Itty Bitty Vacuum

Okay. I am going to go ahead and embarrass myself. I am one of those people, who buys the smallest pack of toilet paper, the smallest bottle of dressing, the smallest jar of pickles, and so on. Although, I KNOW that the better deal is to buy the larger sizes, and in the long run, I will be saving money...I just don't do it....which I think highly irritates Cody. He has never said it, but he was astounded when I brought a "big" bag of dog treats in the other day. So, when I tell you that I buy the cheapest vacuum cleaners, I shouldn't complain that I am constantly having to buy a new one. I know, I know, I know. You get what you pay for. Which brings me to a slightly amusing story from the weekend....

The kids didn't want to go to the grocery store. So, I went by my lonesome. We were in need of a vacuum on top of everything else. It was one of those weeks where we needed all of the basics, too. I was DETERMINED to get out of WalMart with less that $200....something that I find almost impossible when just buying groceries. So, how I thought I would do it when needing a vacuum, too is beyond me. Enter cheap vacuum. LOL! In my defense, it is a Dirt Devil, which is supposed to be good, right??? The problem is that it wasn't on display...the box looked pretty big. It filled my whole cart. Well, I was so wrong. We have laughed and laughed about it. When I got it home the kids were all excited because it was red. However, when we pulled it out of the box, they said, "It's a BABY one!!!" They thought it was perfect for them. Haha. It works like a charm, though. AND. I got out of WalMart with a total bill of $212. :)  GO. ME.

Faith and Cam have had some funny things to say in the last two days, too. Tonight at dinner, Cam was telling us that they had a clean up song at school. He was singing away about "Share. Clean up. Share. Clean up." Faith looked so disgusted and said, "NO! It's Evwy body do your SHARE!!!" That's Faith for ya'. Rude and uncensored.  Earlier, I was muttering to myself what I needed for dinner, "Tomato sauce, cream of mushroom, etc." Cameron says, "Mmm...I like dat Momma. Tomatoes, mushrooms....but most of all....tandy corn." :) You know it's close to Halloween. WE ALL LOVE CANDY CORN, here!

Love it. Tomorrow is gymnastics days and Cam's afternoon with Daddy. ;)

First Days & First Hunt

Let me first say that I have had one of those days. One of those days when every single lesson stinks it up...I mean, it was terrible! I take it personally, too. I don't like to allow myself those days, but it happens, I guess. I tell you this to say that I stressed the entire way home...one track minded me. What was up? How could I make it better?....AND now I was supposed to enjoy my little ones at home?! I guess I might as well stink it up at home, too! LOL...I know that I am dramatic...but I am getting to my point and the happier side of this story...I promise.  So, all of those worries and all of that stress disappeared (well...for the most part) when I heard about and witnessed my babies doing some exciting firsts. I'm so excited for them...probably more so than them!

Today was Mallory's big day! She had her first day of school! I decided not to take off with the promise that Cody would take pictures and give me updates as soon as possible.  I was a bit concerned by how she may handle waking up early, being separated from Faith and Cam, and having Daddy leave her. Guess what?! Mallory surprised us ALL! She did not cry a single tear, and she jumped up excited about going to "stool."  Her teachers said that she participated in class, and that she did wonderfully. OH. MY. I am so proud of this girl.

Not only did Mallory have her first day of school, but she also had her first day of gymnastics!!! This was a first for both girls. Faith was beyond excited, but Mallory was dead asleep when I got home to dress them (which was a mad rush)! She wasn't too happy when I woke her, either. GREAT.  BUT. Do you know what?! This kid went straight inside and into the arms of a stranger?! She did everything that they asked her to. Faith did, as well. They both seemed to like it, but Faith told me that she didn't get to do flips. Maybe that will come.

Cody came home early to have some special time with Cameron. They went hunting for the first time! Cody said that Cam did a great job sitting quietly, but not so much on sitting still.  I think that Cameron simply loved being along with his Daddy. He was so cute in his camo.  They saw one deer.

So, here I am wide awake and blogging at 10 p.m.  They are fast asleep...although the girls had a ball laughing at who knows what for what seemed like forever in their bedroom. These firsts have me all excited. I can't wait until we start team sports. I'm gonna' be that crazy mom yelling in the stands. I just know it! LOL!

