12/27/08

Winding Down the holidays

So very glad Christmas/ My Birthday is over. Things are beginning to wind down around here just a bit. I feel so badly for the twins. They had off Thanksgiving and Christmas and that's about it. Every other day has been filled with a game or a two-a-day practice. They were even playing basketball on their birthday, December 23rd. They asked that I not embarrass them with silly blogs about how much I love them so I honored their request and instead went broke for them on their 15th birthday and then two days later on Christmas. Twin A has been texting non-stop on his new EnV2 while Twin B still shows no real interest in his Samsung Propel (thanks Grandmas). Its so funny to me to see him hate to answer the phone. As a kid I remember my daddy sitting in the living room as the phone rang and pretending as if he didn't hear anything. I guess that's were he gets it from. They also both collected an ipod shuffle. If you've noticed I haven't blogged in days - it's a fight to get on the computer lately what with them downloading music onto their new toys. CJ got his two requested items from Santa. An Xbox game (Crash Bandikut?) and a fish. I actually kind of like the fish. We also named him "Crash". We are a non-pet family but this thing is okay I guess. Cayden wanted nothing more than a "football toy". His daddy of course provided him with a DENVER BRONCOS uniform. I have no idea how they got pants on over the cast but it's been a fight to get it off of him each night. He has also been sleeping in the helmet. I even got some very nice gifts. My birthday present was a pair of the clearest, most beautiful diamond earrings I've ever seen.

Cayden Update - We are counting down to December 30th!!!! In the meantime, he can now stand up by himself and he just giggles himself silly. I have NEVER seen anyone get around on their arms as quickly as he does. He is there one second, gone the next. I'm sure he is as sick of the "laying" position as we all are. His cast his a disgusting mess with duct tape patches, magic marker, food stains etc. all over it. I can't wait to give him a good scrub down!

12/18/08

Finals are finally over -

So we made it through the first semester by the skin of our teeth. I think I've sweated these first high school finals as much as the boys did. I'm actually quite proud of them too. I witnessed as they both buckled down this week and last and studied for their tests. I quizzed and tested and quizzed and tested some more. Twin A managed to pull out a respectable grade in all classes. The math grade killed his GPA though. He bombed on the Math final and he bombed on the Science final but he had an A already in his science class so he ended with a B for the semester. Twin B, my more studious kid who has never missed a day of honor roll had a much tougher time. Spanish has been his adversary this year. His fought all year just to keep his head above water. He brings a final grade of C home for that class. He also took a dive in Alegebra and bombed the final. Luckily the teacher likes him and decided to give him a mediocre grade but he won't see the honor roll this time around either. I know my Twin B though. He'll be back fighting. A fellow public school honor roll student, who happens to be a Junior at their current school saw his disappointment and shared with him "you'll be happy for the 2.8 at this school". I'm hoping the academics and quest for the students to do better will spark a competitive nature in them. Not only in sports but in the classroom as well. I have a feeling next semester will be better. I actually feel badly for them because they both seem so glum about their grades this time around. My take is that if I don't see you trying to do your best that is another story. Since I wasn't an A student I can't be upset if they don't bring home perfect grades all the time. I do expect more though. I was thinking about a punishment for them but it just doesn't seem fair at this point to discipline a kid simply because they "didn't get it". I reviewed their powerschool information and no assignments were missed. Every option for extra credit was used. I don't know. I'll have to think this one over a little bit more.

12/17/08

And So It Continues...even in a cast -





So here is the deal with Cayden. This little boy has managed to get into EVERYTHING possible in the last 3 years than ANY of my other children in 14 years! In the matter of 2 years walking, he has destroyed the carpet in each room (I'm not replacing it until he's "DONE" with this phase of his life). He has colored on walls which none of my children ever did, he has broken most of his toys, spilled just about every ingredient in the spice cabinet, broken several function buttons in the car, ripped zippers, buttons, backpacks and so many other things I cannot even begin to get into now. Now at three years old, in a body cast I might add - he continues to get into anything and everything he can reach.

