Foodies

My friend, our husbands and I were out eating last Saturday when a topic came up that has been having me laughing on the inside ever since. Quite a few people are under the mistaken notion that I am a Foodie or I like to cook since I make most things from scratch, can fruits and vegetables and try new recipes frequently. Jeremiah put it best when a dear friend asked if his mom made the salsa they were currently consuming. "My mom doesn't buy anything she just makes it from ingredients." (I busted up laughing which he couldn't understand because it was a true statement.
I rarely buy salsa because of the cost. I also am very picky so if I make it, then it tastes the way I like it. I want my kids to learn to eat healthy i.e. whole grains, no extra processing or preservatives, lots of vegetables and fruits etc. Also, my husband's health issues just gives us one more reason to try and stay active and eat healthier.
Even with all that, I cook because I have a large family and I refuse to spend all our income on food. I do not get a little thrill at the thought of a new recipe to try. I do love feeding my children nutritiously and like the fact they eat almost everything I cook without any or very minimal fussing. I like to find recipes my kids love and are easy to make. I endure the process of canning because I know that I am providing the best nutrition possible at a price I cannot find elsewhere. What is with all those recipes that call for GADS of sugar?? With that if someone ever wants to come and take over this role in my house I am all for it!!

It is ALWAYS the Good One!

My house smells like me. Well, like me on a special occasion, my ENTIRE house. As my husband told the story it went something like ~As he was minding his own business in the bathroom my perfume bottle jumped out of the medicine cabinet assailing him; as he valiantly tried to save it. Strategically out maneuvering him, the perfume bottle collided into the counter. The perfume bottle still on the attack, then sprayed shards of glass all over him. (Now I might be embellishing ever so slightly but that's my right as the writer. ;P)
Even though this happened yesterday, my house reeks of perfume. One of my favorite scents is now making my eyes water and my nose twitch. Unfortunately as I told my husband yesterday, "You broke the good stuff." Not only was it the expensive stuff (you know the kind you buy pre-children), but it lasted until I took a shower which means, regrettably we will not be relieved from what was once a favorite smell for quite some time.

Yeah! I can see!

I wear contacts. I have worn contacts for over 15 years. For some reason, I cannot seem to get into the daily routine of taking them out every night and cleaning them then putting them back on, in the morning. I blame my brother. He would leave his contacts in for days, even weeks at a time. He even had two contacts in at the same time because he "lost" one and found it a few days later in his eye! Sad to say he is not the only one who has done this.
Thankfully my eye doctor is pretty understanding and has steered me to a brand I can leave in for a week at a time. While not the best at cleaning them even this often, at least this is far more feasible. He did this quite a few years ago when they first came out. Now here is the other confession. I only see him when I run out of contacts and need a new prescription so I can buy more. This is about every two to three years.  Again, very grateful I have found such a nice ophthalmologist who does not lecture me for not coming in more frequently. This is one of the main the reasons I keep going back to him.
In April, I went to see him, received a trial pair of contacts and my prescription with intent of ordering them within the next week. I had good intentions, really good intentions but alas I still did not have good follow through. I did not order contacts until the beginning of June.
Why, you ask? Is it because they needed to be replaced or how about because they were irritating my eyes? While the answer to both of those should be yes I am sorry to say no. I ordered them because my son who shall remain anonymous with the help of his brother who also shall remain anonymous were up one night playing in the bathroom. My contacts were in a case on the bathroom sink because I had to take them out because my eyes were red from the irritating me all day. After catching them and telling them to go to bed, my husband and I go lay down in our bedroom. This is when our oldest child comes into our room holding something asking, "What is this?" He holds up my contact case. (I have worn contacts since I was a teenager and my son has no idea what a contact case is. Does this give you an idea how lax I am in my care for them?)
Immediately aggravated, I respond, "My contact case, why?"
"Because I just caught (insert anonymous child's name here) trying to sneak it into the bedroom."
Suffice to say contacts do not survive in the hands of little boys. Even if they are stored in a contact case. They tear into little tiny pieces and are no longer able to be worn. This is what finally made me order new contacts and wait impatiently in the mail for them. I wish I could say I learned my lesson but somehow I am sure I will have another story in a few years when I run out of contacts again.

Yes, No, Maybe so

Overheard
Seth: That got my face!
Jeremiah: Oh sorry.
Seth: And my nose.
Jeremiah: Sorry Sethy, Jeremiah won't do it again.
Seth: No, No, I like it.
Jeremiah: Oh you want me to do it again?
Seth: Yeah
Jeremiah: OK.
Jeremiah blows up a balloon and lets it go on Seth.
Seth: No, no I not like that.

Oh the fickle opinions of toddlers.

