Crazy Kids

My children keep me laughing.  I find them totally entertaining.  Where do they come up with this stuff?  

In the above picture, Jersey #3 is holding a bouquet of corn dogs.  That was our lunch one afternoon, and he gladly collected the leftovers from his siblings, and volunteered to finish them off.  He has a hearty appetite.  Actually, his appetite is becoming legendary.  Our children were having dinner at a friend's house recently.  My friend made her famous homemade macaroni and cheese, a dish that my children really love.  Jersey #3 ate 4 helpings!  As my friend was serving his 3rd helping, Jersey #3 asked her, "so, what's for dinner tonight?"

Earlier this week, we were getting ready to leave the house.  I told the children to get their shoes on, and load up in the van.  Jersey #4 informs me that she was missing one of her sandals.  She tried to assure me that it would be fine for her to only use one sandal, saying, "It's Ok, Mom.  I can hop on one foot."

I have been having trouble getting Jersey #5 to understand that he cannot jump into a pool of water on his own, because he cannot swim.  He has to wait for me to give him the OK to enter the water, so that I can keep him safe.  While at the pool the other day, Jersey #5 attempted to communicate his intentions.  He informed me, "I jump myself.  You catch me when I am under the water."  (Well, that is certainly how things have been occurring,  as I have been rescuing him all summer...)

I have to be more careful about laughing at my older girls.  They are growing into young ladies, and that comes with an element of moodiness and sensitivity, as they find their place in the world.

Jersey #1 informed me that it is really stressful being an "almost pre-teen."  If that is a sign of things to come during the teen years, we are in a heap of trouble!  Oh the drama.

Jersey #2 is bold in her approach to life.  She mentioned that she actually misses seeing all her doctors.  I explained that her life is a lot different when she is healthy and normal, than when she is dealing with health issues and having frequent medical appointments.  I told her that there is a lot of attention on her when she is facing a major health challenge, like heart surgery.  I agreed that it may seem like she is getting less attention now, but that she was really able to enjoy more out of life now too, and can get attention for the quality of her character and service to others.  She agreed with my assessment and then stated matter-of-fact, "Well, you know I like attention!"  So true.

I am really enjoying their current ages:  9, 7.5, 6, 4, 2.5 .  We have just about grown right out of the infant/toddler years, but the teen years are not here yet.  Sometimes I wish I could just freeze frame right now.  And, to think that I thought having infants and toddlers and preschoolers was fun.  Who knew it gets so much better!

Horse Fun

We had an opportunity to visit Galloping Grace Youth Ranch this week!  They certainly live up to their motto, "Bringing Pure Joy To Children..."

We had a blast.  

They are constantly making improvements to the ranch, so it is fun to go around and see what is new.

This time around, there were 5 riding corrals.  All 5 of our children were able to ride at the same time.  I got some exercise jogging from corral to corral, to take pictures.  But, it was an awesome sight to see all of our kids enjoying horseback riding at the same time.  Each horse and each child has such a different personality.  Their experiences were as unique as they were. 

In spite of only being 2 years old, Jersey #5 insists that he gets a turn to ride.  The volunteers treat him like he is older, because he looks bigger than his age, and he is determined to get the same privileges as the bigger kids.  He just does not act his age when it comes to riding horses.  He is a natural cowboy.  I used to be more cautious, and made sure to notify the volunteers of his young age.  This time, I let him handle himself.  He spoke to the volunteers on his own,  stood still while they placed his helmet, held their hand to walk to the corral, and obeyed their instructions.  He did not pay attention to my whereabouts until he was already up on the horse, and the volunteer said, "Wave to your Mommy!" 

He proved that he could hold the saddle horn on his own, so the volunteer walked beside the horse, allowing him to ride on his own.  (They usually hold the 2-year-olds by the leg...while another volunteer leads the horse...so that they do not impulsively try to leave the saddle). 

Jersey #5 had a great riding experience.  In addition to sitting on his own, he reached for the horseshoes hanging on the fence.  He is showing nice balance in the saddle while riding around the corral.  His horse, Penny, was a small horse, perfect for tiny tots to ride.

Jersey #4 is much more cautious about riding a horse.  The first two times we visited the ranch this season, she refused to ride.  Last time, I coaxed her with my desire to get a picture of her on the horse to show her Granny.  This time, I mentioned that her Daddy would be there to watch her ride.  She smiled at the thought of showing her Daddy what she could do.  

Jersey #4 kept track of the names.  Her horse was named Blackie.  The volunteer walking next to her had the same name as me.  The volunteer leading the horse had the same name as Jersey #4.  She thought that was neat that we had the same names.

