Telling on Dad

Dad's celebration of life was last night and after much debate I decided to speak.  I had many family and friends ask for a copy of my speech so I decided to post it here.  Love you, Dad!

I have had this “story” working in my head for over a month now.  On the surface it seems like such an easy task.  Tell stories about Dad, share his life.  I found myself hitting a rock wall every time I would sit down to write and I was pretty distraught about it until I talked it over with Mom last night.  She listened and then put it very simply, “Tell on Dad.”  I chuckled over that but as the evening went on the little light bulb above my head started to shine.  I could do that.  He tattled on me PLENTY of times so I should consider this my Karmic duty, right?

27 years ago Dad came into my life and in all honesty I didn’t know what to think about that.  I have joked for many years that I wanted a puppy and Mom brought home Herb.  Hindsight being 20/20, I really wanted both although I think the dog was easier to train…

We needed something in common but really, what could that be?  To me, he was old with a big bushy mustache and even bigger glasses, plus he was a boy.  It had been Mom and I together for so long that to introduce a “boy” was very troublesome.  What we did have in common was humor and our need to slather it on thick.  Okay, humor.  In all good jokes there is a target.  A target…  Mom. 

Ganging up on Mom was a favorite past time for Dad and I.  He taught me so much and so many ways that we could show her just how much we loved her.  For instance, when a mature woman is frustrated, emotional, irritable and beginning to glisten; she needs a hug.  Group hugs are best so we would surround her and hug her until the hot flash was over.  I was concerned that Mom may not be enjoying our show of affection but Dad assured me that her squirming and scolding was just Mom’s way of saying that she appreciated us.

We also made sure to give her gifts weekly.  Typically we gave her our gifts on Sundays, right after church.  Our bulletins, gum wrappers, communion cups…it was all for her.

Another pearl that Dad gave me, usually after Mom had watched a chick flick or read something mushy was that I should NEVER grow up to be a woman.  I can’t begin to tell you how many times he reminded me of this.  My reply to him was “I won’t if you won’t”, which he would follow up with “DEAL!”

It wasn’t all fun and game though.  Well at least not for me, Dad was still having a great time.  When I was brainstorming and making a list of things to tattle on Dad, I came up with the group title of “Going to need counseling”. 

When I was 11 Dad started to warn me about a very serious disease that struck kids when they turned 13.  He built it up over a period of weeks until finally one day, he told me the name of this horrid disease. 

“It’s called Brain Damage”, he said.  I was very gullible so I believed him and would come up to him and ask “Do I have it yet, Dad?  Do I have it yet?” 

Around the same age Dad asked me if I wanted to go on an outing with he and his friend Jerry Enders.  They were closed lipped about it until we all piled into the cab of the truck and set out.

 “Where are we going, Dad”, I asked. 

“Some place that it is a secret and you have to know the password”, he said

“But I don’t know the password”, I replied.

“Don’t worry, we are going to teach it to you on the way but you have to get it right or they won’t let you go in with us”, Dad said

I was getting very nervous not to mention curious about the type of place they were taking me.  They said that they couldn’t tell me what was there, they were only allowed to teach me the password.  Okay, I can do this. 

“What is the password?” I asked

“MAG-NOL-IA!”  he said.  “And you have to say it just like that or you will be left outside, so you better practice”.

 I practiced over and over again, the entire ride.  In all honesty, I have NO idea how they were able to keep a straight face.  Imagine my reaction when we pulled up in front of an electronics store.

Now I am 12 and I am out playing with friends in the neighborhood.  We got thirsty and hungry so we all headed back to my house.  Mom and Dad had left to run errands; our toilet seat had broken so they went to get a new one.  As I am filling cups I hear my friends start to crack up.  Dad had taken my school photograph off the wall and placed it under the toilet seat on the table.  When one of my friends lifted the lid (as Dad KNEW they would do), they were rewarded with my smiling face.

