Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Weekend Gallery

September 9, 2012

Hi everyone! Tap, tap – is this thing on? Well, if you still are coming here – thanks. If not – well, you won’t see that I’m posting a slew of pictures today. :-) It was a long, stressful summer and some health issues are still not resolved but in the works and that is why I haven’t been talking much here. However, I don’t want to abandon my blog completely and it is a way of journaling what happens around here so I figured I’d better post SOMETHING. So, Weekend Gallery is fun and there have been some really fun pictures of late so…the Gallery is open.

That Sally – she is always wanting her picture taken.

We were hoping to get rain from these clouds. We didn’t.

Barrett met with a terrible accident and had to be in a body cast for a week.

Remnant clouds from Isaac. We didn’t get any rain from him either.

The weather is finally cooler and my leaf fan is in season again.

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Games We Like to Play

August 23, 2012

And I do mean that literally – board games, card games, video games. We are on a real game kick these days and I’m really enjoying the time spent with my kids. I thought I’d share with you favorite games of our family.

Board Games

Yahtzee – Okay you might not think it’s a board game, but it is more in that category than any other. We have recently started playing this one again and I am all to happy to comply when asked. It was a favorite of mine growing up and it remains a favorite to this day.

Othello – Another favorite of mine from when I was a teen. My brother Dan and I played it while talking and listening to the radio – ah the memories. It’s been a standard in our home for awhile now.

Scrabble – Yep, this old classic is a cherished favorite in our home. I have played many a good game with my older boys over the years.

Card Games

Racko – My husband actually introduced me to this one years ago and I loved it right away. Recently I taught Becky and Katie how to play and while Becky still needs help, Katie often gives me a good run for my money.

Mhing – You can only find this one used these days, but Mike and I first bought it when it came out in the mid-80’s. We played a lot of it back then! Last year I found a set for only $10 plus shipping so I bought it. I taught the older boys how to play and they were as hooked as I had been! We would often play a round of games on the weekend when all the boys were home and not working. Now playing together when they come home to visit is a treasured tradition for us all.

War – Another classic I loved as a kid and it’s also good for tired mommies because it doesn’t require too much thinking :-).

Crazy 8’s – I think this one is my favorite card game of all. When we lived in England we used to play this often during the blackouts of the early 70’s. It was fun for the family and a great way to pass the time. What I like is that these games can sometimes get really long and the win at the end is then really sweet.

Go Fish – A favorite of all my kids when they were younger. Becky and Katie still often pick it over other card games. We usually play with pairs instead of books (a little easier for little hands) and the girls will often beat me in a game.

Video Games

Animal Crossing – The first Animal Crossing game I bought was for our Game Cube back in January of 2004 (I think). I was wanting to buy a game that the whole family could play and ran across it at Amazon. The description sounded good so I ordered it and what a great find it turned out to be! We played that game a lot and when Wild World came out for the DS, Jeff and Chris got those for Christmas. We were gifted with City Folk in 2008 and have enjoyed playing that one too. In fact, I don’t think there has been a time when anyone was NOT playing Animal Crossing! I recently found Wild World again for the DS for the kids and myself and, again, the enjoyment factor is off the charts. It is just a great game and you even learn about bugs, fish, fossils as you collect them. Gotta love that :-).

Wii Sports Resort – There are so many fun games here that anyone from 4 and up could play. We often play together in friendly competition at archery, bowling, and cycling. So again, another great choice for the whole family.

So, those are just a few of the games we like to play in our home. If you haven’t played a game with your kids in awhile, why not dust one off tonight and gather the family. You won’t regret the time spent!

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Long Time No See

August 21, 2012

Yes it’s been a while hasn’t it? Life just got busy and I also have been kind of recuperating from all of last month’s doctor visits and health issues. I’m doing better these days and feeling more normal than I was so it’s time to jump in again and get back in the groove.

