The Royal Wedding

Charlotte and I had been talking about the upcoming nuptials for a few days. We decided that we would wake up in time to see the actual ceremony live. When we were discussing this and what time the coverage started, Rehm thought it was ridiculous that coverage was starting two hours prior to the event. Then I pointed out that he was at that very moment watching the NFL draft and that it was several months before the season even started. He didn't get my point but his father told him he needed to give up his argument at that time.

I am not a morning person. That is actually a drastic understatement. I despise getting up before 7:00am. But I wanted to create a special memory for my Charlotte. I remember watching Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding, well the replay. No one watched it with me nor got me up early to watch it. Honestly, I don't even think I knew it was happening until I turned on the TV and wedding coverage was my only choice on all three channels we could pick up. I was at my grandparents that day and I'm sure I watched the CBS coverage as that is the station my grandfather always watched in the mornings.

So, in the spirit of making special memories, I set my clock for 5:00am. Ugh! When the alarm went off I thought seriously about going back to sleep until 6:00. Charlotte would still have time to see all the good parts. But I had told her we would watch it live so I forced myself to get up.

We brought a quilt downstairs and curled up together on the couch. When we turned on the TV Kate was walking down the aisle! Perfect timing.

We ended up rewinding a bit so we could start with Kate leaving the hotel. We had so much fun watching, talking about the dress, all the amazing hats, and the ceremony. This time with Charlotte was sweet, simple and perfect.

Around 6:00am Rehm joined us. I swear that child asked a thousand questions in the hour he watched with us. Everything from why Prince Phillip wasn't a king and what rank in the military Price Charles had to why there were lamps in the choir loft. The child did not have a single thought that was not verbalized.


When we arrived at school I was glad to see the boy head to his class and know I wouldn't be answering incessant questions for the next seven hours. I apologized to Charlotte's teacher for waking her up early. Then I decided I should stop by Rehm's classroom and apologize to his teacher as well for all the questions I knew she would be getting. Not surprisingly, when I got to his class he was standing in the doorway talking his teacher's ear off.

It was a perfect morning with my two older children. I hope 30 years from now when Kate and Williams child is getting married they will remember and tell their children all about this day.

It was totally worth getting up at 5:00am. I'm just glad I don't have to do it regularly.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

No one is lacking in imagination at our house

Monday morning Ruby and Eliza Claire were playing a pretend game. They asked me if I would be the grandmother in their game.

They were sisters whose parents had died so they lived with their grandmother. Ruby was named Sara and was 16 and had a boyfriend. Eliza Claire was named Clarabell and was one. Their roles in the game came as no surprise to me as it perfectly personifies their personalities and ambitions.

I asked Ruby, I mean Sara, what happened to their patents. She started with, "well, there was a burn ban..." After suppressing my laughter, I learned the the family had gone camping. Their parents had built a fire despite the burn ban and it got out of hand and they died. She and Clarabell were in the "camping car" so they were safe. Her boyfriend was with them. Since he knew how to drive he brought them home.

Please tell me my kids are not the only ones who repeatedly play pretend games where their parents are dead because this is a very common occurrence at out house.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

One of the many reasons going to church is beneficial

Sibling bonding time.



And, just so you know, this was actually taken at a meeting following church, not during services. I do have a few picture taking boundaries.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Getting ready for Houston

Charlotte is going to Houston with Grandma for the weekend. They leave tomorrow after school. We have picked out her outfit for Cats



And her outfit for church



She has all her other stuff in her bag and ready to go.



I hope she has a great trip.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

What happens when Mom takes a nap

I fell asleep sitting on the couch after the bigs got home from school. I heard someone put something in the microwave and assumed they had decided to have popcorn for snack. A few minutes later I smelled burning popcorn. I rushed to the microwave to get it out and found this.





