Gene Siskel, I'm Not

I was at a drama meeting the other night and my fellow members were talking about movies they'd seen recently. Pretty much the only movies I see are on DVD and have Disney somewhere in the title. I may never be up on the latest releases (you might recall the last non-kid movie I saw in the theater was Titanic), but I will happily provide you with reviews of really old movies right here on Because I Said So. If you like to watch movies before they're 10 years old, you might want to skip this. If you live in a cave like me and only see movies when they come out on DVD and feature things like animated cucumbers, this is for you.

We recently watched National Treasure Two: Book of Secrets. The older kids and I all really liked it. Of course, we loved the first one too. I don't think little kids would get into it, but it's a good one for the family. Besides, it has Nicholas Cage and Justin Bartha who are, you know - cute.

LET'S ALL GO TO THE LOBBY...

Orville Redenbacher sent me some popcorn. Oh, wait a minute. Orville himself didn't send it to me. Is THE Orville Redenbacher still alive? I'm thinking no. If he is, I doubt he'd think of sending me popcorn in the hopes that I'd talk about it on my blog. Actually, it was the folks who do promoting type stuff for Con Agra who sent it to me. Just wanted to clear that up.

Anyway, so I got this popcorn and we had it for movie night. I actually do use my hot air popper to make popcorn for the kids pretty often. It's inexpensive and it's far healthier than a lot of packaged snacks. When my kids have friends over after school, they always ask for popcorn as a snack. In all fairness, I generally buy Orville Redenbacher popcorn because I bought some generic kind once and I couldn't believe how small the kernals popped. Remember those old commercials, "My gourmet popping corn pops up lighter and fluffier...."? Well, it's true.

But check this out - Natural Popcorn - they now have microwave popcorn without the artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. It comes in lots of yummy flavors too! Cool, huh?

Ok, so back to movies. We also watched The Spiderwick Chronicles. Soon after we started the movie, we realized it was a little too scary for small kids. We sent Clay and Lex to bed because I didn't want to get up 50 times during the night to listen to their nightmares them to have bad dreams. The movie was pretty good. Kinda predictable, but worth renting. Savannah liked the books better.

This had the kid from Willy Wonka in it. But not the good Willy Wonka with Gene Wilder; the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp looking and acting especially creepy and strange. And my kids looked at me like I was an idiot because I didn't believe them when they said that kid was playing both brothers in the movie. Actually it was dark in the room because we always have to turn off all the lights and drag out every pillow and blanket when we watch movies for some reason. But if the lights had been on and I'd been able to actually see, I know they would've looked at me like I was an idiot.

Let's see, after the next batch of kids went to bed, we watched Jumper. It's about this guy who can teleport to different locations just by thinking about it. Meanwhile, another guy tries to chase him down and kill him because he believes that no one but God should have the power to be in all places like that.

At first he uses this power to rob banks and travel the world. OK, he's just a kid; he'll learn, I thought. I kept waiting for him to realize that he had this gift and should use it for good. You know, he sees a live broadcast on the news of a person standing on a building waiting to jump and he teleports there and rescues him. That kind of thing. But it never happens. He never changes. When it was over, I kept thinking, "What's the point? That was stupid." Joe liked it though. Then again, Joe and I almost never agree on movies or TV shows because I have taste and the stuff he likes is asinine.

With my awesome powers of perception, I was able to figure out that the guy in this movie is the same guy who played Darth Vader. Or maybe not so much Darth Vader, but Anakin. Anakin? That's his name, right? Well, he played some guy in Star Wars. And it only took me like 45 minutes to realize this. How 'bout that for astounding talent?

Another couple movies I recently watched were Flywheel and Facing the Giants. These DVDs were sent to me by Provident Films. Flywheel was a little slow moving at first and you could tell it wasn't some big budget Hollywood film. Despite that, it drew me in and I attentively watched the entire picture. Not only that, but I teared up a couple times during the movie too! The movie itself is an obvious message of God's love and turning your life over to Him. But what intrigued me most about this movie is that it was shot with a $20,000 budget of unsolicited donations! Not only that, but the cast and crew was solely comprised of volunteer members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA. The Kendrick brothers (one of whom also stars in the movie) got the idea to make the film after seeing the results of a survery which said "movies and television shows are more influential in American culture than the church." You can read more about that HERE.

Then I watched their second movie, Facing the Giants. I really enjoyed this picture. It was your typical "underdog football team turns around and wins big in the end" kind of movie, but with a Christian twist. This picture also stars Alex Kendrick; this time as coach Grant Taylor. He's the coach of a losing football team, his car is falling apart, money is tight, he and wife are having problems with infertility, and he is close to being fired from his coaching job. At this point, he starts praying and changes his focus and good things start to happen. His team changes, their playing changes, their attitudes change, the small kicker gains confidence, and disrespectful kid has a change of heart and apologizes to his father. They start winning games, the coach gets a raise and unexpected gift of a new car.

I've got to warn you though - have a box of tissues nearby. You'll definitely tear up over this one. But there are well timed moments of humor throughout the movie too. The banter between the assistant coaches made me laugh out loud. I'm looking forward to seeing their new film, Fireproof, that will be in theaters this September.

And finally, I got to escape for an evening last week and see Sex and the City with my friend, Jen. I don't get HBO and had just watched some of the cut reruns of the TV show so I wasn't sure I'd really like the movie, but hey, it was a night out of the house! I actually really, really liked it! I laughed, I cried, I left the theater and wanted to move to New York with my four best friends. I just love the way they show the incredible friendship between these four girls.

So, there you have it. Mediocre reviews on a couple movies that have been out for months. You can't get this kind of quality at those other blogs.

Remember also, that you have until Monday, July 7th, to answer the questions on yesterday's quiz. Just please leave your comment on yesterday's post so I don't have to search all over for entries. Thank you! Oh and if you saw the post when I first wrote it and were overwhelmed with the TWENTY hard questions I had, never you fear. I modified it a bit and now it's only 10 multiple choice questions. I don't expect anyone to remember everything and know the answers to all the questions, but have fun with it and take a guess! I've got some awesome prizes donated by some awesome people for you to win!

The Super Spectacular One Year Anniversary Bloggy Quiz!

(edited after I realized that no one was going to be able to answer all 20 questions and no one has time to go back through 300+ posts to look up the answers.)


It's the one year anniversary of the birth of my blog! I can't believe I've been blogging for a whole year (especially when I didn't even know what a blog was before that!) I wouldn't have found so much joy and fulfillment in this blog if it wasn't for you guys reading and leaving me your awesome comments! Thank you to all my readers!!! And to really thank you guys, I have put together a fun quiz about my blog. Actually, the idea for the quiz and most of the research for it came from my friend, Sandy. Thank you, Sandy! And sorry Sandy, but I had to leave off all the wonderful, nice things you said about me and my blog. I just couldn't bring myself to write it here.

Leave me your answers to the quiz in the comments section of this post. I'll give you all a week to come up with the answers and leave me a comment. Actually, scratch that. I'm going to be camping next weekend, so I'll give you until next Monday (7/7) to enter the contest and I'll choose the winners Monday night. I'll randomly pick the 11 winners (one for each prize) from the entries with the correct answers. If there are no (or not enough) entries with correct answers, then I'll choose the winners randomly from the entries with the most correct answers. I tried to figure out how to let everyone pick which prize they wanted to win, but according to all my friends, I'm nuts for even considering it. They said, "You get what you get and you don't get upset." So, that's how I'm going to do it. The first name I choose will get the first prize, the second name will get the second prize and so on and so forth.

Vanna, tell them what they can win!

Well, Dawn, your readers can win one of these fabulous prizes, generously donated by these businesses...

1. Leslie at Simply Lovely Gifts is donating one personalized cape. Your little super hero will love it! (She's also offering 10% off orders until July 13th. Just use coupon code DAWN.)

2. Patti at Precious Text is donating one gorgeous, handcrafted, heart shaped Mother's pin with scripture from Proverbs 31:28. Jewelry with meaning!

3. Vanessa at My Mommy's Bracelets is donating one handcrafted, single strand Mommy bracelet. And who doesn't love sparkly jewelry?! (She's also offering 10% off orders until July 13th. Just use coupon code DAWN.)

4. Annika at Red Thread Confections is donating one small box of her delicious, gourmet, handcrafted chocolates. Mmmm chocolate!

5. Angie at Good For the Kids is donating one $50 gift card good for anything at her store. Use it on a wide variety of items that nurture, create and engage!

6. Kim at Olive Kids is donating one $50 gift card good for anything at her store. She has everything to decorate your kids' rooms in classic, fun designs!

7. Dana at Couture Moms is donating one Mom*ology shirt. Choose from several funny sayings and express your style!










8. Michelle at 4 The Kids is donating one personalized namesake made especially for you. Michelle's namesakes are unique, one-of-a-kind designs! (And, as always, 50% of the proceeds goes to pediatric cancer.)

9. Rachel at Supper's on the Table, Come Home is donating one cookbook chock full of delicious recipes the whole family will love. This book also includes a weekly shopping list. Rachel sent me a book a long time ago and I just found where I'd misplaced it. There are tons of slow cooker meals and almost all the recipes use whole, natural foods that work with our family's diet, so I'm loving it!



10. & 11. Roxanne from Sassy Chics is donating two $50 gift cards good for anything in her boutique. She's got some of the most darling clothes for your little girl and she keeps Lexi and Brooklyn in style!





And now, without further ado, is the Super Spectacular One Year Anniversary Bloggy Quiz!


1. Which one of these things has Dawn NOT shown us pictures of?

A. a bar of soap with teethmarks in it
B. her sister's Christmas tree
C. her thumb with a Strawberry Shortcake bandage on it
D. a komodo dragon
E. a doorknob

2. Which quote has Dawn NOT used on her blog?

A. Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that ~ George Carlin
B. Parents are not interested in justice, they're interested in peace and quiet. ~ Bill Cosby
C. Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much. ~ Oscar Wilde
D. When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear. ~ Mark Twain
E. Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ~ Matthew 7:1-2

3. Which one of the following was NOT a blog post title?

A. The Bats Won't Poop on Your Head
B. You Put WHAT in the Toilet?
C. Here's Some Toilet Paper to go With That Butt Paste
D. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
E. Don't Put Chocolate Milk in Your Pants

4. Dawn has had pictures of Brooklyn in which of these places?

A. Stuck on the top bunk bed
B. Playing in the toilet
C. Sitting in the bathroom sink
D. In the kitchen cupboard
E. Standing in the dishwasher

5. The most comments Dawn has received on a post is...

A. 718
B. 353
C. 872
D. 903

6. Which of the following things does Dawn NOT hate?

A. vomit
B. styrofoam
C. broccoli
D. balloons
E. shoes

7. Dawn is well known for her beautiful decorated cakes made to celebrate the highlights in her family. Which theme has Dawn NOT shown us pictures of?

A. Bacon
B. Lightning McQueen
C. Monkeys
D. Bugs
E. Simpsons

8. In addition to cakes, a lot of other cooking takes place in the Meehan kitchen too. Which of these kitchen disasters experiences did Dawn write about?

A. Joe putting lemon-lime Kool Aid on fish.
B. Clay microwaving eggs for 55 minutes and 55 seconds.
C. Austin melting the slotted spoon by making donuts
D. Savannah burning chocolate chip cookies
E. Clay turning the mixer on high and spraying flour all over the place

9. There is a lot of “gross” food found at the Meehan’s. Which one has NOT been blogged about?

A. Pizza
B. Sour chocolate milk
C. Moldy sandwich
D. Petrified hot dog
E. Banana peel
F. Cookies
G. Waffle

10. True or false: Dawn fed Clayton chocolate ice cream for breakfast on national tv.

Thank you to everyone for reading my blog, linking to it, passing it on, leaving me comments, playing the game, and making my day! :)

Rain = Good. Trees = Bad.

Today is Saturday so naturally we had baseball excitement all day. As Joe and Austin got home from the last game, a storm ripped through here. Joe pulled into the driveway and, because it was raining so heavily, thought that he'd better stay put in the truck for a minute so he didn't get drenched. Actually, I'm just guessing that's what he was thinking. He could have been thinking about ice cream. Or the Cubs/Sox game. Or Corvettes. Or fluffy little bunnies. OK, maybe not fluffy little bunnies.

Anyway, for whatever reason, he paused and didn't get out of his truck right away. It's a good thing too. Because this is what happened in that minute that he paused.



See? If it hadn't been for the torrential rain, he would've gotten out and the branch would have hit him. Who says the rain is bad?

And the best part is - it didn't hit my new van!

Mom! I Need Underwear!

I had an interview with Lisa Belkin for her XM radio show Life's Work. I sounded like an idiot myself. She asked me, "What have you learned from blogging?" I stammered on for an eternity at least 20 minutes and I didn't say one single thing that made sense. It was a train wreck - I was sounding like a moron, but I just couldn't shut up. At one point, I think I told her that speaking in public makes me feel like throwing up. Then she said something along the lines of, "I see you're a keynote speaker at the BlogHer conference." I was like, um no, I'm not. I'm speaking on a panel, but I'm not a keynote speaker. She was sure she'd seen it on the BlogHer site though. She was wrong, but it made me more confused and delirious. This is not me just being hard on myself. Oh no. This is the honest to goodness, sad, pathetic truth. And to top it all off, at one point during the interview, Clay burst into my room and shouted, "Mom! I need underwear!"

Lovely. Now the world can hear my insanity up close and personal on XM radio.