13…  It was my first sleep over party, I was elated.  Mom got me a new perm, my friends were coming over to stay, we had a scary movie to watch and junk food to eat.  The movie was called “Slumber Party Massacre”.  Now that I think about it, I am not sure if I picked that movie out or if he did.  The premise of the story was a wacko who took a 18” drill bit and ran it through his victims skulls.  Pleasant, right? We freaked out so we turned it off and watched the rest in the morning.  Dad and Mom were making us all pancakes for breakfast so I went into the bathroom to wet my hair.  As I am stooped over the sink with my head in the water, I hear a drill next to my ear.  I was so scared that I cracked my head against the faucet and nearly wet my pants.  Dad just giggled, walked back to the kitchen, laid the drill on the table and went back to flipping the pancakes. 

Dad was strict on certain things.  Having a 6’4” Dad at home with a very no nonsense attitude about rule breaking was truly enough to steer me clear of most shenanigans but I was a teenager…with brain damage, remember.  Just before I turned 17, I got my first car.  I made plans to take my boyfriend out for his birthday.  We were going to dinner at pier 70 and then to Seattle Center for rides and games.  The rule was that I wasn’t allowed to drive on the freeway unless Mom or Dad where with me.  Do you know how long it takes to get to and from Seattle on Hwy 99?  Needless to say I was running late after I dropped my date off and went racing home to beat curfew.  When I rounded the corned and saw that the house was dark I was grinning from ear to ear.  Planning my happy dance for having such fun that night AND them not knowing I missed curfew.  I parked my car, headed for the front door when out of the corner of my eye I saw a faint glow.  My heart stopped, my feet stopped, my brain stopped as I realized where the glow was coming from.  Dad stood in the shadows of the garage, waiting for me.  The glow was from his lit cigarette he was smoking while on stake out.

“Busted” he whispered

If he had been waiting inside with the lights on I would have been terrified but prepared.  He heard me coming from the subdivision entrance, he heard me race up the hill, he heard me screech around the corner and zip right into the cul-de-sac.  He watched the joy on my face when I thought I was safe.  He watched me mentally practice my “happy dance”.  Then he watched every ounce of color drain from my face when I realized that I was indeed “busted”. 

Now I am 27, I have graduated college, worked a good job, got married and bought a home.  Shortly after Bob and I were married I quit my job to stay at home.  Dad’s reply?  “Well that was the best $40,000 I ever spent…”

32, I am in the hospital after giving birth to Drake.  Grandma and Grandpa had taken Robby back to our house for a nap and to play.  Two days later Bob brings us home.  I am sore, I have staples in my abdomen, I am sleep deprived.  The door bell rings.  I waddle slowly down the stairs and meet the lovely Mormon’s looking for Herb.  “He was so delightful and was very clear that we should come back in 2 days.”   Once I was finally able to excuse myself and send them on their way, I gave Dad a call.  He answered the phone laughing; he had been waiting for my call.

When Dad got sick a lot of the laughter and teasing went on the wayside at first.  Cancer isn’t a word or a thing that inspires joking.  However, there are sometimes that out of no where you can find humor in unexpected places.  I remember the phone ringing and seeing it was coming from Dad, I answered.  By this time his breathing was very labored from the Radiation Pneumonitis, it was hard for him to catch his breath or speak.  So what I heard when I answered the phone was [Heavy Breathing].  After a few moments waiting for him to speak and becoming very uncomfortable with the situation I said “I am NOT going to tell you what I am wearing.”  At which point I heard the line disconnect.  If it had been anyone other than Dad, I would have been worried but I knew that he was cracking up.  Sure enough, he had to have Mom call me back and explain what had transpired because he was still laughing and couldn’t tell her what had happened.

On a serious note, I loved him very much and he loved me.  He loved my Mom, he accepted me as his own, and he gave me 2 wonderful sisters which then resulted in 2 phenomenal brothers-in-law, 2 beautiful nieces and 1 very handsome nephew.

I love you, I miss you and I promise to pass along your wisdom and humor to our three boys; except for the hot flash hugs.

