Wyatt's First Crush

So do you think that at soccer practice my boy would be playing soccer? - NO - My boy is macking on the soccer coach.  She's the one that picked him up last week to put his hand in the circle when there was no room for him anymore.  You know - The "GOOOOO TEAMMM!" circle of hands.  They do it at the end of every practice.  Last week he was running all around the circle trying to find a spot and she saw him doing this so she picked him up and leaned him in over the top.  He was so excited.  He came running back to me, "Mommy! Mommy! - She picked me up to put my hand in!!"

So this week I look at him and what is he doing but picking dandelion's for the coach.  Then he had to play the sympathy card.  Yesterday morning he went out to watch Riley get on the bus and fell.  Tragic, Right?  Tears, Band-Aid's, and Magic Blankets had to get involved before we could stop hearing about it.  So then at soccer I look at him and he's got his pant leg pulled all the way up and he's walking toward his coach to show her his war wound.  The whole game he's not playing, but lagging behind so he could get her attention.  And then at the "GOOOOO TEAMMMM!" part he got her to pick him up again.  What a player...

So at dinner Riley and I were giving him a hard time.  I was asking him if I should get him a flower to give her next week and Riley was like - "Are you going to tell her you love her?  Marry her? And then have babies with her?"  He replies with a smile across his face, "DUDES! SHE'S MY SOCCER COACH!" 

Rock Family

I made the mistake about a month ago of telling Wyatt he could paint his rock collection.  Well - - - Ever since then he has been bugging me to paint his rocks.  Finally we did - and of course I had to take it a step further.  We found all kinds of stuff around the house to glue to our painted rocks and made a rock family. 

Anybody need a paper weight? 

Apparently I'm getting old like Oma

This is what I was told today by my daughter. 

Riley: "Mom, your getting old like Oma." 

Me: "No I'm not - you snot."

Riley: "Yes you are.  Your hands are squishy and so are Oma's."

Real nice kid.  You know how to make a mom feel young. 

Hillbillies

Mowing the Lawn - Cappert Style

So I think my brother's text sums this up perfect.  Alex wrote:

"Ok, If going out for a ride with the kids involves a tractor and kiddie couch hookup, you might be a redneck."

Torture or T-Ball?

Temperature - Cold
Wind - Very Fast
Sun - Non-Existent
Ben's Mood - HORRIBLE at the top of the charts
Wyatt's Pants - Wet (oops - someone had an accident because it was so cold he couldn't even move to go to the bathroom.)
Energy Level - LOW

Put all this together and what do you get?  Torture . . . I mean T-Ball.

So when it was the kids turn to bat Riley hit the ball right down the first base line, ran to first base, stopped half way there to pick up her ball and throw it in.  I think we're going to have to go over the rules a little bit more with her. 

Then it was Wyatt's turn.  He hit the ball, ran to first, ran to second, ran to third, rounded home, ran half way back to first and then decided he was done and came and sat next to me.



Soccer Umpa-Lumpas

First day of soccer for Riley and Wyatt.

We went to Viking Park - Found another family looking for soccer - We're all looking around saying "Where are they suppose to play soccer?  There are only baseball fields here." - I'm talking to the baseball coach. - I'm talking to the concession stand lady. - The other mom is calling the phone number on the flyer.  No answer. - Then the dad of the other kids goes to check the fields where his nephew played last year. - Yep.  That's where we were suppose to be.  - 30 minutes late to the 45 minute practice we finally show up. - The kids have their winter coats on and they give us t-shirts. - I just put them on over their coats and shove them towards their coach. - Go... Play... - Go back to stand by my mom - look at my kids - and start laughing so hard I'm crying.  They look like Umpa-Lumpas or the little brother from A Christmas Story running outside in his snow suit.  You know the kid who falls down and can't get up. 

- And so our theme music plays again.  The Crazy Circus song is all I could here in my head.

