Entry for June 14, 2008
We were saying the rosary tonight, like we do every night. The rosary consists of 5 sets of prayers (decades) and during each set of prayers, you meditate on some event from Christ's life, through the eyes of His Mother, Mary. Tonight we were saying the Glorious Mysteries and Genevieve likes to be the one to announce them.
"The first Glorious Mystery is The Resurrection...of the body!!!"
I don't know where that came from, but we pray. After the first mystery we have to stop and remind some of the kids to pray reverently and actually say the prayers instead of sitting there with there mouths open, staring off into space.
"The second Glorious Mystery is The Ascension...of the body!!!"
We all meditate on Jesus' ascension to Heaven. After we are done, two of the kids need to go to the bathroom. We wait. We say the third mystery. During the third mystery, Charlie says, "One hour!" We all chuckle a bit. When we are done, Joe says, "Yes, Charlie, it does seem like the rosary is taking an hour tonight."
"The fourf (this is how she pronounces it) Glorious Mystery is The Assumption of Mary...of the body!!!"
When it comes to the fifth mystery, we all say, "The fifth Glorious Mystery is the Coronation of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth." Then Noah says, "Of the body!!!" We all laugh.
The rosary is supposed to be a spiritual bouquet that you offer to God. Each prayer is another beautiful flower in the bouquet. In our case, we have the chuckle patch from the old TV show The Magic Garden.**
**If you don't remember this show, check out this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q51Nki1PldA&feature=related
Entry for June 10, 2008
I took Charlie to the doctor yesterday because he was complaining of a sore throat. They decided to do a culture and while we were waiting for the results he told me he had to use the bathroom ("Use the bathroom, please."). So, I find the bathroom and he goes in. I stand outside and wait a minute, then poke my head in. He is washing up. "Don't forget to flush," I remind him, then close the door. I hear the flush and the water goes on again. I wait a bit, then poke my head in. "Why don't you dry off now?" I suggest. He takes the paper towels and dries his face, then his arms, then back and...legs? I burst out laughing. If anything, Charlie is definitely clean! And he doesn't have strep! Hooray!
Charlie does the same thing with the holy water at church. He will scoop some up, the rub his whole face, then hair, then pull up his shirt and rub his back, but he hasn't gone so far as to douse his legs, probably because we stop him before that. We get stares, but who cares? The kid is holy!
Entry for June 09, 2008
My birthday was Friday. I will not tell you how old I am, but ask any one of my children and they will be happy to. They remind me every day of my deteriorating age. For my birthday this year I wanted longer arms, so I could see. Didn't get them. I guess it is time to break down and get the reading glasses, hmmm?
This was a great birthday. As a pre-birthday gift, Joe got home early on Thursday night and told me to go shopping by myself at Zona Rosa. I took him up on it and got some new clothes.
First thing Friday morning I got a call from a friend of mine, who informed me that she attended 6:30 a.m. Mass and offered it up for me.** She also sang me Happy Birthday, a capella. After the pleasant phone call, we had the requisite tantrum over a pair of shoes. But we were able to get out the door to 9:00 Mass before it was over. It was First Friday, so Fr. Greg exposed the Blessed Sacrament and we all said the rosary in front of Jesus. To me, this was a huge added birthday bonus. After Mass, we headed over to my friend Suzanna's house. She had planned a small gathering of homeschooling families from our parish so that we could meet them. Very like Suzanna-- she is extremely thoughtful. She did this without knowing it was my birthday. We all had a really nice time and stayed way too long. It was an excellent way to spend a birthday morning!
In the afternoon a couple of eager helpers assisted me in making my birthday cake. We made a lemon bundt cake with lemon frosting and decorated it with whole strawberries. Charlie made brownies while we did the cake.
When Joe got home we left for Olive Garden. When the kids asked where we were going, he told them Chez Poisson, but they weren't falling for that again! It was crowded when we got there and a look of alarm came across the maitre d's face when I told him we were a party of seven. But, in about 2 minutes we were seated at a quiet, out-of-the-way table. Bella gives me 2 gift bags, one with 2 new pairs of earrings that the girls had picked out by themselves and one with a brand new prayer journal. Perfect gifts for me! During dinner, the kids were very well-behaved and, except for the 6 trips to the bathroom, we had a nice time. The kids told the waitress it was my birthday. "21?" she asks. "Twice," I tell her. Before we left she brought over several waitstaff to sing me a birthday song. My family thinks it is hysterical. I thank her for the public humiliation and she says I am very welcome.
We get home and rest for awhile because we have gorged ourselves on salad and breadsticks. Then we have cake and brownies and head off to bed. It may not have been the most glamorous birthday, but for a homeschooling mom of five, it was just perfect.
**For those of you who have no idea what this means, it is the Catholic way of saying, "I prayed for you."
Entry for June 04, 2008
Charlie has a new laugh. He sounds just like Tim Hulce in the movie Amadeus. All I need to do is get him a white wig and we can take the show on the road. Too bad he can't play piano...
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjmmjXGwarU&feature=related
Entry for May 29, 2008
I will not go into how this happened, but several crayons ended up in the dryer. There was a load of laundry in there, too. It was a color load, but now it is REALLY a color load. Not in a good way.