You Never Know WHAT They Will Say

All parents highly anticipate their children to utter their first words. I know that we did! I couldn't wait for them to be able to converse, be able to tell me what was troubling them, or say those three lovely words of, "I love you." Well, of course, we have three talkers now....and sometimes I'm a bit nervous as to WHAT they will say. Other times, I am in complete awe at what they come up with. Car rides are definitely more interesting. The dinner table is never silent. You simply never know WHAT they will say!!! REALLY!!! I was reminded of that many times this weekend.

Faith put me in my place a couple of times in the past two days. I had gotten someone to make the girls some dresses for fall pictures. I was SUPER pumped up about them. As my luck would have it, I got the dresses and they did not fit. Grrrrr.  Of course, I was upset. Faith was taking it all in. She said, "Mom, sometimes day [they] don't fit. Sometimes days [theys] dos."  Thank you for those words of wisdom, Faith.  It must have not been my weekend because I also got bitten by what seemed like a herd of mosquitos. My legs are nothing but bites and HUGE bruises from them. They were itching like crazy and I was being whiny.  Faith said, "Mom. If you keep scratchin' dem [them], day [they] gonna itch worse." Yes, Faith. Again, you are right. :)

Cameron is my more laid back one. He usually doesn't offer words of bossiness.  He said one cute thing this weekend, though.  Someone had taken my decorative angel figurines from my shelf. So, I came in the living room and said, "WHERE are my angels?!" Cameron looks up and says, "Right here!" No, honey. I mean, which one of YOU angels took my angel decorations?! It was so sweet, though, that I could not correct him. I just said, "Yes! You are right here!" :)

Mallory, well.....she is talking more and more each day. Sometimes she says things you want to hear, and sometimes it's things that you would rather NOT hear...lol! Her new favorite words are, "Don't boda [bother] me." Haha. She means business, too. So, I normally listen to her! :)

Love these kids.

Miss Bossy, herself

Camo and Leotards

EXTRA, EXTRA....we have big news in the Patrick house!!! Well...not that big...just exciting. Well...not that exciting. We simply have a busy week ahead that involves a couple of firsts for the girls!

Mallory will be heading to school, too!!! WOW!!! I had planned to send her after Christmas, but they have an opening now, so, why not? I am not sure how she will do. She went to sneak a peek at her teachers on Thursday and acted shy....but interested in staying. Cody said that when they got in the parking lot she said, "Stay with me Daddy?" So, she WANTED to stay...which is a step in the right direction. :)  I can't believe my babies are growing up!!! MY GOODNESS!!! Funny and sweet story from their school this week? Well, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, Faith responded with "a camel," and Cameron responded with, "like my daddy." Looks like I have one class clown on my hands....and it's not Cameron. ;)

Tuesday, Faith and Mallory will be going to their first gymnastics class. WOOHOO! Again, not so sure how they will do, but I KNOW that Faith will LOVE it once she gets comfortable. She is constantly turning flips and doing little dance moves. Her class is a gymnastics and dance combination class. Cam does not seem disappointed in not going....I asked him if he wanted to and he acted appalled...like...."Momma, really?!"  He said, "I play football." LOL. Definitely his daddy's boy. Since the girls are getting leotards, it is only fair that he gets new camo...or so I am told by daddy. :)

We also have a busy weekend ahead. MeMe's birthday party at our house...AND....shopping for those leotards and that camo!!!

Getting Things into Perspective...and other funny tales

So, the past weekend was one of the best that I've had in a while. Not sure why, really. We did nothing special, but I was so appreciative of it. Sure, it was nice to get away from work, but I really was able to have a moment or two to sit back and recognize how blessed we are. Beautiful children. Happy children. Healthy children. Happy family. Yes, I am battling with my issues of wanting to stay home, but....Oh. My. Goodness. We seem to be surrounded by people, events, and situations that are far more heart wrenching than a mother's want to stay home. My heart breaks each time I see a facebook update of children, who are suffering from illness...fighting a battle that no child should ever fight. So, this weekend, I had a little slap of reality....moments that put things into perspective.  Lord, please be with those courageous children and their precious families.

On to happier notes...

Yes. This weekend was nice. We were able to do a little shopping and spend time with my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. It was great. The weather was nice. The kids were WONDERFUL. They are really growing up. At a restaurant, I had someone come up to us and say, "They are so GOOD and ADORABLE!" Yep. I have to say they are BOTH! :) My stories of their mischief may indicate otherwise, but they ARE really great kids. For the most part, they follow directions, and my heart smiles each time I hear them say, "Thank you," or "My lub you momma."  Mallory has gotten on a kick of saying the latter at least FIFTY times a day. It never gets old. EVER. EVER.

