Nohe 5

The Best Gift

Today is our anniversary.  Five years for those of you keeping count.  Marty and I don't make a big fuss over anniversaries.  We usually watch a movie at home, a tradition we started before we even had kids.  It's all very laid back, not gifts, no big plans, just a quiet evening at home.

This afternoon I was checking Marty's calendar to see what he had going on this week (he is one busy guy) and on the top of today's date it said, "The Happiest Day of My Life."  He didn't write it so I would see it; it was just how he listed the day.  Could a wife ask for a better gift?

I love you sweetie.  I can't imagine my life without you.  Happy Anniversary!

I Hate Homework

Rachel is only in the 1st grade and already the homework load is unbelievable.  Between Spelling, Math, Religion, ect, we are spending on average an hour a night doing homework.  It is not that she is slow or that the work is too terribly hard; there is just so much of it.

Call me crazy, but when a kid is in school from 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, there should be enough time to cover all the material in class.  Add on to that a 45 minute commute each way to and from school, she is spending 9 and a half hours a day engaging in school related activities. 

The child gets up at 6 AM to be out the door at 7:15 to be at school a few minutes before 8.  Then there is the long school day.  By the time she gets home from school and changes her clothes, it is 4 PM.  We have dinner around 6 PM and then the kids go to bed between 7:30 and 8 o'clock.  She barely has time to get a shower and story time in at night, let alone all this homework.  Excuse me, but when are kids supposed to be kids?

I am just surprised that the academic pushing and pulling starts at such an early age.  For gravy's sake, she is 6 years old.  I feel like the message we are sending her is, "Well kid, I hope you enjoyed your childhood because it's over now.  Welcome to the real world where it's all work and no play."

Our Weekend

We went to the Touch A Truck event put on by the Park Authority.  It is a great event in which lots of large trucks and construction vehicles are available for kids to climb on and experience first hand.  The big kids especially liked the tank and blowing the giant truck's big horns.  Afterward we chilled out at the cooling station and played on the playground.  It was a very nice way to spend an afternoon.

Overheard

The kids are playing a game that they made up called Shoo the Ball.  The only constant rule seems to be that a ball gets rolled back and forth in the hall using a child sized broom.  All other rules seem to be a work in progress and they all seem to benefit Rachel.

Example:

Rachel:  If I get the ball past you I win.

Nicholas: And if I get the ball past you I win.

Rachel:  No you don't.

A Day at the Fair

This week is our county Fair.  The minute the Ferris Wheel goes up, little voices from the back of the car start begging to go.  What could be more fun than a family outing to the county fair.  Cotton candy, hot dogs, rides on the midway, a petting zoo.  Sounds like perfect family fun.  But that fun comes at a hefty price, especially if you have a big family.

When I told a friend of mine that we went to the Fair and only spent $21 dollars she exclaimed, "Impossible!"  The admission alone is $7 for adults and $5 for kids 3 to 16.  Throw in ride tickets at $1 a pop or a strip of 20 for $20 (yes there was a sign that did this difficult calculation for patrons) and you might as well go down the road to Kings Dominion and ride something that wasn't on a flat bed truck last week.

It is unfortunate that a local, family focused event is so expensive.  Potentially prohibitively expensive in my opinion.  However, we planned ahead and managed to have hours of fun without breaking the bank.  First of all, we stayed off the midway.  I didn't see a single ride that was less than 3 tickets, err, 3 dollars.  I told the kids before hand that they could each ride one ride and they both chose the flying elephants.

Want to see what $6 of fun in only 3 minutes looks like.

We also saved money by getting the kids in for free.  They earned free tickets through the library by reading a certain number of books over the summer.  Then we shared a couple of drinks, had some Flav-O-Ice and that was it for the cash funded fun.

Call me cheap.  I'll take it.  It can be difficult to get out and do something with a brood of like mine without emptying your wallet.  However it is possible.  This summer we have gone to several free outdoor movies and concerts.  We've widdled away countless hours at the library.  The farmer's market, while technically not free because we are buying our produce for the week, can be an exploration adventure, plus there is the big train to climb on.  Finally, we spent hours at the Fair visiting all the barns and booths that are usually rushed by without a glance. We threw rubber pigs, made buttons and bird feeders, saw all manner of beast and fowl and made a list of all the home art competitions that we wanted to enter next year.  It was a great afternoon.

Is that much a change?

I told a friend of mine that we were going to the zoo and her response was, "Will that be much of a change for you?"  At the zoo the critters are confined.  My house is more like Wild Kingdom.

Our Weekend

This weekend the kids and their cousin Ben went to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens to play in the World of Wonder.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words...

Life With Boys

Yesterday while Rachel convalesced in her room, I spent the day with three active little boys.  OK, the third one's activity mostly consisted of crying, eating and staring around the room, but he was active nonetheless.

First we pumped up the ball bin Thomas.  The boys even helped.  First Nicholas pumped...

...then Jack pumped it up.

Then Mommy pumped it for about an hour more.  Finally, it was time to have fun.

After all the fun with the balls, the boys got in to my yarn bin.  Granted, I haven't had the time (or motivation) to knit in over a year, this is not how I thought the yarn would be used when I bought it.  Yes you are seeing correctly.  The boys wrapped the house in a spider web of yarn.

Finally, we rounded out the day with the manly activity of baking cookies.  I measured and Nicholas oversaw the mixer from the speed it spin to who got to lick which part when we were done (you notice who got the beater).

So during our day, there was a little construction, a little destruction and lots of cookies.

We're Not Getting Much Sleep Around Here

Here is some proof that we are not getting much sleep around here.  The children have turned in to cartoon characters, Jack is eating dirt, Nicholas has created a new super hero Spa Man, and Rachel is doing the Macarana.  It is a little crazy around here.  Plus, I am still trying to figure out what Rachel did to piss off Nicholas.

Getting Back in the Groove

Funny how life just keeps on trucking whether we need a break or not.  That is pretty much how things have been going here as we try to get our Groove back after Teddy's birth.  The kids are back at camp, I actually made it to the farmer's market and Marty has been busy with work.  Still, it can be very easy and tempting to jump in with both feet before checking how deep the water is and find yourself in over your head.

Today I am dragging a bit.  I think that I have been just pushing it a little too hard the last few days.  Part of it couldn't be helped.  Someone has to feed and clothe this band of children, but part of it is my drive to be super mom.  Well, today I am paying for it.

In an effort to slow myself down, I have resolved to go through the day without using pain relievers.  I think I need the discomfort to remind me that I am not at 100% and no matter how much I try to pretend I am, I am just not quite back up to full steam yet.  So with that said, I am going to go put my feet up and give my body a chance to continue to heal itself while I bask in the wonderment of my newest little guy.  A true gift from God.