I had been invited to a roundtable discussion with 5 time Olympic medalist, Janet Evans. I was really honored to be asked to participate. I mean, here I was talking to the folks from Johnson & Johnson, Janet "gold medal, tons of swim records" Evans, and these other prominent bloggers: Christine, Kariana, Heather, Jill, and Jennifer.

This discussion was to take place at 1:00 Pacific Time. No problem. I tried to dial in at 11:00 Central Time and couldn't get through. I couldn't figure out why. 1:00 Pacific = 11:00 Central. What's the problem? So I called the organizer of the event.
"I can't seem to get into the conference. Any clue what I'm doing wrong?"
"You're an idiot." "You can't log on until the conference starts."
"Right. I'm trying to get on now and I can't."
"Wow you're dimwitted!" "It starts at 1:00 Pacific Time."
"I know. That's 11:00 Central."
"Are you for real??? "No, that's 3:00 Central. Pacific is 2 hours behind you."
Then I saw her roll her eyes at me through the phone.
"Oh my gosh. I know I'm not mathy, but that was pathetic even for me. I'm so sorry. Duh. I'll talk to you in 4 hours."

We were invited to ask Janet questions and I came up with these thoughtful nuggets - "I heard, on your website, where you said you got up at 4:15 every morning and swam 12 miles a day. If that was my kid, I would've told him, "No flippin way am I getting up at 4:15 every day to drive you to the pool. Pick another sport."

Now, let me tell you - this conversation revolved around Johnson & Johnson's (official partner of the Beijing Olympics) "Thanks Mom" campaign. You know - as in "thanks mom for driving me to the pool everyday so I could become a gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete." Do you see how my comment was just perfect for this theme? I'm such a dork. In fact, that wasn't even a question at all! Just a stupid comment.

Then I came up with another, equally fabulous, comment. I believe it went something like, "I saw the video of you flying through the air on Celebrity Circus and the mom in me wanted to shout, "What on earth do you think you're doing?! You're going to crack your head open! Get down from there right now!"

Score another well thought-out comment from yours truly.

Actually, it was an enjoyable conversation. Janet is not only a 5 time medalist (4 of those are gold), but she's a motivational speaker (no, she doesn't live in a van down by the river).


She wants to be a role model for her daughter Sydney and she wants to inspire young athletes and let them know that doing your best (and not winning) is what makes you a champion and is what's important. Her plans are to travel to the Olympics in Beijing on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and hang out with the moms of the athletes because, let's face it, if it wasn't for the efforts and sacrifices of the parents, those athletes wouldn't be there in the first place.

I admitted that I have difficulty finding the time to get in the shower some days, let alone taking care of the kids, the house, the laundry, dinner, shopping, etc. Then I asked her how she managed to find the time to write a book, do motivational speaking, teach swim clinics, be a mother and wife. She told us that her parents, much like they were when she was training for the Olympics, are still a huge support to her.

I'm so Proud of Them :::sniff sniff:::

My little fashion plate


Yes, she's wearing two different shoes - both for the right foot.


After watching that pretentious doof Alton Brown on Good Eats, Austin decided to make homemade marshmallows last night. This basically meant that I had to clean up a huge sticky mess this morning. It also meant that Clay got to have fun warming marshmallows in his hands and then smearing them all over his face. Why? Because he's Clay.


Here's the little movie star. "Whatchou talkin' about?"



After seeing the commercials for Kung Fu Panda 58 times, Clay's been walking around saying, "I like Kung Food! That's right - not Kung Fu. Kung Food.

Just Another Fun-Filled Day

Yesterday my inlaws came over and watched the kids while Joe and I went to buy the van that we looked at on Saturday. I reminded Jackson the kids that good things happen when they behave and military school happens bad things happen when they don't behave. Anyway, we got a good report from grandma and grandpa so I told the kids I'd take them to play miniature golf after Savannah's orthodontist appointment today.

Well, let's see here, the day started with the kids running through the house whipping pillows at each other, yelling, screaming, crying, and shrieking like Howler monkeys. Not really something you want to wake up hearing. I think the US government could use my kids' morning voices on their enemies to gain world domination. Although, I suppose those screeches are probably deemed "torture" under the Geneva Conventions, Amnesty International, and the United Nations.

After that, I walked out to the kitchen where I saw tortillas on the floor, drying out. It doesn't even shock me to find food on the floor anymore. In fact, if I ever walked into the kitchen and saw a clean floor, I'd probably go into coronary arrest. "Where's all the food? Why isn't there any on the floor? Why isn't ice cream dripping down the cabinets? The refrigerator door is closed??? There are no gallons of milk sitting out on the counter? What's going on? What's wrong with the world??? I'm so confused!"

Next, on my day of fun, was the trip to the orthodontist. The kids were all off their rockers insane a little wild in the car. Although I was tempted to ask the orthodontist if he could wire their mouths shut, I decided that the kids would probably scare away the other patients, so I parked right in front of the door and let Savannah go in by herself while I stayed in the car with the riffraff. While we were waiting in the car, the kids somehow decided it would be a good idea to unbuckle and move around the fun, new van. When Austin buckled Brooklyn back in her seat, she started screaming and crying. This went on for 20 minutes. It was fun. I actually had my camera with me because I'm insane and I take it everywhere I thought I might get some pictures of the kids playing mini golf. Austin took some footage of Brooklyn screaming, but alas he was playing Austin Meehan D P (cinematographer extraordinaire), and thanks to his funky vision, the movie had some extreme close-ups, blurred shots of the inside of her nasal cavity, and a lot of earthquake-like shaking. Needless to say, the picture is awful, but the soundtrack is pure birth control.


The first 10 minutes we tried to distract her, calm her, make her laugh, make her stop. At the point the video started, we were beyond that. We were just concentrating on tuning her out. Oh yeah - and yes, she had gum in her mouth. I didn't realize that. Thankfully she didn't choke on it. When she finally calmed down, she closed her eyes and went back to chewing her gum.

When we got home, we saw that Joe's ice cream of the month shipment had arrived (his father's day present). Joe got home from work as we were unpacking the ice cream and putting it in the freezer.
"How did they ship it? How is it still frozen?" he wanted to know.
"They packed it in a cooler of dry ice," I answered.
Joe got this glazed look in his eyes and a smile slowly crept over his face. "Dry ice?" he said in a way that made me fear for my life and the lives of my children.
"Wanna play?" he asked the kids as he grabbed the dry ice and some plastic bottles from the recycling bin.
Next thing I know, Adam Jamie Joe was putting chunks of dry ice and water in the bottles, and whipping them out onto the driveway where he could await the explosions.
"You know a noise like that could impair the kids' hearing."

BABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!


"Are you happy now Clark? She's deaf."

Then Brooklyn found some stickers and decorated her legs and the kitchen floor. "Can you put a couple stickers over there to cover up those sticky spills? Now put another here to cover up that dirt. Good girl." Oooo pretty.



I walked past my pretty kitchen floor and went to the laundry room to change loads of laundry. I put clothes in my dryer and turned it on. Clunk! Clunk! Cachunk! Clunk!
"What the heck?" I opened the door and found a rock. Not just any rock though. Noooo. A piece of a geode. A geode that Jackson and Clayton were looking at while we were in the play zoo last Friday. Now I knew that Jackson was the culprit because I had actually patted Clay down as we left to make sure he hadn't pocketed any of the rocks. I didn't check Jackson because I thought he knew better.
I confronted Jackson and asked him if he'd taken the rock. He admitted it. I gave him high praise for admitting it and not lying to me. And then I told him it was stealing and he has to take it back to the zoo, find a worker in the play area and return it with an apology and a promise to never do it again. I think he realized he was wrong as he started crying. Either that or he was crying because I told him he had to return it. And so begins his life of crime.

A little later I was folding some laundry and I noticed some clothes that didn't belong to my kids.
"Hey Savannah, these aren't yours, are they? Did you borrow them from Shannon?"
"No."
"No? Then how the heck did they get in here?"
"Oh, they're Shannon's, but I didn't borrow them from her."
"So, I'm just doing your friends' laundry now? Oh good. Because doing 8 people's laundry left me with way too much free time."

Now I'm hobbling off to bed. "Hobbling", you ask? Yes, that would be because Clay got mad and threw a toy guitar that hit me in the ankle.
"I didn't mean to hit you! I meant to hit Jackson."
"Oh, well in that case, it's all fine and dandy!"
I resisted the urge to beat him with the guitar. He's lucky.

(sort of) Sunday Sound Out

Sorry I missed the Sunday Sound Out. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I just had a really busy weekend. So, without further ado....


all these cool sites/blogs everyone is posting is soo going to get me in trouble. How am I supposed to get anything done around the house with all these new blogs to visit??
You're not! That's the beauty of it.

Now a question for SSO: Did you nurse all of your children and for how long?
Yep, I nursed them all for varying lengths of time. Brooklyn was the longest at 15 months.

Hey! You should do a blog on regional lingo. My mother-in-law is from New York and says "stand on line" as opposed to "stand in line". She also says "pocketbook" as opposed to "purse".
ROFL! My good friend Denise lives on Long Island and when we were in Minnesota a couple months ago, she said to our waitress, "I'd like a seltzah with lemon."
The waitress asked, "What?"
"A seltzah with lemon, please."
The waitress looked thoroughly confused and looked to the rest of us for clarification. Unfortunately we were just as stumped as she was.
"A seltzah! Seltzah!" Denise couldn't figure out why no one knew what the heck she was talking about.
"Ohhhh. I think she wants a seltzer. Is that right, Denise?"
"Duh."
"What's seltzer? Is that like soda?"
It was pretty funny, wasn't it Denise? ;) LOL!
(Then she reached into her pocketbook to pay for it.)

SSO question: Does Jackson not like getting his hair cut or is it you that likes it long? I noticed your other boys have their hair short and he's the only one who doesn't.
I have no idea. He wants it long. Whatever. It's just hair which is certainly not worth fighting about in my opinion. I'm just going to start calling him Jackie.

Question for the next SSO: What bizarre things have you said to your kids that you never would have imagined the need to say? For example, we have been heard telling our 2 1/2 year old: "A sock is not a tissue," "No eating snow/ice that's been on the ground for five days!" and "Toothpaste does not go in your eye!"
Here's a list of a few things.

One other Q: Are you a member of the Fiengold Program and if so do you think that it is worth the almost $100 a year?
I am. I'm not sure if it's worth it though. I like that Feingold takes the guesswork out of figuring out what products/brands have artificial ingredients, but you can just read labels to figure out the same thing. However, as Feingold points out, some artificial ingredients are kinda hidden in food because manufacturers don't necessarily list every thing on the label. The actual product names in the Feingold book are products that they've researched. You can also use their message boards to get recipes, ask questions, and get support and answers from other members.

Wow all 6 to the dentist at the same time?? What were you thinking?
Clearly, I wasn't.

I have to say that baby over on the right with the chocolate all over it's face just cracks me up, is that one of yours???
LOL Yep, that's Brooklyn.

Is it bad that I'm giggling as I'm picturing you with the six kids at the dentist on a conference call? Really, I wish you luck (which reminds me that I need to call my dentist tomorrow to schedule a check up, thanks!).Shall I assume that you've officially started back on the Feingold diet?
No, it's good that you're giggling. I love when my misery can make others laugh. ;)
And oh yeah, we're back to the diet!

I'm sorry for the rough day! Will Jackson resist going back on the diet now that he's had a little taste of "freedom"? Or does he see the changes in himself and want to get back to feeling calmer?
He's resisting despite the fact that he knows it helps him out. It's tough. I rarely buy anything off the diet to have in the house. I cook the same way for all of us. But then the other kids complain that they don't get junk food because of Jackson and why are they getting punished. If I let them have something off the diet, then Jackson gets upset that they get something that he can't have. I try really hard to make additive-free alternatives to whatever they crave. If they want Twinkies, for example, I make sponge cake and cream filling from scratch for them. Still, it's tough. We really stick to the diet at home, but I let the other kids have contraband goodies if they're out without Jackson.

Are there any summer camps in your town. We have several day summer camps that the rec center puts on. It would give you a "break" from some of the kids and it's educational too.
That's true and we do have several camps and activities I could sign them up for. Last year I put them in summer school for the first time ever. Honestly though, I actually do like having our days free so we can just pick up and go someplace and do something fun whenever we want. I don't like getting up and going early in the morning. Besides, if I sign one kid up for a camp, I have to sign them all up and it gets pretty pricey to do that.

P.s. Box there yet? Jenn T.
Yes! And I couldn't find what I did with your email to thank you. (This woman, Jenn, sent my kids a box of information and goodies all the way from Alaska. And check this out - Jenn not only lost 83 pounds (which is an amazing feat in itself!), but she competed in her first triathlon in May. Not only did she compete, but she crossed the finish line in only 87 minutes! Inspiring, no?)
Thank you Jenn!

Austin sounds like a hoot. Does he keep the other kids in stitches? No, he's usually the kind of guy who can't walk down the hall without reaching out and slapping a passing sibling. Then, when I yell "Austin!", he looks at me with mock innocence and says, "What? What did I do? I was just walking down the hall!"

So this comment has nothing to do with your post but… I read this article in the Trib and thought of you. Algonquin and Lockport are both getting a Sonic. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu-sonic-jun19,0,6796223.story
Woo Hoo! They're building them in Country Club Hills and Aurora too! Yay!

Okay, that running narrative is pretty freaking funny! Go Austin :) Keep being strange. You'll be a wonderful adult who thinks outside the box someday.
Ha! Outside the box, you say? In kindergarten, Austin came home with a paper that had a picture of a dog, a cat, a fish, and a table. It read, "Circle the one that does not belong." He had circled the fish. I asked him why he circled the fish. It was clearly the table that didn't belong. He looked at me like I was stupid and said, "a fish doesn't have four legs." And so it began.

