Dad (grandpappy)

Here is my hubby Dominic and our kiddo Darrian and our grandson Julian. 

God is good...

...All the time. Yesterday morning I get a call from my mechanic at about 7:30. He said the battery was no good and all the noise was, was some dust on a rotor or something. Then he said my van was ready and to pick it up. All that they thought was wrong with it from my description turned out to be incorrect. Thank God. All I ended up paying was $200. So I guess spitting salsa isn't all that bad in the scheme of things. What do I mean by spitting salsa? See Post Below.

KARMA

Last night Kira made dinner. She made some quesadillas with homemade salsa. After she whipped up the salsas she asked me to taste it. It was green salsa and smelled heavily of jalapenos. I like jalapenos and love hot stuff, but if something has a heavy taste of any kind of pepper I don't like it. I tasted it and ran right away to the sink and spit it out. I said "Sorry Kira, but I can't eat anything with too many peppers in it." Kira decided she would make a red sauce, like pico di gallo so we had to go to the store. Me, Kira and my grandson Julian went to go to the store and when I put my key into my van all the juice drained right out of the battery. Luckily I had a jump start and after letting it sit for a few minutes the battery light went on. I knew I had to get it to the shop so I did. The mechanic said it is probably the alternator or alternator belt. Meanwhile when he goes to drive the van into the bay he wants to know when it started to make that sound it made when he turned it slowly to the left and was backing in. It just started to do this once in awhile so he said it sounds like the cvc or the U joint. Gee I wonder what all this will cost.
Meanwhile when I went into the house to call my husband to let him know what's up I realized my 3 year old just went poop in his pants. It seems he has some diarrhea and couldn't make it to the bathroom. I run him to the tub and then go clean up the mess on the floor. When I look up to where my daughter and her friend are making a Mexican cake called tres leches (3 milks), they inform me the blender doesn't seem to be working. While trying to call my husband, while trying to give my kid a bath, while trying to clean up the floor, and while trying to fix the blender, my daughter Kira looks up and says "that's what you get for spitting out my salsa!"

The kids and Julian

My daughter and grandson are here visiting for the next week so if I don't post every day or comment on other blogs every day it's because I will be a little busy. I will try to keep in touch with everyone as much as possible. Next Friday I should be back in full swing. 

Julian

The first thing the kids taught my grandson Julian is how to beat them up with a light saber. Obviously you can't grow up without knowing something as important as this. 

Kira

This is my daughter Kira working on my computer. 

Thank You Sams Club

I went to Sams the other day and this is what I came home with. Now that is what I call creamer. 

You know you're pathetic when?

When you walk into your sons room in the morning and say "Thank You Lord." Thank you for what? Thank you for not letting me kill Jr's goldfish. This is a serious prayer, not just thanking the Lord in jest but seriously thanking the Lord for sparing the fish. Do you want to know why? Why, because so far I have killed one full tank of fish, two goldfish and 3 betas. Finally he has a goldfish, one we have now for at least a year, that has survived against all odds. Why would I even consider a new fish? Because while standing on line one day in the commissary the boys spotted goldfish in bowls in the flower section and thought they looked lonely. Ok I'm a sucker. Why you ask am I once again focused on the fish being I haven't killed it yet? Well two weeks ago I bought a new filter for his tank. When I put it on it seemed kind of strong for this little tank even though the box said it was good for his size tank. I'm also paranoid because one of the other fish I killed actually stuck to the part of the filter that sucks the water up and died. Obviously this happening again is not an option. Last week I went into his room and the fish was stuck to the filter thing. I ran over to the tank, unplugged the filter, and watched thankfully as three fin spike Tamayo swam away. My heart was racing as if I had just run a marathon. Thank God. This is why I am thanking God every day for saving the fish It's also because I am only running the filter about an hour a day and even for this amount of time I'm taking my chances. This fish also likes to swim upside down. I noticed this a few months after he was bought. Almost on a daily basis I go into the kids room and my heart stops. There is three fin upside down. I go over and once again Thank the Lord he is still breathing. What kind of psycho fish is this anyway. I don't know what I will actually do when the day comes that three fin does die, but for now all I can say is 'THANK YOU LORD."