Jersey #3 took it all in stride.  He likes the horses, and he likes the ranch.  He really likes to go through all of the stations, and all of the toys, making sure to take part in each thing every time he visits.  It is as if he has a running checklist in his head for what to expect.  He even makes sure that the horse (and volunteer) stop in my line of view for me to take a great picture of him on the horse.

Jersey #2 was SO proud of herself because she stayed on the horse the entire duration of her ride.  Usually, she is nervous to the point of wanting to end her ride early.  This time, she was more comfortable in the saddle.  She also talked nonstop to the volunteer.  I am pretty sure she shared her life story.  

Jersey #2 broke the ice of her nervousness right at the start.  Cowboy Max walked her to the corral and introduced her to the volunteer.  As part of his introduction, he mentioned that he and Jersey #2 share something in common:  they have both had open-heart surgery.  Jersey #2 confirmed his statement with the volunteer, then turned to Cowboy Max and said, "Yes, but I have had heart surgery TWICE!"  All of the adults in earshot had a good laugh.  Cowboy Max told Jersey #2 that she was much tougher than he was, because he only had heart surgery once.  Armed with that affirmation, she walked confidently into the corral and had a blast riding the horse.  

During her ride, the horse needed to take a bathroom break.  Jersey #2 thought it was absolutely hilarious that her horse stopped to pee while she was in the saddle.  Oh the things that amuse this child...

Jersey #1 enjoyed her best riding day ever.  She loves horses.  She loves Galloping Grace Youth Ranch.  She tells everyone that her career aspiration is to become a teenager so that she can volunteer at the Ranch.  Paired up with a great volunteer, Jersey #1 was coached in how to control the horse through the reins, as well as through her body language.  She worked on her posture, and her breathing, while leading the horse around the barrels. 

The highlight of her riding experience was at the end, when she was able to take the horse up to a TROT!  As the horse picked up speed, Jersey #1 bounced a little in the saddle, and giggled her way around the corral.  She was so proud of herself that she was smiling from ear to ear.

In addition to riding the friendliest of horses, the children get to rotate through various stations throughout the ranch.

There is the gratuity station, where they make cards to send to folks who donate to the Ranch.

There is the fake horse where the kids get to learn to climb up into the saddle on their own, and guide the horses head with the reins.

There is the grooming station, where they get to brush, pet, and love on a horse.

As funny as it sounds, one of the favorite stations of the younger kids is the "work" station, where the kids get to rake and scoop horse poop out of the corral.

After completing the rotations, we hung around the Ranch a little longer to cool off at the Saloon

We took a turn at ropin' some cattle

Then, when they started trying to rope their siblings, we decided to call it a day!

Puppy Boyfriends

 We took our puppies to the vet to be spayed.  It was a big day for them.  In addition to the surgery, they also received a microchip, rabies vaccination, city license, and got their nails trimmed.  They are resting comfortably at home now.  They are exhausted.

I am exhausted too.

It is only partially due to the puppy care.

Most of my exhaustion is mental exhaustion from trying to explain spaying to my kids. 

I clearly see why infant and childcare books all end their material by age 5.  There are so many things that are tough to explain to kids who are older than 5, but younger than adolescence. 

With my 2 year old and 4 year old, it is simple to explain that the puppies have to go to the puppy doctor, which is called a veterinarian.  They accept my statement that the puppies need rest after their doctor visit.  It all makes sense to them.  Life is simple.

Things are not so simple with my older 3.  For the most part, Jersey #1 remained quiet, and absorbed the conversation.  Her 6-year-old brother and  7-year-old sister were doing a fine job of asking all the questions that were probably coming to her mind too.  They aimed questions at me like a firing squad.

I tried to explain to the children that we had to take the puppies to the vet for surgery, to be spayed, so that they could not run off, find a boyfriend, and have puppies.

Why don't you want the puppies to have more puppies?

• Because there are already too many puppies who need homes, so we don't want to add to that problem by having more puppies.

What is spaying?

• The vet will remove the uterus from the female dog, so that babies can't grow in there.  A dog can't have a baby dog without the uterus to grow the baby.  In humans, the surgery to remove the uterus is called a hysterectomy.  A woman can't grow a baby after her uterus is removed.

What if the puppies were boys?

• Boy dogs get neutered so that they can't make puppies.

What is neutered?

• The testicles are removed from the sac that hangs behind the penis.  (At this point, The Referee said he is not sure he can ride in the van with us anymore, because these conversations make him uncomfortable).  

How would a boy dog make puppies?  Girls dogs are the ones who have puppies!

• Remember it takes both a Mom & a Dad to make a baby.  Everyone has 2 parents.

