Friday, February 27, 2009

They really are listening...

Sometimes I wonder if my kids listen to me. But when I hear them talk I know they are.
I have been babysitting for my neighbor. They have a 17 month old little girl. She is just learning to talk and Isaiah thinks that if she can talk like that so can he. The other day, I was taking the kids to school and I had the baby with me and she was just blabbing away. Isaiah looked at her and said "Stop talking like a baby, I don't like it" Hmmm? Where did he hear that?
Then, yesterday on our same drive to school we were going past Tyler's school and Joshua yells "Tyler! You better get your grades up!!!" I have never said that. Okay, maybe a couple times. So, maybe they are listening to me afterall.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

He's eating what???

One day I was recording Isaiah on the Sit and Spin to send to my sister. She was having a hard time dealing with things and I wanted to cheer her up with a video. She bought this loud, annoying toy for Isaiah and all I wanted him to do was day "Hi" to Aunt Mandy and tell her what he was doing and this is what I got...

Another reason why I named my blog what I did!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Bet you have been wondering...

...what kind of job my husband has taken!
How about a little history...
When I first met Bill he was in computer networking. After we got married, he wanted to get a part-time job to earn extra money so I could stay home. He went door to door handing out resumes and found an opportunity for full time employment with a company that sold ignitors for power plants. If you are like me (and him at the time) you have no idea what that means. It's all about electricity, the thing that happens when you flip the switch and we really don't give a second thought to. He took the job because it was a great opportunity for us, Bill likes to sell and he liked the owner. He soon knew all there was to know about boilers, ignitors and how it all makes electricity. He quickly worked his way up and because of his work ethic and intensity, he became National Sales Manager. He was in that position for almost seven years and the company had consistent growth during that time. At the end of last July upon his return to work after my sisters funeral, he was let go. We are still not sure as to why they let him go. He was very committed to the success of the company and his sales people. My mom always says one man's trash is another man's treasure. Bill has had many opportunities to work for "the competitor" but due to relocation or other reasons, he has passed. I think part of the reason is he wanted to move on and not look back. He was bitter for a while but he is over it. He wishes them well. He really cared (and still cares) about those that worked for him and the people he worked for. Anyway...God has blessed him with a great opportunity in the same industry but not in competition with his previous employer (I'm sure that is a relief to them). They use lasers to measure Carbon, Oxygen and temperature in the boiler, so he tells me. He gets to work with a lot of the same people he worked with before and he manages a much larger sales team. He has been challenged by learning things like laser physics and boiler operations but he is doing well. He's smarter than he looks. He works from an office about a mile from home but he will still be traveling quite a bit. So to summarize, he is a sales manager for a company that uses lasers to measure combustion in power plants. That is it as I understand it.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Andy's stay with us

This past weekend Jacob brought home the classroom bear "Andy." The kids take turns caring for the bear. He comes with a backpack full of clothes. We had to write a story about the things he did while staying with us. We also had to take some pictures and I thought I would share them with you...

This is Andy in his bed we made for him out of a cardboard box, Jacob's baby blankets, and even a stuffed dog!

Jacob and Andy

Here they are playing playdough and action figures.

Eating pizza.

And don't forget about homework.




Andy had a very busy weekend here. His clothes got changed a lot (my kids do not have any toys with changeable clothes so this was exciting for them). He went to church, watched a movie or two, and a whole bunch of lovin' from Isaiah. By the end of the weekend I am sure he was ready to go back to school and off to the next house where it probably is a little quieter.


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Can you believe the nerve of some people?

As Bill was out shopping for his office supplies and furniture the other day. He came out to his truck to see this...

That would be his passenger side fender. Someone hit it and ran. No name, no number...how rude! I just can not figure out how some people sleep at night.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Asleep at the wheel...

I can not believe it is Monday and I haven't posted since Wednesday. So much for trying to post more. I have been busy lately, when your husband is out of town for almost two weeks, you don't sit down much. I am not complaining because it means income and right now that is a good thing. I will get into his job at a different time. Bill got home on Friday night, we went out to dinner and picked up a few things at Wal-mart. Saturday was Valentines day, he took the kids to breakfast and I got the house to myself. It was nice but weird. I am so used to the noise in this house when it is quiet it's kind of eerie. We had a lot of running around to do that day. Bill has a new office and we needed to look for furniture. We ended the day ordering pizza then I went to bed early to fight off a cold I felt coming on. Sunday, we went to church, I felt okay. I had a lunch date with a friend I hadn't seen for 12 years. I was worried we wouldn't have much to talk about but I think we picked up where we left off. That was very cool. Afterwards, we shopped for a little bit and decided we will do it again. Sunday night, my cold started to really hit so, off to bed I went, early again. Today, I didn't even get dressed. Bill went off to furnish his office and I stayed home either in bed or on the couch. The kids were okay, they knew something was wrong with mom so they watched a lot of TV. So, there is my weekend in a nutshell. I have a few other details to add but I will use them as later posts. For now, I am going off to rest.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Where does time go?

This is Tyler's basketball picture. He is growing up fast. The other day he was talking about college and what he wants to be when he grows up. In a way, I was happy to hear him talk about it but, in another way, I was sad. I can not believe that in only 4 short years, the little boy I remember bringing home from the hospital will be an adult.

