Hiding from my kids

So I'm sitting at Panera typing this post. I have had enough today of the kids fighting, screaming yelling and imitating opera singers. So I am hiding from them.

Bri threw a fit at the fishing derby today for Adventure Guides because she didn't catch any fish. Jimmy threw a fit because he didn't get a cupcake from the Nation Chief's birthday. And they were all blue frosted, so I'm glad it worked out that way.

Bri was giving attitude at Target while trying to get new uniforms for school. Then the kids decided to torture each other for fun in the car while James ran into Home Depot to look for the elusive vent filter for the stove hood. I ended up taking away a pair of Crocs, one fishing net and a fish bobber from Jimmy's fishing pole.
The show store was so much fun, with Bri wanting skater shoes like Uncle J and Aunt Amanda wear, Then when we were checking out, Jimmy announces loudly he has to pee. The kind and helpful sales associate told us there was one in back. Since James was paying for their new school shoes, guess who got to take BOTH kids to the back? Me of course.

Why is it kids ALWAYS have to use a public restroom at least once while we're out? This happens every time I take the kids out. I could start a blog just comparing store and restaurant bathrooms.

Then we went home and gave them the (I thought it was) simple task of putting away a basket of their stuff from the living room in their own room. Yeah, you would have thought I told them to build a full scale model of the Sears Tower out of toothpicks and no glue. The whining and complaining was getting on my nerves. Then Bri went into Jimmy's room to help him put his stuff somewhere besides his bed. Only she decided to lock herself in his room, causing more blood curdling screaming from him.

So, we were going to divide and conquer since I had to return shoes to Target and a vent filter to Menards. Bri was having NONE of that since I refused to go to the train restaurant that I don't like. She ran off and told Jimmy to tell us she moved to France, then China, then Africa. Then they both decided they were going to the moon. Fine by me. Have fun and be back in time for school on Monday.

So James decided they will order pizza for dinner, give them showers and send them to bed. He has had enough of the behavior also. I can't blame him. I've had a headache all day because of them.

Things I never thought I'd have to explain to a 4 year old.

Vi*gra.
Yes, I've just had to explain Vi*gra to a 4 year old.

Let me explain. Last night James had a chief's meeting for Princesses. So I had Jimmy all by myself since Bri went to Eema's for the next few days (we're working this schedule thing out still). My theory is keep the kids calm and occupied while hubby is gone.
So, after packing his backpack, getting his snack ready, explaining that he goes to school in the AFTERNOON now, explaining that he does NOT go to school at 7 at night and playing for a while, we watched TV. After the umpteenth Finneas and Ferb episode, I changed the channel. We were NOT watching Suite Life at ALL. I don't remember what I was watching, but a Vi*gra ad came on. Of late, he's been paying more attention to commercials.
Jimmy goes to me, Is that for boring people?
I said, no its for older people and you don't need it.
Jimmy says, its for boring people. It looks like its for boring people.
Then he says, can we go to that beach someday?

Yes, so my kid is already asking about impotence drugs.

What comes out of his mouth when I'm NOT around? What's going to come out of his mouth when he's 6?

God help us all.

I cry every time

Its that fun time of the year. Back to school time. Jimmy starts tomorrow and Bri starts on Monday. We're getting them ready to go back and so are some of my co-workers kids. Molly* and I were having a discussion on this today. She said she did not cry when her other two boys started school, but she thinks she will when her youngest starts school this year. I've cried each year when the kids started school. I'm sure this will get better as they get older. I won't turn into a blubbery mess.
She has never taken a first day of school pic of her kids, but will take pics for her youngest. I take pics every year (ok I kinda slacked off on Jimmy's first day last year.)
Molly said she was shoving the two oldest out the door to school and now she doesn't want the youngest to grow up. I'm sad my kids are growing up, even though they need to.
I'm leaving them in the trusted hands of James, Eema and my parents to get them both off to school. Molly is taking two days off because her youngest is starting school.
I don't play favorites with my kids. Both are my favorites and if I had another, they would also be one of my favorites. So I treat them the same on the first day of school. And that will never change.
*name changed. I'm not sure why.

I'm tired of my yard being a cat shelter

We have a cat problem in my neighborhood.

Last year, it was four cats: a black and white, a gray, a black and a black and white kitten (who I only saw once). We kept finding poop around the yard and if the grass got too long, they would hide in it.
We think the black and white adult and gray ones belong to someone in the neighborhood who lets them out in the morning and lets them back in at night. No collar, no tags. I've seen her do it in the past, but really don't know her to confront her.
In our town, we have to go to the police and file a nuisance animal report. They give us a trap for 10 days. Then WE have to take the animal to a shelter that will accept them. Currently, its about a 1/2 hour away the county shelter that will accept strays. You can see why I did nothing about it last year. Nothing like having an angry cat in my car for the drive. I did not get the scotchguarding on this car.
Or I have to pay someone to trap the cats. Not that I really have the money for that.

