In The Garden

No expectations, rough start to the morning, but great fun had by all.

Why Can't it Ever Just Be Easy?

Wisconsin has decided to do its best impersonation of Virginia this year. For winter, we had barely any snow. It is now May and was almost 90 degrees outside this morning and humid. What is going on?!?! I am very against the video games and TV and hate being inside when the nice weather does finally come. So, we decided to pull out the sprinkler and not let something like stinkin', sweatin' hot weather bug us...no, no, no...with young children, there are always plenty of other things to bother us so we might as well not let the weather be one of them. With great expectations, the morning started off well enough. These are two warnings alone that my morning is not going to go smoothly - expectations and a smooth start. Here are Smoosh and Squeaks in their new swimsuits from Mama. Can you feel the excitement?

Yup, there it is - all that excitement for that sprinkler, just waiting to get out the door and feel all the fun pouring out the spouts. We got it plugged up and the joy began...well, for Squeakers. Smoosh found that his expectations of water gushing forth into high fountains of joy were a little bit bigger than the sprinkler was willing to produce for him.












So sad. That's OK, we try, try, and try again. For my litle man, I was willing to keep finding something for him, even if that meant digging through the basement to find the sprinkler that actually moved and might be able to meet his expectations a little better. This is where it all went screwy. Found the sprinkler, hooked it up. Fantastic high gushes of water. Yeah. Then began the lifting of Squeakers trying to put her into the water, followed by the "put her down mister," and the time outs. There was of course trying to help me figure out how to make the sprinkler rotate and then turning the sprinkler on me completely. After a time out because I really did not want to remove him from all of the fun, he came back and decided that he wanted to grab the sprinkler and run around the yard. I was taking so many deep breaths trying to remain patient, I was beginning to hyperventilate. Squeaks had learned at this point to stay away from her crazed brother and decided that playing in the fresh cut grass while she was wet was much more fun anyway. By the time Smoosh had decided to run to the front of the house to chase a bird, I finally gave up and decided I was defeated, yet again. My ideas of a fun morning, children happily playing in the sprinkler, were dashed. I grabbed the baby up in one arm and dragged the other one in. I won't document how in case Social Services decides to use this blog as evidence one day. Forgive me readers, as I don't have pictures to share all the excitement that occurred outside after the ladybug sprinkler.

Once inside, I got the baby stripped down, thinking it would be good for her to walk around naked as a jaybird for a few seconds to dry off so the grass might come off easier. Really - don't I have four children? Don't I know better than this by now? In that 10 seconds it took me to walk from one end of the kitchen and back, she had dumped the dog food bowl all over the floor, peed half in it, half on the floor, than sat down in the puddle of pee that had made it onto the carpet; the carpet that is covered with dog hair because both pooches are shedding like crazy. My little baby girl was now covered in dog hair, pee, and cut grass. Fantastic. At least I could throw her in the sink and shower it all off. Smoosh, meanwhile, had decided his underwear looked much better on his head and was running around screaming about it. I was glad that it was at least on. At that point, it was time for all 3 of us to take naps and call it quits for this morning. I think we might be playing some Wii this afternoon.

Here She Comes, Toddling down the Street

She walks better in heel boots than I do. I didn't even know I had these any more; she's great at exploring the depths of our closet and pulling out some relics.

Some of Otter's Haikus

Now he's in 4th grade
So it is time for learning
All about haikus.

(that one was mommy's)

Sitting in my desk
Teacher babbles on and on
Summer, please come soon.

Pretty leaves from trees,
laying on the cold cold ground
waiting to be found.

A flower shoots high
Peeking at the surroundings
It questions nature.

My project is late!
I am waiting for grounding.
I am so, so dead.

It hides my being.
It disguises my own mind
The veil cloaks my life.


He's a pretty deep kid, that Otter guy:)

Beanie Reading

This is how the princess reads
on a warm sunny day.
The sun is out, the birds are chirping.
Winter is far away.
Her majesty has decided
Outside is no longer a bad thing
The cold is gone, the snow is melted.
She can now enjoy the spring.