This used to be two turkey hotdogs. Someone decided to cook them for snack. Said child set the microwave for TEN minutes. I'm not sure how long they actually cooked. Needless to say we have several windows open and our house stinks. The child in question has been reminded that they are only allowed to cook with adult supervision. I'm just glad nothing worse happened.

Sad thing is I'm still sleepy and now a nap is out of the question.


Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Story of Her Life

Charlotte did this life cycle for a class at school.


















Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Play Imitating Life

The three girls are playing with Playmobil. So far I've heard:


These were just so funny I cracked up:
Ruby (playing the part of the mom): Do you like my new outfit? It came free with the frying pan I bought yesterday.

Ruby: I'll feed the baby milk from my breast. I can't get to my breast so I'll need milk out of the fridge.

These just show how much the kids pick up about the adults in their lives:
Charlotte (playing the part of the dad): I'll make pancakes for breakfast and load the dishwasher. Oh, and I'll have coffee for breakfast instead of milk. (Yes, their dad almost always makes their breakfast and empties the dishwasher and usually drinks coffee in the morning).

Charlotte: Today is my birthday - I'm turning 40.

Ruby(still as the mom): I'll walk or maybe run to the show. I went to the Y and practiced this morning.

I promise you Ruby has never, ever heard me say anything about drinking milk.  I don't drink any kind of milk, ever. Well, unless you count half and half in my coffee.
Jenn

Crazy or Sick

Sunday morning Phineas and Isabella had a spat. This was a more dramatic spat than the normal play fighting they do. It left Phineas growling and with the hair raised on his back for a good 30 minutes. It was unusual but not so dramatic I was concerned. We left for church.

We returned home several hours later to find Phineas on the counter in the kitchen growling. When I touched him, his underside was covered in urine. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. I suspected a UTI or a blockage of some sort.

Luckily, our vet has Sunday hours. I called and they said we could bring him in. Then the fun really started. After spending an hour with the cat screaming, and I do mean screaming, growling, hissing and lashing out with claws bared we finally cornered him under a bed and coaxed him out. I promise you, we were much more psychologically scarred by this event than the cat was. In fact, I might have nightmares for years to come. Who knew a ten pound cat could be so terrifying.






When we got to the vet Phineas was acting fine. He would let me pet him, pick him up, etc. The vet kept him overnight and said she found nothing wrong. Our instructions have been to watch him and see what happens. Her three likely diagnoses: urinary blockage that he passed on his own, constipation, or Isabella traumatized him.

When we brought him home he took one look at Isabella, growled, hissed and hid under our bed. He has stayed in our room for the last 48 hours. Anytime Isabella comes in he hisses and growls. I've bought a second litter box and feeding dish so she can stay out of our room. When Isabella isn't around he purrs and is very affectionate and lovable.

Isabella just came in our bedroom. They had a ten minute standoff the ended with much drama from Phineas. Lots of growling and hissing and he is back under the bed hiding and she is once again banished from the bedroom. Who knows how long it will be before he'll decide to emerge.

I have no clue what to do at this point. They've always been inseparable. Guess I'll have to call the vet and find out how to get them to work out their problems.



This was taken Saturday, a mere 24 hours before all the drama. This used to be the norm. I wonder if we will ever get back to this.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Ruby's World

I gave Ruby a compliment while tucking her into bed tonight. Her response, "thank you, thank you very much! But I'm not going to bow because I'm laying in bed."

She is such a character and you just never know what she'll say next.

At the ball field Ruby attempted a handstand. It consisted of her launching herself face first into the dirt without any effort to catch herself. It was horrifying and hilarious all at the same time.

There's never a dull moment with Ruby around.


Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Please tell me I'm not alone

Please tell me that your kids' rooms look like this at least some of the time. Two of my kids' rooms look like this more than the other two but they all look bad. It doesn't seem to matter what I do or what I take away, this seems to continue. I'm not willing to do all the cleaning and bed making myself. I'm open to suggestions. What do you do to combat kid messiness?









Just keeping it real...
Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

New Neighbors?