How to Catch a Skunk

We have been having problems with opossums, skunks etc so the boys made a trap to catch them and our youngest shows you how it will work!
http://www.youtube.com/user/3028960#p/u/0/tX_NncCd1Y4

3 Year Oldism

"Doggy lick me cuz I sweet candy."

Daddy convince Seth the dog licks him because he is sweet like candy.

3 Year Oldism

I want to watch wetters! (letters)

Leapfrog has some good videos on Netflicks. I love when I can turn on the TV and know that he is still learning! (Something I actually want him to learn that is.)

3 Year Oldism

Me-Let's go. Put your shoes on.
Seth-No Mommy, these plip plops! These not shoes.
Me-Are they sandals?
Seth- No, these not sandals these plip plops these not shoes these plip plops! Siwy Mommy!

5 Year Oldism

-Last one to the car is a lollipop!"

The Things Boys say...

"I am going to eat all this like a dog!" may sound like a good idea when you are 5. When you are a mom and trying to teach your all boy brood etiquette the response goes something like, "No, no you are not going to eat like a dog and if you do, you will not finish the meal and stand in the corner instead."

5-year-oldism

"Last one to the car is a cotton leg!"

Household Rules!

These are the rules that I assumed were understood in our house. In the last few months, I have found that this is not the case. Now I realize that I am by far out numbered with boys. I do. I really do! I expect to have to go to the ER on occasion and maybe even an overnight here and there for observation or even an ambulance ride but I am putting my foot down here and now and setting limits about how often because unfortunately while there are many males there is only one female to try and keep up with all of them. I tried to just verbally reiterate that which I perceived was know. This too has failed so now I am making a written version since my group of boys do not seem to understand I mean it! For my sanity's sake I am now writing them down so the Washburn boys/males (at least the ones in this household) can consult them before I lose my mind!

If at all possible, I prefer to limit the time spent in hospitals to a maximum of once a month if not less FAR LESS! That said:

1. No concurrent hospital stays this includes but is not limited to concurrent hospital stays at different hospitals. 

2. Concurrent ER visits will be permitted as long as both patients go in and are released at approximately the same time.

3. No back to back hospital stays. 

4. Once again this includes ER visits. 

5. If the monthly ER visit has been used, you are to refrain from any activity that will likely result in another ER visit if continued. This includes but is not limited to: dancing on the slide that is 8 ft above concrete, encouraging balls to be thrown at you while you ride a bike to see if they can cause you to crash, running around the edge of the jagged pool walls, trying to see how long you can stand on the raft that is by the jagged pool edge, etc....

6. The mom of this household reserves the right to add to this list or further clarify as she deems necessary especially as the the males try to see how far she can go without sleep!

BTW! Do you realize how much sleep you lose when you are at the ER or hospital? (ALL NIGHT LONG!!)  I do!! The mom/wife loses even more because she has to be coherent enough at all times to answer all random questions placed to her about the cause of said condition/accident and digest any randomly generated information the medical personal is willing to give or insinuate by action or inaction!

Turning 10

What happens when your baby(the oldest) turns 10. We are driving to the store and Brad started to bemoan our son's upcoming birthday.
Brad-"Erik is turning 10."
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"Are you sure Erik is turning 10?"
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"I remember him being born."
Me- "Yeah."
Brad-"Vividly! It seems like yesterday!"
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"Are you positive Erik is turning 10?"
Me-"Yeah."
Brad-"Do you know what this means?"
Me-"What?"
Brad-"We are getting old!"

What's that Racket?

Let me set the stage for you: It is 8:30 in the morning. The boys have been told to shut off the TV and go upstairs  to clean their room. (It is amazing how if I am not up that must mean we can pile on the couch and watch TV instead of cleaning our room before we exit it!) Not just "clean" their room but "spic and span clean" your room! I hear singing and loud noises. Oh, here comes one boy complaining because his brother scratched him. I scold him and his brothers and tell them to "CLEAN YOUR ROOM!!" After things like this continuing on for 20 minutes or so I hear growling, roaring, yelling etc.. (They're boys these are really not uncommon noises just LOUD) and they come down playing on the stairs. I hurriedly get up to go reprimand them again thinking how my dad, and their dad is going to be upset about all the commotion. Who do I see? Their PAPA, aka My FATHER instigating the WHOLE thing!!! The rebuke flew right out the window and the laughter came bursting in!

Gartering

"Papa, Papa" yells Matthew. "I want to go gartering with you!"
Papa-"Oh yeah? What do you do when you go gartering?"
Matthew-"You dig with the digger. Then you plant seeds, then you bury them, then and then you water them"
Papa- "Well, we better go gartering then."
He didn't need to garden. He didn't need to plant seeds, (He just did the day before.) It was not the proper time to garden (too hot) but to Papa it did not matter. He spent time gartering with Matthew. I love the kid's grandparents!