My Roosters

One of them spent over 20 minutes trying to climb to the top of the coop. He first tried it with his homemade "grappling hook," but much to his dismay, this cranky ol' hen wouldn't let him attach it to the weather vane on top or let it slide underneath the shingles because they would rip off. After attempting to climb through windows and up on the flower boxes, he finally decided to pull over the playhouse, climb on top of that, and then to the top of the chicken coop. He called it cheating. I called it improvising. As soon as he made it to the top, the larger rooster came home and with one step on the railing and one more step onto the roof, he was sitting right next to the little one. Two roosters proudly perching on the coop:)

As always, my mama hen mind fast forwards years when I see these scenes. I know that those precious 20 minutes of watching my kiddo problem solve and try, try, and try again will all too soon turn into only a leap and bound when he grows up and has those long legs like his daddy.

The desk of possibilities

April 23

My inlaws are coming up this week from Alabama and with them they are bringing a roll-top desk that they have had for years. They are downsizing in their retirement days and are now passing along the roll-top desk. There are few pieces of furniture that I have ever truly wanted or been intrigued by, but I can remember as a kiddo loving the roll-top desk. My Girl Scout troop leader had one and I just loved all the nooks and crannies to store things and the different drawers up top to put all that stuff. At the end of each meeting, I would be at that desk just sitting there, opening and closing each drawer, imaging what I would put in there. Sometimes, I would roll the top close. I would usually get a funny look from her, but she would occasionally smile and let me continue on my merriment. I am very excited at the thought of the desk making its way up from Alabama to be here and sit in my room (not to mention the fact that its bringing my inlaws with it - YEAH!). Now I will be able to open and close it all I want without feeling too sneaky about it.

April 27

Ok, the desk is here and my spot is not cleared out for it (my fault) so the poor thing is just sitting in the driveway in the Uhaul. I hope it is not too lonely. Joe (he probably won't read this so forgive me, dear husband) is still hem-hawing about where to put it, but I definitely want it in my room so I can have something to do with my late night insomnia attacks! Its supposed to sit in my room and wait for me to write! That's what this desk is for!

April 30

Finally, its just sitting here in my room, waiting for me. Its better than an art or sewing project that I have all the materials for and just haven't found the time yet to put together. The desk is just sitting there. This morning, it was whispering to me all the potential things I can do on it, write more, send all those thank you notes (well, knowing me, probably write them and then have them sit on the desk for a few months before I find them again and then mail them), design some clothes for the kids, paint a card or two. Its just sitting here. It doesn't even have a chair yet, but I know once it does, my late nights are now going to have a partner in crime. There will be a desk waiting for me to use it, sit at it, write at it. It fits right in perfectly, like it was meant to be here.

May 3

Yesterday, the boys bought a new chair for my desk (both the upstairs desk and my sewing desk downstairs! I am a spoiled lady!). Joe told me how all three, Otter, Smoosh, and him, carried the chairs out of the store together. Smoosh then proceeded to carry the chair upstairs all by himself! With the biggest smile, he put it down and scooted it right into place. Today is the first day I have actually sat and used the desk to write. There is a delight in just sitting and writing at it, knowing how far it traveled, knowing it was passed down from Mamaw, that Papaw and Joe carried it upstairs (as if it were light as a feather :)), knowing the boys picked out the chair. I feel like my writing now has purpose and is now something I should do each day diligently (even though it will probably fall into a more haphazard habit as always). I am becoming more acquainted with the desk...I have opened and closed each drawer, imaging what little things I am going to hide in each; I have rubbed my fingers along the edges with Beanie, both of us admiring the smooth feel of the wood; rolled the top open and closed with Smoosh and Otter, being equally surprised with how everything just "disappears" underneath and having just as much fun opening it back up again. The desk now feels complete and feels more than just a piece of furniture in my room. It is decorated with all those small things I cherish; the chair all my "men" picked and carried out of the store for me, the small computer that is intended for writing and sewing projects not work, pictures of my kids, baby jar vases of fresh cut tulips and lilacs from the gardens, and my frog in a lotus position sitting on top reminding me to take deep breaths and just be present. It is definitely ready now for the creativity to start flowing...but maybe after a nap because this whole process of acquisition and putting it all together has just been too exciting. I just need to roll this little top down before I go....