My Child!

This could easily be one of my children. Can you guess which one? An unlocked Dollar Store, it doesn't get much more fun than that to a kid. Just think how much fun the boys could have had with all of them together in this situation. It cracks me up at the end how the little boy is so excited to see the police. I can just hear him "Officer, come play with me. I found all these fun toys!"

I Looked Out the Window

You will not believe this! I looked out the window, and what did I see? No, not my children dangling from the rooftops. Even more incredible! I just looked out ans it was SNOWING! Snow, in NC, in Raleigh, in November. Forget White Christmas, we really might end up with that white Thanksgiving the forecast is hinting at. The world must be coming to an end if this is happening.

Students and Such

The latest and greatest around here is fantastic! Thomas got treasure box a few weeks ago, then he got it again last week. FINALLY!!! Unfortunately, we already blew it this week. He came home from school with a note that he had hit one of his friends.... in the nose.... with his fist. So much for two weeks in a row. We will just have to keep trying. At least we are on the improvement track. Tyler is now registered for classes and starts a math class in January. My little boy is all grown up and going to college. Yeah, whatever, no tears here. Not like he is that little either :) We are so excited that he is starting on his way to the degree he wants so badly. After helping me through, we can't wait to return the favor and cheer him all along the way. The goal is for him to graduate college before Thomas graduates High School. That sounds reasonable. As for the other two, we just can't wait for them to be in school and out of my hair. They are so good and we have lots of fun around the house. Yesterday Jerry came up to me wearing garden gloves. He said "I ride my motorcycle to work, like Daddy. I wear gloves and a hemet." (If you haven't heard the hemet story, give me a call, it is so much funnier when you hear him say it.) Not that Daddy rides his bike to work (tools don't fit in a tank bag so well), but at least Jerry knows to wear all the gear when he rides. Michael is as snuggly and sweet as ever. Right now he is hiding under his pajamas that never made it to the laundry and making cute noises. He waves now and I taught him to blow kisses last week. He also smacks himself on the forehead when you say "Oh no!" He is such a funny little baby. Me... I have a headache, 3 little boys, and lots more performances coming up. Life is good.

One month from tomorrow we leave for the trip. Can you believe it is that time already? Happy thoughts and wishes to everybody this wonderful season. Remember all you are thankful for and all that we are blessed with. Although things may not be perfect or easy, we are truly blessed. Take the time to slow down and focus on what is really important and share where you can. Even a smile can mean the world to someone.

Halloween

The boys all had a blast this Halloween. After several parties, we finally reached the big night. Pirates are a favorite in our house lately, so Thomas and Jerry paraded around as the cutest pirates in town. Michael was the usual 1 year old bumble bee. Of course, he was the most adorable, fuzziest bumble bee to be seen. We went to Lolly's neighborhood to avoid the massive crowds around our house. This was Jerry's magical year when he discovered that trick-or-treating is fun and easy work. By the end, when someone answered the door, he would start jumping up and down and yelling "Candy!!Candy!!" as only an excited 2 year old can. Of course, his reaction endeared him to the givers and the kids got more goodies. Little kids are definitely what makes the annual sugar fest, part one (we still have Christmas to come), so much fun. All told, we hit 15 houses. From the looks of their bags and the number of times we had to unload their bags into the diaper bag, you would think we had knocked on as many doors as a missionary in a day. Now I am the candy Nazi and the goodies are highly regulated around here, even for the adults. Thanks to those of you who the boys have such a fun time. Also, thank goodness Lolly remembered to take out her camera, otherwise there would be no pictures of pirates and bees. Silly Mommy flaked and left the camera buried in the bottom of the bag. I guess I was to busy with kids to remember a thing like a camera.

Any thoughts on next year's costumes?

A Matter of Cost

This is the year for our trip to AZ for Christmas. We have finally reached the point of being cheaper to drive than to fly, so guess what we are doing. With gas prices being such a bugger lately, we have had the trip in the back of our minds each time we fill up the mom mobile. I just found a cool feature on the website gas buddy that predicts the cost of your trip, depending on gas prices along your trip route. What did we find out? Exactly what we already knew. To fly, we would have to shell out about $3000 for air fare and a rental once we get there, plus figuring in "stuff" while we are out there. To drive, $212.76, each way, for a total of $425.52 plus the possible hotel stop along the way. Gee, which one is better. Even with taking extra time off work, driving is by far the more practical choice. So, now we can go to Pete's for every meal instead of just one. Monster Burgers, here we come. Oh yeah, and we'll see the family too.

Treasure Box

Thomas has a slight issue at school that we have been working on. The first week of school, he came home and excitedly said "When you talk in class, you get your name on the board!" We eventually got him set straight that your name on the board is not a good thing. In his class, you get a green check each day you don't get your name on the board, along with a reward of Skittles or M&Ms. After a week of green checks, you get the treasure box. We usually do great on the first day of the week. Second day is usually pretty good too. By day three, you can be almost sure we don't have a green check coming home in the homework folder. This was such an issue, that his teacher and I talked about it in our conference at the end of the first quarter. I told her the day he got treasure box I just might take him to Chuck-E-Cheese (nasty place that it is, the kids love it, or at least the idea of it in our case, since he has never been.)

The first week back from break, he had 3 green checks. All we had to do was get one more. Friday, when I asked him if he had a green check, he said he didn't. Rats! He probably lost his green check at 2:00, at the end of the day. So, last week, we tried again. Every day I got oh so excited for each day he had a check. Every day, as I dropped him off, I would remind him to get a green check. Each day he came home with a green check. Friday was the big day. Would he get the treasure box? 3:15, Thomas comes through the door. "Did you get a green check today?" I asked. "I GOT TREASURE BOX!!!" was his excited reply. (Of course, his toy is a most annoying McDonald's Happy Meal toy that plays music. Not like that one can conveniently disappear any time soon.) Finally, after 12 weeks, we finally had a complete week of green checks. Can I just tell you the party I wanted to throw. We called anyone we could think of who knew our battle. Also, I have become a sappy mom. Yes, I nearly wanted to cry I was so excited and proud of him. Instead we just did a Happy Dance.

So, tonight, we are going to CiCi's for dinner. He loves it, and it means I don't have to fix dinner. I think I can manage to pinch the budget enough for this treat. Now, can we do it again this week? Check back and see.

