new puppy

It has been awhile since I have had to really house-train a puppy. When we got our current dog, he'd been fostered for awhile so much of the house-training had been done. All we had to do was watch for the leg hike and those things he'd find to chew on(or up as the case was!). The last time we really had to go through it from the beginning was 14 years ago with our first 'baby' and that was pre-kid! We were both working at the time, so weren't home during the day as I am now, but we also could leave our girl outside a lot of days when it was pleasant out. Neighbors liking their peace as we seem to have really make that impossible, so it is fortunate I am home during the day most days(when we aren't running to and from appointments and playdates). This is day one so she is still learning the 'rules'. First of all being 'we don't pee in the house'. The second rule is, 'we sleep in our crate'. Now, maybe it isn't fair as not ALL dogs in this house sleep in crates, just the non-house broken ones. She is struggling with this rule a bit right now as it is nearing midnight and she is throwing a bit of a tantrum. She has been warned that certain dogs in this house(that will remain nameless, Oliver) have had to spend the first few nights in their crate IN the van(it makes for a great silencer!) so the members of the household get some sleep! She is testing me on this and she may meet her fate sooner than she'd care to think about! The barking and howling can't last all night can it? Hm...
Memphis is so very cute and know she will be a great companion, so for now we are showing her mercy. In time, she will grow to love her crate and choose to go there for solace and comfort, but for now, she is not feeling the love! I can't say that I would, either, but I am not a puppy.
She has been in our home for less than 12 hours and we are totally in love with her already. Oliver tolerates her and was playing with her earlier. He wasn't too sure about her at first, but I think he will be great at showing her what she is to do and that he is the boss. He is a good big brother dog. I think he is a bit disturbed at the moment as he is trying to catch a little sleep after being worn out by her today, but if I know Ollie, he will be able to ignore her cries from the crate soon enough. He's awesome like that! He is just happy that HE gets to sleep on the couch and not in a tiny little box with a door!

Nice outside

It has been SO nice out these last few days by comparison to what it has been for SO LONG! I didn't even have to force the kids outside, they went...on their own...and played like normal children! One kickball went over the new neighbors' fence(they weren't home to get it back) and the other ended up high in the tree, but thanks to a telescoping light bulb changer, mom was able to retrieve the ball, thus making me the hero of the day! Where's my cape!?

So, dragging the exersaucer out onto the deck was no small feat, BUT the wee-est one was happy to have a change of scenery and a little fresh air as well. All five kids(+ two friends) having a great time out in the yard made for an enjoyable evening. Now, dragging them INside for baths, homework, reading, etc was more of a challenge, but I don't mind that for the fun time that was had. The wreckage left in the backyard was rather immense between the frisbees, random assortment of balls, jump ropes, soccer goals, bats, chunks of wood and other oddities. Getting them to clean it up wasn't bad as it was a way for them to steal a few more minutes outside. They should all sleep well tonight. I hope....

and they're off!

The big kids headed off to school on Wednesday and changed the whole dynamic of the house. The kids were starting to get on each nerves just be being in the same room, so it was time for the return to routine. They were ready to go back even before I was ready to share them, but by the first day, I was ready, too! They are all a buzz about who is in their class for the first time, who's been in their class the most times, how many new kids, all that jazz.

One of the short ones, is not as happy about this. Shorty lost his playmates! The first day of school, he was still in bed when the big 'magic school bus' came and took away his people, but day two was a different story! He wigged out as the bus pulls away. I felt so bad for him for being so sad about the big kids leaving him, but silly me, it wasn't THAT at all. "Neo get ON it!" He was mad that he didn't get to ride the big cool school bus! Poor little man! He sure gets excited about seeing them come home in the afternoon. It may be lame for a 6th grader to have his mom meet the bus every afternoon, but Shorty HAS to go out to see that bus, so until the novelty wears off, he will just have to deal! He can pretend not to know me.

The wee-est one hasn't figure it all out yet, so I don't think she has realized anything is different just yet. Just fewer people to disrupt her nap! She is loving having mommy almost all to herself. She only has to share me with Shorty, but when he is napping, it is just us girls! I'd like to say I have gotten a lot done, but between grocery shopping, and breakfast/lunch dates, I haven't yet. All in good time. It will cold and I'll be more home bound soon enough so I will have plenty to occupy me then. Right?

Really!?

Why is it that no matter when or where I should happen to doze off(rare as it may be)THAT is the time the phone rings? It goes all day with nothing, and then 5 minutes into a little cat nap, it rings! And it is rarely anyONE, but rather a stupid computer call or someone wanting to do a 'survey' as if I ever have the time(or interest) in doing one. It never fails. The last time this mom got a nap in full was....well.....hmmmm, not sure actually. Good thing it isn't an everyday thing for me to need one. I guess the old saying 'nap when the baby naps' is only for when they are tiny and new? Who am I kidding, I couldn't get a nap then, either!
You may be thinking, oh, well the big kids go back to school next week so you will be able to nap then, um, yeah well the same fate will await me so I need to just surrender. Call a 3 minute nap a good rest and get on with it, right? I am not sure, but I think a 3 minute nap is worse that no nap at all some days. I just pitty the next live person at the end of the line that wants to sell something when I have JUST dozed off. They just may wish they had skipped over my number. Maybe I will get a 'note' in my file and they'll stop calling!?
Okay, so I am all talk and wouldn't really but I can think it and smile!! Can't I?

packin' up for school...

