Our first night of camping (in the backyard)

I decided that last night was a good time to go “camping” with the boys since Memorial Day was a day off for everyone. Daddy got out our camping gear from the garage (for the first time since 2004 (before kids!)) I had heard we were supposed to get some rain so thought we’d just put the tent UNDER the pop-up gazebo. The gazebo has one removable wall that we’ve kept up and positioned it to deflect the morning sun. I laid out the tent but we were missing the poles! Finally after some digging daddy found them up in the garage so we were OK to do this.

We really started out late, our day was kinda crazy. Jim was trying to finish up the shelves in Joey’s room and only got one support arm for the “desk” so he’ll have to fix that today. Joey wanted, all day, to go play with the neighbor kids. At one point I was going to maybe let him after I talked to/met their parents. I’ve had major reservations about letting him play with these kids because they always seem to be totally unsupervised. So about 11am I walked him over to ask the kids if he could play with them. Keep in mind he’s not 5yrs old yet. The little girl two houses down is 6, just finishing Kindergarten. She has a younger brother but he wasn’t out today??? Two houses down from there is a girl and her older brother, they are 8 and 9 consecutively. We were in front of their house so I asked them if their mom was home and the girl said yes but she’s sleeping! WTF? Are you kidding me? Now my reservations are that much worse. Now try keeping Joey happy when all he wants is to play with these older kids  Poor Joey and poor mommy!

I got the kids down for naps and we all slept late, ruined the whole afternoon. After getting the tent up I could make dinner and by that time it was after 6pm. We didn’t eat until after 7pm and all we had were burgers, hot dogs, grilled asparagus, corn on the cob and chips. Then we had to find the boys air beds and the pump, an extension cord to turn the pump on. Pump up the beds and find and put up the pack n play. Pull out Jackson’s bouncy seat that lies relatively flat and find room for all that. Make the beds, bring out linens and snacks. Daddy took out the computer so the boys could watch a movie but the computer was not working for him. He took over making (burning) the popcorn and I fixed the computer. We got everyone in and it’s hotter than Hades in here. The mosquitoes are horrible OMG!

Joshy’s air mattress isn’t holding air, Jon wants nothing to do with the pack n play and Jackson is ticked off that I woke him to bring him out here.

Finally, Joshy passed out and I turned the movie off. Jon had a fit and wouldn’t stop so he got put in the house into his crib. Jackson was quiet for a little bit then started fussing so he got taken in and put in his crib. So I sent daddy to sleep in the nice cool house and I’m out with two sleeping angels. Luckily for me the temperature went down, a cool breeze would still be really nice.

A day in our life

Jonny ready for bed. He's been quiet today so no "cool" pictures of him. He's such a good boy when he's not copying Joshy's bad behavior!

Faker Joey wanted his picture taken while sleeping! LOL

Jim just threw all the stuff back up there I'll have to rearrange it MY way. You see how the shelves butt up against each other? The shelf that is the desk is the one that will go on the yellow wall.

 Looking at it from Joey and Jonny's bed.

The view of his room now from the door way. The table had to go as it didn't allow for a full sheet of a 8x11" paper to lay flat. I originally thought to buy a Toy Story table and chairs but instead we did this shelf/desk.

Joey's temporary desk. We've been putting these shelves up with a thought and as we go I get more and more ideas. Jim wanted to butt the adjacent shelves together for more surface area. I thought of in the future having a larger shelf lower to act like a desk. Jim liked the idea so much he got this temporary one up today. We need two more shelves, I want the "desk" to be 16" deep and then another shelf, probably 10" deep a bit higher for Joey's desk use. When it's all done it's going to be so cute. I'm still working on where exactly to put the magnetic strips so I can get his stuff hung up.

On Joey's bed, trying his hardest to get those books out to read!

Jackson reading "Five Wishing Stars"

Joey's actually got a small wrench there and is attempting to tighten the hex screws!

While I was shopping this was Joey helping daddy put up the track for more shelves on the

adjacent wall.

Joshy's nap. We were waiting for daddy and Joey to get home so Josh and I could go to the grocery store. Two minutes of Toy Story 2 and this is what happened.

This would be Joshy's sandal up on top of my curtains! How the heck??

Daddy and Joey got home, daddy made some nuggets and this is what you find in the middle of eating...

Am I over doing it?

