It's all in the way you ask

I was getting something out of the cupboard with Eli in the kitchen with me. He was just talking and happened to get a glimpse of the small bag of marshmallows rolled up in the cupboard. He said so sweetly, "let me see if those marshmallows are any good." I started laughing pretty hard and he instructed me not to tell Daddy, but he got to check the marshmallows for me. So I can sleep better tonight knowing that our marshmallows have been checked, and that they are in fact still good!

Get...Smart?

Some of you may know that we cancelled our satellite subscription a while back and haven't missed it since. We have bought a few tv series on dvd so we could have something small to watch every now and then, you know, to break up the movie nights that we have! We don't want to get burned out on movies or anything! 

Anyway, Daniel bought me the "Get Smart" series from 1965 and we've been watching those. It's just amazing how far tv and special effects and all that has come. It's funny to watch because of how lame it can be sometimes. Like when the tough Asian guy comes after Smart, and Smart brings him to the ground with one chop to each shoulder. 

I was really laughing at one episode where Smart and Agent 99 (his pretty sidekick) have to go undercover at a spy school. They have to find out which agent in the school is really a KAOS infiltrator. Smart gets all of his secret codes to allow him access to the school that is made to look like an ordinary house. He has to give the code to get in the door, he then is under high alert until his security clearance goes through. He is using a fake name (which I don't understand because the infiltrator is at that school to get the secrets from their agency. He already knows that everyone is a secret agent-why use the fake name? Maybe I'm thinking too hard!) He can't let anyone know that he and 99 already know each other either.  When they go out to the back yard, it looks like a rec center or something; people sitting around the pool tanning, old ladies sitting in chairs, people playing games. Then the head guy announces, "it's okay, he's a secret agent too." And everyone goes back to what they were doing before the new guy showed up; the old ladies take off their very convincing disguises and start combat fighting, others are weapons training and target practicing, and such. (Am I over-using the semi-colon... David..., anybody?!)  So then Smart gets introduced to some other sinister looking agents and it's time for his weapons training.  They demonstrate how the weapon is used and then Smart, in all his secret agent brilliance, shoots it the wrong way and breaks out the neighbor lady's window.  Before you know it, the neighbor comes busting through the hedges yelling at them for breaking her window and how they are going to pay for that.  Honestly I don't know what all she said because I was laughing too hard.  How did that lady's security clearance go through so fast?  They sure went through a lot of trouble securing the premises.  Where was the "postman" or the "blind guy" who were supposed to be guarding the hedges?  I think we've found the infiltrator!  I just thought that was hilarious and felt like sharing it with someone!  Of course, I will take lame old tv shows to inappropriate new ones any day!

He loves his Daddy!

Daniel just called me on my cell phone from a different phone number and told me to go find Everet. It was such a weird request-it scared me a little bit, although I don't really know why! He was just rolling on the floor in the living room with Eli and Elena while I try and work in the office for a few minutes. He said "does he still have it in his hands?" He had his bottle, but the phone was near him. He had called Daniel about 8 minutes before and was talking to him. What a smart kid, huh! He had found the redial button, knowing that I had called Daniel last, and called his daddy! I thought that was funny! Well, back to work. Someday I will be back in Bloggerland!

They are mad to me

"Mom, there's a bug!"

"What kind of bug?"

"A mad one!"

Elena has this complex about everyone being mad "to" her.  Maybe because people get mad at her a lot for being such a pest!  The other day, there was a mad butterfly outside.  I laughed for a while about that one.  What would a butterfly do to make you think it was mad?  She kept saying, "I dote wanna hee that mad budderfwy."   It turned out to be a plastic bag stuck in a tree in the neighbor's yard and it was blowing in the wind.  We were in the dentist office the other day and two girls were looking at her and she was upset that they were looking mad to her.  

EVERET SLEPT FOR 7 HOURS STRAIGHT LAST NIGHT!  I was so excited.  Eli woke up around 3 so I still had to wake up (sort of-I remember sitting on his bed and actually dreaming about something while I was sitting there.  I don't wake up easily.)  I kept checking Everet though to make sure he was still breathing because he's never slept that long.  He's been sick with a virus that could lead to RSV, so we've been doing breathing treatments with him.  He won't hardly stay still for those.  I know that didn't help him sleep though because it makes him a little restless.  Anyway-I don't know what we did different, but I liked it!  Maybe it's the cereal he's been eating.

Just a couple more funny things before I forget:

Saturday night, we were finishing supper.  We had let the kids down and Elena was getting ready to take a bath.  I told her to wait for me to come in.  She came out to the kitchen naked, so I told her to go back to the room because I didn't want to see her out there naked.  She said, in her sweet little 3-year old voice, "but my bottom is not wooking at youuuu."

