Life and Times of a Five year old

It isn't always easy being five--or green for that matter.

They are just smart enough to understand so much but still have so much to understand.

Like Thursday night, we had just gotten home from school, then Good News club, then soccer and then Nana's house and Lainey started whining. She was near tears saying, "Why? Why can't I just go to school whenever I want to go? Why can't it just start whenever I want to get up and get there? Why? And why can't we do centers all day at school? I always want to do the art center and I never get to do it enough? Why can't school just work like CCDC (her preschool) where you can just go when you want to?"

I mean, you gotta appreciate the sheer honesty and unashamed self-centeredness of my precious child.

How often do I really think like that? But I know that is not really acceptable behavior for a 36 year old--not that great for a 5 year old either. I still think and act that way sometimes. Wondering why everyone doesn't do what I want them to do or what works best for me.

The self-centeredness of a grown up isn't quite as cute as in a child!

On another note, Lainey has really been interested in Heaven lately. She has been talking about dying and Heaven. I guess she really isn't 2 years old anymore. She knows that anyone could die at anytime--this doesn't seem to cause her any anxiety at all. But what she is really interested in is exactly how does one get to Heaven. Physically--not spiritually.

When this came up, I explained that you get to heaven after you die if you have a personal relationship with Jesus and believe in his death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. She stopped me right there and said, "No, that's not what I meant. I mean how do you actually get to Heaven. How do you go from earth to heaven?"

So as I start explaining that it is not your body that goes to Heaven but your soul--and I am starting to really struggle with how I am going to explain all of this to her when I don't totally understand it myself, when she folds her arms across her chest and looks at me. She said, "I really wish Gabby (my grandmother who passed away 3 years ago) had taken her phone."

"Then she could call us and tell us how she got there."

Sweet, practical and logical Lainey. She is really thinking about things in life that are just not that easy to put your arms around. Especially little 5 year old arms.

Dear Diary, (NOT)

I just want to thank all 12 of you for telling me what was in your purse. I found it quite interesting and entertaining. Plus, it made me feel loved--you read and you respond. So thank you.

I am planning on getting some orbit gum--clearly I am missing out. And Jenny and I both went out and bought some Burt's bees chapstick. So there you have it. We might have all learned a little something from it. And I am betting that a few of you actually cleaned out your purse after recording the contents of said purse.

I realize that it has been a little while since I posted. But I just wanted to let you know that it is probably a good thing that I don't post every time I think of something to post. Since I started blogging last summer, a weird thing has happened to me.

I often catch myself writing pretend blog posts in my head. Not unlike one would write in a diary. Like I see something random happen at the grocery store and my immediate thought is that I should totally record this incident in my blog. But the good news is that I have a few filters that I eventually put it through and about 90% of my pretend blog posts never make it to the screen.

Some of my filters are that the story isn't really that funny, or you literally had to be there, or I can't figure out how to describe the situation well enough that anyone else would understand it or I think I am the only one who would find something funny or interesting or I just get busy with life and forget to post it. Any of those could happen and the pretend blog is gone. Never to be recorded.

Sad.

Or really not so sad. Because one pretend blog was that during the month of "the program" which included eating a lot of veggies, I literally got on the treadmill for maybe 4 minutes and realized that I had such bad gas that it would be impossible to run without accidental gas leakage--so I got off the treadmill and went home.

See--it's not so sad that not every post that I plan in my head doesn't make it to print.

(what is that a triple negative or something? I am an awesome writer. Mr. Wood would be so proud--for all of you LHHS friends)

Things in your purse!

So I was looking in my purse the other day. I thought to myself, "Wow, I have some random stuff in here!"

So I thought I would share it with y'all. And ask you to tell me what random things you have in your purse!


1. Northpark Gold--I keep it in here in case I am at Northpark and find something that I must have but don't have the extra cash to buy it. I haven't found anything just yet.

2. Belt--not just any belt. Rhody's baseball uniform belt that he got for his birthday that he wears often. I can't remember how it got into my purse but it's out now!

3. Soccer schedule--Lainey's first soccer schedule (actually it has already changed). I have never had a soccer schedule for a child in my purse before!

4. Socks--this is an old pair of Lainey's socks that I brought to Pump it up for liza dishman. However, Liza's grandmother brought her socks and Aunt Haley needed to use Lainey's. So, yes I had a used, stretched out pair of socks in my purse--for over a week.

5. Cute wallet from Aunt Casey.

6. Lip gloss from E.L.F--I ordered it online with great skepticism. It said all products were one dollar. And it was true! I got everything for $1! And I actually like the lip gloss!

