Rural King

Yesterday Jeff and I took all four kids shopping in Columbus to Rural King. We have been wanting to go down there for a couple months. Jeff has desperately been needing new boots. Okay, it is always insane shopping with four kids. But then it happened. We went to the toy department. People were staring at us because our kids were such monkeys. Four kids screaming, "I want this! I want this!" at every single toy. Juliet was even getting into it. The last aisle was the almighty tractor and construction toy aisle. It was like they hit the jackpot. They went bananas. We couldn't even talk to them. Jeff and I just looked at each other both wondering how did this happen and how can we escape, with or without the children at this point. I had recently had this idea to split the kids up. Jeff takes two and I take two kids shopping. Then the kids could buy gifts for the other kids. We could do a little exchange between the four of them. At that point in the store Jeff decided they could each pick out one toy and open it on Christmas from each other. I explained this to the boys. They each could choose one toy. Jacob picked out a tractor with a wagon $29.99, Jonah an excavator $44.99 and Jackson this mini scale three gift set with two tractors and a backhoe $24.99. We get up in line and the boys are still screaming out more,"I want this and I want that!" Jeff and I had had it! It was so stressful. We put the toys back. The boys freaked out. They were all crying. We only bought the toy Jackson had picked out. And it really worked out because it included three toys. Each child did end up with something. As soon as we walked out of the store they were already over it. But I was not. I felt horrible, sick to my stomach horrible. How could we go back on our word?! We told each of them they could pick something out. Their little faces lit up with excitement. Then bam! We took it away. Jeff reasoning was this, "think of all the times we say 'do that one more time and we won't go (fill in the blank)' and we always end up taking them. This just makes it all even." Really? Then, why did I feel so horrible? Fast forward to this morning. All three toys they received yesterday are broken. My kids are so destructible. They break everything. This list is so long but includes their night stands, books, most of the toys and trucks, their motorized dump truck they rode around the yard in, my oven and on and on. At what age will they stop breaking everything. I definitely don't feel bad about the events yesterday at Rural King anymore. I feel very frustrated. Are we teaching them this behavior? Have we missed something? Why aren't they more appreciative? Ugh, I hate this. Today Jeff and I were cleaning their room. This is the third time this week I have cleaned their room. Today we found Oreos I purchased last night. The container was half eaten. We also found this wine bottle kit Jeff received at his company Christmas party last week. Some of the pieces were missing. The kids sneaking food out the kitchen has also became a huge issue. We have found 2 liters of pop, a half eaten block of cream cheese, an empty pizza box, and many wrappers to various foods. I almost forgot a tub of frosting mostly eaten. I wish I had a door on my kitchen. I don't even know when they get up and go downstairs and sneak food. I feel like I need a security system on my kitchen. I feel like I should be a better parent and know how to stop this. We feed our kids three meals and at least two snacks a day. I am having some major frustrations issues this morning. It doesn't help that I feel like I have been hit by a truck today. Jeff and I both have colds or something. I am supposed to be in the shower right now but I have zero motivation today. We are going to take turns going to the clinic today. Doesn't that sound pathetic? At least the kids are all healthy and feeling great. They have all been on antibiotics since Thursday. In the future when the kids get sick I should just get antibiotics for Jeff and me. It is inevitable that we will get sick too.

Aha Moment

My boys are home sick today from school. It is their first sick day. They have ear infections, fevers and coughs. I totally kinda started cracking up when I called the school. It is so silly. However, as the phone started to ring I totally realized, "OMG! I am so grown up!" I guess turning 32 wasn't a big enough moment. But it was that thought when you are in high school and you try to get someone to call in for you. Now, I am at that old person that can call in. Now I am the mom. Geez, inside I still feel like I am still a girl. I am not old enough to have this much responsibility. Haha!