Then right after that, Eli was actually eating chicken noodle soup (because it was shaped like Cars) and he was picking out the carrots.  We tried to convince him that he liked carrots and he said, "but I don't like them melted."

The other day at Wendy's, Eli wanted a drink of Daniel's drink.  He asked what it was and Daniel told him to try it and find out.  This one may not be as funny in type.  Anyway, he tried it and his eyes got big and he exclaimed, "ROOT BEER!"  "NOPE, it's cherry coke!"  It just made me think of a big buzzer going off.  YYEEEEE-YOU'RE WRONG!  (This one's for Tracey to remember)  LOSER!  [Note:  I'm not calling my son a loser nor was Daniel meaning to crush his spirits!]  It rolled off of Eli, but Shellie and I were laughing for a little bit.  

Okay-I didn't mean to write for this long.  I'll be back in another two months!

Oh and tomorrow is our 10th wedding anniversary!  I love you Daniel, always and forever!

Funny things I've heard recently

"AAAhhhh!  Don't put me in the juicer!"  Said by Eli, talking for the toy dolphin.

"I'm the mom and you're my fwe-fart."  Elena trying to say 'sweetheart.'

"MANIAC!"  The kids imitating Mr. Bean.

"Elena and her coat of falling colors."  Ema said this about Elena's coat of many colors that she made in Bible class.  The fabric strips were falling down.

"Did he burp?"  Eli always asks right after Everet burps.  

A boring post because I just need to write something!

I see that I haven't written in five weeks so I thought I'd try and post a little.  I made a list last night of the things I wanted to get done today.  It was as short as I could make it, but still had about 7 major and minor things to accomplish.  I did a few loads of laundry, filed some papers, did the payroll and my major accomplishment, cleaning and mopping the kitchen and dining room all while taking care of 3 and 4 kids!  These kind of productive days don't happen very often. I actually got the counters completely cleared off (well except for a few dishes that are drying) and Ema and Eli mopped the dining room.  Ema has really been trying to help lately (bless her heart!) so I've been trying to step back a little and tell myself that I'd rather have her learn to do it, than worry about it being done perfectly and turn her away from wanting to help.  She loves to wash the dishes and do laundry.  She is not so helpful when it comes to her room though.  It's not as fun.  I spent almost all day Saturday cleaning, tossing and organizing in there.  I moved a bunch of toys into the "let's see if they forget about them" box because the toy box was overflowing.  Now there room looks really nice-and the best part is Ema loves it that way and is excited about keeping it that way!  Yea!  Also the dollar at the end of the week probably doesn't hurt either.  

We watched "The Happening" yesterday.  I didn't want to watch it Saturday night when Daniel brought it home because I didn't know much about it.  I just knew that those kind of movies are a little creepy and I didn't want to be scared to walk out of my bedroom in the middle of the night.  It really wasn't that scary, but I didn't really like it.  I especially didn't like the end when it turned into a "mother nature is fighting against the horrible humans" movie.  Sorry if I spoiled the ending for anyone.  We kept having to pause it though because the kids would come out when we could tell something gory was about to be on.  Then we'd have to try and coax them back to their rooms.  "Go see what Eli's doing,"  "I think Ema has candy hidden somewhere, go look for it."  We didn't really say the last one.  Anyway-I wasn't impressed with it.

Elena is afraid of monsters under her bed.  I told her we cleaned them all out, but she's still calls me almost every night.  "Mooommmy,  I need youuuuuu.  Dere's a mosser unner my bed." I have to reassure her that it's okay.  I let her look at books and that usually occupies her enough that I can get out of the room.  She is great at not going to bed though.  

"Mooommmy, I need go poooottty."   

"You just went."

"Oh, maybe I need go kiky." (stinky, because I don't like the other words for it!)

"Go to sleep, Elena."

After a few minutes, "Mooommmmy, I need a gwink."

This is all very frustrating to me because she used to lay there, get her blanket over her, kiss us goodnight and we were done with it.  She'd go right to sleep.  Now we think that since her bed looks right to the door and we can't shut it until after Ema goes to sleep because she gets scared, that it's making it hard for her to go to sleep.  After we went to the park the other day, she did go right to sleep-maybe I just need to get more activity into their days.

What else is happening here?  Hmmmmm...oh somebody left. . . . (this is for Shellie-hopefully you will remember what I'm talking about and laugh and laugh!)

I think I need to get to bed-I don't really have anything interesting to say.  Our holidays were great this year, but they seem so long ago!  Maybe I should have written sooner!  I will try and post some pictures next time.  Right now, the bed is calling me!  Goodnight!

Thanksgiving, kitty, and lots of spit up!

