weekend recap

Saturday morning: get up, take a shower, frantically clean the house, realize Olivia's 'bathroom issues' are continuing in to today. Text babysitter and offer to have her not come. She says no biggie, she will watch her and Brady. Quietly thank the lord so I can see Ryan's game. Take Kate to skating, run to the bank, get Kate home, go to Ryan's game. They won!!!
Later: return home, Olivia starts bawling that her bottom hurts, pay sitter, ask her about tomorrow, settle Olivia down, realize she is pretty lethargic. Ryan and Thad come home to eat, leave again for hockey. Thad doesn't return home until 10:30pm.
Everyone rests up. Get ready to go to Ryan's second game. Arrange to have Grandpa Wayne watch Olivia, I will bring Brady and Kate, and will pick up Grandma while Olivia gets dropped off. Getting ready in the bathroom, Olivia comes in telling me she has to go potty, tell her to use the other one since I am using this one. Her pants are already down, so when she has an accident, my carpet is covered with...poop. Call my dad in a panic, freak out unnecessarily, realize that I can clean her up and still get to the game, run the tub, clean the mess as best I can, get her dressed, get Brady cleaned up, go out the door, and get grandma.
Evening: Watch a heartbreaking game. The boys lost to Fargo South AT the buzzer. Coach Thad is mad, the players are devastated, Brady has had enough, Kate is bored like always, and I realize that I will have a crabby ten year old.
Head to Grandma's to get Olivia. She is chipper, Ryan is a beast, Grandma gets BK for him and Kate to appease him. He snots off one too many times, we leave, I tell him in the car that it's bedtime when he gets home OR ELSE.

Sunday morning: Olivia and Kate get up early. Olivia continually complains how her bottom hurts. Put medicine on it. Eat, clean up for sitter again, realize that butt medicine is MIA. Discover it a few minutes later and realize that Maggie at most of it. Go work out. I insisted I do this, and Thad encourages it.
Come home, hop in the shower, Thad and Ryan get ready to leave until they realize my car is locked with the spare key in it. Thad calls a cop to fix that. In the meantime, Maggie starts vomiting repeatedly. Clean up dog barf, call dog emergency line wondering if she is dying, get lunch going, Maggie pukes again, Brady is down for a nap, and I try to eat a bit. Morgan comes, dog people call to tell me Maggie will live, I head to the game and tell the girls no more screaming, fighting or crying. Watch the game. Ryan's team takes 3rd so they are tickled. Some Hockey boys present their medals. Life is good.
Get home, Olivia starts bawling that her tummy hurts, play with the kids, put Brady down again, lay with Olivia. She crashes, I crash, Thad comes home for a bit. Thad leaves, Olivia cries for ninety minutes about her tummy. She doubles over, won't eat, so I decide to shlep the kids to the walk in (minus Kate), and check to see if it's her appendix. She is suffering from a virus, get home, give three baths, put about twenty five loads of laundry away, get crabby that Thad and Ryan are off hockeying again, while I am home again.
Get everyone to bed, pick up house, the boys come home, and I take a bath.
Whew! On goes the marathon weekends.....next weekend: Brainderd on Saturday, Fargo game Sunday, dance recital for the girls, two in house games during the Super Bowl, and a partrage in a pear tree

**I must say here in my blog that my friends Vicky and Kim (who are hockey parent coordinators) have equally busy lives and stayed at the arena all weekend. My feel so guilty that I didn't help them more. Girls you RULE.

rambling thoughts

I have no real things to post about per se. So I will ramble.
This week was trying at work. Students, finals, parents, you name it. It was a tough one.
Olivia was sick today with my mom. My mother (and mother in law and my dad) are saviors.
Today was the first day of second semester. Thank you to the person that gave me a class of 'needy' kids that has a total of 32 boys and like 7 girls. Thank you very much.
Ryan has a hockey tournament this weekend. It's his in house. I have a sitter for tomorrow morning. Bless her heart for being willing to watch Brady AND now Olivia.
I ate another huge frosted cookie tonight. Then I ate half of Olivia's since she isn't eating much.
My kids are all asleep. Why is it that when they are sleeping I miss them? Why is it when they are awake I feel like I need a break?
Life is whacked isn't it?

Call me naive

The other day in sociology we were discussing deviance. It's our current chapter. As we discussed different theories, the subject of alcohol consumption came up. No big deal, but boy did I find out something that naive old Bonnie didn't expect to discover.
I asked my students how many had seen a parent drunk. So many hands raised that I switched the question to, "How many of you have never seen a parent drunk?" Four kids raised their hands.
Huh???
I didn't expect that number to be so high. I am not saying it's wrong, but I guess it's not something that I would want my children to see. I haven't seen Wayne or Jeanne drunk. Jeanne gets a little giggly after a glass of beer, but I don't count that as drunk.
I found it odd to be in the minority on this one....
I guess you learn new things each day huh?

Mr. B

Look! I'm finally walking!

sometimes

pictures tell the story with no words needed.

recognize the song?

Yes I know, I know...what a great parent to expose their young child to AC/DC at a young age?! She also loves Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, Rhianna, and most other music.

Thanks Ben, your tip worked!

