Here Goes....

I decided to start a new blog. This one is going to be about my adventures in organizing. I'll talk about all the products from Clever Container and all the tips on organizing that I'm getting along the way. I'm explaining it all in the first blog. It's coming...the link...it's HERE! There you go, Chaos Made Beautiful.

Mostly I'm doing it because I would like to talk about the stuff without feeling like I'm selling stuff to my friends on this blog. Plus I don't want to have my life be all about organization. Really, I'm still just me. This blog is going to stay more about me and my adventures in parenting and life. I'll have stuff there about organizing my kids and such, but I don't think I'll stick to it.

Anyhoo, if you want to follow that blog, YAY! If not, following this blog is going to still be worth it...if you want to know more about me and my family anyway. The challenge I'm giving myself in this blog to start everything off is to blog every day of October. That should be fun. I've got a lot of fun stuff lined up. I'm probably not going to blog daily here...I never really have, so that's not going to be a shock for you. I'll be scheduling it in to blog here...no, nevermind, that's not going to happen. I blog here when there's something I need to say.

That's all I needed to say for now. :)

Rough Day

Today has been rough.

My day started with rushing kids out the door for school like normal. It seems like no one is ever on time around here unless I use a cattle prod.  After that rush I spent time cleaning up the mess from the night before that I had gotten too tired to take care of, as well as the mess left by rushing kids out the door.  This takes about 30 minutes then I hear a knock on the door...oh no.  It's Wednesday.

Micah's behavior therapy is moving from the tutor working with him to the tutor "teaching" me. I use the quotation marks because I've read the book that they are teaching out of, I've been through the slide show, I've basically taken the class before. They keep using excuses with this "class" because it's one on one and individualized to what Micah needs right now, but the reality is, I'm talking to my "teacher" and telling her how to make data forms more effective and showing her ways to streamline her teaching sessions. I'm basically adjusting Once a month her supervisor comes in and we actually stick to the program. 

So this morning I forgot it was Wednesday.  To be honest, the therapy lady isn't all that consistent anyway, but really it's my fault for not looking at my calendar that morning.  Good thing I'd at least cleaned up, but I was hoping for a little quiet time.  Not happening.

Instead I got a lecture about taking data on the weekends (one phone app is all it would take for me to record stuff. Paper doesn't fit in my life), and going over stuff she's required to talk about so I can have my hours of Micah therapy.

The morning is shot, I didn't even make it to the bank in the morning like I needed to and so I'd have to take the twins with me after school.  Hooray! They love me at the bank when I do that!

I pick up the twins and it's obvious that Ali has had some sugar that morning because she is just everywhere. She can't sit still, she can't stop talking, and she is just nuts.  She said her friend gave her candy (lecturing a sugar high 5 year old is ineffective-- for those of you non parents or parents who just haven't had that lovely experience).

So I run to the bank with a sugar high child and her giggly twin, run back home in time to grab Becca's art supply bin for her ATC party thing after school, then rush back to the school to get her because it's a minimum day.  I then transport Becca with supplies to friend's house, then rush home to make sure I'm there in time for Micah's bus...apparently I didn't need to rush.  His bus came 45 minutes later. Apparently the bus driver lady takes the 1 hour limit for Micah's bus ride and assumes that he has to be on the bus for the whole hour.  During that hour I'm fielding a work call, sending off a really important couple of emails (one that I couldn't find the info for so I had to get in touch with Tony so he could save me), and giving the twins magic erasers so they can clean the stuff off the walls that they just decided to draw there.  I was really happy to see the bus arrive.

I put 3 kids in the car and go to hang out with Becca and let the twins make ATC's too.  Micah doesn't care and wants the DS. Whatever.

After the girls have gotten their crafting on, we clean up and head home. Micah begins his after school chart.  This is part of his therapy. I'm not totally convinced it's working, but since it's taking up half my wall in the living room now, it's happening.  Tantrum begins as soon as he gets to the chores.  He's figured out that I'm not feeling super today, so he presses his luck assuming that I'm giving in...nope, not happening.  The problem is, as soon as he figures out I'm not feeling great, he gets physical.  I got kicked, hit, slammed, but he took out the trash.  Next step, homework.  I got him over to his backpack and he starts laughing...I opened it and didn't find the folder. I have no idea what he did with it, but he swears it's at school. Nothing I can do about that.

Next therapy project. Oh, and along the way I'm trying to help 2 Kindergarteners with homework, fielding questions from the 3rd grader about vocabulary ("can't I just google the answer?"...NO!), and attempting to answer the phone when important business calls come in.  Yeah, I can do all that....

