From the mouths of little boys

Well, the four of us made a quick decision trip to Texas this week. My husband had an uncle pass away, so we came for the memorial. We drove the entire way--like the entire 1400+ miles way... When there are 2 adults, one 8-year-old, and one 5-year-old in a car for 12.5 and 8 hours, that trip is WAY to long!

We noticed a speed trap, and my husband said he needs to be careful or he'd get pulled over. (The speed limit from Kansas south ranges from 45 to 75.) Well, a little voice behind him pipes up with, "Hello, officer. Did you know police like donuts?"

My husband bursts out laughing, but also struggles to make sure our 5-year-old knows NOT to say that if L gets pulled over... We envisioned that scene, and I told L to give me his wallet so I could post bail!

Needless to say, we can see our youngest being the one who carries fresh donuts in his vehicle to avoid tickets... I sure hope it doesn't happen that way though!

Other than that, the trip was long. Ok VERY LONG since our portable DVD player is somehow not responding to our dvds. We are not sure what our oldest did to make that happen.

Hope the return trip goes well. Wish us luck.

Ok, I'm trying to catch up to my life...

So I've been away for a while. A lot has happened and is still going.

We finished the school year. Monster is now a 2nd grader. I have him and Peanut signed up for summer school July 30-Aug 16 7am to 12pm M-Th.

We have found an inexpensive activity the boys love: Pedal Tractor Pulls. This is Monster's 3rd year and Peanut's 1st year. The first pull we went to for the year was Durand's Fun Fest in early June. Peanut placed 4th in the 4yr old boys division. Monster placed 3rd in the 7 yr old boys division; this qualified him for the WI State Pedal Tractor Pull in Reedsburg, WI Sept 15.  Then we went with Erik's family to Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival to pull again. Monster placed 2nd this time! Peanut tied for 5th, and Erik's boy I placed 7th. We will be attending a few more pulls this summer, to give Monster practice and see if Peanut can qualify for state too. (Peanut really wants to qualify like his big brother!) If Peanut qualifies for State, and either boy gets 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at State, they move on to the National Pedal Tractor Pull! (Last year a boy from Durand placed 4th at National, and he is younger than Monster.)

Both boys were in swimming lessons. Monster has to redo level 2 next summer, but the plan is to get him in the pool as often as we can and then do 2nd session of lessons. Hopefully, it will work!

Monster sold enough Popcorn and Evergreen products to attend Cub Scout Resident Camp this summer. He and I went July 8-10. Peanut got to stay with Grandma and Grandpa. He had fun and earned another belt loop: BB Gun Shooting.

We had Cub Scout Day Camp for our District last week 7/24-26. Monster, Peanut, and I went. Monster was in the Moonmen Den, and Peanut and I were in the Wookie Den. Monster earned more belt loops: Astronomy and Table Tennis.  The theme was outerspace! The boys really had fun. Peanut was awarded for his soda-bottle-rocket launch; it was AWESOME! (Now they want to build a launcher for at home...)

By the end of Monster's 1st year as a Cub Scout, he'll have earned 14 Belt Loops (the Cub Scout equivalent to Boy Scout Merit Badges). That is 1/4 of all he can earn! Plus he's well on his way to earning his Wolf Badge. Yeah Monster!

Peanut is excited buy scared about starting school 9/11. Luke and I aren't sure if we should cry or be happy---our baby is starting school!!!! Where did the time go?!?

I'm Monster's Den Leader again this year, so planning meetings and outings has started and getting ready for the 2012-2013 school year schedule... Ready or not, here we all come!

Youth Blessing

Peanut and I joined the 1st through 6th graders (and quite a group of the community) for a Youth Blessing today after Monster was done with catecism. We all received our Ash Crosses. I'd like to attend the Mass tonight but it starts at 7:30 PM and two little boys have an 8 PM bedtime.

Monster brought home a Lenten Gift box. He put all the money he had in his bank into it. Peanut even put some money in, too. It makes me happy to see that both of the boys enjoy giving to others.

A major head/chest cold has been running rampant in our house. I ended up with a sinus infection, and I'm hoping I am getting over it. Monster and Luke both have the congestion and coughing going. Peanut actully seems to be the only one NOT to get this cold. Hopefully it stays that way.

Our community library does not offer story time on a weekly basis. I wish it did, just for something Peanut could look forward to. Next week starts the spring story time. He'll get to go from 6 PM through 7 PM for 3 weeks on Thursday evenings. Hopefully he'll sit well and listen to the librarian. He hasn't wanted to since turning 3. (Our story time is for 3 to 5 year olds.) I guess I'll find out next week.

