Day 90 --- Lunch by Mom

This is not Aidan's lunchbox. I know this, because number one, where is IronMan? And two, cloth napkins?
Anyway, I know this is a phase, and that it will probably wear off, but I am really enjoying packing Aid's lunch on "cold lunch" days. I even went out and bought another $13 thermos, this time a short, squatty one, to send hot food in. In imaginary land, my son enjoys homemade soup and chili in his new Ironman squatty thermos. (In reality, my son only wants boring old sandwiches.) But tomorrow I am sending "Spaghettios". This makes me happy for some odd reason.
I always read in parenting magazines about moms who tuck love notes into their kids' lunchboxes, so I thought I would try it. I got out my yellow post-it and my sharpie this morning---had to keep it simple, he's only in first grade.

Dear Aidan,

I love you! Hope you're having a great day!

Mom

When he got in the car today I listened to him recount the day, right down to his delicious meat and cheese sandwich. He never mentioned his sweet, doting mom's effort to brighten his day. I finally asked, "Hey Aidan, did you see the note that I left in your lunchbox?" "Uh... oh, was that a letter?" "Yes." "Oh, I thought that was just a food label or something, so I threw it away." (Pause.) "I guess I'm a bad kid."

Yes. Yes, you are.

"That's okay, Aid. No big deal. I'll write you another note sometime." Like tomorrow. Mommy seems to need a lot of validation right now.

I never dreamed that so many feelings of self-worth would be tied up in that lunchbox.

I can't wait until Ava has a lunchbox. She's game for anything. I bet she'd even let me buy a bento box.
Wow, I just got chills thinking about that.

Day 89 --- Distractions

I am thankful for distractions.

Yesterday when I was feeling kind of sad about my kids growing up so quickly, I decided to spend the morning cleaning Ava's room.

That'll cure sadness and despair.

The kid is a slob. But I was, too, until I hit college, so there's still hope.

Before:

After:

Confession: I kept my two phones right by my hand. I was just sure Basehor Elementary would need me. (They didn't.)

Day 88 --- Back to School

My Back to School blogging theme continues....lots of "thankfuls" in this post.

Here's a snapshot of our first day:

My two Basehor Bluejays started the day off with blue pancakes! (I am thankful for food coloring, which never ceases to amaze young children.)

My kindergartener and my first grader. When I look at this picture, sometimes it's hard to believe they are only 19 months apart in age. Aidan is so much bigger than Ava! (I am thankful the kids have new school clothes---lots of fun.) The kindergartener, Coop, and the first grader. (I am thankful that Coop is not going to school.)

Here is Aidan and Mrs. Rosche. We rehearsed all the way to school. Before he could sit down, he had to tell her, "Hot lunch, please. And a chocolate milk at snacktime." These kids get a snack milk in the afternoon, and they can bring a healthy snack every day. Aid took cheese and crackers. I dread the first time I forget his snack. (I am thankful that Aidan has such a nice teacher.)

And here's my beautiful girl. Once we got to her room, she quit making eye contact with me. I could tell she was nervous and trying not to cry. I was tearing up, but I don't think she noticed. I just can't believe that this day is here already. And for now, we are doing half-day kindergarten. I would say that certain people at the school are not particularly supportive of this, but it's the right decision for Ava. I have told her repeatedly that if she ever wants to stay all day, with the rest of her class, she just needs to tell me. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, as long as Ava is well-adjusted and happy. (I am thankful that I got to pick her up at lunchtime!)

Day 87 --- My Baby

I am thankful that I still have one "baby" who's not in school. Even if he is only a baby to me. I love you Cooper Rex.
The Trooper and I have had a "baby" since 2003. That's right, we have been buying diapers for 7 years without a break. And now they're all growing up, (sniff sniff).
Growing up has it's Pros---for example, I can now say, "Everybody get in the car," and 3 little people will go get in the car. Two of them even buckle themselves! I had forgotten such freedom existed! I'm not woken up much during the night anymore either, not that it matters. They still get up insanely early to eat breakfast.
But I'm a little ambivalent about leaving babyland. I send my second to kindergarten in the morning, and I just didn't expect to feel so sad.
I'm glad I'll still have Coop following me around the house tomorrow. We may just curl up on the couch and eat fruit snacks while watching Max & Ruby.

Day 86 --- School Supplies Galore....

I am thankful for school supplies.

They make me deliriously happy.

Loving Ava's backpack.

