A Bit of This and That

1. Things have been a bit crazy around here lately.  I've been trying to get a lot of work done outside, with the lawns and flowerbeds and garden and such.  Also, it's the end of the school year, which means I'm pretty much editing non-stop.  This is great for our DisneyWorld 2015 budget, but not so great for getting anything else done.  Plus, my dad and Susie are coming for a quick visit this weekend, which means I've also been doing a bit of extra housecleaning lately.  The rational part of my brain knows that Susie and Dad won't care or judge me if my house isn't immaculate for them.  However, the irrational (and, frankly, larger & stronger) part of my brain wants to punch my rational brain in the mouth.  But it can't because it's too busy scrubbing behind the toilets.

2. Spencer is a super-grouch.  Do all 8 year old boys become super-grouches?  Because this is a phase that just won't end.  He's grouchy All. The. Time.  And it drives me nuts, because we'll be having a perfectly pleasant afternoon at home, and then he comes home from school and sorts of heck breaks loose because all he does is squabble and pick at his siblings.  (He's tried that with his Momma, but with disastrous consequences on his end.)  I'm interested to see if he'll be a super-grouch while Dad and Susie are here.  If he isn't, then once they leave I'll be all "Hey, how come you're not a super-grouch when Grandpa and Grandma are here?"  This will probably make him even more grouchy, but at least he'll know I'm on to him.

3. I totally forgot that this week was Teacher Appreciation Week.  Even though there were a bajillion projects for it all over Pinterest and such.  I'm cool like that.  But I remembered this morning and decided that I should make something for Spencer's teacher.  I didn't want to bake anything because 1) we most certainly do not need more desserts around here, 2) she's a nice, single lady who lives by herself; I don't know that she would really want a dozen cookies or brownies, 3) I didn't really have time to bake.  We gave her a bunch of much-needed school supplies at Christmas, so that route was out, too.  So I randomly decided to make her a felt flower pin and put it in a cute box.  Here's how it turned out. 

 

Not too shabby, right?  I totally want one of those pins for myself now.  My only worry is that she'll think I expect her to wear the pin the next time I see her.  I do not.  Hopefully she'll just know how grateful we are that Spencer has a good, patient teacher!

4. Tess has decided she no longer eats breakfast.  She'll drink about 1/2 a bottle of milk and then she's done until around 10am.  This is a problem on preschool days because we are always out and about and it is not always convenient to feed a baby then.  To make things even more fun, she has decided she doesn't want anything to do with Cheerios, crackers, or any other convenient on-the-go snacks.  No, she wants fresh fruit and cheese for her 10am breakfast, and woe on anyone who doesn't give it to her!  She is also teething (which may be why she doesn't like anything crunchy), has a slight cold, and is in the process of unsuccessfully giving up her morning nap.  What a little ray of sunshine she is!

5.  The other day we stopped at Menard's to pick a few things up.  I swear to you that Cole sounded out the letters and read the Menard's sign while we were walking through the parking lot.  "Meh-eh-ehn-ah-are-duh-sss".  Madness.  Sheer madness.

6.  I think Cole's spelling and reading has made Josh feel a little inadequate.  I have offered to help him learn how to read, but he turned me down.  In reaction to everything, Josh now talks in baby talk about 75% of the time we are at home.  Obnoxious.

7.  Tomorrow is the annual father/son camp out that our church does every year.  Only this year they decided to turn it into a family camp out.  Nothin' doin'.  Even though I haven't been since I was pregnant with Spencer, I actually do like camping.  What I don't like is the idea of camping with little kids.  Also, I do not like the idea of giving me one wonderful night each year where Lance takes the kiddos and I can do what I want, and then taking that night away from me.  (Sure, I've had babies at home with me for the past few years, but I put them to bed and then do what I want!)  So I'm not going.  Sure, I understand that they probably changed it to accommodate families without sons or without children at all.  To that I say: hey, if you don't have any sons you can borrow one of ours.  Seriously, we have spares.  And for those without children - are they really going to want to go camping with a bunch a group FULL of other people's kids?  I wouldn't.  (Heck, that's really just another reason I don't want to go - I don't want to deal with all of my kids plus others!)  Instead, I'm hiring a babysitter and going out with some friends for pedicures and dinner.  If that makes me a spoil sport, so be it.  I'll be a spoil sport with cute toes.