Signs of the Times

Last Wednesday I turned 40. 

I spent the day organizing and completing the production of 51 pumpkin cake rolls and came home with powdered sugar in my shoes and bra.

I guess it's a sign of the times.

The girls tested out a new Monet hair cream prior to sleeping in braids.

Yep, looks familiar.

Mack is in basketball and has 3 hour long practices, Sunday open-gym and metatarsal pain.  Ross is in wrestling which involves 6:15-7:30 a.m. practices each morning.  Maisie has play practice 3 times a week in Winterset.  Brings back memories of Mom's old t-shirt that said, "My Kids Drive Me Crazy, I Drive Them Everywhere Else."

And then I'm supposed to feed everyone 3 times a day too.  

I took a photo of my Sunday morning set-up to give you a glimpse of what's involved with this process.

It's basically the makings for 2 pans of lasagna, thawing beef for tacos, eggs for hard-0boiling, bacon for breakfast burritos, ground pork, fish sauce and soy sauce for a spicy Asian soup, vegetables for snacks, pumpkin for the bars Molly has to take to school Tuesday, chopped ham for homemade hot pockets, bacon grease for dog treats, the diorama instructions Maisie needs for social studies, Molly's Book-It calandar, the Bearenstein Bears Thanksgiving book which takes FOREVER to read, and a partridge in a pear tree.

I have a feeling it's going to be a long winter.  

A very, very long winter...

Crazy Busy, Dirty Vans and Pete's Dragon

This weekend I feel as though I've temporarily come up for air.  Work's been busy, college classes have been tough, it's dark by 5:15, wrestling and basketball practices started, Scrooge practices are in full swing, at nearly 40 I realized it's "etc", not "ect",  the kids have been eating their weights in dry macaroni and gum went through the dryer on high-heat.  And at the same time, I'm constantly reminding myself that 'this too will pass...'

On a Sunday night before a no-school day, Molly actually asked to spend the night in van.  Yep, folks, this is my life.  However, look how long her hair's grown!

One of my favorite times of the day.  Moments away from bedtime....

Maisie is learning to type and is considering re-opening her blog about being a second grader.  Clearly, it's been a while.  

 This is why my van looks the way it does.  

Why my children carve pumpkins barefoot is beyond me.  Less socks to sort?

Jay has discovered Pete's Dragon and Bambi on cassette.  The mornings we're forced to listen to these stories in the van has Ross' patience on the verge of explosion.  Luckily, it's only a 15 minute ride. 

Health Insurance Rocks

Over the past few days we've been helping our doctors fund their Christmas vacays.  Jayson was fitted for a new conformer last Friday at Omaha Children's Hospital.  The hospital was gorgeous, accommodating and roomy.  

May as well have been the Marriott.  

We had a 2-1/2 hour ride and Jayson got bored.  I offered toys, food, the Kohls ad and the van manual. 

He went with the manual.

He was suited up in no time for the 12 minute procedure to measure his eyeball under anesthesia.

They had his name on his door!  

I took this photo from inside the room so I wouldn't embarrass Jay in front of the nurses by acting like we were from the bush.

I offered many lunch choices afterwards. 

He went with KFC because he remembers the KFC fries from China.

The KFC fries in America were not fries.  They were JoJo's.  

Not the same.

We won't be returning.

We had to wait 3-4 hours for the occultist to build his new conformer.  They don't have toys as the majority of their customers are old people.  The receptionist/occularists wife brings out coloring books and crayons, yet Jay couldn't care less.

They had a space heater.  

With a button AND a dial.

And... Ross's nose holes should be enlarged.  After having his adenoids removed and a turbinoplasty (shrinking the tissues in his nose), he should be getting his fair share of oxygen once the swelling subsides in a week or two.

Pre-surgery he was pretty giddy.  He told me to have 3 cream filled long johns ready for him when he woke up.

After surgery he acted like Mike with a cold.  

 He even asked for the wheelchair ride out.

He wanted me to take a photo of his hangy-down.  He looked at the photo and said, "This is why I brush the back of my tongue...."

Audition

Sunday evening Maisie auditioned for her very first Musical at the Winterset Stage.  

The Musical... Scrooge.

She auditioned with one of her best friends, Grace.  It's been an agonizing 4 days, but just received word Maisie is now, Martha Cratchit (aka: Tini Tim's biggest sister).  Her friend Grace was cast as her sister.

Pretty much the first 2 people to arrive at auditions.  

Sitting front and center.

Using the 5 minutes to review rehearsal scripts before taking the stage.

Super bright lights, but there they are!  The future Cratchit Sisters!

Blessed Am I

Remember how she was practically mute throughout preschool and kindergarten?

Well, she signed herself up for cheerleading camp last Thursday and performed at the Friday night football game.  

Of course this was after a tearful entrance onto the track.  She had just dropped her new water bottle and it broke. Then she thought they had started without her and all the feelings built up into tears. Thankfully she doesn't wear mascara yet, AND the high school cheerleaders are in my Child Development class and are learning all about childhood emotions.  After hugs and encouragement from the cheerleaders, she was in back business.

Everyone... seriously, space out.

This is Molly screaming.  

Screaming!

If you haven't heard, Ross upgraded to a larger dirt bike.  

Of course this has his mama on edge, but watching the natural balance he has on a bike eases my mind... a little bit.

And I can't go to a Football Game without my camera; so here are this weeks highlights agains Earlham.

Protection from his best buddy Eli.

This is basically 'me' in the red.  Trying to keep him from growing up too fast.

Seriously, who is this man boy?

These two silhouettes bring my heart more joy than it could ever ask for.  

The makings of my very first family.

Blessed am I.

Ross Can Run

My favorite photo of the week.  

7th Grade Football

Why do I still picture him like this?  

Yellow flags dangling from his waist.  

That awkward mouthguard we practically mutilated trying adjust. 

Dragging him to practice even though he hated it, until one day the game finally clicked for him.

Today he still wears blue... but without flags.  He's got big pads, cleats and a helmet.  He's #34 this year.  A Walter Peyton fan.  

He's also a bit of an animal on the field.

This is his Dirty Dancing 'lift' move.

Think you're gonna stop him?

Whoops, think again.

Yet every once in a while, he falls.

But my boy, being the fighter he is, doesn't hesitate for a second to pop-up when he's down.

He will always be a runner.. my prayer is he always feels our pride from the bleachers and is able to find the strength to stand up after each and every fall.