Eight Is Enough

Tomorrow I'll have eight kids...the most ever in one day. Could be Will be pretty crazy!

Tails

Tyler's comments today about their cats' tails:

Lilo has a tail.
Stitch has a tail.
I no tail.

He then looked at me, grinned, and said, "Meow, meow".

Drama at Walmart

Who: Five Walmart employees and me
What: Drama
When: Tonight
Where: Walmart
Why: Because stuff like this always seems to happen to me

Tonight, when I pulled my debit card out of my wallet, a credit card I'd stuck behind it flew out and slipped between the cash register station and the plastic bag carousel. It took five employees (a manager, two assistant managers, three cashiers), a crowbar, and me (I handed them the flashlight a few times) twenty-five minutes to retrieve it. I felt bad about taking up so much of their time, but they just laughed and said that it had happened before.

Lesson Learned: Not to keep two cards in the same slot in my wallet!

Diane...When I got out to the parking lot, I noticed that our Washington cousins' vehicle was parked right across from mine!

Changing My Mind?

I've been rethinking my views on littering. While mowing this weekend, I found a dollar in the yard. So, if you happen to be driving by my house, please feel free to throw $$$ out of your car window!

Happy Anniversary, Robert and Lucille!

The Language 0f Toddlers

Today, E wore a new pair of shorts. He had fun playing with them, pulling them down and then back up. Each time, I told him that he should keep his shorts pulled up. At one point, I could see that he was thinking about something and, sure enough, he turned to me and asked, "Shorts are not for down?" I replied, "That's right, E, shorts are not for down".

Father's Day

Today, while planning a craft project for the kids to make for their dads, I realized that the dates for our reunion include Father's Day. Sorry...I hope that doesn't interfere with anyone's plans. We'll do what we can to make it a special day for the dads!

And the Winner Is...

Any Idol watchers out there tonight? I've been watching bits and pieces...quite a star studded event! At the writing of this post, the winner has yet to be named...

Folding Towels

This morning, D offered to help me fold towels. Her comment while folding: "I like big towels. But I'm not strong enough. Not for me. Just my daddy. And my mom."

Happy Birthday, Penny!!!

Table Talk

Topics of conversation at lunch today:
bike rides
birdhouses
cake
mushroom hunting
dogs
corn
watermelon rinds
falling down
plates
shoes and socks
the weather
Vitamin C

The Perfect Age

Tyler is at the perfect age this year for Jaime's birthday. He has sung "Happy Birthday" and has wished her a happy birthday several times...very cute!!!

Happy Birthday, Jaime!!!

What's New?

Today I did something that I haven't done for thirteen years...any guesses?

Details Details

I know that you are all SO anxious to make the trip to Iowa this summer (you have started packing, right?). Diane and I have been asked for the prices of the activities listed in the surveys. I plan to list this info. with the itineraries that I send out. I'm planning to work on the itineraries during Memorial Day weekend; if you need the info before then, just let me know! Have a great weekend! : )

The Can Cupboard

I have a can cupboard in my kitchen that the kids like to play in. There's a small blue can of jalapenos that Tyler likes and sometimes carries around the house. They are all fascinated by the Lazy Susan. Today, Ty and B discovered that the boxes of food in that cupboard are easily opened.
B tried her hardest to get the bags open...to no avail. She emptied the contents of the cupboard onto the kitchen floor and then walked away. D and K were great helpers and picked it all up. I wonder if they work weekends?

Happy Birthday, Hailey!!!

Computers etc.

Computers and printers can be SO frustrating! My computer was down for quite awhile tonight. I was almost ready to give up, and then it came back. I don't think I'll miss having a computer. Idol watchers...who will win? My favorites are gone but, if I had to bet on it, I'd go for Lauren.

Hide and Seek

Today, Tyler and K played an exciting game of Hide and Seek...they were the only ones here (besides Ed and me). K had the right idea; she knew how to hide her face, count, and then come looking. The problem was that, most of the time, she only counted to two. Barely enough time to hide! Tyler? He had a great time, too. He followed whoever was hiding and ran back and forth between the finder and the findee, making it really easy to be found!

Trash Talk

CAUTION!!!! IF YOU ARE INTO LITTERING, DO NOT READ THIS POST!!!!!!!
I really don't understand the thinking behind littering...does anyone want to try to explain it to me? We/I have lived in this house for almost 24 years. I could fill a landfill with the stuff/junk that has been thrown in the yard. Enough about me...how did you spend your evening?

Happy Birthday, Darold!

Just When I Thought It Was Safe

Luckily...I just checked the 7 day forecast on the KWWL (local news channel) website.
Unluckily...We have a chance of frost tonight...AGAIN!
In come the plants!!!!!!

