House Update

I feel like I am riding a horse and my saddle slid upside down with my feet stuck in the reigns. I know where I want to go but it's hard to see with all the dirt and rocks flying at my head. I feel like I am so close, I can see it! I could almost touch it. But my horse is running away and I can't steer it. If only I could find a way back on my horse.

Alright, enough with the figurative language this is what I really mean.

Right now it isn't looking so good for our house.

The loan officer who had assured us it would be no problem for us to get financing, his exact words were " I am 95% sure it will be okay, you guys are pretty vanilla." called us back yesterday and said that we aren't going to be able to get the USDA rural loan we really wanted. The only loan we can qualify for right now would be an FHA loan which trust me, I am beyond thrilled that we actually qualified for something but with that loan, we would need to put down more money than we have. How can it be possible that the only thing standing in between me and my eleven year dream is a few thousand dollars! I feel like we are so close but once again still a little too far.

So once again I have tried and I'm failing. I'm not giving up, my boys still need a home of their own. I am still going to try to find a way, but I am definitely losing a bit of hope.

For now, Grandma a.k.a. my drill sergeant and Grandpa are in town for a visit and we got lots of fun stuff to do for the next five days.

Love can be a one way Street

James loves our cat PJ. He loves to watch her, chase her, scream at her, and "pet" her. Whenever he catches sight of PJ, he goes after her as fast as his little chubby legs will take him. She's just too darn irresistible.

Sadly, PJ doesn't feel the same way about James. Ever since we brought him home she has hissed and growled at him. She growls at him! She's never been the most affectionate cat. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the games the boys like to torture her with, but at the end of the night when the boys go to bed she always curls up with one of them. And in the morning, she always tags along with me while I work. She just isn't big on being pet that's all, she likes personal space.

Maybe one day his persistence will pay off and she will learn to love him as much as he loves her. For now, I am sure James will continue to chase her around. He will just have to put up with all her hissing and growling.

Tick.......Tock.....

We are renters.

Have been forever really. I'm not sure why but that is actually embarrassing for me to say. Maybe it's because I know I am throwing my money away every time I send in the rent check. Maybe it's because I have moved my family eight times in 11 years. Or maybe it's because I made a promise to myself when Jason was born (I was 16 years old) that by the time he started kindergarten, I would have bought a home for us. Jason is now in 5th grade and I still haven't fulfilled my promise to my little boy. I tried, believe me I tried so hard. I went through the whole process twice, all the papers, all the letters, all of that. Just for everyone to tell me I wasn't worthy. Not even a house, I wasn't worthy of the townhome or even the trailer I was trying to buy for my family. It was so disheartening to hear and honestly I sort of gave up. I didn't want to hear that again, I think I started to believe them. I wasn't worthy.

It's time.

It's time for me to stop being scared and it's time for me to try. I need to stop being a pessimist and stop being a quitter. Our kids need a home of their own. A home where they can meet friends that they can still keep the next year. A home with a big backyard where they can play and not have to worry about hateful neighbors calling the police on them. They just need a real home and they deserve it.

Last night Mike and I stayed up late putting in an application for financing online. We are trying again to get that house I promised I would get twelve years ago. We are waiting to hear back from the loan officer hopefully with positive news. Now we just wait.

Tick....tock.....

Waiting is no fun. I'm trying to be positive and tell myself that not hearing back yet isn't a bad sign. I am trying not to think about it, but it's there, eating away at the back of my mind. Will we get it? Will they look at my credit report and laugh and point? Will they tell us no? I guess if they do tell us no at least I can say we tried... and we will try again if we have to.

I promise...

Daddy's Boy

I know, I know, another post about James. Babies are just too darn cute! Plus if I posted about the older boys as much as I do him there would be way to many posts about Mario Kart, Zelda, and Sonic the Hedgehog. I have to cut them off after two hours of video games. They are ridiculous! Anyway....