On the internet it tells you to use either Goo Gone or WD-40. I call Joe at work and ask him to bring these things home. I will not describe to you the hysterical, screaming, crying way I asked. After work, Joe shows up with WD-40; the store didn't have Goo Gone. I had to go shopping anyway, so I take the long trip to Walmart and buy the Goo Gone. I also go to the grocery store as well, and buy lots and lots of groceries-- hey, I'm not in town that often-- I have to take advantage. When I get home, Joe and the kids unload the car while I unpack. Then I go into the laundry room to start the hard work. I open the dryer. It is all clean. Joe took care of it when I was out. Yippee! I get the pile of laundry that has crayon-induced stains all over it and look for the Goo Gone. I cannot find the Goo Gone. "Did anyone see the Goo Gone?" I ask. No one has seen it. I sigh deeply. Then I begin to mutter under my breath. I will not tell you what I muttered. I look all over. It's nowhere to be found. I call Walmart. They don't see it at the register, but they tell me to come in tomorrow and get another one. I thank them politely, but I am thinking that I wish I just had the stuff instead of having to drive 9 exits on the highway back there to get something I already bought. Sigh...
I go back in the laundry room. The WD-40 is there. I use it on all the clothes, let them sit and then rub all the spots with dishwashing detergent (this is what it said to do online, who am I to question?). Then I set the washer to the pre-soak cycle. Before it drains I set it again. While I wait, I begin to straighten up the laundry room. Better get this WD-40 put away before we have another laundry accident, I think to myself. I open the cabinet and what do my incredulous eyes behold??? The GOO GONE!!! It is in the cabinet along with a couple other things that I bought earlier. I make a noise that sounds a little like this: "Praarrrf!!!" Then I pick up the Goo Gone and hold it in my hand and stare at it while trying desperately to remember when it was that I put it away. I have no recollection whatsoever.
So, here I am blogging, while the laundry soaks. Hope it works. Joe's summer work pants were in there, along with Bella's favorite jeans. Well, if the WD-40 fails, I can always use the Goo Gone.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
5/1/08-5/26/08
Entry for May 26, 2008
I was so tired after yesterday that I had trouble sleeping.
In the morning we went to Mass. Charlie was extremely giggly and Joe had to take him out. Then, as we were going up for communion, Genevieve had a meltdown and had to dragged, uh, taken out. After Mass, I looked for a woman named Genevieve that I "met" through the homeschool Yahoo Group. In the parking lot I see a woman who fits her description. "Genevieve?" I ask. "Yes! AnnMarie?" We have officially met face-to-face. She says she would like Angelina to meet her daughter of the same age. At the same time, Charlie declares a need to wash his hands and bolts back into church, where a pancake breakfast is taking place, so there are lots of people in there. I tell Bella to follow him and I have Angelina with me, right behind. On the way in, Angelina screams. I look down at her and see blood gushing out of her foot. "My scab!" she yells. She had fallen on concrete several days earlier and had a scab on the top of her foot. It somehow ripped completely off on the way in. I marvel at the volume of blood. We race to the bathroom. I see Charlie coming out and quickly tell Bella to walk him to the car and tell Joe what's going on. Then, I take Angelina into the bathroom and try to stop the flow of blood (did I mention she was wearing her white dress shoes?). I wet some paper towels and sop up what is there, but more keeps coming. I scoop her up into my arms because she is hysterical, and try to hold the papaer towel on, but it isn't working. I decide that, since we live 3 minutes from church, we'd better just get home.
We leave the bathroom and Genevieve comes over and asks how she can help. I tell her that I think it is best we leave. An usher, Vince, comes over. "What happened? he asks, a look of alarm on his face. "A scab got ripped off," I answer, "We are going home to fix her up." The shoe is dangling now, and blood is pooling inside the shoe. "Is that all that happened?" Vince asks, still alarmed. A woman comes running over with a first aid kit and begins to dress Angelina's wound. Genevieve formally introduces me to Vince and he smirks and says, "Yeah, I have seen you and your family at Mass." And heard us, no doubt.
The lady, who I don't remember actually meeting, gets Angelina all wrapped up. Genevieve's daughter comes over and we try to get the girls to talk to distract Angelina. She's having none of it. I apologize and promise we will get together another time, under better conditions. Then we leave and, on the way out, I thought I heard a collective sigh of relief coming from the church hall.
When we get home, I spray Angelina's shoe with some cheapo oxygen cleaner and it works like a charm. Great-- something positive!!!
Then we eat lunch and leave to meet some friends in the church parking lot and follow them to Kauffman Staduim for the Family Rosary Crusade. We get there, surprisingly, with no problem. After we arrive, we lose Noah. We spend time looking for him. We are freaked out. We find him sitting with the friends we came with. It's one of those "I don't know whether to hug you or punish you" moments. Our friends found seats that were in the shade, which was great because it was 90 degrees and very sunny. There was about 45 minutes of praise and worship music, which everyone enjoyed. Then the Bishop came out and gave a talk. Then we said the rosary. They had each prayer represented by a country and the prayer was said in the language of the country. It was pretty awesome to hear the same prayers in all those different languages. But I actually didn't hear all of the prayers, because we had to make 4 trips to the bathroom. Then I had to reprimand a couple of the kids for not behaving reverantly during prayer. I imagined an entire stadium of 25,000 people praying peacefully and there were 7 seats where there was chaos...
