Fair Weekend

This is the weekend for the Taylor County Fair.  Mark and I took the 3 boys to the tractor pulls last night and are planning on taking them for rides and games today.  We are also planning on going to the car show in the park.  We are keeping them busy, busy till they drop.

A Fun Weekend

We had Marshall's Birthday party on Saturday.  It turned out great.  Everyone showed up and had a great time.  Marshall was most excited about his friend from school coming to see him.  We all had fun.
Not only were we celebrating his birthday, but our first anniversary as well.  We have been married for one year and it has been the best year ever.  We have had a lot of rough times in our relationship, but in the end we are a stronger bond because of them. 
Not much else going on in this crazy household yet.  Now we get back to our routines again.  Wish us luck.

Birthday Week

Well this week has been crazy to say the least.  We have been getting everything ready for Marshall's birthday party and our Anniversary party.  It has been a week of planning and cleaning, planning and cleaning.
On Wednesday this week our youngest child turned 5.  He has grown so much, but not enough.  For everyone that has been with us through the first 2 years of his life know what I mean.  The endless doctors and the constant worrying.  In May of this year they informed us that we no longer have to see the specialist.  Now all we have are normal doctor visits once a year.  We were so relieved. 
I figured in honor of Marshall turning 5, I would post some pics of his life.

Time Apart

This weekend was a time with friends and family and a time for the kids to enjoy some time without each other. 
Saturday we went to a birthday party.  The boys really enjoyed themselves and so did I.  Mark was helping out a friend for the day so he didn't make it.  That night we all cuddled up on the couch and watched a movie. 
Sunday was the day for the kids to really enjoy some time apart.  My children all enjoy each others company, but they do get to the point where all they do is fight.  They all have such different personalities that it is hard for them to stand each other for very long.  It is half way through the summer so I figured it was time for them to get a break too.  Isaac was with his mother for the weekend, so it seemed like the perfect weekend to split up the rest.
Xavier went with Grandma Didey and my step-father, they went to Colby Cheese Days.  He came home and told me all about how to make the perfect lemonade, and his pockets were stuffed full of little stuffed animals that he had won.  Each with a story of its own.
Ares went with my sister and her boyfriend.  They really put on the miles with him.  First they went to Tim's Hill for a hike, then off to Marshfield to the zoo, then last was Cherokee park.  He came home completely exhausted and ready to crash.
Marshall got to stay with Mark and I.  We took him to the store and let him pick out his birthday present (a new swing set).  We went for a drive in the country then to the video store to rent any movie he wanted to.  When we got home, the 3 of us sat in the nice cool house and watched his movies. 
When all 4 of the boys got home after supper they were all happy to see each other and we didn't here any fighting the whole night. 
Today has been a different story all ready.  The older two are already bickering and beating each other.  It was short lived, but I know they all really enjoyed spending the day with people very special to them.
Thank you Grandma Didey, Tom, Monica, and Justin for helping give the children a break from each other. 

Very Happy Day

Again yesterday I cleaned.  I cleaned the bathroom top to bottom and I even washed the washer and dryer.  The kids room still isn't clean, but it will be by the end of the weekend. 
We didn't do much else.  I got to spend some much needed girl time with Robyn.  We went to Wausau to get some colors for my makeover.  Then she came over with the kids and dyed my hair.  Mark couldn't stand the smell so he ran to his uncles.  We were left with 6 kids and just had to let them run.  My boys had a hard time understanding what a little girl might like to do and what she was able to do. 
All in all, my hair turned out great.  We aren't completely done yet.  She is going to cut it today and we need to add a few more highlights before it will be perfect.  I choose a brown copper color.  It looks deep red, but once we get all the highlights in it should lighten it up.
I know I haven't posted an activity for a while so I will give you an idea to do for the next few days since it is suppose to rain.  Origami.  This can be done with ages 4 and up.
I have a website that I love to use with tons of patterns and different difficulty levels:
http://en.origami-club.com/

Too Much Energy

Well I have been working out every morning for 3 days now.  I know it isn't much but I'm proud of myself.  I wake up every morning at 5:00 just so I have the room to do it.  The Wii balance board worked pretty good but I found that the workout videos I can get off Netflix work better, I just track my progress on the Wii Fit. 
Yesterday was really weird.  I got up, worked out, had my coffee, sat on the comp for about an hour, then I started to feel antsy so I started cleaning the kitchen.  Four and a half hours later, I was finally done in the kitchen.  You couldn't find a speck of dirt any where!!  I don't know what got into me, I was sore from my workout, but I just couldn't seem to stop my body from moving though my brain said that I hurt and should stop.
The boys loved it though.  Since I was on a cleaning rampage and didn't want them running through the kitchen, I let them have some time on the Wii.  This is a big deal to them, cause our rule is "if it's nice outside, the Wii stays off".  They hate this rule, but I don't want boys stuck in front of the T.V. all day.  So since it was rainy out they got to play. 
I think maybe they will get too again today, cause already this morning I have noticed 2 rooms in this house that need a major cleaning like the kitchen got.  But I think I will make them clean their room first, then I wont feel the need to clean it for them.