In order to insure that he did not have a "double accident" I put his mattresses on the floor. For the first couple of weeks I've been "all good". If I put him in his bed he is essential in a time out mode. He could only scream "I want some jjjjjuuuicccceee"..."I'm hunnnnnnngggggrrrrrryyyyyyy" and whatever else he yells but he couldn't really do anything about it until I got there. As of yesterday he learned how to use his new found arm strength to get on and off that bed lightning fast! It's almost amazing to see this kid with his legs locked in place throw them over the edge and crawl down onto the floor and army crawl from room to room and then just as quickly climb back up when he's ready to take a rest. This is all to build up to my story of this morning. Last night I put him in bed about 9:30 and I promptly fell asleep too. Little did I know - CJ's school supplies where in arm's reach. I woke up to the above to pictures...one is taken in the actually position I found him in... the second is once I moved him to my bed! I was going to clean him up but decided to let him get his sleep in before I start cleaning him up. Now how long is it going to take me to clean up a kid covered in glue (YES - HE USED THE GLUE AS LOTION WHILE WE SLEPT) who can't get in the bathtub. Should be interesting no doubt!


Just to continue with the theme of my real life Dennis the Menace I added a pic that I took a week before his accident in the grocery store. Now how many three year olds do you know with a missing front tooth!

12/15/08

Book Brain Food

Often a good book can be a woman's best friend. I have been called on by Ms. Bar B to search my brain and reveal my favorite reads. I love books so this one was pretty easy for me. I love books almost as much as I love music. A good book can keep me wrapped up for days. So - here's to my book circle...I did find it somewhat hard once I started to pick favorites.
The Task:
(a) Fiction book
(b) Autobiography
(c) Non-fiction book
(d) A fourth book of your choice from any genre
Explain why the books are essential reads in no more than 30 words per book.



Salt In His Shoes is my Fiction Book Choice - My boys and I read this book over and over. It is so good for the soul and good for the spirit. Michael Jordan's story does wonders for the child who wants to be "more". After reading it Twin B put salt in his shoes every night for months!


As a high schooler my dad insisted I read Malcolm X before the movie came out. I am so happy that I did. Although the movie was amazing the book told the story of Michael Little. Malcolm X changed my thinking in so many ways. People should only dream of having his zest for life and justice.


It's been quite sometime since a book touched me as Miracle at St. Anthony's. There were just so many lessons. Every page was a lesson! It is invaluable for parents of athletes and for student atheletes to read. If you want it, it is a must that you work for it! I find it so beautiful that my son has his nose stuck in this book right now!

The Coldest Winter Ever is my book of choice. Still my favorite book! Simply an amazing read! I'm smiling thinking about how fulfilling it was. In fact, I think I'll read it again. I hated when this book ended. The story of Winter will leave you wanting more.

12/12/08

The Formal Is Coming


Oh My Goodness, Cayden has been up all night. I'm trying to break him of his new habit which is to lay in bed and simply screaming for what he wants "I want someone to cover my feet"..."I want some Juuuuuiccceeee", "I need mustard and ketchup"....EXCUSE ME! What happened to can someone please help me??? This went on all last night until 4:30am. He's sleeping beauty now. I'm so tired I can't sleep!