Anyway, we prayed for peace in the world and in out families and the Bishop did Benediction and blessed the crowd with the Most Blessed Sacrament**. It was amazing to be at an event like this and we felt very blessed to be able to be there.
After we left, we headed toward a buffet restaurant that Joe and I decided we would go to for dinner. We thought we would surprise the kids. They ask where we are going. Joe tells them to Chez Poisson a fancy French restaurant that serves only fish soup. They all moan and complain. He tells them it took him 3 months to get reservations, mostly because he doesn't speak French. More moaning and complaining. He asks if he mentioned their specialty, a warm salad? "Bleccch!" they all yell. They start lobbying for the buffet restaurant. Joe protests. When we pull into the parking lot Noah asks, "Dad, were you joking?"
We go in and eat and thoroughly enjoy ourselves. It was a good time. Much better than that stuffy Chez Poisson ever could have been ;) So, we had blood, we got lost, we achieved an intimate relationship with a public bathroom, but the day ended well.
**For those of you who are not Catholic and have no idea what I might be talking about, please refer to the New Testament, Gospel of John, Chapter 6. Catholics interpret it literally.
Entry for May 24, 2008
Genevieve's birthday is coming up. She will be 4 in June and she is already plotting and planning for the big event. First came some royal proclamations:
"When I am 4 I will not need help going to the bathroom."
"When I am 4 I will not wear pull-ups at night."
"When I am 4 I will not scream when I get my hair washed."
Big, big plans. She has an ongoing list of presents she wants: a pack of gum ("My own pack of gum."), a box of tic tacs and some gummy worms. She also wants "big scooter." She has a scooter already-- she's not getting another one and has been informed of this.
Then, there's the cake. "I want a lot of cream!" she tells me, shaking with excitement. "And strawberries! Can it be with cream and strawberries? A lot of them?" Yes, I tell her, I can make a strawberry shortcake for her birthday. "Strawberry Shortcake? You will make me a Strawberry Shortcake cake for my birthday? But I wanted Hannah Montana. How about half Strawberry Shortcake and half Hannah Montana?"
Sigh. And I thought I was getting off easy with the gum and candy...
Entry for May 16, 2008
A well-meaning friend sent me an e-mail about the brown recluse spider. Our computer is in the kitchen, right out in the open, and the kids came in the back door just as I was opening the e-mail. Right there in front of us, were disturbing pictures of spider bites. I closed the e-mail quickly, but the kids saw some of the pictures and all kinds of questions get thrown at me. I Google the spider. Turns out the spider is prevalent in Missouri (oh, great). It rarely bites humans, but when it does, if it is not treated quickly enough, the flesh around the bite can rot (oh, really great). I don't let the kids know. I explain to the kids that we need not worry too much about spiders, but just be careful not to play with them or pick them up without asking an adult first. We find a good picture and description of the spider and save it in favorites, so we have a quick way of identifying it. Noah was very interested that it has six eyes and a violin-shaped marking on it's body. The kids are still nervous, though, and Angelina wants to move back to IL. I assure her that every region of the country has some kind of unpleasantness, but she doesn't care. The tiny child is quaking. Being Italian, I assure myself that food will help her get over this. I serve lunch and that distracts her for awhile. Later they go outside to play. Whew!
When Joe comes home the first thing on their minds is the spider. They tell him all about it. I make sure he knows that I didn't sit them down and force them to watch a slide show of graphic pictures of spider bites, just in case he was wondering.
After dinner, Bella and I go food shopping. When we get home, around 8:00, Noah informs Bella that they have started a Backyard Naturalists Club and Dad is the leader. Angelina tells that Daddy found a crab spider and and looked it up online. She was very excited because it is definitely not harmful and it walks just like a crab. Seems she got over her fear of spiders. Bella wants to join. Noah questions her qualifications. Bella announces that she is the one who spotted the skink. She's in.
So, now, instead of a frightened brood of children, we have a club interested in the local wildlife. Obviously there are some things only Dad can handle...
Entry for May 05, 2008
My kids were playing outside today and found a skink on the back deck (if you do not know what a skink is, see above). Sounds like a Dr. Seuss creation. They didn't know it was a skink at the time, but when Joe got home they described it to him and he found out online that it was a five-striped skink. We have also seen wild turkeys in the backyard. Joe says all we need is some wild cranberry sauce and wild potatoes to go with them...
Today is my godson Jonny's birthday. We called him up and sang "Happy Birthday." Angelina did the cha-cha-chas. Afterwards she talked to him on the phone and gave him the news about her tooth coming out. Genevieve, standing next to her, whispers, "Don't forget to tell him Mom pulled it out with lip gloss!"
Entry for May 01, 2008
Charlie got out of bed the other night after everyone was tucked in and came into our room. I asked him what he needed and he told me that in September, he wants to fly to China on a vulture. Then he cracked up. He is such a joker. (Although, with the price of fuel skyrocketing, vulture flight just may become the norm. Maybe Charlie is actually a prophet...)
The next day, at lunch time, Bella was making one of her gourmet sandwiches. She put on some roast beef, provolone, pepperoni, the onions and celery from a container of Sicilian olive salad and some mushroom salad. Angelina was checking out the sandwich and said, "Wow, Bella, you make good crochet sandwiches!" After the shock and confusion wore off, we realized she meant "gourmet."