I haven't written in a while so I thought I would quickly post something.  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving this year.  We enjoyed ours although it never seems to be the same as when we were younger.  We always stayed home because we had a lot of family in town.  I just remember how nice it was to have everyone home, which happened every Saturday, but it was different.  It was nice to wake up on a cold Thanksgiving morning, Dad had a raging fire in the fireplace, Mom had the turkey in the oven and the house was clean.  Then after a while all our family would start showing up.  We would eat and eat and usually spend most of the evening playing Canasta.  We didn't play until we got older, but it was just fun talking and joking and seeing some older ones throw little "fits" when they lost!  I really miss that kind of Thanksgiving. Ours was still really nice this year.  We went to Abilene and had Thanksgiving dinner with Samantha's new side of the family.  Their tradition is playing football after dinner, so Daniel got to play.  I wanted to watch, but I had to feed Everet.  Then when I was done, Ema said, "Daddy's hurt!"  Daniel had dislocated his shoulder again so he was sitting there (not in pain)  I guess just that odd feeling of not being able to feel his arm.  Samantha's sister-in-law is a nurse and was trying to ease it back in, but it wasn't working.  So we thought we were going to have to go to the doctor, but then it slid back in by itself.  After a while, we went back to Samantha and Kerry's house and tried to play cards.  It doesn't work real well with 4 little kids running around and clamoring for attention.   It was still fun though.

This week is back to "normal" for us.  We had a kitten meowing outside our bedroom window all day yesterday.  We went and found it.  It's probably 2 months old or so and is all grey.  We let the kids put it in the back yard for now because they have really been wanting a pet.  Cats are less maintenance than dogs so maybe this will suffice.  Ema got up extra early this morning and was out there in 30-4o degree weather feeding the cat.  I heard it all last night and then I heard it in a different spot.  Ema was carrying it around the house.  I use the excuse that I am allergic to cats, which I am, as a way of keeping animals out of the house.  I can't stand to have animals in the house, especially after being in my parents' house.  They don't have cats, but the previous owner must have had a few that ruled the house.  Our house's previous owner had one too and I have found big fur balls in the vents.  Nice.  So anyway she had to take it back outside even though "he was so cold."  I know.  I'm heartless.  This morning I've had the treat of listening to Elena meow back and forth with the cat at the back door.  Sometimes Elena sounds more like a tiger cub. 

I had to take Everet to the doctor on Tuesday.  His congestion just seemed to be getting worse. Especially at night-he could hardly breathe so he and I were up for quite a while.  The doctor said his lungs and throat were clear (it didn't sound that way to me though!) He asked if he spits up.  YES-all the time.  He said the congestion is probably due to spit up going up his nose a little and I guess irritating the whole area.  He suggested that I try cutting out dairy products in my diet to see if that helps him stop spitting up.  He may not be able to digest the protein or the lactose in the milk.  So I have refrained from eating the cheese and cereal that I love so much and I haven't seen a difference in his spitting up.  It is so frustrating.  It doesn't matter how much or how little I feed him, when he burps there is almost always something with it.  And not just a little on the corner of his mouth, we have to have a towel to clean it all up.  And if he burps a few times in a row, or has the hiccups, it is worse.  I just don't know what else to do.  How long would it take to get the dairy out of my system?  We have his 2 month checkup next Wednesday, so I'm waiting to see if it gets better by then.  I've been having him sleep in his car seat at night so that he's elevated (I do take it out of the car, for those of you who might be concerned!) and that has helped him sleep better.  At least we're getting a little more sleep, but I'm just really tired of cleaning up spit-up.  I saw a clip from "4 Christmases" where Reese Witherspoon gets thrown up on.  They whisk the baby away and she is just left standing there with her arms out trying not to touch anything and she says, "What do I do?!"  Vince Vaughn is gagging and trying not to throw up.  The whole scene just feels so familiar.  Daniel doesn't gag, but Ema does and Elena screams, "he spit up."  Eli yells it.  And whoever is holding him stands there stunned (although we kind of expect it now) trying to figure out what to clean up first and why won't this towel DO WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET IT TO DO!!  That's the frustration building.  Some of you may have heard Daniel or me talking this way!  We don't really expect the towel to clean it up by itself-it usually happens that Everet is laying on the towel in some way that restricts us from getting it all the way to the spit up before it is on the floor, couch, our pants, or whatever.  It probably is a funny scene to watch.  Sometimes I'll be singing to him or talking happy and then interrupt it with "aaahhh maannn" because it goes everywhere.   Okay now I've talked way too long about spit up.  

On a side note, I didn't "quickly" write this post as I had intended.  The boys woke up and after feeding them and the kitty and getting drinks for them, it has been over 2 hours since I started it.   So much for that!