...is as thrilling for me as it is for the kids. Seeing their excitement in packing up their new stuff in preparation for their return to school makes my heart dance. They look forward to getting back in the groove as well as seeing their friends they have missed over the summer. It is still another few days before the ever-exciting posting of the class lists, but they are geared up none the less. Trying to imagine who their teachers might be and who will be in their class. This is the last year for Jonah's excitement of that, as starting next year he will start from scratch with teachers he doesn't know at a school he doesn't know with a bunch of new kids as well. He will be excited to pick-up his Jr. High class schedule and call his friends to see if they have any of the same classes. Yes, for that, I can wait. The fact that I have a 6th grader is hard enough for me to swallow for the time-being.
Taking two boys with VERY different tastes in clothing shopping for school clothes is a fun adventure. One going one way and one going the other. There were showers of shirts cast upon me and I must say I was pleased with their selections. They have been taught well the value of a dollar and made wise choices awarding them both 6-7 items for less than $70 for all of it! Gotta LOVE that! Kohl's rocks my world! I know I won't be able to get away with it for ever, but by the time their desires for the high-dollar clothing kicks into full steam, maybe they'll have their own income to help with those must-haves.

Vacation for 7....

It is no small feat vacationing with 5 children. First there's the deciding what we need to take and what can be left at home. Then there is choosing the luggage needed to transport everything we need that will fit together in the van. THEN the fun of finding it all, getting it all packed up and loading it into the van. Good thing I am pretty good with spacial relations or it would never have fit. I'd like to think I get my knock for loading a car from my dad, but I bow at his feet as I am simply not worthy there. He is THE MASTER when it comes to that! He was not asked to help me load the van so I was on my own and all in all I think It did pretty well. The goal was to make it all fit and it did. I didn't have room to spare, but I didn't need any, I suppose. Now I should have taken a picture of how everything was so I'd have it as a guide when packing to come home. However I did not and the return trip was packed much less efficiently with the umbrella stroller not fitting in the back at all and having to ride in the main part. Oh well, it all fit one way or the other.
Now another important part of traveling with 5 children is passenger placement. The two wee ones were a given since they have the seats strapped in already, but the bigger kids have to be strategically placed. There are some combinations that simply don't work so they must be avoided. There will be bickering after a while no matter what simply because of the closeness to each other, but some fight before we even back out of the driveway! That makes for a rough day of travel. Ultimately we had the best possible arrangement of children when we set off. If only I made them stay that way....
One would think that 3 hours the first day would have been rather peaceful, but the fighting began before we reached our destination. Not bad, I must say, but still fighting none the less. The arrival to my sister's with her two boys gave the kids a much needed outlet to run and play with their cousins. All the stress of being in the car was released almost immediately. It was a wonderful visit, though short. Now imagine the fun of trying to fit 7 people into a loft apartment that already has 4 living in it! Amazingly it was pretty easy and all did well with just a little creativity. We all fit better there than we would have in a typical hotel room. Then early the next day we got to load everyone, the overnight bag and the pack-n-play back into the van early to take off for the much longer drive to Mississippi.
At first it was quiet. We picked up some YUMMY donuts that kept us busy and most were still half asleep, but it was obvious when they started to wake. The peace was short-lived before it all turned u-g-l-y! The dvd player did offer some relief, thankfully. After a potty-break we rearranged who sat where and that was a BIG mistake! Should have known better. After we stopped for lunch we went back to normal and STAYED that way. We shouldn't have messed with a good thing. We made each other word searches and did Sudoku to help pass the time in the car.
We enjoyed some amazing food along the journey as we try to do. Some were awesome and there were a few that we won't go back to. For us food is part of the fun. We plan to only eat at places we don't have at home and others that are just local. On the way down to Mississippi, there was Purple Burrito, and a brewing company, and an amazing BBQ place own by the Neely's from Food Channel. The Purple Burrito was fabulous. The food was HUGE and very tasty as well as affordable. We all left stuffed and miserable, yet completely pleased. Interstate BBQ by the Neely's was great, too. They had a lot to offer, but the ribs were to die for!
We arrived late in the day in Mississippi. We were so happy to have arrived. It was hot and humid, but no different from home so we were prepared for that. We stayed with our wonderful friends who were ready to increase their household by 7. They had plenty of space for us and no one seemed too cramped or crowded. They had a pond out back, and a huge yard and driveway for the kids to play. Because of the heat, they stayed IN most of the time, but there was plenty of space for that as well. The visit was so wonderful. All the kids enjoyed each other and it was nice to be able to hang with our friends again. We ate out some and we ate in some. No one was 'bored' and really the fighting a bickering was at a minimum as well.
One bad decision I made was to think I could deal with a still-working-on-it potty trainer with underwear. Uh, yeah, I changed my mind on that VERY quickly and switched over to the pull-up style. That went MUCH better. He still did what we asked of him but when he got busy playing as they so often do, I wasn't having to invade the washer with messy things. Hey, I couldn't have known until I tried. I have never traveled with a potty-trainer before. I won't make that mistake twice!
If you have never been to the Space Center in Huntsville, Alabama, I suggest you take the time to go sometime. It is the home of Space Camp. There are so many neat things there to see and do. I-max, simulators, rock wall climbing, TONS of actual space craft parts and a wonderful history of the space program museum. We spent the day there and closed the place down! They have some rides there, too, for the bigger kids and adults, though we missed some of them when a storm blew in. The rides were ones that mimicked the feelings one experiences in space like g-force, and free fall. There were smaller versions of these for the wee ones, too. For us, it was worth the 2 hour drive. It was on this drive, that we witnessed our van turning over 100,000 miles!
The 12 hour drive home was the hardest part of the whole journey since everyone was tired and ready to get home. By the time we got near home, we stunk, were crabby and exhausted, so that was by far my LEAST favorite part of the trip. Lunch was great at Jay's Fried Chicken and a few of us took naps. I think I can wait awile before wanting to take another trip that long, but we will forget all the rough spots and relish on the fun stuff and that will get us excited for our next adventure.