They had so much fun and never noticed that they were late.  Wyatt did get pissed because when they "played a game" he never got to kick the ball.  I tried to explain good sportsmanship to him on the way home.  We'll see if it sinks in.  I think it's a really hard concept to grasp - especially at 3 years old. 

(Wyatt also told me on the way home that he wanted the t-shirt off and just his jacket on because he looked dumb.  I had to agree with him.)

Tomorrow ... T-Ball

When Riley Becomes A Mom

Riley is constantly adding animals to her home when she grows up and becomes a mom.  The other day after finding a frog in the fire pit (don't worry - the pit was cold) she said that when she becomes a mom she will have frogs and toads all over her back yard.  This morning our conversation went like this:

R: When I become a mom I am going to have 6 puppies.

Me: That's going to be a lot of poop to pick up.

R: Daddy will do that.

Me: You know when you get older daddy won't be living with you.

R: No - My husband.  I will just tell him "Go pick up that poop." and I'll give him a big garbage can and then he'll go pick up the poop.  You know who my husband will be - right?
Me: No - Who?
R: Ivy's kid.  You know.  The one who kisses me all the time.
Me: Will it be Matheu or Maison?
R: Matheu (she draws out real sly with a coye smile across her face.)

I guess Matheu's fate has been sealed.  Sorry Jim and Ivy.

Love the way her mind works.
 

A Perfect Mother's Day

Were do I begin?  How about at last night?  Riley told me that she wanted to get me red roses for Mother's Day so I said she would have to talk to Daddy about that.  Well....  When he called to let us know that he was on his way home that's just what she did, and I got 3 dozen roses when he came home.  We split them up and made a nice bouquet for Oma, Omi and me (of course). 

I woke up this morning to a wonderful card from my fabulous husband that made me tear up a little bit.  A small bit of the card was this:  Having you for a wife is the deepest happiness I know...and in years to come, I hope to find many ways to tell you how precious you are to me.  Forever and a day, my heart belongs to you.  (Plus as my gift he made me an appointment to get a massage Wednesday at 12:30 with Dirk.)  Next the kids woke up.  Riley ran up the stairs, jumped into bed, gave me a huge hug, and told me "Happy Mother's Day!"  What better way to wake up is there?  Then Wyatt came up and asked if today is Mother's Day, I told him yes, and then he gave me a big hug.  They got me a great card about being Queen for a day - with some really lazy subjects.  Before we left for church my dad stopped by to pick up Grandma's Mother's Day present.  Even though it was just a few moments, it was nice to spend time with him on Mother's day too. 

Church was perfect.  Everyone was there.  Oma, Mom, Mike, Alex, Crystal, Leigh, Jason, Me and the kids.  Riley AND Wyatt sat inside church (not in the Mother's room) with Alex, Crystal and Leigh.  I couldn't believe that Wyatt made it all the way through church. Jason and I enjoyed the service from the Mother's room with the littlest sawing logs in my lap.  After service the little kids did a great job singing Zippedy Doo Dah while the big boys played it on the recorders.  Then all of us moms received a potted flower and bookmark decorated by the Sunday School. 

Lunch was DELICIOUS!  Chicken on the grill, hashbrown casserole, veggies, and a salad.  Not to mention a super yummy Eclair cake that Crystal made.  Mmmmmmm.  There were naps by some, ladder golf, and then we all watched The Green Hornet.  Alex and Crystal got me a really great, super sappy card about being not only a great sister but also a great mom.  It said:

• Sister - We talk about anything and everything and yet I don't tell you often enough how much I admire what a good mom you are...I admire your tenderness and caring, your patience and sense of humor, and all the special things that make you not only a wonderful mother, but a great sister, too.  Happy Mother's Day.  Love, Alex and Crystal

Jason, the kids and I all got a chance to talk to his mom on the phone.  She asked me if I got their card in the mail.  Yes.  She made sure to tell me that it was not just words on a page.  That meant a lot to me.