Sunday Night Family Dinner

We have been having Sunday night family dinners at our house with Grandma Trish for the last month and it has been wonderful. Today when she arrived the boys latched onto her and refused to give her up. They wanted to play Legos and they wanted her to play with them. She made them a deal and she played Legos IF they left her watch a "chick flick" while they played. The boys agreed until they discovered what a "chick flick" was at which point Drake stood up and changed the channel. lol! He turned it back when Grandma protested and reminded them of their deal. Not long after that I heard Robby making his gross sound and I knew immediately what was wrong. There was KISSING on Grandma's "chick flick". Robby groaned and Drake covered his face. It was absolutely priceless!

We had a very yummy dinner of Moroccan Lamb w/ Couscous and a side of tears (there were a lot of onions for me to chop).  Grandma baked cookies and brought them over to share.  I LOVE Sunday night family dinner.  <3

I love the retro pictures of domestic bliss.  I guarantee that I didn't look anything like that tonight but its the thought that counts.

All Hallows Eve

We started getting ready for Halloween on Saturday. Bob, Ryan, Robby and I spent the afternoon decorating the front yard. Need to decorate inside but that will be easier and not dependent on the weather. Also need to figure out the menu for the 15th, looking forward to trying some new recipes. Took the 2 little spookables to choose their costumes. Drake chose Venom and Robby chose a Ninja costume (didn't really care what the costume was as long as it had weapons). Had to laugh yesterday when I spotted an elder lady driving down our street and crossing herself when she saw our yard. Both Bob and Ryan cracked up when I told them that. lol P.S. Sorry for the errors on punctuation and paragraphs, not sure how to get around that with the new formatting.

Herbert Lee Claflin

Husband, Brother, Father, Son, Grandfather, Nephew, Uncle, Great Uncle, Friend.

I wish my mind wasn't so scattered right now so that I could truly paint an accurate picture of Dad and of how much he meant to everyone that knew him. Four years ago he was diagnosed with lung cancer and he started to fight. He beat lung cancer, beat radiation pneumonitis, survived multiple rounds of chemo, planned a vacation while on 8 liters of oxygen and made it to a huge goal this summer. The whole Claflin family went to Disneyland for a week. It was such an amazing trip and time for us all to be together. To forget about everyday worries, hassles and struggles. We were able to just be a family at the happiest place on earth.

Dad passed away Friday, September 2nd. He spent the day surrounded by all his grandchildren, daughters and son-in-laws, wife and friends. I am overjoyed thinking that he listened to his family chatter and laugh and was content to know that we all loved him and each other. That we would all take care of each other. He was peaceful and resting surrounded by an infinite amount of love.

We love you, Dad.

B.S.C...

A friend of mine has a blog that I love to read. Her blog is titled B.S.C. and for the life of my I could NOT figure out what it meant. I finally had to ask her; Bat Sh!t Crazy. TOTALLY appropriate for today.

Bob has been working from home since Monday and he doesn't start his shift until noon. Monday he worked until midnight but tonight and last night only until 9pm. So when I would normally get a break from the boys I am fresh out of luck.

This morning Drake as MIA for a few minutes, turns out he was in the kitchen. He was very quiet, too quiet. He decided to give himself another hair cut. Ugh. At first glance it didn't look too bad, then he turned his head. Bald spots...five of them. He was very proud to inform us that he used his scissors to do it. There is no point in trying to even it out because the spots are nearly to the scalp. Of course Robby went into the kitchen to give himself a hair cut too. Can't let Drake get all the spotlight. At least Robby's isn't noticeable.

I will spare you the majority of the day and just sum it up as them arguing, whining, yelling, fighting, can't be near each other, can't be apart, "I hate him", "He's the bestest brother ever"...

This evening they make a cave of darkness. They covered the coffee table with blankets and then one of them gets inside and tries to identify an object that the other hands inside. Dirty sock, stuffed animals, cat toys, orange, banana, watermelon...watermelon?! NO FOOD IN THE CAVE OF DARKNESS!!! "Okay, Mom..." On his way to putting the watermelon away, Drake drops it. Eff...

So yeah, I'm a bit B.S.C. tonight and wishing I had a baby sitter, a righteous cup of coffee and solitude.

Be afraid, be very afraid...

