Never Say "Never"

This week has been crazy. ... and usually not the good kind of crazy. I am so very, very glad Allen and I had last weekend to spend together alone at a B&B, but it seems like so long ago. We got home Sunday late, and he's been working ever since. He is up at five in the morning, gets home after the kids are in bed, has time to eat, then its time to sleep so he can do it all again the next day. I am sorry that he has to work so much, sorry that he rarely sees the kids, sorry that I don't get to see him, sorry that I have to parent on my own. It has been a long week and we are all worn out.

This week, I have done many things I have always avoided:

• I found the three little ones up before I was. . . eating breakfast. . . all three were huddled around an open box of Bisquick, each had a spoon and a cloud of white around their mouths (yes, they were proud)
• I took the kids to the pool . . . without Daddy or grandparents,
• I fed the kids icecream . . . for dinner,
• I took the kids to Build a Bear. . . by myself,
• I let them stay up late. . . just because (and to see Daddy).

We also did a few things I prefer not to do, but often do when I'm alone with the kids for long hours:

• I turned on the TV. . . so I can get a few quiet minutes,
• I served cereal for dinner . . . so I don't have to cook,
• I ordered pizza for dinner. . . so I don't have to cook,
• We met Daddy for lunch . . . so I don't have to make PB&J . . . well, really, just so we can see Daddy :)
• I let the kids play in the mud . . . so I could have some quiet,
• I bathed the kids with the hose . . . because I'm too worn out to deal with vacuuming, too,
• I put all three little ones in pull-ups. . . because I keep forgetting to remind them to potty, and I'm tired of washing undies in the toilet.
• We set up our back-up plan in case Allen has to work when I'm in Florida for a MOPS convention (yes, grandparents are AWESOME!!)

Then there were a few times we just had to have some fun:

• We stayed up late to watch Mary Poppins
• We went swimming with friends (and take some leftover bugs for them to taste)
• We went swimming while it was pouring down rain
• We went to the library for storytime
• We met Daddy for lunch -- burgers one day, Thai food another
• We had pancakes for dinner
• We had icecream for dinner and cereal for dessert . . . the same night
• I gave the kids two cookies for dessert one night just because we had a great day
• We went to Build-a-Bear and came home with four new "friends".

And just in case it doesn't seem like I've gone crazy enough, we have a really crazy plan in the works. . . camping . . . with friends. That's the FUN part, though. The crazy part? Four parents, two six-year-olds, four three-year olds, two one-year olds. . . and we are REALLY looking forward to this time with our buddies!

Building the Bears

I was anxious to get out of the house with the kids, so we went to Build-a-Bear Workshop. I know a playground would have cost a lot less, but it is really quite hot outside. Allen warned me that it was a bad idea, trying to control four kids indoors, keeping them from touching everything, staying patient as they pleaded for me to buy everything, all that. Although was likely right, I set my mind to prove I could do it, and, in the end, I am really glad we went because all five of us had a great time.

First the kids chose their animal. Although Build-a-Bear has other animals, all four picked bears.

Next they each picked a heart for the bear. There was a cute little saying that the lady went through with them -- something about rubbing the heart on their hearts for love, rubbing it on their knee so the bear needs them, rubbing it on their head to make the bear smart, and a few other things too.

After she helped the kids put the hearts in the bear, each of the kids got to stand on the pedal to fill the bears with fluff. The lady did all the hard work, but did a great job making the kids think they were doing it all. After the bear was filled, she finished the stitches and tied the strings.

I happened to snap the shot when Jon, in his own cuddly world, stopped and just hugged his new stuffed bear. It was such a sweet moment . . . until Will shoved him out of the way.

The next step was to clean the bears. Although it was made to look like a sudsy bathtub, the washing station was another foot-controlled machine. The kids push the pedal to turn on a blower. The blower, well, blows as the kids brush the bears. It was loud, but it did seem to fluff up the critters.

 Maddie hated the noise, but she couldn't figure out how to cover her ears AND brush her bear. Jon came to her rescue and stood behind her with his hands over her ears so she could do the brushing. It was quite silly, but I didn't get a picture.

After the cleaning, the kids each chose an outfit for their bears. My kids were predictable: Maddie chose a pink princess outfit with glittery shoes, Jon picked a cowboy costume like Woody from Toy Story has, Ben chose the Buzz Lightyear costume, and Will selected a clone trooper outfit like on Star Wars. The only "surprise" was that Jon wanted combat boots instead of cowboy boots. (Sometimes, Mama just has to shrug and say, "Whatever?")

The last step for the kids was to name the bears and get little "birth certificates." So, now you get to meet the newest buddies. Will named his Star Wars bear Pickle. This is a black and white panda that looks a bit like our black and white kitty, Pickles. He said it wasn't the same name, but I'm thinking the cat inspired him to choose that name.

Ben got real creative and named his bear Buzz.

 Jon's bear is named Woody.