Unihorse

Thomas is working on letters. We go over recognition, sounds, and words that start with the letter. Last night we got to the letter "U" and the "U" word he gave me was unihorse. I knew exactly what he meant and double over on the floor laughing. Tyler was lost, at best. He said "what?" Thomas repeated, "a unihorse. It has a long pointy horn that comes out his head like this." Then Tyler got it and started laughing just as hard. I think from now on, I will call it a unihorse, because it is a horse with a long pointy thing on his head, no corn to be found. Sometimes it takes a kid to make us realize how silly some of our words or descriptions are. Nope, still not seeing any corn on this horse.

Pirates

While enjoying Sunday dinner at Lolly's house, they boys decided to be pirates. Pirates with umbrellas. Pirates with winter hats and scarves and gloves, on a blazing hot June day. Yes, I have the best pirates ever. They sang pirate songs and said "Arrrrr" over and over. I am sure there was some plank walking involved, but I don't remember all the details. I do remember all of us laughing hysterically for quite a while. Eventually the pirates left and the boys and Aunt Amanda (she is so great!) came back. You never know when they will reappear.

Operatic Family

Another night at the opera. This time Thomas had family there with him. Nope, not the professional opera singer, again. Tyler got to be part of this one. Thomas was one of the town people, and Tyler was a prop moving town person. Also, one of my piano students had the chance to be a town person. I got to watch from the balcony, again. (Huge thanks to Lolly for keeping the little two so I could see the show one night!) I was invited to be in the chorus, but was involved in another opera at the same time and it was too much to do two operas at the same time. Turns out, I should have gone with the Italian opera and turned down the French from the start. Maybe next time...

Michael in Motion

Michael is growing, so here is some fun stuff for proof. When he is hot, tired, or mad, his hair stands up all over. It cracks me up, so I just had to take a picture one day.I think he is sufficiently mad here. One day he will look back and laugh, but for the moment, not so much. I think I will blow up the picture, make a mask out of it, and hold it up to my face when I am having a bad moment. Then I can be cute and mad, all at the same time.



While getting ready for bed, I decided to take the requested video of Michael walking. Jerry, um, helps him. Yes, my kids are running around in diapers. Sometimes it is just diapers, others is diapers and a shirt. It just makes changes so much easier. Besides, if I could run around nekkid in this heat and humidity, you bet I would. Well, if I had a fabulous body and outrageous self confidence. Oh yeah, and no sense of modesty.




Michael also made videos difficult because as soon as I started trying to record, he came running at me, full tilt. At least you get the idea. I love the way babies walk when they are learning. They look like Frankenstein.

So there you have it. Michael is a wild headed, fluffy headed, walking, moving boy. Who just happens to be the cutest little baby around, if I do say so.

Michael Walker

Michael Walker is now officially a walker. He started walking last week, and he adds a few more steps each day. He is so funny when he smiles and makes a baby run for me. Then, he gets a step or two away and falls forward, absolutely sure that you will catch him.

We seem to be somewhat adjusted to our new routine. We drop Thomas off at school, then we hit the gym. The gym is fabulous and I look forward to my time each day. Best part, besides getting to work out and have time alone, is that the childcare is free. Oh yeah, I make full use of my 2 hours. Maybe I will start taking showers there, just so I can have them uninterrupted by hooligans.

Thomas loves school and his teachers think he is great. We also found out that he is quite protective of a little, and I mean little, girl in his class. His teacher says that she is very shy and quiet, but when she is with Thomas, she talks up a storm and they tend to get in trouble for talking too much. He waits for her and she waits for him, and he makes sure she is included in anything they do. Yup, we are just a bit proud of him. I guess this means we did something right in the parenting department. Thomas is also doing more operas. He was so good in Butterfly, that he was called back to do another.

Jerry is a riot. He laughs at just about anything and has lots of fun, at least when he isn't having a temper tantrum. Also, he talks, a lot. He was in speech for a while because he wouldn't talk at all. Now, he is non stop. Every day he has more words that he says. He also seems to be developing the memory like a steel trap like Thomas. He hears something once, even in passing, and will tell you about it later. He is also big on possession. Everything belongs to someone. Fortunately, he has not started the "everything is mine" phase. Jerry also loves to sing. At church, he has to have his own hymn book and he sings along. It is so sweet and so cute, half the time I can't sing because I am laughing at him.

Michael is so dang cute. He smiles and laughs and loves. He also is on whole milk now, so that frees me up quite a bit. Still no sleeping though the night, but we are working on that. He also likes to eat. He was really fussy for a few days, until I figured out that he was still hungry. Hooray, a house of three growing boys. Michael loves music too. When I am teaching, he tends to throw fits, but not because he isn't the center of attention. No, my baby throws fits because he isn't the one playing the piano. He loves to play and will bend over backwards in my arms to be able to play.

A favorite activity in out house is to have both pianos going and lots of us singing. I am thrilled that they all love music so much and that it is such a central part of our home. It is such a blessing that all of us appreciate music. Maybe we will be the next Von Trapp or Osmond family, without so many kids. Then again, maybe not.

We are all growing and changing, for the better. We are happy and there are so many good things in out lives right now. Each day, we share what we are thankful for, and there are new things each day. We love our family and friends and are so grateful for them and all they do for us. We are blessed in so many ways.

Fun Video

These are some of our favorite characters singing that fabulous song that gets stuck in your head. At least for all you Discovery Channel fanatics. Can you spot the former opera singer? The answer might surprise you. Too bad it's missing all the pretty pictures they show when it plays on Discovery. Check out the Discovery Channel website for the "official" video with the pics and more characters, but minus the kids.

Sing with me now... "Boom de ah dah Boom de ah dah..."

What Parents Think

My mom sent this article to me this morning. It made me think and look back on some of my choices. It also made me think about me as a parent. News and Observer says you can't publish the article, but I can give you the link. So, with that in mind, for your reading pleasure, what parents think of their kids. Enjoy, and add any of your thoughts about what parents think of their kids.

