Junie B. Jones, Party Animal

Today Greg and I had the opportunity to go to Colby's classroom to read with her. She met her reading goal for the month so she was able to invite someone to the classroom to read and for lunch. Greg and I truly enjoyed hearing Colby read Junie B. Jones, Party Animal to us. We read with her every day at home, but today was special. We were on her territory and she was trying extra hard to be such a little scholar. It was just precious time. More than I had expected and I was thankful for that hour with her. I can hardly believe that a year ago we were reading to her and she is now reading fluently to us. It is so good to find her at home relaxing with her nose in a book. I have always been a reader and that is one trait of mine that I am glad she inherited!

I thank God for the special teacher that she has and for her devoted desire to help these little ones succeed. Colby's confidence has soared this year, and I can't take the credit for that. 

When No One's Looking...

Every once in awhile, when I have run out of things to read at home, I will search through some old books and pick one up that I have already read. In doing that, I usually find that I have forgotten what I had read or can pick up on new things that maybe I had skimmed over the first time I read it. Anyway, this week I started reading a book that we read in a bible study about 7 years ago called, "Who You Are When No One's Looking", by Bill Hybels.

It has caused me to do a little self introspection and frankly I don't like what I see. So, who am I when no one is looking? That question has been valuable in that it has encouraged me to want to be a better mom, a better wife, a better daughter, a better sister and better in all of the various roles that I play. I have so many deficiencies and during my present reading, they have all surfaced in my mind whether I wanted them to or not.

Forgiveness seems to be the prevailing theme in all that I do lately. Forgiveness was the subject at church and a couple of dear friends wrote about their own dealings with forgiveness. Now tonight I am remembering that not only do I need to forgive and love my enemies, but I need to forgive myself for all my shortcomings. And that is hard to do.

Praying for a changed heart and may I continually strive to be more like Jesus in all that I do. Even when "no one's looking"......

My Little Man

Nothing, to say. I just liked this picture. And I love my little guy. That's all..... 

Get Us DOWN!

The kids lovingly dragged both puppies up to the top of their playhouse today. As you can see, they were searching fervently for a way to get down without going down the ominous slide! Creighton was squealing with joy watching them as they contemplated whether to attempt the steps or tough it out and zip down the slide. I actually felt sorry for them and came to their rescue! Poor pups!

Speaking of feeling sorry for pups - we went to the movie "8 Below" this weekend. It was a tearjerker if you have any sort of softspot for dogs and the relationship they have with their owners. It made my heart hurt. Colby loved it and asked if I would buy her the DVD when it comes out. That's one that I don't know if I'll be able to watch again.

Not much happened on the homefront this weekend. It was pretty run of the mill. We did spend lots of time outside, and both kids are so ready for spring and summer. I must admit this winter went by pretty quickly for me, but I am ready to be done bundling up kids, warming up cars and all of the other fun that comes with cold weather. Only a short time till we hit the beach and I can't wait. 

WEEEEE!!!!

I think Colby was a lot more excited about Lucy going down the slide than Lucy was. I don't think any of our dogs have ever grown up without going down the slide, riding the four wheeler, riding in the wagon, etc. They don't really seem to enjoy these thrill rides, but they all have survived. Oh well, soon they will be too big for the kids to lug around under their arms and the fun will be over. 

Tea For Two

Poor Creighton. He gets talked into playing babies, barbies, house and tea party (or should I say forced into). I'm not sure what his dad would have done had he been the one to find Creighton having a tea party today, but I thought it was cute. If he is still having tea parties when he's twelve, I might be a little concerned. Although, I think he was just there for the snack.

A Horse is a Horse, Of Course, Of Course...

The kids have been begging Greg for horses. We have talked a lot about it for the last couple of years. I thought it was a good idea until we suddenly have three dogs and three cats (which will soon be multiplying). With that comes huge vet bills and they seem to be eating more than I had ever anticipated and there is the care factor - it all takes time. Horses would amplify that 100 times - they are costly to care for, time consuming and eat, well... like a horse. I am not sure how, with the crazy schedules we keep, that I will be able to keep up with it all. Horses are wonderful, therapuetic and amazing animals. I have had images of the four of us tromping around in the country on our horses. What great family time they could provide. But, for now, I hope that dad's back continues to hold out for just awhile longer.....