Health Issues

I was not going to blog about this since I try to keep it pretty light hearted here but then decided the purpose of this blog is to keep a kind of Family Album since I stink so much at Baby Books, and Photo Books. Our family has been in crisis mode for over a month now due to Brad's health. In the last month, he has been diagnosed with CHF, DVT, PE, Bilateral Pleural Embolisms, Gastroenteritis, amongst other things, all from a bout with pneumonia. We have been coping as best as possible with lots of help from parents (his and mine), friends and church members. We have people we do not even know praying for us and we are eternally grateful. He has been in and out of the hospital for over a month with the average being in far more than out (over 3/4s) and that has just take a toll on our family. At the same time we can see positives in all of this. We have seen how wondrous God can be and how merciful he is. Thanks to all for the help and prayers!

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Belated Birthday to my 7 year old! Sorry I am late but we have been having internet issues amongst other issues. Once upon a time (before the Lord intervened) he was going to be the baby of our family. Thankfully he is not since he is such an awesome big brother. He is helpful and growing up too fast for me. He is such a good reader, and is always up for outdoors "anything." Out of all the kids he is the most like me (maybe because we are both the second child in our family). Now hopefully that will not scar him later in life. I love you and am so proud of you. You are and will always be my baby!!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Seth the "baby" of our family is 3 today. Obviously he is no longer a baby but he will always hold that baby spot in our family. (Unless the Lord decides to bless us with another "miracle" child. ;P) I am having a hard time understanding how the last 3 years flew by and how my "baby" is now in his preschool years. The personality coming out is so infectious with humor, wit, and sarcasm(I know, total shocker there!) that you just can't help but laugh at his antics even when you know you should not!
Just yesterday, Taggy was trying to get to his brother's tag, while in the car. No big deal since his brothers are used to it except one thing; Matthew had fallen asleep. He was not in any mood to have his brother wake him up but Taggy was relentless in his pursuit of the almighty tag! As Matthew was protesting the assault on his body(or back of his shirt), I told Seth to stop but was bursting with laughter which of coursed caused everyone in the car to start laughing, including Matthew, and Seth's determination paid off. Giggling with glee, he had his tag! That's my baby!


(FYI I am allowed to call all of my children "my baby/ baby" since I incubated them for 9 months. Due to the fact they cannot out grow their beginning, I have earned the special right to call them my baby for their life. They have grudgingly accepted this right and no longer try to correct me. ;D)

Growing Up

I am writing this to the little boy who is standing in front of me shrieking. This is a new stage in your life and one that is not a favorite by any means. I know that right now you do not understand that you screaming at me will not make me change my mind. I realize that you do not agree with me right now and you cannot differentiate between that and me which is why you are screaming. "I don't like you." I am glad you have not learned the hate word yet because I am quite certain you would hurl that instead as you learn to express your feelings. I realize that is how mad you are right now. I also know this tantrum will not last long and you will say, "Sorry, Mommy" and will need me to hug and cuddle you so everything once again will be right in your world. I want you to know I love you. I am making these choices for your benefit to bring you up in a Godly manner not because I want to be "mean." I will hold firm, rely on God and wait this noise out until we get to the the cuddle time and savor that moment so I can get through the next time you decide to "express" your displeasure with my decision.

Photo & Prompt Challenge: Day 23

How did you come up with the name for your blog?


Since the birth of our first child, I have slowly been out numbered by males in my house. In the beginning, we had two female dogs and a host of other animals (think reptile variety here, snakes, bearded dragons, frogs etc...) so if you count those my husband originally was just trying to keep up. I think he has this unknown huge competitive streak and wanted to make sure that the females would not dominate his household. :) We had child number 2 and while I originally wanted a girl was enthusiastic that my two boys would grow up together and have that brotherhood bond. Then by the time the third "baby" came around, I did not want a girl because having one sex is easier in so many ways, I.E. toys, hand-me-downs,1 room etc... We also no longer had dogs so I think by then we just had gotten accustomed to the boy thing. :) The fourth just confirmed we were meant to be a family of boys. 
When people comment about all my boys, my boys are quick to respond that Mommy is the girl in our household or that our house hold just does not "do" girls. Trust me we have come with quite a few one-liners to the many responses we get when we go places with "eeek" 4 BOYS!!!
I do explain a little in my profile on the side and originally was going to use the title BoysRUs but that was much more common than I thought. I guess my lack of creativity was once again showing. As my best friend, Randi, likes to tell me I am not very "fun.";p
I thought my title was a little more "fun" but when trying to find my blog I have noticed you come across a lot of sad circumstances of people being held hostage. I obviously am quite content in the male takeover of our household and just try to keep up in the vast differences of the male brain. ;P