SCHOOL

Thomas is officially in school now. Last week he went for one day, so that didn't really count in my book. This morning, I dropped him off in the carpool line, then went to run errands with only 2 kids. The morning routine still needs work, but we will figure it out soon enough. My next big task, school related, is to get the other two on a schedule. Thomas is so excited to be at school and loves his teachers already. He thinks it is so cool to wear a uniform. He loves his red backpack and tells everyone about it. Also, his lunchbox is pretty cool too. Target Dollar Bins, baby, lunchbox, ice packs, sandwich box all from the fabulous dollar bins that are stocked with Lightning McQueen gear. Of course, Jerry has the same stuff too, he has to be just like Thomas, like any good little brother does. I can't believe Thomas is old enough to be in school, but we are all so excited for him to be able to go. His school is fantastic, and I don't mind that I have to take him every day (charter schools don't provide transportation). We are looking forward to all he will learn, and all that he will teach us. 3 more years for Jerry, time to start counting.

Disasters Galore

The boys have been a bit busy lately. Where shall I begin?

• Styrofoam blizzard in my dining room. They took my Disney Princess figurines out of the china hutch, and destroyed the molded styrofoam for my snow globes. Lucky for them, they didn't break any actual figurines.
• Jerry likes to take everything out of all the drawers and throw it all over the room.
  
• Jerry drinking 1/2 bottle Milk of Magnesia and the following mess. Thank goodness for spot cleaners, because he left evidence all over
• Digging a hole in the wall, pushing out the plaster patch TWICE, making the hole bigger, making the hole bigger, making the hole bigger again, and spraying sunscreen into the hole. Now we have to cut all the sheetrock out on both sides to prevent mold.
• Depositing toys into the hole in the wall
• Somehow getting the closet door off track
  
• Jerry broke two eggs in the fridge, again
• Jerry climbed up the inside of the fridge and fell out and took a shelf with him
• Thomas ate 20 Jr. Tylenol and spent a day in the ER and got to drink charcoal
• Jerry ate some of the roses for a wedding cake I am working on
• Both big boys tear off the blinds
• Drawer from the dresser now in 4 pieces
• Carvings on the top of the other dresser
• Jerry peed on the kitchen floor
• Toothpaste all over the beds, pillows, carpet, and window (after I had told Thomas to get the toothpaste out of the hallway and put it in the bathroom, yet it managed to end up in their bedroom)
• Scraping paint off the dressers
• Pushing the mattress and box spring off the bed and ripping off the fabric on the bottom of the box spring
• Pulling the mattress off the bed again, and again
• Sliding down the train table top while it is propped up against the bed
• Ripping off or out, still not sure which, the rails for the dresser drawers
  
• "Washing" the train table in their room, along with several stuffed animals, with bath soap crayons.
• "Washing" the train table again the next day
• CD in the VCR, I guess in an attempt to watch a DVD
  
• Jerry dumped water all over the van and himself from his water bottle
  
• Lots of cuts and scrapes from various sources, including running the closet door over toes

There are plenty other disasters, but they all start to run together, and when the next big one comes, I tend to forget some of the previous.
Poor Michael. Not that you can really tell, but he is covered in milk from his bottle. His hair is all wet and sticky and he had little drops of milk on his forehead. Dern if he wasn't cute like that too. While I cleaned up Jerry's overnight Milk of Magnesia mess, I asked Thomas to help Michael with his bottle. Thomas came in and told me Michael squirted the bottle on him. I went in to look and Michael was covered too. Then, later in the day, I discovered my carpet is crunchy from the milk.
The lovely sight that greeted me this morning.
Pudding mix, about 15 boxes, all over my floor and dining room furniture, in my candy making bottles, in my candy molds.
Pudding and water mix squirted all over the bathroom walls. I discovered this lovely mess when I went to the bathroom later.
And, of course, more evidence. Everybody knows pudding mix is a great sink cleaner.

If you can't tell, things around here have been a bit of a nightmare. My house is more destroyed by the day. Any suggestions, other than duct taping them all to the wall? As usual, I hope I will laugh at this later, but for now it is just irritating. Maybe you can get a laugh until I do.

Delayed

I know, I know. Still no beach post. You see, there has been a slight problem here. Thankfully, I was able to steal pictures from my aunt. Unfortunately, I am having computer issues. Internet bit it for a while, the screen on the laptop is broken, and other issues. As soon as we fixed one, another problem appeared. I have not forgotten, as my cousin seems to think, I just am not having good luck. I can post text, but pictures are a bit difficult. I will say that we had a blast and can't wait to go back. Nobody came home baked, a little pink in a couple places a time or two, but no lobsters. The boys loved the ocean and family and the sand. I think it took a week to get all the sand cleaned out of the boys, the mom-mobile is another story. Keep checking back, evidence of the fun will appear before too long, as well as stories of helmets and adventures.

Where did she Pass?

Last night we had one of those funny moments where you just have to laugh at the English language. Thomas was asking where someone's mom was. He told Thomas that she had passed away. Thomas asked where she passed. Well, um... yeah, stumped, awkward. How on earth do you respond to that one? Just another example of how trying to make the truth sound nice just leads to confusion. Why can't we say "she died" without feeling like we are saying the wrong thing? OH well. I hope you laughed as hard as we did. Or maybe you just had to be there.

In case you didn't know

I just have to take a minute and brag. For those of you who don't know, I have a wonderful husband. He puts up with me and all my mess, and doesn't complain. He is very supportive of my music and all the rehearsal and performance time that goes with it. I remember at my graduation recital, as soon as I finished, he jumped to his feet to give me a standing ovation. I couldn't look at him because I was about to cry. He was bursting with pride, and it meant the world to me.

He is a wonderful father. He loves the boys and I love to watch them play together. Thomas loves to help him mow the grass. Even though it takes twice as long, he lets Thomas tag along. Jerry is his little buddy, and Tyler can get Jerry to sit still and snuggle on the couch with him, which nobody else can. He can also make Michael laugh like nobody else. As funny as it sounds, he puts Michael on top of his head, then wiggles his head around on Michael's tummy. Michael laughs and laughs, and Tyler just grins. Tyler may not smile much in pictures, but the boys can make him smile.