Given that finances play the largest role in determining where you live, have you guys considered moving now that your writing career is off to a successful start? I'm sure any day now the older two kids will be dying for space of their own. P.S. Your house always looks great in pics-better than mine and all I have is a husband and two dogs!
I think we'd have to get divorced first as I want to live someplace warm and very close to the ocean. Joe, on the other hand, would be content in the snowy mountains. And thank you, but nope, my house if pretty much ALWAYS messy!

Question -Do you still sell on ebay as that is how I first heard of your blog.And if so, what is your selling name now - just so I can have a good laugh....(in the nicest sense!) :)
I haven't sold anything in a long time. I have a few things to sell right now, but I just haven't found the time to list them. My ID is the same one I've always used - dawnm5723.

Hi Dawn, I am typing to you right now from Joliet, as we have traveled all the way from Calif. to visit my in-laws...We passed the sign for the Brookfield Zoo, so I know you can't be far from here. We may take my niece and nephew there tomorrow.
I took my kids there on Friday too! Did you hear Brooklyn screaming and me yelling at Jackson while you were there?

Wow Dawn, I just noticed the time you posted. Do you ever sleep?
Not nearly enough. I miss sleep.

I love your blog and am a faithful reader! Can I please copy and paste your friend's cancer videos and petion into my blog (as well as your intro to this piece? I would love to help get word out. Of course I will give you credit link back to your blog.
Absolutely!!!!!!! I should have written that. Everyone, please feel free to copy the videos and pass them on!

How come the search that deal with "body functions" lead to your blog?
Maybe because bodily functions and kids go hand in hand. Or perhaps it's because I've been changing diapers for almost 14 years straight.
(Just wait until I'm a bit older and need a colonoscopy!)

Dawn, sorry the second zoo trip wasn't quite as ... calm? as the first one. It always seems to happen that way, doesn't it? I must say that I admire your restraint, as I probably would have turned around and not gone to the zoo if little cartridges were flying around my car. Again, I'm a mean mommy!
Yeah, I was tempted to do just that, but then it would have punished all my other kids who were behaving and it would have ticked off my sister who was meeting us there, you know?

I love the pictures. Thanks for posting. My apologies if you've answered this a dozen times, but how do you attach the photos? Do you upload to photobucket or a similar site? (Maybe you just tape them to your monitor?)
I'm not sure I understand. I just click the little icon that looks like a picture and then insert them.

now that you mentioned your sister, i wonder how your family (parents, siblings) reacted to your pregnancies and you having a big(ger) family?
They think I'm crazy.

The little bit we can see of your sisters face bears a strong resemblance to your own.
Yep - add 3 inches to my height and take 50 pounds off her weight and we're the spitting image of each other.

Where are Lexi's glasses? And did she get a hair cut? She looks really grown up! I didn't recognize her at first.
Wow! Good eyes! I'm impressed. She "forgot" her glasses that day and I didn't realize she didn't have them until we got to the zoo. If you look really closely at the picture of her on the leatherback turtle, you can see that her eyes are a little crossed. That's what happens when she doesn't wear her glasses even though she insists she can see without them.
And yep, she got her hair cut short. It's cute and I don't have to fight with her to comb out all her tangles anymore!

And thank you for all your suggestions of pastry/alcohol combinations! Who knew there were so many of ua who think about reaching for cookies and beer after a stressful day!

Frozen Girl Scout cookies go fine with a good Merlot.

Beer and Cookies... Works for me!

I think the beer and cookie thing is an nice start. Now, have it served in Hawaii by a young, shirtless man that has a striking resemblance to Johnny Depp and you've got yourself a party!

I have had beer and cookies days, and I only have two kids.

Beer and chocolate chip cookies right now.

yes. beer and cookies go together. go for it! although i prefer bailey's and ice cream. :)

Chocolate chip cookies go with anything

Of course beer and chocolate chip cookies go together! I'm surprised you haven't tried that combo before.

I think cookies and baileys definitely sounds like a better mix than beer.

How about Baileys and chocolate chip cookies? I have a great recipe for Kaluha brownies too.

I'm pretty sure any combination of alcohol and junk food go together at the end of that kind of day. Or for lunch on that day...

Oatmeal Cookie recipe serve in Old-Fashioned Glass1/2 oz Grand Marnier® orange liqueur1/2 oz butterscotch schnapps1/2 oz Bailey's® Irish cream

Beer and chocolate chip cookies sounds like a party to me.

Hard liquor sounds better than beer. after a day like that... Hit the bag of chocolet chips, skip the cookies all together... and than have a few shots.

Zoo Two

Because our venture to the zoo went so well last week, I took my kids (minus Savannah who was hanging out at her friend's house) there again on Friday. We met my sister and my little nephew there. This time it didn't go quite so nicely. Let's see... to start, Jackson was mouthy and belligerant on the way there. He was acting rotten and out of control as I drove to the zoo and at one point, he actually started throwing little Nintendo DS cartridges around the car. When we got to the zoo and tried to open the sliding door, we realized that a cartridge had gotten wedged in the sliding mechanism and it took us like 4 hours to get the door to open and then close again. He continued with his attitude pretty much the whole day. He took the brace off his wrist and threw it down the path where we were walking. He picked a dirty, lost baby bib off the ground and put it around his neck before I made him put it back. And he asked me 5 thousand times if he could buy something from the gift shop with his money. Money burns such a hole in that kid's pocket. He just doesn't get the concept of saving his money for something he really wants. The minute he gets money, he just has to spend it.

And of course, Brooklyn had about 7 million temper tantrums. Poor Austin (who was shockingly awesome) carried her most of the day and even told her a well-timed lie as we were leaving. One ride on the merry-go-round wasn't enough for her royal highness and she threw herself down on the ground, begging for another ride. Austin told her that we were going to a different merry-go-round by our car. It worked. We were able to leave and she thankfully forgot about "the other" merry-go-round by the time we reached the parking lot.

After spending another 5 hours at the zoo, we still didn't get to all the exhibits, but here are a few new pics...


Clay made friends with the leopard. He kept standing real close and watching Clay. I don't know if he was thinking that Clay would make a tasty snack or if he was wondering how Clay had escaped from the monkey cages.


A pile of porcupines. They were all kinda on top of each other and I kept wondering if they were stabbing each other.

"Ouch! Move over Bob!"
"Dude, you're poking me!"
"Sorry, Kevin, but there's not really room to move here."
"Can you get your quills outta my face, Bill?"


Awww - kissing baby Dominick


My sister trying to keep Dominick from flipping himself into the goat pen.


"A LLAMA? He's supposed to be dead!" (Yeah, I watch too many Disney movies.)


This chicken needs a haircut.


Does anyone else think it's kinda cruel that they named the chicken "Fricassee"?


OK, yes they're just cows, but we don't see cows around these here parts too often ever. But what's even more unusual than the cows is their toy. Do you see it? It's a big plastic pickle. Cows like to kick around giant condiments. Who knew?


This is the part where Clay picked up goat poop and threw it. At least he didn't try to eat it, right?


polar bear


Dominick in a little "nest" in the play zoo


This was in the turtle's enclosure. I guess they drink Diet caffeine free Coke.


And this was in the lemurs' cage. Paula Deen does their cooking.


Zoboomafoo


They have face paint in the play zoo. I guess Clay is Rudolph.


Brooklyn having a snit because she didn't want to leave. The whole day, she kept grabbing Austin's ears. She was like Remy in Ratatouille, trying to steer him around by grabbing his ears and hair.


pretty water fountain


The kids sitting on a life size leatherback turtle. Lexi's hanging on for dear life as she slips into the ocean floor.


Lexi trying to save Clay from being eaten by a rather large fish.


the latest in formal wear


Yeah, it's a ceiling. I'm kinda nuts about taking pictures.


not just another pretty face


...the corn is as high as an elephant's eye.... (song?)


elephant


extreme close-up


I never realized just how umm, interesting, tapirs look. They're much cuter on Diego.




And finally, the winner of the Wonder Pets beanie set and the $75 gift card from Angie at Good For The Kids is........


Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:215
Timestamp: 2008-05-22 05:31:08 UTC

The 215th comment came from......

www.parenthacks.compolitics4moms.blogspot.comwww.5minutesformom.com/faithlifts
By Hands-Free Heart, at June 17, 2008 12:10 AM


Congratulations!!! And thank you to everyone for taking the time to list some of your favorite websites!!! :)

You Found Me HOW???

OK, first things first. My good friends Mimi and Michelle are on a crusade to wipe out childhood cancer. For those of you who are new to my blog, Mimi lost her precious 4 year old, Julian, to cancer only 5 months ago. Check out these videos that Mimi's been slaving away on. She had to make three (in fact, she's working on a fourth one) because there were just so many kids who have battled/are battling cancer. Make sure you have tissues nearby.
Video One
Video Two
Video Three
When you're done watching these videos, click HERE to sign this petition. I know it takes a couple minutes and it's kind of a pain, but as Mimi says - it could happen to you. In the blink of your eye, you could get that dreaded diagnosis - cancer. As your whole world crumbles away, wouldn't you want someone in your corner, fighting for your child?
And God has gifted Michelle with incredible artistic talent and she's putting it to use to raise money for childhood cancer. Check out the link for 4 THE KIDS over to the right there -------------> Michelle is also walking for the kids in her Relay for Life. The link for that is HERE. Thank you for taking the time to check these out and/or donate money and/or pray that a cure is soon found! :)

Reminder - you have until midnight central time on Friday to leave a comment on THIS POST listing your 3 favorite mom websites. The winner will receive a set of Wonder Pet beanies..."We're not too big and we're not too tough, but when we get together, we've got the right stuff." Oh joy, I'm going to have that little ditty in my head for the rest of the night. Anyway, you'll get the set of beanies AND a $75 gift card for Good For the Kids!!! Meanwhile, check out Angie's variety of safe sippy cups which are free of Bisphenol A (BPA Free), phthalates and DEHA. She's also got a ton of toys to nurture and engage your little ones like Melissa and Doug puzzles and Zoobie pets.


OK, now it's time for another installment of How On Earth Did You Weirdos Find Me???

These are the actual keywords that folks googled in order to find me.

telling good lies to each other at class reunion
I recommend it.

why do people get stung if they step on a dead jellyfish?
because they've stepped on a jellyfish

Camping in southern Missouri I came across a spider the size of my hand
Note to self: don't go camping in Missouri.

what should i do with my mother when i have so many problems with her
OK, which one of my kids googled this?

pee stains on pants
It wasn't me! Honestly. It was just water from the fountain that I sat in!

How many more days of school??????????!!!!!!!!!!
OK, now which kid googled this one?

If you asked a woman to change your diaper what would she say?
Goodbye freak!

I searched butt paste for you dawn
Umm thanks?

just a fool to believe she's got disease you tube
I believe the lyrics are "just a fool to believe I've got anything she needs..." not "disease"!

Ways to get moms sympathy when I’m sick
Oh suck it up! You're not that sick.

nude cruise
Umm ew!

my daughter shaved her eyebrows off
Oh my gosh! Why???

so i
So you what???

Hahaha i
You what???? Stop leaving me hanging like this!

I look up to the most to my mom because
Grrrr! Because WHY???

I’m so angry at my new husband
Get used to it.

Hi dawn! Wanted to see if I make it to your next google list becuase I said so! =p
Someone has a little too much time on her hands. ;)

Your laughing at me because I’m different I’m laughing at you because I have gas
I'm sorry to hear that.

If you’re driving in a Chevy and your pants are feeling heavy diarreah
Songs about bodily functions for $200 Alex.

Silicone dog’s paws
Do they really make prosthetic paws for dogs?

I resign because of family
I hear ya there!

One fabulous mom blogspot
Thank you, thank you, thank you. :D

Arizona scorpions in toilet drain
Oh my gosh! And I thought it was bad when my friend Stacie told me that scorpions had dropped on her head while she was in the bathroom!

Why does my water bottle smell like feet?
because your kids filled it with milk and let it sit in your car, in the summer heat, for 2 weeks. Just guessing.

Don’t eat the bugs clay
Do you hear that Clay? Don't eat bugs!

Stuffed butts
It just wouldn't be my blog without the requisite butt reference.

How do bats poop
with their butts (sorry - couldn't help myself)

Can you take her back and change her for another
I swear I didn't google this about Brooklyn!

Plaid knee socks
Thing you don't want to wear. Ever.

Children who eat strange things diaper crème
I don't know. When you spell cream like that, it makes it sound like a dessert.

What does a grade one kid put in his backpack
I looked in Lexi's backpack so I could accurately answer this. A first grader puts Littlest Pet Shop toys, Polly Pockets, a Leapster game cartridge, a pencil, 2 crayons, a bunch of misc. papers, 3 socks, a library book that should have been turned before school got out a couple weeks ago, a baggie filled with smashed crackers, 4 containers of chapstick/lipgloss, a bracelet, and one of my Tupperware cups.

My son flushed something down the toilet and now it won’t flush, how do I unclog it?
Oh honey! Are you on your way home yet?

How do mom blogs get so many views?
because we're so darn awesome!

This is how I walk my dog Dorothy
Thank you, Elmo.



Things that make you say, "Wha???"

if suddenly you forget me, don’t look for me, because suddenly I’ve forgotten you

Cat=web&cs=iso88591&g=gyno.swf&rys=0&itag=crv&_sb_lang=pref

I you because so

Win thi lootery book

The style of is normal day pair of shoes that is in right now for teenage boys

Utah toilet lock bailey

She don’t know that face I know she don’t know the things I know she don’t know I run this show

the chicken had a home where she lived with delight so why did she visit the construction site?

