5 senses Saturday

Hear:
**General Conference
**table saw
** "Hi Ethan! Mom this is my bestest friend Ethan!" (said by Terell while we were at Wal Mart)
** "no, no good night night"
**dishwasher & washer

Sight:
*a messy house
*the most humble men & women speaking
*little boys playing outside
*a little girl enjoying her last day of Saturday school
*Easter mug

Touch:
*strawberries
* holding hands with my boys in the parking lot
* snuggling with Ben
*dirty laundry
*my camera

Taste:
*shredded wheat w/ a banana
*lots of water
*mandarin oranges
*mesquite chicken
*a piece of hubba bubba

Smell:
*dirty kids from playing outside
*Tide with Downy in it
*wood
*a garbage can that needs to be emptied
*Love Potion lotion ( my FAVORITE!)

Lego Mania

I have tried to explain to people, how obsessed my kids are with legos. Yet, I don't think I ever do it justice! I think you honestly have to be a fly on the wall at our house to understand. All 3 of the big kids love Legos. Ivan likes to dump Legos out. Of all the kids though, Connor gets into it the most. He builds at least one ship every day. He insists he doesn't know how to make anything else! Sometimes he gets really upset when Ivan breaks one and then other times he says, " that's ok! I can just make a new one!' And he does. Bigger and better. Which is actually what he is doing right now. The one in the picture has now been destroyed by Ivan. :( The kids get this from Ben as I don't remember ever playing with Legos. Ben likes to build with them also. Our kids unannimously ( not sure how to spell it) decided to go to Legoland instead of Disneyland this summer! There was no question in their minds where they would rather go! Yesterday Ethan and Connor went outside to build. They were so cute.

Kangaroo Jacks

Yesterday, my friend Jenn and I took our kids to this "bounce house" place, called Kangaroo Jacks. I had Ivan and she had her daughter Emily. While I was taking Ivan's shoes off, I looked up at the wall and it said, "...a place where kids can bounce off the walls". Sounds like the perfect place for Ivan!!! Well he had a total blast. Running from one place to another. Laughing, climbing, sliding, running and bouncing. He had a ton of fun. It totally wore him out too and he took a nice looong nap! It was fun to watch him,and after we showed the pictures to the big kids, they wanted to do it also. So next Friday, when there is no school, we are all going to go out and do it.

movin' on up...

Caller ID reads "United States Government" Sounds official doesn't it? Well I knew it wasn't Ben's number so I answered it. The personal property office. Letting me know when the movers are coming. Yikes. Things are starting to get taken care of. The dentist appts. were yesterday and all the kids did great! And after, cough, cough, too many years of not going to the dentist, I didn't have a single cavity! Nice. So for dental, we are set. Except Ben who has to go in next week. I have another appt. next week, and then over spring break the last round ...immunizations. Then I need to get passports. So much to do! However I took a little break today and I am glad I did! My energy levels are very low and so it felt good to just do nothing! The rest of the week is packed with things to do. My hectic life...

lifes curveballs

Just when I thought I had everything planned out...Ben called me this morning with some "news". He had an email waiting for him, when he got to work, saying that they need him in Guam by June 15th. We hadn't even planned to leave Oregon until around the 30th of June. Hoping to be in Guam by the 4th of July. Now, it looks like our last day here wil be May 18th. It is so overwhelming to me, all that I need to get done in that short amount of time. ( Even though I know I should be " counting my blessings because at least my husband will be home".) But it is still overwhelming!! We will, PROBABLY be leaving the morning of the 19th. We are going to make a stop in Mesa for a few days. Beth, I want to hook up with you guys ( our dh's and children could actually meet!!) and actually bring a camera this time! Plus, Susan and her family. ( That one was a given!) Then onto LaJolla, where we are still hoping that Darla and Vale are going to join us for a couple of days at Lego Land. After visiting with my parents for a few days. Then we will be on to OR/WA. We are not sure as to when we leave from there. We will keep you posted. So that is the plan. Unless we get another curveball....