He works incredibly hard to provide for our family. Often, he puts his wants aside so that we can have what we want. He teaches the boys by example to be hard workers and to do what they say. He is also very talented. He is able to visualize something, then build it, without any drawings (have you seen our garage storage?). He also is very good at designing and putting his idea into sketches, so I can understand what he is talking about. He is an incredible mechanic and is able to keep our vehicles running. He is a fabulous handyman too. The boys are forever breaking things, and he fixes the disasters. He has a strong desire for education. He supported me through mine, with all it's bumps and bruises along the way. He wants the boys to do well in school too, and will encourage and support them in any way he can. If there is an opportunity for education for any of us, he supports it. He also has an incredible sense of duty, to his family and country and church. Family is his first priority, and he says it often. He fulfills his church callings and honors his priesthood. I don't know anyone who has as much pride in his country. I guess that is part of what makes him such a great Marine.

Tyler is a wonderful husband and father. We are so lucky to have him as part of our family. We love him so much, and look forward to many more learning experiences with him. And no, no picture, because he doesn't like them.

Pause

Just in case you might be interested, I am not ignoring the blog. We are OUTTA HERE! This is beach week with the extended family. Oh, wait, many of you who read the blog will be there with us. I am sure we will come home with all kinds of fun stories and misadventures to share. Be prepared for buried brothers, sand in strange places, attempted drownings, and lots of laughs and fun and sun. Now, everybody cross your fingers that we manage to keep the sun burns to a minimum. Especially since the dermatologist will be on hand to beat me for any burns our little family incur. Ah, I can hear the waves now........

Consider Myself Warned

Lately I have been getting lots of laughs and warnings when people hear of the trouble of Jerry. The most common is something along the lines of "Well, you named him Jerry. What did you expect?" This is usually followed by some sort of story about my dad causing trouble or some sort of wild misadventure. Often these tales include my dad smiling, charming, and laughing. Yes, my Jerry is named after my dad. From all the stories I hear and from what I remember, my dad was a character. I love to hear the stories of my dad. I especially love to run into his old, and you can interpret old to whichever meaning you choose ;) friends. My Jerry is often compared to my dad, Jerry. This is fine, it is an honor. After all, we named him Jerry for a reason. So now, a request. If you have any stories of my dad that stories of my Jerry trigger, share away. At least I know my dad survived childhood without being strangled or taped to a tree. And he turned out to be a pretty decent guy too. Some days that is all I have to hold on to. "My dad was crazy, but was a great man. My dad was crazy, but was a great man. My dad was crazy, but was a great man....."

(note: if you think your stories are too long or too personal to post, feel free to email them. I would still love to hear any and all of them)

War Paint

Sunday seems to be a bad day in our house. Especially if it involves a nap for me. *SIGH* Jerry is a mess, in so many ways. Yes, he put mascara on his eye. Yes, he put eyeliner on his cheek. Yes, he has foundation and mascara in his hair. Yes, it was all over my carpet and couches. No, I didn't take pictures of the carpet and couches. No, it still isn't all out. I also have foundation on my door from when he was in time out and rubbed his head on the door. Yes, that bag of Tostitos ended up on the floor too. At least it was an easy vacuum fix. I should be glad I don't keep my lipstick in with the rest of my makeup. Oh, wait, a couple weeks ago he colored the carpet with lipstick. Nevermind. Does he look upset, no, the stinker smiled for the camera. He is lucky he is cute. Cute is what keeps him alive sometimes. (Little funny... in swim lessons today, he looked like he got punched in the face. He still had mascara on his lashes and it was running and smearing around his eye. Serves him right? Nope, it was just cute, dangit.)

Stay tuned for whatever the child does next.

Scrambled Eggs

Father's Day morning was fantastic. I dragged my sorry, sleepy behind out of bed and made the requested French Toast. Tyler got cards from everybody and seemed to enjoy the morning. We all ate, got ready for church, got out the door, and were at church the regular 10 minutes early. I also noticed that many other families arrived at their usual times, unlike on Mother's Day. Just an observation. After we got home, we all went down for naps. Sort of...

Lie down in my nice comfy bed
Michael starts fussing
Feed Michael
Put Michael down
Michael screams
Give up and go to the guest room with Michael so Tyler can get a good nap
Fall asleep for a little while
"Mommy! Jerry is in the eggs"

Oh dear, let the adventure begin. I could only imagine what I was about to walk into. Jerry had cracked about 8 eggs on the counter, which dripped down the front of the cabinets and onto the floor. ( Maybe we should have bought more eggs last night, even though we had almost 2 dozen) After a bit of losing my cool and sending a screaming child to bed (again), I cleaned up the mess. Then I discovered the scissors on the table. The the freezie pop melted all over the table and chair. Then I remembered the chocolate lollipops I had made and put in the fridge. What did I find, you might ask? Someone, not sure who, forgot to lock the fridge. Yes, the fridge and pantry have to stay locked at all times thanks to Jerry. Damage: one completely eaten, 3 partially eaten, 1 with teeth marks. So much for giving those away. Well, what would you think if someone gave you a partially eaten pop or one with teeth marks? "Gee, um, thanks?"

No, no pictures of that one. My temper was too close to exploding this time. Not to worry, all children involved survived. I even had enough lollipops left for what I intended.

DORA!!!

Thomas has a girlfriend. Dora Hastings played the part of Kate, the Lieutenant's American wife. He did not interact with her on stage, but they had lots of fun backstage with their dressing rooms across from each other. Dora recently graduated from UNC-G with her masters in music performance. If I remember correctly, this is her first big professional production. Thomas fell in love with her almost immediately and she is so sweet is it no wonder he did. If only she were a few years younger, or Thomas were a few years older *sigh* At rehearsals, they played hide-and-seek, colored, and had lots of fun. Every day he would see her and excitedly scream "Dora!" He also told her all about Dora the Explorer. Thomas also wanted to give Dora a gift when the show was over. Of course, a Dora the Explorer something was first choice. Instead of a doll or some other little thing, we found a water bottle. So now Dora has a water bottle with Dora on it. We wish her many happy wishes and success as she moves forward in her career. If you happen to be in New York and have the chance to see the Seagle Music Colony, stop in and see her.

More cast members to come.....

Opera Star

Thomas had the wonderful opportunity to be part of the cast of Madama Butterfly with the Opera Company of North Carolina. The production was absolutely beautiful and the cast was full of amazing people and talent. The combination of the singers, orchestra, lighting, set, costumes, and all the other elements was breathtaking. Even those who may not be opera fans could appreciate the beauty and emotion that penetrated every corner of the auditorium. Although I heard it many times, I still got goosebumps every time.

