Sleep evades me!

Usually one of my three children wakes me up in the night, it varies nightly but it's almost always one of the three. Last night it was my fourth child.....AKA my husband! He's had a sore throat for a few days and last night it got worse, much worse. He made himself a hot tottie before bed but not even the bourbon could cure what ails him.

I was so tired last night and I have been fighting off a sore throat myself so;

I settle in for a long winters nap.........
When what to my wondering eyes did appear?
But my husband up out of bed all night, I do fear!

So with me trying to sleep, and him up with a snap
Gargling, and clearing it brought upon me a tear
So straight to the doctor you go my dear!

Now we wait for results with my computer on my lap
And hope for drugs to make this crud disappear
For how can I handle having four kids here?

Another opportunity to Blog!

Today everyone is feeling good, but Ella did wake up in a bit of a funk. She was sleepy on the way to take Brother to school and she didn't say much except that her leg hurt.

We had to take our dog to Camp Bow Wow for her "meeting" with other dogs and then I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork for when we need to board her this upcoming year. The kids did okay there, so I had to go and push it and head to the BX (base exchange) to look for a book I'm supposed to be reading for a new book club I've joined.

Well, as soon as we got into the BX, Ella saw the Starbucks and asked if she could get a vanilla milk. Occasionally I get one for the kids as a special treat but today I just wanted to run in and see if they had the book and get out......haha, Ella had other plans for me. She proceeds to start bawling, I mean all out bawling, so loud all within a mile radius can hear us.

So I ignore her and keep saying, come on Ryan, come on Ella while we make our way to the book area. Of course I forgot the stroller in the garage today so I had to let them both walk.....ugh! Then I must have heard no less than 100 times "mommy can we get the milk". I told her that I already said the answer was no, so stop asking, and then she would launch into more very loud obnoxious crying fits! Then her tactic changed to "mommy, can we get some licorice?". Now I'm not sure what world she's living in, because I don't give in when the kids are acting like they've lost their minds, so I have no idea why she keeps asking, but I"m just trying to comb the books and find the darn book! I did find two other books I wanted, so I grab those and just told the kids "come on , we are going home!".

This is already a little embarrassing that Ella is still bawling but I ignore her and try to make our way to the checkout stand. I turn around and Ryan isn't behind me so I briefly panic and start looking for him, he's two check stands down taking out the box of m&m's and bringing it to me..........aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh! Can't a girl just stop in the store and get a damn book????

So we get to the checkout lane and the lady asks "what's wrong?" I say "good question" and then she asks "did she(Ella) want something".......I mean can't she just mind her business and check me out? NO we have to play 10 questions and explain why my 3 year old is having a fit in the store! But I politely explain my daughter didn't get what she wanted and she's having a fit. Then she says "oh, honey, you can't have everything you want". I totally agree with her but I just really want out of there. Then we walk back past Starbucks and Ella really starts to wail, and this really elderly couple looks at us and kind of smiles at me. They either understand or just feel sorry for me, or the kids?....well anyway.

Then out to the parking lot (still bawling I might add) and an old man says "who's making all that noise?", I say "good question, she is disturbing the peace!". A few other soldiers look at me and kind of laugh. I guess I must have just looked exasperated.

So on the brief drive home I laugh and say out loud, "well it's just another opportunity to blog". This blogging AKA therapy must be working because I kept it together even though I wanted to freak out. Ella cried all the way home and now is taking a nap! ahhh! Without my family, what would I have to blog about?

OH and as I read this to my husband he reminded me that I didn't mention that the dog chewed up another book! hahahaha (please refer to blog entitled "DOG STORY") The husband says our talk didn't work! LOL

The Pukes

So I'm feeling much better today after a very nasty Sunday! My daughter Ella woke up at about 6am yesterday and said her tummy hurt. I put her in bed with us and then she started making a gagging noise, so I said "are you going to throw up?", I yanked her out of our bed and to the toilet. Then after I got her back to bed, I started thinking that my stomach didn't feel very good either! So to make a disgusting story less disgusting, I was sick all day long! We had so many plans for our Sunday, none which included me on the couch in misery all day.

So it's only 9am and I'm on the couch with Ella laying beside me because she still doesn't feel very well, and the other two running wild. My husband announces he's going to church. To my horror I say "you're going to church?". Nevermind that I'm dying over here!!! So he leaves all three kids with me, goes to church and when he comes back he says "feeling any better?".
Are you KIDDING ME???? In my husbands defense, I don't think he knew how bad I was feeling and how sick I was. So for the rest of the day he was in charge which mostly meant handling the kids in between playing super mario brothers......I swear if I have to listen to that game another minute I will go insane! He did however, run and get us some ginger ale, chicken noodle soup, gatorade, and he made dinner for the kids because the smell of food was enough to send me back to the bathroom!~ So Hooah to my Army husband that is so very capable of taking care of things when I'm down!

I did have a reminder yesterday of how wonderful it is when you are healthy and you feel great! I mean even today when I'm still not completely back to myself, but I feel 100% better than yesterday, it's a great day!
To quote The Zack Brown Band, "Life is good today".

Dog story

So we adopted a miniature poodle a few months ago and she is great! She is so sweet to the kids and loves me, but to my husband on the other hand......she used to bark at him all the time, then he was alone with her for the week while the kids and I were out of town. They briefly bonded and now about a month later she is avoiding him again.

