No Visitors Allowed...

Setting of scene: It's mid-July on a hot hazy morning (about 7AM) Queenbird is weeding the front landscaping. She looks down and notices a funny looking weed. Wait, it can't be a weed it's too... what's the word... cute. So she decides to leave it be.

Forward 1 week. The funny looking weed has now tripled in size. What the heck is that thing? HMMMM? Queenbird is perplexed.

Forward 2 more days. The damn weed has now started inching close to the concrete. it's definitely not a weed...this strange vine is starting to look somewhat like a watermelon plant. Could it be? Of course not... Birdboy1 finally fesses up. At some point (he has NO IDEA when) he strategically planted a pumpkin seed. ONE SOLITARY PUMPKIN SEED! That's all it took. And now there are no visitors allowed. The cute little vine has now taken the front steps hostage. I literally have to jump through the hydrangea bush, duck by the hostas and shimmy through the door to get in my house. I wouldn't dare trim back the pumpkin monster now.

So I'm apologizing now. If anyone tries to visit I will stand with my front door open, my megaphone in hand (yes, I still have one buried in the basement from my cool high school cheerleading days) and I will yell at you in the street and say "No Visitors Allowed- My Son Buried A Single Solitary Pumpkin Seed" Come back after October!

Farewell my friends... there are no visitors allowed right now.

Perfectly...BORING!

So Birdpapa and I are sitting staring at eachother the other evening (because apparently we're too exhausted to do anything else but stare at one another)and he states that I need to update the blog.
Huh?
I thought I was doing a good job. Apparently not.

Well, honey... there isn't anything I have to blog about... we're perfectly boring right now. Nevermind, starting school for all four Birdboys, a possible broken leg, mounds of laundry, soccer schedules starting up, football frenzies, 6 month shots (Babybird), working until midnight for a week straight (Birdpapa), Lots and lots of thrown together dinners, chocolate sundaes for all the neighborhood kiddos, and hugs all around.... yes, dear we're perfectly boring.

TGFG!!!

Thank. Goodness. For. Grandma!

What would we do without Mamaah Mary? She saved us this week when I had to go back to work, the kids hadn't yet started school, and the birdboys needed new school shoes! PHEW! TGFG!

Mamaah Mary even picked Bird3 up early from daycare on Friday because he's been having such a rough time adjusting to the transition. Poor little bird is hoarse from crying so hard all week!

Just wanted to let you know how much we love and appreciate you, mom!

Turn it back on!!!!

Sweet Bird3 is feeling a bit better but not completely his old self. However, today was a glimpse into his ornery behavior shining through. As we sat on the front porch I watched Bird3 carefully pick a small lightning bug off a delicate leaf. He studied it, stared at it, blew it kisses, then ever so gently with his tender angel toddler hands lay his new little friend on the concrete. As I sat there thinking what a wonderful lesson he's learning- taking such care of all God's creatures Bird3 did the unthinkable- SPLAT! He stomped on his poor unsuspecting friend. Then cried, "Mommy, turn it back on"! AAAHHH! The wonder of toddlers. I love him to pieces.

Murphy's Law

Phew! So glad the week's over! We all survived QueenBird going back to work...barely, but we survived. Everyone was fed, bathed, and breathing on Friday night so I think it was a successful week. I'll be honest- I had NO idea how hard I worked at home until I went back to work. It's been somewhat of a mini-vaca from doing laundry, dishes, cleaning up messes, changing multiple diapers, etc...not that I'm complaining because as I stated in earlier posts I would much rather be home, but it's a lot more work!

What a week it's been. Bird3 decided he really wanted to try his hand in flying. UUUHHHHH...well, we all know how this turns out. Wednesday evening I peered out the kitchen window to see Bird2 and friend carrying Bird3 up to the house from the swingset. Oh no! He wouldn't put any weight on his right leg. Oh no! What in the world happened? He literally thought he could fly and dove off the swingset. Seriously.

Forward to Thursday: Bird3 continues to severly limp. Still, do I call the dr? no. I call my mother, the nurse- yes, the one who gave me the dog's expired antibiotics when I had strep throat as a child! She says "don't worry about it". Okay, so I don't. Except that he's still limping.

Forward to Saturday: Bird3 now has fever, sore throat, drooling, stinky breath. Okay. UGH! I realize this has nothing to do with the flying incident but it's another problem none the less. So off to Ergicare we go. Strep negative- shocking because he had theeee stinkiest sick breath ever and while we're there might as well have the foot looked at. Two-fer-one special. Doc says foot looks fine- damn, the QueenBird's mom was right- but if he's still limping by Monday go back to the regular doc. So here we are Sunday- Bird3 is still snoozing. Pray it's a better week for my Bird.

Walking out the door...