Does anybody else find it amusing that it is Thomas in the cast and not me?!?! Anyway... He had a blast, to put it mildly. His part was the child, Sorrow. Every day he would go to "opera practice" with "my friends." There was no stranger there. He made many new friends and I got to be part of the opera scene again. Everybody seemed to love him and enjoy him and his excitement. I am most appreciative of all the cast and crew and management. All of them were so patient with him and so kind. They played with him and encouraged him.

Once the show came around, he had no fear. I was so proud of him and all he did. He stayed focused on his part and the singers on stage, and never looked out to the audience. Many people told me what a fantastic job he did. Maryanne, the director, has performed as the lead and directed the show many times. She said that Thomas was the best child she has ever worked with. She wasn't just saying it to be nice either, she also told my mom.

I am so thrilled that Thomas had such an incredible opportunity. Many thanks to those who got him involved and those who coached him to do such a wonderful job. Also, I can not say enough wonderful things about the entire cast. We would jump at the opportunity to do this again. Who knows, maybe next time we can both be in the cast.

You can check out the story of Madama Butterfly here. There was also a review in the newspaper about the show, and they even mention Thomas. Take a look! (A little note on the review: Mr Skinner, an attorney at Lolly's office, pointed out that the purpose of Sorrow is not to be cute, but to be an emotional pull. He is cute, but his role brings out the tears in almost anyone.) Thomas also got to have his picture in the program with his own bio. I think we have an opera star on our hands. At least a drama junkie.

Thomas in his Japanese costume. Just ignore the goofy face he is making. We still are working on his "smile" face for pictures.
The most adorable little sailor you will ever see. His socks are up here, but that never lasted long. You can also see the curl in his hair done with the teeniest curling iron I have ever seen.
This is the coolest tree! Thomas sat in it and sprinkled flower petals as Butterfly and Suzuki were singing their duet. Just picture him sprinkling, swinging his feet, and playing with the branches. Yeah, he is a cutie, and he will be sure to tell you (so humble).

My House is NOT a Cake

The following photos may disturb some of you. I was quite disturbed, to say the least. After much screaming and yelling and putting everybody in time out, including myself, we started to get things under control. I scrubbed, Tyler scrubbed. The kids still looked like easter eggs for several days, and the carpet still has a pink hue to it in a couple places. This would qualify as one of those days when you wonder "why did I even get out of bed this morning?!?!"

The disaster in the living room that greeted me one morning

Fabulous art work on the couches

The remains of what was once a cabinet holding all my cake decorating stuff. Jerry managed to pull the entire cabinet down and break it. You can also see the coloring gel all over the carpet.

The contents of the cabinet

My carpet, before lots of scrubbing. And, please note the light blue spot on the bottom right. NO, that is not cake coloring, that is dawn dish detergent.Jerry looking pitiful in time out
Thomas showing off his colorful self

Life in Motion

Michael started crawling tonight. He finally progressed from moving a hand or knee to actual motion. After a couple little tries, he made it half way across the room. Great. As if my life wasn't crazy before, now I have three mobile boys. Maybe I should build a track in my back yard.

Jerry is talking. No longer is he doing his weird talk in the back of his throat thing, he is talking. He also has to say everything twice. Instead of "hot," he says "hot, hot." Same with cold, milk, and his many other words. In a matter of about 6 weeks, he went from saying about 5 words to saying ten times that. Many words he still signs as he says them, which is cute and impressive.

Thomas just finished the opera. Throughout the rehearsals and performances, he ran to the car and ran to his place when it was time. No fear, just pure joy and excitement that was infectious. There will be an entire post on the opera later. As we left today, he asked when we will come back. I seem to have a feeling that we will be spending many more hours in the car and at rehearsals in the future.

I am trying to keep up with myself. Recently I told my good friend that I am turning into her. She is so nice and never says no and always volunteers for everything. As a result, "she meets herself coming and going," as my mom says. When I told her I was becoming her, she told me to stop and turn away from the dark side. We both just laughed and I know she loves doing it and those around her are grateful for all she does. Now, as my kids are starting school and providing me with more opportunities to be involved, my time is becoming full with volunteering and the inability to say no. If you can't find me in the future, chances are I can't either, so just keep trying.

A New Post is in Order

Life around here.... in a word, normal. Here is a quick rundown to get you all up to date on life around the Holmes Home.

• Thomas is in an opera
• Michael is trying to crawl
• Jerry is still into everything
• Thomas and Jerry painted my house, including the couch and carpet and themselves with cake decorating color gels (black, red, brown, and other dark colors)
• Thomas digs hole in wall
• Jerry gets stuck on window sill (and I leave him there with his arm stuck through the blinds as an "I told you so")
• Thomas was accepted into East Wake Academy, a charter school around here
• Jerry flooded the kitchen and counters and cabinets
• Aunt Amanda graduated from Meredith, hooray for another Meredith grad
  
• Uncle Bradford graduated from NCSU, we are secretly cheering on the inside
  
• Michael has a tooth
• We all went to Cleveland for cousin Nate's baptism, Uncle Doug's dental school graduation, and Uncle Doug's promotion to Captain in the USAF (Wahoo and huge congrats to both of them, we are all so proud we could pop)
• Thomas and Michael threw up in the car, after Jerry threw up on the carpet earlier in the day, and after Jerry had an exploded diaper in his bed, including on Teddy Bear
  
• Jerry took nose dives across the pavement and ended up with a nasty elbow, twice, once for each elbow on two different occasions
  
• Jerry threw the power source for my keyboard and broke Thomas's toe, and gave him a nasty toenail to boot
• Jerry fell out of bed at the hotel and got rug burns on his head
• Jerry fell out of bed at home and got a big bruise and bump on his head
• Tyler is doing very well at his job and has several clients who request him by name for service calls, even if the job is 3 hours away
• Rachel is keeping everything going while putting together a recital for my students

There ya have it. We're all just plugging along one day at a time. Gee, when I put it that way, life sounds pretty boring. Oh well, I guess I will just have to come up with a way to spice things up in the future. Sorry to bore you with our simple, average lives.

Shameless plug: Come see my piano and voice students do a recital. June 16, 7:00 at the Meredith concert hall in the music building. Call for more info.

