Mothering Many

So, I had been telling myself that I was going to use this week to get back in the swing of things and blog more regularly and clean the house and just such as this. Man, was I ever lying to me! I am so not ready for that. Instead, I am using this week to get ready to get back into the swing of things: a few more craft projects, a few more late nights reading, a few more bits of time stolen just for myself.

And some time trying to figure out how to best help my husband. For a man with a “normal” cat scan, he is having a lot of issues that plainly indicate some sort of brain …. thing. Some days, he is ok, but some days, it is like having another child in the house. Lots of adaptation going on all around.

The kids are surely enjoying this last week of free time. The weather is cooperating, and they are able to go out in shirtsleeves instead of berghaus fleeces. I’ve just started letting the older two boys ride their bike on the road (with a helmet!!!!!), and they are just over the top happy about that. They wake me way too early asking if they can go ride yet. Except for when it is grey and rainy like it is today. Then they still ask me, but I won’t let them go on the slick roads. For this, I am the world’s meanest mother and also stupid, but I figure my ego will heal faster than their knees and elbows would if they fell, you know what I mean?

So, I thought when I sent my older girls to the retreat, I’d end up with fewer kids in the house, right? Wrong. I’ve picked up the boy from down the street and the girl from up the street. I’m holding steady at seven kids in the house. Too bad I can’t put them all to work, muhahahahahaha

So, my older girls are off on a youth retreat this week. I was planning to go with them, but I just cannot leave my husband with all the other kids at this point. He’s having lots of headaches and dizziness, and his decision making skills are….not quite right. *cough* Anyway, my girls help me a lot, and I am not looking forward to doing it all myself for a week! The boys do pitch in a bit, but not as much as they could.

OTOH, I do want to get some deep cleaning done this week. Those Delta faucets will be pumping hot water, and the Greased Lightning will be plentiful. And if you could see the gunk built up behind my kitchen sink, you would say it was about time! I don’t notice it until I wear heels, because I usually can’t see it!

Or maybe you will, but it might take a few seconds! Let me tell you a little bit about Batman. He has a wee problem with collecting things. He attaches himself to pens, scissors and other office supplies. He consumes other peoples candy and sodas. He loves the toys of others. In short, the line between what is his and what belongs to others is very hazy for him, and this is something we are working on.

But today, today took the cake. I walked into his Sunday School class to do music with them, and the first thing to catch my eye is the theft prevention tag. On my son’s pants. Now, I know he did not accidentally acquire those britches, because it was Mama and me at the store when they were purchased. It was simply and oversight on the clerk’s part, which is not too shocking, considering we bought 10 pairs of jeans, a pair of gauchos and 3 shirts. But the fact that it was this particular kid who was wearing the tag: priceless.

Also, how do you not notice a huge honking plastic THING on your pants, son? Did you not think this might NOT belong there?

So, today, I am wondering if it is possible to have one of the kids wash my hair for me. Don’t worry about the logistics, just the attitude. Because this morning, I finally realized why little old ladies go get their hair done every week, and why everyone considers this a reasonable and justifiable expense. Because, people, it hurts my shoulders to lift my arms up to wash my hair now. I tried Aleve, and now I have an ulcer. These things may or may not be related. I tried tylenol today, but climbed in the shower before it had time to work. I’m not quite ready to sign on for a shoulder pain pump, but dang. It hurts.

Moving on. Has anyone seen any of the later programs featuring the Duggars? We caught a couple the other night, and I was……….well, I’m not quite sure how to describe it. When they first came on tv, I found the programs interesting. Here was a family with more kids than me, living in a house not much comparatively bigger than mine, trying to stretch limited resources to cover more month than money.

Now? They live in a huge house, drive their own bus and have 4 or 5 HE washing machines and dryers to handle their 20 loads of laundry per week. And her huge pantry is stocked with name brand products. Umm, I do 15 with just one machine, and there hasn’t been any Campbell’s Cream of Whatever soup in my pantry for longer than I can remember, so…..I feel like there’s not much else I can learn from Michelle. Except that she is amazingly patient with her children, at least on television.

Or is that wide? Whatever! I want to show you what I’ve done to the living room.

Ever since we moved here, we have had this space divided into a work area and a living room, both about the same size. We had it that way because we had a little tv that you couldn’t see from more that about 12-13 feet away. I told you last night that we had a generous Santa, and on of the things we got was a new tv. While it’s not so bag that we need to install home theater furniture, it is large enough to justify arranging our old furniture in this more open arrangement. We all love it, and we can all be in it without feeling like sardines in a can. And you can see the tv from every seat, although we will be moving one chair to the tree position after it comes down.

Be a mom and be a daughter. I know you were expecting something a little more earth shattering, like maybe shopping for mortgage life insurance, but no. Today, I am going to Wal-Mart to exchange a belt, and a lamp and do something about the missing microphone. Then I will go to Mama’s and help her get ready for Christmas at her house, which happens tomorrow!

You know what I love/hate about our Christmases? They last forever now…. tree up right after Thanksgiving, last gathering the second week of January. Of course, it does make for a nice school break, LOL. We’ve worked so hard all year that we are taking that whole six weeks off.

We had a great Christmas morning, and I hope you did, too! The kids had a blast opening their gifts and I managed to threaten them into staying in their rooms until almost 7. This was good for me, since I drank a bit too much coffee last night, and was still wide eyed awake well after 2. Of course, that also meant I was still awake during their first foray into the living room, LOL!

We were blessed this year by some very generous Santas. It was wonderful to be able to get the kids some of what they asked for. I think the favorite present was one nobody asked for, though. The whole family got a karaoke machine, and everyone is clamoring for a turn! I wonder if this promotional business gifts site could do monogrammed microphones for all of us? The karaoke machine has spots for two at a time. I had purchased an extra so we could do duets, and I am glad I did that, because the one that was supposed to be in the box wasn’t. We’ll be taking care of that speedy quick

Something very interesting has happened to Country lately. And when I say interesting, I mean she is mostly happy and my hair is getting curlier by the day, and we are both considering the same event. Miss Country has gone from being a monolithis tower with a huge chest, to a …. a… well, she has a figure. An actual figure. With boobs and hips, still, but now they are now separated by a definite waist. She’s dropped a shirt size and a pant size, and without doing much of anything different. No Ephedrasil hardcore, and no big exercise regimen, either. She did grow a couple of inches. Think I could do that?

If your teens are like mine, they love a movie. Movie, movie, movie. Movies being somewhat spendy, and our entertainment budget being somewhat bare (though I do spend $20 per month on Blockbuster and $5 per month on basic-est cable), we don’t do very many trips to the theater. Until now.

Recently, I signed up with Certified, and last month, I had the fun of going to see Quantum of Solace and even making a little change to do it. This coming week, I’ll be seeing Seven Pounds, and I’ll be taking the two oldest girls with me. It’ll cut into the money I make, but it will be a real treat for them, and they have really been pitching in lately and I’m just happy to be able to do something special with them that they will enjoy. And the fact that it will end up being better than free just increases that warm fuzzy feeling, ROFL! It may not be a vegas show, but then again, it’s not costing like one, either.

And now, I think I have said everything I needed to say here for a day or two. I’m taking tomorrow OFF to spend with my kids!