Same ol', same ol'

Just more of the same stuff...Kids and puppies, puppies and kids. Tried to play outside tonight, not quite warm enough to last more than about 15 minutes. The kids and puppies found the last bit of ice left in the yard and "skated" around. Creighton did inform me tonight that the puppies are not "Lizzie and Lucy", but they are "Lucy and Lizzie". Not sure what brought that on.

Colby lost another tooth today. She has now lost a total of 8 and 6 of those are currently missing. I told her she would have to live on milkshakes if she lost any more. She thought that sounded pretty good. Colby said it was a good thing she has lost so many teeth so that she has enough money to buy a new dress on vacation. Funny that she doesn't even like dresses and refuses to wear them unless forced to (even then it is quite a battle).

Just kind of a boring night around here, and to me boring is not bad.....

After a gentle reminder today I am thanking God tonight for the simple things in life that are too often taken for granted - putting healthy kids to bed and being able to sleep with peace of mind. 

A Nice Suprise....

Yesterday, when returning to work from lunch, I found a beautiful vase of flowers on my desk that had been delivered from a local florist. Not sure who they were from, since my husband is not the "flower sending type of guy", I opened the card. They were sent with love from Greg, Colby and Creighton. What a nice suprise. I called to thank him and asked what the occassion was. Well, apparently he had been reading the blog and saw my post about being the only woman without a bouqet of flowers on Valentine's day. I am assuming he felt bad although that was not my intention. However, "just because" flowers are truly the best. Enjoying them again today....

Double Trouble!

It seems that while I was at work today, the number of puppies that we own has doubled. We have yet another new addition to our family. Lizzie's sister, Lucy, has joined us. At first I was overwhelmed. Oh no, how are we going to do it? We are now a 3 dog family, ugh... But, after the initial shock wore off, I instantly fell in love with Lucy. And, they really do seem to entertain eachother quite well. However, there is another mouth to feed and double the poop to scoop, and twice as many shoes will get chewed up and on and on. But, apparently in the dog breeding world she is not desirable as she has a white spot on her chest and chin. But, we love her just the same. Always looking out for the underdog.....

Just One Question...

Tonight after tucking Colby into bed I was headed downstairs and she yelled, "Mom, I have just one question. Do the people in Heaven see us down here, and if they do, does that mean they see us when we're naked too?" I guess she was just wondering if she was exposed to all of Heaven as she got her pajamas on and ready for bed tonight. Oh, the worries of a child.

But, it made me think. We ARE totally exposed to Him, inside and out. He knows it all - our every move, our every thought, our heart's desire, everything. That again reminds me of how deep God's grace reaches. It reaches deeper than our worst thoughts, our worst days, our worst actions, our worst mistakes. We are so undeserving, yet we are loved with a love that surpasses all understanding. And I am forever grateful...

Looking good this morning...

Today is pajama day at their daycare and they were excited. However, throw in a pair of bright blue and bright orange crocs, some missing teeth, milk mustaches and drippy noses and they very well could be mistaken for circus runaways. The scary thing is that when their dad picks them up this afternoon, he will probably take them out in public! 

All Grown Up....

My last baby....I thought possibly there might be one more, but after trying to convince Greg of that for the last two years, I haven't made any headway. So in the deep recesses of my mind I have always known that Creighton is my last baby. Never again will I have the awesome feeling of that baby kicking for the first time, delivering and caring for a newborn, and the many other feelings that having a new baby evokes. So, I have let Creighton take his time in growing up although it still happened faster than I would have liked. Up until this week he still liked to rock on my lap for a few minutes at bedtime. Not rocked to sleep, but just a few minutes to unwind, and then he would ask to be put in bed. I hung on to this and cherished every night that I got to spend holding and rocking my baby boy in this peacefulness. My family often teased us about this, wondering if I was still going to rock him when he went to kindergarten. But, I knew that this too would at some point come to an end, just as did all of his other "baby" needs. And, I wasn't going to deny him of a little rocking and snuggling if that is what he wanted. I knew it wasn't going to last forever. That time has come. The last three nights he has asked to be put in bed right after story time. No more rocking. After three years and three months, he has decided it isn't necessary anymore. I guess he is all grown up now, and I am sad......