After lunch, Angelina was complaining that her loose tooth was bugging her. She asked me to help her pull it out. It was really hanging. So, we got some dental floss, wrapped it around the tooth and pulled. It came right out. She looks so cute with her first missing tooth. And she whistles a bit when she makes the "s " sound.
A long time ago I did the same thing with Charlie. He had a loose tooth that hung on for weeks. Every time he smiled it was in a different spot. I took the dental floss and got it out in a jiffy. But after that, he would never let me floss his teeth. The poor kid thought I wanted to take all his teeth out. He got over it, though. He flosses regularly now.
I was so tired after yesterday that I had trouble sleeping.
In the morning we went to Mass. Charlie was extremely giggly and Joe had to take him out. Then, as we were going up for communion, Genevieve had a meltdown and had to dragged, uh, taken out. After Mass, I looked for a woman named Genevieve that I "met" through the homeschool Yahoo Group. In the parking lot I see a woman who fits her description. "Genevieve?" I ask. "Yes! AnnMarie?" We have officially met face-to-face. She says she would like Angelina to meet her daughter of the same age. At the same time, Charlie declares a need to wash his hands and bolts back into church, where a pancake breakfast is taking place, so there are lots of people in there. I tell Bella to follow him and I have Angelina with me, right behind. On the way in, Angelina screams. I look down at her and see blood gushing out of her foot. "My scab!" she yells. She had fallen on concrete several days earlier and had a scab on the top of her foot. It somehow ripped completely off on the way in. I marvel at the volume of blood. We race to the bathroom. I see Charlie coming out and quickly tell Bella to walk him to the car and tell Joe what's going on. Then, I take Angelina into the bathroom and try to stop the flow of blood (did I mention she was wearing her white dress shoes?). I wet some paper towels and sop up what is there, but more keeps coming. I scoop her up into my arms because she is hysterical, and try to hold the papaer towel on, but it isn't working. I decide that, since we live 3 minutes from church, we'd better just get home.
We leave the bathroom and Genevieve comes over and asks how she can help. I tell her that I think it is best we leave. An usher, Vince, comes over. "What happened? he asks, a look of alarm on his face. "A scab got ripped off," I answer, "We are going home to fix her up." The shoe is dangling now, and blood is pooling inside the shoe. "Is that all that happened?" Vince asks, still alarmed. A woman comes running over with a first aid kit and begins to dress Angelina's wound. Genevieve formally introduces me to Vince and he smirks and says, "Yeah, I have seen you and your family at Mass." And heard us, no doubt.
The lady, who I don't remember actually meeting, gets Angelina all wrapped up. Genevieve's daughter comes over and we try to get the girls to talk to distract Angelina. She's having none of it. I apologize and promise we will get together another time, under better conditions. Then we leave and, on the way out, I thought I heard a collective sigh of relief coming from the church hall.
When we get home, I spray Angelina's shoe with some cheapo oxygen cleaner and it works like a charm. Great-- something positive!!!
Then we eat lunch and leave to meet some friends in the church parking lot and follow them to Kauffman Staduim for the Family Rosary Crusade. We get there, surprisingly, with no problem. After we arrive, we lose Noah. We spend time looking for him. We are freaked out. We find him sitting with the friends we came with. It's one of those "I don't know whether to hug you or punish you" moments. Our friends found seats that were in the shade, which was great because it was 90 degrees and very sunny. There was about 45 minutes of praise and worship music, which everyone enjoyed. Then the Bishop came out and gave a talk. Then we said the rosary. They had each prayer represented by a country and the prayer was said in the language of the country. It was pretty awesome to hear the same prayers in all those different languages. But I actually didn't hear all of the prayers, because we had to make 4 trips to the bathroom. Then I had to reprimand a couple of the kids for not behaving reverantly during prayer. I imagined an entire stadium of 25,000 people praying peacefully and there were 7 seats where there was chaos...
Anyway, we prayed for peace in the world and in out families and the Bishop did Benediction and blessed the crowd with the Most Blessed Sacrament**. It was amazing to be at an event like this and we felt very blessed to be able to be there.
After we left, we headed toward a buffet restaurant that Joe and I decided we would go to for dinner. We thought we would surprise the kids. They ask where we are going. Joe tells them to Chez Poisson a fancy French restaurant that serves only fish soup. They all moan and complain. He tells them it took him 3 months to get reservations, mostly because he doesn't speak French. More moaning and complaining. He asks if he mentioned their specialty, a warm salad? "Bleccch!" they all yell. They start lobbying for the buffet restaurant. Joe protests. When we pull into the parking lot Noah asks, "Dad, were you joking?"
We go in and eat and thoroughly enjoy ourselves. It was a good time. Much better than that stuffy Chez Poisson ever could have been ;) So, we had blood, we got lost, we achieved an intimate relationship with a public bathroom, but the day ended well.
**For those of you who are not Catholic and have no idea what I might be talking about, please refer to the New Testament, Gospel of John, Chapter 6. Catholics interpret it literally.
Entry for May 24, 2008
Genevieve's birthday is coming up. She will be 4 in June and she is already plotting and planning for the big event. First came some royal proclamations:
"When I am 4 I will not need help going to the bathroom."
"When I am 4 I will not wear pull-ups at night."