I finally get everything done, kids all finish homework, everyone sits to relax for a minute with Micah on the Wii and the girls watching him play...then Daddy walks in the door.

I haven't started dinner.

Nevermind, I don't need a break. I get up and start something when I realize that my oven stopped working AGAIN!

I lost it.  I started to cry.  Tony came in the kitchen and moved me out.  I went to my room. I heard him send the girls off to clean their room.  The girls obeyed without much fuss.  All was right...until I heard the sound of the toilet not quite flushing.  Bad mom forgot to buy toilet paper and one of the girls used a baby wipe...or maybe 2 or 3...then tried to flush them.  Tony comes in and tells me he's going to run to the store. No! I want to go! I rush out for my retail therapy (okay, I bought toilet paper, but it was still theraputic) and come back just a bit happier than when I left.

Why was this day rough? Mostly because I forgot to look at the calendar at the beginning and plan my day right from the start. I found myself just feeling like I needed to catch up all the time.  Tomorrow will be better.  I'm going to be a super mom tomorrow. Today I'm just Super Dad's sidekick.  Not horrible, but I keep getting into trouble.

Micah's Birthday!!!!

We had a blast at Micah's birthday party. I'm so relieved.

Inviting his whole SDC class (that his class for kids with special needs) made me pretty leery. I mean, what do you do with all those kids of differing abilities? Jumping Jacks was the perfect fit. There were no games to play, not much needed in the way of food (we did just cupcakes at the end and tacos for those who came a little early). It was so easy. No clean up, everyone was satisfied and had fun.

Only 3 of Micah's classmates came out of 15 in his class. This was not unexpected because going to parties is not always as easy for our kids as it is for "normal" kids. I can take my girls to a birthday party with no problem, but if I take Micah, I have way more prep work to do. Still, 3 kids from his class came, and that was awesome! These kids were the ones who really like Micah too. One of the kids has been in the same class with Micah for many years and was so excited to see that he could play with Micah away from school. Micah played with him (well, as much as he plays "with" kids anyway) and they had fun.

Micah's cousins all came from Dad's side. My family is all a bit far or a bit young to make it to the nighttime party. They all loved playing on the bounce houses and just running around. The adults all had fun too. I have an interesting video of Tony and his brother playing in one of the arenas together...it's special.

One of the kids from our church came, and that was great. He's an awesome kid and really had fun. Also, a couple of friends from our last church made it and had a blast jumping around with us too.

Overall, we had 18 kids there and everything was so smooth. No tantrums, no weirdness because of food, just fun.

A great time was had by all.

Supermom

I'm a mom. It's what I do. I'm pretty good at it, I think.  Of course, we'll know for sure 20 years from now when my kids are all grown, christlike, productive members of society. Until then, I'll keep my title of Supermommie and rest knowing God is really in charge.

That being said, I'm going to make a statement about supermoms that some people may disagree with.

Supermoms do what needs to be done for their kids regardless of who is watching.

That doesn't mean they don't hesitate sometimes because it may be uncomfortble (every mom has done that). It doesn't mean they don't take their child in the other room to provide discipline (an awesome practice that should be done whenever possible and necessary).  It means that even if you are in line at Walmart and your kid is screaming as loud as his little lungs can handle and annoying everyone around him, Mom still sticks to her guns.  She doesn't waiver just because people are watching and she's embarrassed.

That being said, I saw a supermom today.  I love it.  As she stood there and people made rude comments around her, she didn't give in and give the child the candy he wanted. She ignored those around her who told her to "shut the kid up" and went on with her business as if she wasn't dragging along a kid who so obviously didn't agree with her decision.  I wanted to applaud...and slug the guy making rude comments.

The other day I was in line and overheard what looked like a grandmother telling her daughter who had 4 kids with her "this isn't high school, you have no excuse for thinking that everyone is watching you, they aren't".  That grandmother was right. No one was watching (well, besides me, but I don't count). This mom clearly had everything under control with her kids but was embarrassed by the loud (but fairly polite) voices of her children. I'm not saying that this mom isn't super. I observed her kids. They were pretty awesome considering the fact that the oldest looked about 5. Having all those kids with you shopping isn't easy, I've been there. She was doing what was necessary and it worked. 

My point is that what random people in a supermarket (or wherever) may judge you, but that isn't going to make as much impact on your child's life as your consistancy. If they know that all they have to do is embarrass you in order to get their way, what good does that teach them? If they know that rules are rules no matter where you happen to be, that is a huge lesson that will take them far. 