Something has moved into the compost bin. I cleaned out the the flower beds this weekend and trimmed the bushes. We added all of that to the compost and now someone has taken up residence.



I wonder who our new neighbors are. I sure hope they aren't trouble makers. Maybe they'll keep the snake that I spotted there a few months ago out of the compost so I wont scream like a girl again. But who knows, the new neighbors may be even more scary than the snake.

Hole Number One - both holes are four inches or so in diameter.

Hole Number Two

Re-working the compost bin is on the Michael and Rehm's to-do list. This one was built ten years ago - on the weekend prior to Rehm's birth. we used all leftover supplies to build it. The builder was nice enough to leave a few fence posts when the house was built and the siding was leftover from building the dog house.

I won't be helping with the new compost bin as long as there are neighbors in residence.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Custom T-shirt Recommendations Needed

We are going to Disney World later in the year.  When we go somewhere crowded I like my kids to wear matching shirts so that they are easier to spot in crowds.  We will use shirts we already have for most of the days (Aggie, Tarheel, VBS, Rangers), but I would like to get a fun custom shirt for each child as well. 

I have used the iron-on computer printer paper to make a few shirts in the past.  They are great as long as I'm putting it on a white shirt but not so great for colors. And great as long as I can design in Publisher - mostly color, words and simple graphics.  I know Vista Print will print shirts if you upload your design but I'm Photoshop illiterate (note to self:  Learn Photoshop next year when all the kids are finally in school) and not sure how to do something that would end up looking good. 

Rehm's Shirt is one I made when the twins were born.  

Charlotte's Shirt I made when the Twins were born

I'm not looking for Disney themed shirts.  My plan is to do something around the Maniac theme, since that is our family nickname.   I'm thinking something with either a theme park setting with a cartoon family of six and the words "Maniacs in the Park."  Or "Maniac 1 of 4, Maniac 2 of 4, etc." or "I'm a Maniac!"  or "Life is an adventure when you're a MANIAC!" with some kind of graphic and fun fonts.

So if you have good suggestions for places to design a produce the shirts or you have a good design slogan idea for me I would LOVE to hear from you!

Jenn - Mom of the Maniacs  - I think I know what my shirt will be...

Leprosy

Ruby was showing Eliza Claire her thumb that got smashed in the car door last week.

Ruby: Grandma says my fingernail might fall off.

Eliza Claire: Then you'll have leprosy!

Me: No sweetheart, she won't have leprosy, she'll just get a new nail.

Eliza Claire: Well, they have medicine for leprosy now.

My goodness, she is a stubborn girl. She isn't arguing over the leprosy anymore but she thinks I'm totally wrong.

Edited to add: my girls know what leprosy is simply because they attend Sunday school.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Theology According to Eliza Claire

Mom? God is in charge of Jesus, right?

That's OK, they are both boys.

God and Jesus are in charge of all of us.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Ruby and the Hunger Strike

On the way to the movies today both Ruby and Eliza Claire asked for raisins. I had one baggie of raisins and told Eliza Claire I would put some from the bag in a container for her . Ruby was not happy! She started pitching a major fit. Then she said, "If you give some of my raisins to Eliza Claire then I won't eat any raisins!" followed by, "I'm not going to eat anything you give me! Ever!"

Don't you just love preschooler logic? She wanted raisins. She had raisins. She would not eat any raisins because some of the raisins were shared with her sister. How is that better? What part of none of what you want is better than some of what you want?

She quickly forgot about her hunger strike when we got to the theater and I handed her a bag of popcorn.

St. Patrick's Day Goodies

I came across a couple of recipes that I wanted to try for St. Patrick's Day treats for the Maniacs. Both were hits.




I actually followed this recipe almost exactly. My only change was to add more Tabasco (1 tsp). I baked some today but have enough dough in the fridge to make two more batches. They are great still warm from the oven and really good room temperature.  I do like that I didn't have to make all of them at once. 