James is turning into a complete and utter daddy's boy. Any time dad is in the room, James only wants to be with him. He will practically throw himself out of my arms to try to get to him. It's very cute I know, but I am quickly becoming chopped liver! Just look at that face, he is perfectly content and wants nothing to do with me. I guess this is when it is nice to have three other children too. I'm sure they won't all be giving me the cold shoulder

On a different note, James has also learned that he doesn't like to sit still long enough for a diaper change. Either that or he would rather crawl around au naturale. He also learned how to take off his diaper. I found this out when I went in to get him after his nap last Friday and there wasn't anything on him from the belly button on down.

This is what he does mid-diaper change. Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks!

Hmmm, wonder what he's playing with that he shouldn't have.

Wrestling

Nothing brings my boys closer together than wrestling. They partake in it frequently throughout the day, but when mom can take no more of it they have a plan B. Plan B involves a little more imagination, 8" tall action figures with bulging muscles, and a wrestling ring.

I like plan B a lot more. No one gets hurt and the house stays in one piece.

Even James is getting the hang of it.

Don't you dare call them dolls though. I did it once just to be funny and got three pairs of eyes giving me the death stare straight into my soul.

He's Been Cheating on Me!!!

I found out yesterday that Mike has been cheating. I am completely devastated. He has been sneaking around with the Arizona Lottery for a while now, secretly buying quick picks behind my back. Yesterday he fessed up about his love affair after he matched four out of five numbers on his beloved ticket and won $500.

I thought I was the love of his life.

I told him the only way to make it up to me would be to give me the dirty money, for forgiveness sake of course. He reluctantly agreed and handed over the filthy winning ticket. I quickly got dressed and headed out to cash it. After cashing in the ticket, I decided I was long overdue for a haircut so I stopped at a very upscale Fantastic Sams for a cut and even kicked in the extra ten dollars for a style. After that, I decided I probably also needed an eyebrow wax so stopped by my favorite trendy nail salon. After having half my forehead ripped off I remembered that I also needed some black picture frames for my latest craft project, Michael's here I come. Six picture frames later I headed home and told Mike that even though I wasn't happy about what he was doing, I forgive him. But if he ever cheated on me again with Ms. Lottery and doesn't get all five numbers, I just don't think I would be able to handle it.

Wondering what those picture frames were for?

Silhouette pictures of the boys! Next I will work on adding silhouettes of Mike and I.

Mr. Mom

Did I ever tell you just how great my husband is? I might have mentioned it once or twice but let me remind you. Earlier this week I remembered that James was due for a doctor's appointment. I completely forgot about his nine month check-up! The only time they could get him in this week was at 9am today. I had to work so Mike would have to take him.

Then yesterday, Nathan kept telling us how much his toe hurt. I looked at it and he had a nicely ingrown toenail embedded in his skin. It was completely red and swollen and he yelped every time I even breathed on it so I called up the Dr and made Nathan an appt for the same time. Nathan never ever gets sick and has perfect attendance for the past three years. The only reason he doesn't this year is because of our trip to Hawaii and now his toenail.

So today Mike got the boys up and off to school like normal, but then he took Nathan and James to their appts. He braved the forms and baby shots. He braved the Dr's questions about James' development. Why is that part always stressful? I always feel like they are going to scold me for something I am doing wrong. Then after all that, he stopped at the drugstore and filled Nathan's prescription, made a trip to the post office for me, and stopped to get lunch for all of us. All that is enough to make a girl swoon.

Nathan has an appt to go back next Thursday. They didn't have the numbing medicine in stock since his foot is going to require minor surgery to get that nail out. Nathan weighs 60lbs and James weighs in at 24lbs. James is also 29 inches long. That puts him in the 95 percentile for height and weight yet again. The doctor said he predicts James will be on the tall side. James hated his shots, Nathan said he screamed real loud but stopped as soon as Mike picked him up. At least he got three Daffy Duck bandaids and a sucker. That made him feel a little better too. James also has a minor medical issue that I won't go into too much detail about except that it requires applying Vaseline to a particular area, and it causes James a LOT of pain.