Of course

This is so typical. Ryan decided that he needed to wear my new Victoria's Secret flannal pajamas to bed. I ever so quietly grabbed the camera, got ready to snap a fabulous picture, and my camera says "Card Locked."
Thanks camera for failing me at this oh so priceless moment. I can't wait to shell out money for a new memory card.

did I do the right thing?

The above picture is self explanatory, but there is more to the story....

Last Thursday Kate came home and proudly told me that she only got one wrong on her spelling test. It was a bonus word, so really it didn't count. Then she proceeded to tell me that she wrote a word correctly, erased it, changed it, noticed her neighbor wrote it the way she had originally written it, changed it again, and got it correct! I paused and said, "Kate you cheated." She replyed, "I know, I don't care." Where did my super sweet Kate go? Did she understand what she did was wrong? Did she not understand the seriousness of it? What the heck is going on!!?!?!? Oh, this is one of those "I am a crappy parent" moment too. I guess I blog about the good, bad, and ugly. But I digress.

Me: "Kate you have to tell your teacher what you did."

Kate: "NO! I am not telling her. Dad said people who cheat have to go to the principal."

About three mintues lapse by. I have to leave with Olivia and Brady for dance, Thad and Ryan are headed to hockey, and Kate had to walk to her friend's for a ride to dance.

I found her upstairs sobbing. "I can't tell Mrs. Carney. She will be so mad at me and send me to the principal and...."

Me: "Kate we have to go. Let's talk about this later." I hug her, because she is clearly scared out of her wits. That's no good either.

Later after dance the little kids and I ate dinner at my parents' house.

I asked my parents what I should do. Wayne said, "Tell her you're very disappointed in her and that you hope she never does it again.

Here is where I struggled. I had already told her she had to tell her teacher. I couldn't go back on what I said....but she is seven. It's not like she was cheating on her dissertation. But what message would I be sending if I did nothing? AHHHH.

Ultimately I encouraged her on Friday to tell her teacher. After school I called to see if she had. She had not. I told her teacher everything. Of course she was shocked and dissapointed. Hmmm now what?

Kate stayed home Monday. She had an upset tummy Sunday & yesterday (still does really). I thought maybe it was anxiety over it. Finally last night, I told her that I told her teacher. She was angry with me. "You lied to me mom." My reponse? "Much like you lied to Mrs. Carney?" She got quiet. I said, "Kate you made a bad choice. Cheating is bad, even if you didn't plan to do it. You will write a letter of apology to her. I will either mail it or you can give it to her, but you will do it."

So, back to the little note up top. I emailed her teacher this morning. Kate didn't give it to her! Now, in hindsight, I wouldn't have either. How scary? Finally her teacher called Kate up. Kate gave it to her, and listened to her teacher explain why that was bad. I thought she learned her lesson until tonight. Guess what? First thing she told me was how mad she was at me?!?!?!?! Then I raised my voice. "Kate YOU made the choice to cheat. I don't make choices for you. YOU do. You will not blame me for what YOU chose to do. It was wrong, you were forgiven. Stop blaming ME for it."

Now the question is, did I handle it inappropriately? Did I go overboard, not do enough, or what? I'll tell you this....we all have cheated right? Dang this parenting this is tough some days...

boo!

cause for concern?

you decide....

children....

This child and I rarely take pictures together. He rarely is willing to even be in a photo with me or anyone...unless it's his baby brother.

Ryan continues to challenge us on a regular basis. At the same time, he is a creature of habit.

Case in point: We have always had Ryan go to bed early. He doesn't like it, and often fights us on it, but we do it for a reason. If Ryan doesn't get enough sleep, he is a beast. He doesn't sleep in either, so letting him stay up late doesn't mean he will sleep in. Last night he went to the Spud hockey game. Then he had to do his reading homework (Mr. creature of habit can not EVER skip this since it's required...which is a good thing). Anyway he was up until 10. Tonight? What a crab! For Ryan, crabby means being a jerk. So by 7:40, he was in his room for the night, lost his PSP for two days, and can't go to the Spud game tomorrow night. At that point, he was just going to keep going (just like John Bender in the Breakfast Club), so Thad assisted him to the bathroom and to his bed.

*sigh* Ryan will always be Ryan. To his credit, when he lets his guard down, he is thoughtful, caring, conscientious, and so sweet.

He has taken pride this week in dressing his baby brother in the morning. He does his homework most days right after school. He never has a hard time getting up and ready for school. He never complains about going to hockey or church (okay religion, not Sunday mass). Most nights he eats his dinner without complaining.

In many respects Ryan is so easy. In many more respects he remains the most complicated of our children. Thad went so far to tell him a week ago that if he behaved every day, he would probably get anything he wanted...even a trip. That's how desperate we are at times for Ryan just to be nice, respectful, and obediant the first time we ask him to do something.

Regardless, I tell him I love him every day several times, I try to hug him, thank him for his good deeds, and compliment him.

No one ever said having children was easy did they?

before and after

Before...

After...a much needed change I think!

And then there is this guy with his new best friend: Mr. 12 inch pan. If they aren't together we have lots of tears...

Hi my name is Brady

I like the Gophers...well my parents do so I guess I have to.

My mommy is glad to have a brown eyed boy (other than my dad).


I love to get into things as you can see! Really I like to call this 'helping.' My mommy might disagree.

I love to stand...

...but don't ask me to walk. I'm sick of people trying to get me to do that. I will when I am good and ready...even if I am fifteen months old now.