I do have a few funny stories from the weekend (which again may indicate something OTHER than SWEET CHILDREN!):

Story One: Makin' Deals

Not sure where all of this talk of making deals has come from. All of the kids are VERY much into making deals. Cameron woke up Saturday morning, saw the sun, and said, "Get up daddy. The sun is out. Dat already the deal!" Later that day, Faith claimed from the back seat, "Ok. We listen to music a little bit, then we watch a movie. That's the deal."

Story Two: Toilet Paper Tail

Faith is too busy. Although she is the girl, who was supposed to be easier to potty train than Cameron, she is the one, who still has accidents. She simply doesn't have time to go. She always comes back with, "It's just a wittle bit!" She knows that just a "wittle bit" doesn't really matter to me, and she knows that I am not a happy momma when these "accidents" happen. I was at the stove on Sunday evening. I hear Faith calling Cam's name. Hmmmm. I turn around to see Faith standing in the living room half naked with a toilet paper tail...yes...coming from her hiney. She is ecstatic claiming, "I have a tail, Cam." I knew something was up...as if THAT wasn't a clue. So, there I go chasing her into the bathroom to find an "accident" that she was trying to clean up herself. GREAT. I was busy telling her, "You need a diaper. I am going to get you one!" She was all upset....especially when we found Mallory hurriedly grabbing diapers and placing them in Faith's panty drawer. BOY DID THAT DO IT....Faith was FURIOUS. All I could do was laugh!  Mallory learns from the best....which leads into story three.

Story Three: "My not wear panties...my wear boxa briefs!!!"

Anyone, who knows Cam, knows that he likes to tease. He loves to tell his Poppy that he wears diapers or panties. Of course, in return, my dad torments him about HIS wearing panties. I must get SOME pesty habits from my dad because I decided to do some teasing myself this weekend. As I was folding Faith's princess panties, I told Cam that I would put them in HIS underwear drawer. He laughed it off. Soon, I found a pair of HIS underwear in MY drawer. That little sneak. I can't get ANYTHING on him!!!

Yes. I have crazy kids. I have funny kids. I. AM. BLESSED. :)

Looks ARE Deceiving

I am not one to judge working mothers. As a whole, we are working as hard as we can to do the best that we can in so many different realms. I do, however, often think, "How does she do it?! Four kids, work, ballgames, etc?! That chick has it together!" I am sure that others may think that I have it together, too. I am one of those....that everything looks pretty decent on the outside.  My house is considerably clean, my classroom is cute and organized, I post happy smiling pictures on facebook. However, you have not seen my closets, drawers, purse, and under the beds. You have never seen me post the pictures of the times that I really want to pull my hair out! The mess in my closet and drawers is probably the best depiction of my life....from the inside at least.  My mind is all over the place. My heart is torn between home and work. I keep a jumbled, nervous stomach most of the time. So. Yes. Looks are deceiving.

Let me tell you a not-so-pretty story. I pulled in the driveway yesterday. Johnny Appleseed activity in my hand (I was pretty pumped about that), I hear Cameron screaming bloody murder. I get closer to the door and hear screams of, "I want my daddy!!!" Ok. So I am NOT the person that Cam was wanting to see. Boo. It might sound silly, but I was just so saddened by it...and a little infuriated (not at Cam...but just the situation). The only thing that made it better was that when I DID get in arms reach, Cameron DID want me, and I held him close. However, my mind was simply whirling, and I heatedly told Cody later in the evening, "THAT is what happens when DADDY takes them to school. THAT is what happens when DADDY picks them up. THAT is what happens when momma is NEVER there!" THAT is what happens when DADDY has to give them a bath at night because I was literally so exhausted and achy from whatever this is that I have that I couldn't move...not to mention the depression of it had set in. You can call me silly, sensitive, unappreciative, crazy, or whatever it is that you want after reading this, but, boy, is this feeling better getting it all out. I can't usually verbalize it because I get in such an emotional state! Writing is better. So. No, I don't have it all together. No. My ducks are not ALL in a row (just some of them).

Getting back to the initial paragraph: I NEVER judge working mothers. EVER. We are fighting the same battles every day and some of us are fighting battles that we don't begin to know about. I don't even judge mothers, who WANT to work, and the thought of staying at home makes the cringe. Whatever floats your boat. It's not me, though. It's not me at ALL. I give my heart and soul into my work with the children of others. I love them like they are mine. The problem is that I have given so much, that I feel that my work at home is inadequate. That is NOT OK. Since I can not really do anything about it at this point, I pray that I can come to peace with my performance at work and home. I don't think that I have ever found a balance between the two although I desperately need to.

