double digits

Oh boy what a birthday!  Double digits!  I cannot hardly believe we have had this wonderful human being in our lives for 10 years.  That's how long it took me to pay off my college debt!  He was born the year I had my 10yr reunion from High School.  He had a good real birthday day - went to school, took Oreo's so all the kids in his class could enjoy (allergies) and even shared with his teacher, a past teacher and the school nurse!  He wanted pizza for supper so we ordered Pizza Hut and then had soccer practice.  He got to open his presents from us - a new Yeti cup and a pocket knife.  I can't hardly believe we bought him that, but so far he's been very responsible with it.  We had a wonderful birthday party with the rest of the family on Saturday - everyone came to celebrate him and enjoy spaghetti, salad and pineapple upside down cake!

10 things I love about you Noah:

1. You are so patient with me - all my yelling and demanding "put this here/ or why did you do that?" you take it in stride and are so so patient with me.
2. You always love to try new recipes for healthy dinners with me - cooking chili with quinoa and egg & veggie frittata.
3. You are getting so much better playing and including and enjoying your brothers - both of them - they are both so different from you personality wise and have different levels of experience, but you continue to amaze me with your patience and kindness towards them.
4. You worry about everyone - from the kids in class who can't have milk to the kids that have been affected by Hurricane Harvey and now Irma.  You are willing to do whatever it takes to make the other person feel included (having Oreos) to buying composition notebooks to donate to Houston kids.
5. You are still a wonderful sleeper and always allow me to enforce naps on you if I feel like they might be warranted.  I love that you love sleep!
6. You are trying to hard to grow into a responsible young man.  Trying to think about what you say and how you act before you do it - practice makes you better right?
7. You take such good care of me and my diabetes - you always can tell if I am low and can even check my blood sugar for me if I need help - the blood doesn't bother you and you know what all the numbers mean.
8.  You are becoming quite the soccer player - I can see the growth in your running steps that you are trying to hard to keep with the other kids and play hard and really think about where the ball is going to go and what is best for the game.
9. You love your quiet time.  You are already realizing that sometimes being by yourself and quiet - mindlessly watching TV or reading a book in your room is good for you to make sure you are relaxed.
10. You are quite the artist - you really love to let your creative juices flow and create new patterns and draw things you see.

new label - description finally fits!

well well well... we did it... we finally made the description of this blog - true again.

'the life and times (crazy or otherwise) of a gal, with a family, a dog & the American dream...here goes nothing'...

yep - we got a dog!  a puppy really.  9wk puppy.  she might as well be a newborn they way we watch her, dote on her, freak out if she starts sniffing to go potty... and the whimpering at night... poor thing.  i'll be glad when she is comfortable and happy in her kennel... and knows its her safe place.

but we are all in love with her - heck the whole neighborhood loves her... all the kids love to see her and pet her, talk to her... she's spoiled with attention right now :)

her first night...boys were so so so excited!

having fun with her new toys!

Noah felt like it was a dream come true!

such a sweet girl!

She really is such a pretty girl - love the little white patch on her chest!

She got to go on her first field trip yesterday (monday) and had fun at the park with Curt and the boys!

chilling with dad!

and my little turkey having fun on the rocks!  'i'm king daddy!'

Scout Camp 2016

3rd week of June was a HOT one - it was a long week.  Curt took the whole week off to take the big boys to Scout camp.   Middle of no where fields with grass and limited trees and loads of little boys running around, sweating, whining, spraying water bottles and having so.much.fun!

This post will be all pictures.  No other way to describe the week.

Sling shots!  First day no less!

Noah aim and fire!

It was hot, this was their make-shift shade!

BB guns!!

Look at that bullseye!!

Noah shooting BB guns!

Bullseye for him too!

Last day... so hot, so tired, but filled to brim with happiness that they all went!

First Communion, Mother's Day and the Tooth Fairy Strikes Again!

What a whirlwind week!  All year we've been working with Noah to complete his studies so that he could receive his first communion.  It was a long year.  Every Sunday had he had to get up early and go to an hour class to learn about God, Jesus and the reasons we do the things we do in Mass each week.  It was good for him.  It was good for me.  I have such a sense of pride for him because he really never complained about going - it was more getting up out of bed, but once we were up and going he was happy and excited to go to church.  I think it helps to have friends also going through the process.

Thursday was the big day - they had 86 kids (both 2nd and some 3rd graders) to receive communion.  It was a great evening filled with lots of love from the congregation and family supporters.  I really felt like the teachers were thrilled for these little kids and the achievement they had made.  You could see their pride when they walked in after the kids procession.

He was so excited to wear his new clothes - the tie, the belt, the new shoes that were like his dad's.  I think he asked me three times throughout the week "Mom are you going to iron my shirt?"... I finally told him yes, but that he was going to help and learn himself.  It was fun watching him try not to burn himself or his shirt.  And it was super cute and somewhat overwhelming as a mother to watch Curt tie Noah's tie for him.  All the emotions with that scene.