And Maddie named hers Sleeping Blutie. When the lady corrected her and said, "Do you mean Sleeping Beauty?" Maddie replied, "No, not Beauty. It's BLLLLLUUUtie." So she has a very pink bear, wearing a very pink dress, with a very BLUE name.

The kids really had fun. There were just a few challenges I'll have to remember in case I ever decide to do this again (but, it is not likely.)

Challenge #1: it was hard for me to listen to what the lady and kids were saying (so I could write about it,) while I was keeping the kids on task, and while I was trying to take pictures. It would be worth having another adult just so I could get better pictures and remember the little moments.

Challenge #2: the bears get packed into tall boxes to carry home. The boxes were hard for the little kids to carry without dragging. I'm sure some people got a few giggles watching me try to hold all four kids' hands while they dragged the big boxes as we crossed the parking lot. 

At the end of the day, the kids are still playing with the bears. There is a trail of bear-costumes through the playroom, the boxes have been climbed in, colored on, and torn. I have put bear shoes back on the bears too many times to count, and I'm considering letting the shoes "disappear" during the night. I don't know how long the fun will last, so I'm writing about it to make it last a little longer.

Just a Reminder

In case I forget what time away is like, this is my reminder.

Allen and I spent the weekend at a bed & breakfast in Granbury. It was just the two of us, quiet enough to sleep in and read a few chapters in a book. We had delicious food, got fresh coffee whenever we wanted it, tried a couple new flavors of martinis, and had the best filet mignon I've ever had in my life. We sat and watched the lake, wandered through pretty gardens, dipped our feet in the pool, and listened to the waterfall and birdsong. We went to a musical review/variety show and shopped in a cute historic town. We parked the car at the B&B and walked everywhere. We had fun.

When we picked up the kids from Randy & Shelley, they told us they had fun. Since Nana & Papa were still alive, I think it went well for everyone. It is really such a blessing to us that our parents (all four) are willing to help with the kids so we can get away occassionally. I am still so glad we moved to Texas so the kids can know their grandparents and visit more than just once or twice a year. I'm also glad we live close enough to visit the cousins on occassion.

The down time did me some good. The first couple days back, I've had more patience with the kids than I knew I had. It really is amazing what a little time away can do.

Discussing Mary Poppins

You know, you can choose from a long list of movies: Star Wars (the original three), Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), many of Mel Brooks' flicks, Mad Max, Conan... choose any part of any one, and my husband can probably mute the television and know every word that's being said. I realize that he has a distinct advantage with Mad Max and Conan, because I don't think there are many words, but he can hum along with the show tunes, too. But ask me? -- Do I know word-for-word any movie scripts? and the answer may be "yes." I may know most of the words and all the lyrics to Annie and Mary Poppins. I'm quite sure (okay, I am quite hoping) that when my kids are old enough, they'll call me "cool!" instead of just barking at me to quit making so much noise.

Last night, in an effort to keep the kids up to see Daddy, but in an equal effort to maintain my sanity, we watched Mary Poppins. I love that movie!! And the rainy cloudy day we had been having was just asking for us to jump into chalk-paintings and walk on chimney-smoke staircases. The kids and I all gathered on the couch and enjoyed the show together. The kids had me laughing with their questions. Each time they watch the movie they understand it a little more. The most memorable conversation was with Will.

Will: Mama, what is a housekeeper?
Me: In this movie, it is the lady who cleans the house, dusts, vacuums, washes windows, sweeps, that sort of thing.
Will: If she is doing all that, what is left for the parents and the kids to do?
Me: uh....they could go fly a kite?
Will: Those Britains are sure weird, not doing their own chores. Do they still have housekeepers or was that just way back when?
Me: Some people have housekeepers now and some are even in the United States.
Will: That's just ridiculous. I can't believe that!

Perhaps I should've thought through the movie choice a bit more. When we got toward the end of the movie, there is a scene up on the rooftops. Little Michael looks into a tube and gets a face full of black soot. Ben laughed and laughed and laughed about that and then asked when he could do that. Then the children, Mary, and Bert ascended a staircase that Mary made by poking her umbrella into the smoke. Again, Ben asked when he could do that. Then he thought back a few moments to the part just before the rooftops. He started describing that the kids were standing in the fireplace and then they just flew up to the roof. It was not long till I could tell just where Ben's wheels were turning. He kept looking at the couch we have in front of our fireplace and, finally, he asked when we could move it so he could get black in the fireplace. (In case you are wondering why we have our fireplace covered by a couch, go back and reread that last sentence and understand that is how my four kids think.) I fell asleep last night hoping Ben wouldn't grab an umbrella and jump down the stairs. He has been working on perfecting his Buzz Lightyear flight, and since that isn't proving to work quite right, he may try Mary Poppins' methods. Gonna run hide those umbrellas now!

In case you are interested in other posts about my favorite character, check out this one from a year ago: Everything I need to know.

What's For Dinner?

