Hero

Emily always comes home from school and gets right to work on her homework. Sometimes, she needs help and she'll ask. Other times, she just gets it done. Today, she had to write about her hero. I didn't know what she was writing. When she finished, I was touched and my eyes filled with tears as I read it. She's awesome.

Around Our House

After seeing my spotted windows in my dead bird post, I put the kids to work.

I thought they could help me, but Emily is quite the complainer and did more of that than washing.

Ben and Noah did okay, but after about 20 minutes I realized they were causing me more work and I immediately fired them. They didn't seem to mind.

I chopped off almost 12 inches of my hair. I'll donate it. I tend to do this every 5 years or so. It just gets boring having it so long. Emily did not want me to cut it as short as I normally go, so I went more for a bob. I was worried she would cry when I walked in the door, but she liked it. David likes it better longer too, but change is good. And one thing I'm certain of, I'll make more. If I didn't cut it again, it would be past my shoulders by the end of the year, so who cares? Not me!


My little guy still isn't feeling great, although he seems to be doing a little better. He took a warm bath today and I snuggled him under a blanket and he fell asleep.


I'm so very lucky that I have a job that I can do from home. That I can be there when my kids are sick, have half days or are out on summer vacation. I got to do some work this morning. Clean up the kitchen. Love on Noah. Put in some laundry. Do a few more minutes of work. Put Noah in the bath. Fold some clothes. Now, I'm doing more work. Well, not at this moment, but that's my plan. So, I better get to it....

Happy Birthday Dad!

I picked Noah up from school yesterday and he was feeling meh. Then, later he had a fever and wasn't very happy.

Then, I gave him Motrin and he perked up. We call it the Motrin High. I was playing Candy Crush and he was trying to play with me. I started being silly, and he thought I was a crack up. This went on for over 10 minutes until I couldn't do it anymore.


Then, I realized when I watched it later that I've turned into my Father. He's done this exact thing with me when I was little and all my kids at some point. He's wonderful, so I don't mind being like him. It's also his birthday today. Happy Birthday Dad! Those giggles are for you!

Death

I've never really watched anything or anybody die. Sure, I've seen the occasional spider or cricket die, but that was welcome and caused by my shoe. We've put 2 dogs down and David went alone for both of them. Our sweet Max just never came home one night. I wasn't with any of my grandparents at the exact moment they passed either.

Yesterday, I was working at my computer and I heard a thud hit our window. I look and a little sparrow had hit it and landed on Rocko's dog crate. I got up to look at him. He was cute and fluffy. His little body took a few deep breaths. Then, he put his head down, let out one final breath and stopped moving. I was hoping he was just stunned and that he'd spring up in a few minutes. I kept working and glancing over. Nothing. He was dead.

I told Noah about him and he was most curious.


I told Noah not to touch him. At first he grabbed a leaf and poked a few times. He thought the bird was cute and was seriously upset that he was dead. Then, he got Rocko's comb and brushed him.


I was willing that little birdie to come alive. For no other reason than to freak Noah out completely. But, he didn't. David threw him in the trash when he got home.

It was sad to see something so cute die. The kids asked if he went to Heaven. I told them on that last breath that I think I saw his soul leave his body. I mean, there has to be birds in Heaven, right?

In any case, I need to go Windex my windows. They are awful!

Good Life

The kids went back to school today. It was hard on all of us. I ran a few errands and realized I forgot to bring Noah a special treat. He rarely eats what they have for snack as he doesn't like much. I brought him a fruit roll up one time and that was it. He always wants something. He's cute, so I always bring him something.

Today, while he was in school I ran into the grocery store for a few things. I realized that I forgot a special treat, so I grabbed a big box of Milk Duds. Then, I had to run to Kmart to return some slippers I got him for Christmas. They were too small. I put the Milk Duds and slippers on his car seat and went in to get him. He was super excited when he saw them. I put his slippers on, opened his Milk Duds and buckled him in his car seat.

We were a few minutes into our drive home. I was asking him about his day. Then, he lets out a sigh of relief and said, "Ahhh, this is the life." Milk Duds, slippers and a chauffeur and he's happy as can be. I hope his life is always that simple.

Finally!

We always say Ben is an old soul. He holds on to everything. Things have a sentimental value to him, toys, pajamas, even teeth. He will be 8 in a month and hasn't lost a tooth yet. We noticed several weeks ago that his big tooth was coming up behind his baby tooth. I told him to wiggle that baby tooth and get it out. He's been doing it but nothing. We went to the dentist on Friday. Yes, I took all 3 kids and myself for a cleaning at the same time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In any case, I was worried the dentist might want to pull the baby tooth. He just told him to keep wiggling it.

And Ben did. Tonight in the bath, it came out!


I'm so glad he lost his tooth at home with us. All of his classmates have lost several teeth and I know they wouldn't think it's as big of deal as we think it is.

His teeth are so tiny. It looks like a grain of rice. I wish he had a big space in his teeth like a jack o lantern, but his big tooth was bigger than his little tooth. It's his first step into growing up, and I'm glad we were here to see it. And he gets his first visit from the Tooth Fairy tonight. How exciting!

Food Journal

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions. Sure, there are things I want to do differently. I can always to better. But, I auto correct as need throughout the year, so I don't feel a big push for self improvement come January 1st.

However, I was reading an article about Carrie Underwood. She said she keeps a food journal. Everything she puts in her mouth, she writes it down. I thought, that's annoying. But, then I stepped on the scale yesterday and noticed that I put on my annual 3 pounds 5 pounds of holiday weight. Now, I know I'm not overweight. I weigh 150ish pounds. I'm 40 years old. I wear a size 8-10. I watch shows like the Biggest Loser and realize, I am at the goal weight for most heavy people. I'm not the tallest person out there and could I still lose 10-20 pounds? Sure! Am I going to do much about it. Probably not. I weigh almost 20 pounds more than before I had kids. If you add up their birth weight, 7.8, 6.13 and 3.12. That's pretty much exactly how much more I weigh. So when I say, I haven't lost the baby weight, I'm not kidding. Somehow, I birthed a human of that weight and yet the weight stayed with me.

I thought I'd keep a food journal yesterday just for kicks. I tried to eat like I normally would as to not skew my reality. Although, I will say that I stopped at 3 Doritos when I probably would have had 7 or 8. See, I was getting a bowl for Ben and a few always naturally fall into my mouth.

In any case, this is what a day of food pretty much looks like for me:


Honestly, I was shocked. When I had to go to tally marks for the Werther's and Rolo's but not for my glasses of water, I knew things weren't very good. I ate one fruit or veggie the entire day. Now, not all days are this bad. Oh, who am I kidding? Yes, they are! Although, we don't typically have a candy bowl out. It's just stocking leftovers. Take away the candy bowl, and I'd go for Chips Ahoy's or Oreos.

I'm going to continue with my food journal for a few weeks and just see. I think it's accountability that you get by writing it all down. The kids read it last night and this morning and all agreed that I eat like crap. If it wasn't for my kids keeping me moving all day, I'd probably weigh at least 50 pounds more. It also made them make some better choices for breakfast. Ben and Emily chose a banana and cereal. Noah, well, he had a Lofthouse Cookie. I wonder where he gets that from?