Elite 8

I think most people know, that I have a huge crush on my husband. Which, all things considering, is a good thing! But one of the things that just make me think, " he is so cute"...is his love of all things U of O. Now I have to make a confession. One of the few times ( hopefully it is a few!) that I have dissapointed Ben is while we were dating. He was talking about going back to school and I had to confess that...I didn't know which school was which. Oregon State University or University of Oregon. And which one was the Ducks again? Although inwardly, he probably cringed, he just put his arm around me and said, " don't worry you will!" And he was right...

After a brief hiatus from school after his freshman year ( to marry me!) he went back in Jan. 1999. Sounds like so loooong ago!And since then, we have had at least one time in our home, Oregon shirts, hand towel, onesies, bibs, cheerleading outfits, stuffed animals, key chains, water bottles, stickers, hats, blankets, and more. Although the kids and I, uhm yeah don't get into it as much as their father, we still support him.

He watches his team win or lose. Football and basketball. If they are winning, he is grinning and happy. If they are losing, he has his head in his hands muttering to the tv. Threatening to turn it off. Sometimes he has...but never for long. He has been known to come to bed after a game, only to wake me up and let me know what the score was. I say great and go back to sleep. There are times when he has been really upset, and I have, cough, cough, suggested that maybe, he shouldn't watch it. That idea did not go well!!!

I do feel sorry for him though, because out here, Oregon games do not get much notice. The highlights are mostly Va & NC schools. Poor guy!

Well, typically I have hated the month of March. Since I have been married anyway. Because it is March Madness. That is when all the college basketball teams play. I am not sure where it starts, but I do know that it goes from the Sweet 16, to the Elite 8, and then onto the Final 4. Well on Friday, Ben stayed up to watch his game. I went to bed! However, the Ducks won and are now onto the Elite 8.

Friday before the game, we were in Target, and he was wearing, one of his many Oregon shirts. This guy was walking the opposite of us, and kept staring at Ben's shirt. Once we had passed, he said to his friend, " I thought that guys' shirt said Oregon Sucks." I laughed at that one! Now just to make him mad I say "Oregon sucks". :) Real mature...

But the thing I love the most about all this is that whatever Ben does...he does it 100%. He really gets into the things he is interested. He doesn't do it half way. I love that. And I love him. So...GO DUCKS!

5 Senses Saturday ( or Sunday)

Our computer was not working very well yesterday, and since we were so busy, I didn't have much time to blog anyway. So here it is today...

Sight:
* birthday balloons
*the sun coming up
*a LaZboy delivery truck, making a delivery at 6 am
*bare cupboards in the pantry
* a sad boy, because the other 2 kids were both invited to b-day parties

Sound:
*the blips of the cash register
*" Mommy I made a new friend"
*" Look, I won 2 prizes!"
* the car starting many times during the day
* Faith Hill cd

Touch:
*the pavement as I fell while on my morning walk
* a little boy who was covered in dirt from head to toe
* a soccer ball
*groceries that needed to be put away
*new shoes on my feet, that I love

Taste:
* shredded wheat
* yummy fruit
*cheese pizza
* do si do's
* milk

Smell:
*Electrosal tabs
*stinky kids after playing outside
*4 bags of garbage ( cleaned out the fridge, pantry and all kitchen cupboards!)
* rotiserie chicken at the commissary
*Dial hand soap

teachers

A conversation with Ethan...

"Mom sometimes when I am at school, I have to go to the bathroom."

"Yeah that happens."

"Mom, how come teachers never go to the bathroom?"

He went on to tell me that he has never seen his teacher use the bathroom. Funny kid! Who was up at 6am this morning!

PNO!

One of our most favorite things about our Y membership was Parents Night Out. All 4 kids from 6-9. It was great. They loved it and so did we. Well, once I chose to cancel my membership parents night out was lost also. So when I heard that the young women in our ward were doing a parents night out, I don't think I signed my kids up fast enough! Now, it actually has not been that long since we had a night out together. Actually it was 13 days ago. Seabee Ball. But, I realized something after that last date night. Not only do Ben and I love each other, but we want to spend time together. We are not so caught up in the kids, or his job,or packing that we don't make time. We want to be together. We have a gift certificate to a Mexican restaraunt, and than to Target to buy some birthday gifts. Connor and Harmony both have a party to go to tomorrow. So what do I do with Ethan? But anyway, I am going to enjoy tonight. Only 2.5 more hours!

lego ships galore

Today, Connor came in to show me his new lego ship. He asked me if I liked it and I told him...