Dawn i.

I haven’t a clue about what you just said, so here is a rabbit with a pancake on its head.

I try to make my way to you but still I feel so lost I don’t know what to say, what else to do. Don’t give up on me yet, don’t forget who I am I know I’m not there yet, but don’t leave me alone

I don’t know if what I did was right or wrong, guess I will never know. But, I made it, and I guess I should be thankfull for that.

You Guys Are so Weird I Said

I took the gang to the dentist this morning. The good news is that he was able to cement my crown back where it belongs while I was there. (You know, since I'm the queen) The bad news is that I have to go back to have my 2 cracked teeth fixed. Oh yeah - and 1 more cavity filled. I used to have good teeth. I did!
And then I had kids.

The kids were actually pretty good while we were there. The thing is - even if they aren't being "bad", it's still kinda crazy when they're all together in the same little room.
I mean, Brooklyn was whining, "I wan' a toothbrush! I wan' toothbrush!"

Meanwhile Clay was asking, "Is it mine turn? What's he doing? Is that mint flavor? Is he brushing his teeth? What is that? Why is Jackson making faces? Does that taste bad?"

Lexi was lining up her Littlest Pet Shop toys and telling me, "This is Lola and this one is Cheeky and this is Kiki and this is Lala and this one is Kuku and the pony is Keeku and this dog is Fluffy..."

Jackson was trying to talk while the dentist was cleaning his teeth. "Mo ca I go pay wi Ti-ee whe we're duh?

Then there was Savannah saying, "Mooom, Clayton is trying to take the fake teeth out of the kangaroo."

And Austin was just laughing like a hyena because, well who knows why he was laughing. He's a strange kid.

So no one was being bad, per se, but when you combine that much activity and noise, it can seem like they're all being rotten and crazy. There was a time when my dentist would have taken the drill to his ear drums. Thankfully he now has a child of his own and has learned to tune out that kind of cacophony.

My dentist has a treasure chest filled with toys for kids to drool over fight over go absolutely INSANE over choose when they're done with their cleaning. Now the idea is to bribe a young child with these toys. "Hold still and let the dentist look at your teeth and then you can pick out a toy!" These are not really for 10 year old kids. Jackson doesn't get this concept.
"Mom, can I get a toy?"
"Sure Jackson, knock yourself out."
"Mom, these toys are all babyish."
"No kidding."
"They're aren't good toys in there."
"Ummm, that's because they're not really for 10 year olds!"
Then the dentist piped up with, "What, do you think there should be Gameboys in there?"
"Yeah!" Jackson replied excitedly, half expecting the dentist to pull out a Gameboy for him.

So everyone has clean teeth and they're set for another 6 months. And Brooklyn got a new toothbrush so she's happy as can be since toothbrushes are way better than any toy on the market.

Then I took Jackson to the doctor to have his cast taken off. His arm wasn't smelly and gross at all. I love waterproof casts! He just needs to wear a brace for another 3 weeks.

Tonight at dinner, Austin decided to speak in third person. Actually, it was more like he was giving us a running narrative of the evenings activities.

ME: Savannah's last regular season softball game is tomorrow.
AUSTIN: And I have three more games, Austin said happily.
ME: Austin said happily???
AUSTIN: Yes, Austin agreed.
ME: Why are you talking like that?
AUSTIN: Talking like what? Austin asked.
ME: Ugh. Do you want some more spaghetti?
AUSTIN: No, I'm full said Austin.
SAVANNAH: Austin you're a dork.
AUSTIN: And I'm also stupid, Austin replied.
ME: Seriously, what's with the narration?
AUSTIN: I have no idea what you're talking about, Austin said, confused.
ME: I have the weirdest kids.

My Patience Gauge is on Empty

The other day Joe and I were talking about the Feingold diet and how we weren't really seeing results with it. We agreed that it wasn't really making a difference in Jackson's behavior, so we decided to let him eat things that were off the diet. We started this a couple days ago.

We were wrong.

Maybe the diet doesn't work as well as medication, but hoo boy, judging by Jackson's "wackadoo, out of control, making us all want to jump off a bridge" behavior the last couple days, it appears the diet was at least helping. The pencil to Clay's eye yesterday was just the tip of the iceberg. After the day I had today, I can see why some parents abandon their young while they're only a month old. Like these bunnies in my friend Jen's yard...



Actually, rabbits may be onto something. They nurse their babies maybe once a day and their gestation period is only a month long!

Anyway, if I had any doubts that the diet was helping, they all evaporated today. Oh. My. Gosh. I haven't seen Jackson so horrible in a long time and I have no desire to see him like that again anytime soon ever! Note to self (and anyone else dumb enough to try this): Kool Aid is about the worst thing you can give someone with sensitivities to artificial colors and flavors.)

I think I have a finite amount of patience for any given day. When it runs out, then I become HIM. "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Let me tell ya, I ran out of patience by noon today. Most days, I can deal with the crazy stuff and the arguing between the kids. Little things don't phase me on most days. Most days, I don't feel like curling up in a fetal position, rocking back and forth, and sucking down hard liquor my thumb.

Then there are days like today where I can't so much as stand the sound of breathing by the time bedtime rolls around because my patience has been completely depleted.

Beer goes with chocolate chip cookies, right? Because I have a craving for both right now. Or maybe I should just save it for tomorrow when I take all 6 of them to the dentist by myself and somehow try to have a conference call in the middle of that.

Sunday Sound Out

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE GREAT DADS OUT THERE!

Here's how Joe's father's day went....

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!
WAHHHH!

What the???

Are you ok?

Oh my gosh! His eye's bleeding!

Think we should take Clay to the ER?

Yep, Jackson threw a pencil, hit Clay in the eye, and left us wondering - hmmm, should we take him to the ER? I think he's ok. I don't think they'll do anything for it. But it's his eye. You kinda need your eyes. Maybe we should have it looked at just in case. They'll probably give him some drops or something.

Anyway, we erred on the side of caution like usual and were told that Clay doesn't need to be a pirate. His eye is ok; just has an abrasion. He needs antibiotic drops.

******************************************

OK, next. My design team is coming up with the most awesome, amazing ideas for my website. I'm so excited about it and can't wait til it's ready to launch! You guys are going to love it, I just know it! Eeeeeee! <---that's the sound of excitement. Yeah, it doesn't take much for me.

Anyway, first off, bookmark BecauseISaidSo.com so you don't lose me when I switch over (it'll probably be a couple months before it's official). And secondly, would you guys be so helpful as to take a minute and leave me a comment with your 3 favorite mom-type websites? I know you adore my blog (wink wink) but don't list that as one of your faves. Tell me your top three favorite mom sites besides my blog. For example, babcenter.com or goodhousekeeping.com, etc. What sites do you love to visit? I'll choose a random winner from all the entries and they'll receive a set of Wonder Pets beanies and a $75 gift card courtesy of Angie at Good for the Kids!

And now for Sunday Sound Out!

Did you find anything exciting on the memory card? Was the watch still keeping time? Just wondering!Sandy, HE, Illinois

I found about 200 pictures on the memory card, but I'd already put them on my computer so nothing new and exciting. And nope, my watch was definitely not keeping time anymore.

How old is Brooklyn?
canadiancarrie

Two

That is too funny...although I'm sure it wasn't at the time....Let me ask you this, does blogging take the place of the therapy one would need after raising children? LOL....at least you can look back and make light of it later, huh?
By Kristy

Since I've been blogging, I totally look at things differently. Instead of freaking out over things, now I grab my camera. I guess you could call it therapy. It's sure a lot cheaper!

What do you do when Brooklyn throws a never-ending tantrum?

She hasn't done that because we just give her whatever she wants in order to avoid the screaming. Honestly, toddler tantrums don't phase me at all anymore. It's small potatoes compared to other stuff that goes on as the kids get older. Don't get me wrong though - back when I just had one or two kids, those tantrums used to seriously stress me out.

...I thought of you - 1) You haven't (apparently) struggled with lack of fertility and 2) Aren't you soon due for another yourself?Holly Maudsley

It took me over a year to get pregnant with Austin. I was beginning to freak out that I'd never have kids and I was just starting down the path of infertility treatment. I conceived the next 5 when Joe breathed on me, hung his toothbrush too close to mine, used the same toilet seat, drank out of my cup, and simply looked at me.

You mentioned that Austin also threw a few fits when he was younger. Just curious....When did Austin outgrow the fits? What did you do to handle him during that trying time? Are the rest of your kids fairly calm? Hey, I noticed that you call PJ's (pajama's), jammies. Is that a Chicago thing? I'd love to hear all the unique words that are heard in Chicago. I'll give you a whole list of Texas-isms.Thanks for the laughs!!~Lisa, San Antonio, Texas

I don't remember when Austin outgrew his tantrums. We had to put him in his room when he was throwing a fit. While there, he'd take all the sheets off his bed, then he'd pull the mattress off the frame; he'd empty all his dresser drawers and pull down curtains; and he'd empty his toybox of all toys. I'd actually blocked that from my memory forgotten all about that! Wow, good times, good times.

As far as "jammies" goes, I didn't know that was a regional thing. I thought everyone called pajamas "jammies". Here's a regional saying that cracks me up: apparently people from the south say, "The kids were playing in the floor" instead of playing ON the floor. How do you play IN the floor?

Although don't all kids like gross sandwiches though?By Michelle

I know Austin lives to gross out people with his sandwich combinations. Yesterday he ate a sandwich of a cold, fruit/whipped cream (ambrosia-like) salad on French bread.

The sardine one doesn't sound that weird (maybe it's cultural thing, here in the UK that's a pretty common sandwich filling =) but the others.. Wow! I like pineapple and cheese on sticks but as a sandwich? With OLIVES?! =X
By Lizzy

Pineapple and cheese on sticks? OK, I'm thinking that sticks means something other than sticks (as in branches off a tree). Explanation?

I HAVE GREAT NEWS FOR YOU!!! A few weeks ago you mentioned in a post that you couldn't get your scanner to work with vista. I was having the same problem and have now figured out how to do it. Open Windows Photo Gallery, go to File>Import from scanner or camera. As long as your scanner is connected to your computer you can scan! YEA!
By Darla

LOL! Ummm thanks, but I wrote that August 20th and I gave my scanner to my neighbor about 10 months ago. Thanks for thinking of me though!

Does yours have a list of recipes for invalids too?I love reading cookbooks- this is just one example why.
By Kikilia

No, it doesn't and I'm inexplicably bummed about it.

Oh......... Looks very proffessional! Will you come and caulk mine. You are so good at it.I'll order the caulk for you. There will be chocolate.
By Brenda

Chocolate? Chocolate? Did someone say CHOCOLATE? I'm so there!

When I signed up for the caulk single, it asked for my birthdate. Is there illegal underage caulking going on that we didn't know about?! Who'da known?
By sandnmyshooz

Underage caulking is no laughing matter. It's serious. If you think it can't happen to you, you're wrong. Underage caulking can happen anywhere, in any town, and to any family. Always know what your kids are up to!

So I after I use my fancy-dancy finger to smooth it out, how do I correctly clean it off? (I figure I should find out before I try tackling my shower on my own.)
By Pangolin

I don't know, but I'm going to try licking mine the next time.

WOW What a great job are you sure that you werent a plumber in a previous life??????
By roseys madhouse

Thank you and I don't think so. I like to wear my pants around my waist.

You are putting me to shame. I need to go do all those things, but I keep hoping I get pregnant instead.
By SuburbanCorrespondent

Ahhh, there's the difference. I keep going to doctors in hopes that I don't get pregnant again.

Oh yeah - my new doctor (we'll call him Dr. L) called me the very next day to discuss my blood test results. Do you understand what I'm saying? HE called me HIMSELF to DISCUSS the results! He didn't have a nurse call. He didn't just say, "Oh yeah, everything is fine." He's a keeper. And yes, everything is fine. I attribute it to my wonderful lifestyle luck and genetics.

Sunday sound out Q: Who is the most trouble making, hard to deal with, kid? (If not all of them) (Hee Hee!) :D
By Anonymous

They each have their issues and annoying behaviors. Thankfully, they also each have their own strong points and awesome behaviors.

I don't recommend going to the doctor when you're dead. You'll stink up the whole office and make it uncomfortable for the rest of us non-zombie types.
By Rick

LOL! Thanks Rick. I'll keep that in mind.

PS - do you use an external mouse or do you use the touch screen on your laptop all the time? I had carpel tunnel until I switched back to a mouse - it's MUCH better now.
By Anonymous

I use the touch pad that I swore I'd never get used to. It's second nature now. My doctor told me to take a vitamin B complex to help with the carpel tunnel. What he didn't say was that my urine was going to turn neon yellow. It's a very funky thing. Sooo, if you want to do a stupid human trick and pee unnatural colors, take a vitamin B complex. I'm not a doctor, but I play one online. Please check with your own real doctor before taking anything to make you pee a rainbow.

Okay, I tried a million times to leave this comment on the SSO post, but unsuccessfully...I really must know, and it fits under "medical"--maybe a SSO question? You mention you had migraines before you had kids. Does that mean they went away after? Because it is the reverse for me. Between pregnancy, lactation, and not sleeping more than two hours in a row for eleven months, my migraines went from twice a year to twice a week. So my question is, do you have some secret? Did you make some healthy, drastic lifestyle change? Did the hormones just work out for you? Or is it that mommies just aren't allowed to get a headache and spend twelve hours in a dark, quiet place? Please share your secret, Doctor Dawn. :)
By Anonymous

Sorry to disappoint, but they just kinda went away after I had my first kid. I still get really bad, make-you-throw-up headaches, but now it's only a few times a year. It used to be twice a month. I wish I had a secret cure to tell you because I know migraines really suck.

