Mom's Words of Wisdom!

We finally have cable...and I got to see Live with Regis and Kelly today. My all the shows have changed over the past 3 years. Americable-Japan has got nothing on Direct TV. I have nightly news, music, QVC, HSN, and I was listening to an I Love Lucy show while painting. Even though I have seen just about all the episodes I still laugh while watching it. ...and yes I was painting again. We get the carpet installed upstairs tomorrow and I wanted at least all the baseboards painted. Knowing my reputation with painting I might need supervision form here on out. Good thing I am expecting a SPECIAL GUEST on Friday. Who is she talking about? I read your mind didn't I? Well there is someone I am very close to that I have not seen since we moved to Japan. When I was pregnant with Bear Kalee and I came to the States to visit and he was supposed to pick me up...instead the recruiter picked him up early. Then I came last Spring to visit since I knew my Papa was not doing well. Nope, I didn't see him then either because he was too busy playing in the sandbox...or as Kalee said "shooting the bad guys and saving the world like Daddy". Nearly 3 years later I get to see my little brother. Mom warned me not to call him little since he's probably a toddler taller then me...bit he will always be my lil' Bubby. In fact these are the words of wisdom Mom gave me...funny enough Bub has none.

Only a few days until your brother arrives. Moms words of wisdom...1. Don't try beating him up like you did when he was a kid...he's a Marine now, and he can kill! 2. Don't spit in his food, he figured that one out and he always trades plates. 3. Keep bras off the bathroom floor. Being a Marine, he is sure to figure out another way to use them. 4. Don't call him your little brother, he is nearly 6 foot tall...no longer "little". 5. He is 22, drinks beer and you don't have to promise not to tell Mom. 6. Laugh like you did when you were kids when you were suppose to be sleeping and instead farting and laughing your butts off. 7. Your Mom EXPECTS TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE TWO OF YOU TOGETHER, otherwise she may have to smack you from here to South Coast Plaza...and thats a real place!As for my darling birthday girl...please give her a big hug and kiss for me. I will call prior to going to work and sing to her. Give both of them hugs and kisses for me...Love you!

Kalee's trying to show me her face booger...I better go analyze.

5, five, FIVE!!!

Our baby girl turned 5 today! She had a great morning phone call from Daddy that made her grin from ear to ear. Come dinner time I think it sunk in that he was not here to celebrate. It's hard for these kids because they are so close to him...and he's an awesome Daddy. So I asked what she wanted to do on her birthday. This lil' girl wanted to go to the "peanut steakhouse" that Californians know as "Roadhouse Grill" and Virginians know as "Texas Roadhouse" and those residing in Japan know as..."I can't wait to eat American food". I brought a friend (that we knew from when we lived here the first time) kids along. SO it was Me, Bear (2), Gage(4), Kalee(5), and Kailer(6). You should have been sitting next to my car at a light. They would have serenaded you with Jingle Bells about 12 times over. While eating the ice cream with fun toppings after dinner, Bear decided to use a yellow M&M as an earplug. Why? Why would he think of sticking it anywhere other then his mouth? After I plucked it from his ear I didn't 'lose' it quick enough...he insisted to eat it. Boy, ALL BOY! Her birthday last year is when he burned himself...good thing this year we didn't end up in ER over a yellow M&M.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! Mommy and Daddy love you very much.

Dog-Cicle

What the heck am I doing up this late? Oh, taking a break from playing referee and enjoying the peace and quiet...I forgot.

The kids did decent while I painted today. Bear walked up the stairs and only had paint on his arm hand and calf. Not too bad since his hair was untouched. But what was my son doing with a half eaten frozen corn dog in his hand? I asked him if he wanted me to warm it...he responded "da-sicle". Ok go finish eating you corn dog popsicle there son. If your happy, Mommas happy. For those first time Mom's reading, it was fully cooked....and when did cookie dough ever bother you?

I made it out to Greenbrier Mall today only getting lost once. I was so proud! Mostly because I didn't have to call my mom to Map-quest me directions home. We walked around and came across a Borders book store. I tell ya you'd think it was a toy store for how my kids were freaking out to go in. I can not deny Kalee books to this day. Toys yes, books no. I could easily make another car payment to the book store monthly. I wish I could get a credit card that transferred frequent flyer miles into book bucks. Humm, that's it! That's my invention! OR... *wheels are spinnin'* I can contact Scholastic and see when they are having the next clearance event....or get a job at the bookstore and use the employee discount. Any other suggestions? The library is nice for Kalee's books, but Bear is still learning how pages belong inside the book. Funny how I have only had problems with ones that do not belong to him. All his are in one piece. Stinker.

Time for these hands to turn in. Dang, I have been a Navy wife too long. I'm hoping to try a local church tomorrow and need to get some shut eye before I get the kids up. No worries about being exhausted...I'm a Mom, referee, cook, referee, laundress, painter, dishwasher, and did I mention a referee. I'll be awake.

Hairs Not Hair!

The long bath worked last night. He's light pink now instead of fuscha. I managed to whip through Lowe's so I can continue to paint Kalee's closet this weekend. Yay, paint. Hear...I mean read the enthusiasm? At least now I have an alarm clock so I can rock out. The older generation will appreciate that wording. ;)

Amongst my needed Starbucks fix...hey I have not had one since Max left...I decided to get the kids hairs cut. Yes hairs! Plural. They didn't get "a" hair cut, they got em' all cut. I did something I have never done. I took them to the local beauty school for the trim. Basic enough they shouldn't be able to screw it up, right? Ehhh?!?!?! Kalee's looks great! Her hairs are slightly layered at the bottom so it lays really cute...even when it's stringy. Bear's...let's just say he was a wiggler and she took too long. The gal ended up getting her teacher who used to work on kids all the time. By then Bear was frustrated that his suckers had hair all over it and kept spitting. He has beautiful hair like his Daddy. It's unbelievably silky soft....and you notice EVERY cut...exactly why Mom does not touch it with anything but her hand and a brush. His looks good but one side is noticeably longer then the other so I might take him back...either that or blame it on him being 2!