What have we been doing since I last checked in? After Chris left I finished cleaning the big boys’ room and we moved the girls into it. Then, we cleaned their old room and moved Steve and Joe into it. So, all the kids have new rooms with a little more room for them and they are very happy about the changes. What are we doing with Steve and Joe’s old room? Right now it’s going to be a “junk room” of sorts for a few odds and ends I want out of the master bedroom. Some of those odds and ends are things that the big boys left behind and others are things that need to go to Goodwill. Eventually, that room will be our new office with a much smaller desk and a futon for visiting kids. That’s probably a few months off though.

I started school with Steve last week and I’m ready to start school with the other kiddos but will probably let them have one last week of vacation. Although yesterday I brought home school supplies, and Maggie and Katie said they were ready to start their new math books. Hmmm. :-)

I have been playing a lot of cards and games with the younger kids and this last Saturday we also baked some oatmeal raisin cookies – haven’t done that in awhile. The weather cooled off considerably from what it had been so we’ve been spending more time outside as well. I’ve been walking around the backyard in the mornings for exercise and get a good 10 minutes in. The kids are playing outside more and yesterday we even went to the park – we haven’t done that in awhile either. I also got together with Matt and Jeff on a whim yesterday in a neighboring town and did some shopping and talked and had fun. Hopefully those three big boys will make it home for Labor Day, but we’ll see.

So, that’s what I’ve been doing for the last couple of weeks and here’s a few pictures of some of the fun we’ve had. Happy Monday everyone!

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Library Day

August 5, 2012

I thought it might be fun for awhile to document what books we’ve (girls and I) take out of the library. I’ve kind of been wanting to make a list for awhile because there are some really great books out there and I want to remember them so we can take them our favorites out more than once. For a while now the favorite books in this house are the Gerald and Piggie books by Mo Willems. They are great for a parent and child to read together using a myriad of different voices (you be Piggie, Mom, and I’ll be Gerald).

Maggie took out these:

1. Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator by Mo Willems – A new Mo Willems book! Looks like a fun read – as always.

2. Walt Disney’s Cinderella by Cynthia Rylant – This is a beautiful retelling of the Disney movie and the pictures are drawn as if they were in the book that opens the movie. I think I like it better than the movie. Cynthia Rylant is also author of the very popular Henry and Mudge series which we had a lot of when the big boys were small.

3. You’re Finally Here by Melanie Watt – Melanie Watt is another favorite author in our house – the Scaredy Squirrel books are just hilarious. So, you know we had to have her latest book.

4. Mary Queen of Scots – Queen Without A Country by Kathryn Lasley – This is part of the Royal Diaries series which tells about different monarchs lives during their teen years. Maggie took out Elizabeth I last time and I enjoyed that one. Of course I love historical novels anyway.

5. Barbie in The Nutcracker – Not a book but a video and so what if it’s not Christmas? It was 111 here yesterday, we can dream about Christmas and colder weather.

Now let’s see what Katie borrowed:

1. Jewelry Making by Jo Moody – Katie is all about fashion and fashion design so this was a fun find.

2. Bedhead by Margie Palatini – A picture book about having a bad hair day on what turns out to be school picture day. I’m not so much on this one – the pictures and prose are just a little weird for me.

3. House of Dolls by Francesca Lia Block – I found this and Katie thought it might be interesting. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

4. The History of Medicine by Lisa Yount – Historical non-fiction here. Katie wanted to take a book out about the human body so she found this one.

5. Ancient Egypt Revealed – A DK book with some clear cutaway pages – DK books are always visually inviting.

6. Sing Along With Barbie – A dvd and not sure what this one is going to be like as I think it went in a set with a microphone. We’ll see.

And Becky wanted..

1. I Am Invited To A Party by Mo Willems – What a surprise :-). She takes one out every time we visit the library.

2. Socks by Beverly Cleary – A really cute book about a young family and how Socks the cat fits in when the new baby comes home. You can never go wrong with Beverly Cleary.

