Just so you know...

Cavities on your tooth next to the gum line - are not fun.

I had two that I learned about a few weeks ago and today was the day to fill them.

Here's the mini recap for ya!
I have a swab of the "dentist orajel" put on my gum to make the shot easier.
Ten minutes later, I have a second swab applied. I'm thinking I'm good to go and won't feel the shot.

I have the shot. Still feel it. (BTW) Just thought you would like to know that. ....Still feel the shot.

A few more minutes go by.

"Is your lip numb ma'am?? Does it feel big and fat???"

Nope. Bum. Here comes shot number two.
"Don't worry ma'am, between the swabs and the other shot you just had, you won't feel this second shot."

Baloney. Felt that one too. (not much - but who wants to feel a needle in their gum - ever???)

Now my lip is big and fat and numb. And my tongue. And my cheek.

They begin work.
The first drilling didn't hurt. But, just so you know.... I felt all the other stuff they did.

Apparently.... cavities on the gum line can still be felt when getting them filled, because it is a sensitive area. This is what the nice lady tells me when we are all done and I say I'm sure glad I had that second shot!

Moral of the story: Don't get a cavity on your tooth near the gum line. That area will NOT numb completely, even after two shots, and it is no fun..... just so you know.

My Hot Date

First of all, I would like to say that my son can spell 'love' - but I guess when you are learning so many words at once, some of them slip your mind once in awhile.... (this is regarding yesterday's post)

So, yesterday was a great day. Wowsers. I would love to have a day like that everyday. We had a rockin' awesome (and healthy) dinner, I ran errands, the kids were good, and the house got attention. After dinner, Alex asked me if he could go on a date with me.

Awww... :) heart swells....

He wanted to go to the mall, and I knew why: the .25 candy carts. I made sure to put a quarter in my pocket and we were off. I asked him as we drove there, what his plan was for our date. He said he wanted to find a candy cart (of course) ;) and then we could go to the pet store, and then to the store that started with an "M".

"Macy's??" I asked.
"yeah"
"Why do you want to go to Macy's??"
"To look at dresses."
Okay. Weird. Why does my six year old BOY want to look at dresses? But I drove along and let it go.

We get to the mall. We find the candy cart. We eat candy Lego's. We go to the pet store. I fall in love with a Yorkie similar to one we had as newlyweds. We go to Macy's.

My son stops short. "Okay mom," he says, "you can look at dresses now. This is your part of the date. You can do whatever you want."

Oh be still my heart. He planned for ME to look at the dresses. He thinks that is important to me (and apparently a girlie thing to do). Awwww.... So we looked at a couple fancy dresses and I asked him if he had enough energy to walk down to Sears to see the carpet shampoo-ers. (I mean, if it is my part of the date - that is something I actually want to do...)

So we go to Sears, we have a good time over the course of the date and we head home. While driving, I say that looking at the puppies was fun. My sweet boy tells me that the best part of the date - was spending time with me. He says this a few times on the way home.

Sometimes, as much as you or I may not want to admit it, one child may be our 'tough' one of the moment, or our 'easy' one of the moment. Lately, Alex has been a challenge. Tough. Keeping my on my parenting toes. But yesterday he just won himself a spot right back to - 'best child EVER'! I am a blessed mama!

I still luve you

Where to start... I feel like this could be a really long post, but I'll try to keep it to the main points and not lose you.

Regarding in our home: We are a family that uses spanking, time outs, time out from toys/games/TV... etc.

Really, it comes down to what works. What works for one child may not for another, or what works for one child may not work on the same child for a different "crime".

This being said, lying is a behavior I cannot stand. In any form. Even the 'little' ones. So this morning, the oldest two kids were having it out about something while I was washing up. The girl began to scream in annoyance. I called them both back to my bathroom and asked what was going on. (I knew what was going on, but wanted to hear it from them.)

My precious son lied to my face by telling me he did 'nothing'. Twice. So, as I was brushing my teeth - an epiphany came - actually it was most certainly the Holy Spirit whispering parenting advice as He usually does. I would go "old school" and have him, much like the boys and girl of the 1950's writing on chalk boards, write the sentence I will not lie ten times.

This seemed to do it. It broke him in just the right way. He didn't like the punishment (which is a good thing).

He began to write sloppily. I told him to fix his handwriting, or I would pull out a new paper and he would begin again. Meanwhile I am just doing my morning routine... hair...makeup...lotion. I am calm. His writing is still a bit sloppy but he is on sentence number 8. I tell him to write it two more times and then put the paper on Daddy's pillow for him to see when he comes home.

Oh snap!! That did it. He was even more careful about the penmanship now. He finished and put it on my side of the bed. I think he hopes over there dad won't see it! :)

Then, as we were about to leave for school I see this propped up on the computer for me:



Is that so sweet!! His 6 year old communication of love is sweet. The kids are each so different and he is probably the least boldly affectionate, but this gesture was grand! It's gonna be a great day!

