Pink Sheets

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Lucky Girl

I am a total dork. Yes, me. There's this line on my facebook page that says to write something about yourself and I've always left it blank because I had no idea what to write about myself in that small space. The other day it totally hit me. I'm a lucky girl.

I thought about it because years and years ago that's how Riley described me. He's 13 now, but when he was 8 or 9 he told me I was a lucky girl because I was the only adult he knew that received so many gifts on their birthday. I thought that was funny. And one day I was just thinking about that little interaction and how I really am a lucky girl.

And not because I get a lot of gifts for my birthday, but because life, in general, treats me pretty well. Sure bad things happen. Or things that really irritate me, happen. And sometimes I think "why me". But generally speaking I have a very nice life.

I have Brian. He's sweet and doesn't like to see me upset and takes care of things I don't like to take care of and all of that nice boy stuff that boys are suppose to do. I have four great, smart, mostly healthy (except for those ones with the weak stomachs) kids. I have the cutest little bunny that ever was and a dog so obedient and well behaved that she would do anything not to upset you.

I have awesome help with the kids because all of the grandparents live so close. So when Brian is at school I always have an extra someone to drive a couple around to games or practice or school or to some other activity that's going on.

My family situation can be drama sometimes, but mostly it's fun to get together with everyone. And in fact, we probably do so more than most families.

I have really great friends who put up with me even when I'm acting a little spoiled and I start to freak out about wedding stuff. And they tell me it's okay and I can do whatever I want and they will do whatever I want. And then I calm down.

And my work is not unbearable. The job is pretty good, the pay is pretty okay (for girl pay), the hours are nice and flexible so I can fit in all of that kid stuff I need to fit in.

So when I complain, I promise I do know, way in the back of my head that I'm lucky. And I try not to take it for granted. I try really hard.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Jillian is at a funny age right now. She just says every thing. Whatever comes to her mind. There's no sugar coating with that one.

One morning Brian was telling her she needed to eat her breakfast because he needed to leave. She looked up from her cereal and said, "so, leave." It was funny. She only rides with him a couple of days a week and I don't think she has those days down.

Yesterday I told Jillian that she had to do something because Riley was going to his dad's soon. She asked very excited "but not Darby?!". I said told her Darby would be leaving too. "Ahhhh!!" She was sad Darby was leaving but not a word about Riley.

Riley really gets picked on by Jillian. One day all the kids were playing Would you Rather... at dinner. They started with Riley and he asked would rather eat this or this and then on to Darby and Jordan. There was a question about would you rather lose your arm or your leg. And then it was Jillian's turn and she's sitting there thinking and says "I would rather punch Riley in the face!". I don't think she fully understood the rules of the game.

I guess since she's 4 Riley forgives her. They are several years apart. He gets his fair share of teasing her and picking on her. It all evens out in the end I suppose.

On a completely happy note, Jillian made her first goal this Saturday at her soccer game. It was pretty awesome.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

My Super Busy Week

This is an all kid week. I've been dreading this week because there is a ton of things going on. Riley's game was canceled yesterday. That was sort of a bonus. I didn't have to rush to get him to his game, come home, throw some spaghetti on the table for the other kids, and rush to get Jordan to practice so that I could go back to Riley's game and watch.

I guess the cosmos know that moms need a break every once in a while, just to get a head start on the week.

Tonight is Awanas, a game and a practice.

Tomorrow soccer pictures and cheer leading and I won't be surprised if there's a baseball practice or two thrown in.

Thursday is the big one. I will actually need help on Thursday. Not just Brian's help. I need a third person because there is a 5:30 game, a 6:00 game, and a 5:30 practice. You see how I can not be three places at the same time? Even with Brian there's that two places at the same time dilemma we're still facing. That means asking for help. Ugh!!!!

Friday, I'm not sure what's going on Friday but I'm pretty certain it will involve kids wanting to do something or stay the night somewhere or more practice. Luckily, Jilly is the only one who has games on Saturday's so that's a nice break too. And her games are short. I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

And to top it off, the grandma who can really help out decided to go to Portland for the week!!! So, I also have to take Riley to school because his bus gets to our stop too early. It's seriously early. It gets there at 6:30, which means I have to have him awake by 6 and out the door by 6:20. I've barely showered. I just can't do it. So I take him and I have to wait until 7 before dropping him off and that's leaving 15 minutes later than usual. So not only am I already late, but I have to be home early! It just doesn't make sense. It's crazy!