Happy Lent everyone!

Did anyone get the license plate on the truck?

Ok, I feel awful. I went to Luke's sister's son's 1st birthday party yesterday evening. We got there about 4pm, and I was ready to go home at 6:30pm. I had a migraine starting. Got home around 9:30pm, put the boys to bed, and went home myself. I didn't wake up until 7:15am this morning. But I woke up with my back muscles spasaming. They felt a little better by 9 AM when Luke said the family was going to split wood. Now, I feel like I got caught between a truck and a wall. My back muscles really hurt right now... I think I need a full body massage... And if my in-laws are taking the boys camping this weekend. I'm scheduling one for Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

We survived our Blue & Gold Banquet (Cub Scout annual banquet). I had made a very full 5 quart slow cooker full of spaghetti casserole (16 oz elbow maccaroni, 2 pounds browned hamburger, and 3 26.5 oz cans of spaghetti sauce with 1 26.5 oz can of water). I thought for sure I would be bringing 1/2 of it home. I brought home a dirty slow cooker; it was completely gone... Monster has earned his Tiger Badge, and he earned 4 belt loop awards--archery, flag football, ultimate frisbee, and basketball, and the Outdoor Activity Award badge. Out of 8 boys in our den, 6 have earned their Tiger badges. Good job Tiger Cubs! All the active families are looking forward to this summer when we start working on their Wolf requirements. I hope we all have fun!

Well, I'm off to give two boys their ultimate clean-up shower. They both ended up filthy from playing while Luke and I were splitting wood today!

I read this in a magazine...

I found this in a magazine I bought today for some recipes. I had to pass it on.

A MOMENT FOR YOU!

You deserve to be happy. Joy isn't something you should have to wait for, wish for, or work for. It's something you can feel right now! And all it takes is giving yourself permission to take a break, letting yourself relax--and opening your eyes and your heart. Look for reasons to smile, and you'll find so many!

A little one's prayer and the Seefeldt humor

This morning Peanut, Monster, and I were at the table while the boys finished their breakfast and vitamins. I looked over at Peanut. He had his hands folded in prayer, head bowed, and was saying a prayer. He had to start over because Monster and I were talking at the moment. Here's my 4-year-old's prayer:

"Dear God, Please let it snow 10 times for me. Please? Thank you. Love, "

I just had to smile and tell him he did a very good job. He said it so solemnly... Where'd he learn to do that so fast?!?

Ok, my siblings, mom, and I all have a strange sense of humor. Last week while they were visiting, I had Erik check my computer to see what could be cleaned off it to help it run better. Well, Luke had put some things on my desktop in a fold titled LUKES JUNK. Erik, with our family's sense of humor, promptly said," I don't want to see his junk! I refuse to open that folder. It's indecent!" To which I burst out laughing. He quickly added, "Luke's junk belongs in his pants!" I laughed harder... Erik put Luke's Junk in Luke's Undies in Luke's Pants. So now I have a folder on my computer called Lukes pants...

Sledding fun!

This morning started with Peanut joining me shortly after 6 AM. He decided he wanted his leftover Mac & Cheese and some leftover hamburger helper for breakfast. He was in a very good mood. Then Monster decided he'd get up. He was grumpy... After 30 minutes of his tantrums, I gave him 2 choices: 1) go back to bed and come back out when he's in a better mood or 2) eat breakfast and improve his mood. Luke came down shortly after Monster decided to go back to bed... The boys are grounded from video games, computer games, and the TV for the morning. After Monster ate, I made them both get dressed to go out and play.

I decided I'd go sledding too. While sledding and pushing the boys down our driveway hill, I decided snowpants, gloves, hat, winter coat, and winter boots was too much clothes. Next time I go out I'll just do mittens, hat, boots, and coat.  NO snowpants. Well, first Luke got to push the boys down the hill because I was getting more snowmelt salt. Each boy ended up almost to our chicken coop (at the end of our driveway...).  Luke was cold so he decided to go back inside while his car warmed up. I pushed the boys for another 30 minutes until Luke came out to leave. We learned if Peanut is lying down in the sled he goes the farthest, but he has to have his feet at the front of the sled. Plus, pushing his sled when he's lying down is very difficult, even for me. Take almost 41" and cut it in half. Then try to push it down a hill. Or worse yet have the almost 41" be shrunk down to about 6" and then push it down a hill. We all had fun. 