Time goes by so fast, cherish every moment you have.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

This week...

For those of you who didn't know Bill has been out of town since last Sunday. He was going to come home Saturday but plans changed and he is coming home tonight. I have forgotten how much work it is when he is gone.

My kids are really missing their dad, especially Jacob. He started crying the other day. He has always been a "daddy's boy." He has called him every day, probably 5 or 6 times a day. Just a little FYI, do not give him your phone number. He will memorize it and call it over and over.

My poor Isaiah just doesn't understand. He walks around the house saying "Where is my daddy?" The other day he was coloring a picture and as he was scribbling he was saying "I miss my daddy, I miss my daddy" What's a mom to say?

Joshua really hasn't said much. He is kinda in his own world these days. He is too busy being mischevious in school. The other day his teacher told me that during "circle time" he plugged his ears while she was talking (don't laugh, it's not funny). He told me he was going to do it before he did it and I told him he better not (he didn't listen).

And believe it or not, tonight Tyler told me that he was missing his dad and he hardly ever says those things. He is a teenager he can't show emotion.

The week did not go without mishaps, of course. We always have those. I did find out that I can go from "normal to berserk" in 3 seconds.
I am usually pretty patient considering how many kids I have but, there are times when I get tired of repeating myself especially when it is about the things we do every day. Eat your breakfast, get your clothes on, put your shoes on, time for your jacket, get your pajamas on, brush your teeth...You get my point. I ask nice the first time, second time I say it a little louder, third time...berserk.

Well, it is after 8 and I have kids to put to bed and then it is off to the airport. And to my dear friend Delilah, I will try to post more often.

Friday, February 6, 2009

I don't know how you do it?

Sometimes people ask me that.

My answer is simply "I do what I have to." One night we went to see a play in which an old neighbor friend had the lead. He said that when he got the script and felt overwhelmed he thought of the time he asked me how I do it. He then said when he was memorizing his lines he told himself, "I just have to do it."

When it comes to being a mom it was a choice I made. I will not say that I am the best mom or even a great mom. I loose my patience, I yell, and do a lot of things I probably shouldn't. This week my husband has been out of town and I, once again, find myself doing what I have to. I am okay with him not being here because I know it is something he has to do to take care of our family. Even though I was not too happy when he called and told me he was staying longer, I was ready for it. It hasn't been so bad, my youngest brother has stayed here with me all week and has helped out with taking kids to school. Jay is really my cousin but my mom got custody of him as a baby shortly after my youngest brother passed away of leukemia. Anyway, the truth behind it is I like to think that I can do it all by myself and I probably would have. But I have also come to realize that it is okay to ask for help. There are people in my life that are willing to help and I need to except it. Somebody told me just a few weeks ago if people are willing to give then I shouldn't refuse to accept it. The lesson behind it may be for them and not me. They may be learning to give and if it goes unnoticed or unappreciated, they may not want to give anymore. I think it is the same when friends offer to help, if I keep turning them down they will eventually stop asking.

So there, I said it, I am not superwoman. I am just an ordinary person who has the privilege of being a wife and mom but I also have the added bonus of extraordinary friends.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Just a few mishaps...

Super Bowl Sunday we had a few friends over. Six adults and eleven kids ranging from one week to 14 (9 of them under 7). All went well with the kids, they all got along very good. The mishap? I dropped my cell phone into a cup of coffee. It stopped working and, boy, was I mad. The only phone that isn't insured. I remembered listening to the radio a few days before and they said if you drop your cell phone in water, take out the battery and SIM card and put it in dry rice to draw out the water. What could it hurt, it was worth a try. Well, I think it worked. The next night, my phone was working.

Last night, the kids were playing on my laptop at the dining room table. I told them it was time to eat and made their plates. Jacob, for whatever reason (with him there usually isn't a reason except he is Jacob), dumped his plate of pasta and sauce on my keyboard. I am not quite sure I know what he was trying to do. The computer wasn't even on the table. Tyler moved it. Anyway, what a mess! Obviously, it is still working. I am just hoping I got all the sauce out (I didn't think the rice trick would work it this situation). But what I really don't understand is how my kids can pop the keys off the keyboard without any problems. I had the hardest time popping the few off I had to get clean under.

Monday, February 2, 2009

It's official...

(...we hope.)

Bill has taken a job and has started training this week. We are very excited but scared. He has accepted two jobs in the past 6 months and both have fell through for different reasons. The first one wanted him to move to Texas. At this point in our lives, neither one of us felt that was the right move. The other told him he was going to start on a certain date, they paid for his drug test. We thought it was a sure thing until about 5 days before his start date, he got a postcard in the mail saying "Thank you for your application but, at this time, we have no current openings." But don't worry they are keeping his resume on file.

Through all of this his biggest fear was letting our family down. He has always taken care of us and was starting to feel like a failure. In no way did he let us down. With all that we have been through, I realize that so many things in life come and go. We choose how we are going to respond to the trials of this life. We could have let this destroy our marriage but we chose to hold on to what is important. I can't say it has been easy but I know God won't give us more than we can handle. We are definitely not the same people we were 6 months ago. Even though I would like to believe the storms are over, I know this storm has prepared us for the next one. I believe we will weather that one, too.