And the labels....oh, so dreamy. I love to label things. The Iron Man lunch box even brought me joy. I actually got out the insert to the lunchbox and the $13 thermos, and read the instructions. ($13! What is that about?!) What did I expect those instructions to say? I have no idea. I am just really in to this school kid thing at times. I have even been bookmarking websites that have cute school lunch ideas. Turkey tortilla roll-up anyone?

Fall....a time to embrace my inner Martha.

Day 85 --- Cheers!

No, not getting the kids drunk.
Just having a back-to-school toast.
I am thankful for Sparkling Apple Cider. It was first introduced to my brothers and me in Las Vegas by our grandparents. It never fails to make a kid feel like a rebel.
And it's mighty tasty, too.

Day 81 --- The Woman has EVERYTHING

I am thankful that my mom has supplies for every craft ever dreamed up.I wanted Ava to have a medicAlert bracelet for school. I think Johnny thought this was overkill initially, and I admit that I don't put a lot of stock into people reading this before they serve her food. But my thought was, if she got sick, and EMS had to be called, this bracelet could be life-saving. It would at least tell the EMS crew what the problem was.

On one side it says:

Peanut Allergy

Use EpiPen and Call 911

The other side has her name and my cell phone number.

I wanted it to be pretty, so she'd like it. There are dozens of websites that sell pretty little bauble medicAlert bracelets. My favorite was Petite Baubles Boutique, but the ones I like were going to cost close to $40 after s/h. So Grandma to the rescue! She already had all of the supplies to make Ava a cute bracelet. All I had to do was order a medical ID, and I got that for $12.

Day 80 --- Style

I am thankful for my daughter's style.

After informing me that she and her "baby" would be dining on their picnic table, she cleaned the sand toys off of it, and produced a centerpiece.

I like a girl who appreciates details.

Day 79 --- No Picture....No Patience

I am thankful for Patience.
I don't have any. But everyone knows how I love to have a goal....

Picture this:

Two freshly bathed little children.
One older brother spills 48 ounces of apple juice on kitchen floor.
Mommy tries really hard not to freak out....barely hanging on by a thread, then....

Clean Child #1 jumps in juice like it's a puddle to be splashed while I am getting the mop.
Clean Child #1 and "The Spiller" are banished to a dry corner of the kitchen.

Mommy is cracking a little at this point....yelling, but trying to say things like, "I know this was an accident, but Mommy is really frustrated right now!"

Enter Clean Child #2. Not wanting to annoy Mommy, she decides to jump over the apple juice lake, and instead slips and lands flat on her back, clean jammies in all, in the offensive juice.

Mommy totally flips out.

Clean Child #2 cries. Makes Mommy feel hideous. Mommy stops and hugs the formerly Clean Child #2.

By now Formerly Clean Child #1 and "The Spiller" are giggling and being silly.
Mommy screams at the trio, "Everybody needs to be a little more sad about this please!!! Mommy is MAD!"

30 minutes later:
Mommy apologizes to all. Makes them promise never to yell at her grandchildren for spilling. Spilling is always an accident.

Mommy feels guilty for hours.

Day 78 -- Modern Conveniences

I am thankful for my washer and dryer.

Not really.

But this weekend, an 85 year-old patient made me feel ashamed of myself.

She was telling me how she used to do wash for her family of 6 by hand. Then hang the clothes out to dry. Then press them. And cook dinner without a microwave. And can everything that she grew in her own garden. And still had time to sit on the porch and visit with friends.

She said nowadays women have washers, dryers, microwaves, and they run around getting nothing done.

I believe that is what my brother calls a GodSmack.

So I have thought a lot about what she said the last few days. I don't know what to do about it, but it's ruminating in my brain.

I am so busy that I could cry on a daily basis. I NEVER have laundry caught up. Just today Coop said to me, "Oh no! Dere is no big boy underpants in my woom!" 'How can that be?', I thought. I just did laundry two weeks ago.

Pathetic.

My friend Cathy recommended that I decorate the laundry room in the kids' art. She said then I'd have something to "do" with all of their creations, and I might enjoy the space more, too. This is an awesome idea---in theory.

So yes, I am sort of thankful for my washer and dryer.

Day 77 --- Nemo Stickers

This is Ava's little box to keep at school. It is filled with peanut-free snacks. All of the kindergarteners take turns bringing snacks, and unfortunately, I know that there will be days when some kids bring things that are off limits to my little allergy chic. I am trying to make this fun for Ava, so that she doesn't feel unlucky, or embarrassed. I don't want her to be sad if she can't eat what the others have. So we filled it with Yogobits, granola bars, cereal bars, a cupcake, pudding, and goldfish crackers.