Lots of randomness

It has been awhile since I have blogged. We have done and seen so much in the last couple of months. I was going through my camera and noticed so many fun, silly pics. After all this time I still uploaded them in backwards order. These pics were taken yesterday after church. The boys have been dying to go outside and play. I love the first pic. That is Jonah on the sled and Jacob is pulling it. Jackson is trying to push it, but he keeps falling down.

I made all the boys pose for a picture before heading outside.




















Jonah is laying on top of Jackson.

Over the weekend Jeff and I attended the annual company Christmas party.

Saturday was a busy day. The kids had breakfast with Santa at the mall in the morning. Afterwards they attended a bowling birthday party for a little boy in their class. It was their first 'friends' birthday party. It was so cute. The boys had a blast. These are pics of them in their bowling shoes.

Last Monday Citizens Gas hosted a company party at the Children's Museum. The kids were able to tell Santa everything they wanted for Christmas. The pic didn't turn out too well. I didn't realize that every time I snapped a pic their flash would go off. Jeff said the photographer was getting frustrated with me. I think I took like four pics. I was clueless. Sorry!

Jonah playing trains. Our new favorite thing is to bring all the trains out of the basement and play trains at the kitchen table. It entertains them for a long time.

Me and Jackson at the Children's Museum.

Jeff on Thanksgiving.

This was the best pic I got of Juliet on Thanksgiving. I love, love, love this dress. She looked part Amish, part like she was attending a funeral. But I don't care. I absolutely love it. My grandma did not approve of me dressing Juliet in black for Thanksgiving.

I take pics of the kids almost everyday. Seriously. I really do. These were taken one random morning. The kids were really into it.

This pic of Jeff and me was taken on vacation at the cabin in Gatlinburg.
This pic of my dad and me cracks me up. My dad looks terrified. He is so funny! My dad's new thing is his new inability to smile on demand. Seriously. Every time we go to take his pic he makes ridiculous faces. I have like five more pics just like this because they made me laugh every time.

I love this pic of Braxton and Jackson. Braxton looks adorable.

Jacob is so funny. These goggles came with a pretend leaf blower.

Vacation

Last week Jeff and the kids and me escaped for a couple of days to Gatlinburg. I was figuring the boys have been there at least four times. I think that is pretty crazy considering they just turned four the first of this month. But we love it. We can not get enough of Dollywood. Christmas time at Dollywood is one of my favorite places. It reminds me so much of Metamora at Christmas time. They decorate nearly the whole park with Christmas lights. We spent the entire day there. Around 4p I was going crazy. The kids were insane. Jeff and Mike zip lined so they were off busy. That was the longest amount of time ever. Looking back the kids were not horrible at all. But I thought I was about to lose it. Jonah kept chewing his shirt. I wanted so badly to strip the kid naked. He had on a brand new shirt. Why this got under my skin so badly? I nearly couldn't look at him. I said to him at least hundred times, "Jonah, stop chewing on your shirt!!!" Even thinking about it now I can feel my blood pressure rising. But when those Christmas lights came on and the sun went down to show all their glory I was a new person. I felt like I was filled with sugar and the whole world was a perfect place. Christmas lights just do something special to me. I was giddy with excitement in a matter of moments. It is one of my happy places.
Jeff and I took turns on the ride home declaring our favorite things and least favorite things about vacation. My favorite things included getting to spend time with kids, having Jeff's never ending help, this super cool mirror maze we went through, experiencing 5 Guys cheeseburgers for the first time and getting up early. Yes, I woke up early everyday. It was the best gift I have ever given myself. I would get cleaned up, go downstairs, make coffee, take all my vitamins, do my Bible study, pray, enjoy the morning sun on the balcony and sometimes even exercise before anyone else was awake. Seriously, I was popping out of bed around 5 or 6a. Now that I am back home I can not get up early to save my life. The really cool mirror maze was so much fun. I have lots of pics. I will upload later. My least favorite things about vacation included not having time to relax (I don't think vacations will include time to relax until the kids are much older), not having any one on one time with Jeff, the drive home (for the second year in a row Jonah vomited in the car) and how fast vacation zipped by. By the way, Jonah does not get car sick. Rather, when he is bored or mad he gags himself until he gets sick. Last year he was mad, this year he was simply bored. Overall, I am really glad we decided to make the trip. I know I say this every time we get home from Gatlinburg, but I think it will be awhile before we go back. We have big dreams of hopefully going to Disney next.