Following up on the story I started . . . the bugs arrived in the mail Monday. For the last week, every time the dog barked, the kids ran to the window to see if Mr. UPS was bringing the bugs. Each time he wasn't there, they were disappointed. Finally, our bugs arrived and the kids were hopping like crickets (well, not those crickets) in excitement. I tried so hard to be enthusiastic, but it was quite a challenge. Dinner came; the main course was spaghetti, chicken Parmesan, and salad, but for the appetizers we had "the other green meat." That evening, each person had a small (really small) bowl with sour cream and onion-flavored crickettes and barbecue-flavored larvettes. Since I couldn't let the kids see me wimp out, I bravely tasted it after they started munching.

Wondering what they tasted like? Allen and I decided the larva were a lot like those partially-popped popcorn hulls. The texture, the crunch, the flavor -- all like popcorn hulls. The crickets tasted pretty much the same, but since they were bigger, the texture was different. Same crunch as the popcorn kernels, but, as the kids put it, "the legs were too poky." Yes, the bugs were dead, but the legs were sharp -- they poked the kids' tongues -- poke-y.

In our home, kids must finish dinner before they can have dessert. I didn't force them to eat the bugs, but they finished them quickly. All four asked for seconds of the insect-variety. Maddie didn't eat the cricket's body, but she pulled all the legs off and seemed to enjoy eating them. Ben didn't finish his spaghetti and chicken, so he wasn't offered dessert. The other kids were ready for it, though. Dessert? White- and milk-chocolate covered crickettes and larvettes. As soon as he saw we were eating bugs for dessert, Ben quickly finished his dinner and asked for the chocolate bugs. The kids all enjoyed the experience. It was neat to see that they aren't afraid to try new things. Any one up for the challenge? They are high in protein, low in fat -- the perfect diet food! .... for a bird, anyway.

Church Matters

When we were at church yesterday, Will asked, ‎"Mama? Why aren't the angels at our church anymore?" I had to explain to him that the choir doesn't always wear robes, but they were the same people who sang the other times, too. That one goes right up there with the time he asked, "When can I be bath-tized?"

We stepped out of our normal comfort zone and chose a large church. It has a lot to offer for the kids and me. One of the advantages of a large church for us is that not too many people notice we have triplets. We don't have to call ahead to make sure there is enough room in the preschool class for them, and we don't have to call and say we aren't going to be there. With smaller churches, the crowd seemed to rotate about our three babies, leaving Will off to the side.

We have been attending the same church off and on for the almost-three years we've lived here. The little kids enjoy their classes, and we've gotten to know several of the preschool teachers through Sunday school, mother's day out, and Tuesday morning Bible studies. Will enjoys going to "big church" with Allen and me, and will sit calmly, quietly, and still for most of the service. When he gets tired of watching the preacher, he reads his Bible, but I know he's listening because later he asks us questions about the sermon. I'm okay with that, and I am thrilled that he is thinking. Will really seems to enjoy Sunday school, too, especially when they gave him his own Bible. He takes such good care of it and he is proud that he can read it, even if he doesn't understand it all yet.

We go to church for a while, then flu-RSV-H1N1 hits and we stop for the winter. Our church shows services on television, and I still stay involved in activities during the week, but once we are out of the habit of going on Sundays, its hard to get back to going. That's been the cycle since we moved here. When we aren't going in winter, I don't feel guilty. We still pray as a family, I read the kids Bible stories, I participate in Bible study and MOPS. God isn't out of our lives, but just as we limit the germs in the winter, I feel like I have a ceiling on my spiritual life when I'm not at church.

As my friends and I have been planning MOPS for the fall, the fact that I was not a member of the church came up just briefly. Not everyone in our MOPS group belongs to the church, and not everyone in steering belongs to that church. One of my friends said, "Sarah, you come to Bible studies, you pay for mother's day out, and you are already involved in the ministry of this church through MOPS. So why aren't you guys members?" Sometimes it takes a simple question to get me moving and this one did just that. Allen and I discussed our reasons why and came up with "why aren't we?"

So, here we are.
In a large church.
Three years later.
Now members.
As of yesterday.

Musically Inclined

Allen and I have been talking about letting Will take music lessons this year. We don't know for sure that we will do it, but we are talking about it. He could learn to read music, learn rhythm, have something to be proud of. We were considering instruments --piano, guitar, violin -- but really wishing there was a teacher that let kids borrow a different instrument a month just to see what was out there. Part of the talk included asking Will if he would be interested in learning to play an instrument. He said yes, he'd like that, and we told him to think about what instrument would be fun. Several days later, Will came to tell me he decided what instrument he would like to learn to play. The conversation went something like this:

Will - "Mama, you remember you told me to think about what instrument I want to play?"
Me - "Yes. Have you thought about it?"
Will - "Yes, but there may be a problem. . . ."
Me - "What's the problem?"
Will - "I don't know what store you are going to find me some bagpipes."

....remember up there when I said "We don't know for sure that we will do it?" ....