• Because you're more like a daughter than a daughter-in-law...  Because our whole family thinks of you so completely as one of our own...Because you're the kind of mom any kid would be lucky to have...Your wished a Mother's Day that's filled with bright and beautiful moments.  Love, Jerry and Sherry.

To end my day my dad sent me an email.  He was thanking me for helping with Grandma's gift.  But the best part of the email was this, and I quote:  "By the way, she (Grandma) told me today what a good girl you are, she pointed right at your picture.  I told her you weren't a girl any more, but a Mother.  She said "she will always be my girl".  So I didn't argue."  Still makes me want to cry.

So there was nothing monumental about today, just a really peaceful - happy day.  As a mom what more could I ask for?  I hope every Mother's Day is as perfect as this one.

 These are the cards that the kids made for everyone.

  We took these pictures for the cards and presents that we made this year.

This is the Mother's Day Project we made at home for Omi, Nannie,

and Riley made sure there was one for me.  

Me and My Mom

Mother's Day Project

So we went to church tonight to make Mother's Day presents to give out at church on Sunday.  The kids colored flower pots and made bookmarks.  Riley really liked the bookmarks.  (Can we see where this is going?)  Jean and Maxine kept counting the bookmarks and trying to figure out why they didn't have as many as we needed.  Jean was sure she had brought enough.  Then Maxine says, "See if Riley has them.  She was asking if she could have one earlier."  Sure as shit - She's got a mitfull of them.  Klepto child strikes again!

Then I'm talking to Maxine and Wyatt is standing next to me going, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, MOMMY!!!"  - "What Wyatt?"  - "Daddy was right, I am Super Strong!"  Not sure what he did that made him come to this realization.  Maybe he lifted a car in the parking lot, or moved the organ in the auditorium, or maybe he just opened the door that is kind of heavy for him?  Whatever it was he has finally accepted that he is Super Strong - NOT Super Strong Boy or a Super Hero.  Please don't call him either of these things.  It really upsets him.

Ben was nice enough to throw my phone on the ground and crack the screen.  I can't see a darn thing on it.  We raced to Gurnee Mills at 8:30pm on our way home since we were right there just to find out that they can't fix it and even though we have insurance on the phone it's still going to cost us $100.  Not only that but the guy at the counter could not do anything other that give me a business card with a phone number and website on it to call when I got home. How helpful???  So glad we raced down the highway to get there before they closed for that.

Ham

While giving a haircut today I look over and see Wyatt with a fork.  On the fork is about a 1/4 pound of lunch meat ham that he is eating as if it were an ice cream cone.  He is sitting Indian style on the floor with the rest of the ham in the deli bag in his lap.  Seriously??  This is the snack you pick?  We just turned our heads and laughed.  What else are you going to do? 

Visit from my sister

Leigh came to visit this weekend.  Started off Saturday night at 10pm when her train came in.  Her first order of business was to crack open a cold one.  (Side note about beer: Wyatt went into the fridge earlier Sat night, brought me a beer, and asked me to open it for him.  I told him that beer is not for kids and he told me that he was really thirsty and he was thirsty for beer!   Boy was he upset when I made him put it back in the fridge.)  Back to our story.  After she had her immediate needs met she shared a really great story with me.  It went a little something like this:  She was getting a ride to work but couldn't find the car.  Running all over her neighborhood they finally located the vehicle.  When they got in they smelled a HORRIBLE smell.  oops.  While running all over the neighborhood Leigh stepped in a fresh, hot, steamy pile of dog crap and it was all over the bottom of her shoe.  Needless to say she was late for work that day.  Does this surprise me?? What do you think?

Sunday we went to church and really enjoyed our morning.  Sunday school was a great time for me to get the new pictures hung from Easter and Leigh to catch up with our congregational members who were there.  After church we went out to lunch with my Mom and Mike.  What a fiasco! 