Was that the Brookfield Zoo? I haven't been there in a while!
By Mere

Yep. We got a membership so we can go whenever we want. We just pack a lunch and head off for a couple hours. It's nice because we don't feel like we have to cover the entire zoo in a single visit. (It's a big zoo!)

I take my kids out for the exact same reason! They forget to fight when other people are around. LOLWhat other exciting things do you have planned for the kids?Our town does Concerts in the Park, so we take the kids there (FREE!) and we also do the Wednesday movies for $2!!!By BoufMom9

We plan on doing some camping (oh joy), going to Navy Pier, Millennium Park, the water park, maybe Six Flags (the kids earned tickets in school), nature center, and we have those cheap Wednesday morning movies too!

Aahhh! They took the fountain out? Why would they do that?!?!
By Colleen

To make room for the human exhibit, of course! They also tore down Ibex Island that's been there since 1936! They're putting bears in that space now.

i think Jackson's tongue is hanging out because he's getting gored in the neck by a buffalo horn.
By lisa

After I published the blog post, I enlarged the photos and noticed that. Goofball. That's exactly what he was doing.

So do the squirrels just run around wild?

By roseys madhouse

Ummm yes. Are there no squirrels in Australia?

That's a chipmunk, no?

~Dawn S

I thought so too until my kids set me straight.

"That is not a chipmunk." duh

"Sure it is! It isn't a squirrel."

"It's a thirteen lined ground squirrel." double duh

"If you say so."

It's amazing you've made it to adulthood being as stupid as you are, Mom.

Looks like a fun time!!!!!!! Did Joe go too or did you tough it out alone? If so I will give you a gold star!!!!!!!!
By plainprecious

Nah, he was working. Just me and the kiddos. Can my gold star say "Sheriff"?

Ok, I know this is way off topic, but I LOVE the Curious George shoes!!! Where did you find them? I have 2 boys who need those!!! (yes, I know I get inappropriately excited over stupid mommy things...)
By Heather

LOL! I got excited when I found them too! I got them at my favorite store - Target.

I wanna go to Brookfield Zoooooooooo! I miss Olga the walrus - is she still there? She'd be what, 40 years old by now?

By HeyItsBeej

The walrus has a name? You know the walrus's name? The walrus's name is OLGA??? Hmmm, I guess I have to pay more attention to the signs the next time I go to the zoo. And to answer your question, I have no idea. We didn't make it over to the swimming animals the other day. I'll check next time.

Your kids really are adorable. Did you pay them to take those cute pics so people wouldn't think that they are heathens?
By jezebelsk
Absolutely!

So, is Austin taller than you?

By Margaret

No. No! Really no! Honestly, he isn't! Neither is Savannah. For real! They are, most emphatically, NOT taller than me.

We're the same height, see? Not taller! The same!

I have a question. Awhile back you posted about a program to download that lets you blog without using the blogger tools. Another program that lets you do more and not put the pictures on backwards! I downloaded it and love it, but I took my computer in for repairs and clean up and it isn't in my tool bar anymore! Can you remind me what you are using and what I was using!! Pamfellow mom of six!
By Pam

Windows Live Writer

Thanks for the fun posts. I am so glad your little Brooklyn wears her socks! :)Best Wishes,Stacey By Beaded Socks

How on earth could you tell she was wearing those socks? Wow! And yes, she loves her "jingly socks"! Thank you! (If you've got a little girl, check out the link for these cute beaded socks! They're adorable!)

I have a question for you. How do you handle the situation when someone else's kid is being mean to your child/children. We ran into this at our local zoo recently. A boy was intentionally trying to ram a stroller into my 3 year old as we walked passed him. His parents were oblivious and only heard me say to him that wasn't very nice. Am I right for correcting someone else's child or should I have just talked to my kids about his behavior later? I just wanted someone else's thoughts about this.Thanks. Shannon
By Shanana73

I tell my kids to bite or kick the offending child. That'll show him to mess with my kids!

Actually, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I don't usually get into it though. I generally walk away and say something to my kids like, "See? That's why I tell you to behave! So you don't turn into a little punk like that," at which point they roll their eyes at me.

Remember - please leave me a comment when you have a minute, with your top three favorite mom sites. I'll pick a random winner on Friday and they'll get a set of Wonder Pet beanies and a $75 gift card good for merchandise at Good for the Kids, courtesy of Angie!!!

And I Wasn't Even Tempted to Leave Them at the Zoo

When it was time for the kids to go back to school last fall, I felt like we hadn't really done anything over summer vacation. I didn't want to be slug-mom again this year and vowed to do lots of fun things with the kids. We went to a sprayground a couple days ago and we went to the zoo today. The kids were awesome there. I think the secret is removing them from their habitat and taking them out in public. They're confused and disoriented when we leave the house so they temporarily stop fighting with each other and get along. That's my theory and as long as it works, I'll take them on fun trips.


The gang at the zoo


petting the fake wombat


not so sure about the fake wombat


This box was in the wombat's habitat. Now you know the secret to their glowing skin.


Awwww. This looks like such a sweet picture, doesn't it? Austin being a great big brother and carrying Brooklyn who is resting, right? Actually, Brooklyn is pouting because she wants to ride in the wagon.
"Look Brooklyn! There are zebras!"
"I don't like zebras!"
"Look! There's a giraffe!"
"I don't like giraffes!"
"Oooo Brooklyn! Do you see the baby giraffe?"
"I don't like babies!"


A picture of the kids eating lunch? Nope. A picture of Clayton the Destroyer, squishing a bug. He lives to hold, collect, and look at bugs. Then he squishes them. Yep, he's well adjusted.


Forget the wild animals. We go to the zoo to see the geese.


and the ground squirrels


All I can say is - I'm glad I'm not a kangaroo


giraffe


It's a water buck. I just like the fact that he has a bull's eye on his butt.


elephant


rhino (I can't believe I'm labeling these pictures. If you don't know what an elephant or a rhino looks like, there's something wrong.)


hmmm, this used to be a fountain. I wonder what it is now....


Oh I see! It's the human exhibit! Here are the humans in their natural habitat. See how they interact with each other.


sting rays


I have no idea why Jackson's tongue is hanging out. I do know that Brooklyn is listening to the cup though. Maybe she hears the ocean?

An Apple a Day....

An apple a day......

...would probably crack my tooth, give me diarrhea, and make my face break out in a rash.

I really didn't have enough fun going to the gyno and getting my mammogram last month, so I went for a physical today. Actually I called back in February to set up the appointment. This was the soonest they could get me in.

Yesterday while I was out, the doctor's office called to confirm my appointment today. They left a message requesting me to return their call to confirm the appointment. I didn't get home until after office hours last night because the kids and I were out at a sprayground and then at a baseball game. Thus, I didn't return the call to confirm that I'd actually be at the appointment I had waited 4 months for. So, they called again this morning before the sun was even up. I don't answer the phone when I'm sleeping, so they left another message telling me to call back when the office opened at 9:00am and confirm my appointment. When I got up, I called them back, navigated their phone maze and left the message that I'd be there.

Then I asked them to call me back and confirm that they'd received my confirmation.

I don't know why, but stuff like that bugs me. Just like my pediatrician's office that INSISTS on seeing my insurance card every time I go. It doesn't matter if I assure them that it's the exact same card as it was 4 days ago when I was there, they still need to physically see it again. Maybe there's something wrong with me, but it's little stuff like this that makes me nuts.

Anyway, I went to this physical with the mindset that I wasn't going to like the doctor. Good attitude, no? I had the most wonderful doctor ever and then he moved to some remote island or Montana or something where he could really help people who needed it. Hello? What about your patients here? What am I - chopped liver? (which I'm sure would make a fine sandwich if you mixed it with chocolate syrup, mayonnaise, and corn niblets.) I envision him making housecalls in a Little House on the Prairie kind of town. Anyway, his noble move left me without a doctor for several years because I just knew I wouldn't find another doctor who would compare. And really, except for the times the kids have shared their strep throat germs with me, I haven't needed to see a non-OB doctor for years.

It's hard to tell from just one meeting, but I think this guy has potential. I like him so far. Well, except for the part where he told me I was insanely fat need to exercise for good heart health. I didn't like that part so much. Or the part where I opened my mouth and said, "Ahhhh" and he said, "holy mackerel, just how many cavities do you have in there?" "Do you floss everyday?" What, is he a dentist too? Oh and speaking of dentists....my tooth fell out on the way to the doctor today. It. Fell. Out. I freaked out! In fact, I freaked out so much that I didn't notice the Road Closed sign and I drove the wrong way into oncoming traffic! While holding my TOOTH in my hand, freaking out! Yeah, that was fun. A construction worker kindly pointed out that I was going the wrong way. "Hey! You can't drive that way! The road is closed, moron idiot ma'am!"

So I turned around, drove the long way to the doctor's office, pulled into the parking lot and managed to pop my tooth/crown thingy back on. Sort of. By the time I got in the office (10 minutes late thanks to the closed road) my blood pressure was 430/280 which, come to find out, is a bad thing.

Anyway, here's my diagnosis: I'm tired because I have six kids and I don't exercise because bad things happen when I try. (Did you click the link? No? Then how can you know what I'm talking about? Go back and click it. I'll wait. insert nice elevator music here Back? Good.) I guess I also have carpal tunnel syndrome. So that's why my hands always fall asleep. Who knew?

I have to admit that I was impressed with how long he took to talk to me. I didn't feel rushed at all. He asked questions and actually listened to what I had to say. That's very important to me. You know - because I like to talk because I want to feel like the doctor understands what I'm saying and cares about it. I think a lot of doctors miss this. You start to tell them about something that's bothering you and they cut you off mid-sentence because they already know everything and don't need to hear any details from you blah blah blah. I suppose you could attribute it to "the system". Doctors probably have to see a certain number of people a day and don't have time to spend more than a couple minutes with each one. Still, that is one thing I cannot overlook when searching for a physician. In fact, I'd say his bedside manner was way more important than distance, hours, fees, etc. OK, I digress as usual.

Let's see - where was I? Oh yes, then I had 52 vials of blood drawn. After that, they sent me to pee in a cup. I must say that I haven't peed in a cup non-pregnant in years. I don't even remember the last time. Man, it is MUCH, MUCH easier to go IN the cup as opposed to ON your hand when you don't have a giant belly in your way.

So, here we go -
Stupid pap - check!
Stupid mammogram - check!
Stupid physical - check!
Stupid dentist - calling tomorrow....

I'm not going to anymore doctors for 10 years unless I'm dead. Now it's Joe's turn to get those tonsils yanked so I he can get a good night's sleep.

GE Caulk Singles

You know those ads that run along the side of my blog? Truth be told, I don't generally pay too much attention to them. I hadn't really checked out the one for GE caulk until a friend brought it to my attention.

We have a leaky shower. It's been that way forever. It's been on my husband's "to do" list for like 40 years. I finally came to the realization that although I wanted the shower taken care of, this was not a high priority on my husband's list. I was so angry that he wasn't fixing it that I decided to just do it myself. I'm not a big DIY (do it yourselfer), but I was determined to show my husband that I could caulk the leaking shower myself. Brilliant plan, no?

So, I went to the store, bought a thing of caulk, got home, and realized I had no way to get the caulk out of the can. Apparently you need a caulk gun. Who knew? Bob the Builder I'm not. I mentioned to my husband that I'd bought some caulk and all he had to do was grab his caulk gun and seal the shower. That darn container of caulk sat there there for 10 years. Or something like that.

So, after my friend brought the GE caulk ad to my attention, I checked it out. Guess what - GE is giving away FREE samplesof their new caulk singles. These things look really cool! You don't need a caulk gun to dispense it. Simply tear open the package and squeeze it out. According to their ads, you should be able to effortlessly apply an even bead of caulk. I filled out the form to receive my free sample.

OK, so here's the shower, complete with mold damage, that was never caulked and is now out of my realm of fixability. It's my husband's job now for sure.


Here's the before picture of the sink that I caulked...


The reason there was a gaping space between the sink and the wall was because the kids have done a little too much of this....


I got my GE caulk single in the mail.....


I tore off the top and just squeezed out a thin, ...


almost even bead of caulk.


Then I simply smoothed it out with my expensive caulk smoothing tools finger.


One little note: Don't smear this stuff all over your hands like your favorite moisturizer and then stick them under water in an effort to wash it off, and then try to wipe it off with a paper towel, then rub your hands together some more, then use your nail to scrape the goo off, and then try washing them again. Not that I did that or anything. Just take my word for it.

So, just click HERE to get your free GE caulk single sample.

Want a Sandwich?

My grandmother gave me one of her old cookbooks thinking there would be recipes in there that would work with the Feingold diet that we're on. Most of my cookbooks use prepackaged ingredients (like cans of soup, etc.) that have artificial additives or preservatives. This cookbook, copyright 1931, uses whole foods with no commercially prepared shortcuts. BTW - I have nothing against shortcuts. I love shortcuts. I've always looked for any shortcuts I could find to help me in the whole "making a decent dinner for a family of eight" thing. It's just that I'm trying to cut out all artificial stuff (at least where Jackson's concerned.)

