The Phantom of the Opera

Haylee got to go to the POTO in Portland and see it live on the stage. She loved it. She is constantly asking if we get to do it again. I tell her that maybe we will next year. She had lots of fun with her cousins Clarissa and Abby. It wasn't quite so much fun for me as Jax cried most the time. I did get to watch it on the closed circuit tv in the lobby. Haylee also still remembers the Lion King in Australia. She really wants to take her friend Summer to see it. I think maybe that would be a good 12th Birthday--instead of a party? Maybe I'm dreaming. We will see.

The Phantom Urinater

Do you ever wake up in the morning walk through the kitchen or bathroom step in a puddle of water and think...I wonder who spilt water? Well, I am here to tell you that it may not be water--it might be pee. Yes, I live in a house where children are afraid of spiders and will not use their bathroom because there could be a spider in there. Mike has caught Owen a time or two peeing in the trash can in the middle of the night. We think he sleep walks. Well lately we have been having these puddles appear in places. The other night Haylee was at a football game with her friend and it was getting late so I turned the light on in the front entry for her. By the time she came home there was a puddle of pee in the front entry way...Mike didn't see who and neither did I. We don't know if its Owen or Frans...pretty sure its a boy...if you know what I mean. We have decided that maybe we should use the motion dector Owen got in his spy kit (from Christmas last year) so we will know when they leave their room and we can catch them. We have been a little preoccupied and haven't moved on it yet but some day we will catch the PHANTOM URINATER!

Super Hero Strength and a Bread Tray

I know he looks so innocent saying his prays but what you don't hear is that he is saying..."help me be strong and be able to beat up..." Okay maybe those aren't his exact words but Frans has been blessed with strength. On Sunday we are at church and just before the sacrament is being passed Frans whispers to me, "I want to pass the thing." I nod my head or something like that as I am trying to get Mikaydi out from under my skirt. Its amazing that the people sitting down the bench from us didn't get a terrible view (I mean terrible, have you seen my thighs). Of course I know that they didn't get a view because I am sure there would have been vomiting going on. Of course they may have been distracted by Molly who had suddenly become an gymnast and decided she can stand on her head...someone should tell her not to do that in a dress. Back to the sacrament so I get the girls under control and then the bread tray comes down the row. It reaches Frans and he grabs it and I reach over to help him and to move it passed me on to Haylee. Frans has apparently been taking lessons on how to shovel bread at break neck speed into his mouth. Oh, he did it with such expertise that I was amazed. Of, course as I tried nicely to take the tray and move it on he used his super human strength to hold on...I swear the kid has super powers. I pulled harder to no avail...all the while he is shoveling bread into his mouth with an amazing amount of ability. Me not realizing that Frans has super strength keeps pulling on the tray--hoping he won't suddenly let go and the tray go flying back three rows. Finally after a carefully placed pinch...the tray moved on. I think there were a few pieces of bread left--I am not sure as I used my advantage and quickly got the tray out of there. Frans has already mastered skills that many young men need to learn in order to be good deacons. He can out wrestle any unruly kid that doesn't want to pass the tray on and he'll be sure to clean up an spilt bread.

Puke, Computers and Jumper Cables

Okay so I have not bloged lately because I accidently crashed Haylee's computer. I was trying to proctect us by putting on a internet filter...after all Haylee will be taking this computer places and if she or Owen gets on line I wanted them protected. Yeah--apparently it doesn't work with Vista or at least the current Vista I have. After being on the phone with the tech guys three different times I finally got it figured out. That was last Saturday...since then I have been having some bad luck. Like yesterday I went to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. It didn't take them too long and they said I really didn't have too much tartar so I go and check out : "that will be $70 please." What! I have had the same dental insurance for 6 years and had never been charged for a cleaning. Well apparently they did some sort of periodontal cleaning on the five front bottom teeth and insurance doesn't cover that. When do people just do things like that to you with out asking?? I mean if they would of said, "Hey, I am going to do this special cleaning on five of your bottom teeth for $70, okay?" I would of said, "Heck No!" Did they ask me? No, they just did it and said pay the money. I am begining to think dentist are con-men...kind of like my brother Peter says--they're just out to get your money. Sure I might of really needed the cleaning but I should of had the choice to make that decision. I mean it would be like going in for a c-section and the doctor seeing that your over weight deciding to give you lipo and then charging you a whole bunch after wards because you needed it done. Come on. Then I go to pick up the kids from my mom--who is waiting for me at Wal Mart--turn off my car and it won't start. Oh, man! I get the jumper cables out and hook it all up...nothing works. I call Mike and tell him what is happening and that maybe he should of to the new battery I begged him to last weekend. His response, "Uh...sorry and oh yeah the jumper cables aren't the best so you might have to wiggle them and make sure you get a spark." I am sure you can imagine my words after I snapped the phone shut. I take three deep breaths and start wiggling jumper cables. Of course about five seconds later my baby starts screaming at the top of his head. Mom tried to calm him while I was wiggling cables. Finally, I grab the baby and take him out of his car seat. The minute I do he pukes all over my shoulder...so I am standing in the parking lot with puke running down my shirt trying to jump my car...while my mom is following me around trying to wipe the puke off with her emergency stash of paper towels. My dad finally told my mom that it could take 20 minutes to charge and guess what it took 20 minutes to charge. What luck! I won't bore you with any more details of the last few days needless to say it has been a challenge.

