Tired

While dating my husband, never, ever in my wildest dreams did I think to ask him...."So...what time do the children in your family rise every morning, so I can be prepared?" Of all the questions geared towards eliminating possible duds, this one should be at the very top. Jobs can be gotten, cars can be bought, and security can be found in a variety of conduits. However, 5:00 a.m. is 5:00 a.m. and love for children is at its weakest that early. I'm thankful that the 5:00 a.m. days are not frequent. They usually are up at 7:30 a.m. which I am OK with.

Early risers make a long day. However, sometimes they start out really good. The littlest one, on two consecutive mornings, came in and nuzzled. She put her head on my shoulder, we were eye to eye, she gently patted my cheek and said "I love you". I couldn't have been more elated. Then, after that five minutes was over....all hell broke loose. Our other daughter comes bouncing in. She gets in the bed with me and her sister, and I, Mom Supreme, believe if I can get them to lay down and be still for 5 minutes, they will go back to sleep. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Is it too early for tequila? So now I have three in the bed and the little one says, roll over, roll over...forgive me as I digress to nursery rhymes.

I look forward to nap time these days. Every activity revolves around what happens at noon. I have a half time, a time to look forward to and strive for. On these days, I don't have time to brush my teeth. It seems that the earlier they get up, the faster and louder they are. SSSOOO Noon is a gift from Heaven. But not this day. Today, I get no nap. It is inevitable, if one goes down, the other does not. Even if in their rooms, unless they are asleep, I am unable to lay down myself. So I beg and plead, I threaten, I try every tactic I can find to get them to sleep, to no avail. So I sit and wait. I listen to the singing, the bouncing, the talking, the rolling around. Then out of nowhere, it's quiet. It sneaks up on me. I think, holy cow, it's quiet..how long has it been quiet. I am wasting precious minutes sitting here, when I could be sleeping. So, I crack open the door to peek in.............and I see white....everywhere, now I have to add Baby Powder and/or diaper creme to my shopping list.

I know, I know, be thankful I have kids, One day this will be funny, they are only little once. Once is enough. I'm tired and the little people in my house are fast moving and low to the ground. They expect me to keep up and will accept nothing less.

I'm exhausted. Since I am prone to ramble when I'm tired, I'll go to bed. Eventually. It's 10:30 p.m. I still have my work clothes to wash, food to put away, my bed linens to change, and a coffee pot to set up. AAAHHHH Coffee!!!! Let the morning begin!!!

Time Lapse

Boy time flies when you're having fun. That is no joke. These past 2 weeks has been insane!! I've had a Pampered Chef party and have been recruited as a consultant. Joey was able to come home and visit a couple times. Once for 3 days the other for a few hours. It was nice to have him home. It was interesting to see how the girls are reacting so differently to Joe's absence. Jenna, Daddy's girl and our resident Drama Queen, seems to understand what is happening. I thought for sure she would be the one having paigns of despair. Jenna and I have conversations in the car, to and from daycare. She is super inquisitive and asks endless questions about Daddy being gone. It's like she's trying to get a grasp on it. She asks where he is (repeatedly) and she receives my standard answer "at the Army". She wants to know why and I try once again to explain the bad people in the world. However, the other day I came to the conclusion I try to explain things way to in depth. We were going through the Army Talk Ritual in the car and when the Why question came up, I paused to take in as much air as I could for the answer I was about to give, and she blurted out, "Because the Army needs him?" I said yes and that settled it. No more questions in the car. She has even taken to make her little sister feel better about it. Jenna has surprised me these past two weeks with just how nurturing she can be.

Jordan, our baby, seems to be suffering through some kind of seperation anxiety. She cries for her Daddy and wants kisses. She misses being tucked in by him. Joey has long tucked in the girls. Not that I didn't want to do it...they insisted on Daddy doing it. Jordy (nickname bestowed on her by the kids at daycare) comes in the bedroom in the AM looking for her morning kisses and cuddles and finds me instead. She turns around (I'm trying not to take it personal), leaves and heads towards the TV. I wake up to cries of frustration because she has yet to master the TV and DVD player. With Jordy only being 2 it's hard for her to grasp why Daddy is not here. She seems to adjust after a few days and it gets easier for her. Jenna is helping the best a 4 year old can. She tells her little sister "It's OK baby, Daddy will be home soon, he's at the Army". My heart sinks.

