creative punishments because who likes the same ol' beatings

We are not getting into spanking today - but for the sake of this post - we are leaving it at spanking is boring. 

Besides if I spanked my kids everytime they fought - my hand would be black and blue.  Instead I choose to make them apologize and hug each other.  If they are having a particularly bad day - I make them stand in the front yard and hug for 2 minutes while the neighbors drive by.  Let's just say it does the trick - for a day or so.

Mama Kat asked us to "Describe the best/most creative punishment you have ever given your children or received yourself."

My punishments weren't very creative growing up, even though I wasn't grounded, my father would just talk to me and I would crumble.  Even today, if he were to take that tone, I'd still lose it.  (somethings you never grow out of)

I'm more of the get creative type.  I'm still working on my "most creative punishment."  So far there have been a couple that have come close.

• scrubbing the kitchen floor with a scrub brush
• cleaning walls with a toothbrush after writing on them (he was six and totally knew better)
• a drop of hot sauce (texas pete which is not hot) for lying

Any ideas on the "most creative" punishment?

When grandparents enter the door, discipline flies out the window. ~Ogden Nash

November 11th, to all the veterans and their families

November 11th is Veterans day here in the US and Rememberance Day or Armistice Day in other parts of the world.  The day is in rememberance of the signing of the Armistice during the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 that ended World War I.  That should be easy enough to remember.

Yet most of us pass this holiday over like it is nothing.  We don't remember why it was started, what it is about, or what to do about it.  We do seem to remember that the kids get out of school and the banks are closed.

There are a few women around here, whom I'm sure don't ever forget Veterans Day.  Today I want you to take the time to go see them, go say "Thank you for holding down your household so your husband can fight for my freedom."  Because that is what these women do.  Then say thank you to a current serviceman who is fighting for your freedom now.  And when you are done thank someone who came before you, and fought for your freedom before you knew what it was.

Go over to It's Twinsanity  - her husband is leaving to go back to Iraq soon.  He will be fighting for all of us, while she stays home and cares for their six children. 

Spend some time at Angela's Soliloquy.  Her husband fought for us, and she continues to fight for the families of servicemen and women.

Take the time today - to remember how we all got here, and who is still fighting to keep us here!

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

Mount Laundry

In case you didn't count the number of characters in this blog (see right side) - we are a family of 5. A family of five can make a LOT of laundry. But a family of 5 that contains boys who play sports, like dirt, don't mind changing out of wet clothes into new dry ones 30 minutes before bath time, use multiple towels and must go through no less than 1 1/2 pairs of socks per day make a MOUNTAIN of laundry.

Don't believe me? On Sundays I wash no less than 8 loads of laundry. Typically it is 9 or 10. Add sheets and you've got 13 loads. I hate laundry. I'll put in the washer - Bradley will pass it to the dryer - no big deal.

But the FOLDING. I hate it. And the putting AWAY the laundry - well that's why I have kids right?

Still don't believe we have a mountain of laundry? Check out this picture. This is our clean laundry pile at the end of the day on Sundays before I sit down to fold it all (yes I procrastinate until the end).

I will admit there is a couch under there - somewhere. Play Where's Waldo - I mean Where's Couch and see if you can find it.

This house is protected by killer dust bunnies. ~Author Unknown

I was funny on the freak show

Did you know I was funny?  So funny that I won a little prize for being the funniest?  Those very near and dear to my heart know that I'm funny.  Not like my son who is a stand up comic, more in a silly sarcastic way. 

This doesn't make a lot of sense does it - well if you want something to make sense you are in the wrong place.  So go over to Leigh's place for Freak Show Friday and see what real humor is all about.  You may even see me - or someone funnier than me.

why I can't sleep or why they can't sleep

If I'm able to lay down before my dearest hubby, I'm able to sleep no problem.  I sleep soundly until the alarm goes off and then I decide if I'm going to keep sleeping or actually get up.  If hubby goes to sleep before me, I might as well sleep on the couch.  The freight train soundtrack is just not something I can sleep by - although if already asleep it doesn't bother me.