Snakes and snails

This morning my son Brandon, who is 14, asks me if I can give him $5.00 for a new school ID card. It's been two weeks and already he lost his school ID. Last week he had lost his military ID. I'm scared to ask if he has his bus pass. This is the kid who has been on the honor roll since 6th grade. This is the kid who the teachers say never forgets his homework. This is the kid who brings home his permission slips to be signed on the first day they are passed out and bagger's me all day to make sure I sign it so he can get it in on time. What I want to know is why can't he remember where he puts his ID cards? In the cosmic scheme of things does this make sense. My husband is the same way. He can remember military routes out in the field, and recite word for word most stuff in a military manuel yet he once forgot his beret for work. He has been wearing some sort of cap for 12 years. How do you forget this? It's like forgetting you have a head. I guess it's just boys.

This way to book meme. What the heck is a meme anyway?

 

keep going

 

one more

 

almost there

 

Welcome to my world

I was over at rocks in my dryer when I happened upon a meme that I just had to participate in. It also said at the bottom that if you are reading this consider yourself tagged. So I figured this would be the best meme for me because there is nothing I like better in this world besides books, well maybe coffee, and of course creamer. Anyway you get the point, so here goes:
1. Books that changed your life: I have to say Trixie Belden books written by Julie Campbell because these were the first books I ever read that got me started on a life long love affair with reading. I did buy one of these on Amazon about a year ago and tried to read it to my kids, but they all just sat there like zombies until I asked them if they were bored. They all rolled there eyes and said yes so that was the end of sharing my favorite kids book with my kids. It probably doesn't count that they are mostly boys and aren't at all interested in girly books. Can't blame me for trying though. The Bible, I can't think of anyone I know who would not be life changed by this pick. Marianne Williamson, everything she writes changes me in some way.

2. Books that you read more than once? The Bible. I don't read anything else more than once. I never have and I probably never will. I have too many (to be read) to even think of reading one more than once.

3. Books you'd want on a desert island? The Bible of course, and maybe Deserted Island Living for Dummies.

4. Books that made you Laugh? I really can't think of one right off the top of my head, but lot's of things makes me laugh so I am sure there are some books out there that do.

5. Books that made you cry? Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson. Don't read this if you don't like to be sad. It was kind of a bittersweet. Sad yet uplifting.

6. Books that you wish had been written? How to read all the books you buy before you die.

7. Books you wish hadn't been written? Maybe The Davinci Code. I know this may not be a popular answer, but I find messing around with God's stuff kind of offensive.

8. Books you are currently reading? Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Awesome book. We are reading this with my sisters virtual book club "the written word," see link in sidebar. Naomi's Home Companion by Naomi Judd. Children Learn What They Live by Dorothy Law Nolte. Simplify your Life with Kids (kind of an oxymoron don't you think,) Is it even possible to simplify your life with kids? There are a few more I am reading at this time. Once again ADHD rears its ugly head as you can see by the amount of books I am trying to read at once while raising 5 kids.

9. Books you have been meaning to read? All the books in my library.

10. Books you remember as a real page turner? Any John Saul book. Very scary and I love that sometimes.

11. Non Fiction books that you have enjoyed? Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. Anything by Marianne Williamson. Creating a Beautiful Home by Alexandra Stoddard.

12. Childrens books your family has loved? Goodnight Moon. Peters Chair, Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna, Magic School bus series, and Berenstein Bears Series. Also anything by Mercer Mayer.

I guess that's it. I'm done. Consider yourself tagged!

Me, Myself, and I

 

My turn

The little guy waited all day for the kids to go out and play, and when they did, he snuck out of the yard, turned on the garden hose, and went to town on the trampoline. 

boys, a trampoline, and a hose

What do you get when you buy the boys a trampoline? When you buy boys a trampoline they are always trying to think of ways to make it more fun. Of course attaching the hose to the top is definately more fun, but is it safe? I let them have their 15 minutes of fun and then shut the water off. Back to the same old boring trampoline. No more pictures because now it remains empty. 