Then, just before Luke left for the morning, I had him push me and my sled. I go my momentum up, and then Peanut saw he could reach out for a HUGGIE! Well, I grabbed him with one arm and proceeded to make my sled spin a 180. He looked at me laughing and said, "Huggie?!?" I guess the one arm hug did't work as well. (I pushed the boys for another 15 minutes after that, then went in to fold clean clothes and do some house cleaning.)

While cleaning, I discovered that I don't stick with cleaning one thing until it is done. I am totally hit or miss with my cleaning because I do a little of this, then have to throw something away and something else catches my eye, so I clean that for a little while, then head back to cleaning number 1, get distracted, and start in on number 3... I work at all the different things until I end up getting them all done one right after another... (Final steps to clean for all the different things all done successively.)  My mom said I shouldn't clean like she does... Aaah, the truth comes out from where I got it from!

Lots of company! Good times.

This week started with a phone call from our school district's administrator: school's delayed 2 hours due to 1/4" of ice covered by wet snow. So I let the boys sleep. Then we get another phone call: "Due to weather conditions, school has been cancelled." So I got both boys at home on Monday. I kicked them outside to play. While Peanut was taking a nap, Monster decided to wait outside for my brother and his family to arrive. The trip for them from Des Moines, IA to our house was slow but ok otherwise. They were at our house until Wednesday morning. The boys had fun playing with their cousin, playing with their Birthday and Christmas gifts, and having fun with their Aunt and Uncle! Luke and I enjoyed their visit too. (Luke was nice enough to allow them to sleep in our bed, despite his having to work.)  My Mom was wonderful and let them borrow her vehicle (bigger), so I got to send a whole bunch of stuff  across state with them. *happy dance, happy dance*

So today, I'm working on getting the house back to its normal state. The big thing was getting dishes done. I'm not used to having to do dishes for 7 people for supper, 6 for breakfast, and 5 for lunch. We kept running out of forks and spoons! :-)

Monster had a sledding party today for being part of one of the two classes that brought in the most money during the school's Penny War during American Education Week. (First and Second grades each had 2 ice cream buckets of money!) The Penny War proceeds went to help the Pepin County Food Pantry. I took all 4 of our sleds into town for the sledding party. From what I could tell all the first graders had a lot of fun. Peanut was upset because we couldn't stay for sledding because I had errands to run. Then Monster got mad because Peanut and I had to get home and couldn't have lunch with him.

Monday 1/30 is a Tiger Den meeting and a doctor's appointment for me. After that, it's back to the normal daily routine.

Yup, it IS 4:27 AM and I'm blogging...

I blame my sister. I think she gave me her cold via the phone... My head feels like it's going to explode, my ears are blocked and hurt so I can hardly put in my hearing aids, my throat is nice and sore from nasal drip (though I don't think it is just dripping...), and my nose is getting sore from blowing it. I HATE headcolds... I'd make some tea right now, but I don't want to wake anyone up. Elderberry juice and Dayquil here I come...

I think some frustration at my husband is going to worked off on laundry today... And working on fixing his quilt. Along with sporadic doses of prayer.

Lord, please help me to be more patient with my family and myself. Help me to step back from situations where Satan is prodding me into hasty reactions. Be with me as I evaluate and re-evaluate what I'm doing as a person, a mom, and a wife. Also, please be with my husband so he understands that things Monster does now will help him become a better person as he grows. Monster's activities now ARE worthwhile, especially for a 7-year-old boy! Please help Luke see that his parents made him grow up way too soon. Help Luke understand he only gets to be in the boys' lives as their DADDY for a short while; he'll always be their father, but being a DADDY is SO important! Help Luke and I re-evaluate how we deal with each other and with each of the boys. I am trying very hard to give my children the best advantage of Catholic faith, a loving home, and activities that will enrich their lives, but I need your help and guidance. This I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen

I want a day where I don't get frustrated with Luke. I want a day where I don't get frustrated with the boys. I want a day where I don't get frustrated with myself.

I received bad news today...

I am the Tiger Den Leader for our local Cub Scout Pack. I have 8 boys in the Den, one of which is Monster. The other 7 are wonderful boys, and I enjoy the time I get to spend with them and their parent helper. This afternoon, though, I received bad news about one parent helper: he was killed in a car accident yesterday afternoon.

I sent an e-mail to my Tiger Cub's mom and included him and his sister on it too. I want to let them know Monster and I and the rest of the Tiger Cubs and their parents feel this tragedy, too. Our Den is a small portion of each Tiger Cub's family. I wanted to let the family know we were here for them and would do anything to help. I can be at the house in minutes as they live only a few miles away.