During the week - poor Mark was feeling like a truck had hit him.  He's such a tough kid and tries really hard to just push through - this kid has such high resolve to just keep going.  Wednesday I got called to finally come get him - fever of 101.00.  We tried to take him to the Dr that afternoon, but unfortunately he threw up in the car so we just went home.  Finally Friday we got an appointment and found out he has Mono and Strep.  The mono was a shock - frankly I usually just assume we're going to have ear infections + antibiotics and move along.  The mono was textbook - so much so that the Dr. brought in the nurses (all three of them) and showed them what to look for on Mark = flushed cheeks, lethargic, enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged spleen  and liver -- apparently you should't be able to "feel the spleen"... so this was the trigger + white pus on his tonsils.  Mark thought he was hot stuff showing everyone his symptoms... even to the point of telling the nurses they could feel his "spuh-uleen, but please don't tickle me"...!   Because of the + test on strep we got a different type of antibiotics - one that you need to take 3x / day... he also said usually kids can kick the mono virus in 8-10 days... unlike teens and adults that take months to recover.  I guess one more perk of being little and super fast metabolism.  I am just praying that no one else in the family gets this mess.

Mother's day was Sunday - a nice quiet, rainy day - full of a great brunch and nap in the afternoon!  And this little turkey lost his first tooth!  Back to the toughness in this kid - we were driving up to eat breakfast and mentions nonchalantly "hey mom I have a loose tooth!"  I think well okay...we've got a few weeks to get this thing wiggled out...  Nope.  Right as breakfast came - he grabbed it with his little fingers and pulled it out - right at the table!  No pain.  The kid amazes me.

These three - they drive me crazy - a lot of the time.  I am in constant wonder if I do anything right, say anything with enough love and kindness and compassion -- if they get that my yelling isn't really at them, but at my own internal frustration... this motherhood thing is hard - i know a lot of people say that - like all the time - this is hard, hard, hard.  What I find interesting is though - they say those words, but then right after - maybe within the next sentence they say "I wouldn't trade it for anything!"... how many things in your life would you say that about?  It's hard, but I love it.  Would it mean something different if you said "I love it, but it's hard"...say the + first instead of the negative?

I love each of these little guys so intently, so differently, so vastly.

too funny not to write down...

The big boys have wanted, asked for, begged for a dog for a long time.  Probably too soon after Zorro's death even...  Anyway we were driving home last night from soccer practice and we were talking about getting one... and what we would name it.  I told them I'd want to get a girl dog - for the reason that I am surrounded by boys...might be nice to have another girl in the family...even if it's an animal.  The boys both like Violet, Hazel and Sugar.  Violet is their number one right now.  When we get home - Mark asks Curt what he'd like to name the dog.  Curt says "Jake!".  Mark looks at him, with seriousness and responds "from State Farm?"!!!!!  we all died laughing... even Mark caught himself and realized he'd made a joke!  so now we pretty much HAVE to get a girl dog or it's name will be "Jake from State Farm"...

latest and greatest...

I think this blog has turned into a quarterly update.  I look at this thing every single day and read about other people's lives...there going's on...and I think that I really ought to put something down to keep track of what has been going on and then I get busy with work, with home life or just think "oh there's too much to write about".  

What's funny is if you looked at the pictures on my phone you'd see that I am doing a pretty good job at documenting what has been going on.  So maybe I should just post pictures and give little explanations... that might make me feel better about blogging.  

From where I left off last post (Christmas tree was up...) - the weeks were hard.  Curt was working PEAK and traveling which left me to do e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  I do mean it literally... referee, butler, chauffeur, chef, maid, banker, lawyer, negotiator, tutor, librarian, mom, cheerleader, coach, all of it.  I don't know how families do it when this is the norm.  This 'norm' about broke me.  I was so glad when Christmas Day came for the mere fact that it meant no more time away from Curt and schedules would go back to normal. But then... Christmas Day did come and it was hard also.  We had to visit both sides of the family that day.  Its just the way it worked out.  It was what was best for every one's schedules.  By the end of the night we were all over stimulated, tired, hungry, annoyed - you name it.  I am hoping/praying we don't have to try and swing both sides again...maybe when the boys are teenagers it would be OK?

My birthday came... Mark very earnestly asked "Mom are you 73?"... glad you know your numbers and know that is the number from what you are looking at, but goodness... do i look 73?  I hope when I'm 73 he is there and can ask me again, "Mom are you 37?".

For my birthday I asked for under cabinet lighting and lighting above the cabinets for ambiance...because that's how we roll at the Wilson house - it's all about 'how you feel'... bah!  It was relatively inexpensive thanks to Amazon/prime.  And because my husband is super handy especially with anything electronic it was merely a couple of weekend adventure.