Sunday, the Lord's day, the day of rest...

 

Houdini

Here is my 3 year old getting ready for the great escape. We call him Houdini because he can escape from anywhere. Whenever I don't hear him I go into his room and this is what he is doing. If I didn't come right away (for instance if I ever wanted to use the bathroom) he would have the window unlocked, the screen pushed out, and he would be gone. We have tried everything, even jamming the lock, but he just pushed the window up until the lock broke off. In our new house I am going to put bars on the upstairs windows, and now you know why. I wonder what he'll try next? 

I'm gonna shoot myself, (figuratively)

Okay, I'm not going to shoot myself. 2 reasons. First I am a Christian. Second, it will be Sunday, the Lord's day, the day I will probably run out of creamer and this was the original reason I was gonna have to shoot myself. I forgot to buy it and I may not get a chance to go to the store to get any, so by Sunday you won't want to talk to me, unless my awesome hubby (hope he reads this) goes out and gets me some. I know some of you might think it is a little extreme to talk this way about creamer, but I consider it my drug of choice. Well actually coffee (caffeine) with creamer in it. I think I may have to fast after Sunday just for writing a post like this. I know God will make sure I obsess about it so I guess I might have to live without Coffeemate for the time being. At least until Monday!!!!!!!!

teenage boys...kid on the left in Cowboys t shirt

My son Brandon, the kid in the cowboys shirt, came into the living room last night and said "mom, smell my hair, I really like the smell of that vanilla shampoo you got." I smell his hair, and I agree it does smell nice. Then I say "Brandon that's not shampoo, that's body wash." Once again "the look," this one says "I have no idea what you just said." I repeated that it was body wash not shampoo. He just shrugged his shoulders and went his merry way. I'm sure tomorrow he will once again use the vanilla body wash as shampoo. 

I'm so mad!

My daughter Kira and my 18 month old grandson Julian are supposed to be here on Tuesday. Of course with this latest plot by terrorists I am not sure if their flight will be cancelled or not. I am so mad at Al qaeda that I could personally go over there and kick Osama's you know what myself. I'm just venting a little bit, but say a prayer for all those who will be traveling this month.

Teenagers-go figure

I must be on a teenager kick today, God only knows why. I was looking at another post on this gals blog about food allergies. I had commented to her on how interesting it is that foods can cause sensitivities and allergies. Then I was thinking how we found out my son had a food issue. One day about a year ago my daughter Vanessa said to her brother "Brandon did you have cheetos today?" I asked her why she was asking him this and she said "because every time he has cheetos he starts the blinking thing." I was blown away because I never noticed this. So we started experimenting with him and found out he does almost exclusively start ticking when he has things with orange dye in it. Getting back to the teenage issue, Brandon has had tics since he was 4 years old and I took him to the doctors in Germany and asked him why does he keep blinking and clearing his throat. Now that he is 14 I kind of know why he tics but my daughter said she realized this a long time ago. Gee thanks for mentioning it. It's funny not only how perceptive teenagers can be, but how they don't necessarily find their perceptions to be all that important. I really could of used this information 10 years ago, but what the heck, now is better than never!

This is my calander

I have ADHD. How often do you think I check this calander? Ask my doctors office how often I miss an appointment. Answer-too often, you actually have to look at the calander once in awhile, not just draw on it. 