My children however have every reason in the book as to why they can't sleep.  Tyler came up to me last night 10 minutes after laying down and said he couldn't breathe right.  He was breathing fine - just making as much noise as possible while doing so.  I told him to try breathing with his mouth shut - he tried it - and then said "oh, that's much better!"

Once asleep my children have always slept soundly. (for the most part).  Yes I am one of those few lucky Moms whose children slept through the night by 3 months old.  The sleeping part isn't the problem.  It's the getting there.  See the twins have always shared a room. While being separated at night is something that absolutely terrifies them, being together can makes bedtime difficult.   So here are the TOP 10 reasons to get out of bed - per Nathaniel and Tyler.

  

1. I have to go to the bathroom.
2. I need a cup of water.
3. I like your bed better.
4. The light won't work.
5. It's not dark yet. (in the summer)
6. It's too dark. (in the winter)
7. He called me a selfish hairball!
8. He won't stop making me laugh.
9. He has a toy.
10. He spit on me!

Want more - go see Mama Kat!

 

Why won't your kids go to sleep?

There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you sure it's not honest crap?

Really- some days I think my posts are all crap, not scrap.  Especially as I approach my 100th post and I go back and look at the first 2 months worth.  For the first 2 months, I blogged in hiding - it took 4 weeks for me to even tell my husband what I was doing, much less anyone else.  Then I started to branch out and found a couple of awesome groups like SITS, that introduced me to some of the most amazing people.  I've met women from all walks of life through our blogosphere and some of them I really do admire.

It took a long time to feel like my blog was worth reading - I've watched every follower that adds me and delight in the fact that someone wants to read what I write.  Then all of the sudden I started getting awards - I am not used to awards.  It amazes me everytime I see one - and today I humbley accept these three.

The first comes from Laugh until you Cry.  I recently stumbled across her and have made her blog a daily read.  She has such an adorable family.  Thank you Beth for this award.

Her award to me is Honest Scrap and it comes with rules.

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link to their blog.

2. Share 10 honest things about yourself.

3. Present this award to 7 other whose blogs you find brilliant in design or content.

4. Tell those 7 people they have been awarded.

Truths about me - ha - things you never wanted to know

• I love my job and the fact that I get to wear jeans everyday to work
• I am not a morning person, I've never been a morning person.  Somehow having kids made this easier, but it is still not my favorite time of day.
• Even though I'm not an early morning person - once I do wake up - I can get more done by 10am than I can the rest of the day.
• It takes me exactly 1 cup of coffee each day to get moving - no more no less.
• I have very short stubby toes - and they go straight across not at an angle - so no narrow shoes for me!
• I wanted twins - my dream was to have twin boys and then a girl so that we wouldn't have a middle child. 
• I'm addicted to caffiene.  I may only have one cup of coffee a day, but then I also have 1 pepsi and many glasses of tea.
• I'm really mad the new blogger editor doesn't have spell check - because I am the world's crappiest speller.  I've taken to writing my posts in word and then transfering them.
• Now that I enjoy blogging - I can't believe I haven't been doing it for years.
• To deal with having all boys at home and at work - I coach Women's Rugby at the local university.

And now for my seven recipients:

Anti-Supermom

 Twinspirational Runner

I'm Living Proof that God has a Sense of Humor

Life, Music, & Laughter

Still Seeking Sanity

Toddler Awesome

Twice the Love, Half the sleep

The next award comes from Leigh vs. Laundry.  I found this fabulous chick via the crib and have become addicted to her blog.  She has so much fun, and some fabulous pictures.  She gave me the heartfelt award and I take that to be a real honor, thank you Leigh!

I am passing this award on to these five ladies.

