pregnancy hormones cause nightmares!

Last night I had a dream that we took the kids to the mall and as we were leaving we realized that we had lost Sam and Kalen.  I'm walking around the mall screaming for them both and had to pry the mall doors back open to find Kalen (it's my dream so I can be super human!).  When I woke up, I was terrified.  It totally traumatized me.  I may never take all four children to the mall.  I'll be come a consummate online shopper!
I wonder if this is my self-conscious self explaining my fear of being a mother of four?

things mothers shouldn't do

Sam will kill me when he gets older BUT here's my funny Sam story.  We potty-trained Sam to go sitting down and since he's started school I've been worried that he'll get made fun of for being "a sitter".  So since kindergarten, I've begged Sam to try going standing up.  The kid just won't do it!  So a few weeks ago, we had a talent show practice at school.  As we were leaving, Sam said that he needed to go potty.  Well, we were already out of the building and the building was locked so there was no going back in.  I took him to the side of the building where no one would see him, dropped his drawers and proceeded to instruct my son on how to pee standing up!  He looks at me with this huge smile on his face and says "it's just like a water hose!".  When he finished, he looks up at me with the sweetest expression and says "thanks for teaching me to pee outside Mom."  Well,  there are some experiences as a mother that you are never prepared for and never forget....this is by far one of those moments!

Where's Kalen?

Kalen's new obsession of late has been the hamper.   Whenever I empty it to do the laundry he grabs it and runs.  Literally.  It's like the coolest toy on the block for him and I have to say it makes for a pretty hilarious sight for me as well.

Preschool Field Day and Graduation

So the last few weeks have been crazy!  Sam had a birthday and Isabel had a field day all in the same day.  The following week Izzy had preschool graduation which was really more of a party:)  So I'll start with a quick view of field day: each parent came up with an event to do and we met at the Gustafson's.  We had a great time and then had a picnic lunch afterwards.  I was in charge of the obstacle course!  The kids had to ride the big wheel, then hop through big swimming rings, throw a ball into the basket, crawl through the tunnel and cross the finish line.  They had a great time.  At the end of the day, they got medals!  Of course, Izzy refused to participate in any events except when she got to help Mary throw a frisbee!

Kalen prepping the obstacle course

the sack race

Frisbee toss

Iz helping Mary

Relay race

Balloon race

Kalen really bummed that his water balloon kept bursting

Of course, Isabel was also not excited to participate in graduation proceedings but we were able to get a few photos.  She got a diploma, a hat, a yearbook that one mom made, and a cool folder with info about what she learned this year.

Preschool graduates

my girl

another episode of conversations from the back of the van

While driving today, Isabel pipes up with "Whoa Mom!  Look at that big truck!"  
Me: "Yes Izzy, it's a semi-truck." 
Izzy: "isn't that the truck where the back goes spinning around and around?"
Me: "oh, you mean a cement truck.  A cement truck spins around; a semi-truck has a really long trailer on the back."
Izzy: "Oh, okay."
Me: "Wow Izzy, you are just so smart."
Izzy: "Mom, don't you mean I'm smart AND funny."
Me: "yes sweetheart, you are smart and funny."

Sam's seventh!

So Sammy's birthday was about a week ago and we really celebrated!  The new thing out now is on May 4th, people celebrate May the Fourth be with you!  And it fit perfectly with our birthday boy's party theme: Star Wars.  This is the second year that Sam chose Star Wars as a theme so I was able to reuse some decorations and the cake toppers!  We had 9 seven and eight yr old boys in our home and their favorite thing to do was play in the basement, naturally!  We also had a "derby" of sorts with Star Wars skateboards and played a version of Marco Polo called "Jedi Master".  Everyone successfully made it to Jedi Master status in that game.  Sam just had a blast and it reminded me that I don't need to spend a fortune on birthday parties as long as the kids have fun and get to enjoy each other.  The best part of the party was when Sam opened his present from us (six Skylander figures) and Max exclaimed "O-M-G, look at those Skylanders!"   Well, I just felt like the best mom ever!!  heehee
At seven years of age, Sam enjoys playing Wii and Legos.  He still wants to be a scientist.  He is astounding at first grade and does well academically.  His teacher said he needs to work on "not interrupting" and "talking out of turn".  He is my son:)   He likes riding the bus and just learned to do the monkey bars entirely by himself.  His favorite friends are his cousins, Uncle Joe, and a few boys from school.  He loves to give hugs and is very affectionate!  He is also very excited for the new baby!

the cake

the cake lit up!

Make a wish!

the birthday boy

the party-goers

opening a present

Good guy or bad guy

While watching a movie last night with Sam, he would ask "is that a good guy or a bad guy?" every time a new person came on the screen.  It was very easy to tell him "good guy" or "bad guy" and then in the end I could say "the bad guy always gets it in the end".  With that on my brain, I've been thinking lately of a woman that attends church with us.  She's a super sweet, lovely, polite lady and everyone talks about how awesome she is.   And she is...awesome!  She's always  polite to me and smiles when she sees me.  But to be truly honest, I know that she doesn't really like me very much.  She's never said or done anything specifically to tell me that she doesn't like me but I can kinda tell that she's just not too much of a fan of mine.  And honestly, that's okay.  Yet lately, I find myself a little bothered by it and wondering "what's wrong with me that she doesn't like me?"  As I was thinking about it today, I caught myself thinking "yeah, well, you are nice to so-and-so and so-and-so and yet you really don't like them very much. You're just polite to them b/c that's the nice thing to do."  And I stop to ask "am I a good guy or a bad guy?"  I've always said that you will not be friends with everyone. You just can't be.  You don't hate them; you don't wish harm upon them; but you just don't "like" them.  I think that's alright.  Sometimes you don't like someone b/c they are too different from you.  Sometimes you don't like someone b/c they are exactly like you!  And I still think that's okay.  I don't have to like everyone, as long as I love them and wish them the best.  I don't have to like everyone, as long as I can recognize that they are a child of God and deserve love and happiness.....even if their love and happiness occurs away from me.  So why am I so bummed about someone deciding that they don't want to like me.  I'm such a hypocrite.  Even I know that I'm annoying, loud, and sometimes a little too honest!  Shoot, I'm not sure that I like me!  But I have to wonder "am I a good guy or a bad guy?"  Does this lady dislike me b/c I'm a bad guy?  Okay, honestly, I don't think that's why but it makes you wonder.....  Too bad life is just not as cut and dry to determine good guy/bad guy!