3. Leonardo Da Vinci by Mary Pope Osborne – This is part of The Magic Treehouse series and is a Research Guide that goes with Monday With A Mad Genius which is probably about Leonardo DaVinci.

4. The Sister Switch by Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens – This is one of the Candy Apple series of books for pre-teens and teens. Not sure how much Becky actually reads, but she seems to enjoy them.

5. The Sight by Erin Hunter – Part of the very popular Warriors series of books about clans of cats. Now I know Becky isn’t reading much of this, but even if she reads just a few sentences I’m okay with that. She’s probably gaining reading skill and that’s a good thing.

And these are the books I took out:

1. The Annotated Mona Lisa: a crash court in art history from pre-historic to post-modern – This looks like a fun and interesting read. I perused it and stopped to read about a favorite artist or two. I’ll also be leaving it around for others to find and enjoy.

2. The Big Book For Peace – A book of short stories about peaceful living and helping each other. It’s for kids, but I did read one of the stories because it was just so inviting.

3. Crow Call by Lois Lowry– A beautiful picture book that caught my eye (I often pick up books I think the kids may enjoy) and I did read this one already too. It’s a mostly true story about an event in the life of the author after her father comes home from WWII.

4. Dinner, A Love Story – It All Begins at the Family Table by Jenny Rosenstrach – I’d seen this one at Amazon and was thrilled to find my library had just got it in so I could see what it was about. And, know what? I think I may just buy it. I’ve already read 50 pages and these recipes are all ones I would make! It’s not often you can say that about a cookbook. This book is like a novel and cookbook in one so it’s an easy and fun read too.

5. Stars Beneath Your Bed – The Surprising Story of Dust by April Pulley Sayre – A picture book on dust and where it comes from written in prose and poetry.

6. Eloise 50th Anniversary Edition – This is the original Eloise story but with some interesting facts about the author, Kay Thompson, and also the illustrator at the end of the book. I watched Funny Face several months ago and Kay Thompson was in it as a fashion designer, so when I found out she wrote the Eloise books, I was very intrigued.

7. The Teenagers Guide to School Outside The Box by Rebecca Greene – I think this will be an interesting read about ways to get teens involved outside of of home and school, but in ways that will further their interests in college and career. Things like internships, mentoring, volunteering, apprenticeships (does anyone still do that?), etc. Can’t wait to dive in.

And that’s some of what we’ll be reading over the next two weeks.

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July Progress Report

August 1, 2012

I don’t know if you could call anything that happened progress, but it might be considered that. I found out that I have health issues galore and at this writing, I await another doctor appointment today to get some things straightened out.

Last month started with high blood pressure, then my ob/gyn told me I had thyroid issues. We followed that up with an ultrasound and discovering I have fibroid issues which may require surgery. First I get to have a biopsy to rule anything worse out. So, I’ve been taking two meds – thyroid and blood pressure – and they aren’t working together. In fact, my bp is right back where it started even though I’m on medication. So today I get to go to the doctor to figure all that out. Hopefully I’ll survive it all.

We finished up dental appointments and orthodontist appointments will start at the end of this month for Steve and I also need to get Maggie in to see about her problems too.

Chris spent most of July packing, winding down work, and going on a trip to an anime convention followed closely by a trip to Six Flags that included my husband as well. As you all know, he is now in a new city and working. Classes will start later in August.

One bright spot is my weight – I’ve lost 8 pounds in the last month! I’d like to see that trend continue, but in a healthy way. I gave up coffee and chocolate because of my health issues but let me say I miss them terribly. They were how I got through my stressful stuff and now I need to find a different way. I’m trying to excercise at least every other day and that does make me feel better. I’ll be glad when the heat stops and it cools down again so I can walk outside – I think that would be a great way to reduce my stress.

So, that’s July in a nutshell. Not great, but I guess it’s progress to find out that all those years of not taking care of yourself better has taken a toll and now you have to change all that and get healthy. It just may take awhile before I finally do feel better. It’s like being in debt – it doesn’t take long to get in, but it takes awhile to dig out. Same thing with health issues, you can run your body into the ground in a short period of time, but it takes a lot of hard work to get back on track.

