Life with Boys

I always find random stuff around my house.  And these things aren't just accidentally left there!  It's almost as if they were strategically placed as decor, like it's there new place of rest.  Rather than continue to get irritated, I figured I'd start documenting my boys' efforts at decorating MY home.

Here we have the kitchen table centerpiece, thank you Cameron.



And here in the chest of dog toys, you will find Colton's "treasure box inside Mommy's treasure box".

This is Jason's ball that the tball team signed.  My guess would be Colton's efforts??  Surely it wasn't Jason....

This pic is hard to see, if you can see it at all.  But right in the middle of the wall, in MY room, is a bb pellet.  That's right, someone named Cameron had an airsoft and BB war IN MY HOUSE, IN  MY ROOM!  Yeah, they knew I was not happy. 

This is Colton's bow and arrow, made from Mom's hangers.  Do you know how many hangers I have thrown away because I thought he was tanking on his clothes to get them down?  I probably could've saved myself some hangers had I just let him keep the first few.  You can also find this "toy" hanging on the bookcase door knobs in the living area.

Itchy, Itchy

This past Saturday we were up at the preschool getting started on the new playground.  At some point I must have sat down in a bed of chiggers.  I woke up Sunday morning covered in spots!  At first Jason flipped and stripped the bed thinking we had bed bugs.  I knew this wasn't the case because I wash the linens often and we have a matress cover.  After determining they were officially chiggers, I began to cry.  I had scratch all.night.long.  They hurt so bad!  This is my back and only what you CAN see.  They are all over my stomach, chest, butt, lady area and the tops of my legs.  Some spots are just mutlitple chigger bites.

Of course I did all the recommended home treatments - took a bleach bath water, put Chigger medicine on, put anti-scratch cortizone cream on.  You name a home remedy, I've tried it!  Upon further investigation, none of that works.  I also learned that there are not live chigger bugs in my body.  Such a nasty myth!!  All I can do is ride it out which can take weeks.  I'm on day 3 of this and am miserable.  Almost nothing works for the itching except Benadryl which is not ideal to take when your kids are home.  That stuff knocks me out cold.

A lesson learned - spray bug spray EVERYWHERE!  My torso area is the only place I didn't spray.  I just never thought to lift up my shirts and spray underneath :(

Really?

If this is any indication of our summer, starting next week, go ahead and ignore my insanity.  I will have been banging my head on the wall wondering what I've done wrong.  It's like a flashback to when Colton was 2, except those fits were worse and lasted for 3 more hours.  Try that 4 times a day!

This particular fit started while Colton was unloading the dishwasher and Courtnie asked to use his watercolors he brought home from school today.  I guess this wasn't acceptable to him, who knew?  He was throwing this fit for about 5 minutes before I started recording and it lasted another 10 or so after I left.  When he was done, he got up, walked out, got himself something to drink and went to play outside.   I need to learn how to get over his fits as fast as he does!  Maybe I could learn something from this afterall?!

PS - If you have 1 or even 2 children, do not judge me or him.  I believe every parent should be blessed with a child who is difficult, head strong and unwilling to take no for an answer.  Only then will you truly learn from your children the meaning of humble, acceptance, forgiveness and unconditional love.




ETA: He told Jason, "I messed up on my paper and didn't want to get another piece and waste Mommy's paper."  After a long discussion, we've all come to an agreement that it's okay to mess up and not okay to throw a fit.  Thinking maybe the lack of structure in class today has messed him up a bit.

Bipolar Temps

My sister took this picture of me one day.  I didn't think I looked goofy but she just had to sneak in this shot to post on Facebook.  When I caught her I began to feel a bit embarrassed.  Even looking at the picture now, I don't think I look funny.  This is definitely not a style I would want to go out in, or even to the store, but c'mon, it isn't that bad.

I've also come to accept the fact that my body temperature is bipolar.  Very seldom do I feel comfortable; I'm either dripping sweat or shivering cold.  One this day in particular, my teeth were chattering. 

Back to my get-up....  I had a tshirt on and shorts, got chilly and added fuzzy socks and a hoodie.  Makes perfect sense to me :)

PS - That's my new kitchen!

Breanne Turns 21

My sister.... once a complete pain in my side, a pest always wanting in my room, my shadow when I was a teenager, is now 21 years old!  And my best friend :)

Happy Birthday Breanne!  I love you so much!!  You bring so much joy to my life.  Your love for my children is incredible and I know one day I can be the same "second Mom" to your children.  I pray for your prince and I pray for you to see God's will for your life.  You're an outstanding woman, someone to admire and honor.  We were very excited to plan your 21st birthday night out!!

