Ugh

I was just reading my friend's blog post about February kicking her a$$. I can relate...too well.
I don't like to complain about being stressed, because we ALL have life issues that cause us concern. Many have it way worse than I do. But for my own sake I am going to blog about my personal stressors.

I am teaching a new class. It is kicking my a$$ into a whole new territory of stress. I am teaching Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics. Let me tell you what. This is NOT a class I would have taken in high school had it been offered, and I know I wouldn't have passed! Everyday at school I am pouring over about five or six different AP workbooks, the book, online sites, heck anything that can offer me help. I also teach another class, so that needs my attention. Then at night between the kids' stuff, I spend anywhere from 1-2 hours on it.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS CLASS! I'm sorry, but I have no clue (but I'm learning) about PACS, Super PACs, Election Laws, and okay I could write until the cows come home. So not only do I have to get it, but I have to present it in a way that the kids think I sort of get it. These kids are the best and the brightest in our school. It's no secret they are more intelligent than I am. Almost daily they ask me questions that I can't answer. The best part? I have a student teacher who seems to be able to answer the questions. They call him "prof." Yeah that's not a kick to the gut. I've been in tears more times over work since January than any other time in my job.

This is what I need to tell myself each day...:
I will get through this
I am healthy (okay except for the awesome 24 hours migraine I had for the first time in my life this weekend. I blame "the class.")
My family is healthy
My husband supports me and lets me work as needed
I am a better person because of this class
A professional challenge is good
So I have to give up a week of my summer vacation to learn more about this stuff this summer. So I can't apply for a history seminar. So what? I am so happy. (okay that's a lie)
And again one of my favorite mantras: What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Back I must go to work on my presentation about Interest Groups. Sounds thrilling huh?

Last night

We went to dinner with my dad. Luckily Wayne was in a laid back mood because we looked like a three (four) ring circus...
--Brady walked in with hockey gloves and a hockey helmet
--Ryan was sharing some foul smelling....love with us.
--Brady announced he had to poop...very loudly.
--Brady returned from the bathroom and not only announced that he did his business, but the color as well.
--Kate spilled her pop all over.
--Brady started choking, gagging, and regurgitated a bit of food into a napkin I held. Awesome.
--Brady announced again he had to poop.
--Brady announced his butt hurt.
--The waitress was clearing our plates...even Kate was done eating. If you know Kate, she is always the last to finish. Brady said very loudly, "Don't take mine!"

Really this was just a typical hour spent with my family, but sometimes you just have to roll your eyes

Hibbing Tournament

This weekend our family (minus Kate who opted to stay home with Grandma and Grandpa) headed up to the Iron Range for a hockey tournament. The scenery was pretty, the weather was beautiful, and the company was excellent.
Of course Brady chose the car ride to be the first time to skip a nap. He slept for maybe twenty minutes. Otherwise he chatted with us the entire ride. We checked in, dumped our stuff, got Ryan some food, sent him with another family and hit the pool.
This is THE highlight for every kid who takes a trip. They were in heaven.




The first game we played was against Orono. Here is Ryan warming up. Vicky's husband Rick (who is equally as sweet and kind as she is) whispered something in Thad's ear that got Thad's attention. He told Thad that the coach for Orono was Rob Maclanahan. If you are a hockey fan, you might know that he was a member of the 1980 USA hockey "dream" team. And dang were they good....
We lost...and again in the morning at an early game.

Brady looks out like a light here after the Saturday morning game, but this also only lasted 25 minutes. Where he found his energy, I have no idea.

But the boys won against Evelyth, so that meant a little celebration pizza AND a Sunday afternoon game. The parents were a little bummed that it would be a long day AND evening, but the boys could have cared less.
Look who's part of the crew?


We left our hotel in Mountain Iron, MN, today and by about ten minutes away from Hibbing, Olivia and Brady were out. So we decided to hit a range in Hibbing.
Um....yeah they also have a Greyhound Bus museum. I thought about stopping in....wait no I didn't. Wth?

Then we saw this. My cell phone doesn't do it justice, but it's pretty amazing that there are not only actual hills, but a big iron range in this state.

Mining was going on in the distance.

Olivia was half asleep, Brady was in the car, but Thad and Ryan were all smiles.

The boys won their game. It was a great time. Brady slept on the way home for (again) maybe twenty minutes. The other two kids didn't. He talked about hockey, the pool, and the hotel the entire.car.ride.home.
And guess what? We get to do it again in a few weeks. The boys have four games in the cities the end of January. So we'll pack up the car, stress about money, tune out bickering, and cheer very loudly. I can't wait.

My Ryan...

My first baby is 12 years old today. I had to take pictures of pictures to pay a little tribute to him, so pardon the bad photos.

I can't believe how not huge I look when I was almost fully done cooking him! What a difference compared to my last child....

Ryan came into this world after a bed-rest ending to my pregnancy. He was teeny-tiny (no joke). He was in the PICU at 6 weeks. He had horrible health the first couple of years. He has been my "difficult" child without a doubt.

I see a lot of myself in Ryan. He strong will, his inability to be loving with his parents (yes I was that way too), his love of getting a reaction out of his family (ask my parents, I was good at this), his deeply sensitive nature that he preferred no one saw, the way he gets fixated on something he really wants, the way he treats people when we aren't around (in a nice way), and heck, this is the ONE child who shares one genetic match of mine. We have the same eye color. Wow...four kids and that's what I get?? Lucky for them really.

I love this boy to pieces, and I tell him everyday. He never reciprocates those words. It's not his thing. BUT, he still comes into our room every.single.night to sleep on the floor (since August).

He will make me pull my hair out a million more times in my life, but at the same time I couldn't be prouder of his work ethic, his independence, the way he doesn't whine or complain, his self-sufficiency, and the way he treats his baby brother.

Happy Birthday Ryan...I love you so much. :)

PS: don't look at the cake closely. I had a little crisis or two making it .

An honest question from Ryan

Last night as Ryan was helping me put away some stuff I bought at Target (read: looking for the one item he requested I buy for him), he pulled out a box of tampons.

"Mom what are these?"

"They're tampons."

"Why did you buy them?"

"Because I'm getting my period next week, and I need them."

"How do you know you're getting your period next week?"

"Because I just know."

"Do you go to the doctor to get that?"

"Um......no Ryan....haven't you had health?"

I jinxed it

Brady was a wreck at gymnastics last night....unless I was in the room with him. He did well for the first five or so minutes. Then he bawled and begged for me.

I guess no child is 100% ever predictable or easy.

Thankful

Okay here I go...twice in a week. I haven't posted pics on here forever. Sorry you have to wait.

I am thankful today for Brady. The child is always happy...well mostly. Don't get me wrong, he does many things that drive me crazy like dumping out and wasting my vanilla, garlic powder, Lowrys, pulling up a chair and practically standing ontopofme while I make dinner, crawls into our bed almost every single night when we are out of it and don't realize it, splashes water all over the floor during bathtime, or sometimes misses the toilet when he goes potty....

But really? The kid is a gem. He gets himself dressed most mornings. He chooses bizarre outfits, normally insists on wearing an athletic jersey, and has his underwear or pants on backwards (like today), but hey, he does it.

As my mom says, he is so industrious. He just gets stuff done. He doesn't whine and ask for us to do stuff, he just makes it happen. Sometimes this leads to disasters, but oftentimes, it is so refreshing for us.

To quote my mom again, "And to think we were worried about you having a fourth child...."