I’m trying to keep Joey really busy this summer. He is a bad instigator with the other boys. He’s a GREAT kid, he’s just a bad trigger for Joshy and I don’t know why! Hopefully we’ll get some answers about that in July but that’s a whole other post.

So, Joey was invited to do swim lessons with Kasia. Auntie Ti-Ti offered to get him there and home on days that Jim’s not around to care for the other boys. So Joey will be swimming on the Kenosha Barracuda Feeder Team. Their summer session is just 6x either 2x weekly or once a week for 6 weeks. 45 mins each time.

I signed him up for T-ball with the CYC. That starts the day before his birthday and is 2x weekly for 5 weeks then I’m sure I’ll be finding something else to do either from July-Aug or Aug-whenever. I think we need to do soccer again this year, get use out of the soccer equipment I bought him last fall.

Also starting in June is summer school, the getting ready for Kindergarten program and that goes for 5 or 6 weeks as well.

Then there is the summer safety class 2hrs a day for 1 week.

Play dates as I can schedule them, 5yr check up and dentist in June.

All during this time I’m going to be working with him on his Kindergarten stuff too. We’re reading at least 3 books a day plus part of a chapter book if we’re not too late at night.

The 3 older boys really love for me to read the books to them. I set up their 3 chairs in front of me and I sit on the corner of Joey’s bed and hold the book so they can see it. They just LOVE it and so do I.

I’m hoping that August is pretty clear for us. I do want to take them down to the Day out with Thomas event. I was hoping to do it last year but we didn’t make it.

Then, September 1, 2010 Joey starts Kindergarten. He’ll be gone from 8am-3pm M,T,Th,F and 8am-2pm on Wednesdays.

September 7th Joshy starts preschool…

This summer is just going to fly right by. Guess I better get used to it. Though I know it means we’re all going to age that much faster :(

Another pretty good one from Anita :)

Matthew West - Save A Place For Me

My cousin Melissa picked out this song for her grandma, my auntie's funeral. I dedicate this to my beloved auntie whom I miss more than I ever thought possible. I think about her every single day. Seriously every day there is something that triggers me. Usually it's in my kitchen and related to food! She LOVED to cook and was so very good at it. I think it was her pure heart and soul that she put into her cooking that made it taste so good. You could just see and taste the time, effort and love she put into that dish or meal. Being the end of Spring planting/plants/new growth triggers me too, she had one outrageously GREEN THUMB! I bought my boys a strawberry and black berry plant tonight (the blackberry is for pollination). I haven't ever planted a berry plant before. I know some need to be staked and some need to be contained (I think strawberries will take over if you're not careful) and it would be so much easier to just call my auntie and ask her what and how and where and when and why. I think about how she's gone just too soon. Too young. Her mother, my grandmother, was even younger. Grandma Betty was only 33 due to a car accident and poor medical knowledge back in the 50's. Does this mean that genetically I'm going to die too young too? Grandma was young when she had Patty, Patty was young when she had her sons. I am older and I can't imagine leaving my boys anytime in the distant future. Leaving them before I see them settled into their lives with careers and spouses and maybe even some kids would be totally unacceptable. Grandma missed all that with her 3 kids, Patty was around long enough to see her 3 grandchildren into their adulthood (Thank you God for at least that much, her life was full in her 69yrs). Where will that leave me? What I wouldn't give to kiss her one more time. To hug her tightly and tell her I love her. To hear her tell me she loves me. Still brings me to tears...

In loving memory of Patricia Mae Smith

July 1, 1940-March 15, 2010

Can you name that baby?

AB

C

D

I'll give you the answers later :)

Yesterday sucked, Today was awesome!

Yesterday, Joshy started out the day a PITA and ended it that way too. I was supposed to have a colonoscopy today but the prep for last night was horrible DISGUSTING and I just could not get it down and quit. I was nauseous all night long. That is why my day sucked. It may sound mild but I'm down playing because I'd much rather dwell on today! :)

Due to my being so nauseous last night I managed to fall asleep early thus got up early this morning. Strangly I had a craving for McDonald's breakfast so I got the kids dressed and out the door about 9am (usually unheard of unless absolutely necessary). We went to breakfast and I actually took them inside! We usually eat in the car where they're stuck in one spot! LOL

