Normal?

Is it normal...

• for your 2 year old to play in the toilet with her toothbrush? While sucking on the openned tube of toothpaste?
• to find you son's missing flip flop in the gutters?
• to have toys in every crevice of every room?
• for your son to grow out of all of his jeans in one week?
• for your freshly mopped floor to be covered with an unknown sticky substance 5 minutes later?
• to always have at least 3 loads of laundry in the hamper (even if you spent the entire day doing the laundry)?
• to always have a dishwasher FULL of dirty dishes?
• to ALWAYS have urine behind the toilet?
• to be interrupted at least 16 times for every 5 minute conversation you attempt to have with your husband?
• to lock yourself in your room or the bathroom in order to be able to talk on the phone?
• to count down the days until school starts? (18)

I am beginning to think we are not normal...

And, if this is normal, can't I be weird on occasion?

Mrs. Nurse Boy, signing off for another "normal" day...

If You Can't Beat the Heat, You Might As Well Sweat

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

So, we went to the farmstead today. Yes, we know there is still a whole lot of foolishness going on with this HOT, HOT weather, but we can't keep the kids inside the house until school starts. If we do, someone won't make it out alive and it might be the mama.

We raced tractors. Well, sort of...

Bruiser learned what happens when you get into trouble in kindergarten.


They think they are farmers, just because we live in the plains. It's the burbs, guys.

A shady spot!

Fun in the sun.

Nurse Boy simply cannot be left out of the fun.

Sweet Pea was afraid of the petting zoo.

The boys loved feeding the goats.

Does this sum up the day, or what?!

We did go straight to the pool after we got home.

Remind me not to complain when snow is back in the forecast...

Wipeout

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Note to self: Never, I repeat NEVER, watch a show called "Wipeout" with a 2 year old, a 5 year old, and an 8 year old. That is, if you value your children's lives and hope your furniture might last for more than another month!

As a family, we sat down to watch T.V. together last night. This is usually a private ritual that often takes place when the children are in bed, free of animation or stupid jokes told while we watch fathers all over the nation get hit you-know-where as their children gleefully swing objects at them. (WHY do we laugh EVERY time this happens? Why, America's Funniest Home Videos, WHY?) However, with all of the foolishness going on outside (aka 180 degree weather), the only energy we could muster up was the energy it took to walk from the kitchen table to the couch. Sad, but true.

So, we tuned into a show Nurse Boy and the boys wanted to watch. It is called Wipeout. It is some sort of competitive "game show". One where the contestants have to defy the laws of gravity with every obstacle placed in front of them over the course of an action packed hour. I am pretty sure that every contestant leaves with a concussion and a trip to the ER.

Frankly, I am amazed we didn't end up in the ER ourselves last night. During each commercial break, the children began reenacting every obstacle they had just watched ON MY FURNITURE! Sweet Pea almost killed herself about 8 times. I didn't even know she had those moves in her. Impressive, but scary.

My poor, poor furniture.

Oh, and I am glad the kids are o.k. And that they will NEVER jump on my furniture like that again.

Oh, who am I kidding...

Whew! I'm Tired!

We woke the kids up with an exciting surprise. We were spending the day at Crown Center!

We started the day at the Hallmark Visitor's Center...

Next stop, Kaleidoscope! Here they are about to enter Kaleidoscope and fill those paper bags with very special items that I will be picking up and throwing away for the next month. (Hey, I HATE clutter...)

They had a blast at Kaleidoscope, to say the very least. I am not so sure Nurse Boy felt the same way; with all the kids, parents, and grandparents pushing their way through each activity. The boys also got to make cards for our soldiers. Way cool!



Well, a day at Crown Center with the kids is not complete until you have clogged your arteries while receiving the WORST costumer service in the state of Missouri at Fritz's. The kids loved the train that delivers your fat laced burgers. My stomach did not!


Don't they look happy?! Maybe those overpriced meals are worth every penny after all.

Here are their faces when the train delivered their meal.

Priceless!

Next stop, the Crayola Store.

We also visited their latest exhibit.

After all of this fun, we stopped to watch an awesome puppet show. Nurse Boy went to get us coffee and came back with 5 cones instead. He claims the cones cost the same as the 2 coffees. However, I am not sure Sweet Pea's shirt, shorts, or stroller will ever be the same again.

On our way to the car, we stopped to let the kids run in the fountains. Dimples is pictured above. He said today was one of his "most favorite days EVER." Bruiser agreed.

Finally, some gratitude!!!

Am I Old?

If you just completed orientation for a new job and the average age of the fellow new employee is about 10 years younger than you does that make you old?

If you are currently taking 3 prescription medications does that make you old?

If one of your limbs swells for no apparent reason on a daily basis does that make you old?

If you wife shaves your back, and you have to regularly trim your nose and ear hair does that make you old?

If it looks like you are wearing a flesh colored yamika (a little help imperfect mom) does that make you old?

If you have suffered from at least one bout of gout in your life does that make you old?

If you bend over to touch your toes and you can only make it to mid shin does that make you old?

If your kids have more disposable income than you do, does that make you old?

If you can remember your first VCR and the VHS/Beta battle does that make you old?

If you remember seeing music videos on MTV does that make you old?

If you remember staying up until midnight to see the thriller video does that make you old?

If you ever made a mixed cassette tape for a friend does that make you old?

If you ever rolled your pants does that make you old?

If you ever wore parachute pants does that make you old?

If you ever had "fats" for shoe laces does that make you old?

I you answered NO to any of these questions does that make you old?

Pretty in Pink?

Mrs. Nurse Boy here. I have been trying to get Nurse Boy to do some blogging, since I know you all read this because of him. No matter how funny I try to be, I can't hold a candle to him. Nor should I, since he is often known as Gas Boy around here. (I am so getting in trouble for that one :0) However, life is weighing a little heavy around here. When life gets serious, Nurse Boy stops blogging. We keep having discussions about his new job, his schooling, the boys' private schooling, our old cars, Emma's need for furniture....the list really does go on and on. Are you seeing money signs yet? Because we are! But, God is faithful! But, that is a topic for another day.

So, have you ever caught your kids doing something that is a HUGE no, no and wanted to laugh out loud? Or, even worse, take a picture of it? A few months ago my two year old was very quiet. Instead of realizing that something must be very wrong, I was enjoying a nice quiet moment. After all, she is my third. Pretty soon I couldn't ignore it any longer.

I immediately found Sweet Pea in the bathroom with her grubby little fingers in my makeup. Oh, did she look pretty! I whispered to Dimples to get my camera, while firmly telling her to NEVER, EVER get into Mommy's makeup. When Dimples brought me the camera, I started taking pictures while lecturing her on makeup no, no's. I didn't want her to know just how funny it was, but I had to record the memory to blow up into poster size on the day of her high school graduation. (And don't think I won't!)

So, now I will post it on the internet for everyone to see...

Don't you just love how she caked it on and around her eyes.? Yes, Sweet Pea, Mommy does that, too. That's because having three kids has given her very dark circles under her eyes. The doctor says they will fade in about 18 years or so, right after my crow's feet come in.

What a mess! I must share that she did NOT get any makeup on her clothes. After all, she IS a girl!

So, what do you all think? Should I eBay what is left of the makeup?

Mrs. Incredible Takes Another Man Down

Superman and Mrs. Incredible used to be the best of buds...


until he made fun of her pigtails...

then she took him down with one mighty blow.

(He only had a cape. SHE had the muscles.)