Sooo, I was paging through this 77 year old cookbook and a section labeled "sandwiches" caught my eye. A whole section on sandwiches? For real? The beginning of the chapter actually explains what a sandwich is. The following is from the sandwich chapter:

"Sandwiches are made of one of more slices of bread or toast, spread with a flavorous filling.
There are two types: closed and open. A closed sandwich is made by spreading a filling on one slice of bread and covering it with a second slice. An open-faced sandwich is made by spreading the filling on a slice of bread and serving it without placing a second slice on top.
Any open-faced sandwich made with meat should be served with a well-seasoned hot sauce.
The filling may be a single food or a combination of foods. It may be softer or it may be firmer in texture than the bread.
Ingredients used in making fillings should be selected for flavor. They should have an appetizing appeal."
As opposed to making disgusting, unappealing sandwiches.

It goes on to talk about how to slice loaves of bread. For you real younguns, bread didn't come pre-sliced in plastic bags back then.

Sandwiches in my life consist of peanut butter or turkey and cheese with the occasion tuna or chicken salad. I searched through this section and was amazed at the "sandwich" combinations in there. It was as if someone opened their cabinet, closed their eyes, reached in and grabbed out the first 4 things they found. They proceeded to mix them together, spread it on bread, and call it a sandwich. Anyway, in no particular order, here are ten of my favorite (and by favorite, I mean "most interesting") sandwiches from this cookbook.

10. APRICOT HORSERADISH
2/3 c. dried apricots
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. cold water
Few grains salt
Horseradish

Wash apricots. Add water. Cover. Simmer slowly until fruit is soft. Add sugar. Simmer 5 minutes. Drain. Mash fruit. Add salt. Add horseradish to taste. Use as a filling between buttered slices of whole wheat bread.
OK, it was sounding like a nice dessert until the whole horseradish thing.


9. BAKED BEAN
Mash baked beans. Add finely chopped pickle to suit taste. Moisten with mayonnaise until of spreading consistency. Use as a filling between slices of whole wheat bread. If desired, a relish spread may be substituted for the mayonnaise and chopped pickle. Minced onion, and catsup may be added.
Oh good - I'm glad you can add catsup. It would be just gross without that.


8. PRUNE
Remove stones from dried prunes which have been cooked until tender. Drain. Chop prunes. Combine with an equal quantity of peanut butter. Moisten with lemon juice, honey, or mayonnaise to a spreading consistency. Add a few grains of salt. Mix thoroughly. Use as a filling between buttered slices of whole wheat or white bread.
Use in place of Alli


7. DEVILED PEANUT
1/2 c. deviled ham
salt
1/2 c. ground peanuts
2 T. chopped pickle
mayonnaise dressing
Combine ham, peanuts, and pickle. Season to taste. Moisten with mayonnaise to a spreading consistency. Use as a filling between thin slices of graham bread.
Otherwise entitled The Pregnant Woman's Delight


6. TONGUE CHICKEN
Arrange thin slices of tongue on hot buttered toast. Spread with mayonnaise. Cover with slices of chicken breast. Cover with a second slice of buttered toast. Serve at once. If desired, lettuce and sliced tomato may be added.
I don't know how to spell the gagging noise I just made.


7. SARDINE
Remove bones and skin from 10 sardines. Shred sardines. Moisten with mayonnaise dressing to a spreading consistency. Add a few drops lemon juice and 1 teaspoon melted butter. Mix thoroughly. Use as a filling between slices of whole wheat or white bread.
Mmmmm, imagine the tasty goodness!


6. GRAPENUT
1 c. Grapenuts
1/4 c. grated cheese
1/4 t. paprika
1 t. dry mustard
2/3 t. salt
1 T. catsup
5 drops Tabasco sauce
Combine ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Use as a filling between buttered slices of bread.
I've never been fond of breakfast cereals that look like rabbit pellets, but maybe I've just been doing it wrong. I simply need to add cheese and Tabasco to it!


5. DUTCH LUNCH
Cover thinly sliced onion with ice-water. Let stand 1 hour. Drain. Dry. Dip in French dressing. Place on buttered slices of rye bread. Cover with a thin layer of sauerkraut. Dust lightly with paprika.
Finish with breath mints. Really strong breath mints.

4. OLIVE PINEAPPLE
6 slices pineapple
12 stuffed olives, sliced
1/4 c. chopped raisins
1/2 c. cottage cheese
cream or mayonnaise dressing
salt

Combine raisins, cheese, and 1/2 the olives. Moisten with cream or mayonnaise. Season to taste. Cut each slice pineapple in 2 slices. Spread cheese filling between 2 slices of pineapple. Garnish with remaining olives.
This isn't a sandwich. It's nausea inducing, goo-filled fruit.


3. BOSTON BROWN BREAD
Prepare steamed brown bread. Cool overnight. Cut in thin slices. Spread with cream cheese which has been moistened to a spreading consistency with cream and catsup, or mayonnaise.
Steamed brown bread? Anyone? Any clue? Anyone?


2. TOASTED CHEESE
Place thin slices of cheese between slices of bread. Toast in oven or in toaster. Serve at once.
Seriously? They needed directions for this?


1. MARSHMALLOW
Place plain or chocolate covered marshmallows between crisp crackers. Press firmly together. Serve at once. If desired, the marshmallows may be toasted before they are placed between the crackers.
Yes, we call this a s'more in the 21st century.


I can't wait to share some other sections with you guys!

Dr. Jekyll & Miss Brooklyn

I guess I'm lucky that my first 5 kids weren't like this, but boy oh boy, does Brooklyn have a stubborn, bratty streak a mile wide! Actually, come to think of it, Austin was like this when he was younger too. I guess I've just blocked it from my mind. When Austin was little, he spent two years wearing the same baseball cap - purple and orange with Tigger on it. He wore it all day, every day, day after day. He wore it to church. He wore it to sleep. He wore it in the bathtub. He melted down if we tried to get him to take it off. In every picture of him, from that time period, there was a hat on his head. I still have that hat (along with the kids' going home from the hospital outfits, blankies and Christening outfits) packed away in a box in my attic.

Anyway, I digress. Brooklyn is a temperamental, stubborn little thing. When we got home after looking at vans tonight, Brooklyn took off her shoes and set them right inside the door. Joe told her, "Put your shoes away."

She screamed, "NO!"

"Yes, Brooklyn. Let's move them away from the door," Joe said amicably as he picked up her shoes.

Brooklyn screamed like he had poured boiling acid on her and grabbed her shoes from him and put them back by the door.

Ok then.

I tried to distract her by cheerfully saying, "Come on, Brooklyn. Let's go get your jammies on!"
I think she misunderstood me. She must have thought I said, "I'm going to break both your ankles now" because she screamed, "NOOOO!!!!" as she threw herself on the floor, screaming and crying.

I picked her wailing and squirming little body up off the floor and said, "That's enough Brooklyn. Let's change your diaper and get your jammies on."

She threw herself back in my arms as she tried to wriggle loose from my grip. All the while she's screaming her head off because clearly, having one's diaper changed is a fate worse than death.
As I tried to change her diaper, she flipped herself over about a dozen times. I pull open the tapes; she flips over. I flip her back; she screams. I pull her diaper off; she flips over. I flip her back; she cries. I wipe her butt; she flips. I pull her back; she flips again. I pull her back and scoot a new diaper under her butt; she flips back. I turn her over on her back again and fasten one tab; she flips over. I flip her back; she screams.....

I just love changing toddler's diapers.

Because I dared to change her diaper and put her pajamas on, she went into a huge fit of screaming and crying and pulled her pajamas right back off. She looked at me and I swear I heard her say, "That'll show you!" She cried so much that I thought she was going to throw up. Can you imagine getting so worked up putting your pajamas on? I don't know about you, but I'm thrilled when that time of day rolls around and I can put my pajamas on. I personally love sleep!
Anyway, I walked away and let her throw her fit. (I was getting far away just in case she actually threw up!)

Eventually, without an audience, she gave up. A switch turned off and she came walking over to me, climbed up next to me on the couch, grabbed my arm, smiled up at me and said, "I love you, Mommy. You're so cute."

I'm convinced she's possessed.

I Spy

I spy a crochet hook, a key, and a watch that's for me. I spy a bracelet, a bobby pin, and a Lego-guy Anakin. I spy the memory card I lost years ago, and Tyrone, and 2 scrunchies, and a magnetic ball you can throw. I spy a Cootie tongue, 2 Pokemon games, and 2 fish that don't look the same.

When Joe put our old couch at the curb for garbage pick-up the other day, I asked him, "Did you look in the cushions first?" He told me that he had. Being the trusting wife that I am, I went out and looked for myself. Now, in all fairness, these things weren't under the cushions. No, they had fallen way below that and had gotten stuck in the frame of the couch. I was only able to retrieve them by cutting the thin fabric on the bottom of the couch and reaching in to pull this stuff out.

Score! It's like Christmas! I lost that memory card and my watch a long, long, long time ago.

Sunday Sound Out

Hey there! I've been MIA the last couple days because the AC adapter on my laptop broke. My computer would only charge if I stood on my head and held the wire together with my thumb and my pinky on my left hand while holding my computer with my feet while making sure it was pointing due north. Thankfully it's still under warranty and after spending half an hour on the phone with "Steve" from India, I was assured a new part would be shipped to me right away. Sooo (real quick before my battery dies) here's the S.S.O...

Hey! You said the next time you made a cake that you'd try to remember to video it. Did you remember?
Of course not. Ugh. I'm sorry. I did, however, remember to take a shower today. Does that count?

Dawn, does Lexi have migraines?
She never has before, but Austin gets them and I used to before having kids so it wouldn't surprise me if they started for her too.

Something occurred to me after reading your post about the second mammo. If they do the ultrasound to get a definitive answer after the second mammo (and the rather painful stretching and squishing, why don't they just skip the second mammo and go right straight to ultrasound?!?
The technician's son is starting college in the fall and her daughter's getting braces. These things don't pay for themselves.

I have a 10 month old and am considering becoming a stay-at-home mom, but I don't know, it kind of seems like you lose part of your identity. Why did you decide to stay home?
I don't think you "lose" your identity. I just think it just changes and that's not a bad thing. There was no decision for us. We just knew I'd stay home when we had kids. Then again, I didn't go to college. I didn't have a "career" that I'd worked at for years, you know? I had a job that I liked, but it wasn't my life. It was very easy for me to decide to stay home.

What kind of discipline techniques do you use?
the rack, the stocks, being drawn and quartered, you know - the usual.

You mentioned Clay has ear tubes. Do any of your other kids? What do you do when you take them swimming? Do you have the "custom" fit earplugs?
Right now just Clay and Lex have tubes. I've done the custom plugs before, but I honestly don't think they fit or stay in any better than the wax kind you can get over the counter. Plus, if they fall out, it's a lot easier to part with $2.99 than $150.00.

I do have a question, my 6 yr. old has a speech problem. For instance he calls sherbert shorebert. I think its kinda cute so that's what I call it now. Do you correct your little ones or just go with the flow?
It depends. I corrected Brooklyn's pronunciation of the word "truck" for example, but I don't worry about it when Clay says "Fank you" instead of thank you. He can't really do the TH sound yet anyway.

Remember how Bill Cosby used to say that kids are brain damaged and that's why they can't remember something you've told them a million times?
LOL! Love Bill Cosby!



We're at the pool - my crazy 2 1/2 yr old boy is in a swim diaper. I catch him crouching, thinking "he's trying to leave a present". Did he ever! Next thing I know, I see brown water running down his leg (thankfully he wasn't in the pool at that moment). flash forward to the bathroom. No shower, just a changing table and a small sink. Imagine something really gross and runny and you got it - all over his legs and changing table. I had friends relaying wipes to me to help out. Then picture trying to bathe a 2 year old standing in a tiny sink. It was not fun! But at the end of it all - after much cleaning with lots of soap - I had to laugh and that's when I thought "what would Dawn do?"
It cracks me up that you thought of me, but I applaud your resourcefulness! Moms have the amazing ability to handle any situation, don't they?

But I will say that manly Dawn could potentially be pretty hot with the right haircut. How disturbing is that?
So disturbing I might have nightmares

thank u very much for ur laughter and for being u..hehe..may GOD continue to bless u and ur family..now i've got a quick question..while i have a free moment..anywho..i was wondering..how did u know that ur son had vitiligo? also, wat kind of symtoms did ur kid show for having ADHD? i'm just curious..thanks for answering have a great day and weekend..'ater
First of all, is this a text message from my daughter? I've discovered I don't speak "text". It's probably because I'm embarrassing and old. As far as Jax's Vitiligo - I searched online when I first noticed his white spots. I suspected Vitiligo so I took him to a dermatologist and had my suspicions confirmed. As far as ADHD, it was a combination of many things. He never walked; just ran. He gave up naps before he was 2 and was always on the go. He just doesn't seem to be able to stop and think. He'd run out into the street to chase a ball without a second thought even though he's 9. He has 2 volumes - loud and louder; he can't sit still for 2 minutes, among other things.

but, what do you say to yourself to make the negativity and/or down feelings about being judged go away? i mean, i can "amen" your post and repeat it to myself but i'm not taking it to heart. suggestions??
OK, this is going to sound doofy, but awhile back I got some negative comments and they bummed me out. Later that night, I was flipping channels on TV and this show caught my eye. Now this is not something I would ordinarily watch, but I just felt compelled to leave the channel right there. Anyway, it was all about how God has big plans for you and don't let the naysayers get you down. There will always be negative people trying to get you down, but if God is for you, who can be against you? It helped me put things in perspective.

Although I know that the chances of you reading this comment are extremely low...
Nope. I read all my comments. :) My email, on the hand, generally piles up for weeks...