A Day with Bikes

Well our project for yesterday was to find Ares a bike.  We normally don't buy bikes unless it's for a birthday(Xavier and Isaac at the beginning of the summer due to winter birthdays), but the events leading up to this bike are just another day in our crazy lives.
We have 6 children's bikes around our house.  We have Xavier's 20", Ares has a 16", Isaac and Marshall both have 12" bikes(Marshall's still with training wheels that are suppose to come off on his 5th birthday in one week).  Plus we have a brand new 16" bike in the shed for Marshall to grow into (His grandparents got it for a birthday present a few years ago) and we have another old 12" bike for spare parts.  We try not to buy new bikes until they get to the 20" ones cause they seem to grow out of the smaller ones so fast.
This spring we noticed that Ares and Isaac where going to be in need of new bikes by the end of the summer, so with me on unemployment we decided to wait till this fall closer to Ares' birthday.  Ares would get a new bike and we would fix up his old one for Isaac.  That was the plan for this fall.
It all started last Thursday.  I was in the back yard with Xavier and the other 3 where out riding bike.  All of a sudden we heard what sounded like a rock being hitting Mark's truck.  I ran to the front to see what happened and as I'm questioning the 3 boys about the noise, I notice Marshall's bike doesn't seem right.  Here his back tire had popped.  He has a new bike but he is still too little for it so it sits in the shed till he gets bigger.  Well the tire on his old bike needs to be fixed, Isaac's bike had new tires from last summer, but we didn't have money for a new bike to start switching all of them to different bikes (plus I think Mark forgot the plan).  Mark said that he would fix the problem, so I took Ares and Marshall out to my moms for flowers. When we got back, Mark had went and bought Marshall new tires.  He was ranting that they costed him $50.  Well the bike got fixed and we just cut our loses.
Then Friday, I went outside to check on the kids and noticed Ares' back tire was now flat.  Great we had just bought 2 new tires for Marshall and now Ares need some too.  I ask if him and Xavier could share Xavier's bike till we could fix Ares'.  Well I went up to see how much his tires were going to cost so I new how much I needed out of my check.  I looked at the tires and sure enough another $50.  But when I turned around I noticed that they had a new bike for sale for $50.  So I figured now was as good a time as any to get him a new bike, since both fixes costed the same.
The only problem is, now we have new tires on two of the little bikes and a new bike for Ares, but we still need new tires for Ares' old 16" so Isaac can get the next size bike.  Why couldn't Ares' tire pop first?

 Ares on his new bike.

Then when we got home with the new bike I figured I had time to practice with Marshall, without his training wheels since next week they were coming off for good.  I took them off and when I turned around this is what I saw:

No more training wheels.  YEAH!!!!!

After all this the boys sent majority of the day riding their bikes.  Ares and Marshall practicing their new rides.

Perfect Baking Weather

Yesterday was one of those summer days when it cools down to be a perfect day for baking.  So the kids and I did some activities that required the use of the oven.  They were fun, but didn't turn out like we would have hoped, maybe one of these days we will try a different recipe. 
I also made the boys a catapult (for launching paper balls) and they each made their own set of beanbag balls (these are NOT used together!!!!).  I found the instructions to the beanbag balls and thought that they would be the perfect activity. 
My brother and I spent one summer learning how to be clowns.  Our mother had taken us to the library and we got this book on how to be a clown (not that my brother needed the book).  We then put on a show for our mom and little sister.  I can still remember some of it and now I found the same book and have gotten it for my children.  We use to be able to juggle 3 balls, I don't know if my brother can anymore, I know I can't.
So now each of the boys have these balls to learn how to juggle and I love the fact that I could make them to fit each of their sizes. 