Out of Commission

I think many a mother will be able to relate to what I am about to say. When "the mom" is out of commission and dad and the kids are on their own, things tend to get a little disorganized. Having been sick since Wednesday, (by the way MOMS are not supposed to get sick) and dad at the reigns, things have gotten a little out of my reach this week. For some reason, Greg just doesn't have the same eye for things that I must have. He doesn't notice that there is sticky grime all over the counter where the kids ate their breakfast. And, it is OK to have the dishes piled in the sink and footprints across the floor where someone wore wet shoes in the house. The toys do not ever need picked up because "they will just get them out again". It is OK to wear dirty clothes and not take a bath before bed. And I know, it's true, they will all live through it, but it really stresses me out to have this stuff happening before my eyes and not have the energy to get up and fix it!

Finally, today I dragged myself out of bed and got everyone fed and ready for church and even made it there just 10 minutes late. The incentive to do this was the fact that the wonderful person that cleans my house was going to clean while we were at church today. Great reason to get up and out the door. I was looking forward to coming home to a spotless house and having the day to relax, stress free. However, she called on my way to church and she too is sick and couldn't make it out, ugh...(Feel better soon, Kelsey!!)

Gramma and Grampa so graciously offered to take the kids home after church so I could come home to rest and maybe catch-up a little. Just the thought of everything that needs done was enough to exhaust me and I am headed back to the couch for now. Besides, Creighton will be home soon and he might get upset to find me on HIS computer!


(Being Daytona weekend, I have to add this, GO #48!!!!!) 

A Fight For Computer Time

Never would I have dreamed that Creighton (at age 3) and I would be fighting over computer time. However, he is a computer hog! He won't share with me and if I do sneak in while he is busy with something else, he immediately comes over and barges in. I have found him perusing my emails, looking through my digital photo albums, playing video clips and even typing in one of my documents from work! UGH! Yesterday, when I peeked over his shoulder, he had a picture of himself on the screen and had done some "editing" to it and the computer was asking "do you want to save these changes?" He knows how to get on the internet and pull up his favorite websites (Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder and Build A Bear) . I often wonder how he does it when the kid can't even READ?! Once he is on those sites he can get to the games and activities and when he gets on a site that asks "what country are you from?" he always knows to click on the American flag. He has mastered every level of every game that he plays on his favorite sites and is always excited to see when they add new things.

So today I am wondering at what point we will need to become a "two computer family". I certainly didn't think this soon....

Sick Day - Snow Day

I couldn't even tell you the last time that I missed work because I was sick, but today proved to be one of those days. After not feeling well for a couple of days it hit me hard late last night and this morning. Of course Greg was working a 16 hour day and the kids had to stay home with me. I wasn't about to venture out to take them to town to their daycare. It is a little difficult to get any rest with them home. All day I heard, "mom, come here - mom, I need a drink, mom - can we have a snack, mom this and mom that". So I attempted to find entertaining things for them to do and rest when I could. Thankfully, Creighton took a 2 hour nap and Colby watched a movie. Finally, tonight I am feeling just a bit better and should be able to work tomorrow.

I know, the picture has nothing to do with our day today. I just liked it. Creighton has more fun getting in his toybox than playing with the toys in it. (And, no it is not airtight, and no the lid is not attached - I don't need any of the grandmas telling me he might suffocate in there! He will be just fine.) 

One HAPPY little girl!

Colby had quite a suprise in her Valentine card yesterday. She opened it to find several pieces of paper to which she said, "what is all this paper?" I began to explain that it was an airline ticket and that she was going to Key Largo for a week in March with mom and dad. I further explained the brochure that told about the interactive dolphin encounter (swim with the dolphin and dolphin trainer for a day program) that her and I are going to do. Also, I had pictures of another adventure that she'll be doing - parasailing. She was a little leary of the parasailing, not fully understanding what it is, but she was one EXCITED little girl. And I believe she is most excited that she is going and Creighton is staying home. Mom and Dad all to herself for a whole week! Boy, does she feel special! She wanted to call everyone she knew to tell them that she was going to ride on an airplane and see the ocean. She even wanted to call her teacher to which I said she could wait until tomorrow to tell her. I also explained to Colby that she was going to have to be a VERY good girl at home and at school for the next 4 weeks. She has been good as gold since that moment. Tonight at tuck-in time she hit me with this: "I love you mom, you are the best mom ever, I love you all the way up to God, you are doing a great job raising me and Creighton, keep up the good work". Wow, that was a mouthful. I am loving every minute of this!