Wish me luck tonight, James didn't deal with the shot after effects very well last time. There was lots of crying and puking involved.

Kindergarten Mardis Gras

I have had a spectacular headache pretty much all day today and a bit of a stomach ache too. I have my fingers and toes crossed that it will be gone tomorrow and it's not a bug. Seeing this guy after school made me feel a whole lot better though.

Marcus' kindergarten class went all out today in celebration of the 100th day of school. They were adorned with 100 glasses, a funky hat with 100 stamps/stickers/drawings on it, and my personal fave the Mardi Gras style necklace with 98 Fruit Loops on it. There were supposed to be 100 but somebody got hungry on the bus ride home.

How We're Doing

Life has been flying by as usual.

Mike and I have been working, him much more than me since I only work part time. He is still driving his scooter to work and finally got a helmet to wear. He is still obsessed with becoming a homeowner and I am still trying to disguise my disinterest. I have been spending all my free time hanging out with the boys. I have been thinking of trying to lose a few L B's but I think I need a drill sergeant to motivate me.

Jason is becoming a tweenager. Definitely seeing way more attitude and emotions. I see a few less smiles and he has grown a few more inches. I HATE IT! I hate it, I hate it, I hate it! I don't want my babies to grow up. I want them to be with me forever. I want them to give me a hug and kiss and tell me they love me every night for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll make them.

Nathan is still sort of shy. He still doesn't like to show his emotions but has started to hang around me during the day which is nice, and boy is he smart. Straight A's again for the quarter. I told him if he got straight A's for the year I would give him $100, I think he can do it no problem.

Marcus, *sigh* he has officially changed into one of those school attending children. Kinda hard to explain that but before he started school, I (Mike too) was the coolest person in his life. He was seriously the sweetest little boy ever. He is still sweet BUT he also learned that I am not that cool, how to lie, and how to talk back. At least now he knows how to count to 100, how to write all his letters, and how to read (a little).

James is giant now. He is crawling all over the place and can pull himself to standing. He copies us when we clap, shake our head and make certain sounds. He also can say yeah, mama, and dada. I'm sure he has no clue what they mean though. He still only has two teeth but can eat anything and everything. He's still such a happy laid back little man. Lately he has picked me to be his BFF. He will only play with his toys if I am sitting on the floor playing with him. If I get up he cries.

So that's what we have been up to. Grandma Mickey and Grandpa Ernie will be coming out to visit in less than two weeks. We are all excited to see them. Other than that we really don't have any eventful plans in the near future. With a family of six, I have learned that even without plans our days are never boring.

Look What I Learned

Or just say no.

Forts

They were bored

So they played video games

Then I made them stop playing video games

So they started to wrestle

Then I made them stop wrestling

So they played with all one thousand of their stuffed animals in the living room

But then that got boring

So they played with their nerf guns

But that got boring too

Then they did this to the den



And I was fine with that

But then they did this



And I told them that was a terrible idea

So they took it down

But then it was almost time for our movie

So they had to pick up all this



And all this



Then they got creative



And they made cleanup a breeze

They are so clever

MLK Day

How are you spending you Martin Luther King Day?

If you are spending it like us then you are catching up on that obnoxiously tall mountain of laundry.

You would have scrubbed your bathrooms top to bottom, including the base boards.

You would be nursing two sick little boys back to health with lots of Tylenol, tissues, and macaroni. What you didn't know macaroni has healing properties? That's because only a select few mothers have discovered it, but today that secret is out of the bag. I think it has to do with the texture of the noodles and the orangeness of the cheese sauce.

You would also be bidding on toys from Ebay for a special someone's upcoming birthday.

Since your children don't have school today they are probably listening to scary stories on tape and sculpting with Model Magic just like mine.

You would all be snacking on left over chips and dip from yesterday's Cardinals game. Go Cardinals!!!

Later, you would be planning to make Monday night spaghetti and topping that off with movie night.


I'm sure you weren't silly enough to check your mail today like I was, because nothing would be in there.