The look

I should say many looks. Today I am writing about some of the looks teenagers can give you and their meanings. I'm sure some of you have experienced these, or have even used one of them yourselves. Here are my examples: Last night my son comes running out of his room and says "mom!" "you know that wrestler John Seena?" "yah" I say even though I don't know who he's talking about. "Well he lifted another wrestler weighing at least 500 lbs." I answer back "Well I just read in my magazine that Jack Lalane is 91 and can bench press a small car." My son looks at me like what the heck are you talking about and who the Heck is Jack Lalane. It is a look where his mouth is kind of open and he is sort of raising his eyebrows. That's the look that basically says what has that got to do with what I'm talking about and anyway who the heck cares. A few minutes later he actually responds with "really?" Of course really, what does he think I made this all up. Another experience I had was yesterday morning with my daughter. She was in the bathroom getting her makeup on and we were talking about her brother joining JROTC and I said "remember when Kira (her 22 year old sister) was in JROTC in Germany and went to JROTC camp and jumped out of that helicopter with her uniform on? I can't even jump off my coffee table." This last part supposedly was a joke. Of course my daughter didn't think it was all that funny and looked at me like that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. This look has raised eye brows and her mouth pursed kind of like she wants to say "duh." That is the look that lets every parent know how stupid they actually are or at least it says "are you sure we share the same DNA?". I'm sure many of you know which one's I'm talking about and can probably add some of your own. I'm sure that all of us can think of times as teenagers we may have even resorted to using one of these looks. How may looks have all you seen?

cats anyone?

I do not, I repeat, DO NOT, own 3 cats. 

Just another manic Monday

...I wish it were Sunday...It seems that there are so many cool lists on the blogs like Tackle it Tuesday, Thursday Thirteen, etc. that I thought I might add my own. I'm calling it Manic Monday. On Monday I will post 3 manic, weird, silly, funny, or just plain strange things about myself, my kids, my hubby, my cat, or anyone else I can think of.. I think everyone is a little bit manic and the more we can laugh at ourselves the more fun life is. If anyone would like to participate go ahead. If you leave a comment and want me to put your link in my links list, that would be cool too.
Here goes my first 3:
1. I have a fear or more like a uneasiness about odd numbers, but only some odd numbers. This mostly pertains to parking spaces or dates. For instance I don't park in spaces number 3 or 13, or spaces that start with 3 or 5. I actually usually prefer to park in lucky number 7, but will settle for 17, 27, 77, or something else like this. I also didn't want my c section with my youngest on July 13th so my doctor said ok the 16th. I said no the 17th, but he only had availability on the 16th, so I figured this was better than 13 and went ahead. See I am not all that paranoid, my son was born July 16.
2. I'm kind of a semi hypochondriac. I go to the doctors for lot's of stuff. Luckily we are in the military so it doesn't cost me anything. I really don't think I have anything terrible, but I always have something.
3. I don't drink coffee without coffeemate creamer. I mean I really don't. If I don't get coffee in the morning (this of course is totally unacceptable) and I go to a restaurant, I won't order the coffee, because I just can't stomach it without creamer that is flavored. And don't try to give me any other brand because I don't do other brands either.
Well that's all for now. I think I might post next Monday about my hubby. There are many wacko things I could write about him. The question is will he want me to!

Good Morning Hawaii

This is the creature that greeted me the other morning. He is trying to crawl up the pipe that leads to my roof. This is the cabinet above my stove where the chemicals are stored, this is obviously also his home. How would you all like to wake up to this. I'm kind of used to these so instead of being startled I ran to get my camera. I like these because they eat all kinds of other stuff like spiders, and as my 3 year old would say crackaroaches. The only problem I have with these little buggers is they tend to scurry away to places unknown, and I mean places unknown better not be in my bed one night. Other than that they seem like their pretty cool. Although I have heard some are aggresive, but so far at least I have not been introduced to one of these. The kids think they are pets. 