7. And the random picture of a Chicken Biscuit is a free sandwich coupon from you guess it--Chick-fil-A!

Here's the thing. I read a lot of blogs where the writers (authors?) have a lot of readers that respond to questions or surveys. I don't ask a lot of my readers because I don't know that I am ready for the denial.

I mean, I know Jenny will respond. I know my mom would if she could--but hasn't figured out how to comment just yet. Don't worry, she sends me separate emails letting me know that she has read the blog with some spelling and grammar corrections to prove it! Once a Mom, always a Mom!

But I am needing some response here. If you are a reader but not a commenter, take a chance. Let me here from you!

We Really Do Heart Chick-fil-A

I don't know if I have mentioned lately that we really like Chick-fil-a. Even after the very unfortunate incident with Bo last week, we are loyal CFAers. (I don't think that is really a word).

Let me tell you a couple of reasons why we love CFA.

FREE STUFF. and more FREE STUFF!

This week at CFA they have been giving food away from 2pm-5pm.

Here is the cute CFA girl that is handing me our dinner for FREE! Monday was 8-piece nugget day. Every person in the car got a box-o-nuggets! Yippee!

Lainey was slightly embarrassed that I took this girl's picture. It gave me a glimpse into the 12 year old Lainey who will ask me to drop her off around the corner from the mall. And demand that I take the large Velcro rollers out of my hair and wipe off the hair-bleaching product from my upper lip before her friends come over to the house! Whatev!

Today it was free ice cream! We grabbed Lily and headed to CFA after school. Who doesn't love ice cream (other than the lactose intolerant folk)?

Thanks Chick-fil-a!

Game On!

Lainey played in her first soccer game today! She really had a great time.

See!

Here is Lainey actually kicking the ball! And in the right direction. That is Coach Stone in the background. He had a busy game coaching all of these girls--reminding them which way to kick the ball and to drop back for defense. Lainey commented on him tonight--she said he was "cool" and "awesome." Thanks Coach!

Rhody and Bo watched big sis for a while and then played their own games on the sidelines. Rhody is so anxious to start his season!

Nana & Pops made it out to Moss Field. We lived there in the 70's and 80's! Bo was needing some extra attention from his grandparents!
Here is aggressive Addie going through the Fan tunnel!
Way to go Blue Angels!

Just a funny video with a kid I don't know

A friend sent this to me. I thought it was so funny--especially since we have had some dentist issues lately!

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Nic!

My sister-in-law Nicole finally entered her 30s yesterday! Yee haw!

We celebrated by going to Manny's with some girls. The food was delicious. (especially since erin and jenny and I were officially off the program--more on that later). We recommend the Barbara's Dinner!

Nic is so much fun. She is a great mom and wife. She is a fun and loving aunt to my children. Nic was always one of their first words--except Bo who calls her Nit.

She doesn't take her self so seriously and she loves to laugh.

We all love you Nic!

But now to the pics we took at Manny's.

That is me then Julie, Jenny, Nicole, Allison and then Erin.

Now what you can't tell at all from this picture is that Jenny (hiding in the back) is significantly taller than everyone here. She also had some really cool high heeled shoes on. Why we can't see her in this picture is a mystery.
Cute girls but some awkward posing.

Happy Birthday Nic!

Thank you God

Today we had fun with a lot of our boy cousins. Haley came down from Allen so that all the 5 youngest boys could play.

We headed to Pump It Up for some fun with bounce house and blow-up slides. The kids really do love to play with that stuff. Erin and Emma came too. Along with Liza and her Grandmother.

Here is our crew!
Sam and Jack Thomas, Ridge Thomas and Bo and Rhody.

Then we went to Chick fil a (of course). It was crazy like usual. It was after we ate and the kids were playing in the play area. The moms were visiting and cleaning up and tending to crying children, etc. Then I realized I couldn't see Bo anywhere. I got up to look in the play area--not there. I found Nic--she didn't have him. I went back in play area to look better.

Right as I had the realization that Bo wasn't in there for sure, I saw him walk IN to chick fil a with a woman. I went running over to get him. The lady said he was in the street by himself.

Thank you God for keeping Bo safe and for returning him to me today.

Thank you to that lady who brought him in to me. I tried to thank her but in my anxiety, I know I didn't thank her enough.

I don't even want to think of what could have been. Grateful for what did happen.

I love you sweet, crazy Bo.

Adventures with the Dentist

I know that many of you have finally got a second to yourself and you think, I am going to go read some blogs. Maybe laugh a little. Maybe pray for someone. Maybe learn a little something like how to make a fun craft with just a paper towel and a glue stick.