The Library

I love the library. It's quiet and full of books. I always seem to forget that I can read for free. Then when I rediscover it, I am like my kids in the candy aisle. I want them all. Today I took Jason and Marcus with me to the library. The only thing about our library that I don't care for is the size. It's tiny! Last time I went I couldn't even fit the stroller through the aisles. This time Mike stayed home with Nathan and James, and tinkered with the scooter. We each picked out three books and I even found a book on photography that I am excited about.

After the library, we went to a little park right next door. The kids ran around and climbed all the trees and I took pictures. Jason was a happy subject. Marcus was just annoyed by me. Hopefully when I am done reading my photography book I will be posting very professional looking pictures. Maybe I will even be able to take a nice family photo which we desperately need.

The Perfect Pet

Nathan brought this home from school today and I just love it so much I thought I would share! I love his imagination.

The Perfect Pet

Have you ever wished you could have the perfect pet? My pets name is Cookie. He likes to play inside. It may sound weird but it is called a Monkabeast, the most endangered monkey.

It looks kind of cool! He is medium sized. A Monkabeast has red fur. At nightfall he looks different. He is as scary as a wolverine in the midnight moon, but you would get used to it.

He makes all sorts of small noises. What is the quietest animal you've ever seen? His roar is really quiet. You could be sitting right next to him and all of a sudden you hear a muted "rawrrr". He whimpers a little louder than his roar. I told you he was as quiet as a cat's purr.

My little monkey is so special to me. He is as nice as a kitten. When I am depressed, he is silly enough to cheer me up. Cookie is good at dancing, too. If you put sunglasses on him, he dances like John Travolta.

All in all, this is my dream pet. He waits in bed for me at bed time. I would enjoy having Cookie. I imagine having a loving pet like him

Cookies

It's a right of passage for a mom to make cookies for her children to eat after school. To see her children's faces light up when they walk in the door and smell that unmistakable delicious aroma. After Mike went off to work and baby J was down for his nap, I was feeling sort of Paula Dean-ish. So that is exactly what I did today. I got out my mom's secret chocolate chip recipe and got down to business.

My mom's recipe makes the most delicious, enormous chocolate chip cookies ever. Each cookie is a quarter of a cup of dough. Very Paula Dean.

Nathan tries to do this in every picture I take of him and it is really annoying. I think it means rock on or devil horns or something. I'm not cool enough to know.

Yummy two handed goodness.

We are a house full of cookie dough lovers. Mike thinks this is pretty disgusting, but me and the boys could gobble up a whole batch of cookie dough without ever cooking them. I let the boys each have a small spoonful of cookie dough. Nathan was asking if this spoonful was too big. I will probably have to hide a few cookies so there will be a few for Mike to have.

Noodles

Nathan is by far my pickiest eater. I have to twist his arm and threaten his dessert on a nightly basis to get him to eat dinner. His aversions include eggs, hamburgers, turkey, anything remotely green of course, and as of yesterday, spiral noodles. Here was our conversation over yesterday's fetuccini alfredo.

Me: Nathan why aren't you eating? You like fetuccini.
Nathan: (While frowning at his plate) I don't like these kind of noodles.
Me: They are all the same, eat your food.
Nathan: No, these ones are curly (spiral).
Me: (Rolling my eyes) They are the exact same thing just made into a different shape.
Nathan: (Picking at the disgusting spirals on his plate) I like the straight ones better, the spirals have a funny texture.
Me: (Speechless)
Nathan: Actually, I only like the ones with the holes in them (penne).
Me: (Still speechless)

Can you really dislike a particular noodle? After this particular discussion, I asked him if he could name seven homemade meals (not straight out of the box i.e. macaroni) that he actually liked. After ten minutes, and having shot down pizza for the third time, he gave up on trying to figure out a fourth dinner.

I guess that only leaves me with two theories. He is an insanely picky eater, or he is the only honest one in the house when it comes to my cooking.