Creighton didn't quite understand that Colby got this fantastic vacation deal in her Valentine card and he kind of got the short end of the stick with just a new Thomas the Train video. But, nonetheless, he was ecstatic. The kids got Greg a new #48 Jimmie Johnson hat just in time for the big Daytona race this weekend. And as for me, I am once again the only woman at my workplace that doesn't have a big bouqet of flowers on her desk from that special someone. Oh well, my heart just swells with love for my babies and that is all that really matters to me. 

Love is in the air!

It is a rare occassion to find my two children on the couch snuggling. Usually it is a battle of who gets which spot on the couch and who gets to pick the TV show to watch. That usually leads into some sort of physical struggle when one invades the other ones couch space. But, today they are displaying all sorts of affection for one another and for their parents. Colby was so excited for Valentine's Day. She has been looking forward to it for a long time. I'm n0t sure why, but it seems to have won her over more so than Christmas. Little does she know that in her Valentine card is something very special that I hope will prove to be a GREAT suprise. (I'll post the outcome on that one later!) As for Greg and I on this Valentine's Day, we just assume that our love for one another is known without all the fluff of gifts, cards, etc. (After many years of dissappointing Valentine's Days and hours of therapy I have learned to say that -just kidding on the therapy part :-) But, this morning Colby presented me with a wonderful Valentine gift. It was a little bear figurine that she had come across at her Grandma's house. She brought it home all wrapped up and in a nice little pink bag and put it in the closet about a month ago. (She thought I was oblivious to all of this, but I knew what her little plan was.) The bag sat there in the closet all this time untouched and I assumed she had forgotten it. But, this morning as I was getting out of the shower she brought the little pink bag upstairs, and with a grin a mile wide she said, "this is for you mommy!". It was so sweet. Then she proceeded to find the perfect place for the little bear to sit - next to mommy and daddy's wedding picture. What a perfect start to a hectic day. Never in a million years would I have thought that a second hand teddy bear figurine out of Grandma's basement would mean more to me than a pair of diamond earrings.....Oh, how I love my kids so.......

Spring Fever

Both kids suffered from a serious case of Spring Fever this weekend. They wanted to do all of the activities that we normally reserve for "fair weather fun". I don't know how they do it. It took all I had just to be out long enough to get a few pictures. They rode scooters, bikes, four-wheelers, played on the swingset and took the puppy out for a quick game of "chase". If you throw in a dip in the pool it sounds like a perfect summer weekend to me. (I could almost smell the steaks grilling:-) As for me, I'll continue to watch from the window for now and hope that spring is on it's way.... 

Slacker!

I am a slacker. Words just didn't come to me yesterday! Gotta run for now, but I will post tonight after all is quiet in the Carlson house and I have a little time to think!!! (Yes, that means after everyone else goes to bed, and I have a little peace and quiet for a couple of hours.) It's like waiting for the calm after the storm - sometimes it just can't get here quick enough!

Daddy's Home!

As most of you know, we don't get to see Greg much. With him working swing shift and me working full-time and Colby in school, Creighton at daycare, it is a rare occassion that we get to spend time together as a complete family.

At night when the kids and I are coming home and we turn the corner to our house - if they see the garage lights on they immediately start singing out, "Daddy's Home, Daddy's Home!" It just makes their day. Unfortunately, that just doesn't happen often enough. We also have a lot of disappointing nights when we come around the corner and the place is dark. The first question is usually, "when will Daddy be home?" And, the answer is always, "long after you two have gone to bed". Sometimes it just breaks my heart to see the disappointed faces.

However, this weekend happens to be the ONE weekend a month that Greg is actually home! The kids are looking forward to it. No major plans. We'll just see what each day brings. Ahhh, waiting patiently for 5 o'clock tonight.....

