School is back in session--not yippee

Am I the only mom out there that gets grumpier when school is in session? I mean really, I'm already missing the summer and how easy-going I was. Now, as soon as the kids get off the bus, it is nothing but stress until they are sound asleep. And, as soon as that alarm goes off in the morning, it's nothing but grumbling and crying until I get them safely to school. I don't like being this kind of mom, but the persistence of the bad moods is getting to be a little bit much.

This morning started out fairly decently. For the first time in a week, Abby didn't cry that she didn't want to go to school, and they both got ready and we were out the door 5 minutes early. Then, as soon as we exited our subdivision, we realized that traffic was backed up all the way to our subdivision. To make a long story short, it took us 40 minutes to get to school due to the interstate being shut down and everyone taking the highway as a detour. I was able to shake that off and take a leisurely walk with my pal, Amy, and have a fairly decent day. Then the girls got home. And the crying began. Did you know I'm the meanest mom in the world because I make my kids do homework? The homework they are supposed to do would only take 30 minutes if they would just buckle down and do it. But, instead, they have to spend an hour crying about not wanting to do it. By the time I get them to finish homework (and, I admit, there was a bit of yelling today on my part before they finally did their work--at least they were in agreement with each other at how mean I was), do their nightly reading, pick out clothes for the next day, pack their lunches, make and eat dinner, go to the church for activity days, and get them bathed and in their pjs, there is no time left for just having fun with them.

Sigh! I really do miss summer. I'm already counting down the days until Thanksgiving break.

Now That I am Officially 35, I Need Your Help

It's official--I'm old! What a fun birthday! I got to eat lunch at Olive Garden with fabulous friends (thank you for arranging it Amy), and then Brandon, the kids and I had our first experience at a Hibachi for dinner. The kids thought it was so much fun watching the fire, having food tossed into their mouths, and seeing the great show that our cook, Raymond, put on. Surprisingly, they loved all of the food and did a great job with their chopsticks. Of course, I took no pictures, so you'll have to take my word for it. So, many of you have mentioned that now that I am 35 I need to come up with a new name for my blog, so I am asking you for ideas. Let me know in the comments section what "Almost 35" should be renamed! Thanks for your help in advance!

Back to School, Back to Reality

The girls started back to school last week. Karlie is in 3rd grade this year, and Abby is in 1st grade. So far there have been only a few glitches: Nathan misses his "Sissies", and Abby misses her nurturing Kindergarten teachers. The girls begged me to let them ride the bus home this year, and I finally agreed. Now I'm wondering why I didn't let them do it sooner. I no longer have to deal with fighting and crying all the way home from school, and they greet a happy Mom and little brother when the bus driver drops them off right in front of our house each afternoon. Life is Good!!!

Abby's Birthday Requests

Our own little Dear Abby turned 6 on Friday. Here is a list of her birthday requests:

1. Have presents wrapped and waiting by her bed for her when she woke up.
2. Make waffles with whipped cream and strawberries and a birthday candle on top for breakfast ('cuz she saw a picture of them fixed that way once).
3. Cheese pizza for lunch.
4. Have the family plus best buddy Ellie go to Burger King for dinner and then to Kedron pool for swimming.
5. Make a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate-covered strawberries on top with a rainbow-striped birthday candle. Serve vanilla icecream on the side.
Have best classmate Patrick over for cake.
6. After family has gone to bed, do a sneak-out with Mom to Barnes and Noble (at 10 p.m., yes the same night that "Breaking Dawn" was released)where she could pick out a gift using birthday money from Grandma. Then, do a late night Burger King Milkshake drive-thru run (next day Abby said to Karlie in an excited voice: "Karlie, did you know that Burger King stays open until 1 o'clock in the morning?! I don't ever want to work there 'cuz I'd be so tired!").


Were all of these requests granted you may ask? Yes they were, I'd answer. It felt great to make her feel so extra special for one whole day. We love our Abby.

Hallelujah for Poison Control Center

I guess parenting wouldn't be parenting without the occasional frantic call to poison control. Abby gave me quite the scare tonight when I found a half-closed bottle of infant's liquid tylenol (with child-proof lid, of course) in my bathroom sink. She admitted to drinking more than half the bottle, and when questioned, she also confessed to drinking some of the "purple stuff" (Children's Sudafed, also with child-proof lid), about 1/3 of that bottle. She polished the medicine off with several of her daddy's glucose tablets that we keep on hand for diabetic lows. Luckily, Poison Control said she would have had to take about 3 times what she took for it to be toxic, but I still have to watch her all night for vomiting or not being able to wake her. It's going to be a long night. I think I may soon find my first gray hair. And, guess what, that medicine with the child-proof lids that was up on the highest shelf possible is going under lock-and-key TOMORROW!!! Anyone know where I can get a lockbox?

Our Sweet Boy is Really Two!

It's official! For the first time in 3 years, we have a two-year-old again! I held up two cake mixes for him to choose from today, a chocolate one and a yellow cake mix. He immediately pointed to the chocolate one and said without hesitation "I want dat one--chocolate". What can I say? This family loves all things chocolate! His sisters thought it would be fun to decorate his cake with his cars that they gave him for his birthday, and he thought the idea was an excellent one. He even added a few himself.

Nathan loved being sung to for his birthday. His face lit up when his Grandma and Aunt Angela told him "Happy Birthday" over the phone. He really is such a sweet boy, and a tremendous blessing in our lives. Karlie and Abby have always doted on their little brother, and he sure looks up to his two sisters. He follows them around and tries to do everything that they do. What a happy little family we have--what a fun day for Nathan!

Hi, I'm Julie, and I'm a Closet Blogger.

They say the best way to overcome an addiction is to admit you have a problem. Well, I'm a closet bloggger, and I mean that quite literally.
We all went to a fabulous 4th of July party at our friends, the Eastman's, house, and we had so much fun--yummy food, lots of water play, and fireworks, of course. We got home quite late, and the kids were exhausted and fell right asleep. I told Brandon that I was really tired and was going to bed, too. However, my blog was calling me. The next thing I knew, I found myself sitting in my walk-in closet with my laptop, door closed, and I started blogging and playing scrabulous on facebook. I was enjoying my sneakiness until I was busted! Yes, Brandon discovered me. While he understands my need for a creative outlet, I think he's disturbed by the hiding in the closet. So, to overcome my problem, I'm standing up and saying "Hi, I'm Julie, and I'm a Closet Blogger". And, if you happen to come over to my house one night and wonder where I am, you might need to knock on my closet door, 'cuz I'll probably be in there again.