" of course Connor. I like all the ships that you make. In fact, I have one on my nightstand, bookshelf, a magnetic one on the fridge, one on the computer desk and one on the kitchen counter. We have a lot of lego ships dude."

Big shrug of the shoulders...."is that a bad thing?"

why?

Who am I to question but...

*why does Ivan have to poop in a brand new clean diaper?

*why does my neighbor's son, Walter, insist on ringing our doorbell every time he sees my van parked outside?

*why does Ivan keep trying to color in the Bible while saying "paper"

*why is that Ethan, who is normally my first one dressed, chose this morning to play instead of get his shoes on?

*Why does Connor insist on watching Star Wars every morning to school? Does he not realize that I have to LISTEN to it every morning?

*Why does the preschool not put a volunteer out to watch little siblings, who are staying in the car, so you can run the older kids in a lot faster?

*What is a spirit link? It is a fundraiser at school and they want the kids to buy them and the money will go to charity. It is only .25 but what exactly am I buying?!

* Why do we have to fill out reading logs? Can't I just sign my name if we read that day?

*Why did I run out of laundry soap when I was finally caught up?

OK I am done for now. Whew. Feels good to get that out. Maybe later I will share my bus driver story....

too pooped to poop

OK...don't worry, not really. Close but not quite! Why am I so tired? Maybe because I finally got all of my clean laundry put away. I hate laundry. I also hate dishes. They are my least favorite of all household cleaning tasks. Why? Why do they get such hostile treatment? Because they are never done. Unless my family went running around naked all day every day,( which we will spare you!) never eating or sleeping or taking baths, or doing anything that might get us dirty, I will always have laundry and dishes to do. So maybe it is that never ending drudergy that makes me loathe it. But at this moment in time, the laundry is put away. And no one can bug me about his... I mean "their" black socks.

Or the other reason could be the fact that...I have a 2 year old. If you have never had a 2 year old, or it has been a long time, feel free to borrow mine. From the minute I said, " good morning Ivan!" and got him out of his bed, it has been..."no". "No bed, no cup, no shoes, no bye bye etc. etc Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning! So then everything after that was a fight. From STEALING a bag of M&M's from the commissary, to loading up Harmony's Hello Kitty suitcase with cereal bars, to scaling a bookshelf to climb onto Ethan's bunk bed, to putting on Connors Buzz shoes and jumping on my bed....whew. Ivan the Terrible strikes again. Luckily he is in bed. I read a quote one time " Mothers of boys work from Son up to Son down." And isn't that the truth!

5 senses Saturday

OK, new idea...we will see how long it lasts. Every Saturday 5 things from each of the 5 senses that I "sensed" today....ok here we go...

Heard:
**Ben's video game
**"Harmony is doing so great at Saturday school!"
** "If somebody is mean to you, you just be really mean back." (ugh!)
**sizzling sausage on my griddle
**alarm clock

Saw:
**snow flurries
**my 3 boys cuddled on the couch together
**a messy house
**birthday party madness
**a friend

Touch:
** a snuggly boy on the couch
**hot shower
**dirty dishes
**steering wheel
**Ben's hand

Smell:
**poopy diapers
**yummy dinner cooking
**laundry soap
**IHOP, while I was at Target
**cucumber & melon body wash

Taste:
**frosted mini wheats
** french fries
**oj
**hashbrowns
**turkey burger ( no that was not all at one meal!)

Feel free to do your own list on your blog....

officially official

Well, it's official. The orders are in hand and the Turners are headed to Guam. Now that we have our official orders, we can start making the 100's of appts. that we need to go overseas. A pregnancy test, dentist appts, shots, passports and more. The next few months are gearing up to be very busy. So much to do. So little time. It will all get done I know, hopefully Ben and I can live through it!! We have certainly been through harder times!