So the husband loves the dog.....well, likes the dog would be more accurate. She is a year and a half old and hasn't really done much chewing on anything, she's so sweet but lately she has decided that she is a puppy, and started slinking off with the kids toys. I am thankful for this because maybe we can manage to throw out some of the kids crap around here, especially if it has chew marks in it.

A few days ago my husband comes down the stairs and he's holding something and has a look on his face like he is furious.....He says "I'm livid right now!" So of course I ask why, and he shows me a book that he had sitting on the floor in our bedroom that has been gnawed on a bit. I can't help but laugh because we have 3 kids and things are always getting trashed, but he is so mad about this book. The book probably did cost a fortune because my husband will spare no expense on his book collection. So he stomps off to take a shower. I have the giggles about this which I know is making him more mad at me so I come up with an idea.

I take the dog (Hailey) upstairs and while holding her I tell my husband that I had a talk with Hailey and she feels really bad about chewing up his book. (I'm cracking up again thinking about this conversation, hahaha), anyway, he says "I'm sure she does". I laugh some more and tell him "look, that's what happens when you have kids and dogs, your shit gets trashed so be mad, take a shower and get over it" He said "yeah, I guess you're right", laughed a small laugh and hopped in the shower. When he came down he was over it......well mostly over it! hahahahahaha!

Just another day in Paradise

Well today started off crazy enough, last minute doctor appointment for the boys who have had some ear issues. I was convinced that Aubrey had an ear infection or some wax build up since he was complaining on the flight a few weeks ago and he has been getting in trouble at school lately for his "volume control", or lack there of. Ryan has been pulling on his ear so I thought I should have his checked out too. Needless to say their ears are fine, so no excuse to blame the volume on, but none the less I'm glad they are okay. Ella was due for a vaccination shot so I decided to knock that out too, but OMG she screamed beforehand and then I had to listen all day to her drone on about how her leg hurt. What a day!

I did get in my exercise today and for the past week. A friend turned me on to a 20 minute workout by trainer Jillian Michaels from the "Biggest Loser". It's a great workout and the best part is it's only 20 minutes so lately the kids have been doing it with me,kind of. Then it was off to get Aubrey from school. That's always when the drama begins. Now yesterday his teacher came out to let me know that she had a lot of trouble with him and that he kept getting out of his seat and talking etc. I kind of went blank because Aubrey's not one to get into trouble at school...... In the car I tried to set him straight about his actions and guess what he said? His friends keep asking him to come over and see whatever blah blah blah is all I heard............"Seriously son" I say to him. Is there no personal responsibility?? Anyway, he had to apologize to his teacher today and have a better day which he did....whew!

My oldest son begged me to go to the BX(Base Exchange, AKA store on base), after I picked him up from school today and I agreed.........I know what was I thinking? So it went reasonably well until I looked back to see what was taking Ella so long, and I ran right over Ryan.......He fell down and kind of looked mortified. He didn't cry but as I picked him up over the glare from a woman who saw it happen, he just laid his head on my shoulder and fought back tears. Yep I get mother of the year!

So I get the three items I needed (a bottle of wine was one of them). Then I let them look at toys and had to pry them away from the toy section and telling them we weren't there to buy toys, we got in line for a couple of items I was buying. They started taking candy off the rack and asking to buy it, while Ryan was chanting "down, down, down". The lady at the adjoining counter said "hey what's the problem kids"? I said "good question, they are all loosing their minds at once". We always make a scene wherever we go so why would this be any different?

Then on the way out of the BX Ella asked to ride the carousel..........then Aubrey asked.....no begged. Then I said "we are going on a ride, in a MINIVAN! We headed home.

Now the dreaded dinner hour. For some reason my kids loose their minds at dinner time. They start bickering, hollering, & crying. My husband had a meeting tonight so I had to handle this. Now my mom was in town for two weeks and left yesterday so they were a little out of sorts today. The kids didn't eat their dinner, complained that they were hungry, and fought during dinner.

I decided to put on a song that makes me laugh by Phil Vassar called "Just Another Day in Paradise". Very fitting I think! It puts things in perspective when I'm loosing it.........so I played it three times, drank a glass of wine while cleaning up the dishes and ignored all the chaos! And this is "Just another day in paradise"!

a few verses from that song as I remember:
Kids screamin, phone ringin, dog barkin at the mailman bringing that stack of bills, overdue, good morning baby how are you? gotta a half hour, quick shower, take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour, my funny face makes you laugh. Twist the top on and I put it back.....there goes the washing machine, baby don't kick it, promise I'll fix it, along about a million other things well
Chorus: It's okay, it's so nice, just another day in paradise, well there's no place, I'd rather be! Two hearts, one dream, I wouldn't trade it for anything, and I ask the Lord, every night......oohh for just another day in paradise!

Tuesday

So no major news here, but one thought......as I'm driving the kids to school this morning I realize that I forgot my cell phone on the counter, I didn't put on my watch, and the radio on my car is not working ( I think it's blown a fuse). So I panic a bit because I realize that I have no idea what time it is. Then I kind of laugh to myself because I remember the days when no one had cell phones, and how nice it is to be "unavailable" sometimes. And then I laugh even harder because, even if I knew what time it was, it wouldn't matter if we got stuck in traffic or something. My kids would still be late for school......so what is the point of the watch, clock, or phone then?

Yes all of these "deep thoughts" go through my mind on the drive to school because I had no radio to tune my thoughts out......maybe it's a good thing to have some quiet time when driving........haha now I"m laughing at myself because the kids were in the car and it was anything but quiet...........hahaha!