Back to School

(We are currently having a gnat infestation all over Guam. They were swarming at the bus stop!!)

(5th grade already? Sigh)

( big 3rd grader)

(big 2nd grader)


(It was so humid outside I had to keep wiping all the mist off of my camera lens!)
Mason woke up at 3:30.
Ethan woke up at 4:30.
Ivan woke up at 5:00.
Harmony woke up at 5:45.
I forced Connor awake at 6:15.
Bus came a little late but is usually here at 6:50.
Backpacks loaded.
Haircuts.
New shoes.
Lunch bags packed with a love note from Mom.
Bus passes tied to backpacks.
The house is quiet.
Pure bliss.

Wordless Wednesday

Summertime and the living is easy...

Newness

(This picture has nothing to do with anything on this post. I just didn't want to leave it picture-less!)

The only thing we can count on is change right? Or is it death and taxes?

So where should I begin?

This summer, with hospital visits, Mason's birth, Ben being out of town... our church attendance has been less than stellar. And when you miss one week (or 2 or 3...)you miss out on a lot! We found out on Sunday that our branch is splitting. We will now be members of a brand new branch! Part of the new Dededo branch. So that means a new building, a new primary, a new sunbeam teacher for Ivan to get used too (so not looking forward to that) new people...This next Sunday will mark our last Sunday in the Barrigada branch.

I took the kids to new student orientation. A new school. Their school is kind of like a college campus. I am guaranteed to get lost a couple of hundred times. So we have a new school,new routines, new teachers, new bus routes, new school supplies.

We weren't exactly sure what Ivan would be doing this year. We are not sure if he is still labeled as "mild autistic" or just developmentally delayed. But because of his age, he is able to attend pre-k full time! Not just a couple of days like last year!He will still be getting services as needed. He will have an aid who is in his class full time. We are excited that he will be attending school 5 days a week! Ivan does not do well with change but I know he is going to love being at school more.

Ben is almost done with turn over and will finally be up closer to us! He spent last week down on the Navy base. This week he is back and forth. I can't wait for his commute time to go from 45 minutes to 5!

As I put the kids into their new school, it really hit me. We only have 9 months left on Guam!! (The kids and I are leaving earlier than Ben). And then we will be on to more new-ness.

Looking forward to all the changes and what life will bring us next!

interesting fact

I read this fact today and thought it was interesting...

**Men who kiss their wives goodbye in the mornings have a lower percentage of heart disease than those who don't?**

So kissing is GOOD for us, it's not just for fun! :)

Gold Diggers

( I know that I have a million and one pictures of those two together but just couldn't find a more recent one!)

The other day, I was feeding Mason and the two older boys were playing legos in the living room. We were watching tv and one of those "cash for gold" commercials came on.

The boys started talking about what they would do if they had millions of dollars. I love listening to them because they always include each other in their plans. No matter what. It is never what "I" will do with the money, or the toy it is always what "we" will do with it. It just makes this Mom's heart happy! Anyway, they decided they would go buy their own house and have their own flat screen tv, wii etc.

After some planning, they decided to go gather up all the gold in their room so they could send it in. I asked them what gold they had. They said their baseball trophies. Too cute. So I explained to them that while it was a gold color, it wasn't real gold. They trudged off to their rooms to go look for more.

A few minutes later they come back grinning from ear to ear.

boys:" Mom we found some more gold and we even found silver to send in!!"

Me: "what is it?"

boys: "Our scout stuff!!" They hold up their kerchief slide and the silver belt buckles that they had earned.

Me: (cracking up!!) well those aren't real silver or gold either."

boys: "how do you know?"

Me: "Well, because I bought the slide for like $2. And if it was real it would cost a lot more to buy it."

boys: sighing, " well can we have some of your gold?"

Me: (because I have sooo much gold lying around lol) "sorry boys but no."

Ethan:" I guess we will just have to save our allowance."

Good idea. Cute little boys!

How do you spell drama?

H-A-R-M-O-N-Y!!!!

Picture the scene: Mason is screaming his head off in his swing. I am trying to hurry through "Oh the Places You'll Go" so that Ivan can go to bed. The older kids are SUPPOSED to be playing nicely. I hear Ethan crying and here comes Harmony...

H: " I just want you to know that I am trying to make Ethan feel better."

M: "Well why is he crying in the first place?"

H: "Because Connor and I told him that we were sick and tired of him."

M: "Why on earth would you say something so mean to him?"

H: "Well don't worry, I am trying to make him feel better."

M: " You shouldn't have said it in the first place. You and Connor just earned a one way ticket to bed."

H: "THAT ISN'T FAIR! I WAS TRYING TO GET HIM TO STOP CRYING!" Walks out of the room and slams her door.