Desert Rose Moments

I've Changed My Name to Mommy

Diaries of a Coach's Wife

It's Twinsanity

Laugh Until you Cry

 The final award came from Desert Rose Moments.  She is probably one of my newest finds, and as you can tell by my nomination back to her, one of my new faves!  Mom to five, she is always on a roll.  Desert Rose, thank you and come take your award!  The rules of the friends award are

"This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

And my eight recipents are:

 Three Times the Giggles

Leigh vs. Laundry

The Five Fish

Twinsomnia

Mama's in Time Out

Manic Mother

Speaking from the Crib

Queen of My House

it's November 3rd, not Christmas!

Today is November 3.
It is not Christmas.
We haven't even made it to Thanksgiving yet.
We just finished Halloween!

Yet, I find myself surronded by Christmas. 

First let me qualify this whole post.  I love Christmas, I love holidays. But I am a one at a time holiday kind of gal.  I may start looking for stuff now - but really my shopping doesn't really start until after Thanksgiving (granted I will not shop on Christmas Eve, did it once and learned my lesson).

I have a friend who starts decorating for Christmas on November first.  She can't wait for Halloween to be over so she can start decorating.  I was in CVS on Friday - they had her beat.  They had Halloween and Christmas decor side by side.

New releases of Christmas music are coming out - it's all I heard about on the radio this morning. 

And then I get here and there are all these Christmas lists - giveaways and such.  I understand that giveaways can't be done at the last minute - and some of them are pretty awesome (The Five Fish has a whole month long series going on, and I did enter for some pearls, new shoes, and a kids kitchen set), but I'm just not ready for Christmas yet.

I want to enjoy the here and now.  I love Halloween and we all got decked out in our costumes (pics of which will not upload for some reason).  We are still eating the pounds of candy left over.  We still have our Jack-O-lanterns outside. 

Next week we'll start talking about Thanksgiving and the kids will start making turkeys out of hands at school.  I'll make my thankful list - because at this time, we need to remember all the things we do have instead of what we don't.

And then later on- I'll go Christmas shopping - probably the day after Thanksgiving - it is the most wonderful time of the year you know!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present. ~Babatunde Olatunji

when it's easier to count candy by the pound

The question of the week posted by Multiples and More is

What is your policy on giving kids candy? What age do you think it is appropriate?

And.. be honest.. do you eat your kids Halloween candy?:)

Let's be honest, that's a loaded question if I ever saw one - especially in this house.  Especially after last year.  Last year we went trick or treating downtown in the historical district.  (I live in the sticks - literally and no one goes trick or treating out here). By the time we got everyone loaded and made the trek and parked and got out - most houses were closed up.  We went anyway, walked 3 blocks and rang 6 doorbells.  As we were walking down from the 6th house, Tyler fell and gashed his finger.  Mommy that I am, of course I had my trusty first aid kit on me - NOT.  So I improvised and cut a piece of his face mask into a strip and wrapped up his finger.  We walked back to the car with him howling the whole way - and I felt so bad for my kids, they only got 6 pieces of candy.  No loot, no heavy bags - so we stopped at a gas station and bought them each a pack of gum and a bag of candy. 

Maybe we should have done the same this year.

Instead we went to a halloween party Friday night, and they got a little bit of candy.  Then we went to a Halloween festival at a church (I figured it would be safer than trick or treating).   This is what we walked away with. 

It is easier to measure this amount of candy by the pound than by the piece.  And yes there are 2 containers of cupcakes and a cake in there.

We're lucky - our boys aren't candy crazy.  If I gave it to them - they wouldn't sit down and eat the whole lot at once (well maybe little man).  Even so, we monitor how much they have and when.  One piece after lunch, one later on - gum whenever as long as they throw it in the trash afterwards.

I'm not picky about what they eat - except for little man.  He can't have lollipops yet because I'm afraid he'll try to bite them and then choke - the same goes for other hard candy.  After than he's good to go - in moderation.

Am I crazy?  Maybe - but isn't that what halloween is about?