Shopping, Stealing, and Sadness

Well, some tummy troubles have me momentarily delayed...I ordered food to go from Chili's-and think I grabbed a virus to go too! ugh. Can't get in the hot tub till I feel better.

We've shopped, and almost dropped! We've NeVeR stopped this early-by 6:30!-to go eat and get back to the hotel. We've been going since yesterday after lunch in Branson (with one of my old friends from junior high-Becky!). We made it till the stores closed, ate at Pizza Hut late, then closed Target-literally at 10pm. Today we started late, got some good deals-on both winter closeout stuff and early spring/summer clothes. I'm buying mainly for this spring/summer, and only for next winter if the deals are too amazing to pass up.

I found the cutest stuff for Mary Claire, but some of it is older-glittery butterflies, "skinny" pants, etc. and I'm wondering if she's too young. I've tried so hard to keep her really youthful-my baby in bows and cutesy dresses-so letting her grow up is hard, but it might be time.

Today marks a new phase in my parenthood. I'd like to erase it, but it's impossible. Mary Claire took Ches' debit card-from his wallet in the kitchen-and tried to buy *points* online to buy a Nintendo DSi game. You can only use points (I guess to keep kids from just buying directly online, and in hopes that they'd only use points their parents bought them?), so she worked at it. When Ches discovered it was missing (at the Boy Scout store), he panicked. He called the last place he'd used it, Chick-Fil-A in Rogers, and they didn't have it. He went home, looked everywhere, and remembered Mary Claire asking if he'd buy her some points. He went up, looked in her room, and found his debit card under one of her DSi game boxes. He was so mad! He told her to stay in her room, and he came downstairs and called me. We conferenced, I told him she had to write 50 sentences, extra math problems, to take her DSi away (and all equipment so she had no reason to think she'd ever get it back), and she had to stay in her room for two days, and be grounded for two weeks. I felt so bad I wasn't there!

He did, and she finished the sentences (that she even finished them was the most surprising!), and then he was frustrated that her being naughty was going to ruin everyone else's day. He wanted to go back to Chick-Fil-A to let the boys play-since it's still only 12 degrees out-wind chill of -6 degrees. I told him to just have her take a book and sit and read while they played. Maybe she'd see what she was missing out on. What a rough day. It gets harder and harder for me to leave. I feel like it's good for me mentally (it's a good workout too!), but I don't know how to make it easier. They'd even been to Jump Zone, Chick-Fil-A, and I'd told them they had each earned $4 in allowance (for chores) that they could spend (which they'd already spent by the time she did it!). I mean they'd had a good day, and she had to push for more. I'm so disappointed in her.

Ok, back to being a little sick, then maybe swim? and more shopping tomorrow! I'm all DONE shopping for Mary Claire. The boys got about four matching outfits each, and Ches got a few things. Maybe I'll be quick tomorrow? : )

Just the Best!

An absolutely great day! : ) Lunch with a friend (I hadn't seen in maybe 18 years? we were trying to remember. . ), shopping with a friend-a great time! We ate dinner late and will meet up with another friend for lunch tomorrow. Branson is turning out to be our second home. Heehee

I was so worried about the roads, but God was watching over me. They were so dry and perfect. It even snowed these big massive flakes all day-beautiful, but absolutely no accumulation. And because it was sooo cold (the high was 14 degrees), the car would get cold, we'd get back in, and you could see the perfect flakes on the windshield-awe-some. You cannot look at all the individual flakes and think there isn't a God orchestrating our world. Impossible. Just so perfect.

On another note, I've pigged out at Pizza Hut, then tried on clothes-Not a Good Idea. Makes your wobbly bits a teensy bit more noticeable!! (or tons more so) I found a beautiful white jacket (looks like softened leather, but it's not, so no animal died for me), it has zippers on the sleeves, that I am going to have hemmed, so the zips may go. I'm sure alterations will cost as much as the jacket, but it's rockin'! And I was needing a new jacket...

We are winding down, getting ready for bed-we have a long day tomorrow! We are dressing warm, and our hearts are pumping with fun, so we'll be fine. Keep your babies in, and stay warm!

Parenting (mostly out of the shower)

Thanks, Mom, for letting Clay and Mary Claire come for the day! They had fun, and I needed a break. (They probably needed a break from me too!) I got a few more things cleaned up (I still had wrapping paper out from Christmas), had time to chop billions of veggies for stir-fry for dinner (8 cups!), got a nap (praise the Lord) to sleep off my headache (which is back, btw), and fit in a shower! Even though I waited until Ethan took a nap to take a shower (since I never know what he'll bring to me/carry into my bathroom...), he walked in with his blankie and his pants down! He'd had a potty in Clay's bathroom after his nap, and wanted to be wiped. I know, brings chills, doesn't it? I got out (while he just stood there sleepily watching me), dried off, and wiped him! Ahh, a precious child. I turned on the tv (sad, but it functions as babysitter when I'm not dressed), and quickly dried my hair! It surprises me how fast the days go by!