I go make her come back to Ivan's room and walk back into hers without the hissy fit. I than said, " I don't know why you are acting like this." Her response:

" I don't know either. I am just a bad person aren't I Mom? Admit it, that is what you think about me too!"

Huh? What?

Me: "just go to bed. Not one more word. Not one. Just go to bed."

If she is this bad at 10, how bad can the teenage years be?

This is why I only have one girl.

catch up

******Blogger won't let me upload pictures. So I will try again later!*********

Mason decided that he and I didn't need any sleep the past two nights. That we should just stay up and rock and cuddle and watch whatever is on tv at 2 am! And of course, he is sleeping the morning away while I am up with the other kids. Ahh the life of a newborn!

Last Sunday my oldest turned 10 and the next day, my youngest turned a month old. I realize that it is totally cliche but, "WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?" I swear, as soon as you have kids time just speeds up.

Harmony had probably one of the most laid back birthdays that we have had around here for a long time. We are trying to get on a rotation of every other year we have a friend party. So she is on the family one this year. Thank heaven because with Ben gone, I don't think I could have handled anything else!

The Saturday before Ben left, he took her out to lunch, the bookstore and to do a little shopping. On Sunday I made her her favorite breakfast (scrambeled eggs with him and poppy seed muffins). I let her open her gifts before church. Then we came home and I made her favorite dinner (fettucini alfredo with brocoli and chicken and strawberry cake with vanilla frosting and strawberry ice cream). Then we all laid around and watched National Treasure 2.

Like I said, nice and laid back. I don't know where we will be next year but I am sure she has some plans for a more exciting party!

What will the double digits bring? We will soon find out...

The Rainy Season

(The pond outside our house. We didn't know we were living in water front property!)

(The back of all the teachers eating at the table!)

(Another side view of the whole thing)

(The boys with their creation. There are the 4 different towers for all the houses.)

(On this one, you can see part of the great hall. The people are the professors sitting at the head table. The big neon green lego is part of one of the towers)


(A side view. I didn't take the pictures, the boys did. But I think this is the herbology classroom)

Ahh Summer. The beach, pool, popsicles, ice cold lemonade, warm weather, right? Well that may be what our life is like during the other 9 months of the year, but summer here means RAIN. And lots of it! Which is not fun when you are trying to keep 4 kids entertained. We have had downpours for the past week. Not a light rain. Down pours. Thunder and lightning, wind etc. We have lost power more than a few times. It has been wild. The kids are stuck inside. They are driving me crazy!!

One day while talking to Ben, the boys sat and asked me question after question. Apparently they didn't notice the phone in my hand. I finally sent them off to their room to play Legos. "But we don't know what to build!" I suggested they go and build Hogwarts. And they did!

It took them 3 days and they did a fabulous job! The boys love to get kits from movies like Star Wars or Indiana Jones. But we don't have anything from Harry Potter. They just used their imaginations! The great hall had all the different tables for the houses. Complete with the professors sitting at the front table. The herbology class had all the different plants that they could find. A few of the men had wizard hats. The potions class had barrels for all the different potions. All the 4 towers were made. They were going to make the stairs to go to divination but had a little trouble with it. I loved seeing all the hard work they put in to it. Now they want me to send their pictures into the Lego magazine!

walking zombie

I have to say that for the most part, Mason is a pretty darn good sleeper. He will even sleep (sometimes) for a good 4-6 hours at a stretch. It makes those long nights a little more do-able.

Ben has been gone for a week. That is it. Last week seemed to drag but also went by fast. If that is possible. However, besides the fact that Mason is sleeping well, I find myself very tired and worn out. Maybe it is because...

**I am taking care of 5 kids by myself all day every day

** I am a slave to the couch/rocking chair during feeding times

** I don't have time to recharge my batteries.

Last week Harmony went to Girl Scout camp. Well Friday she was getting ready and I was putting her hair up. And then I felt her forehead. She was burning up. Fever of 101. OK no camp. That day she complained a little but not to much. Next morning she was running around feeling fine. Until we got home from the store...

She had started complaining and by the time we got home...whew boy watch out. Her fever was up to 102.5 She was hot and miserable. She spent the day in my bed. And the next. And the next. Then she decided to pass it to Ivan. He was hot, miserable and spent the day on the couch.

Then last night Mason decided that I only needed 5 hours of sleep. After yelling at the big kids all morning...I don't think they agree with him! But I have learned that you really do need sleep to function. How do I know?

**was so happy with myself that I got dinner in the crock pot. 6 hours later I started wondering why I wasn't smelling anything. It wasn't turned on.

**While in the kitchen, I also noticed the pkg of frozen Rhodes dough, rising in it's pkg on the counter

**I remembered to get the garbage out...twice

** went out to the car to get something...and realized I had already gotten it earlier

**and yesterday I let Astro out...and forgot about him. An hour later I sent the kids out to find him. Oops

What can I say? This Mom needs some sleep!