I love getting lessons from other supermoms. It's great to see I'm not the only one out there working hard to raise my kids up to be awesome adults. 

The Party

This year is Micah's turn for a birthday party. Yes, my kids take turns. It makes my life easier and makes their parties better because I can save up for them in time and money and plan them better. Having kids with birthdays in July, August, then September makes having parties for them more difficult...but I just don't do it.

Anyhoo, it's been Micah's turn in the past and he just didn't want a party. This year is different. He's getting older and a lot more social and he doesn't mind people. Plus he found a place that he likes to have the party at.

We are going to Jumping Jacks. It's an indoor bounce house arena. It's not any more expensive than going to the dreaded Chuck E Cheese or like places, except there's no food there. They have a room where you can have your own food for cake and stuff away from the bounce houses, but they don't make you buy food from them. This makes it easier for Micah with his special diet and cheaper for me.

Micah is an awesome planner. When I asked him if he wanted to have a party this year since it was his turn he said yes and told me all the details. He wanted Jumping Jacks, tacos for a meal, a Cars 2 theme, a chocolate car cake, and to invite all his class from school and kids from church and Matthew and Joey. I asked him if he wanted his cousins to come, he said "sure". I'm pretty sure they were an afterthought, but that's okay.

I told him that he isn't allowed to write on the invitations the gifts that he wants each of them to bring like he planned. That was a tough one to get over.

Recently he decided to change his mind and he wanted a Phineas and Ferb party instead...too late. He's still getting Cars 2, but he's okay with that. I told him the time to change his mind isn't the month of the party. Plans are already set in motion.

I don't know how the party is going to turn out, but it's been the easiest for me to plan, that's for sure. Jumping Jacks has been awesome in getting everything set up for us. The only thing that I am worried about is how late the party is going to go. The only reservation that was available was for 6:40pm. Hopefully everyone will be okay with it. I'm glad it's on a Friday night, though.

We'll see how it goes soon!

Vacation in Hawaii

I went to Hawaii for a week and left my family behind. I know, that may not seem like a Supermommie thing to do, but I did it anyway.

Tony didn't even go. It was me and my mom and one of my best friends. A girls only week.

There wasn't a day while I was gone that I didn't think about them or wish they could have come along...well, at least Tony. I may have missed a day in wishing that my kids were there.

That being said, I had a great time.

I brought back all kinds of Hawaii junk for them. Shopping for them helped me not to miss them so much, I think.

I took a ton of pictures. It was wonderful to be able to sit and wait for a great shot and not have to worry about kiddos getting bored.We went on a tour of a coffee farm and roasted our own Kona coffee...we brought a lot of coffee home.We went to a lu'au. That was cool.We hiked a bit to some fun places.We went on a tour of a volcano...underground.We snorkeled, swam, and played at beaches all over the island. I took some fun pictures from under the water with my H2O pouch from my Clever Container business and my phone.



I have some others videos, but I'm not done editing yet. I kept dropping the phone and it kept floating to the top because of the air in the pack. This one is pretty cool, though.

Overall, it was a great vacation. I'm really glad I went, and I want to go back...next time with my family.

My Shoes

Today I am going to tell you about my shoes.

I love my shoes. I cringed when I originally paid $45 for them. You see, I'm really cheap. I hate spending a lot on stuff to wear.

I'm not a fashion kind of girl. I don't care about looking cute unless the occasion specifically calls for it. My normal outfit is jeans (sometimes shorts), tank top or t-shirt, and these shoes.

These shoes went with me to the Rocky Mountains and hiked up a few walking trails.

These shoes went with me to Knotts Berry Farm when I went with a bunch of Girl Scouts.

These shoes went with me to Disneyland...several times.

These shoes most recently went with me to Hawaii...more hiking, some beach time, tons of shopping...a lot of fun.

These shoes go with me shopping, to the gym (though I can't wear them there unless I plan on swimming my work out), to church, taking the kids to school and a million activities.

These shoes are wearing out.

I want more of these shoes.

Those exact shoes.

I don't want to find something else. I like these shoes.

I plan on wearing these shoes until they die. They haven't died yet. I'm just beginning to see the wear and tear.

I checked Sketchers, they don't make them anymore, ebay doesn't have them in my size. If my shoes die, there is no replacing them.

I will have to give them a proper burial...or perhaps bronze them for posterity.

I love my shoes.