You know, something useful or helpful or entertaining.

Let me tell you, this post is none of those things.

We have had some teeth issues around here. Lainey had two stubborn teeth that would not come out. However, the two big teeth behind the little ones decided to go ahead and come on in.

So we had to go into our dentist to have them extracted. Needless to say, Kyle and I were not excited about that. Lainey isn't a big fan of the dentist or of pain. Not a great combo.

Much to my surprise, (I would say "we" but I took her to the dentist. I got the short straw. I was hoping that Kyle would do it but it just didn't work out that way.) Lainey did so well there. She was almost giddy as we walked back to the chair and got our bubble gum-flavored gas mask. She was talking up a storm. In her anxiety, she became chatty-Cathy. It was kind of comical really.


The whole process was really fine. The people at our practice are awesome and the whole thing went well.

However, when I was checking out, Lainey said she didn't feel good. Like she might throw up. We quickly ran to the bathroom where she did throw up in the potty. Twice. Happy times were over.

They "suggested" we stay for a while to make sure she was ok. We had to go to a back room and watch Dora. Can you torture a mom more? Sitting in a dentist office back room, on the floor with a nauseous child listening to high-pitched Dora say, "First, we go to the scary forest, then to rainbow road and then through the chocolate tree!"

Back to Lainey. She started feeling better and the color came back into her face so we were free to go. Overall, not too bad.

Sitting watching Dora. Lainey did not like the feeling of being numb.
She kept her jaw pushed out the whole afternoon while it was numb.

Ok. On to me. Let me make a long story short. I neglected my teeth for the last 5 years. It had something to do with being pregnant or nursing for a long time. But then it had to do something with being lazy.

I paid for that laziness. In the last month, I got two crowns and 5 or 6 fillings. That meant 2 three-hour appointments with Dr. Ashly.

And because I have no pride, I thought I would take some pictures of myself with the swollen, numb face and post them. I had to get extra medicine twice. I was literally numb up to my eyes. I looked good.

Here is my attempt at a smile! Pretty cute.
But seriously, it is not easy to take a picture of yourself with an iPhone. It takes skills.

Random Rhody #2

So we were at Super Target today.

As we are getting out of the car, Rhody says, "Look, there are no cats today."

Note: For those of you who don't go to the LH Target, there are a bunch of stray cats that live near the store. Some strange people feed them so there are always cats around. Joy.

Anyway, Rhody said, "Maybe they are playing in the backyard at their houses."

I nod.

He said, "I bet they are playing cat-football."

Now, that is something I would like to see. A bunch of cats playing football.

Happy Birthday Rhody!

Rhody turned 4 years old this weekend! He is thrilled to be four years old. I can't think of anything that the age of 4 brings. You know, 16 means you can drive. 18 means you can vote. 21 you can drink. 4 means nothing--officially, except you should definitely be buckling yourself into a car seat or mama will go crazy. We are making it "4 years old means you don't cry over everything."

Didn't actually work on his birthday. He had some tears during the party. I think it could have had something to do with his mom swiping his legs from under him right as he was running into home plate. (total accident of course)

Don't worry all my sweet friends. I am not forcing my boy to stuff his feelings and never cry. We are just trying not to burst into screaming tears when baby brother looks at him wrongly.

Don't get me wrong, I love that Rhody is a tender-hearted boy. He is precious and sweet. He is compassionate and free-spirited. He loves sports. He can't wait for April (baseball season) since football is officially over. He is a picky eater but will try almost anything once. He loves his family and always wants us to be together--with some grandparents and cousins for sure. He loves to watch kid shows or sports games on tv. He is learning how to sound out words from his sister (cute). He could go pro if nose-picking was a sport.

Cute Rhody and his friend Gracie in the background.

Family Pic. Not so great but we never have any pictures all together!

The awesome cake that Gobby (Kyle's mom) made for Rhody. It looks great but tastes even better. She puts a ton of time, energy and love into the cakes she makes for the kids. She even came with party favors and decorations for the party. I know, you're jealous.

Most of the kids from the party. We played baseball with the kids. It was really just kids whacking the ball off the tee and running fast toward first base or whatever base they wanted.

At the end of the party and just some cousins were around, Rob (the Jedi Knight) played with all the kids. Bo was totally into it. He was into everything, full out, all the way. It was so cute.

Plus, did I mention that it was 70 degrees on January 31st? How awesome is that? We were able to have an outdoor party for him last year too. So Texas--it was a snow day on Wednesday and a baseball party outside on Saturday! Love it.

I love you Rhody! Tears and boogers too!