A plug for public school

I had to post this thought about my kids school Pearl Harbor Kai. It is a title 1 school, so that means they have many special ed programs. My son Dominic Jr. who is 8, has special ed classes. He is ADHD, but only gets about 90 minutes of special classes and then he attends his regular class. His special ed teachers, which he has had for a few years now, are always coming up with new plans in order to make these kids excel. One of the problems with struggling with learning is that by the time you get home, you just don't have any more to give. That means that not only does homework take forever, but it seems very little is gotten out of it. So my son's teachers decided that they would put a small block at the end of the day, where the special ed kids could come down to the special ed center and these teachers would help them with their homework. That way the teachers could see exactly what they learned that day in their regular classrooms, and also catch the areas that these kids did not understand. I think this is a great idea. I think this will help the teachers really pinpoint the areas that need work and also give the kids a break from doing the work at home they may not understand. I'm just glad that the principal of our school has given the go ahead and will let the teacher's fly with the programs they think may help. Hurray for PHK. Not all schools our there cater to the kid's needs, just to the testing.

friends

Ingrid on the left is my daughters friend who spent the night last Friday. Vanessa is on the right cooking with her. As you can see both girls don't want their pictures taken so all they would give me was the back view. Ingrid was born and raised here in Hawaii and my daughter was born in NJ and raised anywhere the military placed us at the time. it is so nice to see no racial boundaries with most of the kids in the military. Sometimes my hubby and I will laugh because whenever we walk into the teen center to pick up my son Brandon we notice all his friend are tall and black. He is short and white. I think he is a wanna be basketball player. 

picture-of I'm not sure what

This is my 3 year old Darrian. He dressed himself today. He has on a Detroit Lions jersey, even though I am a diehard Cowboys fan, yellow shorts that I think belong to his brother, sneakers that I know belong to his other brother, and he is on the way to God knows where with his new scooter and his bucket. I'm not exactly sure what was on his mind today, but it looks like he knows. I'm thinking maybe he is modeling the new fall line for some new and unusual kiddie designer. I don't know what this new line will be called, maybe boy on scooter, all mixed up, with no place to go. 

Before

Ok. Last night was supposed to be pizza night, it wasn't. This is the deep dish from last week. It was awesome. Last night we had so much to do, and the kids had so much going on, that I didn't cook, so we ate sandwiches. Usually I make 2 or 3 pizza's. I think I've got it perfected. Sometimes, after my daughter's youth group on Friday night, she will have friends over and they will consume some homemade pizza. They like this. It is good, cheap, fun. As you will notice the above is deep dish. My husband is from Chicago, so of course the wife needed to learn to make deep dish. I usually make the kids regular New York style, but my husband sometimes likes this kind. Next week, back to pizza night. 

After

 

My adhd moment or whatever you want to call it.

Before I get to my real post for the day down below, I had to tell everyone what happened to me yesterday. Many times people ask me about ADHD, never actually being able to understand it. When I say forgetfulness, this isn't actually what it is, more like a missing moment in time, or what one might call a "brain fart". Yesterday I was standing in my kitchen washing dishes about 9 am when I realized I had a bad taste in my mouth. Then I thought Oh ya, I forgot to swallow my pill. I actually put the pill in my mouth about 4 minutes before. That is what it is actually like. You can forget something right in the middle of actually doing it. Like swallowing.

Going to the library....and we're gonna have a party

Of course this can mean, going to my closet, where the library actually is. I have a book case full of books in my room and another one in my wall unit. How many of you have made a personal library up over the years? Obviously I like to read. I mostly read fiction but have been known to read almost anything. I also have a magazine obsession, but that's for another time. I'm writing about books today because my sister has started a new book blog that is kind of like a virtual book club. So if anyone is interested and wants to check it out go over to the written word. This sounded like fun to me. Of course it may mean buying more books, which it's obvious I don't need, but what the hay. You can never have too many books. My hubby always asks why I keep buying books since I have so many, and I tell him books are a necessity, I put them under the heading of education. Kind of like food, clothing, shelter , and education (books). My daughter Vanessa has seemed to also inherit this obsession. Now I have it, my mom has it, my sister has it, and who know's who else in our family has it. Maybe it is a disease of some sort. I am sure we all are emotionally attached to books. I was reading over at Mad's House and she says that she once had an apartment fire and was thinking about all her books being burned up. How awful was that. I really think something like this might throw me over the edge. My other obsession of course is reality tv. What can I say except, I LOVE BOOKS!