I managed to squeeze vacuuming my car in the day. It needs washed too but I realized I needed a hose for that task. Max would be impressed becasue I'm not a car washing/vacuuming kinda gal. It's been a month since we have had the car and still haven't addressed wiping the Phelan dust from the door sills. One more thing checked off the list.

Last night I was sooo happy. Why, you may ask? I got in touch with a cousin that I have not talked to in forever....well, over 3 years. She is expecting and I am so happy for them. Whats funny about it is she is one of very few family members that agree and don't laugh at our parenting style. Most of you know I'm a cloth diapering, wipe making, baby food making, extended breastfeeding, homeschooling, anti-childcare, eco-friendly cleaner, natural and organic believing, partial tree hugging...kind-a "Crunchy". We share several similar interests. Kinda neat if ya ask me. It would be awesome if we could pull the family back together for the Holidays kinda like it was before Grandmother passed away 5 years ago.

My next goal is to brainwash Kalee into thinking that vacuuming the house is fun. Think I can do it?

It's Too Quiet!

I was cleaning the window jams and frames singing along to Wizard of Oz and realized it was too quiet. It wasn't Kalee I was worried about, it was the Bear. As I walked into the kitchen to change out my water bucket I glanced up to find him wearing pink. Fuscha Pink! Wearing it all over his hands and face. As I wiped him down I discovered he was eating a stamp. For their birthday parties I put these cute stamps in the goodie bags. Why I did not throw them away when it was over and they weren't looking, I have no clue. Maybe I should wait a few days before I make a trip to Lowe's for more paint. I can only imagine the looks I will get bringing my boy wearing camo clothes and pink skin into public. Sheesh. If I had him first, he'd be an only.

...and to those that know how I managed to crash my laptop so bad it wouldn't even turn on...it works now that I charged it. Whoops, minor details huh?

Did you brush...

Me: Kalee did you forget to brush your teeth this morning? Cuz' your breath stinks.
K: Moooom, my breath stinks like Daddy's.
Me: Really?
K: Yeah and my farts stink like Daddy's too.

I dono what to say other then the kid takes after him....for sure! At least it's been some time since she had drug me to the toilet to show me how big it was...or how it piled out of the water. Knock on wood.

While waiting on a refill for my prescription at Rite-Aid we wandered through the toy isle. Did you know that drug stores carried toys? If you did then I'll blame that on being out of country for so long. If I got a penny for every sentence that started with "Mommy can I...." I'd have both vehicles paid off. Sheesh! Could it have something to do with their toys being in our household goods shipment that has yet to arrive? *Note to self- Next move pack out early so we can be without on the departing end and receive on the arriving end sooner so Mommy keeps her sanity. The estimated date of arrival on this end differs from what they told us on that end, not in our favor...I should have known. Almost 7 years of this stuff and I still wonder 'What was I thinking?' Well, I was thinking we would have our HHG's in time for Christmas. You know it would be nice to see Bear attempt to put the Christmas stocking on his foot...or do like he did last year and bounce my glass ornaments like they were rubber balls. Woah, good thing I remembered that. Now I can make a trip to Walmart and have Kalee help me pick out new unbreakable ornaments. I guess I could buy a little tree too huh? Ehhh! I have to get a tree larger then Bear so I dont find him walking through the house with it thrown over his shoulder. Or, I can still cross my fingers, and toes, and eyes...and continue to walk in circles. I can hope the cargo ship will grow a Nascar motor, can't I?

I know, I know..

Friends please forgive my absence. We FINALLY got Internet! I'm talking just got it a couple hours ago. If my mail in rebate for our new playpen (AKA: King size bed) didn't have to be postmarked today I would have been on within minutes....AHHHH...it's so good to be able to map quest directions. I get lost in Wal-Mart parking lot. See why I NEED map quest?!?! I have also learned Californians do not belong driving in this state. I expect to exit the freeway and at the light make a left or right. Not here....nope, you better know East vs. West....until your on the 64 East headed.......ummmm, WEST......get that!!!!!

I tell ya not having Internet for a month exactly took a toll on my mental health. I admit, I am addicted to blogging. For some people it's gambling, drugs, alcohol or even sex....couldn't be me. I mean it could be...if the Navy didn't send him away...EVER. OK, so a basic update: We moved, we lived in a hotel for a week not knowing what was going to happen next, unloaded our household goods into a storage because we had to turn the truck in, 2 days later reloaded them into a truck to move them in our garage on Bear's Birthday. Our baby is now 2!!!! And did ya catch that we have a house? Yay! Unfortunately Max had to leave that weekend to attend fork and knife school but will be home hours before Jesus' Birthday. So that means I am pretending to know how to paint. I wonder if the neighbors realize it's pink paint in my hair not a new hair color. It amazes me how Kalee can "help" me with her room and get very little on her fingers. Me? I open the can and have the whole gallon all over me. How is that possible? No I'm not using a sludge hammer. I'm using that dainty key that Lowe's kindly provided me when I purchased my first 9 gallons. Now 2 weeks into the project I figure I'll wait til I get help. Wiping the paint off Bear's hands 17 times in a 45 minute period convinced me. My friend suggested to give them each a paintbrush. What can it hurt right? That's why I'm still picking paint out of his hair. We need Max for this one, since he has no hair he'll be safe.

I'll save more reading for later. Trust me I have lots to say...type, whatever. ;)