My bag is packed, my lunch is made, Queenbird's new outfit is ironed and ready to be slipped on, new pretty, glittery necklace is ready to be awed at...except I'm NOT ready at all. The first day of school is like a black cloud hanging over me. As much as I'm excited about being back in "routine" (whatever that means), having new crayons in my bag, and seeing all my kids again I HATE walking out the door! I already miss my birdboys and I haven't even left yet.

Don't get me wrong- we have our days during the summer when I can't wait to get back to work, and the birdboys can't wait to get rid of me...but really I adore being with my rotten little monsters (I say that with pure love). It doesn't matter how many days are bad or good, I still miss them terribly when I'm back to the grind. Again, don't get me wrong...I absolutely love my job! I really do, not many people can say that. I love that I make a difference in the lives of kids that live in a silent world. But in a perfect world I would be home with the birdboys all the time. Fortunately I have an amazing birdpapa that puts up with my moods and swings...he's been warned.

On another note: we were blessed to have GG (great-grandma Mieska) drive all the way from Minnesota to visit the birdboys (and save me from a camping trip in the 100 degree heat) I love you for that Grandma!!! GG is 80 years young and every bit a spitfire if I ever met one! Now not many people at all can say that! She is one of the strongest most God-fearing women I know and will go out of her way to do anything for family. "Family is Everything" as she said to me over the kitchen table recently. I remember my great grandmother smelling of mothballs and butterscotch- EWWWW! My boys know their great grandma as the one taking them to the rodeo. How cool is that? Love you Grandma!!!

Life is Short...

I would rather stab forks into my eyes than take 4 kids to a swim party! Nice opening, huh? No seriously- I would- but since Birdpapa didn't do the dishes & I had no clean forks (our leftover Taco Bell sporks don't work- I tried) I had to pack all 4 Birdkids up and take them.
Birdpapa was working late, or so he says. He seems to forget I know his boss personally & stopping for beers with birdbrain friends doesn't constitute working- or "net"working as he says. So 2 bags, 5 towels, multiple diapers & swimmers, 1 life jacket, & oh yeah, 4 excited birdboys with 1 frazzled Queenbird we were out the door to their swim extravaganza.
When I first got the evite I was completely irritated with my friend, J~ also a mother of 4. How could she do this to me? Doesn't she realize I just had a baby...like 6 months ago? Whatever, 6 months is like yesterday in baby land and I'm nowhere near the size 4 I was before I got preggers- whatever...the number doesn't matter- whoever said that should be shot.

Sorry, had a squirrel moment.

Anyway, her 4 kids range in age from 1st grade to high school so she's had more time to lose weight and looks great. This darn swim party is all about me anyway. So needless to say I was not looking forward to showing up in a suit, with no husband and kids running all over the place.

3 hours later and after a long talk with my friend J, I realized none of this is about me... Damn! Life is short, forget the stress, forget the size, forget what people think of you (or me)...the kids had a ball, they love their Queenbird, and the Birdpapa showed up (late)and minus the beer breath--- he actually did work late! So I was put in my place. God told me.

Life is short...
Jolene passed away yesterday holding her daughter's hand while the rest of the family looked on. A special lady...we will miss her!

Just Sayin'

So I've been thinking about my blogging lately and I think it's become mundane, boring, down-right sloppy. However much I love posting pictures of my kids, I'm getting tired of all the usual things we've done year after year (can't believe I've been blogging for nearly 2 years!!!)... SO, I've decided to take this blogging in a new direction, or try to anyway. I'll attempt to post more often and about my true confessions as a mom, wife, friend, co-worker...yada, yada, yada. So it won't be for the faint of heart, nor will it be all gushy fun smiles. I'll continue to blog about my kids (because I love them and they're...well, funny little creatures)and I'll continue to blog about my extended family and friends, but I'll also include just random thoughts and ideas. Henceforth, my boys will be referred to as Bird1 (L), Bird2 (O), Bird3 (J), and BabyBird (F), Jere will be BirdPapa, and myself...well, queenBird... because well, I am :) Why Bird? my children are dirty little birds most of the time and I often refer to them as such (I often tell them they look like little orphans as well because they are dirty, shirtless, and shoeless for a good portion of each day). That's just the way we roll...

So as long as I'm sitting down at this 'puter and don't have one of the birds nipping at my ear I'll go ahead and start my rant! Cancer pisses me off...just sayin'. I'm mad, angry, pissed, hurt, and yet faithful...Unfortunately we've ALL been affected one way or another by this crappy illness. I just don't get it, how can we put a man in outer space, do surgeries on babies IN UTERO!, Skype around the world, yada yada yada but can't get rid of this horrible disease??? I. Just. Don't. Get. It. and it pisses me off (again). A good friend of ours, Jason, lost his dad to cancer when we were in high school. It was awful, tragic, heartbreaking then... he was the only male in the family with one sister and his mom. So he's taken care of the girls since that time. Yesterday, he put his mom in hospice- crap! It's not fair. Lift up the Harriman/Poland family Please!!! Jason and his sister will lose another parent Way. Too. Soon... Give them strength, Lord.

Just Sayin'