Things to learn from a kindergarten teacher

Today was Jacob's Halloween party at school. I was put in charge of coordinating it and for those of you who know me...that is stepping outside of my box. When I walked into this classroom I was amazed with how well behaved these kids were. The teacher had twenty 5 and 6 year olds sitting down and doing something constructive. How does that happen? I have four kids and that never happens at my house. I remember one time Delilah and I helped with Sunday school (she might have already shared this) but we had kids on the tables, under the tables, talking out of turn and very loud, it was crazy! But not in this classroom, there was order. The teacher talked so calm but was firm at the same time. She didn't yell or lose her cool even when she had to repeat herself. She kept order somehow and I want to know how she did it so I can try it at my house. I was really worried when it came time to send Jacob to school. He has always been my ''busy" child even though his brother, Isaiah, is giving him a run for his money. We thought we would have been called by the school at least every other day. So far he has only had one note sent home and has had to sit on the bench at recess once. Not too bad considering what he has been known to do. After being in that class today and watching how the teacher responded to those kids I realized just how hard it must be to be a teacher. They don't do it for the money. They definitely don't get the credit they deserve. It takes a special person to be a teacher and I need to make sure I do my part to let her know I appreciate her for all her hard work in the beginning stages of my sons education. I am glad my son has a good teacher because he will remember her for the rest of his life, I still remember mine.

Friends...

Lately I have been thinking about all the people that have come into my life. Some are still involved and some have disappeared. I have never been the type of person to have alot of friends. One or two good friends was what I have always seem to have at one time. When I look back I think, where are they now? Did I do something to end the friendship? Were they only there through a certain time in my life for a reason? Was I only needed for a certain part of their life? I realize we all change. We get married, have kids, or maybe we move far away. But is that really a reason to end a friendship? As a kid we moved around alot and it was hard to make friendships last. It is hard to stay in touch when once you move out of that school district. When I was a teen and started a job (or two) and there are the people you work with and hang out with but are they only there because you work together? Then as an adult you meet other people maybe it is still at work, in a some sort of "group" you are involved in, or maybe at church. Alot of great things have come out of going to church. I grew closer to God, met my husband, and quite a few people. I have been through alot of things in the past couple of months and I think that is the reason I have been feeling like I do. I have lost my sister, who was the best friend anyone could ask for, and my husband lost his job two days after her funeral. We have been tested spiritually, emotionally and financially. I thank God for the people I have in my life right now, through this time, the hardest time I have ever had. I have been thinking about all the people who have been in my life because when you lose somebody it makes you realize that life is short and there is not time to hold grudges, be upset about the little things or even worse, not even really knowing why you ended that friendship. Maybe it's time to reach out to the people we have lost touch with, maybe they need you but are afraid to call. Life is way too short to put it off until tomorrow. You might not have tomorrow, that has become very clear to me. To all of you who are still here for me I just want to say THANK YOU for being a friend who stayed with me and to those I have lost touch with THANK YOU for being a friend through the season in my life you were a part of and I hope that we can set aside differences and call ourselves friends again.

Humor comes in different forms

When you think of the things we laugh at so much can be said. There are the things that cause us to laugh right away, things that are funny to only you, the things that bring a smile to your face when you think of them, and the things you (and everyone else) can laugh at later but not when it is happening.

For example, the other day Jacob and I were looking at his NickJr magazine and came across a page on idioms. I asked him if he knew what it meant when you "spilled the beans" he said "you better pick them up" or "I'm walking on eggshells" he said "make sure you don't crack them" and finally "I put my foot in my mouth" he simply said "you're eating yourself?" Okay...it was time to tell him what they really meant. Something to laugh at right away.

Isaiah is quite to little trouble maker always getting into things that he shouldn't. His big thing is pulling a chair over to the counter and getting into things that are out of his reach for a reason. One morning he dumped salt into my coffee cup I didn't know, of course, until I took a big sip. When I think about it now I smile about it.

Saturday night, after trick or treating and eating their fair share of candy, Bill was wrestling around with Isaiah. The other three were watching a movie with my brother when we hear Bill yell out in pain. NOTE: Isaiah tends to bite when he wrestles around. Bill knows that, not to long ago he had a bite mark on his leg left by the same child he decided to wrestle with that night. We all turned to look at what could have caused him so much pain to make him yell like that. Isaiah had bit him, through his jeans right on the tip of his...manhood. None of us laughed when it happened (okay maybe I snickered but it was more at his reaction). Although Bill claims it is not funny, when I hear him tell the story to a friend I know this is something we will laugh about for the rest of our lives. By the way, I have my husbands permission to share this story...teeth marks and all.