• First we went to Fridays.  They had a couple of incompetent boobs working the reservation desk.  They sat a party the same size as ours, who came in after us, before us and then they told us that we could sit at 2 different tables if we wanted, but the table they had in mind for us still had people at it who wanted to eat.  Go figure - they went to a restaurant and wanted to eat???  We went there to swim. 
• After this we decided to leave and go to Applebee's.  We had some sweet looking boy named Ben as our waiter.  (things are looking up) 
• He takes our order and seems to understand our whole drink order (confusing for some, but he seemed to get it.) 
• Brought all our drinks and they were correct.  (wow, this could really work for us.) 
• (Here's where we go down hill.) He spills an entire glass of Pepsi all over the table and all of us.  (guess I was wrong about that working for us bit) 
• Brings us dirty silverware.  (this is not going well) 
• Gets all of the orders wrong.  (tip is going way down at this point.)
• Then just disappears.  Never mind we have 3 small children who now are VERY tired because we have just spent 2 1/2 hours to get lunch. 
• Finally he brings us our check and we can almost leave.  (almost) 
• He disappears again and we can't pay for lunch.  I thought we were never going to get out of there.  Maybe Applebee's in Gurnee was just going to be our new mailing address?  Thankfully he must have been spying on us from behind some corner because just as we stood up and were about to pay for our meal at the bar he popped up out of know where.  Do you need a box?  Really??  Do we look like we want a box?  LET US GO! - - -  PLEASE. - - - STOP THE MADNESS!! 

I guess we weren't suppose to eat out that day. 

Sunday evening my Dad, Alex, Crystal and their dog Dutchess came over for dinner.  Jason grilled some mean ass steaks!  Way to go honey!  After dinner Riley became a dog trainer.  That's right - Riley is now a dog trainer.  She taught Dutchess how to sit, stay, lay down and give paw.  Then proclaimed to all of us that she taught the dog all of this and she is now a bonafied dog trainer.  I didn't know this about her.  Wyatt walked around asking us if we heard that slapping sound?  Yep - "That's my Flip Flops."  Then proceeded to ask everyone "What do you think... I'm funny like a clown!?!?"  Where does he come up with this stuff?  Ben slept from 3 until 7 when we finally woke him up.  When he finally decided to eat he would only eat cake.  He wrestled on the floor with Wyatt for a while and was back in bed by 9:30.  Think the day wore him out a little bit?  At least he made an appearance before everyone left. 

Monday morning Leigh decided she wanted to clean our house.  Ahh... ok...  Not going to fight you on that one.  Leigh and I went from room to room cleaning while Wyatt decided be a spectator.  (Typical male.)  He wasn't really feeling the cleaning vibe I guess.  The house looks amazing.  We had lunch, gave Leigh a haircut, and then it was a mad dash to the train station to make sure she caught the 12:45 back home.  As she is saying good bye to the kids the train doors start chiming that they're about the leave.  She goes running for the train, I yell "Leigh your bag" that she forgot in the car, she starts yelling at the conductor "WAIT", he's yelling back at her "NO were leaving now!", I jump out of the car, run to the other side, grab the bag, run to the train, and get it to her just in time.  I get back in the car and Riley asked me, "Mom, why were you moving so fast?".  I don't move that fast for just anyone, especially 7 months pregnant.  Had to be a funny thing for any of the people standing there witnessing our craziness. 

It wouldn't be us if we didn't have a dramatic ending.  I tell Jason about this and he starts humming our theme song - no words - just the theme music to the crazy circus.  The best way to explain it is: "doot doot doodle looda doot doot doo doo"  Got it?  Thought so.

We don't pay for our friends!

So I just had to clean out Riley's backpack from all the change she stole from me to pay some little girl on the bus to be her friend.  Yep!  That's right.  Some turd told MY little girl to bring money or something that can fit in her backpack to be her friend.  Are you nuts?!  My baby girl has way too many gifts and talents to ever pay someone to be her friend.