"When I am 4 I will not scream when I get my hair washed."
Big, big plans. She has an ongoing list of presents she wants: a pack of gum ("My own pack of gum."), a box of tic tacs and some gummy worms. She also wants "big scooter." She has a scooter already-- she's not getting another one and has been informed of this.
Then, there's the cake. "I want a lot of cream!" she tells me, shaking with excitement. "And strawberries! Can it be with cream and strawberries? A lot of them?" Yes, I tell her, I can make a strawberry shortcake for her birthday. "Strawberry Shortcake? You will make me a Strawberry Shortcake cake for my birthday? But I wanted Hannah Montana. How about half Strawberry Shortcake and half Hannah Montana?"
Sigh. And I thought I was getting off easy with the gum and candy...
Entry for May 16, 2008
A well-meaning friend sent me an e-mail about the brown recluse spider. Our computer is in the kitchen, right out in the open, and the kids came in the back door just as I was opening the e-mail. Right there in front of us, were disturbing pictures of spider bites. I closed the e-mail quickly, but the kids saw some of the pictures and all kinds of questions get thrown at me. I Google the spider. Turns out the spider is prevalent in Missouri (oh, great). It rarely bites humans, but when it does, if it is not treated quickly enough, the flesh around the bite can rot (oh, really great). I don't let the kids know. I explain to the kids that we need not worry too much about spiders, but just be careful not to play with them or pick them up without asking an adult first. We find a good picture and description of the spider and save it in favorites, so we have a quick way of identifying it. Noah was very interested that it has six eyes and a violin-shaped marking on it's body. The kids are still nervous, though, and Angelina wants to move back to IL. I assure her that every region of the country has some kind of unpleasantness, but she doesn't care. The tiny child is quaking. Being Italian, I assure myself that food will help her get over this. I serve lunch and that distracts her for awhile. Later they go outside to play. Whew!
When Joe comes home the first thing on their minds is the spider. They tell him all about it. I make sure he knows that I didn't sit them down and force them to watch a slide show of graphic pictures of spider bites, just in case he was wondering.
After dinner, Bella and I go food shopping. When we get home, around 8:00, Noah informs Bella that they have started a Backyard Naturalists Club and Dad is the leader. Angelina tells that Daddy found a crab spider and and looked it up online. She was very excited because it is definitely not harmful and it walks just like a crab. Seems she got over her fear of spiders. Bella wants to join. Noah questions her qualifications. Bella announces that she is the one who spotted the skink. She's in.
So, now, instead of a frightened brood of children, we have a club interested in the local wildlife. Obviously there are some things only Dad can handle...
Entry for May 05, 2008
My kids were playing outside today and found a skink on the back deck (if you do not know what a skink is, see above). Sounds like a Dr. Seuss creation. They didn't know it was a skink at the time, but when Joe got home they described it to him and he found out online that it was a five-striped skink. We have also seen wild turkeys in the backyard. Joe says all we need is some wild cranberry sauce and wild potatoes to go with them...
Today is my godson Jonny's birthday. We called him up and sang "Happy Birthday." Angelina did the cha-cha-chas. Afterwards she talked to him on the phone and gave him the news about her tooth coming out. Genevieve, standing next to her, whispers, "Don't forget to tell him Mom pulled it out with lip gloss!"
Entry for May 01, 2008
Charlie got out of bed the other night after everyone was tucked in and came into our room. I asked him what he needed and he told me that in September, he wants to fly to China on a vulture. Then he cracked up. He is such a joker. (Although, with the price of fuel skyrocketing, vulture flight just may become the norm. Maybe Charlie is actually a prophet...)
The next day, at lunch time, Bella was making one of her gourmet sandwiches. She put on some roast beef, provolone, pepperoni, the onions and celery from a container of Sicilian olive salad and some mushroom salad. Angelina was checking out the sandwich and said, "Wow, Bella, you make good crochet sandwiches!" After the shock and confusion wore off, we realized she meant "gourmet."
After lunch, Angelina was complaining that her loose tooth was bugging her. She asked me to help her pull it out. It was really hanging. So, we got some dental floss, wrapped it around the tooth and pulled. It came right out. She looks so cute with her first missing tooth. And she whistles a bit when she makes the "s " sound.
A long time ago I did the same thing with Charlie. He had a loose tooth that hung on for weeks. Every time he smiled it was in a different spot. I took the dental floss and got it out in a jiffy. But after that, he would never let me floss his teeth. The poor kid thought I wanted to take all his teeth out. He got over it, though. He flosses regularly now.
4/9/08-4/28/08
Entry for April 28, 2008
We went back to IL for 4 days because my niece was receiving her First Communion and we wanted to be there. The ride was fairly uneventful. Before we left, we stopped to gas up and Joe got a very large cup of coffee. Charlie asked for a sip. Joe passed it back and he took a sip, then returned it. Later in the trip, Charlie asked again and Charlie began to chug. "NONONONO! That's my caffeine for the trip!" Joe yells. Charlie hands it back and says, "It's empty."
We got there at about 11 p.m. on Wednesday and dropped 4 kids off at my parents'. Then we went to our friends Dean and Kerry's with Noah to sleep there, because my parents can only fit 4 people in their house, so we had to split. I know, we could have gone to our old house with an air mattress, but we wanted to see Dean and Kerry anyway.