The Insanity of Our House

I have been a bit slow in the posting lately. Not only am I not telling stories of our misadventures, but I am also getting a backlog of tags. So, quick update. Life around here is nuts, to say the least. WE have 3 boys who destroy together and love together. They also throw fits and get sick together. We tend to share everything around here, even those that are less than desirable for sharing. Jerry is having ear issues again, Michael is growing and developing a cute personality, and Thomas got accepted to the Academy we applied to and starts school July 28. Tyler is working lots doing his electrical work, and doing a fine job for himself and the company. Rachel is working lots. The latest and greatest on that front is being the accompanist for a musical. Oh yeah, and throw in teaching and a wedding and that keeps me busy. I now have an office, although not the most conventional office space. My office comes with heat, air, radio, and three carseats in the back. Life should slow down for a week, then pick back up, then slow down again until the fall. I say that now, but we all know that is not likely to stay the case.

So there you have it. The last month or so in a paragraph. That will have to do for now, a grumpy baby calls....

I Protest!

Have I ever mentioned that Jerry has a temper? If not, now you know, Jerry has a temper. Not only that, but he is stubborn beyond belief. Tyler and I have started questioning if he is more stubborn than either of us, if that were possible.

Last night, I put him in bed. He put his little head on his pillow, snuggled his snuggle blanket and Teddy Bear, and he had his pacifier in his mouth. By the time I put Michael to bed, about 30 minutes later, Jerry had been throwing a fit for some time. Thomas kept telling him to be quiet and go to sleep so he could. I had had enough of this fit, so I went in to put him back down. Well, what to my wondering eyes should appear....


Jerry, standing in his empty bed. He had thrown out his pillow, blanket, snuggle blanket, Teddy Bear, and pacifier. They were all over the room. At this point, he is pegged for hockey (big and tough) or baseball (good arm). Not only had he launched his bedding around the room, he also had tossed his pants out. I reached down to help him put them back on when I realized that he had also sent his diaper to the nether regions of the room. After replacing his diaper, jammas, and bedding, he finally went down for good.

I can't WAIT for the teenage years. :/

Funny Kids

My kids are nuts. They make me laugh many times a day.

The other day, Jerry was throwing a major temper tantrum. He has mastered the art of the 2 year old tantrum, in case you were wondering. In the middle of his fit, I sarcastically asked him "are you done yet?" He looked at me with his nastiest, grumpiest face and yelled "uh-uh!" Tyler and I just looked at each other and cracked up. At least he was honest. Back to throwing a fit.

Poor Thomas is suffering from the icky nose. He is going around snarfing all day and making me cringe every time. I seem to remember teaching him to blow his nose into a tissue some time ago. Last night, the snuffies woke him up. I asked him what was wrong because he was crying. He wailed some more and told me through the tears that he has "lost his smell." I am sure he will find it soon.

Michael is a little attention mongrel. He fusses until you look at him. If you don't do anything but look at him, he pokes out his bottom lip and gets ready to cry again. Yes, he has a preparation stage to his crying. Once you pick him up, he looks at you and grins his cute, huge, toothless grin. Yup, he got what he wanted and he knows it. Cute little stinker.

I am so lucky to be able to stay home with my kids. Or, as my cousin says, be a close-to-home-mom. How many of these cute and sweet moments would I miss otherwise? I would gladly pass the fits and trauma on to someone else, but those are not as frequent as the good moments. Yup, life is crazy, but fabulous.

Jesus is Magic

Thomas is so sweet. Tonight he told me that Jesus is magic.

When I asked him how he knows Jesus is magic, he gladly told me "because he disappears."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

His reply touched me. "He comes in my room. I see him in my room. Then, I get out of my bed and see him. When I open my eyes, he disappears."

Yes, Jesus is in our house. He comes here often. It just took my child telling me about it to remind me of what I already know. My home is a haven from the world, and Jesus is always welcome here. Especially in my kids' room.

I hope your kids know that Jesus is magic too.

Dinner Disasters

We trade Sunday dinner back and forth with my mom. We get a nice dinner each week, and only have to cook and clean up half the time. It is a great system, and we look forward to our dinners. Unfortunately, I have bad luck lately. I know how to cook, and I can pull off a decent mean, thank you very much. I did Thanksgiving and Christmas all by myself (mostly) and they were great. Apparently, I used up all my allotted "good dinner" stars on those meals.

Dinner for Jerry's birthday was, well, a disaster. Besides him being sick, nothing came out right. The biscuits were over cooked, the grits were dry and gritty, the hash brown burned to the bottom of the pan, and I forgot to cook the bacon. Tyler rescued us with scrambled eggs. Jerry was too sick for cake, so that sat out for several days. By the time we got to it, it was dry and not what a red velvet cake should be. Even the frosting messed up, and I decorate cakes for cryin' out loud.

This past week, disaster knocked on the door again. Aunt Susan Jane was coming to join in the fun and I was looking forward to a nice dinner. I planned turkey breast, stuffing, gravy, corn, and brownies for dessert. The turkey didn't thaw, so I called to push dinner back a little while. The stuffing was fine, or so I heard. The gravy was too salty (packaged gravy that came with the turkey, so that one isn't my fault). The corn was fine. The turkey cooked 1/3 of the way, in 2 hours, mind you. Turkey went back in the oven and Tyler saved us with pancakes. Pancakes, stuffing, gravy, and corn. What a Sunday dinner. Oh yeah, and since the turkey went back in the oven, the brownies didn't happen. When we were eating leftovers the other night, part of the turkey STILL wasn't cooked all the way, after 3 hours of cooking.

It seems my kitchen is cursed. Let's cross our fingers that the birthday cake for this weekend turns out right.

Prayers

Thomas loves to say prayers. He tends to get upset when we tell him it is someone else's turn. In true kid fashion, his prayers can be quite humorous, but they are so sincere. One night Tyler made pasta for dinner. I was just planning on him heating the water, but he cooked the noodles and everything. Unfortunately, due to the mix up, meatballs did not get cooked. For prayers, Thomas said thanks for the twirly pasta, the sauce, "no meatballs because daddy didn't cook them," the lemonade, and various other things. Last week he was thankful that the deer were in our yard and that they ate our grass. He is frequently thankful for daddy to go to work, even on the days he doesn't. There are plenty others that make us smile and shake our heads, but it is too dang cute. He also has started saying bless us for ______ instead of saying he is thankful. Oh well, he has the basics and the Lord knows what he is trying to say. I love how kids can teach us such simple things. Thomas constantly reminds us to be thankful for everything, no matter how small it may seem.

