Do you not know what causes that?

Dawg

We have a pet!  And yes, it's a dawg, well that's its name actually. Okay, actually it should be dag pronounced dog.  It's Hebrew for Fish - which is our new pet!  I had to name it that when Isaac (and Aaron) said the name - because dog is what the kids really wanted but the parents (that'd be Kevin and I) said no.

The kids have been begging for a dog or a pet for awhile because everyone we know has gotten a pet recently. But with Kevin's allergies and my dislike of dog poop in the back yard, we decided NOT to get a pet.  I actually get asked fairly frequently if we have a pet.  "No," I answer. "We have seven kids - that's enough."

But I've been thinking about a fish for awhile.  So I actually had 45 minutes alone and was near a pet store.  For $3.49 who can resist a pet?  So I quiz and question everyone there about how hardy my new Betta will be.  They all assure me it's a tough fish. I picked out a light pink and purple one.

The kids were thrilled - Kevin, less so. But I followed all the directions to a tee as far as transferring the fish into his new home.  He wasn't very happy about it.  But I figured he'd get over it. So I left home to go get someone from an event. On the way, I called Jana who was coming over later and I said, "When you get ehre, ask about our new pet!"

Then I arrive back home and Owen and Clara greet me with whispers, "Shhh. be very quiet our fish is sleeping!"  Oh no!  A dead pet is NOT what I need.  Sure enough I go in and the fish is very still.  I watch for several long seconds and don't even see the gills moving.  So I usher the kids out of the room, "Yeah, the fish is sleeping."  I call Jana back, "Don't ask about the pet... it may not be around when you get here..."  Man, that was fast.

A bit later I go back downstairs and the fish is still silent.  But wait, it was someplace else earlier.  Maybe it's not dead.  Sure enough a slight movement...  Then Isaac comes in and says, "I sure hope our fish doesn't die - I've never had a pet before!"  Great.

But the good news is Dawg is still alive and swimming.  We're four days out now.  How long do these things live?  I'm not sure I can handle the stress of cleaning it's tank. *sigh*

I'm leaving...

Okay, so I'm heading out to Nashville, TN for the Creating Keepsakes Univery (CKU) in a few hours with my friends. It's so exciting, though I am going to miss Kim and even her down to earth attitude about CKU.

I hope to return reinvigorated and enthusiastic about scrapping!

Prayers to all my friends in need of them, and there are many of you today!

What to be when you grow up...

So earlier today in the car, Owen says from the back seat, "When I grow up, I'm going to be a math doctor like daddy."

Clara thinks a minute and then says, "I'm going to have 1,000 monies so I can be a princess."

"Clara, what does a princess do all day?" I ask.

"She dances and sometimes she sweeps like Cinderella," Clara responds. "I'm going to be Cinderella."

Owen's turn to think, to which she replies, "I'm going to be Sleeping Beauty."

"I thought you were going to be a math doctor?" I ask.

"Oh, Sleeping Beauty does math in her sleep..."

Maternal Health

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Challenge of the Day

From Two Peas:
Share one thing you thought you would never do , but did & are glad you did?

I'd actually have to say serve in the Army.  It was such a wild ride but I did some pretty crazy and interesting things there - things that I still can't believe.  I don't think I could do it now, but I'm glad I did it when I was younger.

Just living...

Nothing much to report, a very low key weekend. Kevin and I went to see Superbad last night.  The boys went to see another movie and we paid Hilary to watch the little girls while she did her homework. Earlier we went to Shul and had a nice time. Rabbi Andy always does amazing projects with food which are well loved. Lilah went home with them and Isaac played at Zac's.  We tried to take a nap, but the girls wanted some attention so I got up. Today I got up early, same deal, and am finishing up my projects for CKU. Tonight is the first meeting of our book club!

Freedom!

Yes, it's absolutely true!  Since I left my job in April to spend more time with the family, I've not really had a day alone, but today Ada officially started preschool with Owen and Clara.  The public schools started last Monday, so the older kids are mostly settled.  I was so thrilled they were happy today.

On the way to school I stopped to buy a Diet Pepsi.  I sat in the car and realized I didn't have an older kid in the car to sit with them.  So I sat there pondering whether or not I should go in.  I was talking to Kim. I told her about my dilemma and said, "There should be a place to drive through to get a 20 oz. drink in a bottle." She replied, "You could go to Valu Market, but it's a pain."  A pain = calling ahead by 24 hours and paying a $5 fee to have them walk it to your car.  The sad thing is I considered it, even if for a brief moment. She gave me a hard time about the Diet Pepsi, to which I replied something like, "Oh shut up - your addiction has a drive through!" (Starbucks, though I will note in fairness sake, that Kim manages to not live near a drive through Starbucks, while I live near three.)

Then driving home I realized that I could actually turn on the radio to a grown up station. "I can see clearly now" came and I was changing the words to fit my day. 

I can see clearly now the kids are gone...
Gone are the diapers that had me gray...

Oh well, I'm crazy. I did get my Diet Pepsi AFTER I dropped off the kids, because I could. Now I'm home trying to think of things to do with my time...

2Peas

"How do you get rid of your stash that you don't need or use anymore?"

I'm getting ready to clean out my scrap room with the help of a friend. I intend to make a huge pile of stuff that I won't/can't use any more.  Then I'll let my friends take what they want and donate the rest. 

I've really been in releasing mode lately, a'la Fly Lady.

What kind of day am I having?

I think this picture sums it up...

Quiet Time

Hilary is home from camp. Her last year. I told Kevin that since I was teaching a doula workshop on Sunday and couldn't meet her bus, he'd have to bring her by for lunch.  I said this because I felt like by the time i came home 4 hours later she'd have already lost the fun glow of being home. 

Lunch was great. She was kind and sweet. She told us of her adventures.  She was glad that she went and had a really nice time.

Now, here's the kicker, it's now Tuesday and she's still being nice.  We' had a couple of discussions and she said that camp changed her and she doesn't want to fight.  She had one very tiny blow up. I mean she yelled, she left the room and immediately apologized. I'm doing my part as well, I realize I'm at fault at times too.  So I'm not egging her on and I'm doing what I can to keep everyone calm.

:-)