Food, Shmood.....

It is really quite a lot of work to eat healthy.

We as a family want to eat healthier. Well, maybe not the kids. They informed me at breakfast that they wish they lived on cream soda. But, in general, hubs and I want to live past 45. Ya know??

However, you can take it to the far reaches of healthy eatting where you buy your own wheat berries, grind your wheat into flour, make your own bread and cakes and muffins and cookies. Even your own granola.

You can buy raw milk and make your own organic ice-cream and yogurts.

You can have a whole bunch of vegetables you otherwise would not have bought delivered straight to your door and you can Google how to make something with Delicata Squash. I know, I never heard of them either.

All of this, however, takes a tremendous amount of work. And I am tired. I barely have time to ....(fill in the blank) and you want me to grind flour and wait for yogurt to set?!?!?

Anyway - just in case you are wondering what we had for dinner tonight - we ordered Domino's.



What???

That's right you heard me. I said I'm tired....

Good News/Bad News

Good news: Avi didn't pee on the kitchen table yesterday. (see the previous post)
Bad news: She peed in her bed at 11:22pm last night. And on her pillow, and her favorite blankie, and the..... basically she must've had a LOT to drink before bed.

Good news: We still have some diapers in the house that fit her. We will use them tonight. :)
Bad news: We've never had a child not *instantly* potty-trained through the night, and we are slow to learn our lesson with this new situation.

Good news: I survived yesterday.
Bad news: I lost it with my husband last night. I was super-grouchy girl. :( Sorry dear hubby! I love you really I do! :)

Good news: I vacuumed the van today! Woo woo!!
Bad news: The house itself hasn't been vacuumed in.... a long time. Eewww!

Good news: We are hoping to get our son in a charter school for next year and he is not rejected yet, as of today.
Bad news: He is pretty far down the list, so it'll take a miracle!

Good news: Overall life is pretty sweet. God is doing miracles here, in Haiti, and everywhere around the world if you just stop and look. He is still Lord of our life, even when we don't *feel* it in the chaos.
Bad news: ... all of a sudden... I can't think of any!

Donde esta el bano?? (Where is the bathroom??)

I was cleaning the main bathroom toilet this afternoon during the kid's naps when I hear shoes/chairs/clanging in the kitchen. Weird. Better go check that out. Nap time should last another 30 minutes....who is there? A burglar?? An animal??

I go into the kitchen and this is what I see~
Our three year old is standing on a kitchen chair.
She has tennis shoes on - the wrong feet.
She has her play dress hiked up.
Her panties are down.
Her bare bottom sits on the table....

"What are you doing?!?!?" I quickly ask.

"going pee pee...."

I scoop her up and run down the hall to the bathroom. I quickly wipe the chemically wet toilet seat I was cleaning, and set her down. She starts crying. I mean crying.
She pees. I ask what is wrong. She is disoriented.

OMG - I think she was sleep walking!!! AAGHHH! She almost peed on the kitchen table!!!
The bizarre part is - she got up and put tennis shoes on first. Did she think we were camping and she had to put shoes on to go outside???

Well, I'm glad I was within earshot and not in the shower or in the laundry room!! Sheesh. The adventures never cease!

How to lose weight - by yours truly

I had my last baby 8.5 months ago. I have generally always been trim without having to exercise. Never counted calories in my whole life. I mean, I see the calories listed. I'll glance and check them out once in awhile, but I have never counted them for a day or meal or anything like that.

I've exercised here and there. One time I kept it up for about two whole months!! Go me! But you should also know that out of the last 8+ years of marriage, I have spent about 90% of it pregnant or nursing a baby. Now we are done and I have found myself with an unexpected and unwanted 10 lbs. Unexpected, because in the past it has always....well... just disappeared.

Because I have always been trim, people I know laugh at me. Like, "You have to lose weight?!?!? Hahahahahahahaa" But I do. I appreciate their.....compliment???.... but I still don't like my stomach sticking out farther than my boobs. I want to be able to wear a swimsuit without looking pregnant.

The fact of the matter is though, I am too lazy to exercise or count calories. (And I am still nursing....) But the other day when I stepped on the scale I had an idea. As the digital scale was thinking about registering, I had a thought strike me.

Suck in!!!

I sucked. Sucked that tummy in as hard as I could. Now, mind you for the last four to five months that ten pounds hasn't moved. Well, once or twice I went up to twelve pounds overweight... but in general the ten pounds have stuck.

I was still sucking in as hard as I could.... and waa-laa! 1.5 pounds lighter. Woowoo!! From now on the diet and exercise are going out the window! I've found what works for me and I'm sticking to it! Suck it in baby, suck it in!