Nuts vs. Flakes

I made a discovery this morning at 6am. Grape Nut Flakes are not near as good as Grape Nuts. So, if you like Grape Nuts, don't get Grape Nut Flakes. Thats all I have to say about that!....(I think my latest diet could be affecting my brain!)

When I am 100 years old....

Sorting through Colby's bag this evening I found a story she had written at school. It went like this (exact spellings included!) -

"When I an one hundred years old I will rast on a chare or a caich. I will have gray heare. I wote have many friends. I will be all rackalee. I will have big kids."


The thoughts that go through a child's mind never cease to amaze me.

She just warms and softens my heart......And that's why I am thanking God tonight for giving me the greatest honor of all.....letting me be her mother.

Too Busy!

I am feeling a little guilty for not updating yesterday. I was busy organizing pictures and then didn't get that finished before I had to start dealing with another issue with our airline. It ended up that our flight got cancelled and there was not an acceptable flight to replace it so I was scrambling on all of the travel websites trying to get something scheduled. I ended up staying up until almost midnight and still didn't have a flight booked! Got that done early this morning though, whew! That was stressful. As spring break nears the flights are getting REALLY expensive and limited, but I ended up finding something comperable to what we paid originally. It worked out ok, but was just a real pain. Sounds a lot like other things in my life.

Therefore, I didn't get my pictures done and I am really tired today. Woke up with the same headache I went to bed with. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day and I will have something with a little more substance to post.

Sorry for the bummer post today!

First things first...Never Forget The Snack!!!!

Tonight on the way home from daycare we were headed down the bypass and Creighton squealed out, "there's my church, mommy!" So I was just making small talk and said, "do you like to go there Creighton?" He answered, "yes". I asked, "Do you learn about Jesus there?" He replied, "No, we just have a snack there."

I can only hope that by some form of osmosis that it really is sinking in and that he comes away with more than just fond memories of the snack...... 

Super Sunday!

Well, it was Superbowl Sunday and we had a GREAT one! However, our day had absolutely nothing to do with football. After hearing a great message on a tough subject (marriage/divorce) at church this morning and getting my baby fix in the nursery it was off to CoralRidge for a fun day with the kids. It was kids day today so no shopping for me, but we all had the urge to just get out this afternoon. So after lunch at the Panda Express (the kids' favorite) and a ride on the carosel, it was to Build A Bear we went. We have gotten beyond the actual making of the bears (we have several of them) so now we just ACCESSORIZE!!! After today's shopping trip for the bears they now have new outfits, hats, a purse, belts, some hair pieces and a new bed to sleep in. (Please let this phase end SOON!!!) The next stop was for Crocs. The kids seemed to think they both needed another pair so Creighton picked out orange and Colby got another pair of blue (a slightly different shade then she already has, UGH!!) I have yet to see what Creighton looks like in his bright orange rubber shoes. Adorable, I'm sure! About this time it was about Creighton's nap time and it was starting to show so out the door we headed. At one point I asked Colby where her Build A Bear bag was and by the look on her face, I knew it wasn't good. So back in we went and backtracked through the mall trying to figure out where she left the bag and lo and behold it was at the croc store. Lucky her. As a matter of fact, last time we were at the mall she left her purse in the restroom. Her heart sank when we went back and it wasn't there. So I gave it a long shot and checked at lost and found and there was her little pink purse with all money still in it's place. So she has gotten lucky twice now. Hope she doesn't expect these perfect endings all of the time! By this time, Creighton was too tired to trek back through the mall so I perched him on my hip with all the bags, etc. and we again attempted to get out the door. However, the carosel was calling their names so I gave in to one last ride. And then, at last, we were in the car headed to home sweet home...... 

 

 

Oops...

I had this picture attached the the Super Sunday post, but just as I was getting ready to publish I deleted it. 

Bad Hair Days....

Colby was perusing the blog the other day and in a rather short tone I heard, "mom, look at my hair in that picture." So in an effort to appease her, I searched the pictures for one where she apparantly was having a good hair day. Isn't 7 years old a little young to know the difference in a bad hair day and a good hair day?! 