Thursday thirteen

Okay, this is the first time I am going to participate in one of these list thingy's. Anyway I am going to copy jen from a good cup of coffee again and post 13 things about me. Sorry to copy but I didn't exactly know how this all worked so bear with me and let's see if I screw it up or not:
1. View above. I have ADHD, obviously.
2. I have 7 children, 2 girls and 5 boys.
3. I love, love, love coffee. Did I say coffee?
4. I love, love, love Coffee Mate creamer.
5. I go to a Pentecostal church, even though I am a Baptist. I actually go to any Bible believing church that offers me and my children something great. Right now that church is First Assembly of God her in Honolulu.
6. I love reality tv like Jen. American Idol, Big Brother, The Apprentice, The Amazing Race, and the list goes on, and on, and on.
7. I never (I mean never), just ask my sister at forks and chopsticks, SHUT UP. Go ahead ask her.
8. I dye my hair blonde or actually dark blonde and I have no idea if I have any grey or even what my actual color is since I have dyed it for 20 years.
9. I come from NJ, but really consider myself a Southern Gal after living 6 years in OK.
10. I love food. Any kind. Especially dessert.
11. I love to read stuff with tearbreaker type endings...see William Patterson's Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas.
12. I can't spell, it's obvious from my blog.
13. I always wanted to be a stay at home mom more than any other job I could think of.

great comments

I just had to post about the great comments I got for my closet entry. Two of them really struck home. Janice from 5 minutes for mom made the point that others could be using this stuff so why hang on. Great point. It make's me feel like I am not getting rid of things, but giving them to people in need. I really liked this. Also, Jen at a good cup of coffee, mentioned that the consignment shop would be a great place to take the clothes. I thought this was another great idea. Maybe for the next Tackle it Tuesday, I will be able to tackle this closet. Thanks to all of you gals with the great comments.

You had to say it.

I have noticed lately that a lot of the girl's who's blogs I visit frequently have been complaining that they are having trouble posting or downloading pictures to their blogs. Boy am I glad I use Picassa, I have never had these problems. Well wouldn't you know it. Murphy's Law in affect once again. This morning I go to put a picture on my blog. Do you all see a picture? No, of course not. Do you want to know why? Why? Because Picassa has decided to be finicky. I should of known. As soon as everyone else started having blog problem's you'd think I would of figured out, it's only a matter of time. That mean's today you won't get my oh so eloquent blog about pizza, but you will get an entry hopefully with no spelling errors, since spell check works on blogger, but not on Picassa. Who would of guessed.

Hello Silence My Old Friend...

It's official. I have too many kids. Just kidding, but obviously they have made me immune to noise. Yesterday they all went to school, including the 3 year old. When I came home the house was silent. 5 minutes of that and I was going crazy, 10 minutes nuts, 15 minutes I hit insane. What do I do? I turn on the tv really loud and clean with my really loud Rainbow vacuum. Still not enough. So I open my windows and listen to the toddlers screaming in front, and my neighbors dog barking like a mad dog (his usual)in the back,and now I know...Nirvana.

My closet

 
As you can see my closet it stuffed and it actually is another 3 feet deep on the left side, so there is double this amount of clothers. This looks like a "Tackle it Tuesday," project waiting to happen. This is the closet that I have worn the same 5 outfits out of for the past 4 years. This is what I love to do. Have lots of stuff but only use a 1/4 of it. I want to get down to the thrift store to sell some, but for some reason I am emotionally attached to the clothes I never wear. 

another useful product...for the kids

 
This is one of those spa machines you put over the bathtub to turn it into a spa. When do I have the time to use this? The kids don't even know what it is. They call it the bubble machine. This is the purpose they think this thing was invented for. Of course they think everything is invented for their own personal enjoyment. To remedy I bought a portable hot tub. It sits in the back yard, and the kids call it a pool. I'll keep you all posted on other inventions apparantly made for children, not intended for adults.