Two sad things that I realized after I doctored up this little plastic box.

1. This is so me. I would never just send a baggie to school, filled with fruit snacks, and ask Ava's teacher to tuck it in her desk.

2. Everything about this box screams, "Ava's mom needs medication!" "Warning: High-maintenance mother!" But that's not the message I am trying to send. I was going for, "Look how much I love this child---I want her to feel special. I never want her to feel left out. Do not ignore her feelings kindergarten teacher---it is no fun being different from the other kids."

It's going to be a loooong year.

Oh yeah, and I am thankful for those cute little Nemo stickers, because one can't be crazy without the proper tools.

Day 76 --- Kids Eat Free

Eating out is expensive. Especially for a family of five.

But Johnny and I LOVE to eat out. Before we had children, we ate out more than we cooked at home. When I think of the money we could have saved..... Oh well, it was a good time.

Now we try to be very creative in our eating out choices. We have come to enjoy scouting out "Kids Eat Free" nights as a way to combine our love of not dirtying up our own kitchen, and our fondness for Dave Ramsey. Yesterday we had lunch buffet at Godfather's, (kids eat free on Tuesdays!), for a grand total of $14. What a steal. Tonight we ate at IHOP, (one kid free with each adult), for a total of $28. Not too shabby.

Have I mentioned that I love saving money?

Day 75 --- Crazy 8

Today I am thankful for the Crazy 8 Store.

According to Wikipedia, Crazy 8 is owned by the Gymboree Corporation, but it is much lower priced than Gymboree. It is supposed to be a competitor for The Children's Place and Old Navy.

I am a fan.

They have jeans that fit my son. Aidan is the biggest 6 year-old I know. He is about 4 ft 4 in, and weighs 80 pounds. His shoe size is a 3 1/2, and in clothes he is either in an 8 or a 10. Aidan's whole life has been a challenge when it comes to pants that fit. I still remember that when he was 18 months old, the only jeans that fit were from TCP. Now, it's Crazy 8. But the beauty of this is that Crazy 8 is very affordable, and stylish.

I got on their email list a few months ago, and so I had a 20% off coupon today. Here is our tally for Aidan; 3 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of jean shorts, and 8 shirts. Some shirts had collars, only one was a t-shirt, a few were button-ups. For Ava; 3 dresses. That is 15 items total. Grand total with tax was $130. I was thrilled. Ava is a challenge in the clothing department, that's why she didn't get more today. She will only wear dresses. No pants, no jeans, no tennis shoes, and no skirts. She does have two skirts that she has grandfathered in, but she won't buy any more. I have found that stores only carry 1 to 2 dresses per age group. Do you know how many stores we have to visit to outfit this child? It is so frustrating.

Tonight I showed her a catalog from Osh Kosh and told her to show me any outfits that she would wear. She carefully looked over the skirts, tops, yoga pants, and 1 dress. She then asked me questions like, "Are these pants soft?" That's the problem. Ava only wants soft clothes that feel like jammies, or clothes that "twirl" like party dresses. Is it wrong to hope that peer pressure kicks in? Although, she's been like this for 18 months now, and preschool peer pressure didn't help. It is cute. I do realize how sweet she looks. And I'm glad she's not 5 going on 25. She would rather play with a stuffed dinosaur than watch Hannah Montana. But could the kid just wear one pair of jeans? For Mommy?

Next stop.....more dresses and some hair bows. I am in love with hair accessories....

Day 74 --- Slow Days

I should not be this busy.

Why am I so busy?

I don't even have a full-time job! How do other people get everything done?

This is a sneak peek inside of my thoughts. Today was another jam-filled day, and then Cooper put my brakes on.

He woke up vomiting and with a high fever during the night.

It's funny how fast you can clear a "to do" list, when you need to.

Today I am thankful that I get to stay home and take care of my sick baby.

I am also thankful that he probably just has a virus, and he'll get better soon.

I am so thankful that I did something very Daddy-like for Coop. I cut the crusts off of his toast. (I usually won't do anything that encourages pickiness. That's a Daddy skill in our house.) But my boy only ate half a piece anyway.

I am also thankful for a reminder that my busy-ness is a blessing. Being healthy and able to run all over town in the Honda, three car seats buckled, hair on fire, dropping kids at dance, karate, football....going to the pool....visiting my aunt....school shopping....cross-training at the Y....these are not things to be dreaded. This is just our life right now.