We get to their house about 11:30 p.m. They were up and we got to chat a bit, then we went down the basement to sleep. They had it set up as a hotel. HA! There were mints on the pillows and a list of "Hotel Rules" (which included a warning that the remote control was calibrated only for their TV and wouldn't work elsewhere if it was removed), and they had put a price list on their downstairs refrigerator that was like a minibar. It was hysterical! The prices were outrageous, just like a real hotel, except they listed what was actually in the refridge, so there was Gogurt for $7, slices of cheese, $2 each, eggs, $1 each, etc. Then, in the bathroom, they had put a sign over the toilet seat that said, "Sanitized For Your Protection." There was also a note under the bathroom mirror that said, "Forget something? Check at the front desk. We may have what you need!" It was a really funny welcome from some treasured friends!
The rest of the trip was very busy, but we got to see my niece on her special day and that created some nice memories. Other friends of ours had children receiving that day, so we were treated to being able to see them as well. On Sunday, we had a gourmet breakfast at my parents'. My mother made French Toast, bacon, sausage and, not regular pancakes, but gingerbread pancakes. At church it seemed that almost all our good friends were there. Fr. Randy, who used to be my spiritual director, was the celebrant, so I visited with him and also received a travel blessing.
The ride back wasn't too bad. It got pretty hairy toward the last 90 minutes, though, because the kids were really getting on eachother's nerves. After we pulled over on the side of the road to let Genevieve pee in a cup, I put on a rosary CD that was recorded by Angelina's Godfather, Fr. Beekman, and we all said the rosary. Everyone quieted down immediately and the rest of the ride was peaceful.
It was a good trip, but the kids were happy to be home, which made me feel good about the move in general. It is a huge grace from God that the children have adjusted so well. They really miss friends and family, but we are at peace here. Now, what the future holds, only time will tell...
Entry for April 14, 2008
This weekend will be forever known as "couch weekend." Joe and I spent the weekend on the couch with aches, pains and fevers. Joe had such a bad headache that every time he coughed, he yelled in pain. Genevieve, who had gotten better, was also feverish and stuffy. Angelina was fatigued and stuffy as well. We had to miss Mass. We were in no shape to leave the house at all.
Yesterday I spoke to a good friend of mine about our current sitaution. She joked that if we lived closer she'd make us dinner. Hah! About an hour after that phone call, the doorbell rang. Joe hauled himself off the couch and answered the door. It was a guy with a box of food. "This is a get well gift from your friends in Illinois!" he happily proclaims. I think Joe managed a "thank you," and took the box up to the kitchen. Delicious smells pervade the house. Wow! SO glad we're not nauseous! It is an authentic, Kansas City, barbecue dinner. We had homemade baked beans, Texas toast, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, onion rings and chicken fingers for the kids. They descend on the food like locusts. Genevieve is too tired to eat. She manages a few bites of Texas toast. I eat a few bites and wrap some up for when I can breathe (and therefore taste) better. Everyone decides that it is one of the most delicious meals we have ever had.
After we are done and I am comfortably settled back on the couch, I reach for the phone to make a thank you call. It rings as a grab it. It is my thoughtful, Illinois, barbecue sending friend. I tell her she's crazy, and then thank her profusely. She tells me that she spoke to the owner of the restaurant and they don't deliver, but when she told him we had just moved, and were sick as dogs, he quickly agreed to bring the food over.
This morning when Joe woke up, he felt a lot better. He took the boys to work with him today, so he must have energy. I still have a sinus headache, but the fever is gone and I actually feel like I can get up and walk around. Genevieve and Angelina are still stuffy, but there are no fevers and they are playing together as I write this. So, what's the conclusion? Friendship and good food cure all.
Entry for April 11, 2008
A Mr. Richard Feder from Fort Lee, New Jersey writes in and asks, "How are the Creedons doing on their fourth day in Missouri?"
Well, lemme tell ya, if it's not one thing, it's another... They got fevers, aches, pains, insomnia, some are throwing up, coughing, chills, night sweats and stuffy noses. It's always something.
Entry for April 10, 2008
I think Charlie likes it here. We set up his room first. His desk went under the window, so he has ample light for drawing. He unpacked all his CDs and has been listening a lot to either Dean Martin or Silly Songs With Larry. He made the green beans at dinner yesterday and did a good job. He has been very helpful all in all and adjusting well, I think.
He starts school next Friday. We take him in on Thursday for a tour and to meet the staff. I am praying that the transition goes well. Giant Steps was his second home for 9 years and I am sure he will miss it deeply.
He keeps putting the heat up to 90. I don't know why. It hasn't even been cold. Noah has had a fever and we all thought we were coming down with it, but it was just the heat. Except Genevieve actually did get a fever last night, then I came down with one this afternoon. I slept for a long time. The kids were good while I slept. They stayed in the kitchen on the computer while I was just steps away in the living room on the couch. When Joe got home he took care of dinner. Now he is with the children that are well, trying to find Sam's Cub to go shopping. Hope he put the GPS on "fastest route."
Entry for April 09, 2008
Yesterday we went to shop for a washer and dryer. We didn't bring ours because we are leaving them with the house. Besides, my washer is a gas one and here we need electric. So we decide to buy reconditioned ones because we had a reconditioned dryer years ago that we bought for $50 and it lasted 6 years. We have no idea whether or not the house we will eventually buy will have these appliances, so reconditioned seemed the best way to go.
