In case of emergency

The morning of the second sleepover I get up earlier than the kiddos and made pancakes. It is Sunday morning and I am running around trying to get 5 kids (and myself) ready for Sunday school.

I get everyone their pancakes and sausage, we pray, and I run upstairs to get dressed. John is downstairs with them eating. Thank goodness.

Our guest (who shall remain nameless) shows David how to eat his pancake in a new and exiting way. "You fold it in half and then fold in half again and shove it in."

David is clearly impressed and gives it a try. Only 1 problem. He chokes. Like not a little bit, like CHOKES. Now I have heard many a close call but this was the real deal.

John actually has to give David the Heimlich (how do you spell that?) I am upstairs getting dressed. Thank goodness John was there - he would have been turning blue by the time I decided what pants to wear. (what mom doesn't carry her own load of GUILT!)

John is the guy you want to be with when there is an emergency let me tell ya. I have seen him run into a building in order to put a fire out once. We were just driving by and he pulled over, passed the people standing like idiots watching, ran in got the fire extinguisher and put out the fire. Climbed back in our car and proceeded about his day.

Once while having dinner with friends, I saw him fly over to a hostess who passed out. Before I even knew anything was happening he already had her head back and was assessing her breathing and pulse.

Once on main street he saw a man get hit by a car and called 911, talked to the locals and because of his descriptions and keen eye he gave testimony that led to the arrest of the hit and run driver. This was on MAIN STREET and everyone else just stood there like a bunch of statues.

Thank goodness for John being there while David choked. John, you are my hero.

I will wager to bet that David will forever more cut all his pancakes into bite size pieces.

Homecoming football

Recently our whole family went to Evansville Homecoming football game. I think it may really honestly be the 1st time I attended a homecoming game since I was in High School. That would be like 16 years ago.

David LOVED it. He was old enough to understand the game. It was rather exciting too as there were a number of interceptions, turnovers, blocked punts and almost scores. (In the last few minutes the other team scored and won). Our local babysitter was in the marching band and of course he got to raid the concession stand.

Caleb was great for the whole thing. He got cold and tired and snuggled with Dad and fell asleep. Of course that meant 1 thing. When it was time to leave (we were WAY up in the bleachers and stuck there) He woke up on the way to the van and peed all over John and himself. So both of them were cold and wet and I lead us the wrong way to the van. Stellar.

Nathan stayed awake for it all and even clapped at a few cute moments when the crowd cheered. He didn't care who was winning, he was happy to be out of the house with action all around.

In the beginning of the game they announced the players, their numbers, positions and height and weight. I glanced over at the cheerleaders and remembered what it was like to be in those skimpy outfits holding those poms. I laughed at the change in perspective I had. Years ago as I stood there cheerleading I would listen to them announce my teams players and rate them based on cuteness and how much fun they would be to date, etc.

Now I sit in the stands, bouncing a baby on my knee and hear over 6 players taller than 6 feet 2 inches and over 240 pounds. I am not thinking the same thing I was 16 years ago, now I am thinking: OH MY GOODNESS WHO FEEDS THEM? I actually let out a sigh and think to myself
I will have to go back to work just for the groceries - we are doomed - we have 3 BIG BOYS! AUGHHHHHHH.

So half my life ago I was thinking about kissing them. Now I am thinking about feeding them. Yup, I have officially accepted the fact that I am old and out of style.

Homecoming is sure different than the last time I remember it.

Frost and Shorts?

Sorry I haven't posted in a week! This past 5 days we had 3 different sleepovers. It takes me a day or two to recoup from that. The kids are overtired and John is overworked between finishing the porch and doing ABCS appointments and his normal work and commute. So we are just surfacing now.

I have a few things to post. One of them is what I witnessed yesterday as I dropped off David, Noah, and Naomi at school. Not just 1 kid but at least 3 boys wearing shorts. Big deal right? Well maybe if it was August, but that morning I had to scrape my windshield in order to see those kids. The ground was a blanket of white at the school and they were wearing shorts.