Always the last place you look

After our big church adventure yesterday we came home to make lunch and straighten up alittle. Since we left in such a hurry we had pajamas, milky clothes, and wet shoes thrown where we left them. As Bill made lunch Tyler and I cleaned up.

My youngest two kids carry blankets around the house and they are a bedtime must. I remember before I had kids I thought it was the cutest thing when you saw a child with their blanket while you were out and about. I wanted to have a "blankie baby" too. Tyler came along...no blanket. How about Jacob? No, that would mean he would have to take care of something. Joshua was the first but he didn't just carry a blanket, he carried two and a stuffed dog and a stuffed bear...everywhere! He would not even let me wash them without a fight. I had to do that while he was very distracted or asleep. He no longer feels the need to carry the animals around but has replaced them with a full size fleece blanket. Isaiah was alittle harder to read. It didn't start out like he was going to follow his older brother but now he is the the blanket carrier of the house. He has two small blankets that were made for him. One by my sister, last Christmas and one by a crossing guard Tyler had in first grade. Both blankets have seen better days, the corners are chewed up, the seams are ripping and they need to get washed at least every other day.

So, back to the point of this post, when blankets go missing around here it is a BIG deal. While straightening up the house I picked up Isaiah's blankets and set them on the couch until naptime, well, at naptime they were gone. Not a problem, they probably got tangled in Joshua's three blankets and were in his bed...no. Okay, behind the couch...no. Under the bed...no. Maybe in our room...no. I looked in cupboards, in closets, under all the beds, in the washer and dryer, searched through the dirty clothes, checked in the truck, the back porch, the front porch, the bathtub, the trashcan, even the oven and dishwasher. I tore my house apart and still no blankets where in the world could they have gone? They were just on the couch before lunch. Well, luckily Isaiah fell asleep without them (he had his stuffed Mickey Mouse to distract him) but for me the mission was still on...where did those blankets go? I looked in all of the same places again, Yes, even the oven, and this time I think I even checked the refrigerator. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Time passed, the kids woke up and my baby wanted his blankets...think mom think. Dresser drawers, why didn't I check the dresser drawers? I did...the bottom two. I opened the top drawer and in there, with Joshua's underwear and socks, were Isaiah's blankets. Always the last place you look and with that being said...HAS ANYONE SEEN MY MIND?

Just a preview...

I really am not sure why I decided to start a blog but once I thought about it, I said to myself...why not? So many people I know would get a kick out of hearing what really goes on at my house and besides I can't make this stuff up.

Let me just start by saying I am a stay at home mom with four boys. Anyone who has one boy let alone four will completely understand. I love my kids and everything they bring to my life but they sure make for some good stories.

My oldest son Tyler is 13 soon to be 14. He is a teenager...need I say more? Jacob is 6 and has started kindergarten this year...he will give you alot of entertainment. Joshua is next he is 4 and in preschool, he is the tenderhearted one of the group. Finally, there is Isaiah, he will be 3 very soon and he is quite the little character.

My husband is a great guy and I am sure I will have a story or two about him at some point.

I think a good way to give you a hint of some of the stories you will read I will tell you about my morning. Sunday morning is always busy. We have one bathroom and alot of people to get ready. It always seems like when you are getting ready to walk out the door that is when you are missing a shoe, a coat, or some other item you need. So this morning when we were getting shoes on at 10:10 I knew something was going to go wrong, we couldn't really make it to church early (church starts at 10:30 and is 5 minutes away if you hit a redlight). Isaiah wanted a cup of milk, no problem, we got time. For some reason I didn't tighten the lid and he dumps it all down the front of himself...had to change his clothes, shoes and all. At the same time Joshua walks in, he tripped and landed in dog do...okay we have to get that cleaned up we still have time! I changed Isaiah, Bill cleaned the spilled milk and took care of Joshua. Then I heard the water faucet outside turn on...more dog stuff? Of course, Jacob stepped in the same pile and Tyler was hosing off his shoe. Could that be all? Were we going to be on time after all? Not quite, before Tyler noticed the dog stuff, Jacob had climbed from the back seat of the car to the front seat to help himself to a piece of gum. You guessed it dog yuck on my seat! Bill runs back into into the house to grab the wet rag (used earlier for the big milk spill). At 10:25 we pulled out of the driveway, got to church about 2 minutes late. Not to bad when you find out what took place in 15 minutes at my house.

For the record, we have one dog (I'll get into that story sometime) and she had just happened to go to the bathroom in the wrong spot this morning! She had the whole yard at her disposal who would have thought she would have picked the exact spot my kids would land.