I found a dealer online. He is in Belton. We don't know where Belton is. We check a map. It is in Missouri, south of KC. Some very good and very thoughtful friends of ours gave us a GPS system for a going-away gift. This seems like a great time to use it. We get the thing programmed, load the kids in the car and sit back and enjoy the ride. We begin on a very pretty back road. "Hmmm," Joe muses, "Not the road I would have picked, but this thing is supposed to know what it's doing, so..." An hour and a half later we are in Kansas. Bella says to her brother, "Noah, I don't think we're in Missouri anymore." I get a weird feeling of deja vu when she says that, but it goes away. Joe and I are perplexed. We have passed many major highways and still no Belton. The ride has been very scenic, but... Wait a minute! A light bulb goes off over Joe's head. He checks the settings of the GPS. It is set to "scenic." AAARRRGGH! Joe quickly reprograms it and off we go. By this time, Genevieve has to use the bathroom, Angelina and Noah are fighting, Bella is being loud and Charlie is complaining that Bella is being loud. "You kids were great on the long trek out here yesterday. What's the problem today?" I lament.
FINALLY we get there. I quickly pick out the biggest dryer I can find, a commercial grade monster. I get a Kenmore washer that is much bigger than the one I have in St. Charles. Flippin' sweet! They deliver the next day and yes, they warrantee everything for 3 years. Yippee! We get back in the car, completely forgetting that our 3 year old has to pee.
We take the kids to Sonic. While we are waiting for our food, Genevieve begins to pee. "Mom? I'm peeing." "AH! Please stop right there!" I desperately plead. "I'll get you to a bathroom." The girl delivers our food. Joe asks if our toddler can use their bathroom. She informs us that it is not working (yeah, right!). "Everyone, look for a pull up!" I yell. The kids all dive down onto the floor looking for a stray pull up. Joe finds one. We get it on Genevieve and everyone is happy.
We go directly home, because the GPS is now properly programmed. On the way, I start to laugh, because I am thinking what if they made the voice on the GPS like my mother's when she was teaching me how to drive?
"OK, make a right. A RIGHT!!! Watch the truck! Get over! Get over!"
We went back to IL for 4 days because my niece was receiving her First Communion and we wanted to be there. The ride was fairly uneventful. Before we left, we stopped to gas up and Joe got a very large cup of coffee. Charlie asked for a sip. Joe passed it back and he took a sip, then returned it. Later in the trip, Charlie asked again and Charlie began to chug. "NONONONO! That's my caffeine for the trip!" Joe yells. Charlie hands it back and says, "It's empty."
We got there at about 11 p.m. on Wednesday and dropped 4 kids off at my parents'. Then we went to our friends Dean and Kerry's with Noah to sleep there, because my parents can only fit 4 people in their house, so we had to split. I know, we could have gone to our old house with an air mattress, but we wanted to see Dean and Kerry anyway.
We get to their house about 11:30 p.m. They were up and we got to chat a bit, then we went down the basement to sleep. They had it set up as a hotel. HA! There were mints on the pillows and a list of "Hotel Rules" (which included a warning that the remote control was calibrated only for their TV and wouldn't work elsewhere if it was removed), and they had put a price list on their downstairs refrigerator that was like a minibar. It was hysterical! The prices were outrageous, just like a real hotel, except they listed what was actually in the refridge, so there was Gogurt for $7, slices of cheese, $2 each, eggs, $1 each, etc. Then, in the bathroom, they had put a sign over the toilet seat that said, "Sanitized For Your Protection." There was also a note under the bathroom mirror that said, "Forget something? Check at the front desk. We may have what you need!" It was a really funny welcome from some treasured friends!
The rest of the trip was very busy, but we got to see my niece on her special day and that created some nice memories. Other friends of ours had children receiving that day, so we were treated to being able to see them as well. On Sunday, we had a gourmet breakfast at my parents'. My mother made French Toast, bacon, sausage and, not regular pancakes, but gingerbread pancakes. At church it seemed that almost all our good friends were there. Fr. Randy, who used to be my spiritual director, was the celebrant, so I visited with him and also received a travel blessing.
The ride back wasn't too bad. It got pretty hairy toward the last 90 minutes, though, because the kids were really getting on eachother's nerves. After we pulled over on the side of the road to let Genevieve pee in a cup, I put on a rosary CD that was recorded by Angelina's Godfather, Fr. Beekman, and we all said the rosary. Everyone quieted down immediately and the rest of the ride was peaceful.
It was a good trip, but the kids were happy to be home, which made me feel good about the move in general. It is a huge grace from God that the children have adjusted so well. They really miss friends and family, but we are at peace here. Now, what the future holds, only time will tell...
Entry for April 14, 2008
This weekend will be forever known as "couch weekend." Joe and I spent the weekend on the couch with aches, pains and fevers. Joe had such a bad headache that every time he coughed, he yelled in pain. Genevieve, who had gotten better, was also feverish and stuffy. Angelina was fatigued and stuffy as well. We had to miss Mass. We were in no shape to leave the house at all.