Oh, yeah.  (Whew!  They did not ask me to elaborate on that one today).

What if our puppies want to have a boyfriend even after they have the surgery?

• The surgery will help keep them from wanting to run away with a boyfriend.  They are still allowed to have dog friends.  But, our puppies have to stay at our home and live with us.  They are not allowed to run away with their boyfriends.

In hindsight, I think the conversation went Ok.  It was definitely an improvement over the time when Jersey #2 asked me why the nativity set was missing the surgeon who delivered baby Jesus.  (I had delivered her youngest 2 siblings via c-section, so she assumed that was how all babies arrived.)  It was quite challenging to explain vaginal birth to a kindergartner!

Weight!

I need to vent.

Brace yourself.

I joined a gym and started exercising regularly.  I need to lose weight.  I really wanted to lose my "mother's apron" (that wimpy flap of tummy fat that is the result of many, frequent pregnancies, and 2 c-section surgeries.....and the fact that I did nothing to improve my tummy region between each such event). 

I did not struggle with weight or fitness issues in high school because I played sports.  One winter, during swim season, our swim team was required to participate in step aerobics classes at the gym, while our pool was being super-treated with chemicals.  I had a blast.  I learned that I really enjoyed step aerobics classes.  That is a fun way to "dance" without actually knowing how to dance. 

Knowing this history about myself, I decided to try out some group fitness classes when I joined the gym.  I like group fitness classes.  I am a social creature.  I like being around other people, even if they are strangers.  I like following a work-out routine.  I like the upbeat music.  I like having a class to attend, as a way to schedule a workout.  

I was not prepared for just how out-of-shape I am.  The first couple classes, I was certain that my body would never recover.  I actually laughed at myself when I went to get into the push-up position, and my arms gave way, dropping me to the floor.  My body simply refused to boost myself up after that.  I could only lay splat on the floor and giggle.  For most of the exercises, I could not rely on my abdominal muscles to support my body in any way.  I had no abs to speak of.  Actually, I think I found my rib muscles (intercostals) before I fount my abs. 

Unfortunately, I did not lose weight.

I gained.

At first, I told myself that I was simply building muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat.  Eventually, that muscle will kick in and help burn calories.  I know I build muscle easily, so I believed myself at first.

3 weeks of working out 3 times a week, and I gained 12 pounds.  I was SO discouraged I was about to cry.  I was actually in the middle of an aerobics class when I said to myself that this was clearly not working.  It was that same class that I also realized I was able to do more of the routine, and I was able to do more push-ups.  So, I told myself that clearly my fitness was improving.

My clothes were also getting looser.  I was pleased by how much my lower tummy was tightening up too.  That was a huge indicator for me that things were going in the right direction.  But, I was still so bummed about the weight gain.  I joked about throwing the scale out the window, at first.  Then, I had a meltdown.  I was so discouraged that The Referee actually went and looked up information on the internet to see if he could help me.

He learned that it is quite common to gain weight in the first 3 weeks of working out....especially for women.  (That is so unfair!  The Referee can do 1 set of crunches and drop 5 pounds.  I go to aerobics classes for 3 weeks and gain weight.  Did I mention it is not fair!)  He encouraged me to keep going, convinced I was about to turn a corner. 

I felt better with that knowledge, and decided to stay the course and wait for the muscle to kick in and help me out.  Just to make sure I was not eating more now that I was working out, I started watching my portions more, and adding salads.  I gained 3 more pounds.

4 weeks of working out, and I had a net gain of 15 pounds.  Honestly, I would have totally given up, if it wasn't for how good I felt, and how much I could actually see my stomach shrinking.  I decided my scale must be broken.  I bought a new one.

My scale was not broken.  The new scale actually weighed me a pound heavier than the old scale!

5 weeks of working out, a new scale, drinking more water, adding salad to my packed lunches for work, and a net gain of 16 pounds.  I was a prime candidate for a pity party.  The only thing keeping me from sinking into a state of despair was the fact that my abdomen was visibly shrinking.  It really is a good thing that my body tackled the "mother's apron" first, because that was the part that was plaguing me the most.  Plus, I had more strength to play with the kids.  So, I knew the workouts were helping.

I was having a hard time.  I started to doubt if my abdomen was actually shrinking, or was it a figment of my imagination.  The scale doesn't lie.  And, I was worse off.

I decided to put my body to the test:  denim

I went shopping for blue jeans at a department store.  I did not order jeans from an online store that specializes in plus-size women's clothing.  I went to the mall.  It was a make it or break it moment.

I made it.  I got my proof.

I dropped an entire pants size!