Surveys Part 3

Hi everyone! It's a cold and rainy weekend here. That's a good thing...it gives me a good excuse for not doing yard work. Thanks, everyone, for returning the surveys (only one was not returned) and for doing so so promptly (all in by the 10th). Thanks, too, for all the added notes...very helpful. My next task is to compare the surveys and to create an itinerary. It looks like, weather permitting, there will be a lot of fun possibilities. Of course, everything will be optional...we'll have lots of time to relax and reminisce, too. I plan to have the itinerary sent out by the end of May.

Technical Difficulties

Hi everyone! This blog is driving me CRAZY! Yesterday, every time I tried to sign on, a notice came up that the blog site was temporarily disabled. So...that's the reason there was no
post yesterday. Today when I checked, the site was back up but Wednesday's "Cake" post had disappeared!!! And now it's back! Weird! Anyway, hopefully this goes through. Talk to you tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Chuck! (May 12)

Cake

I'm a cake fan. I don't really have a favorite...I like them all. Diane and Jenn stopped by today and left two slices of Jenn's "made from scratch" birthday cakes. Both delicious!! Thanks for sharing!

A Great Cause

As many of you know, especially those of you who have Facebook, Jenn (aka Her Royal Highness), is planning to participate in the Chicago Marathon in October. She is participating on Team Reeve of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Please consider giving her your support, whether it be an encouraging word or a financial contribution; I know she'll appreciate either.

Happy Birthday, Jenn!!

www.christopherreeve.org

Summer already?

It is supposed to be almost 90 degrees here tomorrow!!! It looks like summer may have arrived a little early.

Playing Catch-up

It's Sunday night and, once again, I have several things that didn't get done during the weekend. So...a couple of hours ago, I made a list and have been little by little crossing things off. I have only two more things on the list and then I'm caught up!! : )

The Things That Moms Say

One of a mom's many jobs is to spew words of wisdom. Adam reminded me of this when he stopped by last night with a Mother's Day card and gift. He claims that I said the following to him many times while he was growing up, and that is...
"If your friends all jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?"
(I don't remember saying this, but he claims that I did). Now that I've got "big ears" with me all day, I try to be especially conscious of the things I say. There have been several times that parents have mentioned that their children have picked up a particular word or phrase and wondered where. So far, so good...everything I've said that the kids have repeated has been G rated!
PS...Looks like my "bridge jumping" advice has been heeded. To date, neither Adam nor any of his friends have jumped off any bridges.

little man of few words...still

Overheard today...

K to D "I WENT POTTY IN THE TOILET!!!"
D to K "I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!"

K to E "I WENT POTTY IN THE TOILET!!!"
E to K "MY MOMMY WILL BE SO HAPPY!"

K to Tyler "I WENT POTTY IN THE TOILET!!!"
Tyler to K "Yep."

Happy Birthday, Nancy!!

Where Did The Week Go?

I cannot believe that tomorrow is Friday; it feels like the past two weeks have flown by. Maybe it's because I've been extra busy...spending the day with 5-6 "three and unders" makes everything a blur! Idol watchers...Were you surprised to see Jacob go?

What Would You Do?

You are driving down a busy four lane street when, up ahead, you see that a homeowner has stepped out into the street in order to mow along the edge of her yard. You would..
a) Move your car over to the next lane.
b) Approach, come to a complete stop, and honk like a madman.
c) Speed up and run over her.

(Two of the three happened to me today.)

28 Days

28 Days is a 2000 movie starring Sandra Bullock. This post, however, is not a review of that movie. Rather, it states the number of days in my summer vacation. (Can you tell that I'm getting anxious?) I do see a possible similarity, however, between my summer and the movie...in the movie, Sandra stole and crashed a limo. I may get that desperate. On the other hand, the movie received a 3 star rating; I'm pretty sure that my time off will rate a 5!

Mother's Day

Today we started working on our Mother's Day projects. The kids were sworn to secrecy, and that lasted with the girls until their mothers walked in the door. I don't know if Ty said anything to Jaime, but she had a chance to see our projects while he was napping. When you're a kid, spoiling the surprise is part of the fun!

Happy anniversary, Susan and Chuck!!!

The Yard Work Commences...

Friday night...mowed the front yard.
Saturday afternoon...spent a couple of hours in a greenhouse and purchased several geranium and impatiens plants.
Today...bought two ferns, rock, and mulch.
Tonight...brought all of those plants in...we have a frost advisory. Ed has been snooping around the flowers; I just hope that he doesn't decide to eat them while I'm sleeping!