Anyway, onto my post - Monday the boys started discussing the formal dance in January. Twin B played cool and said he didn't care to go and wasn't really interested in going but a couple girls had either asked him or hinted that they wanted him to ask them. Twin A...Mr. Ladies Man of course (with a girlfriend) says that he is taking his best girl-friend. I said "your taking or you are asking me can you take". After that whole "mom can I go discussion". We go to the store and he asks if he can get her a bear and a rose in order to present to her and ask her formally. I'm like, "I thought you guys already discussed this"...and wow, surprise of surprises he says "yes mom, we already discussed it but all of her other friends are getting stuff from their dates and I don't want her to feel left out so I gotta get her something". I asked why he wasn't taking his actual "girlfriend" and he explains that she doesn't go to his school and I'll be stuck with her all night. If I take my friend then I won't feel obligated to be stuck with her all night. LMAO! Okay...well I love that there is always a method to his madness. Funny thing- I wish I had the inside scoop on what boys thought when I was growing up.
Twin B then comes in and asks can he get a small bear and a rose to for the girl he wants to ask. I'm even more surprised at this. He says "yeah, i guess I should check out this dance thing and see what it's about". He asks the girl yesterday and she said she would like to go but she has a C and a D right now and her parents said she can't go unless she passes all her finals. I love this school. I love the parents there too. I asked if he gave her the gifts and my comical son says "heck no, you get it if you say yes, if you said I don't know, you get NOTHING". Then he goes on to share some stories of several of the boys this week who have purchased expensive bears and flower bouquets and given them to the girl only to be told no....I LOVE THAT BOY! He thinks just like his Mama.
Anyway - writing makes me sleeping. I'm hitting the sheets before Cayden wakes up.

12/8/08

Spica Casts, Errands and a little crazy me




So I've stepped out of the blog world a minute as I got my little guy situated the past weeks but I wanted to check back in and let you all know how it's going. I'm still spinning many days but things seem to have calmed down a bit and I am starting to realize that Cayden is still Cayden. I am starting to see him smile a lot more again and I just keep telling him of all the great things he'll get to do when his cast comes off. We have our good days and bad. He now realizes that he is TRULY the King of the house though. "Mommy and Daddy I need you" can be heard all day long...and all night long too! He is doing nothing to exert energy so of course at 4am he is wide awake. He refuses to use the bathroom in his diaper so he has learned how to completely remove the diaper and yell "I HAVE TO POOOOOOP" before he goes. He pees in a small plastic urinal and each time he wants you to hold up the container so he can see how much he did (shaking my head- such a boy). He has finally learned to reach the bar between his legs and he says he is getting exercise by pulling up on it several times a day. I've also discovered in the last week that the best way to make him tired is to put him on the floor face down and let him crawl "army man style" room to room. He has learned to crawl and roll quite fast. I believe his favorite song has become "I WANT SOME JUUUUUUUUICE".(yes it sings just like "I have to poooop") He sings this over and over until he gets his juice...it's done in the most annoying way. Especially when one is exhausted from the previous night. Right when I get ready to strangle him he smiles at me and says "Mommy, I want you...come lay with me".

Last week was particularly bad. I had a million errands to do and didn't want to bother all my wonderful friends who have said they would help me (blush). I went to the pay some bills and pick up some groceries. I had to go to Costco for 3 three things. Imagine me pulling Cayden in the red wagon trying to purchase things at Costco. I made him carry what he could in the wagon and I had two items in my hand. This will definetly keep you from overspending. He had a freak out moment when he saw toys and wanted to get out of the wagon. I started to have a many breakdown and rushed out of the store. On my next stop, I decided to ditch the wagon and carry him to the store to pay a bill I had waited to the last minute to pay and had a shut off notice on. I'm standing in line holding him (my hip is so bruised from trying to rest that bar on it) and trying to dig in my purse and get the check and keep his hands from touching this and that. I was near tears. Finally when I got to the front of the line the lady asked what happened to him and when I told her she said "what a lucky little boy, my nephew dropped the tv on himself and he died". Of course this put everything in perspective. I put Cayden in the car and loved him up and we sang "If you like it then you should put a Ring on it" (lol) all the way home. Once we got home he was happy to play with his legos and his etch-a-sketch.
Thank you for all of your continued thoughts and prayers. Of course we aren't out of the house much for the holiday parties and such, especially with the amount of basketball games and such going on but we think of what wonderful friends and family we have and know we are truly blessed.

Spica Casts, Chores and a little crazy

So I've stepped out of the blog world a minute as I got my little guy re