As a Pack, we'll be sending flowers. All Pack members and families are being asked to attend the Wake if they can and/or are comfortable doing so. If the Pack members do attend, they are being asked to wear their uniforms in show of support--showing that my Tiger Cub is part of our Den AND part of our Pack. Monster and I will be attending the Wake. I may go to the funeral if I can have someone watch Peanut. I want to show my complete support for my Cub's family.

His dad will be deeply missed. From only being with him a few times for meetings, I learned he had a heart of gold, was able to smile often, joked easily with others, and doted on his family.

Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, You willingly gave Yourself up to death so that all people might be saved and pass from death into a new life. Listen to our prayers; look with love on Your people who mourn and pray for their dead brother. Lord Jesus, You alone are holy and compassionate; iforgive our brother his sins.

By dying You opened the gates of life for those who believe in You; do not let Your brother be parted from You, but by Your glorious power give him light, joy, and peace in Heaven where You live for ever and ever. Amen.

Love the little helpers...

Monster has the pre-school and after breakfast on weekends chore to take care of our dog, Toby. He's been grumbling about it for the past 2 months, but he has been doing a good job. The first couple of times the dog got out of his kennel. Lately, Monster has been sure to keep the door latched. For some reason unknown to me, yesterday he just pushed the door shut without latching it. Toby was excited and jumped on the door. It bounced open, and out he ran. I almost caught him, but he had more power and speed than I could handle one-handed. He ended up hyper-extending my left thumb. Then after I caught him at the neighbors and put him on his leash, Toby wanted to join Monster on the school bus. Retro-spectively, I SHOULD have let him... *sigh*

Oh, well. My thumb is feeling better, and Toby stayed in his kennel today. After school, I made Monster help me throw down wood for our furnace. I think we really need to split more wood and stack it. We are starting to run low.

Tomorrow I am working on my husband's quilt that I have been trying to remake for the past few years. I WILL have it done by Valentine's Day. Then onto Monster's.

Peanut keeps asking me why I have to say things to him over and over and over and over again. I told him it's because he doesn't listen the first time. If he'd listen and do what he's told, I wouldn't have to repeat everything.

I want to visit my family, but it is not working out to get over there. So, I get to mail all the Christmas presents. I have a box for my parents' presents. My younger brother and his family are coming to visit, so that's one less box to find. Now, I have to find a box big enough for my 3 nieces' gifts (and some stuff for my sister). Hmmm. That will be the tricky one.

Well, I guess I best make supper. Peanut is complaining he's HUNGRY (like that isn't something new... he's ALWAYS hungry!).

Last week I hung pictures

I received a very nice Birthday/Christmas gift in 2011. It is a picture frame that has our last name, the established year, Luke's name and my name, and the boys' names and birthdates. My sister-in-law put a photo collage of 3 pictures we've had taken or took our selves. It came in a very large though thin box. It was taking up a LOT of counter space, which is a huge commodity in my kitchen. I got frustrated my husband wasn't hanging pictures like I've asked him to since we moved into our house, so I got out the little box of nails I have, a hammer, and lugged a chair into the living room. I hung that picture frame and 11 others one morning last week, while Luke was gone and the boys were with him and Grandpa A. (I also hung a glued puzzle and the boys' clock in their room.) Luke comes home and asks why I stopped. I told him I wasn't going to hang the big nature prints we own and didn't want to put family pictures in those spaces. (He didn't take the hint; the nature prints are still behind my couch...)

This morning while everyone was still sleeping (at 7 AM--a miracle in my house!) I was looking at the pictures and realized I'm missing one of our family when Monster was one. I know I have it, I just need to find it. Otherwise every year from our marriage to present is accounted for on the wall. We even have pictures of my sister-in-law's wedding (which Luke was an usher and I was a bride's maid).

On another note, Peanut has been asking me for clothes for his stuffed Sheepy for the last several months. (He wants her to have a snowsuit to be able to take her outside to play, but I won't go that far...) I asked Grandma A if she could help me. She borrowed New Sheepy, because Peanut cannot go without his Sheepy (same sheep, just one is very well loved and the other is a newer version!). She came over yesterday and showed Peanut Sheepy's jacket, pants, and sweat suit. She said she's working on a nightgown for her too. Peanut was woken up from his nap and was cranky while Grandma was here. After he woke up more, we called her, and Peanut apologized, said "Thank You", and told her the clothes fit Sheepy very well.  Peanut really likes that Sheepy now has clothes.

