alpine Christian to life changing events like kiddos and hubbys, we have managed to stay in contact through it all. So glad you are now my "blogging buddy" too, I look forward to enjoying your work as the amazing author that you are!

The big 3-0, woohoo!!!!!!!!!

Lizzie's Ghetto Daycare: Now Enrolling

Last week we had our house appraised and it became evident the appraiser lacked some much needed social skills. Here, I'll let you decide.

Not only did I clean my house from top to bottom, including every closet and corner, but it smelled good too. There are two kids wearing diapers in a house that could use some new carpet, so the "smell good" factor it is a great accomplishment.

After walking through the house and inspecting the outside, we sat down to go over a few things. Ashlynn and Ryder were watching cartoons in the family room and I was sitting holding Adysen while Gage watched Baby Noah in the living room. Everyone was behaving amazingly well. He looked at the kids and back to me: "You obviously run a daycare I see."

Me: "Nope."
Appraiser: "These are all your kids?!?"
Me: "Yep."
Appraiser: "No really, what are there ages?"
Me: "6,4,2 and four months."

He continued to stare while writing on his paper. Just a guess, but it was probably something like 'homeowner operating illegal daycare saying they are "her kids"'. Seriously, I don't think he believed me, that or he was looking to see if I had any openings for his kid.

He then informed me if we were ever to sell the house we would need to install a railing down to the basement. "I'm not saying they are going to make you do it now, but if you sold it, you would definitely need to install one. Well, I mean if the loan was FHA it would be required. They require that sort of thing."

He then looked around my nicely cleaned house and continued on.

"I mean this house would definitely go FHA, so you would have to take care of that. Yeah, definitely FHA. Now I see you have painted inside, you haven't done anything to the outside I assume?"

"Well, we are aware we need a new roof, and would love the luxury of new siding and windows and as soon as we can pay for these items with cash, we will replace all of it. Did you notice the landscaping? I planted all of that when I was nine months pregnant with my fourth child." So maybe I left off the last part of that comment, but I whispered it to myself.

He finished the rest of his paperwork and I showed him to the door. I immediately went back inside and decided to make a sign for the front lawn:

"Lizzie's Ghetto Daycare: Openings Available Soon"

Happy Birthday Linda!!!!

Happy Birthday to the world's greatest Mother-in-Law!!!

Many people have told horror stories of their "in-laws", but Linda, you are the best! Whenever I am describing you to people I tell them: "She is always well intentioned, thoughtful, and kind. She is always looking out for the best interest of her family and the people she cares for."

It's true! You have done nothing but put others first and be one of the most selfless people I know. You love your family (especially loving me like I was one of your own) and are consistently dependable. I know at the drop of a hat you are there to help and it means THE WORLD to me.

Thanks for being such a great friend, mom and grandma. I am so incredibly blessed to have you in my life and I pray that my kids will be so blessed to one day have a mother-in-law as wonderful, beautiful, happy, kind and fun as you are!!!!!!!!