No morsel of food is safe from...the Picnic Bandit!

Gotta tell you that I am very frustrated right now. I am having dreams of straight jackets, duct tape, alarms, booby trapped doors and even shock collars. That twitching eye, yeah it's back. Of course this is all due to Thing 2... Dennis the Menace... The Energizer Bunny... a.k.a. Drake.

Last night the boys decided to have a sleep over in Robby's room. It always starts out as a great plan but within the first hour, they are usually in their own rooms because they can't settle down. So Drake ended up back in his room and wide awake. He came out multiple times for one excuse or another (water, bathroom, hungry, lets party all night...). At 10pm Bob and I head to bed and Drake is still awake. He got in trouble a couple of times but then all was quiet and we fell asleep. Mistake #1.

Midnight, I hear rustling in the other room so I peek at Drake's bedroom door. It is closed so I assume that the rustling is coming from a cat. Mistake #2. Without my glasses all I can really make out is whether his door is shut or open and apparently he has figured this out because he actually took the time to shut his door after he escaped.

12:15 a.m. Drake comes in to wake me for his feast. I mumble something about it is bedtime and to go back to bed, then I start to doze off. Mistake #3. Finally all the alarms and whistles start to go off in my head and wake me up. I bolt out of bed to assess the damage.

There is 1 dim light on in the living room, no where else. On the coffee table there is a bowl of sugar, a can of soda with the top pried off just enough to allow soda to dribble out, a cup of milk, a box of lemonade, 3 packages of fruit snacks (1 for Millie the cat), the jug of orange juice, and 1 cup with a mixture of OJ/Water/Milk/Lemonade. He also was referring to some cold delicious meat which I discovered was a package of bacon he opened, using 3 steak knives, and left it sitting on the table.

Yeah...I freaked.

I sent him to his room with him yelling at me for ruining his feast and then I went to work cleaning up the mess. This is when I realized how much care and stealth he used to accomplish the heist. Cabinets where open, chairs strategically placed for the out of reach items, steak knives not so cleverly hidden, and all the lights out. He did it in the dark! He did it silently! He covered his tracks!! I am a light sleeper so lights, sounds, things out of the ordinary wake me up and he covered ALL of his bases. HE'S FIVE!!!!

I stayed in the living room on the couch until 12:45 a.m. to make sure he couldn't get past me. It was only after his yelling and crying over his defeat woke Bob who then went in to scold him that I was finally able to go to bed.

During our waking moments we are always on guard for Drake's shenanigans and that is VERY tiring. Now we have to sleep with one eye open? *whimper*

Fair is fair!

Went to the dentist today which I really don't mind if it is only a cleaning. However, today I needed them to repair a chipped tooth that exposed an old filling. It takes an act of congress to get my cross wired mouth to numb. I have been drilled on 5 separate times in my life without being numb so needless to say I was a wee bit apprehensive. They always end up giving me the "gas" but I hip to them now. They aren't giving it to me for my benefit but theirs. I think that they are nervous to put their fingers in my mouth when I am that high strung but they always do it free of charge to insure that I will go along with them. lol Of course it doesn't really cost them much since I am such a light weight. Probably balances out with the additional cost they have to incur for the sheer amount of Novocaine they have to give me to insure I am numb.

All went well so the nasty after effects are worth it. I am usually numb for 4 to 6 hours, unable to open my mouth to really eat for the day and usually need to fight a migraine. BUT! The tooth is fixed and that was the last filling left for my wonderful new dentist to replace after the crappy last dentist. WHOO HOO!!! He even smoothed out another tooth to keep the same thing from happening on the other side.

Grandpa Bob was a life saver and watched the Boblings for me so that I could go to the dentist and it is rumored that they were very good for him. (According to the Boblings)... They were playing with pattern blocks and fighting over who had more. It didn't take long for me to get sick of it so I sat down and divided them all up equally by color and shape. Robby was convinced I had made a mistake and that Drake might have ended up with 1 possibly 2 extra blocks than him. So Drake traded piles with Robby because 1 or 2 blocks doesn't matter. Robby had to be sure so he started to count his pile, then count Drake's pile. Like I would stack the deck either way so the squabbling would continue because lets face it, fighting children are FUN! When I came back to check on them, the blocks were all together in 1 pile and neither of them wanted to play blocks anymore. Now they had the bin of hot wheels.