Okay, enough complaining. I love watching the games and hearing about Awanas and what they learned and running kids from practice to practice. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming. That's all I'm saying.

Friday, April 09, 2010

Good Kids

I took the day off yesterday. It was so nice. Darby was having a bad week and I decided to go have lunch with her. We had turkey gravy with mashed potatoes. Not too bad. I try and have lunch with her as often as I can because once she goes to middle school it's over. No more lunches at school for us. It's still cool for her mom to show up at school unexpected. Her friends all hover around me and want to sit with us. According to Riley that's not the way it works in middle school.

Brian also had a kid day yesterday. A long kid day. He went with Jordan on his field trip to Baker City, OR. I forgot to ask how long the bus ride was, but I think it was suppose to be 4 hours or something. But they seemed to have a good time. Right after they returned from the field trip he had a baseball game. I didn't see them until 7:30 that night. It was weird.

My friend at work always tells me that you have to do those things with them, because that's what they remember. I tell her my kids always remember the time I missed their game or was late picking them up...things like that. She agreed that they remember that stuff too.

However, I think Brian and I are doing a pretty good job. Darby has a friend that goes to Awanas with her and they were talking one night. She told Darby that she was going to move out when she was sixteen and move in with her boyfriend (she does not currently have a boyfriend, she must think she will have one when she's 16). Darby was surprised. Her first question was "what about college?" Whew! I did mention to her later that evening that there was no way that she was going to move out when she was 16 and especially not with a boy. She said that wouldn't be a problem.

Now she talks about how when she graduates she wants to move to France and she's going to take French in high school. I think that would be awesome if she wants to do that.

I always tell the kids not to get bogged down by boyfriends and girlfriends in high school. I know that there are probably plenty of relationships that have lasted from high school to adulthood, but I personally don't know many. And I want them to be able to do whatever they want. I might be a little harsh about it, I think my exact words were "anyone you meet in high school is replaceable", but I just want them to know that their lives and future are most important. Every thing else can wait. You only have once in a lifetime to pick your college and go away and be free to do whatever you want. After that there's responsibility. And I want them to be good citizens and take the responsibility of marriage and children and pets seriously. So that's what I tell them.

PS Her friend is now talking about how her and Darby are going to go to the same college, so Darby ended up being a good influence. She's such a good girl.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Spring Cleaning

I can't tell you if this week was better than last. I think it's a wash. It wasn't bad it, it wasn't necessarily good.

The kids have Spring Break this week. I feel bad that they haven't been able to do much. I was going to take some time off but I'm running out of days. And it's only March. I actually have a lot of days but the days I'm taking off for the wedding are pretty much set in stone. They can't be rearranged, so Spring Break had to be sacrificed. They have had some sleep overs so I don't feel too horribly bad.

Last Sunday Brian and I (and Jillian helped) completely gutted the kids' rooms and the play room. They look so much better. We just got rid of so many things. It was so nice. The play room is pretty much going to be for Jillian now since she has the most "toys". She still plays with My Little Pony and Littlest Pet Shop and her kitchen. The other kids are more into electronic "toys" right now so they don't take up as much room.

Baseball season has begun. Lots of practices. And they're long. It's exhausting. I spend my evenings dropping off and picking up kids. But that's just how it works I suppose. Jillian is playing soccer again and her practice is only 1/2 hour a week so that's a nice break. And since Darby decided to do cheerleading that's only one day a week. I love it. Now if I could just get the boys to do something that was one day a week...Maybe in the fall.

Anyway, it's a little amusing having the kids home all day. For instance Darby calls me at least once a day, but that's only if she's at friends' house. When she's home, she calls oh I don't three or four times a day. And she instant messages me on Facebook. She just sent me a message asking if I love the bunny more than her. I do love the bunny...

I'm horrible at instant messages though because I don't have all the lingo down. I know what the important stuff is, like OMG and WTF. But I asked Darby the other day where she was going to dinner and she wrote back IDK. And I had no idea what that was. I'm just old. Oh well, that happens.

I think my mood has improved since last week, which is good, but my situation is still pretty much the same. I should try and fix that. Out with the old and in with the new. Spring clean my life a little. Maybe?