SO what's new? I have come to the realization I do not have the stamina I used to. When Justin was 2 and 3 years old, I was in my early 20's. We would go and visit and do stuff. I don't remember being this tired all the time. I am having to learn to do stuff all by myself. I found a new blog about slow cooker dinners. I've posted it in the sites I follow. I figure if I can master the slow cooker like the sites author, Stephanie, has then that may satisfy my need for a personal chef. In order to maintain some similance of sanity, I am toying with the idea of getting help around the house. I figure with the slow cooker and help with housekeeping maybe I can divert my energies toward the kids.

Joey will be home again mid Feburary for about 6 weeks, give or take, then he jumps the pond for a year. I need to get organized.

My Gramma Always Said....

You can either have a happy house....or a clean one....Let me tell you..we are very happy around here. If anything, this past week has changed my point of view on a few things. It's ok if shoes are in the living room a day or two. This falls under the category of picking your battles and making a conscience decision to be relaxed.

My Justin has been sick for the last couple days. He has complaints of his head hurting and stomach ache. Sleeping alot and eating little. He has a low grade fever. I don't like it when my babies feel bad. I am hoping it is only viral and it passes on its own. I asked what would make him feel better and he said double cheese burger, fries and a strawberry shake. Oh not have to worry about a waist line. It must have worked, he seems to be better today. He is actually out of bed and on the couch watching TV.

The Hub has only been gone just over a week and I am missing him really bad today. How am I going to pull through this deployment? I'm sure what I am feeling is just separation anxiety. There is a silver lining. Usually if feeling anxious I head to Home Depot and I haven't been to Home Depot yet. I can't help but to feel a visit is right around the corner. I go in there and feel like I can do anything. Home Depot also serves as a distraction, a coping mechanism if you will. I go in there and can spend hours looking around. The projects I pick usually take me a weekend to complete. One drill weekend Hubby came home to a new vanity in the hall bathroom. However, I did have to place a call to him because I couldn't get the water shut off to the house. A little emergency, a bunch of water, but that's another story for another day.

When he was in California for a month training, I completely redid the youngest daughters room. I painted the walls, painted the ceiling and trim, installed a new closet organizer system and moved furniture. I switched out the old light switches and electrical sockets with new ones. I am currently fighting the urge to paint our bedroom. It is Fugly yellow and depressing. I really need it to be relaxing and inviting. Well, that did it. I will be purchasing paint very soon.

Week One - Complete

As a former United States Marine....USMC Military Police at that.... I have a pretty good grasp at being independent and resourceful. I am trained by the United States Government to be lean, mean and at the ready. I have exercised hand to hand combat and physical restraint techniques on men twice my size. I have learned to fire guns bigger then me and I have earned the Expert level in medals for my abilities. I have chased down runners, am comfortable to draw a weapon if I feel threatened and can exercise the various levels of deadly force if need be. I can even handle being in the throws of a physical altercation when trying to diffuse a domestic disagreement. So how is it two people under three feet get the better of me? What is it about people that are four and almost three that turn me into this withering pile of nerves and get the upper hand?

My husband was able to come home for two hours Sunday night. The unit was afforded some free time for those who did not need to make up any classes. It was a nice visit, brief but nice. The kids were able to get a tuck in at bed time, which of course comes with kisses and cuddles. It wasn't until he left that I truly began missing him.

All week long the family had been busy with gymnastics, boyscouts, dinner engagments at a friends house. So the week went by fairly quick. The weekend was the hardest, when I needed the most help. My house is still upside down. I'm not sure if it will ever be right side up! I am fortunate to be blessed with a teenager who gets the position we are in. I don't have to ask for him to load the dishwasher. He takes the initiative to clean the kitchen while I bathe the girls and get them tucked in. If there is laundry left in the machines, and there are always full machines, he rotates and folds. He keeps the garbage under control. He is a god send, my buddy, my friend. He is a good boy. Doing well in school and doesn't give me a bit of grief. I count my blessings and am very thankful.

Today I am at work and appreciate the quiet afforded me here. Today is the beginning of Week Two. Boy I can't wait to see what the small ones have in store for me this week.