I am wishing I still had the "gas".

Amateurs...

I had a very productive and interesting day today. Started my morning dropping Robby off at school and then Drake and I ran some errands. We got cocoa/coffee and spent the morning together before his evaluation appointment. That was a little nerve wracking but everything came back normal and all 6 stations reported that he was very intelligent and there were no concerns. We will still need to do a deeper evaluation but I am feeling much more confident.

After the evaluation was over, I took him to McDonald's for lunch and to play. While I was trying to eat my lunch another Mom scooted over next to me to chat. She was there with her son who was a year younger than Drake. Since I was busy eating, she did all the talking; this was the beginning of her end. She was telling me just how rowdy her son was, that he and his Daddy like to play fight so he is very energetic. She told me stories of always having to keep an eye on him because he would get into everything. She shared numerous occasions where he did something "so gross" that she nearly passed out. I smiled, chuckled a couple of times and kept listening. After about 20 minutes she told me that she hoped I didn't think she was a horrible Mom because my son [Drake] was so calm and quiet and her son was a raving lunatic.

I decided to take pity on her and told her of the time I couldn't find Drake until I started to follow the "bread crumb" trail of steak knives he left for me and the time that I discovered him eating a cat hairball. I think it was when I shared the story of Drake at St. Edwards park putting "some sort of a balloon" in his mouth in the men's restroom that she was finally pushed over the edge.

I am probably one of the last Moms you want to get into a competition with about the unbelievable things your children have done. She left shortly after that, not sure why...

Amatuers.

Hoppy birthday, Robby & Drake!

I realize that I am overdue on this blog post but better late than never... We had such an incredible day for the party. It was sunny, dry and 68*F outside; perfect for an Easter egg hunt!

We were really fortunate because nearly all of the Moms and Dads were able to stay and enjoy the party along with the kiddos. It helps when Bob has smoked something yummy to share. =]

Robby turned 7 on April 6th and Drake will turn 5 on May 7th.

Erpy

Drake came down with a tummy virus and has been pretty miserable the last two days. Poor little man couldn't even keep water down longer than 5 minutes. He made it 8 hours last night without vomiting. When he woke this morning he took a sip of water and promptly threw it up. So...off to the clinic we go...

We managed to be the first ones in line at the clinic when they opened. He was still vomiting but they gave him a Zofran tablet to help. 30 minutes later they had me start giving him 1/2oz of water, every 10 minutes for the first 6 hours. Thank God Robby thought that was an excellent job for him and he was very diligent about it. Precisely measuring out 1/2oz each time, no matter how many attempts it took. lol

Bob and Robby took time to work on the "Honey-Do" list while Drake and I napped and then they headed out to the shop for some Man-cave time, followed by burgers for dinner. Drake and I stayed inside in our pj's, I gave him a bath and we munched on plain spaghetti. I told him he could drink water when he was thirsty now but he keeps forgetting unless he hears an alarm go off somewhere in the house. Pavlov's dog...

Drake is going to stay home from school tomorrow but Robby is all set to go and share his cherry birthday cupcakes with his classmates.

Regarding erpy... My grandmother used to say "erpy" when referring to being nauseous. I HATE that word. It's a word that even if you were feeling great, as soon as you heard it you wanted to zook. *shivers*

Robert Wayne Zimmerman III

Happy birthday, little man!!! I was a little busy 7 years ago today and my reward was a beautiful baby boy. He was 8lbs 4oz and 20 3/4 inches tall. Now, he is 7 years old, 50lbs and 4 feet tall!

I can't believe how fast time goes by. It seems like just the other day that we were bringing him home and now he is so independent. I am enjoying it but at the same time I don't want him to grow up too fast. For now I still get to snuggle with him and he lets me give him a hug and a kiss even at school. =]

We are going to Famous Dave's for dinner and then the birthday boy has asked for sundae's for dessert. I am hoping that the weather will cooperate more so that we are able to do something fun right after his chocolate chip brownie waffles!