More funny things

This morning I was putting my makeup on and Jonah was watching me. He said, "Mom, what are all those cracks around your eyes?" I said those are called wrinkles. Jonah replied with, "Why do you have so many wrinkles?"
Jacob came up to me this morning with his magna doodle. He had drawn two circles side by side on it with a line coming straight down from each circle. He said so proudly, "look Mom, I drew boobs with legs!" And so it begins.

I am upstairs reading over some of my older post when I hear Jacob say, "Oh man! This toilet seat has pee all over it!" Really?! The joys of having three little boys. I keep telling myself I am going to document all the things the boys say. At this age there are some pretty funny things they say. However, yesterday Jackson told me get out of his business. I thought, 'wow, that sounded like he told me to get out of his business. But I really don't think he knows that word.' I asked him to repeat it. And sure enough very clearly the second time, 'Mom, get out of my business!' I told him to go to the bathroom and wash his hands with soap. I knew he wasn't going to use soap. I followed him into to the bathroom to make sure. I guess washing your hands is his business. I definitely informed him that he has no business that is not my business. I was not amused.
This morning the boys were getting ready for school. Jacob got dressed and went into the bathroom and was checking himself out. Then he informed me that he didn't want to go to school. Yesterday he was trying to walk from the top of the rocking chair to the top of their little tool table. He was not successful. He has a little gash on his nose and he was bleeding. So, this morning he tells me that he doesn't want to go school because he didn't want the other kids to see his nose. I was so blown away. I thought scabs and scars were cool for boys. And I couldn't believe that my four year old was so worried about his appearance. There have been a lot of other things lately. I will try to update more later. Right now the boys are singing the songs they learned at school while laying in bed. These are the moments I truly treasure.

Loving this time of year!!

I don't have much time (imagine that, haha!). I am in between fall activities with the kiddos. Today has been a really good day. Jeff is away today at Attica, Indiana four wheeling or mudding with my brother in law. I hope he has a great time. That leaves me with the kids. I took the kids to my mom's work for their fall festival. Their fall festival is really one of the best fall festivals ever. I will definitely NEVER miss a single year. They have so much stuff for the kids to do and everything is absolutely free. We got there and the kids each got to pick out a pumpkin in their little pumpkin patch. They had face painting and a bouncy house. They also have lots of food and a raffle. Again, all free. They even had caramel apples...free. The kids rode ponies. And they have a costume contest. My boys won 2ND place. The three of them counted as one child. They wore their monkey costumes from last year. The second place prize? You are not going to believe this. It was a $75 gift card to Toys R Us. I didn't even spend $75 on the costumes last year when I bought them. I am so excited. My mom said to me that God has a way of helping you when you need it. She was so right. The boys are turning 4 in a few weeks and to say I have been stressing about money is an understatement. Now, I have $75 to spend on them for their birthday. I can't wait to tell Jeff. God is so amazing. My kids were cute but they really did not deserve 2Nd place. The fact there was three of them kinda sold it. No complaints here. Right now we are doing quiet time. When Juliet wakes up we are going to the park for some exercise. We are loving this new park we discovered. There is a paved trail. I already have their bikes loaded up in the van. Then we are going to April's for a healthy dinner. After dinner we need to come home and do baths for church tomorrow. I already have every one's outfits picked out for tomorrow. Tomorrow Jeff is working from 11a to 11p. I will be solo with the kids, again. I don't mind. Jeff working overtime is a big blessing. I have nothing planned for tomorrow. I am going to have to think of something.