We went to Ad Libs in Deep Elum.  None of us had ever been there so it was a neat experience, definitely somewhere I'd like to go again.  Of course the night can't end at 11:30, especially when you're turning 21!  So we went to a bar across the street.  Then we took her to Sherlock's.

Here's what I learned at Breanne's 21st Birthday Celebration:
I am not 21 anymore,
I'm very certain I lost some of my hearing that night,
Deep Elum just isn't the same anymore,
I still love to have fun and dance!

And of course we took pictures to capture the moments.....

"THE" Video

Courtnie comes home from school, hands me a piece of paper and says, "I do NOT want to watch that video.  I know everything already!"  Of course I knew then what "video" she was talking about but read the letter anyway.  Apparently they have the girls watch the video a year earlier now since they are hitting puberty at an earlier age (this is just so sad to me).  I make sure she really doesn't want to watch the video, sign the letter and have her return it to school the next day.

A few days later I get a call from Courtnie on her teacher's cell phone.  "Mom, please send Mrs. Marks an email saying I want to watch the video.  If I don't watch it, I'll be the ONLY girl in the class.  I want to watch it now!"  I send the email right then (yay for modern technology!).

Later that night we're sitting together with the family at dinner - the 5 of us, Aunt B, my Mom and Grannie.  Courtnie tells us about the video, about how it's called a period because it lasts for a period of time.  She tells us that periods usually last 3-7 days and that you will need to change your pad every 4-6 hours.  We quickly informed her that because she was born into our family, we have longer periods, like 7-14 days, and that you will need to change your pad every hour and maybe even wear a tampon with the pad. 

At this point, Cameron is beyond humiliated.  Courtnie slams her hands on the table and says, "No way!  I listen to you boys talk about balls all the time, you're going to listen about periods!"  No rebuttal was necessary as Cameron knows this is very true.  He agreed, sat back and learned more than he wanted to know about girls.

Our conversation continues about tampons - me and Courtnie, Aunt B, Nanie and Grannie, Dad and both brothers.  If you've ever had a dinner time conversation with the Gautreaux's, you will never know which direction it will take.  We are a very open family and quite possibly a little too open.  I do know this, my kids are very well informed and neither the boys nor Courtnie have any level of curiosity.  They are not modest, they ask questions and they tell things like they are. 

I love them!  I love my family!  And I love dinners together!  We've even ended the night with an hour and a half game of Paper, Rock, Scissors together.  But this dinner conversation just might top them all :)

My Reality....

I read a friend of a friend's blog, yes I do stock random people's blogs don't judge, and loved her new blog post.  We bloggers always write about the happy moments - the pictures of our children's smiling faces, the holidays and joys in life, our new adventures and vacations and maybe even the moments of hardship when prayer is needed from other.

I love blogging!  I love to capture the smiles of my children and write about that happy moment.  I've even caught myself taking a picture with the only intent to use it for a blog.  I love to read other blogs too.  I feel like a part of their lives and with them through trials and joyous moments.

Sometimes blogging makes our lives seem so picture perfect, like we have it all together and every thing is bliss.  But this isn't always the case for myself and probably isn't for anyone.  But we blog about what people will want to read and see.  So to make myself seem more lifelike rather than just another happy blogger with a husband and always cheerful children, here is my reality....

This bed will remain unmade, unless my husband specifically asks me to make the bed.  Now my childrens' beds.... always made first thing in the morning.

This is my closet :)  At some point my dear husband will ask me about the closet.  That's when I know I've let it get too bad and need to get in there and do something about it.  There's laundry that needs to be hung up and clothes and shoes from a "moment" when I couldn't figure out what to wear. 

This is an unfinished project.  It's been there for about a week.  Maybe my husband will bring me home some nails so I can complete it.  Then again, maybe he doesn't want me to put anymore holes in our walls.  Until then....

I look forward to bed times and nap times.  I look forward to sending them outside and telling them to come home at dusk.  Sometimes their voices get on my nerves whether it be from talking, yelling, arguing and even screaming.  Sometimes my voice gets on my nerves from yelling at them!

Dishes get piled after busy nights and you may step on something if the vacuum cleaner insists on not being used.  Junk drawers - everybody's got one!  We've got FOUR!  And surely everyone has a "catch all" in their house.  We have TWO!  One in the kitchen and one near the computer desk.  They attract everything we don't have a place for.

I don't always answer my phone and often times, I forget to call people back.  My reply text messages are short and to the point and my emails get backed up.  I'm a busy mom!!!  And my family is always loved and taken care of.  At the end of the day, I choose to let the little things go undone and spend quality time with my family.