Not a Fire Starter After All

After successfully having a fire all afternoon the other day.......I give up........my inner pyromaniac is not cooperating today. I put shoes and jackets on the girls over their footie PJ's to help collect pine cones (they do anything for a promise of hot chocolate) I gather the best twigs my back yard has to offer. I gingerly lay pinecones with extreme care amongst the labyrinth of kindling. I place the perfect piece of firewood on top..not to small not too big. I light.... I MADE FIRE... I get so excited...it lasts all of 5 minutes.... I can get 10 minutes if I stand there and fan it. GGRRR

Sunday- Weekend One

I am feeling so lazy today. However, I have so much to do...laundry, floors, kitchen. My teenager is sick. Can one be hungover without actually drinking? When he goes to a friends house and I believe they stay up to play video games all night. I'm not convinced they eat. Which throws off his blood sugar and by Sunday he plummets. So, I'm pumping food and juice into him. He should be fine soon. My oldest daughter has learned how to work the TV and DVD player to watch her movies. It's amazing. How does a 4 year old catch onto the mariad of electronics and corresponding remotes? I mean she really understands how it all works. She has been exercising her newly found knowledge today. She's been changing movies for her little sister, almost 3, this this morning. Now she just needs to learn to wait until the movie is over to change it out. That's how the bickering starts!

The little one insists on sundresses year round. How can I explain to her that when it is in the twenties outside one can not wear a sundress. So we compromise and I put the dress on over warmer clothes. Today that's footie PJ's. I am beginning to slowly figure out you have to pick and choose your battles around here. We have to learn to get along if we are going to have a successful mission during my husbands deployment.

Well, I'll sign off for now....must to chores, referee skirmishes, and nurse a low blood sugar.

Night Five - First Weekend

We had a good day today. My Baby Girl covered her room in baby powder at 4 am, we had gymnastics at 9:30 am, followed by thrift store shopping and lunch. I tried to put everyone down for a nap but Jordan wasn't done decorating her room in powder. This time it was a doozey. I've posted a video. Good thing she is so cute ... she wouldn't get away with half the stuff she does :) .

I am not happy....I have a fire place and all this wood....my boy scout is at a friends house.....and the fire I started is a flippin joke. I have been starting fires almost my whole life. I have been camping with and without Girl Scouts from when I was old enough to go....why can't I start one in my fireplace AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH. Once I was reminded about pine cones and twigs...... I have had a fire ALL afternoon. A nice ending to an otherwise hectic day. Today is the first day I'm missing my hubby. I'm exhausted, the house is a mess, laundry is backed up and the girls have been busy all day long. I'm looking forward to sleep tonight. I'm going to bed leaving the house upside down. I'll turn it right tomorrow.

Just Getting Set up

OK my blog is up and running. I'm kinda excited about it. It will be interesting to see how this will help. Maybe, if nothing else, it will be a tool that my husband can use to keep up.....or catch up when he gets back. Well, it's late, I'm tired and the girls get up at 7:30 am. They really seem unconcerned how late I was up or what I was doing. As long as they get Dora the Explorer, sippy cup full of juice and breakfast (in that order), all is good in their world.

Night Four

Today was a great day. There is nothing better for the soul then spending an evening with great friends. Thank you Jen for thinking of us today.

Jenna is still trying to grasp what Daddy being at the Army means. After an hour conversation, she has summized Daddy is out protecting America against monsters. ...I let it lie at that. I didn't know how to explain bad people to her who exist only to harm others.

Night Three

Jordan learned what happens when a steeping cup of tea gets pulled of the counter and shaken. Scared her more then hurt her. It had been sitting for a few minutes and had time to cool a bit, but it was still warm enough to make a point. All she could do was cry and apologize..I felt so bad.. So the question of the night is..are kitchen counters truly kid proof-able?

Night Two

Girls have some kind of tummy virus..I will spare you the juicy details of what I'm dealing with. Gives new meaning to "midnight runs" at my house. No joke. I did not get to enjoy the middle of the bed..I don't think I was in bed long enough last night to enjoy any part of the bed. However, Jenna told me "It's not my fault Mommy...it's my butt's fault". LOL where do they get this stuff?

Night One

ok night one....kids are in bed.....joey left for his predeployment training....doors locked....alarm set... I don't like the still of the night. the TV is on, but it's not the same. BUT I get to sleep in the MIDDLE of the bed!!!!! WWWWOOOOOO HHHHHHOOOOOOOO