Countdown to the Weekend

Today I am overwhelmed with missing my kids. It's days like these that I wonder if it is really worth it. The other night I was telling Colby as I tucked her in that I really missed her that day while I was at work and she was at school. She looked at me with a very confused, disturbed look and said, "You did? You miss me when you are at work?" Of course, I miss her. But we have become such robots in our daily routine and being away from each other is so "normal" that Colby didn't even consider the fact that I miss her during the day.

So in my mind I am formulating all of these fun, exciting things to do this weekend. Whether or not they happen remains to be seen, but we'll try to make the most of it. The kids get a kick out of just being able to stay in their "jammies" on Saturday mornings. So I guess I don't have to come up with too grand of a plan to make them happy. Counting down - 2 hours to freedom.....

Underwear

OK - Creighton has an underwear fettish. He is choosy about which pair he is going to wear each day, and he is very specific about which character he NEEDS. I even broke down and bought multiple pairs of each kind he has in order to avoid having to say, "sorry, those are in the laundry". I am not sure what the determining factor is when he is making this life changing decision each day. But, how many times in one day can a child change his underwear? This morning he insisted on changing his underwear twice (in one hour!) before he went to daycare. For some reason Thomas the Train wasn't good for today, but instead he would rather wear Spiderman. Oh well, this too shall pass (I hope), but in the meantime, I'll just keep making sure that the underwear drawer is fully stocked!

Hurry, before the little one gets away!

I just had to put this picture up. It is one of a kind - the only one with all five of the Viner grandkids together. (The date says 1-1-04, but it was really 1-1-06. I changed my camera batteries and it messed up the date.)

I had exactly two seconds to get it taken before Miss Maddison escaped!

No story tonight, just this......5 cousins, 5 blondies and 5 AWESOME kids. Love you all!!!!

(Damon - I had a hard time getting you to get in this picture too. Little did you know it would end up on the web!!!) 

Sweet Innocence.....

Doesn't she look sweet? innocent? angelic? I think so too. However, I am reminded daily that she is not always so sweet, innocent or angelic, but rather somewhat of a pistol. I struggle with the fact that she is not a "model" student. Oh, she is smart as can be. Maybe TOO smart for her own good. Some may find this hard to believe, but as a student my biggest fault was the fact that I was too shy and too quiet, unable to express myself. Therefore, I absolutely have no concept of how to deal with a child that cannot sit still in the classroom and talks all of the time. Last week her desk was up front against the blackboard in an effort to seclude her from the other students to keep her from talking so much. I asked her if it made her sad that she had to sit up there alone and she said, "no, because now the other students can't bother me so much". She also has a tendancy to get up out of her seat and wander about the classroom visiting classmates at her own free will. So, one day after school I asked the usual, "Colby, how was your day today?" Her usual response, "good". I asked, "did you get up out of your seat today?" She replied, "No, I just scooted around the room in my chair". I could not help it - I busted out laughing. I immediately envisioned her scooting her chair around the classroom visiting her friends. I had threatened her that morning with some serious consequences if she didn't stay in her seat. She'll make a good attorney some day - she can find a loophole in anything!

I am remembering tonight that God sees all of his children as sweet, innocent and angelic, but He too is reminded daily of how sinful we are. He still loves us with an undying love beyond all understanding. Just like I love my children, but more..... 

A Woman's Nightmare....

OK - it is February and I have been a BAD girl this winter. The winter weight gain has hit me fairly hard this year! Now, in preparation for a vacation in sunny Key Largo, I have been browsing some websites looking at swimsuits. It was all fine and dandy UNTIL I actually went to the store to try some on!!! OH MY!!! It was absolutely disgusting. Standing in front of the mirror looking like a great white whale in a very unflattering swim suit I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. So I took it off, hung it back on the rack and vowed that I will stay on my diet from now until eternity! I thought the answer might be one of the highly publicized Miracle Suits (you know, they make you look 10lbs. lighter instantly - Ha!). Well, guess what...They do make your torso area look great. However, that fat has to go somewhere so it just squishes out the sides and bottom of the suit. So, in reality, my torso was 10 lbs. lighter and my thighs were 10 lbs. heavier. It wasn't the answer. I decided it was time to take on this fat head-on! I bought two exercise videos. Now the question is - Do I actually have to do this stuff they are doing on the video or can I just sit on the couch eating bon-bons and hope that it works?........