I have been seriously feeling so sappy lately. I think it is just because of all that is going on. I find myself thinking about all the "lasts" that we have here in Norfolk. Our last day at Ingleside( thank heaven!), the last Spring program, the last week of teaching my class, the last Sunday, the last...well everything. And then there are all those things that we are going to miss... 4th of July at TownPoint Park, trips to the beach, the annual CEC beach bash, fall picnics, scrapbook nights and more.

We are ready for new adventures, but also...a little sad to leave.

advice

I am the kind of person, who tries to take others advice. I do. Wether from friends, teachers, my kid's teachers, parents etc. I figure if they have done "the leg work" I might as well, learn from it. That way I don't have to work for it. I listen and then try to judge if it works for me. Sometimes it has worked out wonderfully. Not so much other times but it is a learning process.

Well, little Miss Harmony has been having insomnia. That might be too severe of a word but she has been having a lot of problems getting to sleep at night. We tell her that she has to be in her bed by 7:30 and that she could read or whatever but she has to be in her bed. The other night it was a quarter to 10 and she was still up. She started crying because, " I just can't get to sleep". This was not the first time. She is staying up late on a regular basis and actually told one of the other GS moms' that she has stayed up until midnight before.

I have been so frustrated with her. Because in the mornings she is a monster to deal with!! It is hard to get her out of bed and get going, she is soooo crabby, has an attitude about everything. My patience with her is at a bare minimum.

We thought that it might be caused from her thinking so much that she just can't "shut her brain off" at night.And that the reading may be making it worse not better.

Last night I got to talking to a friend and she has a son who is in the gifted program at school. And she told me that he has insomnia and gets headaches. She told me a remedy but that it took her son 3 weeks before he started sleeping regularly. So tonight it starts. I hope for Harmony's sake and mine that it works. I want my little girl back!! I feel like a mean, bad Mom because I haven't wanted to deal with her lately. But it isn't her fault. So all I can do now is try to help her deal. Part of the remedy, is to give her Benadryl at night until her sleep pattern is regulated again. Apparently Ben had to do the same thing. So I'll let you know what happens tonight!

ball pictures

I was having problems loading the last few. So here are Ben and I! And my cute centerpiece. It came in a tool box and on one side were the flowers and the other side were tools. A little something for him...a little something for me. Although I do think I saw him cringe when I said the tool box was probably going to be used to hold scrapbook supplies! :)

Our Busy Weekend

Whew! We had an extremely, busy, but fun weekend. Friday night our ward had a Pinewood Derby. The kids were so excited for Daddy to race his car. Although Connor thought Ben was racing an actual car. The boys started out really excited but after awhile, they escaped to go and play in the nursery. But Harmony stepped up and really got into it!! It was cute because I thought it was going to be the boys who were the most involved but it wasn't! Harmony won a few races but didn't win the whole thing. She didn't really care though! Then there was a dessert auction. I made a Peanut Butter chocolate pie and it went for $18! Not bad. Considering I can't imagine paying for anything that I make!

Saturday morning, we dropped Harmony off at Saturday school and headed to Fort Monroe. Ben needed an army medal to wear with his uniform. Fort Monroe was a very nice base. We got the medal, then headed to our commissary and did a few errands. Picked up Harmony and came home for lunch. An hour later I dropped Connor off at his friend's house for a birthday party. Came home. Stayed for an hour than dropped Harmony off at her friends house. Came home with one hour to get ready for the ball. Got Ivan and Ethan ready and dropped them off. Got our pictures taken ( thanks Deborah!) and then headed to the ball.

What do a couple of Mormons do during a cocktail hour? Not much! We walked around and said hello to a few people. Found our table. We were going to cheat to try and win the centerpiece. They usually place a piece of paper under a chair and that person wins. We thought we found it but...they did it a different way! But...we won anyway. The person whose birthday was closest to the Seabee birthday won and it was Ben! So thanks to Christy for having him late!