Job Titles

It's about that time again. Tax time. One of my favorite times of the year. Not because I get to look over how much money we made and how much we didn't save, but because every year I get to fill out that special line on the last page of our taxes that asks-Occupation. Does someone actually read what we write there? Am I going to get in trouble one of these years for writing Domestic Waitress, Pediatric Fashion Adviser, or Sanitization Specialist on my return? While I was contemplating what my title would be this year I figured I should make some predictions on what the kids could write on their taxes.

Marcus was so excited to see a sad little green patch of grass in our barren back yard that he decided to grab the gardening tools and take care of the new landscaping.

He could write, ground support supervisor on his taxes.

James loves to mash down on the keyboard in my office. He is so advanced too. Look, his fingers are practically on the A S D F keys!

He can call himself a technological administrator.

Did you happen to notice that he is playing that guitar behind his back? Gifted, I know.

Instrumental ambassador sounds about right.

I don't need to explain this one.

He is obviously destined to have Secret Service written as his occupation

Breakfast in Bed

This weekend was pretty boring and uneventful for us which is nice sometimes. I did try a few new recipes for dinner which was fun. Mike took the boys up to the park so they wouldn't be in the way. He knows just how awful I am at following recipes and didn't want me to screw up his dinner I am sure. I forgot how much I like to cook actually. Not that I don't cook, I do. It's just that there is usually two or three kids fighting over who is going to help me, who is going to stir, and who is going to pour what. Then there is usually a baby who is vocally demanding my attention and running me over with his walker too. Cooking without "distractions" is fun.

Aside from cooking, Marcus being the sweet little man that he is, decided to make Mike breakfast in bed. He woke him up with two pieces of buttered toast. Sort of. It was more like a stick of butter on cold toast. It's the sweetest thing, I know. I am just glad he decided to give Mike breakfast in bed and not me. I couldn't help but smile when Marcus laid there right next to him to make sure he ate every last bite.

Our new Pests...Er I Mean Pets

Marcus is the proud new papa of 29 harvester ants. He had been impatiently awaiting their arrival since the day after Christmas, and on Wednesday the came! The box they were delivered in was ominously marked with an -It's Alive- sticker. Oh to be a postal carrier.


The ant farm was by far Marcus' most prized Christmas gift. No sand for this ant farm. It's all suped up with lights and gel which is also their food.

Ever since they were dumped into their new home, Marcus has hardly left the counter. He is in awe by them and yells out when he sees them digging in the Jell-O as he calls it.

The fly swatter is just a precaution. The last thing I need is 29 crawling, biting arthropods loose in the house.

When the boys got home from school yesterday, I was shoved out of the way while in the middle of my "how was your day at school?' questions so that they could go see the progress the new family pets had made in the past seven hours.

I admit it, ant farms are awesome. I get giddy when the boys go to bed and I have one on one time with the ants. I am trying to convince Marcus that the safest place to keep them is on my desk in my office. So far, he doesn't agree.

Brothers

When James was giggling and squealing in his crib, I went to see what was so funny.

Nathan had snuck into his crib and was playing with him. Two little monkeys jumping in the bed! Well, not jumping but it reminded me of that song. Normally, crib trespassing is not allowed but how could I be mad.

James and Nathan are best friends. Nathan loves to play with James and tickle him. James loves to throw toys at Nathan and drool on him too. James chases Nathan all around the house in his walker and gets mad when he goes somewhere his walker can't follow. James spends his morning looking for the boys while they are at school, and gets so excited when they finally get home.

Do they come any sweeter than this?

How Boys Play

Sometimes I wonder, if I didn't stop them from wrestling how long would they do it? That is an answer I will never know. I can only take so much. It almost seems like wrestling is as important as breathing. They are like magnets, helplessly drawn to each other with figure four leg locks in mind.

It is definitely a boy thing. I'm sure if I had four girls I wouldn't be dealing with this. Jason is definitely the worst. Just yesterday I saw him pounce on Nathan during the two minute commercial break of SpongeBob.

In their eyes, greatness is measured by how high you karate kick, how authentic sounding your hi-yah noises are, and how easily you can pin your brother.