Having clean laundry put away, neat countertops, freshly vacuumed carpet, watered flower beds, ring-free bathtubs, leisurely reading time.......this is just NOT our life right now.

And now, with my priorities rearranged (probably temporarily), I will attempt to backpost all of my "thankfuls" for the last week.

So with my computer set up conveniently next to the laundry room, I'm off....

Day 73 --- Toenail Polish

Technically, this should have gone to the Training blog, but I wanted to share...

I have always liked my toenails. For almost 25 years, I think I have consistently kept them painted and well-groomed. Manicures may get postponed, due to wear and tear, but by gosh, my toenails have always been a priority. Right there under shaving.

Now, it appears that I may soon be parting with the toenail on my left foot. The big toe. It is a well-known fact that runners logging a lot of miles lose their toenails. Does that not suck? Must there always be a con to every pro? My toenail? Really? When I have to lose part of my body over a sport, it may be time to rethink my hobby.... (You like this line of thought? This is how I will console myself if my IT Band doesn't straighten up and behave. "I quit running because I couldn't bare to have ugly feet.")

After the 12 mile run Friday night, I noticed my toenail is very achy and sore. Occasionally I can feel my pulse in it. Last night I removed my Curiously Cherry nail polish and discovered that my nail was sort of bruised looking. Uh-oh. I don't think this is going to end well.

But I quickly moved out of the Anger phase in the Grieving Process. I moved right on to Denial. I quickly repainted those toenails, and I am acting like this is not happening. This will be an effective strategy until it actually falls off.
Then I will cry.

So for now, I am thankful for nail polish.

Day 72 --- OTC Drugs

I am thankful for over-the-counter drugs, specifically, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen.

What was once reserved for the occasional headache, is now part of my daily routine since getting "healthier" and running? I believe that is called irony.

Sometimes I take them together, that's the beauty of having taken more than one pharmacology class. I know what I can and can't do. I always take my Ibuprofen with food---don't want to tear up my stomach lining. I vary how much Ibuprofen by what I have done that day.

No Pain = No Ibuprofen

Day 2 or 3 after a Long Run = The kind of dose I used to see given in the hospital. (I'm not giving numbers here. I don't recommend you try this at home.)

2 Hours before a Run = The amount recommended on the bottle

Acetaminophen? This actually helps with my pain, believe it or not. I used to think Tylenol was a waste of time. But I'm starting to develop a fondness for the extra-strength tablets.

And at Aldi's, I can get a bottle of Ibuprofen for $1.99! (Frugal to the end, I tell you.)

Day 71 --- The Trooper's Wife

I am thankful to be his wife. He is my best friend on Earth.

And contrary to what this pictures suggests, he doesn't have a lazy bone in his body. (Doesn't he look suspicious of me? This family fears my blog at times...)

He works very hard at everything he does. Believe it or not, that was one of the things that I first found attractive about him---his work ethic. We met at a restaurant that we both worked at.

He is also extremely supportive. I have been so grateful for this lately. This marathon training is time-consuming.

He has to fight for my attention sometimes. Because it is pretty easy to "back burner" the husband. Once the kids are in bed, I just need alone time. But he follows me around the house, gently (and not so gently) nagging me to just hang out with him, watch a movie, whatever. Even though, I accuse him of being my fourth child at times, deep down I appreciate his effort. I try really hard to never let him down.

And sometimes I can't stand him. I think it's important to say that. He can be quite a pain. (If he wants to rat me out, he better be getting his own blog.) Far be it from me to play the perfect marriage card. We can fight. And I am going to tell the truth here, sometimes I wonder why I didn't marry more of a pushover type. I really do enjoy being in charge and making all of the decisions. And sadly, so does he. This makes for an entertaining dynamic. But he is never, ever boring. And I have always liked a challenge.

I guess deep down, we just make sense.

Day 70 --- Rear Entertainment System

I am thankful every single day for the Rear Entertainment System. Or as I like to call it, The Nanny.

I used to judge people who let their children watch TV in the car----back when I had zero or one child. Mea culpa.

We don't let them watch it constantly, but any trip over 20 minutes gets a movie. We bought a CD book, and all 5,000 of the kids' movies are actually kept in the car. It's a mobile library. We're so proud. (insert sarcasm)

Sometimes they do things other than watch TV in the car; like play I Spy, look for cows, kick each other, throw petrified french fries at each other, nag us, or lick the windows. They're an energetic bunch.