*yawn*

I wish this were me. Warm fur coat, passed out for a nap... I love that the boys are on vacation this week. I wish the weather were better so that I felt more motivated and so that we had more options. My eyes have been burning ever since I got out of bed. And now with the eye twitching... *sigh, yawn*

I need to run a couple of errands today but I am stalling. I have been very fortunate that the boys are fining for themselves today. Robby taught Drake how to take a shower, then they made "brunch" for themselves (grape, carrot, celery soup). They have fed the cats, brushed their teeth and are now playing nicely (finally!) in Drake's room. Wait. I am blogging while I could be napping. Later!

Here bunny, bunny, bunny...

I would like to start today's blog by saying that my Sister-in-Law is NOT going to be happy with me for the picture. =}

We have come up with a game plan to make home life a bit more structured for the Boblings, mainly Drake. He is having trouble at school when assigned with specific tasks so it's time for more responsibilities and chores at home. He is MAD about television so we are using that as his goal/reward. If they finish their daily chores, then they earn time to watch a show before bedtime. Every day that they accomplish this, they get a sticker on the calendar. I am not a big fan of allowance but Bob wants to work with them on being responsible with money. So their allowance will be paid out depending on the number of days with stars. Robby is STOKED!! He is motivated by money. Drake could care less about the money, he just wants to play Kinect or watch Avatar.

I have everything crossed in hopes that we might be able to get a leg up on this hurdle. So tickle Budha's belly, cross your fingers, find me a rainbow, catch a lady bug, pick me a clover and rub the rabbits foot for us. Here we go!.

Mama Bear

It is very hard to be a parent! There are plenty of books, videos, seminars, classes, advisers, etc but if your children don't fit into any of the numerous categories, then you are forced to reinvent the wheel. I am completely in love with my children. I have 3 of the most talented, brilliant, compassionate and amazingly unique boys. They challenge me, fulfill me, make me proud, push me over the edge of sanity, make me laugh until I cry and make me cry until I laugh. They provide no end of entertaining stories to tell and they will always keep me on my toes. Bottom line, no matter WHAT they do or say, I will always be their Mom and I will always move mountains for them because I love them.

Mama Bear was NOT happy yesterday. Our job is to raise them to be productive members of society. Lay the groundwork so they are able to go on in life to make good decisions, excel in their endevours, become spouses, parents and to have the confidence to attempt what we are attempting now. To feel like you have completely failed your child at the tender age of 4 is not a good feeling. Suffice it to say that all is on the mend and we have a plan evolving to put everything on the right track.

I realized yesterday that I truly have no idea how Drake's mind works, what makes him tick. He is sensitive like me, enjoys making people laugh, and wears his emotions right out there for everyone to see. I honestly thought that he was my mini-me (other than the mischeiviousness, that he gets from Bob...). That is not the case. He is VERY much like Bob and I don't get Bob. lol! I love him dearly but I don't get him and I have been scratching my head for 12 years now. Now I see that Drake is Bob's mini-me yet so completely unique that even Bob is scratching his head. I have a social introvert. What? Seriously. A social introvert.

So now we are calling in the big guns. lol! Someone with a PhD to observe him and see if they can give us any guidance on what Drake truly needs to flourish. Bob and I are very fortunate to have such wonderful people who care about our family and are here to help us through. It is time for us to be 2 steps ahead of Drake instead of him lapping us. =]

This picture is from Mother's Day last year when I spent the afternoon swinging in the hammock with Robby & Drake, before I knew that I had one more son out there to love whole heartedly. I look at this picture and it is cathartic for me. This is why I am a Mom. This is why everything we do and endure is worth every moment.

The most dangerous place to be is between a parent and their child.