Hypercondriact

Let me tell you a little about Frans lately. He has got some anxiety. "Mom, what happens if all your blood goes out of your body?" "I think my brains are coming out of my head!" "What happens when you touch your eye?" And then the 1 am screaming, "MY EYES ARE GOING TO FALL OUT!" Talk about get your heart going...have one of your kids come screaming that in your room. He worries about dying and what happens if he cuts his finger. Oh, yeah yesterday I asked him if he could hear again...he said he couldn't hear so we gave him some ear drops. He tells us, and I quote, "yeah the earwigs left my ears." WHAT? At first when had to pull Owen aside and tell him to stop feeding Frans the bull. Owen tried hard not to smile and said, "well I didn't think he'd believe me!" I almost busted a gut laughing. I shouldn't its not fun having Frans so freaked but at the same time I can totally see Owen's side of things after all it wasn't so long ago that I was freaking Tim and my little brother Frans out about stuff. Frans has gotten so bad that Mike and I have thought about getting him some professional help. He can't go through life being afraid of everything or thinking he is going to die all the time. Any advice out there?

Terrible 2's

I know she looks so sweet and innocent...well she was. I don't know what is up but Mikaydi finally hit the terrible two's (she's 2 1/2 right now) and we are paying for it. She screams and fights and the entire time she looks so cute. Molly and her have some pretty interesting fights these days. And its that wonderful time again...POTTY TRAINING HECK! Yes, Mikaydi had us fooled this weekend she went potty and didn't miss except once or twice from Saturday until Today! Today it was as if she was back to the baby days as she pooped and wet her pants all day long! What is with that?? Needless to say Mikaydi got a dousing from the hose outside...I can't stomach the clean up other wise. Was is it only a year ago that I was finishing up with Molly's potty training heck? I am so over potty training its not even funny. Mike reminds me that I still have Jax after Kaydi's done....Thanks Mike! Yes, I guess this means that I will not be a professional potty trainer...even though after six kids I might be considered 'experienced'.

Back to School

We're back to school!! Can you believe the summer has gone past already? I can hardly believe my little Frans is a kindergartener!! He was so excited to be able to ride the bus with Haylee and Owen. He is gone to all day kinder and Molly is now the boss...or so she thinks. Mikaydi and Molly have been going through some power stuggles...Molly thinks its her turn to be boss and Mikaydi disagrees. Jax doesn't care whose boss as long as he gets fed--he is a grumpy baby though and that has been hard. I am trying to trust Molly more as the helper. It has been an adjustment for us. Frans has had to get used to having homework everyday. Haylee has already typed her first paper (she did a good job) and she is busy working on her maps--she has to make a map of each state of the US by the end of the year. She is a busy 5th grader. Owen has already had to go and apologize to his teacher as he rolled his eyes at her...Mom and Dad were not happy about that. He asks for extra math homework...he wants stuff that's harder than what he is working on in class (nerd). I told him that if he moves up to the advanced reading group I would buy him whatever Wii game he wants. We will see if he can do it. He is excited to be in 3rd grade. I am just trying to cope with all the changes that come when kids are in school. I like them to be in school because they aren't constantly bored at home, but I miss there help at home and I like to play with them. Life goes on and seasons change.