We listened to the speakers, watched the youngest & oldest Seabees cut the birthday cake. Gave a standing ovation to two elderly WW2 vets, ate, danced ( only slow ones!) and just had a good time. It was so nice to be out with Ben. All dressed up and actually have somewhere to go! By 11 we were ready to go. We stopped at Taco Bell on the way home. We really did have such a good time.

Now back to our normal daily lives. This week is not going to be as busy as last. That is a good thing because I still haven't caught up from last week. I am picking up the last of the GS cookie money today! Yay! Besides one more booth sale on Thursday I will be done with cookies!

being there

Last night I spent a very cold 2 hours standing outside of Pep Boys, selling cookies. Why? Because I love Harmony. Because I want her to know that I am there for her and want to support her in everything that she does. Because I hope that some day, down the road, Harmony says, "Thanks for being there Mom." That is all I want. Is for her to tell her kids and her family that my Mom was always there. I have been lucky that I have been able to attend every field trip, every class party, every concert, award ceremony etc. You name it and I have been there. But last night I came to the realization that sometimes my life is pretty charmed...

Harmony has a friend named Tiffany who is in her school class and in her GS troop. Tiffany's Mom and I were manning one side of Pep Boys with our girls, while the others were on the other side. She made a comment about how she and I were always the ones at the field trips and events at school. But as she was talking I found something out. This woman, works at a restaraunt in the airport. She works the breakfast shift, and so has to get up at 2:30 and be at work at 3. She then works until 1. She hurries home and has her alone time until 2:30 when her daughter comes home from school. Then it is onto making dinner, helping with homework, carpools and all that "other stuff". So even though she knew that she would have to be up in 6 hours, she was out helping her daughter last night. Because she wanted to BE THERE for her.

I realize how lucky I am. For many reasons. 1) I have friends who are willing to help me by watching my kids. They have made it easy for me to go and be with the other. All I have to do is ask. 2) I have a supportive husband. He understands my desire to attend events that our kids are in. Sometimes, he stays home with Ivan, so that I can enjoy the event without dealing with him. But he is always there to help. 3) for Ben's career. Ben has worked sooo hard to be where he is. So that we can live comfortably. I know there are many women who would love to be at home, but because of finances they can't. I know there are women who would rather be at work then at home. But I know that Ben works hard so that I can stay home. He supports me financially in MY career.

When I was growing up, my parents made sure that at least one of them was at every single one of our events. Now that I am older, I realize how hard that can be. Not too mention tiring. I am so grateful.

I know this is a long post it is just something that has been on my mind. And last night just brought a lot of thoughts to the surface. To those who love and support me a big huge THANK YOU!

deja vu

Speaking of dress shopping....

On Monday, Ben asked me what my plans for the day were. I told him I was going to go and look for a dress to wear to Seabee ball. He said, " I thought you already had a dress. Your old one." To which I responded, " I know but I would like to see if I can find something new."


Fast forward to yesterday...I was talking to Ethan about something and told him that I would be going dress shopping today. He looked at me and said, " I thought you already had one." To which I responded, " I know but I would like to see if I can find something new."

What can I say? Like father like son!

growing pains

Connor woke up at a quarter after 4 crying. I asked him what was the matter and he said he couldn't sleep in his bed anymore. His feet hurt. The poor kid, I think has growing pains. This isn't the first time that this has happened!

In typical Marie fashion, I am late getting him into his well child's exam. The pediatrician is kind of obnoxious about not doing their well child until after their birthday. Even if it is a couple of days away. So in Feb. I usually wait until after Connor's b-day to do Ivan& Connor. I am going to make an appt. today and then hopefully soon I can figure out if there is anything I can do for him.

Ben got an email from the detailer today saying that his "official" orders would be in by the latest next Tuesday. This is a good thing because now we can start getting things done. The kids will not be excited about all the shots that they have to get in order to go overseas, but Ben has some definite bribing ideas going on!

I am taking a break from dress shopping today and hopefully can find something tomorrow. If not oh well. I will wear my other one.