Another cute note. In Primary a few weeks ago the kids drew self portraits. Several of the kids were invited to share theirs with everybody. Thomas was selected and was so proud of his picture. Turns out, he drew a tornado. Yup, my kid thinks he is a tornado. That could really explain a lot of things. One of the other teachers told me how proud he was of his picture and showing it off and how cute it was. Jerry is more the tornado around here, but I think both fully qualify on a regular basis.

Keep posted for a couple tags. I have been tagged on several occasions, but seem to be very slow about returning it. One of these days it will happen, I hope.

Birthdays are supposed to be FUN

Poor little Jerry.

Yesterday was his second birthday. He is no longer a single digit. Unfortunately, he was too sick to really enjoy it. His nap was rudely ended by his throwing up all over his bed. Before too long, he was happily running around. Then it started again, and didn't stop. Anything we got him to drink came back up within 15 minutes. He did have a few minutes of fun with his new toys from Lolly. But then he started feeling bad and wanted to snuggle more. And, of course, up came the pedia. No cake or icecream around our house last night. At least he did fall asleep for a few hours in his bed. But after that, he wouldn't go back into his bed, so into the spare bed in Michael's room we went (there is a plastic cover on the mattress, just in case). We were able to get a little sleep, but I was on edge all night, just waiting for the next round.

The good news is, he is much better today, other than being tired. However, now Tyler has it. Please let the nastiness pass me by. Everyone else, I can deal with, but I don't think they can deal with it if I am the sick one.

First ER trip (I am sure there are more to come)

I was playing with Jerry while fixing dinner. I was holding his hands and "jumping" him as I cooked. We had been running around and playing and just having fun. In my brain I know this was not a good idea, but forgot in the moment. Next thing we know he is crying and holding his arm. When we tried to touch it he would wail. Tyler asked him what hurt and he kept pointing at his elbow. We tried to get him to eat dinner, but he wouldn't pick up his fork. Instead, he used his right hand for everything (he seems to be left-handed). Call the pediatrician. She says go to urgent care or the ER, it sound like nurse maid's elbow. I have now earned the Brittney Spears mommy award, again.

We found an urgent care that took his insurance and headed out. Jerry, Michael, and Mommy made our way inside, only to find out they need prior authorization to see us. Great, off to the hospital. After parking across the street, the ER lot was full, I managed to lug a car seat with a baby and push a stroller across the street and up the hill and into the ER. Of course, the place was hopping. Usually Wednesday nights are slow, but since we were there this was not the case.

Eventually Jerry started playing around and acting like nothing was wrong. Could it just be the motrin kicking in? After a forever wait to get registered, then another wait to see the nurse, another to get back to see the doctor, and of course waiting to see the doctor, we figured things out. A couple of the nurses said he must have popped his own arm back into place. The doctor could see nothing wrong. Jerry had full rang of motion in his wrist, elbow, and shoulder. He asked if Jerry had taken any falls during the day. I just sort of laughed. He doesn't know my kid. I told him no falls other than climbing on a box trying to get cake and then falling down and cutting his tongue with his teeth. He obviously has no clue what kind of child this is (thank goodness). As we were getting ready to go, Jerry tripped and smashed his head on Michael's car seat. The doctor said he wanted to check him to make sure we didn't have any busted lips or heads, before we walked out the door.Finally, after 5 hours, we headed home.

As I was trying to get back out the door and down the hill and across the street to the car, a security officer stopped and asked if we needed help. We all piled in his car and he drove us over to the car. Not only did he give us a ride, he didn't leave until all were safely buckled and I had started the car. A little thing, yes, but a big deal to me.

Although the entire ordeal was a headache and long and tiring, I was still able to see my blessings. My child hadn't stuck a plastic toy in his ear and refused to say what it was. I didn't have to press charges against the dad/boyfriend that brought my kid in with a shattered jaw. My child wasn't screaming or throwing up. My kids behaved and were quiet and flirted with anyone they could. My kids have insurance to pay for things like this. I can speak English, and I am married to my kids father, and all my kids have the same father. We have a pediatric hospital close to the house. I had a home to go to, with a warm bed and heat.

Once we got home Jerry easily went to bed. Michael, on the other hand, did not. He wanted to play since he woke up as I was taking him out of his car seat. I think it was around 2 before I really got to sleep, then Michael was up again at 4:30. Tyler thought I was just getting home, so thank goodness he got some sleep and didn't hear all the racket when we came in.

You think I would start having good luck now. After a long night like that, I deserve something easy. Of course not. When I went to slice the cheese for Tyler's sandwich, I discovered that the brand new brick I just cut open was moldy. Yippie skippie, I get to go return it today. I did get to go back to sleep for a while. Thomas got up to watch TV and I crashed again until Tyler called. Then I buried myself back in the blankets for another couple hours when Jerry and Michael woke me up. As I was getting ready to make breakfast, bowls of cereal, I rinsed dishes to load the dishwasher and run it. I reached to turn on the disposal, no go. Great, now my garbage disposal is broken. The day has to get better from here, right?

Great, now Jerry is wrapping computer chords around his neck. Why do my kids do this?

Taxes

I am so proud of myself. Our taxes are done!!! Just had to share my excitement. Happy tax time to all of you. While so many rush to the post office in a couple months, I will be sitting at home laughing at them.

Ears

We have bad luck with ears in our house. I am known for nasty ear infections and have been all my life. Thomas went through two sets of tubes in six months, but has been fine so far. Jerry got tubes put in the day Michael was born. Jerry has also had two infections since, one more and we get new tubes for him too. We are just waiting for Michael to follow the trend. Well, I said Thomas has been fine since... until now. Last night he told me his ear hurt. I asked him when it hurt and he said when he breathes. Great, here we go again. I gave him Tylenol and put him to bed, and told him to tell me if it still hurt in the morning. Once he was in bed I did a Happy Dance. No, I didn't dance because he is hurting, I did the dance because he TOLD me he is hurting. Finally, we have reached the point where he can tell us rather than us needing to guess what is wrong. HOORAY!!! Unfortunately, this morning he came in to tell me his ears still hurt. While we were eating breakfast he told me "when I burp with my mouth closed, my ears really hurt." What could I do but laugh and tell him sorry. At least he burped with his mouth closed. We head out to the doctor in about 15 minutes, and we will see what they say (gee, I wonder). Happy Saturday.