I intended to follow this recipe but Ruby was grocery shopping with me and insisted she would not eat chocolate cake. So I made yellow cake whoopie pies with green food coloring and plain vanilla frosting (recipe below). My cakes came out brown around the edges and firm but sticky on the outside - when you pick them up a layer of cake sticks to your fingers. Not sure what I did wrong. But, they taste really yummy.

Butter Cream Frosting
recipe is from my friend Ashley

2 sticks butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp. Vanilla
2-4 tbsp. Milk if needed

Cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar a cup at a time blending well. Add vanilla. If needed, add milk a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Somebody's Sleepy

I just love pictures of my kids sleeping. She fell asleep on the way home from the movies. I think she didn't get enough rest at the sleepover with her sisters last night.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

Poor Maniacs

Everyone was so excited. We were going to the movies this afternoon. We had picked our movie and knew when and where it was playing. Mid morning I told the kids to turn off the TV that we would have no more screens (TV, computer, video games, etc.) until we went to the movies. I didn't want them to be on screen overload before we ever got there. About an hour later, I came downstairs to find one of the Maniacs watching Toy Story 3 on their iPod. I promptly told the maniac in question that they would not be going to the movies but would be calling Grandma to see if she was available to babysit while the rest of us went to the movies. Then it came out that the other three Maniacs had also been watching the movie. Bummer! No movie for anyone today.

The most frustrating part of this incident was that three of the Maniacs took responsibility for their part in watching the movie when they weren't supposed to and accepted the consequences, while the other Maniac kept explaining how it was not their fault but the fault of all others involved. But it was the Maniac in question's iPod and room they were all in. Said Maniac was the main culprit but completely unable to own up to their part. This is an ongoing battle with this child that drives me crazy and concerns me about their future. At some point this child has to learn that they make choices that have consequences, period, end of story, regardless of who else was involved or the circumstances. You have to own your choices and the fall out from said choices. I have yet to convince this child of this fact, but I have not and will not stop trying.

I have to say, I'm not really sad that we missed the movie today. We were planning to see Gnomeo and Juliet. The very first time I saw the preview I swore I would not be seeing it as it looked really dumb. However, it seems to be the only thing out right now that won't terrify at least one of the Maniacs. They think they want to see Mars Needs Moms but I have a feeling at least one of the girls would get too scared in it which means we can't see it when only one parent is going.

Maybe we will try again tomorrow. Maybe they will be better listeners then.

Jenn

Be Careful, Eliza Claire

In the last 24 hours Rehm was hit in the face by a baseball, Ruby had her thumb smashed in a car door, and Charlotte got hit in the face by a softball. I think I need to wrap Eliza Claire in bubble wrap before she becomes the next injured party.

Rehm was at practice and was playing second base. He was catching a throw from the outfield. He misjudged and caught the ball with his eyebrow and the bridge of his nose. It was red and puffy last night but surprisingly did not bruise.

Ruby was trying to reach in the car to give her dad a hug when he got home from work. Charlotte wasn't paying attention and closed the car door. Her thumb is bruised and the knuckle swollen but doesn't appear to be broken. Jury is out on if she will lose the nail. I guess only time will tell.

Charlotte got hit at softball practice. Same kind of scenario as Rehm. Ball was being thrown to her. The ball caught her on the jaw. She got a cut on her gum and bled enough to come home with blood in her hair and on her shirt. Poor girl, didn't have a parent there when it happened. Her dad had left the practice field to take her sisters to the restroom. Luckily one of the moms from the team took care of her until he got back.

Hopefully, Eliza Claire will manage to miss this injury outbreak. I really don't need any more excitement in the house. Guess this is another spring break of injuries. I hope this isn't becoming a tradition.

Jenn - Posted from my iPhone

New Do

I finally got around to getting a much needed hair cut last week. My stylist did a fabulous job. So glad to have a regular stylist I love again.
Before



After



Jenn - Posted from my iPhone