BTW- thanks to Cindy, my M-list blog has been updated. Here is the linkhttp://the-m-list.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

build.learn.create

For those who don't know, the Home Depot offers a kids workshop, on the first Saturday of every month. I kept telling Ben that I thought he should take them. But he would just say, " Marie I can teach them how to do all that stuff." Which yes is true, but my response was, " would you rather them learn on your tools or with someone else's?And besides they get free lunch too." So for the past 2 months Ben has been taking the 3 older kids. Ivan and I stay at home and try to get some work done. The first month they came home proudly wearing their bright orange aprons and proudly holding a Home Depot race car. They loved it and Harmony said, " Mom I love building stuff!!"

Well last Saturday Harmony had to go to her Saturday school, and was bummed that she wouldn't be able to go. And it is too bad, because the project was right up her alley. A Butterfly House. Not to worry though, Ben said that he would build her one. But the boys had a great time and when they got home they wanted to paint them. They were so cute out painting. They have loved building and creating. And I love seeing them being creative!

Ivan vs. the pudding cup

I let him have a pudding cup, thinking that his hands and face would get messy. I never expected this....

the not so quick update

This week has been a blend of: high fevers, runny noses, coughs, cookie runs, missed school, missed appts. and cabin fever. I finally escaped last night, and headed to a scrapbook night. Ben told me that Ivan & Connor ( who were the only ones that still had a fever) had finally cooled off by the time they went to bed. Hopefully this means that all the sickness is leaving our house! I sure hope so!

Ben's official orders should be in on Monday. Which means we will know for sure dates. After he has those, he can go in and get the date for our movers to come. So freakin' excited!! However, this also means that we have to get shots, dental appts. and passports to go overseas. Good times. I am sure the kids will be excited about that. Apparently it doesn't matter that Guam is a US Territory. We are still treated like we are going to a 3rd world country. So much to do. Need to start a major to do list.

Harmony has for the most part, missed the sickness that has been passed around this week. Knock on wood that it stays that way. She started her Saturday school last week, and is headed back this week. She told me that it is more fun than regular school. And they get a snack! She is trying to convince me to get her a dog. I told her no because we would have to do a lot of traveling with a dog, and that wouldn't be fair to the dog. So I told her she could ask me again when we get back to the states.

Ethan was bored staying at home after awhile. But he really got hit with a fever the worse of all the kids. I noticed that he wasn't feeling well on Sat. night and he stayed like that until Thursday. Finally yesterday he showed some signs of recovery. He is headed to the Home Depot workshop with Ben today. He had a great time last month so he is excited to go today. I know he is ready to get out of this house for awhile.

Connor really missed preschool this week! We got calls from a couple of friends making sure he was ok. It is nice to know that you are loved! He has been my constant companion this week. One time I told him that he was driving me nuts. So he said, " yeah well you are driving me sloppy joes" Then he just started naming any food he could think of. Cute kid, I tell yah. He is also hoping to go to HD with Daddy and Ethan. He wasn't warm this morning so hopefully he will feel fine.

Poor baby Ivan. He has really not been feeling well. He has thrown up on me, and fallen asleep on my lap a few times this week. It has been nice to actually cuddle with the kid. That hasn't happened since he was like 6 months old! However, by yesterday afternoon even I was getting cuddled out! His vocab is getting so much better. His favorite words are " Mommy, Lightning McQueen, car, cookie, cracker. But he is mimicking what the kids and I say. PLus he is working hard to say their names. Harmony being the hardest one to say. Go figure. One day he was looking at a book about colors, and under the grey, was a picture of a phone. And he pointed and said "gone". Phone with a "g" sound. I said that is right Ivan! So he pointed at it again and said, "right". Cute.

I am starting to feel better and am hoping to resume my walking on Monday. We cancelled the Y last week because we just don't have time to get in there. I have too much work to do during the day to be spending the whole preschool time there. So it has been hard to find a time for work outs. I am also hoping to get some stuff packed up in my scrap room today. I have a few empty boxes that I can use. Busy times.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. And Susan and Eric....we are jealous! Have a great time in Jamaica! Bring me back something good! :)