Do I feel badly, when I look in my rearview mirror, and they all sit staring at the screen, mouths half open? Well,... sometimes. Sometimes the smallest, guilt-inducing feeling of 'You're a bad mother' slips into my brain. But most of the time I just feel relieved that they're quiet and contained. Because if you think about it, the carseats are called restraints. Wow, I just had an Ah-ha moment! It's almost like a psych hospital in my minivan. Sedation, restraints, behavior modification.... Oh, well. Unless I muster up the courage to ask Dr. Rita for a prescription for sedatives (for them, not me), the RES will be this family's treatment program for the bored and overactive.

For any newbies out there, some days it's them against us....and only the crafty survive. Don't be fooled by any good parenting books.

Day 69 --- Faith

I am thankful for Faith.
I haven't felt like blogging much lately.
I have had my feelings hurt more than once this week, and that makes me want to close up inside and not be honest with anyone.
And I'm just tired.
So if you're wondering why I can't keep up, it's just that.....I can't keep up sometimes.

I have a very dear friend who has asked me to join her in fasting and praying on Thursdays at lunch time. We started two weeks ago. I had never done this before. But I consider this woman my Christian mentor, and we are seeking God's guidance on a few issues, and fasting is a very biblical concept. She has done it before and feels strongly about it. I noticed immediately that my prayer life strengthened. I felt like I had gained some direction again spiritually.
Even though life didn't get less crazy and busy, I felt more at peace.

Then came this week, and I felt under attack. Friends that I trusted have said and done hurtful things. I noticed I was getting more anxious about not having the cleanest house on the block. (Ha, what a joke.) I am physically worn out at times from training. I am already feeling half crazy about our schedule, and it only picks up to a faster pace when school starts.... I am worried about so many things. The list is so long sometimes that I feel like it's insulting to God to even type it all out.

But I know that I can trust God with my future. And that He loves me. And God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. So what exactly is there to worry about? (This is what I say to myself.) But it sure is easy to get mentally worn out by non-stop drama. That's the hard part.

I'm thankful that God has placed some key people in my life to listen and be supportive when I am in the mood to "vent'. I have leaned on them a lot lately. Funny, but they tend to be people who either have to share a bed with me (Johnny), or can't outrun me. So friends, if you ever wondered why God didn't make you an 8 minute-miler, it's because he knew I would need your humor and common sense to stay sane.

I am glad tomorrow is Thursday. I need to hit "reset".

Day 68 --- The Fanny Pack Camelbak

I am thankful for my newest toy. (Although Jen posted about her's first, so mine seems kind of like old news now.)

It's a CamelBak. It stores water while I run---45 oz. And I love the color name: Lime Punch and Granite. Not green, people, but Lime Punch and Granite. That alone almost made me want to buy two.

And I got a fantastic deal---$8 off, no tax, and free shipping.

I got a little shopping "high" from this that lasted almost 24 hours. Now, everyone pray that it doesn't make my water taste plastic-y. I have a thing about water.

Day 67 --- Sidewalks

I am thankful for sidewalks.

(Wouldn't it have been nice if I actually had taken a picture of a sidewalk that I run on? Yes, but I am on house arrest today with my sick baby.)

I like sidewalks because I am tired of worrying about distracted drivers taking me out when I'm on a run.

Why don't we have sidewalks all over town? It would encourage biking, runnng, walking...

Sometimes, sometimes, I wish I lived in a community where we biked or walked everywhere. But then there's the bitterly, cold winter...

Oh, and before my college roommate leaves a comment, yes, I did have a bus pass at KU so that I could avoid walking to class.

It's a big, hilly campus. (Excuse #1)

And I was always running late. (Excuse #2)

And I was 18. I didn't need to exercise back then. (Case closed)

Day 66 --- My New Laptop

I am thankful for my new laptop.
I have needed a laptop for a few months, and we have been shopping and talking about it. Once upon a time we would have gone to Nebraska Furniture Mart, bought whatever we wanted, and paid it off before the interest collected. Post Dave Ramsey, we knew we'd have to save before we bought it. But saving for a laptop meant not paying extra on our car, and that didn't sit right with us either.
Then God sent a blessing our way. Johnny bought a 3 year old laptop from another Trooper for $100. It was going to be for his patrol car. The other guy didn't want it because it had a bad virus. Well, between the work of two great IT guys---my Trooper and our friend Marc---we now have a laptop with a brand new operating system, a bunch of memory, and a new wireless router. We could still buy a laptop, but it would not be better than this one in any way. Johnny was so happy with how it turned out that he declared it too nice for his patrol car, and said I could have it. For one hundred dollars! I am so excited about that.