So now we have pictures up, not all, but most. And Sheepy has clothes. And now at 9:09 AM everyone is awake. I need to get dressed, but I try to be nice when I get up before Luke and not turn on lights to get clothes. So I'm off to officially start my day, and we'll see how the day goes.

Wednesday's Wonderings

This week has been interesting so far. Besides what I wrote on Monday, I got to give Monster a haircut besides Peanut. I had to use the scissors on him too, just to use the clippers (or "hair combine" as Peanut renamed it). Then while Monster is taking his shower which turned into a play bath that he wanted to make a relax bath after 30 minutes of playing, Peanut decided a new Mega Roll of Charmin Ultra Strong needed to go in the bathtub. It ended up in the garbage can. THEN Peanut put in his "sack of toys" (a blaze orange hat with Johnnie Tractor characters) as a gift for Monster. Needless to say that was the end of the entire bathroom usage for the night. I was told by Luke that he knows I didn't like the constant yelling as I was growing up, so don't do it to our children... At this point, I said 3 Our Fathers, and decided slow breathing was in order...

Then today, it wasn't even 6 AM and Monster was having a fit about getting dressed for school--"I don't like school..." Peanut was being cranky. I told him I was going to cancel his nap. He grouchily said, "No cancelling my nap!" All this despite his constant telling me he is never tired come nap time. As Luke was walking out the door, laughing at me, I told him, "Have a good day, dear. It has to be better than mine is going so far..."

I am currently baking the Wednesday night pizzas and dealing with two boys that can't seem to make anything they do together work. I think tonight is going to be MY relaxing bath night.

One disadvantage to having a wood furnace. No one restocks the wood used except the people using it. This said, I know Luke and I at least will be splitting wood this weekend. We only have maybe six racks of wood left from what we started this fall with. That amount won't last long, and this weekend's temps aren't supposed to be too bad. So, I guess we go to Traci's some other weekend. *sigh*

Now I need to find boxes to put Christmas presents in, so I can mail them to the appropriate families... Darn flu, colds, weather, etc.!!! At least (all things going well) we'll get to see my brother, his wife, and their son later this month when they come for a visit. Yeah! Someone for me to talk with, and someone for Peanut to play with!

Well, pizzas are almost done. God bless!

Cold weather, fly-away sleds, lots of hair, and it's only Monday...

Ok, we may not have the snow to match the temperature, but good grief it is COLD! I think it was about maybe 7F this morning when Monster finally got out the door to take care of our dog and get on the bus. This wasn't counting the wind chill.... That had to be well under 0F... BRRRRRRRRRR  (The cold and wind did NOT help my soft tissue issues in my left knee and right ankle... The hot shower I took after coming in helped reverse that though.)

While Monster was getting ready to go this morning, I noticed that one of our sleds was MIA. Luke found it after he went to start his car. It had flown well over 100 feet and was almost in the creek. Luckily, Luke doesn't mow the grass right up to the creek. The long grass was all that saved our sled. So after my shower, with hair still wet..., I totally bundled up: full hat, warmest gloves I own, winter coat, and winter boots. I went and saved all of our sleds (4 total) with a few extra toys and put them up by the house again... Next time the boys leave things out and they end up MIA, I'm not retrieving/saving.

Then I decided it was finally time to cut Peanut's hair. I got out the clipper, put on a 5/8 inch guard, and attempted to cut his hair. I had to resort to scissors and then use the clippers (or hair combine, as he calls it). The pile of hair I ended up with was huge!!! I have put on my calendar that every last Sunday of each month is hair cut day for Luke, Monster, and Peanut. I WILL stick to that. It isn't cool when you have to cut hair just to run the clippers through it... Tonight, Monster's hair gets cut.

All of this and it is only 1:35 PM on Monday. I have to go change sheets on 4 beds and wash the dirty ones... I wish beds were easier to make... Oh, well. Off I go. These are my Monday Musings. We'll see how many other events occur this week...

Happy New Year, everyone!

Prayer Intentions:  That the weather is good and we're healthy, so we can travel across state to visit my family. That my oldest sister's ankle responds to being casted and heals. That my other sister's family all feel better (and that we don't end up with the nasty colds...).

Things that Make Me Smile:  Peanut singing Old MacDonald has a Farm when on that "farm there's a Kid---end of song". Actually SEEING Peanut after his haircut (I should have taken before, after, and the hair pile pictures. Oh well.). Knowing that we have plenty of food and have the money to get more as needed.  My screwed up attempt to fix Luke's quilt (so it's inside out... I don't see a problem with that. Really....*rolling eyes*).

God bless, everyone!