Don't judge me for my spelling/grammar ;-)
I only judge spelling and grammar on nasty comments. See HERE for explanation.

Thanks to a reader named Tina who sent me a link to this commercial. I laughed out loud!



EDITED TO ADD: Please make a note of my blog address change. It will soon be changing to BecauseISaidSo.com.

And check out MY OTHER BLOG for a chance to win a FREE HP printing mailbox and 3 FREE months of Presto service!

Just a Quick Note

My friend Melissa told me that her 4 year old daughter asked her if she could only be one thing when she grows up, or if she could be more than one. She wants to be a "Mailman, I mean a mail girl, a mermaid, a mom, a dog, a dolly and a princess, of course."
She's a character and the stuff she says just cracks me up. It made me wonder what Clay would say to the question, so I asked him.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"A grown-up," was his answer.
Well duh.


Please pray for little Coleman who is having his MRI today.
And when you get a chance, check out my links to the right. I've added several worth looking at.


Don't forget to check out my other blog HERE. I have a review on Presto email service and the HP printing mailbox along with a Father's Day giveaway!

And make a note that I'm going to be changing my blog over to my website soon. You'll be able to find it at BecauseISaidSo.com.

Half Empty or Half Full?

This is a story of my day. I've written it from two points of view. Each story is written about the exact same events on the exact same day involving the exact same people. And each version is totally true.



SCENARIO ONE:


There have been threats written on the bathroom walls at several of the schools around the suburbs. Although I'm 99% sure these threats were written by some punk who thinks he's really funny, I wasn't willing to chance my kids' lives on that 1% chance the threats were serious. Sooo, I kept my oldest kids home from school today. Savannah went shopping with friends and enjoyed her morning. Austin made the little ones breakfast while I took the middle ones to school. Then he put a movie on for the kids to watch while I read mail, did some laundry, and washed dishes. When the movie was done, Austin got out the vacuum and went to town cleaning the family room floor. I didn't even have to ask him to do it!

After that, I took the kids out for lunch to treat them because they'd been so good all morning. We went to Ihop. When the food arrived, Austin cut up Brooklyn's pancake for her and I cut up Clay's. I didn't even have to ask Austin. He just did it. The kids were really awesome there; they ate their lunches; used good manners; and thanked me for taking them.

When we got back home, Austin mowed the yard. What a great kid!

Later when I picked the middle kids up from school, Lexi ran outside to play. She looked up at a bird sitting in a tree and admired his sweet song.

We ended up having McDonald's for dinner tonight. Yesterday I baked cupcakes for Lexi to take to school to celebrate her birthday. I used a boxed cake mix and realized that Jax and Clay wouldn't be able to eat the leftover cupcakes because of the artificial ingredients, so I made a batch of special cupcakes for them. I put chocolate chip cookie dough in the bottom of muffin cups and mixed up cheesecake filling for the top. Mmmm. Then I made hotdog buns for dinner. After that, Jackson reminded me that I needed to make like a thousand Greek cookies for him to take to school today for his cultural project. I think I was baked out yesterday, so it was McD's for dinner tonight.

At Lexi's baseball game, instead of playing at the park, Clay sat by me through the whole game. What a sweet guy.

Bedtime!



SCENARIO TWO:


I overslept and while I rushed around to get my middle kids to school, my oldest two sulked because I kept them home from school, making them miss all the fun activities going on today. I'm just mean that way. Austin made the little ones breakfast. On the menu was popcorn and chocolate milk. Then he transformed the family room into a movie theater by hanging blankets from all the windows to really darken the room. He dragged out every bean bag chair and pillow in the house for the little ones and gave them bowls of their "breakfast" to eat while watching the movie. Sometime during the movie, they spilled popcorn all over the place. It's probably because about 20 minutes into the film, they lost interest and started jumping around the place like baboons. Upon seeing the spilled popcorn, I gave Austin a look that told him he'd better clean it up before I started raving like a psycho.

He started vacuuming up huge amounts of popcorn, but was having trouble getting the vacuum to suck it all up. He removed the hose from the unit and a fountain of popcorn flew out like snow from a snowblower. The room was covered in kernels! Ugh. It turns out the vacuum was full. After dumping its contents, I turned it back on, but it was dead. Well, it's mostly dead anyway. We don't have a good track record with vacuums. Probably from overuse.

In an effort to get out of the house and stop the whining, I took the kids to Ihop for lunch. While waiting for our meals, Clay looked around the restaurant and said, "We're not sitting by the clock. The clock is over there by the pretty flowers." I'm amazed at that kid's memory. The last time we were there, we did indeed sit on the other side of the restaurant near a clock. Brooklyn piped up with, "I go sleep in the clock."

"You sleep in the clock?"

"Uh-huh!" she confirmed beaming from ear to ear.

"I see."

"Mom, it's 14 o'clock."

"It's 14 o'clock, huh? Do you sleep when it's 14 o'clock?"

"Uh-huh!"

"OK then"

When our waiter delivered our lunch, Brooklyn screamed, "I LOVE ca-cakes! YAY!!! CA-CAKES!" (pancakes)

Upon seeing his own pancake decorated with whipped cream and two cherries, Clay shouted out, "Red berries! Mom! Red berries! I LOVE red berries!"

"Yes, Brooklyn. Shhhh, I know you like pancakes. Clay, those are cherries and shhhh, the whole restaurant doesn't need to know how much you love cherries."

Toward the end of our meal, Clay slipped off the booster seat and slid under the table. He popped back up with a stray crayon and a look on his face like he'd just found buried treasure.

Before we left, Brooklyn pointed to a little girl behind us and said (very loudly) Mom! Look! Baby! Mom, there's baby! Mom! MOM! Look there baby! Look Mom! BABY! I see baby Mom? I play with baby? Mommy! Baby! Over there baby! I play with baby!"

The mom of the little girl looked at me, afraid that I'd actually let Brooklyn run over there and bug her daughter. And I could just see her thinking the words, "Does your daughter ever shut up?"

When we got back home, Austin mowed the back yard. After he finished, he took the lawnmower to the front lawn, but couldn't get it started again. I also tried to start it to no avail. I checked the gas tank - full. I checked the oil - notsofull. In fact empty. We probably killed the lawnmower by running it without oil. Let's see - vacuum, lawnmower, what's next?

After I picked the middle kids up from school, Lex ran outside and looked up at a bird sitting in a tree. The bird pooped on her head. She ran inside crying, "A bird pooped on me!"

I looked at her head and said, "It's probably just a raindrop, honey."

"It's not raining! A bird pooped on me!!!!"

Sure enough, a bird pooped on her head. A bird actually pooped on her head! How often does something like that happen?

"Grab the shampoo, hon."

I didn't even think about dinner during the day today. It never crossed my mind to pull anything out to thaw and I need to go to the grocery store anyway, so I sent Joe for a nutritious meal of fast food for dinner tonight.

At Lexi's baseball game, Clay started whipping pinecones around the playground. I told him to stop or he'd have to sit with me on the bleachers. As I turned around, I was hit square in the back with a flying pinecone. Guess who had to sit with me for the rest of the game.

Bedtime!

Simpsonize Me!

I got the link for this fun site from my friend Brenda (WARNING: her blog is NOT rated PG). After you get the kids to bed, go check it out. Or better yet, check it out with the kids and transform their faces. My kids had a ball with it.

So, here are the many sides of Dawn...


Baby Dawn - kinda looks like one of those creepy dolls that come to life in horror movies


Old Dawn - I think I need to start using more sunscreen


African American Dawn (my ears and neck are still white for some reason)


East Asian Dawn


Weat Asian Dawn


Male Dawn - OK I'm a little creeped out by how manly I look...


Modigliani Dawn


Botticelli Dawn


Mucha Dawn - this one almost looks like my high school yearbook picture!


Manga Dawn


Ape Dawn chimp-face


Can you believe she's only 12 years old? This is what happens when you smoke, kids!


Austin, ready to enter the world of Pokemon

And then because the kids and I hadn't wasted enough time with that site, we decided to laugh ourselves silly as we Simpsonized the family.



Joe Simpson

Dawn Simpson


Austin Simpson


Savannah Simpson


Jackson Simpson


Lexington Simpson



Clayton Simpson

Brooklyn Simpson

I wasn't entirely happy with the Simpson version of me so I thought I'd make it look more realistic; more like the real me....

What??? OK, ok, so here's what the real me really looks like.....


Note the complete absence of ankles, the hair that needs to be dyed, and the missing digits.


PS - you might want to wait until the kids go to bed to play with these sites or you might get sucked in and forget all about making dinner....
If you're at work, well then go ahead and waste the afternoon playing. ;)

Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged

Matthew 7

1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.



I received a comment yesterday that got me thinking. A woman told me that her three daughters were well behaved and she implied my kids act up because of my lazy parenting. I really don't think she was trying to be mean. I think she simply doesn't understand that not all kids are the same and it's not all about the parenting, but about the kids and their different personalities as well. Anyway, I started thinking about this and in all honesty, if I only considered my three daughters, I probably wouldn't have much material for this blog. They're well behaved. I don't have problems with them. Now, I'm not saying that boys are bad or that I don't like my boys or anything remotely like that, but I will say that my boys are the root of the behavior issues in this house 99% of the time. Jackson has ADHD and can't take meds because they cause high blood pressure for him. Until you've spent a day with a kid whose brain doesn't have that little switch that makes them stop and think before they act, you can't begin to presume I'm a lazy parent. And Clay hasn't had any official diagnosis, but I'd bet big money that he has it too. I have six kids and they're all VERY different. They all have their own personalities. And they all react differently to instruction. I'm not getting into all this here because I've already written about it in my book. I did want to talk about judging others though.

Before I had kids and even when I just had a couple kids and things were calm and well ordered around my house, I did judge other parents out there. I kept my opinions to myself but they were there. There were several times that I thought I was better than someone else - the mom, frazzled and yelling at her child; the parent feeding their toddler fast food; the house that was a giant mess; the child throwing an all-out tantrum. Maybe it's just human nature to compare others to ourselves and decide who is better.

After having several children, some of whom are very difficult in nature, I see things differently. And after putting myself out there with this blog and being the subject of judgement from strangers, I REALLY see things differently. It's easy to judge someone else and decide that they're incompetent when things are going well for you. When I'm out with the kids and they're all behaving like angels and we're smiling and having a good ole time, it would be easy to look at the mom who is ready to pull her hair out and is almost in tears as she half-runs to catch up with her 2 year old and half-drags her pouting 4 year old behind her. It's easy to look at them and think, "MY kids would never act like that in public. I know how to discipline them. What a shame."

Well guess what - your day will come. Replace that holier-than-thou attitude with one of compassion. The last thing that mom needs is a condescending look from someone who, based on a brief glimpse, has judged her as incompetent. Give that frazzled mom a look that doesn't condemn her, but affirms that she's not alone. A look that says - I understand; I'm sorry you're having a tough time; it's ok.

I tell my kids all the time - you never know who your words and actions are going to effect. The kid in school who is a loner and gets picked on, just might end up being the kid who loses it, brings a gun to school, shoots several innocent kids and himself. What if instead of judging him, based on your preconceived notions, you befriend him? What if you say, "Come sit with us" at lunchtime? Maybe instead of being overcome with depression next year, he'll find that he does indeed fit in somewhere. Maybe you'll discover that kid who everyone called strange, is actually a really nice, funny guy. I'm telling you, don't judge others. Let your words and actions be a blessing to them.

Even if you think you know all about the other person or the situation, you don't. Not until you've walked a mile in their shoes, can you truly understand. And you certainly don't know enough about a person or situation from reading a few lines on a blog. And I'm not just talking about myself. I mean ANY blog out there. Too often I hear from other bloggers that they've gotten nasty, hateful, or judgemental emails/comments from people. Just recently Peggy, from CarePages - ColemanScott, got some negative mail over the dumbest thing. Peggy is the sweetest woman with amazing faith and certainly didn't do anything to deserve negativity from ignorant people. (By the way, if you haven't already, check out her Care Page. She has 2 of the most adorable boys and I love how she writes phonetically the way the boys talk. It's too cute!)Anyway, I digress. All I want to say is - For crying out loud people, can't we all just get along?!!!

Just Shoot Me

Who said they were counting down days until school was over? It surely wasn't me! Oh my gosh, if today is a preview of how this summer is going to be, I'm packing my bags and leaving now.

I kept Lexi home from school today because although I was 99% sure that the vomiting was due to her headache, I was uncomfortable sending her to school until I saw if she was feeling ok today. I figured I'd take her in around lunchtime as long as she was feeling ok. Unfortunately she got another headache late this morning, so I gave her some medicine and just kept her home all day. Jackson woke up with a headache this morning and by the time it went away, there was only an hour and a half left of school, so I just kept him home all day too.

My kids are smart. Seriously, they're pretty bright kids. So, why, why, WHY is it that I have to tell them at least 20 times a day that food is NOT allowed in the family room? WHY? I left the kids eating breakfast at the table in order to take a shower and when I came out, there was a bowl of cereal - milk and all - spilled all over the family room carpet. The carpet that Joe just shampooed. Of course, it's finally summer here so the milk is starting to smell wonderful in this heat. Lovely.

Then, because the sour milk soaked carpet wasn't quite enough, they took clay into the family room and smooshed some pretty blue and yellow globs into the carpet. I can understand why they did this as I only told them 4000 times to keep all Play-Doh and clay at the kitchen table at all times under penalty of death. It's perfectly understandable that they didn't comprehend my instructions.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys to keep the Play-Doh at the table??? Do you remember The Great Play-Doh Prohibition of 2005? If I see a single crumb of clay in the family room ever again, there will be a repeat of The Great Play-Doh Prohibition and I promise you I will not allow a single container of any sort of modeling compound within 20 miles of our house!"