Beanbag Balls
What you need:
9 (11 in) balloons (makes 3 balls)
Funnel
3/4 cup dried beans
Scissors

What to do:
1. Stretch the first balloon by inflating it halfway, holding it closed for about 30 seconds, and deflating it.
2. Place a funnel in the balloon's neck and gradually add the dries beans until desired size.  The balloon should be firm but squeezable.
3. Snip off the balloon's thick rubber lip.  Cut the neck off a second balloon and gently stretch the opening.
4. Ease the second balloon over the filled balloon, tucking in the neck as you go.
5. Cut the neck off the third balloon, stretch the opening, and ease it over the other two. 
6. This ball is done.  Repeat this process to make a set of three balls, or however many you would like.

Everyone that knows me, knows that I am able to make a schedule for just bout anything, but I have a hard time sticking to it for more than a week.
Well now I am going to try it again before I have to go back to school and work.  I have already made a few changes in my life this summer, so hopefully that is a sign that I can continue down my path of bettering myself and my family.
Changes so far:
Mark and I quit smoking.  Exactly one month today for me!!!!
I started eating 3 meals a day everyday.  I use to skip breakfast and lunch and just eat at supper (unless I was at work then I had to eat all 3).
Starting a project and sticking with it.  I have stuck with the activities that I had planned with the kids, and I started my garden project and have finished it.

Changes I want to make:
Working out on a daily basis.  Mark bought me a Wii fit board about 10 months ago and I barely use it.  I want to start using it everyday to get my day started. 
Sticking to a regular cleaning routine.  My mother always cleans on Saturdays and everything always gets done (even those chores that only get done on occasion).  I clean whenever I think I need to so those most of the things never get done.

Hopefully I can stick to my new goals and get them into my life while things are still calm.  I have a month before I go back to work.  It took me a month to accomplish the first ones so I have another month to add the rest.  Wish us luck, we may need it.

 

What I Like About You

Yesterday I finished my last book from the library, so now I am waiting for Xavier to finish his last one so we can go back and get more.
We had a very productive day yesterday.  We did 2 projects, plus I got my kitchen clean, found some new project ideas for the boys, got my yearly credit report, watched my shows and even had time for a shower.  I would say I got some energy somewhere.
Today's list is just as long so I thought I would get up early to get most of it done, but what do you know, even at 6:30 in the morning Xavier still beats me out of bed.  I guess I should enjoy it now because in a year or two he isn't going to want to get up. 
These projects are very simple and not too much of a mess.  Marshall and Ares didn't seem to enjoy the not messy part.  They aren't much into the projects unless they are messy.  Xavier and Isaac sat there the whole time and even wanted to do more.

Recycled Flower Pots
What you need:
Plastic milk jug
Tissue paper
Felt
Scissors
Glue
Water
Bowl
Paintbrush

What to do:
1. Cut the top of the jug off, just under the handle.
2. Cut tissue paper into 1" squares.
3. Mix 2 parts glue and 1 part water in a bowl.
4. Paint glue mixture onto one side at a time, of the outside of the jug.
5. Decoupage the tissue paper all over the the sides of the jug, applying glue onto the jug first, then over the paper to adhere.
6. Cut 1.5" wide strips of felt, enough to go around the opening of the pot.
7. Glue the strip onto the lip of the pot, overlapping both sides, inside and out.

You may use this for actual flowers, or add colored stones or candies and add the flowers in the next project.

What I Like About You Hands
(Have your child choose a special person who will receive the flowers.)
What You Need:
Glue
Scissors
Craft or Popsicle sticks
Construction paper
Pencil
Marker

What to do:
1. Have your child trace and cut out their hands 4-6 times on colored paper (Ares and Marshall used their feet too).  Make enough leaves out of green paper for each flower to have 2.  For younger children trace and cut out their hands for them.
2. Write messages on the hands about what the child likes about the person they have chosen.
3. Glue the hands to the sticks and glue the leaves underneath.

We will be going today to look for rocks for a project next week.  Wish us luck.

Family Weekends

Well this weekend was great.  I just love family weekends. 
We went to my mother's for a cookout and fire Saturday night.  It was great visiting with my brother and sister.  I loved playing with my niece the most.  With all these boys in the house I have to get my girlie fix every now and then. 

These boys just loved this pink barbie car that my niece had. 

We even got Mark to have a little fun with the croquet set.

I think all this was too much for Ares.  He spent an hour in the sandbox just digging.

My boys fight all the time and from what my brother says his two kids do too, but that night all 5 of the boys where content listening to a 2 year old little girl.  It was fun to watch, they would ask her what the rules where and if it was their turn. 

I finally got a picture of my sister without her knowing.  She tried getting me back and was disappointed when I looked at the camera and smiled.  This was the first time that she had tried getting a pic of me and didn't realize that I don't have a problem with a camera anymore.  Once my mother figured that out, she had the camera pointed at me every time I turned around.