Yesterday I spoke to a good friend of mine about our current sitaution. She joked that if we lived closer she'd make us dinner. Hah! About an hour after that phone call, the doorbell rang. Joe hauled himself off the couch and answered the door. It was a guy with a box of food. "This is a get well gift from your friends in Illinois!" he happily proclaims. I think Joe managed a "thank you," and took the box up to the kitchen. Delicious smells pervade the house. Wow! SO glad we're not nauseous! It is an authentic, Kansas City, barbecue dinner. We had homemade baked beans, Texas toast, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, onion rings and chicken fingers for the kids. They descend on the food like locusts. Genevieve is too tired to eat. She manages a few bites of Texas toast. I eat a few bites and wrap some up for when I can breathe (and therefore taste) better. Everyone decides that it is one of the most delicious meals we have ever had.
After we are done and I am comfortably settled back on the couch, I reach for the phone to make a thank you call. It rings as a grab it. It is my thoughtful, Illinois, barbecue sending friend. I tell her she's crazy, and then thank her profusely. She tells me that she spoke to the owner of the restaurant and they don't deliver, but when she told him we had just moved, and were sick as dogs, he quickly agreed to bring the food over.
This morning when Joe woke up, he felt a lot better. He took the boys to work with him today, so he must have energy. I still have a sinus headache, but the fever is gone and I actually feel like I can get up and walk around. Genevieve and Angelina are still stuffy, but there are no fevers and they are playing together as I write this. So, what's the conclusion? Friendship and good food cure all.
Entry for April 11, 2008
A Mr. Richard Feder from Fort Lee, New Jersey writes in and asks, "How are the Creedons doing on their fourth day in Missouri?"
Well, lemme tell ya, if it's not one thing, it's another... They got fevers, aches, pains, insomnia, some are throwing up, coughing, chills, night sweats and stuffy noses. It's always something.
Entry for April 10, 2008
I think Charlie likes it here. We set up his room first. His desk went under the window, so he has ample light for drawing. He unpacked all his CDs and has been listening a lot to either Dean Martin or Silly Songs With Larry. He made the green beans at dinner yesterday and did a good job. He has been very helpful all in all and adjusting well, I think.
He starts school next Friday. We take him in on Thursday for a tour and to meet the staff. I am praying that the transition goes well. Giant Steps was his second home for 9 years and I am sure he will miss it deeply.
He keeps putting the heat up to 90. I don't know why. It hasn't even been cold. Noah has had a fever and we all thought we were coming down with it, but it was just the heat. Except Genevieve actually did get a fever last night, then I came down with one this afternoon. I slept for a long time. The kids were good while I slept. They stayed in the kitchen on the computer while I was just steps away in the living room on the couch. When Joe got home he took care of dinner. Now he is with the children that are well, trying to find Sam's Cub to go shopping. Hope he put the GPS on "fastest route."
Entry for April 09, 2008
Yesterday we went to shop for a washer and dryer. We didn't bring ours because we are leaving them with the house. Besides, my washer is a gas one and here we need electric. So we decide to buy reconditioned ones because we had a reconditioned dryer years ago that we bought for $50 and it lasted 6 years. We have no idea whether or not the house we will eventually buy will have these appliances, so reconditioned seemed the best way to go.
I found a dealer online. He is in Belton. We don't know where Belton is. We check a map. It is in Missouri, south of KC. Some very good and very thoughtful friends of ours gave us a GPS system for a going-away gift. This seems like a great time to use it. We get the thing programmed, load the kids in the car and sit back and enjoy the ride. We begin on a very pretty back road. "Hmmm," Joe muses, "Not the road I would have picked, but this thing is supposed to know what it's doing, so..." An hour and a half later we are in Kansas. Bella says to her brother, "Noah, I don't think we're in Missouri anymore." I get a weird feeling of deja vu when she says that, but it goes away. Joe and I are perplexed. We have passed many major highways and still no Belton. The ride has been very scenic, but... Wait a minute! A light bulb goes off over Joe's head. He checks the settings of the GPS. It is set to "scenic." AAARRRGGH! Joe quickly reprograms it and off we go. By this time, Genevieve has to use the bathroom, Angelina and Noah are fighting, Bella is being loud and Charlie is complaining that Bella is being loud. "You kids were great on the long trek out here yesterday. What's the problem today?" I lament.
FINALLY we get there. I quickly pick out the biggest dryer I can find, a commercial grade monster. I get a Kenmore washer that is much bigger than the one I have in St. Charles. Flippin' sweet! They deliver the next day and yes, they warrantee everything for 3 years. Yippee! We get back in the car, completely forgetting that our 3 year old has to pee.
We take the kids to Sonic. While we are waiting for our food, Genevieve begins to pee. "Mom? I'm peeing." "AH! Please stop right there!" I desperately plead. "I'll get you to a bathroom." The girl delivers our food. Joe asks if our toddler can use their bathroom. She informs us that it is not working (yeah, right!). "Everyone, look for a pull up!" I yell. The kids all dive down onto the floor looking for a stray pull up. Joe finds one. We get it on Genevieve and everyone is happy.
We go directly home, because the GPS is now properly programmed. On the way, I start to laugh, because I am thinking what if they made the voice on the GPS like my mother's when she was teaching me how to drive?
"OK, make a right. A RIGHT!!! Watch the truck! Get over! Get over!"
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