A Stinky Tale

Once again, I need to give you some background on this story.  Saturday night after Clark and I had gotten home from our date I noticed the garage light was left on so I was going out to shut it off when I saw something scurry across the breezeway!  Immediately, I slammed the door and told Clark he could shut the light off.  Needless to say, he laughed at me and called me a coward.  Of course when he went out there he saw NOTHING!!! 

Skip ahead to Wednesday night —we were coming home from preschool orientation for Payton and I thought something definitely smelled off in the breezeway, but it could have easily been my garbage (b/c it sits immediately out the breezeway door in the garage).  The smell got worse on Thursday as were the flies.   We were coming inside this afternoon and Shealyn said, “what’s that in Carter’s rain boot?”  The culprit had been revealed — a dead chipmunk!!  Well , being the coward, chicken, scaredy cat (you can call me any of those when it comes to rodents) I wasn’t going near the boot.  I was ready to call my dad to my rescue when Carter piped up that he would do it!  Thank you to my brave little man.  He put on my garden gloves and carried his chipmunk infested boot to the woods and tossed the stiff little guy into the woods. 

I’m curious as to why he died.  He could have easily escaped the boot, but it looks as if he crawled in there to die.  Who knows, maybe I scared him to death.  Anyway, now I must scrub my boy’s boot with bleach water in case he was carrying some kind of disease.  This gives me the heebie jeebies just writing about it.  Off to scrub a boot — bye.

My little pill…

YES, I’m talking about the divine Miss P.  We were at the doctor’s office today dropping off some forms and ran into a friend I know.  Anyway, apparently I was talking longer than she wanted me to — so all of a sudden I hear “come on you old ladies!”  She was talking to myself, Shealyn and Carter!  But, Carter piped in with a “mom, we’re not grown up yet so you can’t be old!”  I knew I loved this boy!  Thanks Mr. Carter for defending your 30 something year old mom.

Someone thinks I’m nice

Carrie actually sent me this last week, but I just figured out how to get it into my blog.  I sure needed it, because I certainly don’t feel like being nice some days!

uuggghhh…a tough discussion

Tonight was definitely the darkest, hardest discussion I’ve had with my kids to date.   Let me preface this by telling you Carter has had a fascination with cemeteries this summer.  While down in the thumb area for the Carter family reunion Carter went with Clark to the cemetery and saw the headstone of Clark’s grandma and his cousin Reid who committed suicide at 20 years old.  For some reason Carter has been obsessed with Reid and has asked lots of questions about him over the last month or so.  So tonight, Shealyn and Carter were both persistent in wanting to know how Reid died.  Clark and I believe in answering the kids questions to the best of our abilities when they ask (sometimes we want to run and hide in a corner).  So I told them how Reid died and then of course the “WHY’S” came.  This I couldn’t answer b/c we do not know.  This is where it got really hard for me trying to explain to a 5 and 7 year old that sometimes people get so sad they don’t think they can get help.  And so sad not meaning a typical I feel bad kind of day.  It’s hard to explain that depth of sadness to a 7 year old (Carter had kind of tuned out by now).  But, I was also able to share with Shealyn if she had one of those days where she was just feeling bad or if she was in trouble and no matter how mad she thought we might be that she could always come to us or another adult.  Then the questions started coming:

What if we don’t have a driver’s license?

What if we aren’t by a phone or don’t have a cell phone to call someone?

How old was Reid?

Where was his mom?

Was he the youngest?

I answered them all, but I’m not sure I did her justice in trying to reassure her.  This was by far the toughest one yet!!!

A High School Musical 2 update

Okay, I’ve heard it and I’ve read it —-High School Musical 2 was the most watched cable event ever!!  My kids loved it.  I definitely liked the first one better, but the message was good and the songs had much more meaningful lyrics, in my opinion.  But, do a 3, 5, and 7 year old care about that?  Nope — as long as mine can sing along they are happy.  We’ve listened to the soundtrack for the last 2 days and like the 1st one they now have the 2nd one almost memorized. 

I remember doing that with songs I loved, but for me it was either replaying a 45 record or rewinding a cassette tape.   Oh, how technology has advanced and made our lives easier (sigh)!

I love date night!

Clark and I had a date Saturday night.  It was so wonderful.  I was just telling him this morning I don’t miss the nervousness and giddyness (not sure that’s a word, but it serves my purpose) of getting ready for a date while doing the dating scene.  I do however, love getting dressed up a little, putting some make-up on and having an uninterrupted, hot meal!!  My mom was up here Saturday and took the kids home with her so we had no curfew!  We went to Traverse City and ate at Boones Long Lake Inn and then just hung out around TC.  We topped off our evening with some ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery and the beach.  It was fun to watch the boats just kind of cruising along the very choppy water.  It was so relaxing and wonderful to have this date.  Since we decided  our anniversary back in January was the last time we had done anything together without our hooligans )  I definitely KNOW I look more forward to our dates now because they are so few and far between. 

Okay, some input needed…

Shealyn and Clark really want  a dog.  More Shealyn.  It’s not that I don’t like animals, but I’m okay not having one.  Mostly I can’t stand animal hair everywhere.  Not that I’m a great housekeeper by any means, but I like being able to hang out on my floor and not have to get the lint brush out.  And I also know that I would be the primary caregiver.  Let’s face it, I’m exhausted taking care of my 3 kids I don’t want to take care of a dog, too.

On the other hand, I know what a companion an animal can be, the responsibility that can be taught.  It’s a great experience for the kids — I had animals as a kid and enjoyed them.  A dog could offer greater protection to the kids and I while Clark works out of town.

We’ve talked about a cat, but neither Clark or I are sold on that idea.  And we don’t have a big house, so that’s a factor for me also.  I’m thinking why can’t we just get parakeets or something.  We’ve done fish and we now have a frog, but they just aren’t the same (not cuddly).  And I absolutely REFUSE to do anything RODENT LIKE (hampsters, guinea pig, etc.)  I know I’m no FUN right?  Give me some input please!

Best Shot Monday

This was actually taken earlier in the summer, but I love the fact that I actually got her spitting the water out.  Yummy lake water — if only I’d known as a kid, because I’m sure I ingested a few gallons of lake water myself.  GROSS!!

Happy Anniversary …

to my baby brother, Tim and his wife Kiley.  They were married 7 yeras ago today.  Hope you’re enjoying this beautiful day! 

Daddy gets to do the dirty work

I was just sitting here trying to put some thoughts together to blog about when a scenario unfolded right in front of me.  Clark and the kids were getting ready to play a game when he had to take a work related phone call and then all “hell” broke loose.  The kids started fighting!  I was getting after them because of the volume of the fight and reminding them that Clark was on the phone.  BUT, I chose not to get involved (which is hard for me), well except for sending Carter to his room b/c he was crying over something Shealyn had done and it was too loud to hear.  Clark finished up his phone call and started the interrogation process to get to the bottom of the crying jag.  I have to admit, I was sitting here giggling b/c I didn’t have to solve this one!  It took about 15 minutes but he got it figured it out.  The bossy BIG SISTER was trying to get her way and asserting her ALPHA FEMALE traits on her little brother.  So now there is no game being played and I hear lots of giggles coming from Carter’s room which must mean all is resolved and forgiven.  Thanks Clark for doing the dirty work this morning.