Surprises, Surprises

Kids are just full of surprises. I don't just mean the "turn around and find them standing on the counter" kind of surprises, either (although, my kids are FULL of those). I'm talking about the surprises that make you so very proud (although it IS impressive that Cam can climb handles of the kitchen cabinets).

This week, I am SO surprised and proud of my little ones. Cameron, has totally impressed me with his being the "tough guy." Never, ever, ever did I think that he would take going to school so well. I ALWAYS said, "Cam needs Faith." Well, he has yet to cry at school, and it is quite the opposite. Faith needs Cam.  Faith is really stepping it up this week, though. She didn't cry today...after only three days! WOOHOO! Mallory, who I so feared of leaving home by herself, is actually soaking it up! I think that she is enjoying the solo time. She has her own book bag and does her own thing while Faith and Cam are away. She has yet to cry about being alone. So...yes...my kids have surprised me this week, and they have made me so, so proud.

Faith and Cam really seem to like school. They are quick to tell me of the kids that have "moved apples" or done something inappropriate, which makes me fearful of what THEY are doing. Haha. I would really love to be a fly on the wall in there. I'm a bit disappointed in that when I finally get home, they have tired of talking about school. I want details!!! They look at me like, "Mom. We are so over talking about school." HAHA!

On another note, the sitter is out this week. My family is so wonderful. We have grandparents, great-grandparents, and aunts pitching in. How great is that?! I think that the kids are liking the change-up although they miss their Granny B.  I am having to take on more at home with more washing and tidying up (Granny B normally handles much of this). Call me crazy, but I am enjoying it (ask me on Friday and the story may be different). I often tire of relying on other people to do things that I feel like I should be doing (don't judge...I can be a control freak). So, for now, I am liking taking on these extra duties. FOR. NOW.

Here is a pic that Cody sent me this morning. I make him send me one most mornings. The kids think they have to take one every day, as well. They actually mentioned taking a picture to Cody first. LOL!

I will post a pic of Mallory tomorrow. Right now, she is soaking it up by spending the night with Pat and YaYa...a special treat since she does not get to go to school. She is loving it, and I am sure that I will have a cute pic to come!

Here We GO!

So, I thought that I was the tough one. I laughed about Cody not being able to take the first day of school with the kiddos. BIG. MISTAKE.

The kids met the teacher last Thursday. I happily took them. I was fine. On the drive over, however, I began to get this sense of panic...a tummy full of butterflies, a bit of a rapid heartbeat, and a lump in my throat...yep....felt like it was MY first day of school (and it was JUST open house!). I really didn't think much of it, though It was just the stress of getting them ready and the worry of leaving Mallory unhappily behind...right? Well...wrong. When we went through the door of the church, I got this overwhelming need to cry. I felt the tears coming up in the corners of my eyes, and I fought. HARD. For the first few minutes, I couldn't really look at the teachers, I just looked at the kids and occupied myself with them....that was the ONLY way I was going to get through it. I did...they did. They were SUPER excited before going, but they became extremely shy when arriving. There were no tears(from them) and not that much clinging. So I was pleased. They seemed excited to return! YAY!

Right before Open House

The big day was today. I was not looking forward to it...although I know that my kids will LOVE it and I WANT them to go. IT'S. SO. SAD. Faith and Cameron were easy to wake up and get going...half of the battle! They were super excited to head out. They even bounded out of the car, posing for pictures. Then, we entered the church. Long story short, Cam became very quiet and we left Faith screaming. I can not count the number of times that I  have cried today....leaving the school, talking to others about the experience, and the list goes on.

They were so excited!

Cameron being silly...Faith looks sad, but she wasn't at this point...just an itchy eye! ;)

Getting a little scared!

 



Good news is....THEY LOVED IT. Faith did not cry for long (so I am told), they were full of details from their day, and they are ready to go back (we shall see tomorrow)!!! YAY!!! I asked Cameron if he talked to his teachers. His reply? "Yeah. I said my can tee-tee all [by] myself." Ha. Ha. He also said that his favorite part was the "paygound."  Faith was a bit quiet about her day, but she did say that she had fun.

I can't wait to see what happens day by day!!! If I could stop this insane crying, I think we will be good to go! OMIGOODNESS!