Mary Claire is having some trouble in math, mainly with double-digit subtraction with borrowing. It hasn't been formally taught at school yet, but I've been working with her. I talked with her teacher (Clay's teacher for second grade also), and she said she'd teach it earlier this year (after Christmas), and it still feels like it isn't soon enough. It's such a basic life skill that needs daily repetition to master. I worry about her. She's so smart (take yesterday's internet experience), but doesn't really WaNt to apply herself. How to motivate her...yes, Ches wants to reward goodness with internet time! Let's see how that one goes.

Almost done with the loss (not a better word to use here, I really tried to think of another). I am becoming more obsessed (at least I'm aware of it?) with getting pregnant. I have looked up all different causes of early pregnancy loss, and ways for me to be healthier. I'm pretty healthy, but there are more things I can do. I'm trying to cut caffeine (as is Ches), which may prove to be my biggest hurdle. I don't just like it; I love it. Coke, coffee, chocolate, my love. So, I'm a little moody today, and it's causing headaches (probably withdrawal). When it gets so bad I can't see, I have about a third of a can of Coke (maybe 20 grams of caffeine?), and it doesn't help. It just helps in my mind. : ) I've read that two cups of coffee a day can double the chances of miscarriage-not what I need. I can be an extremist, and don't really want to be, but there are small, simple things I can change.

I don't even know how I got to this point. A year ago, I was just sure (I think I was) I was done having kids. I had a conversation with my doctor at my last yearly appointment about any last kids (The Talk since I was Getting Older). I guess after you realize it's the end, and you do a lot of prayer time about children, you soften. Then, I was so surprised at myself at how excited I was to be pregnant last summer. You don't really know how you'll feel till you see a positive pregnancy test! I just cried. Then, losing that one, I was so disappointed. Now it feels like a quest. And, sadly, I just live for a challenge. Don't ever dare me to do something or say it can't be done. Just competition in my genes, a way of life.

It's already hard on a lot of days to have three kids. It's not three times the work of one, which some of my friends ask about. It's just more. You don't take into account the effect that each one has on the others, both good and bad. They are built-in playmates, adore each other, can't wait to see one another in the morning, help the youngest go to the bathroom or read to them, and they still get on the others' nerves, pinch each other, don't want to take turns, and want to know why the other one isn't helping unload the dishwasher! It's just More.

I've always said that I have a lot of faith, and I do. I don't think this is quite it, and I still think God has an amazing plan. He always surprises me. There must be something in the works, even as I ponder what it could be.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.
Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Computers-We have more than we realize

Moved a room of furniture, an armoire, tv and all-important Wii! It literally was the least expensive way to add a room to our house! We have a living room that we NeVeR live in, and I was up this morning wanting to Wii (without waking up Ches, or having him watch me hula hoop!), and a plan was hatched. I came in, woke him up, and laid out the idea. I love that he just goes with the flow! We moved the furniture all around (including trading out an armoire with a hutch), played with it, and voila! We were in there all day! (and Ethan could watch Ruby and Max unbothered in the hearth room, so he was happy too) Just magical.
I knew there was a way to wake that room up (besides lime green paint). A tv just draws people sometimes, as much as we try to avoid it. And I fit in 40 minutes of Wii Fit today! Woo hoo!
My toenails had forgotten what nail polish felt like...until today! I finally took some time for me, which was nice. I got a small nap (I could finally breathe after getting some antibiotics yesterday), made dinner (steak and fries!), and Mary Claire and I made banana bread for dessert. She actually did most of it since I was making dinner too. We played Apples to Apples (for the 40th time..I think they are losing interest-they were totally acting up tonight!). Oh yeah, and I got a bath (I know, hahahaha. Seriously, I only have time for showers!), washed my sheets and remade my bed (dropped the electric blanket and added the big fluffy duvet).
We just found out Mary Claire was still awake! (10:40pm!) Ches could see all the computers that have ever accessed our internet, and there was a live one! It was my little girl, yes, age 7, on the computer!! She got a DSi for Christmas, and we knew it had the word "Web", but we'd never used it, or even tried it. Well, apparently she did! She just smiled, and told Ches so excitedly how much she loved her DS (for the 82nd time!). Oh My Gosh. She'd been to several websites already, and she knew the parental password! I have to say I didn't set it up, and haven't played with it too much (besides the Picto-Chat), but it is truly a mini-computer. We really had no idea. We'll have to start collecting their cute little colored computers as they head up to bed. I didn't think we'd hit this stage for a few more years! : O