Hopefully in 30 days I’ll have better news to report.

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Music Monday – The Circle Game

July 31, 2012

I know it’s not Monday, but this song keeps going through my head as it’s about the passing of time as a boy grows from child to man. Timely no? The first time I heard it was on “thirtysomething” and it was on the soundtrack of the show I got last year. Now it’s continually going through my head and it fits my mood and the season I’m in right now. So, I’ll post the words here, but go here for a video and the recording. Enjoy!

Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

Then the child moved ten times round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like when you’re older must appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town
And they tell him take your time it won’t be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There’ll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

-Words and Music by Joni Mitchell

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Empty Room

July 30, 2012

The upstairs room that the three older boys occupied is now empty – and I do mean EMPTY. I can hardly go in there without crying. As a young parent, you never realize just how swiftly the day comes when your kids leave. My three older boys have flown away and it feels like the end of an era.

If I go in that room I can almost hear the voices I’ve heard over the last 7 years. Loud music playing at 11 or 12 at night when Matt would come home from work. The three boys arguing about all kinds of things – usually tech stuff I think. Lots of laughter while they played games together or watched favorite shows (Matt had a tv in there at one time). It was like a frat house up there and while I grumbled sometimes, I loved it.

The good news is, the room won’t stay empty long – the girls are already waiting to take it over :-). They’ll have more closet space and some cute shelves over the windows to showcase their stuffed animals. So, in August we will be moving kids around the rooms – the girls in the room that belonged to the older boys and the younger boys in the girls room. There will noise again like there was before – music playing, arguing, and laughter. And I’ll enjoy it all while I can.

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Chris Leaves for College Today

July 28, 2012

And I need to post pictures of course!! It is way too hard to find just a few really great pictures that span 21 years though, so I thought let’s just start at the beginning and move forward every 5 years. Believe me, that was much easier! So, let’s get on with the show shall we?

Here I am at Easter 1991 – the one sporting the big bump – and I’m still 3 weeks away from delivering. A friend of mine took this picture and I’m so glad she did because I think it’s the only one I have being pregnant with Chris.

Christopher Patrick made his appearance on April 23, 1991. It was an incredibly easy delivery with no drugs, no iv’s, nothing to get in the way. Labor lasted a total of 3 hours and 20 minutes from breaking of water ’till Chris popped out. Not only was the delivery easy, but he was also a very easy going baby and a champion nurser. It was the best birth experience I ever had.

Wait a minute, I know I said let’s go in 5 year intervals, but I really need to show off Chris’ cuteness and blonde curls. He was two years old in this picture – isn’t he adorable? And he loved trains – especially Thomas (back when Thomas was GOOD).

Okay, let’s continue. It is now 1996, and (I think) this is his 6th birthday picture. He is growing up so fast! And another baby was added that year – Stephen – and Chris did not take it well. Let’s face it, he was the baby for a long time and then he got kicked out of that place. Overall I think he was pretty happy with a new baby around though.

This is also from 1996 and I have to tell that story. I decided to have the three older boys participate in our church’s annual Christmas Eve Play and this is how they looked. Chris was the cutest angel, but he also was a fallen angel of sorts – everyone called him “the littlest angel” after the play. He had a hard time doing what he was supposed to be doing along with the other angels and it was so adorable. So, Matt was St. Joseph, Jeff was a shepherd, Chris was an angel, and Steve got the starring role as Baby Jesus. We had also been homeschooling for 2 years and I think this was Chris’ first official school year.