So fast forward to this year. We have the black and white and gray cats around. Again. I've only seen the black and white one sitting under my cars and front shrub. James has seen the gray one. And still using my yard as a litter box.
So, tonight I hacked off the side of the bush by my front door. It had grown into the railing and I'm sick of how it looks.
Yeah it SMELLS like a litter box under the bush. Used by multiple cats. So, I sprinkled more red pepper flakes under the shrub, like I did around the yard Saturday when we came home and the black and white cat was lounging on our porch. Yeah, I'm not amused. Its getting really old.
So, I'm hoping the cats will get the message that he/she is NOT WELCOMED around here. And I know you're thinking I'm mean and evil. I do love animals, but people need to take care of their pets. Its again town ordinance to let them roam without a leash. And why should I have to clean up after them if their owner won't? Or heaven forbid, one of them has a litter in my yard.
Then I'm stuck dealing with them.

I took the plunge

I'm seriously trying to cheer myself up here. We got some BAD news in the mail today and we're hoping its really, really wrong. If not, our tight finances are going to get tighter for a long while.

I saw the neuro again on Thursday and we're back to NO CAFFEINE FOR LIFE again. She thinks it will help the headaches. I think I'm going to do a lot of sleeping standing up. Sprite just sucks. And I had to give up drinking also.

The leg wound is looking better but the dermo had to put shots IN THE WOUND. It was concentrated medicine that is in the ointment I use. I go back in 3 weeks for more. Its healing well, but the skin will be discolored for months. Nothing we can do about that.

So, I took the plunge and bought the Cricut. I should get it from the Home Shopping Network on Thursday. I am selling the Slice. I got the noise down, but I am not happy with it. I do a lot of dyecuts at a time and it overheats rather quickly.
So I did end up getting the Expression which can cut up to 23". James thought I would be dissapointed if I got the smaller one. Which I could have had cheap weeks ago.
So maybe this will motivate me to get back into scrapbooking. I have so many photos that need to get into albums. Bri is getting more done in her album than I am.

He's so stinking cute I won't sell him on eBay for now

Jimmy loves to sing. He was able to sing before he could talk in complete phases or even words. Every speech therapist he's had encourages this because its a good sign. I had fears we would have a Discovery Health special, but if it gets me a new kitchen, I'm all for it.
So, we're always listening to Radio Disney or cd's in the van after this incident, so Jimmy hears these songs a lot. Sunday, we were going shopping and the Ting Ting's Not My Name came on. If you have listened to any top 40 type station you have heard it. And its stuck in your head.

So, the chorus of this song goes:
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my.........name

Jimmy changed it to:
James is my name
James is my name
James is my..........name

These are the times I wish I had a Flip camera. It was so cute and creative. He sings it every time the song comes on.

Now if he would stop antagonizing his sister for fun and sit still during a meal, it would be good.

Camp: This is not the good old days

So, Bri survived her first week at away camp. We picked her up on Friday night. And after feeding her a good meal and hosing off the dirt in the back yard with a Lysol rinse, we have recovered. I think we finished the laundry from camp and need to teach her how to repack a suitcase. But, as someone who did go away to camp, things are WAY different than when I went. Let's cover the highlights:

THEN: Put kids on a bus to go 7 hours to Northern Wisconsin. At 7 am
NOW: Drive kids 1 1/2 hours AT THE MOST. At 1pm

THEN: Check in at bus stop
NOW: Check in at actual camp.

THEN: Give meds to nurse at health check in
NOW: Parents give nurse and go over directions at check in.

THEN: One kid in the unit usually had the bag of meds at check in, everyone else had nothing
NOW: One mom will not get in line with a bag of meds for their kid, while you're waiting in line.

THEN: Cell phone reception? We didn't HAVE cell phones, let alone reception.
NOW: Turn in cell phones at check in for use during rest time every day.

THEN: Get a couple letters from home during 2 1/2 weeks away.
NOW: Drop off care packages for each of the 5 days the kid is gone. At check in. (note, I did not do this. We sent her one letter.)

THEN: Carry your own luggage to the unit
NOW: Wait for the wagon to bring your luggage and have mom and dad carry it to the tent.

THEN: Platform tents and mosquito nets held up with 4 sticks found in the woods tied to the bed with twine or the smart girls brought duct tape
NOW: Tabins. The platform tents either are screened in or come with mosquito neting.

THEN: Cots
NOW: Bunk beds with storage

THEN: Drinking fountains around camp, or waiting until meals to get a drink. No worrying about dehydration.
NOW: Cases of bottled water, even thought the list said water bottle or canteen.

THEN: Shirt for the camp you attended
NOW: one camp shirt for the entire %^*$^@ council. My daughter will have three of the same freaking shirt, if two of them EVER show up!