Mother's Day Poem

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

Author: unknown

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her
she has to plan for supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook
("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
The cookbook is setting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse
that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old's diaper.
While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her
that she was going to have a cup.
And chances are...If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Discipline

This past Sunday, there was just a brief mention in the Easter sermon about our children disobeying and even that being sin.  This had me thinking....

We HAVE to discipline our children, even with the small things.  Discipline can vary of course depending on the situation but ignoring bad behavior or the "cute" rotten moments, isn't okay.  Sin is sin, big or small.  If we allow our children to disobey, to backtalk, to stomp their feet, roll their eyes, to hurt their siblings, say ugly things, then we are giving them permission to sin again.  If we do not correct them or guide them to make better choices, we are teaching them to sin to get their way or to sin rather than communicate. 

"Sin is pleasure and sin is fun.  If you disagree with this, you haven't found the right sin!"  So to allow our children to sin, gives them a sense of pleasure and pride knowing they got their way or even at times got away with something they shouldn't have. 

We've been known to be hard on our children.  We have rules that are meant to be followed and if those rules are broken there are consequences.  We've also been told how well behaved our children are, how appreciative they are, and how kind and compassionate they are.  This isn't to say they are always like this!  But outside of our home and with other people, we definitely expect them to be on their best behavior.  We also prefer that if they are going to act out, that they do so with us rather than with or around other people.  To say they are sinless, is not the case, as we are all sinners.  Inside our house we are always parenting, always guiding, always reading scripture and talking about the various ways we sin.  We strive as parents to make sure their actions are what Christ would want from us.  Sometimes we fail.  Sometimes we succeed.  Sometimes we are at a loss and fall on our knees in prayer.

But this I know to be true.  Any misbehavior, wrong thoughts, actions or words, are sin.  No matter the age, these very things are sin.  As parents, we need to teach our children right from wrong and we need to teach them what sin is and how to avoid it. 

In the sermon, our pastor also said this: "We can choose how to live our lives, but we do not choose the consequences."  And how true this is!  Our children can choose to obey or disobey, but we choose their consequences and only through those consequences will they decide whether sin is something they want to continue or learn from and change their ways.

We Fix Flats

I am notorious for flat tires, blowouts too.  My first flat tire was when I was 15 with only a permit.  I just hit the curb on a curve and the tire was just gone.  I guess this makes this an official blowout versus a flat tire.  My next flat tire was when I was driving home from a friend's house.  I heard a noise from the time I left and just assumed it was bad gas (in the car, not me).  But after 20 minutes or so driving and people pointing at the back end of my car, I figured out it was a flat tire.  Or really a shredded tire on a rim.  After that, they all become a blur.  I don't hit curbs really, or drive near construction but my tires attract nails like none other.

The other morning Jason calls me and asks what my plans are for the day.  My first thought was "Is this a trick question?  Does he know I had planned to do some shopping today?"  But he just wanted me to check my tire and get it fixed if needed.  Man that tire was flat!  I wasn't going anywhere until the tire was fixed.  Jason did offer to come home from work early and get it done for me but then I would have had to halt my shopping plans for the day and who really wants to do that?

So off to the tire place I go.  The sign reads:

Flats as in tires, not boobs.  This sign used to bring such laughter to my heart.  Now it just means I've managed to get another flat tire and I've heard another lecture from my husband about how to drive and avoid flat tires. 

It's always the same speech - "Look DOWN for nails or anything else that might puncture your tire."  Really?  Who does this?!  I absolutely cannot look down on the pavement for nails AND look up and drive correctly.  It just isn't possible for me.  I cannot multitask while driving.  I can pretend to hear the kids' stories while cooking, I can watch TV while doing laundry, I can even read while taking a bath... but look down on the ground and look forward all while driving.... impossible.

I digress...

I get to the tire place and they asked me to sit in the lobby while they fix my tire.  Do you know what the lobby was?  It was two rolling chairs so old I just knew the minute I sat down, if I were to decide to sit down, that years worth of collected grease and dust were going to shoot up from the seat and into the air.  These said "lobby chairs" were strategically placed between to massive size racks of tires (like the picture above).  Kinda creepy if you ask me.  I chose to stand where they were using some tool that made this horribly loud noise, which I heard no less than 50 times while I was there.  I jumped every.single.time. they made that noise. 

The guys were really nice and I didn't feel too awkward while waiting.  But I have got to learn how to not drive over nails.  The trip to the tire place just wasn't on my agenda for the day and it really wasn't an experience I want to do ever again.  It's a man's job really :)