After breakfast we went to the dollar store. I wanted a few more things for Joey's room for both Joey and Joshy. I found a bunch of things from flash cards to word strips, alphabet and number posters, manuscript pads and much more. As I was leaving I was thinking about the flash cards. I had some here at home too and they're already a problem where the kids, read: JON, get into them, mix them up and tear and bend them. Last night I'd thought about a plastic holder like the box they come in but I don't quite know if they make those or not... I still need the magnetic strips for hanging his stuff so lets go to The Container Store! There isn't one anywhere near me so I had to travel about 40-45mins South of me. While there I found the most perfect holder for the numerous flashcards I have. It works great! I might need another one in the near future. Here are the magnetic strips, the smaller ones were actually cheaper than the ones 2x that size so I was able to get more so I can put them in more places! I have to get some magnetic clips now as the little magnets that come with the strips are not to be used with little kids. Major major hazzard.

I wanted a big plastic box for the art projects and papers that Joey brings home from Kindergarten and settled on this box.

We have a real problem with the boys getting into their DVD's. We've put them on the shelves in the living room but they have so many it's just not working out. While they're out of reach, they still try to climb up there and get them and when they can't reach them, they instead get into other things that are up on the shelves. So I saw this and fell in love with it! And I ended up getting this small multipurpose holder for the softcover workbooks and teaching books that I have.

I have to say too, for anyone who's never gone to The Container Store, they are just awesomely helpful. A nice man helped me find the plastic box for Joey's stuff and then the lady, whom checked us out, helped me with the kids, she was concerned that the people drive too fast in front of the store and with 4 little boys I had my hands full! So she walked me out with the boys then told me to drive up and she'd bring out my stuff curb side. Well before I could get the boys all buckled in she was coming out with my things and delivered them to me at my car! What awesome customer service! They've always been wonderful but today was the best service yet!

We got home and Jim got home soon after. I'd tried in vain to get the boys down for naps so when Jim wanted to take the grass clipings to the compost dump I decided we'd go with him. After the dump we went to Walmart to find me some new sandles. We didn't find any there but got two curtain rods (in solid white) for Joey's room. I didn't like their selection of drapes so I said I'd check at Shopko. The boys were acting up, they'd had enough of shopping I think, so I was just going to go home but Jim wanted to go now! We did and they had a great sale going on. They didn't have 6 of the blue so we got 4 blue and 2 sage green so the room is just full of color now!

I also cleaned out the closet and got it looking much better. It doesn't have any doors on it, never did, Jim bought the house without any closet doors in this room! I was able to put the easel in the closet along with that folding chair. I set up the white board where it's going to be hung but we still are going to get a 3rd shelf up there. Jon got a Toy Story saucer chair for his birthday so I put that in there also. See the nice mural on the door there? That's why EVERYTHING in that room is washable!

While we were putting up the curtains and cleaning Joey was putting up his own posters with his glue stick! One piece of paper he put up was blank and I told him he needs to draw a picture first then put it up. He got down, got a marker and climbed back up onto of the chest of drawers. He said, "I'm going to write yours and my name." He continues with, "M-O-M."  I was just floored! He did it all on his own! He didn't ask me or anything, this is HUGE for him. Some people might be able to say their 4yr olds spell a whole bunch of words but Joey is so behind in this stuff because of his speech issue that aside from being able to spell JOEY, this is his first word! I know how he learned it too. One day he says to me, "hi, my name is J-O-E-Y." I responded with, "well hello J-O-E-Y my name is M-O-M, nice to meet you." We kept that up for a bit and then he stopped like just all of a sudden he forgot. I reminded him  how to spell mom and he didn't get it anymore so we gave up. Apparently he did "lock in it his brain" as he likes to put it!

Then, the best of the day. OMG I was so excited you wouldn't believe it. I have wanted square dishes for like, EVER!! However, they've been too expensive for me to splurge on when I don't need them. Well Jim always looks for then when we pass by while shopping. He saw some open stock ones at Walmart but they were too expensive once you put it all together. So he's looking at Shopko and found these!! In the store the place setting for 4 was only $29.99 on clearance so while I could at best hope for a 8 place setting in the future I was able to get a 12 place setting for LESS than what one 4 place setting would have cost at full price, today! When we got home, my arm was killing me, I must have pulled a muscle or something yet don't know how or when I did it so Jim cleaned up the kitchen for me, unpacked the dishes and have it all ready for me to clear out the cabinet and put them away! I think he's maybe more excited about these than I am!  LOL