Now, it’s 2001, and two more babies have been added – Joe in 1999 and Maggie in 2000. The picture I picked for this year was from Christmas. That fall had been difficult as the events of 9/11 unfolded and people across the country felt the fear and the loss. Mike and I had decided earlier that year to give Matt, Jeff, and Chris Game Boy Colors for Christmas. We bought them with our tax refund along with one game each and a case to put everything in. Then, I had to keep it secret for 8 months and that was really difficult. It was worth it though and that Christmas went down in HackFam history as one of the best ever. Here is a photo I snapped of Chris opening his gift and the look of sheer joy on his face brought me to tears. The laughter and joy of that Christmas has remained with me to this day.

Well, time is marching on and now it is 2006 and Chris is 15 years old. We added two more babies in 2003 – Becky and Katie – and also moved to a new house in 2005. We also now have a digital camera so these photos didn’t have to be scanned. Technology moved forward too :-).

In this first photo, the kids are making gingerbread men. And just like the year before, the kids decided to make mutilated gingerbread men with missing limbs and such. Did I get mad? Absolutely NOT – kids will be kids and the memories will be with them forever. That’s the real reason I let them do things like that – it’s the bonding. Chris has always enjoyed cooking though and I know after he moves out that he will not have to rely on fast food or microwave dinners because of a lack of skills.

And here’s a photo of a reflective Chris and this is probably one of the last photos of him overweight. After going to college, Matt made a bet with Chris – if Chris could lose 50lbs by the end of the year, Matt would give him $50. Well, the allure of the money and the desire to be healthier combined to give Chris the incentive he needed to lose that weight. And he did – in fact he ended up losing around 60 pounds and now you’d never know it was the same person!

Now, here’s Chris five years later in 2012 and now 21 years old.

As you can see he is much thinner (and harrier on the chin). He started “buffing up” several months ago and now sports alot of tight muscles. I’m so proud of him for losing the weight on his own initiative and keeping it up. He’s always been like that – if he is doing something he doesn’t like he’ll do it anyway to get it done.

Okay, one more just for good measure. This was taken in April 2001 at Joe’s second birthday party. Chris is the one in the middle and has a look on his face that says, “I ate too many cupcakes”. In reality he was probably just making a silly face. :-)

Chris I am really going to miss you, but I am SO very proud of you!! You have come a long way in 21 years and grown up into a fine young man. I wish you all the best in your new life at college but I also have a feeling that you will do just fine. Even in Calculus because you always were good at math. :-) We’ve been through a lot of fun times, and plenty of bad ones too, but I think it’s pulled us all closer and I hope that never changes. Thank you for your wonderful sense of humor that always sends the house into fits of laughter. Thanks for all your help through the years. I am thankful I have had the privilege of being your mother and to share these first 21 years with you. Now, go out there and seize the day!! Love you son – Mom.

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Who says I can’t??

July 25, 2012

Listen to Christmas music that is :-). Folks, Christmas is only 5 months away and I decided to have Christmas in July today by listening to some good tunes. I picked “Come Let Us Be Merry” by the Barolk Folk and is not overtly Christmasy. It is really alot of old meideval songs and dances that you can listen to any time. However, fall and Christmas are the best times. Now, Steve thinks that’s wimpy Christmas music and when that cd is over he is going to play a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album. Yes, we’re crazy Christmas people and we like it that way :-).

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Ahead of the Curve

July 23, 2012

I was reading in a book tonight about Catholic practices in the home, and ran into a familiar (yet unfamiliar) term – Lectio Divina. I thought it was synonymous with the Liturgy of the Hours, but it’s not. It is the practice of reading and reflecting on scripture. And guess what? I was already doing it and didn’t know!

What you do is read a passage of scripture (I am currently continuing in Psalms and also reading a chapter of Luke each day), then you meditate on what you read, pray about what you read and contemplate how you can apply it to your life. Well, earlier this year I bought myself a Bible – one that will go with me for a long time – and I started reading it. I started with a Psalm and the book of John. And each day, after I read, I would just close my Bible up and think about what I’d read, ask for help in digesting it, and go on to my prayers for the day in light of what I’d read. So, each morning when I did this, I was practicing Lectio Divina and I didn’t even know it. Cool – I am ahead of the curve for once :-).

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