Sunday was a lazy day around the house with us and the kids.  We all seemed to need the break from all the going. 

The storm at 2:00 this morning woke Mark and I up.  It was nice to lay there and listen to a great summer storm.  What a great way to end the weekend. 

Now we need to buckle down on the to-do-lists.

I don't have a project to post but I do have a recipe that the kids have been making for all the gatherings we have been going to.  It is so easy that Xavier was able to read the recipe and make them all on his own.

Revolutionary Berries
Ingredients:
12 ounces white chocolate chips
Strawberries
Colored sugar

Instructions:
1. Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave according to the package directions.  Make sure the container and the berries are dry; even a little moisture will alter the texture of the candy.
2. One at a time, dip strawberries into the chocolate and then into the colored sugar.
3. Set them to harden on waxed paper.
4. Can put in freezer for a Popsicle type treat or just in the fridge to keep chilled till ready to use.

A Life to Remember

Well yesterday was a fun day.  We visited a friend, cleaned the house, and delivered a few of Marshall's invites, not realizing what we should be remembering.  We stopped at a relatives house to drop off an invie and she reminded us.
Yesterday, July 8, was the anniversary of the passing of Mark's brother.  We miss him dearly and wish every day that he could be here with us.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=29547670644
We planted a tree out at the lake when he passed, it has now become a place of healing for me.  To see it grow more each year is comforting. 
Most of the family went out to the lake yesterday, we didn't go but we will soon.

Planning

For anyone that knows me, my life is so crazy that I plan everything way ahead of time.  For some reason I have let this summer get lazy.  I think I needed it. 
With Marshall's birthday fast approaching I have a lot of things to get done that I haven't even begun to do.  Yesterday the boys and I made snake invites.  They were fun but in the end I ended up completing them.  Xavier was the only one to complete his job.

Friendly Snake
Materials:
Construction Paper
Scissors
Pencil
Googly Eyes
Red ribbon
Glue

Instructions:
1. Fold full piece of construction paper in half(lengthwise for skinny snake, width wise for fat snake), then draw a curvy snake shape next to the fold. 
2. Cut out the snake, leaving the fold uncut in at least two places.
3. Add googly eyes and glue on a ribbon tongue. 
4. Write your message inside.

Now today we will go deliver them.
I also got my pond done thanks to my mother and her seemingly endless supply of flowers.  The boys helped me build my brick wall yesterday and then I was able to put in the flowers from my mothers.  It doesn't look like much now, but will fill in by next summer.

Hopefully I can pick back up on my planning by next month.  I have to go back to work and classes all start in the middle of August.  Like everyone knows "I'm not happy unless I'm running crazy."  I am so ready for my life to get back to normal.  When we were younger we loved the lazy days of summer, but now that I'm older I don't want them. though the boys love them.  I hate trying to stay busy when they want to be lazy.

4th of July

We had a very exciting 4th.  We went camping at a family friends house.  Mark and I got some time to ourselves Saturday night thanks to Mark's parents.  It was just what we needed.  We went to the Monster Pulls with some friends. 
Marshall still doesn't like the fireworks so that always seems to put a damper on things.  Last year we bought him a pair of earmuffs which seem to help, but when he has them on he is constantly yelling at me while the fireworks are going off.  So I either get a screaming child in my ear or a yelling child with earmuffs, either way I don't get to watch.
My pond is finally in, but I still have to build the wall around it.  I desided not to dig it into the ground but instead make it look like a wishing well, this should be fun.
Our projects for the past few days have been very limited but we did get to do some neat ones, before all the festivities began.

Can-do Stilts
What you need:
puncture-style can opener
2 (29 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
Acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Sponges cut into desired shapes
Disposible plates
Tape
2 (5 foot) lengths of cotton or nylon clothesline
Skewer

What to do:
1. Puncture a can in opposite spots on its side.  Drain it by blowig into one hole to force the sauce out the other.  Repeat with the second can.  Wash both cans under running water to clean them, inside and out.  Remove their labels and let them dry.
2. Paint both cans a solid color.  When they're dry, dip dampened sponge shapes into plates of different colors.  Apply the stamp to the cans and let dry.
3. For the handles, tape one end of a length of clothesline to a skewer.  Push it through one hole and out the other.  Have your child stand on the can, holding the line's ends.  Knot the line at hip level and trim.  Repeat for the other stilt.

My sister and I are going to take the kids to the lake today.  I don't take them much, cause Mark still has a hard time going with and I won't take the four by myself.  My sister is one of the few that understand why and is always willing to help, cause she knows that we can't always keep the kids from the lake.