I Need a Life

This is sad. Officially, sad. I just spent an hour re-formatting the blog. I had way too much fun. I hope you enjoy the additions and alterations. Tell us what you think, and share any suggestions you might have. Hey, this computer thing is easy to change stuff. Look for more fun stuff and changes to come. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your comments. I love to see that others enjoy our misadventures and misfortunes. Thanks for letting us know that you care about us. We miss those who are distant, love to visit with those who are close, and look forward to seeing everybody soon.

Moms are NOT Allowed to Take Showers

I attempted to take a shower this morning. Actually, with the shower, there was no attempt, I took a shower. Granted it was after feeding Michael, again, after I first tried to get in the shower. Luckily, this time, it was the second time that was a charm, not the third. However, while trying to get all the puke and snot off of me and get out the knots from my kids "fixing" my hair, and trying to clean the tub while I was in there (killing two birds with one stone) I got that feeling.

Just to make sure all was well, I put on my robe, towel on head, and went downstairs to check on Thomas and Jerry before getting dressed. MISTAKE! I should have at least gotten dressed before venturing into the unknown.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear... no, not eight tiny reindeer, those were last month (never saw them then anyway). There was a chair at the sink, with Jerry perched on top. This I could see from the bottom of the stairs. And he was eating his toothpaste, straight out of the tube. Rounding the corner into the kitchen revealed to me the next horror. A bag of pretzels, all over the floor. They were not just resting on the floor, the boys, probably Jerry more than Thomas, had done a happy dance all over them. Yes, I had tiny bits and crumbs of what used to be pretzels all over my floor. Instead of coming 'round the chimney, I was coming 'round the counter to strangle Jerry. STOP, don't fall on the WATER all over the floor. Somehow the buggers had turned on the water, flooded the top of the counter, soaked anything on the counter on both sides of the sink, and flooded the floor about 12 inches out from the sink. And let's not forget that toothpaste yet. In the process of eating it, he had squeezed it out all over the tube itself. Into the trash with that one. No patience to deal with it.

Now, get your over-active imaginations rolling. Picture me, in my robe, with towel on head, trying to clean all this up. Thomas was trying to sop up the mess before I came down, and had a towel that looked like he had just pulled it out of an unfinished cycle of the washing machine. It dripped when he picked it up. When I picked it up to squeeze out some of the pool, I barely had to try to have a stream running into the sink. Jerry was promptly sent up to his room so he couldn't "help" clean up. Next thing I hear is little Jerry feet running into my room. I scream up to him to get out of my room and into his. Thud, thud, thud go the feet again. Sound direction tells me he is heading out of my bathroom and into my room, then on to his room. SLAM the door (his new game is to slam the door repeatedly and laugh like it is the funniest thing he has ever done). That was it for me. I went running up the stairs, in my robe, towel streaming behind my head, and all but threw the kid in his bed. I didn't even give him his pacifier.

Now I sit and type and vent. Still in my robe, but the towel fell off my head. The pretzels are swept into a pile, waiting to get put into the trash. The wet towels are piled in the middle of the kitchen, waiting to go up to the washing machine. (Note to self: don't forget the laundry detergent this time, the third trip to the store) Jerry finally gave up and fell asleep, I think.

Moral of the story: Don't try to take a shower when only the baby is asleep. Wait until there is another adult present, or until at least the two youngest are asleep. You may stink all day, but your sanity will be more in tact when your friend brings her four kids over later in the afternoon.

Sometimes you get what you ask for, and a little more

Jerry has taken to throwing little tantrums. He is also less than great at listening. He hears just fine, but has minimal intentions of following through on what you have told him to do. Yesterday afternoon he got mad at something I told him he couldn't do. Of course he started crying and being oh-so-pitiful. Tyler said "fine, walk over there and throw a fit." Jerry did just that. He looked at us, walked across the room, threw himself face down on the floor and threw a fit. Crying, wailing, face down, and bum up throwing a fit. At least he listens sometimes. I wish I had taken a picture, oh well, maybe next time, since I am sure there will be a next time.

I went to my music rehearsal last night. I left ALL THREE boys home with Tyler!!! I got home and heard the stories of the evening's saga. The funniest, by far, was Thomas getting a taste of his own medicine. Thomas has issues with personal space. He gets way too close to people, those he knows and those he doesn't. When I tell him to look at me, he gets almost nose to nose. When he sits next to you, he touches you and talks nonstop. He doesn't quite realize what he is doing, but he drives us nuts with it. We are trying to work on it, but it is a difficult thing to teach. Well, last night, Tyler had the two boys sit on the couch together. Jerry kept touching Thomas and getting close to him. Apparently, Thomas was getting quite annoyed by it. He kept asking to get up and go snuggle with Daddy. Tyler told them to stay. They sat like this for half an hour, or so I was told. Maybe he will start to understand. Or maybe he will just return the favor when he has a chance. That's what brothers do, isn't it?

Most of you know I am a bargain hunter. Coupons and clearance and consignment sales are my friends. We use Craig's list for lots of stuff, but we also belong to a local Yahoo group called freecycle. I was able to give a bunch of stuff we don't use to someone who will use them. I had only posted an offer for one thing, but I ended up cleaning out my attic to give things away. One post and lots of stuff taken, fantastic! Even better, it is someone who wouldn't have the things in the first place. I am so glad we have been so blessed with what we have, and I am thrilled we are able to help someone else. Thanks Susan for giving me the chance to help someone else out!

Recovery Saga

For those of you who follow the blog and know about my pain in the patoot recovery from my c-section, there is finally good news. I got a fantastic Christmas gift from my doctors. The Thursday before Christmas, I finally got the all clear. The lovely yeast infection that had developed around my 12 week old incision wasn't getting better, so we tried a new tactic. Still, THEY SET ME FREE!!! No more going to the doctor every week. No more finding someone to watch the kids every stinkin' week. Then, on Christmas Eve, the last little bit had completely closed. Forget all the "stuff" people give and get for Christmas, I got the best one in a while. WAHOO, I am finally back to normal! Time for a Happy Dance.... did you like it? :)