This is huge for me.  I went on a bit of a shopping spree.  Well, a shopping spree for me (which means everything was on sale).  I bought 2 new pairs of jeans to wear to work, a pair of jean shorts, and 2 shirts.  Everything was a size smaller than I previously wore.  The jeans and shorts were button/zip too....not elastic waist pull-up pants.  That is huge.  That was proof that the workouts were working, and my flabby tummy was definitely shrinking.

I still have no clue why my weight went up.  It did at least plateau at the 6-week point.  I am thankful for that.

The icing on the cake for this ironic misery I am enduring occurred last week.  Life got out of hand, causing me to miss my gym workouts.  

I went 8 days straight without entering the gym.

I dropped 2 pounds!

I don't know if I should laugh or scream.

Grappling Massage

I thought it would be fun to do something new to celebrate our anniversary this year.  I suggested we go for a massage.  Neither of us has had a massage before.  

My sister had one prior to her wedding, and I drilled her with questions about it.  I was always too nervous to try it out.  Through the years, I've met more and more folks who speak highly of getting a massage, so I finally decided to brave it.

Well, sort of brave....I suggested that The Referee and I go together.  That worked out great.  We went to a business that was a chain of massage stores.  I checked out their website in great detail before calling for an appointment.  They were running an introductory massage special.  It turns out, they have a room with 2 massage beds, so we received our massages at the same time, together.  

I made sure to mention that neither of us had received massages before.  We needed a full explanation of what to do.  How much do we undress?  Thankfully, this place was real good about explaining every detail, including how much to tip.  Some of us need things spelled out plain and simple like that, especially when we are nervous about a new adventure.  

My massage experience was wonderful.  They masseuse was very professional and only uncovered the part she was working on.  I became so relaxed that I feared I would fall asleep and start drooling.  I had been suffering with a knotted shoulder muscle, and the masseuse worked that out great.  It hurt while she was working on it.  But, when I stood up afterward, I was shocked by just how low my shoulders fell back into their normal place.  I guess I had been so tense before that I did not notice my close my shoulders were getting to my earlobes.  I am definitely a fan of massage.

The Referee had me cracking up as he compared his massage experience to a grappling match.  He said he felt like he had just gotten his butt kicked.  His masseuse had a working knowledge of pressure points.  Prior to this massage, The Referee had only considered pressure points in terms of Tae Kwon Do and self defense (hit someone's pressure point to get them to let go of you during an attack, so that you can get away).  He described how the masseuse would get a hold of his muscle, right at the pressure point, and get him in a lock.  It must have been an effective method, because as soon as she let go, he said his muscle went limp.  At first, he thought his massage experience was painful.  Being the extreme introvert that he is, he was also uneasy with a stranger touching him.  I can see where massage was outside his comfort zone.  

We went to dinner afterward, and within an hour, The Referee was so mellow that I was laughing at him again.  He was even swaying to the music at the Brazilian restaurant.  It was good music, and we went at a non-crowded time frame, so we could hear the full concert very well.  Still, it was funny to see The Referee so relaxed and enjoying himself.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner, and many laughs.

Even though both of us thought a nap sounded like a great idea, I found myself too busy tending to the kids to actually lay down.  I couldn't even manage to get to bed on time.  But, I was totally relaxed while I went about the rest of my day.

13

The Referee and I are celebrating 13 years of marriage today.  

Happy Anniversary!

13

Is that number lucky or unlucky these days?

Either way, I'll take it.  And many more....

Marriage is a lot of work.  It is tough to share a life with someone.  It is easier to be selfish.  Yet, we desire companionship.  What a strange struggle.  I believe in marriage.  I believe the overall journey is totally worth it.  Marriage is the core of the family.  It is important.  Sometimes I have to remind myself not to focus on the immediate challenge, but to realize that there is a bigger picture unfolding.  Each anniversary represents a milestone in our life together.  It has been a full life so far.  I think that may be why we look so young in our wedding photo....and feel so much older now.  I have a collection of pictures that prove to me that the years are passing, and we are certainly filling them up with memories together.

Baby Referee

Baby Coach Mom

We met and dated in high school...

We became engaged in college...

We stood before friends and family and committed to sharing the rest of our lives together.

We managed to get a wedding photo in front of this home-made balloon arch, mere seconds before a big wind gust picked it up and carried it off...

We started a family....

...and buried our firstborn (who arrived stillborn)...

(We lost our 2nd child to early miscarriage.)

We joyfully welcomed Jersey #1 into the world...

We celebrated Jersey #2 surviving her first open-heart surgery...

We made big career changes, and traveled to Europe...

We welcomed a bouncing baby boy (Jersey #3)...