Only in WI do you see kids in shorts at the same time as there is frost on the ground. I tell you for the most part I like to be an optimist but the 35 years of winter are wearing me thin on how much I enjoy this season. Ok I will just come right out and say it. I HATE IT! (We are not allowed to use the word hate in my house so hopefully David won't read this anytime soon and remind me of the "rules".

I hate it already and it is only the second time I had to scrape my windshield so far this year.
As the day progresses Caleb begins to talk about snow and getting our Christmas tree. Even he knows it is coming. (Could that be because when we go shopping the stores are already tying to sell Christmas stuff? Can't we just skip winter 1 year? sigh.

Our Anniversary

Yesterday John and I celebrated 14 years of marriage. I can hardly believe that much time has gone by already!

We went to a beautiful resort in Galela IL the 1st weekend in October to celebrate. We were actually gone 26 hours with no children. It was so wonderful to get away together. (fireplace, birds singing, amazing scenery)

Last night we went out for dinner and had a wonderful time. During our conversation we realized there was really very little we would have changed if given the chance to go back with hindsight 20/20 knowledge. It truly has been 14 good years.

As we looked forward to the next 14 years we noted that David will be out of the house and Caleb will be on his way out, Nathan would be in High School. We will be approaching the empty nest stage in our life. I am careful to not "wish away" these years with our boys but yet the thought of having John all to myself is exciting.

I wouldn't trade this man or these boys for any corporate success the world has to offer. I feel so blessed to have been able to make our house a home with my full time effort.

I thank God for his wisdom in choosing just the right mate for me. Even though I was aware of his character when I married him, I am still amazed at the gift God gave me the day I married John.

So hears to the years to come!

The kid who lies

So I am picking up David and his buddy from school and I hear some interesting banter in the back seat of the van.

"Did you see that boy who was next to me at recess?"
"Yeah, You mean that one that LIES?"
"Yes that is him. I pretend to be his friend but really I am not because I don't want to hang around kids who LIE!"
"Yes you are right. Me NEITHER! But I will still be nice to him though."
"Yeah me too"


Well I guess I don't have to go over that lesson again. Both David and his buddy have figured out for themselves what to do when they encounter a kid who is not telling the truth.

It sure was interesting to be a fly on the wall when they said those things.
It made me smile.

Apple pickin'

The boys and I went apple pickin' with Aunt Brenda, Zach and Sam today.
Check out the video - we sure had a good time.
Now I am off to make my grandma's recipe for apple pie!

Carving our pumpkins

Ok this is great.

Yesterday Caleb is "negotiating" with me to get something he wants. I can't even remember anymore what it was. He decided to use one of dads favorite lines.

So he says to me. "OK mom. Here's the deal..."

"Here's the deal?" I say back. Are you kidding me? "Here's the deal?"

He flashes the usual dimple grin. I laugh out loud and say a silent prayer for the wife he will have some day.

I actually get him saying it on tape later on while we are carving pumpkins.

AND if that is not enough - after carving his pumpkin he lovingly looks at it and says
"I wish I had a pumpkin like that."

Listen to him on the clip it is soooo funny because the pumpkin he wishes he has is actually his pumpkin!

Nathan's crawling styles

A quick clip of Nathan getting around.

For some time he has been "army crawling" but after an evening with Naarah Hionis he figured out that she was moving much faster than him!

"How does she do that?"

So now he is up on all fours motoring around after a ball.

I apologize for the "NOISE" on the 1st part of the clip. The boys were watching Incredibles in the background and it just happened to be on a "hero fight scene". I admit it is normally loud at our house but I felt like I had to defend myself and clarify that was not actually my kids fighting or anything.

David rides the bus

Most of the time David gets dropped off by me in the morning for school. But once a week he takes the bus. He loves this because his buddies across the street go on the bus.

I asked him the other day how he felt about the bus and he said: "I love it. But you know what? The bus driver starts driving away before we are even sitting down AND there are NO seat belts!"

This rule following child is going to make such a good policeman some day.