I kicked decided to take the little ones outside at that point. We have a small tree in our backyard and the branches aren't strong enough to hold a child. I had to pull Clay out of that tree five times. "Clay, you can't climb that tree! That tree isn't big enough. Get down now!" Seriously, why is it that what I say goes in one ear and out the other? I know he can hear me. The ENT who inserted his ear tubes assured me of that. So what the heck????????????????

Then, as I was copying some recipes, I heard a blood curdling scream from the backyard. I looked up and saw Clay standing on one foot by the picnic table. I ran outside, thinking I was going to have another child in a cast and saw Clay standing there, a trail of blood behind him. I ran back inside and grabbed a washcloth, returned to Clay and put it on his foot which was covered in blood and dripping all over the patio. After a couple minutes, it finally stopped enough for me to assess the damage. He sliced open his heel on something sharp in the grass. (Shocking that there would something sharp hidden in my backyard, I know.) Because my kids never wear shoes (must get that from their father. A-hem) he cut his foot. I cleaned and bandaged him up and then instated the "You Must Wear Shoes in the Backyard at ALL Times" rule so my kids have a new warning to ignore.


At one point today, Jackson ate the last Italian ice in the house. Brooklyn saw him take it and decided she wanted one too. He offered to share with her, but that wasn't good enough for the brat Brooklyn, so she repeated FORTY-SEVEN times, "I wan' mine own. I wan' mine own. I wan' mine own. I wan' mine own." I swear - 47 times. Yes, I counted.

And if Clay doesn't learn how to control that temper of his, I'm shipping him off to military school. Just because he doesn't get his way, does NOT mean he can whip every toy within his reach across the house. And during one time-out today, he drew on his carpet with marker. Charming, no?

But that's not the absolute best part of my day, oh no. Like I said, it's finally summer here so the windows are open. The best part of my day was when I treated all my neighbors to my lunatic-like yelling and screaming at my kids until the veins in my temple actually burst. They're hiding in their houses, cowering behind their couches now. Well, either that or they're calling DCFS.




Don't forget to check out my other blog HERE.
And make a note that I'm going to be changing my blog over to my website soon. You'll be able to find it at BecauseISaidSo.com.

I'm Not Cool

"Dad brought us Steak & Shake for lunch today."

"Lucky you. Did he bring it for both you and Savannah?"

"Yep."

"Did he just drop it off or did he stay and eat with you?"

"He just dropped it off."

"I guess that would be too embarrassing if he stayed and ate with you guys, huh?"

"Nah. It would be ok if Dad ate with us at school."

"Really? It wouldn't embarrass you if Dad ate with you and your friends?"

"Nah, my friends like him."

"So, could I come to school and eat lunch with you guys?"

I've never seen such a look of horror cross Austin's face. It was worse than the time I dared to touch his shoulder while we were shopping.

"What? So Dad can eat with you, but I can't? Ohh I see how this works. Dad's fine, but Mom's just way too embarrassing. Uh-huh. So that's how I rate."

"Well, it's just that Dad is goofy and immature like us."

"Uh-huh."

"He fits in with us."

"I see"

I don't know how, but I somehow resisted giving him the whole, "I was in labor with you for 18 hours! I nursed you for 9 months. I got up with you several times a night for over a year and a half until you finally stopped crying and decided to sleep through the night. I played four million hours of Pokemon on your Gameboy with you until you learned how to do it yourself, I took you to the zoo six thousand times during your I Love Elephants stage. And you puked in my hair when you were sick!" lecture.

Such is the fate of a mother.

Sunday Sound Out

Hey Dawn, did you hear they are making a Fraggle Rock movie?
No, I didn't know that. Is it just me or is there another movie based on old cartoons and shows every month? Scooby-Do, Underdog, Speed Racer, Batman, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, Xmen, Get Smart, etc.

Ever since the first time I saw your picture, I thought you reminded me of Nia Verdalos... And didn't she write My Big Fat Greek Wedding? And she's really funny and Greek, and you're really funny and Greek... So I've been wondering... Are you two related???
Sure, my cousin Nick's father, Nick, has an uncle named Nick who is her brother-in-law's, uncle's son, Nick.

Sorry, but I'm gonna have to ask. Why was Clay peeing in an empty plastic bag?
Because he's Clay.

Ack! A fate worse than death to a teenage boy. Except mine. Good lands, the boy loves to shop and it scares me. What's with him? Is he normal? Should I have him checked out?
It depends. What does he like to shop for? As long as he isn't dragging you into stores to try on high heals, make-up, lingerie, or prom dresses, you're good.

Are you just trying to add to your collection of boob stickers so you can do another e-bay auction???
Ooo, now that's not a bad idea. Unfortunately I already threw them out. Come to think of it, I'd be worried about what kind of person would bid on used boob stickers. Probably the same person who googles "butt polish". I am, however, going to be putting up a new auction on eBay later this week.....

Pants are stupid. Why do we even wear them?
Where else would you put your keys? You'd have to carry a "man bag" if you didn't wear pants and you'd look like HIM or HIM.

Are you telling me that your 12 year old son wears a 29W/30L in pants???
I don't think so, but it's hard to tell since he "tried them on" by putting one leg in them and pulling them all the way up to his knees, before stating that they didn't fit.

Can you send those 29W/30L pants my way?
Perhaps. They're going to be one of the items I put up on eBay this week.

Ouch on the arm! Praying he mends quickly and well. :) Funny how you knew it was coming, does that sort of thing happen often? or are your kids just predictable? ;)
All of the above.

I'm going to put into words what already went through your mind... well, that's one less set of baseball games and practices to go to!
LOL! I can't tell you how many people have said that. Actually, we're still going to his games to watch his team and cheer them on.

And the cakes!!!! Please tell me how to put on icing without it becoming crumbly????
You can find my directions HERE.

Do you want to come to Texas to bake a cake for the baby's baptism?
Sure, as long as you pay my airfare and hotel.

How long does he have the cast on? Is this his first broken bone?
He only has to have the cast on for 3 weeks! And yes, amazingly this is his first broken bone. Savannah broke her arm badly when she was 3 and Austin broke his thumb a couple years ago. Those have been the only broken bones we've experienced :::knocking on wood:::

Austin must be pretty artistic. What kinds of projects does he make on his own... other than making state maps with frosting?
LOL! Austin is really artistic. He can copy any drawing, detail for detail like it was nothing. He does really useful projects on his own like drawing pictures of every Simpsons character and cutting them out and creating his own mini Springfield. He draws pictures of every player on the White Sox and places them in their own mini Comiskey Park (yes, I know that's not what it's called anymore, but it's still Comiskey anyway.)

We parents of larger families certainly are efficient, aren't we?
Absolutely! Wash the truck and the kids together. Wash the dishes and baby in the sink together. Teach the kids math while eating cookies..."12 cookies minus 2 cookies (crunch crunch crunch) equals 10 cookies." You need to read 20 minutes, Jackson, and Clay needs to be read to. You read to him - 2 birds with 1 stone voila!

I too believe that it's in guys genes to get hurt. Whenever we watch those shows where people are doing stupid things I always comment to my husband that its always the guys that try stupid stunts because women are too smart to do dumb things.
Oh my gosh, I wrote a whole section about this in my book! LOL!

I have a sunday question - I am thinking of starting a blog and have read of the practice of giving your kids "blog names". Did you do something like this or are the kids named after cities in real life?
Nope, they're actually named after cities in real life. Maybe I should have called them:
Austin - Greg
Jackson - Peter
Clay - Bobby
Savannah - Marcia
Lexington - Jan
Brooklyn - Cindy

By the way, the root of the word meme is from the French word "meme" meaning "the same," or shortened from the word "mimeme" from Greek "mimos" meaning "mimic."
Hey! We KNEW it had to come from a Greek word. Of course!
You give me word, any word, and I show you the root of word is comes from Greek.

Okay all I have to say is THANKS A LOT for the Pogo website reference because I needed a reason to spend five more hours a day on the computer. Now I'M totally addicted, too. Geesh.
LOL! Sorry. Actually, I hadn't played since August! I just found the link on my computer back in April and started playing again. It's easy to get hooked. I just got rid of the link on my computer so it's not so easy to get to anymore so I'm not tempted.

I am wondering how old Savannah is (I have one that is 13 and driving me insane!)
She just turned 12 and she isn't driving me insane (yet). Savannah is an awesome helper. She's generally pretty happy and easy going and she's great with the little ones.

Okay so I know I live under a rock and all, but what commerical are you referring to? Guess I should put down my mop and get to watching tv...need to stock up on Bonbons first!
I don't watch much tv either. In fact the only time I ever watch is after 10:00 at night. I watch Friends reruns and Food Network. That's about it for me. Anyway, it's a commercial for T-Mobile and you can see it HERE.

How awesome that you will be speaking! I just was on BlogHer and saw it mentioning the conference...hmmmm...
Does "hmmmm" mean that you're considering going to the conference or does it mean, "Hmmm, I wonder what the heck those BlogHer people were thinking when they asked you to speak!" LOL Come to the conference! We'll meet up for a drink and laugh about what a dork I sound like in person!

My daughter gets her new one on on June 5. I was considering the waterproof stuff so that she can swim and shower and all that neat stuf. But I wondered exactly how they did that. I still think that once wet it will just be a gross mess on her arm. And, I do need to pay extra for that .... Please let us know how it fares when actually wet and maybe what it feels like inside the cast (that is really what I want to know .. lol).
So far, so good. The doctor said that the waterproof lining was made from Gore-tex. It's supposed to stink less when the cast comes off because he can bath in it. Water quickly evaporates through the fiberglass. There have already been a couple times where he complained that his arm was itchy so he stuck it in cool water to ease the sweating and itching. I think (if I remember correctly) that the waterproof casts may not be used for some breaks because this special lining can't mold as closely to your arm or leg or whatever and if there's a chance of the bones moving out of place, the doctor may use a more traditional cast to make sure the bones are held tightly in place.

I'm so proud of you for going through all those pictures like a champ! It's hard, but definately worth it!! Did'ya get anymore stickers??
LOL! This made me laugh - like a kid going to the doctor's office...."Was I good, Mom? Can I have a sticker?"

1. Hooray! So pleased the mammo came up negative
2. Congrats on being mentioned in that essay
3. Thanks for the info on Vitiligo
4. Bummer about the tooth! Have fun at the dentist. No, it never ends.
5. My son would like to say "I like turtles 'n' cheese."
6. He's 12. There is no hope for him. He will always be nuts. =)
BAAAAA!!! Wow, he sounds JUST like Austin!

Blessings to Jackson as he faces the world with this condition. Some of the strange questions stayed with me and now make me laugh. My all-time favorite was, "Did you suntan with little bits of paper on you?"
LOL! People ask silly questions, but I chalk it up to ignorance. I think a lot of people have just never heard of Vitiligo. I'm thankful that Jackson is very fair to begin with so it isn't too noticeable on him. My heart breaks for people with dark skin because it's very noticeable and can have such a huge impact on how they feel about themselves and unfortunately, how others relate to them. Actually, at this point, Jackson thinks it's kinda cool that he glows in the dark under a black light. LOL

I thought that's what all backyards looked like. Just add a batting cage and your at my house!
You mean like this?

Ok so it's not really a batting cage, but does a pitching thingy count?

Ok, but why only one flip-flop? Where's the other one?
I just found the other one in my bedroom of course.

what my mom would say if she were to read this...
"you could have picked everything up and put it away in the time it took you to take pictures of it all!"
No way! I have enough cleaning to do without picking up the kids' assorted junk. That's their job. If I pick it up, I throw it out.

I've been meaning to ask you for a SSO question: at what age do you start potty-training? Have you found any proven methods that work? (seriously...?) My 3rd child will be 2 in August and potty-training the older two was pretty Hades-ish (they weren't really fully trained until 3 1/2). Diapers keep getting more and more expensive, and I would just like a veteran mom's opinion! Thanks!
Good question. I did a potty training post HERE. There are a plethora of opinions in the comments. I personally am more of a "they'll potty train when they're good and ready and there's no sense in pushing it" kinda person, but I don't think there's any one perfect way to potty train. And, as always, each child is unique. You have to find something that works with their individual personality.

I recall awhile back that you had placed a picture of your pantry on your blog. If I remember correctly, you had everything in storage containers. My question is this: Even with everything sealed like that, do you ever have a problem with ants? (I'm currently fighting one now due to baking supplies :( )
Yeah, my pantry is organized and everything is in an airtight container, however the kids still leave trails of food particles wherever they go. (Maybe they think we'll leave them in the woods some day like Hansel and Gretel) I don't worry about the ants too much though because the spiders usually eat them. I don't worry about the spiders either because the mice eat them. The mice aren't a big problem because the cats generally eat them. The dogs eat the cats, the goats eat the dogs, the cows eat the goats.....Can you tell I recently read "I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" to the kids?



OK, this is it for this 2 week edition of Sunday Sound-Out. It was my Lexi's birthday today and she spent the afternoon and evening with a headache that caused her to throw-up a couple times. Poor baby. I'm off to go tuck her (and the other kiddos) in bed. Have a great week everyone! And thank you so much for all your comments! I love reading them. The wonderful things you guys write make my days much brighter! :)

Don't forget to check out my other blog HERE.
And make a note that I'm going to be changing my blog over to my website soon. You'll be able to find it at BecauseISaidSo.com.