Our family grew some more...and then there were FOUR:

Jobs were lost.  Health issues arose.  Jobs were found.  And, we were blessed with a handful:

We certainly have our hands full...

As we took Jersey #2 for her 2nd open-heart surgery...

...we were reminded once again that it is better to have our hands FULL than empty!

There is never a dull moment....

And, we like it that way!

When we said "I do," we did not realize we had signed up for life in a 3-ring circus.  

13 years later, I am certain that the words to our song still ring true:

"I'm Happy To Be Stuck With You!"

Grandparents

So far this summer, the children and I have made 6 road trips to the town where their grandparents live.  We do not usually get a chance to visit each family member, with each visit.  But, I did make a point to seek the opportunity to fit in at least 1 visit....and 1 photo opportunity...with each grandparent.  I cherish these photos.  They are a snapshot in time.  I never know when (or if) I will get another chance at such a photo opportunity.  

All 4 of our children's grandparents are alive and well.

PawPaw & Granny:

Nana:

Grampa:

3 Generations

The Referee and I each have 1 living grandmother, giving our children 2 living great-grandmothers.

Great-Granny:

Great-Grandma:

Our children are blessed with lots of grandparent love (and spoilin').

Kid Clothes and Kung Fu Panda

 

We have been packing this summer full of fun.

We took our kids to see the new Kung Fu Panda movie at the theater.  We loved the first movie, and were really looking forward to seeing the sequel.  

We still laugh over our experience taking the older kids to see the first Kung Fu Panda, at the theater.  We went with our Pastor and his wife.  Jersey #2 left a lasting impression.  In the middle of the movie, the main character makes a reference to being hit in his "tenders."  Jersey #2 (who does not appear to have an "indoor voice") turned to her Dad and exclaimed,

"Tenders.  He doesn't have Tenders.  Dad, what are Tenders?  Do I have Tenders?"

Our Pastor and his wife did their best to try to stifle their laughter, but they enjoyed the commentary immensely.

The Referee did his best to quiet Jersey #2, saying her Mom would explain it later.  He was totally embarrassed.

The sequel was wonderful too.  The kids were older this time.  We only had to take 1 bathroom break.  It was nice.

Previously that morning, while the kids were attending Vacation Bible School with friends, The Referee and I enjoyed a breakfast date.  Then, we decided to go to a department store and look for T-shirts.  Knowing we were planning a trip to visit Thomas the Train, I was looking for T-shirts for the kids to wear.

I was really disappointed to realize just how messed up the kids clothing section really is.  It appears that department stores would like the children to grow up MUCH faster.  There were no Thomas the Train shirts in any size larger than toddler sizes.  I know many early elementary-aged boys who love Thomas, so I am surprised that there are no shirts in their sizes.  

While looking in the older boy sizes, I found Kung Fu Panda T-shirts on sale.  Knowing we were going to the movie that afternoon, I thought it would be fun to surprise the kids with matching shirts to wear.  Unfortunately, that plan also backfired, when we realized that Kung Fu Panda T-shirts did not go beyond size 7.  (In general, kids sizes tend to broadly follow kid ages).  All of the older boy shirts were TV themes that seemed to be more of a high school or college interest.  A sales associate asked if we needed help, so I told her what I was looking for.  She informed me that there were no shirts with that character in the larger sizes.  She then went on to explain that they tailor the characters to the interest of kids of that age range.  I informed her that MANY boys ages 8-10 are fans of Kung Fu Panda, so the store was quite inaccurate in its selections.  

The Referee asked if we would have any luck finding Kung Fu Panda shirts in the girls' department.  I immediately laughed and informed him that the clothing in the girls department follows the same theme:  love, peace, and look-at-my-butt!  The girls department is totally disgusting with its sexualized clothing for school-aged girls.  There are no fun characters at all.  It was no surprise to me why there was no one shopping in that section of the store, and all the shelves and racks were full.  Most parents do not want to buy that trashy clothing for their daughters. 

In the end, I skipped buying any Thomas the Train t-shirts, because we still had toddler sized shirts at home.  I bought the younger 3 kids a Kung Fu Panda t-shirt from the boys section.  We bought the older girls a guitar t-shirt from the boys section.  T-shirts in the boys section are much better made, with thicker material, and more material to cover their bodies.  The store probably has no clue how much sale they actually missed from me.  I would have bought 5 train shirts, and 5 Kung Fu Panda shirts.....if they had actually been available.  Then, I would have been back for guitar shirts for another occasion.

The kids were thrilled with their new shirts.  They do not realize my struggle to keep them dressed in age-appropriate, modest clothing, so that they can be free to be children for as long as possible.