The boys treated me well that day - I think this was my birthday where Seth was vacuuming.  'gotta start 'em young' - 'you're welcome future daughter-in-law!'.

Also for my birthday my folks got me gift cards & baskets so I could make our pantry look 'pretty'.  I know - 1st world problems, but it makes me feel good to walk into that room and know exactly where something is, how much of it I have and everything grouped together that needs to be.

Also in January we started a new program with the older boys - "Wilson Reading program" which really means "read your minutes through the week and I'll let you play your tablet uninterrupted all weekend!"  They are doing really well with it - some days are harder to encourage the minutes, but for the most part they love seeing on Friday that they've read all they need to and can enjoy the "commission" of tablet play.  As a side note, just so I don't think back and think that it was a complete free for all - we had to adjust the tablet rules to just one day / weekend because no one was listening or paying attention... go figure.  learn as you go though.

My best friend sent me a picture of her youngest.  She cut her own bangs.  Pretty short.  I did this to my sister when I was younger, although I don't think I stopped at the bangs.  I think it was all over chop.  Pretty funny.

One of my cousins is going to play college football for a division 1 program.  I guess he's "walking on", but I really believe in my heart that this kid will get to play and play a lot in the future.  He's got incredible determination.  

In early February we had some sickness going around - typical coughing / slight fever for the older two.  Then poor Seth got it bad...like awful.  Puking from a Monday night to a Friday morning.  He just could not keep anything down.  Finally got him eating again / drinking milk...then the following Tuesday he woke up screaming at the top of his lungs...no consoling, no comfort.  He stayed home all day with Curt, but when I got home we ran to the Dr... good thing we did - poor guy had 2 ear infections.  After 10 days of the good ol' pink stuff we are back and raring to go!

he had just pooped and it literally knocked him out...no energy after pooping...

Funny thing happened at Wal-mart...said no mom ever... it's not usually funny...but stressful, chaotic...but this was pretty funny.  Seth was walking around (instead of in the cart) and was loving every minute of it.  Suddenly he says "Mom!  Mom!  Poo Poo" and then just sits down on the makeup aisle floor.  He was serious.  I felt bad for the teenage girl walking through - trying to buy some new nail polish... free birth control in the make up aisle!  ha ha.

Next - took a day off in late February and went to hit golf balls.  I had never done this before.  Apparently I'm not half bad.  183 yards.  

And finally... I have made a quilt.  Yes - me...with a mother who hates to sew... not sure where I get it...maybe it skipped a generation?  But yes a full King size - quilted quilt.  It's lovely.  I am pretty proud of it.  My mother in law who helped me exponentially with it is pretty proud too...

and for all the mother's out there - saw this...laughed and thought of us all at some point.

catch up...

helloooo...  i hope one day the boys read these posts and laugh at my words...laugh at how long it takes me to post something of importance (to me)....  maybe one day i'll turn it into a book?

• halloween - almost 2 full months ago!
• we had a great time - bit of a neighborhood block party was had due to halloween, Royals in the World Series and of course candy/adult beverages...it was a pretty great time.  lots of kids running around - new neighbors / old neighbors meeting up, adding each other to facebook friends list, phone numbers for texting later :)  kind of neat really :)
• here were the boys - we had "Toothless" from How to Train Your Dragon (Mark); "a green dragon" (handmedown - poor kid - thirdbornproblems, Seth) and of course "Batman" (Noah).

They had a great time - not too much candy either!

• Seth's Birthday - wondered if I should give him his own post, but I am going to cram all of this together anyway... he won't mind:)
• We were all recovering from barf-o-rama 2015 during his real birthday day...apple crisp was all i could muster, but no one complained...and everyone kept it down ;)

• We tried again with the rest of the family a couple of weeks later...

• My mom made the cake - it was pretty amazing!  he loves LOVES LOVES trucks - like in order of importance in his world - its Dada, PAPA, PAPA's truck, and trucks...and dogs... dogs are always sprinkled in there in between.

• Not sure what is up with the 'squinting', but he's been doing this lately when we say "smile" or "cheese"... pretty darn cute!

• On to Thanksgiving...
• no pictures...lame to the l.a.m.e.  we were there - my brother - my parents...the boys (all of them) ate about a million crescent rolls... i took a huge nap... football, etc...

• Christmas decorating - ha!
• so we're trying one.more.year. with the almighty tree...the darn thing still is dying... 

1st light up:

l - to - the - a - to - the - m - to - the - e...sheesh

2nd lighting:

pretty excited!

• Last but not least... 
• helping with Noah's basketball team... assistant coach sort of... it's so awesome...the boys are crazy...8yrs old...don't pay attention longer than 2seconds... bounce the balls all over the place, but it's so fun... way more fun than soccer coaching... maybe because i know how to play basketball...LOL

so bossy!

• and tis the reason for the season!