Adding to the "stash"

I finally received all the packages and orders I have been not so patiently waiting for. Yesterday I was able to go shopping for fabric completely alone; it was HEAVEN! I went armed with my new patterns and coupons. *sigh*

I was a little concerned when I approached the cutting counter and couldn't see over the top of my cart but I had just spent the last hour choosing my fabric so there was NO way I was going to chicken out now. Thankfully the lady that helped me wasn't intimidated by my stack of bolts.

For those of you reading this that do not quilt (or who finance my "habit") lets just say that I got a GREAT deal and can't wait to start quilting. =] Cheers!


*whispers*
For those of you that don't fall into the previous categories... O!M!G! 36 different fabrics, total of 17 yards combined and only $65. I am getting a little rush just reliving it to blog about it. LOL! Mostly reds and greens for this watermelon quilt pattern.

Mold Cakes...BRILLIANT!

Would the real Spring kindly come forward? I am really enjoying the little bursts of sun but they aren't long enough. I was doing dishes this morning and saw how beautiful it was outdoors. I was tempted to start weeding and beginning the work I let slide last fall until the clouds rolled in. Okay...new plan! Wash the bird feeder and boil up some food for the hummers.

HACK! GAG! WHEEZE! SNEEZE! MUST...KEEP...HEAD..FROM...EXPLODING!!!!

Apparently bird feeders left out all winter, even if they were in use, are prime for mold cakes. Mold, my Kryptonite! It was a 12"x9"x1" solid cake of mold and seed in a closed basket. Jabbing, poking, banging, shaking. Ugh, my hands were green! Poor birdies. =[

I managed to get all the pieces apart and into the dishwasher so they will be all clean and ready for my fine feathered friends.

Now to shower off the mold spores, OD on caffeine and have Bob give me my allergy shot; all in the hopes of remaining vertical the rest of the day.

Spring Cleaning

I started my Spring cleaning today with my goal to have the house finished by Friday. Out came the cotton duvet and sheets, packed away the fleece and flannel. Got our master bedroom all cleaned, dusted, vacuumed and "dewebbed" as well as the master bathroom. Tomorrow I will tackle the boys rooms. Kitchen on Wednesday and the downstairs on Thursday. My reward for this evil allergy activity? A trip to JoAnn's with my quilt patterns that finally arrived and 25% the entire purchase coupon. Big smiles all around!

Rested, Relaxed and Ready for the Week.

Spent the weekend very busy and yet I feel very relaxed and refreshed. Friday the Boblings and I headed down the Renton to play at Aunt Louie's house. Well, the boys played and Sis foiled my hair. Usually the boys do not accompany me when I go to have her foil my hair because we typically follow it up with a campfire. They were quite surprised to see me in my foil hat. Robby walked it and asked Aunt Louie, "What are you doing to my Mom?" Drake really didn't care except that we were too busy to keep supplying him with food. Too funny.

After my salon appointment, I took the boys to soak in Sis' hot tub in the mist. They thought that was the BEST! "Mom, we have GOT to get us one of THESE!" I think we stayed out there for over an hour before I had to be the meanie and scoot them out. We ended up spending the night so I was graced with TWO cups of life changing coffee courtesy of Sis Saturday morning. *drool*

When I got home Saturday night, the boys were with Grandma Trish and Grandpa Herb for a sleepover and Bob was at the game store. Just me and the cats so I brewed a yummy cup of coffee (not as good as Sis' obviously) and cooked up an omelet for my dinner. Since I didn't have men folk around I took the opportunity to put in a "chick flick" and snuggle under a blanket. I watched Atonement which I have had for nearly a year but had never seen. It was nice to be able to have time to watch something that I actually wanted to see. As Michelle so kindly pointed out to me last week, I watch too many animated movies. lol

Bob and I were both able to sleep in this morning which was WONDERFUL! We finished our weekend with Cirque du Soleil Quidam. It was enjoyable but not one of my favorites, I think that to date Kooza is my favorite.

That brings us to Sunday night, the first day of Spring. I received all but 1 of my packages, the sun was out all weekend and my wee ones are finally home again. If the man-cub were here with us, then this evening would be perfect.

Sláinte!

To your health!

Truth be told I've only a drop of Irish but 'tis all you need on St. Patrick's day! By far one of my favorite times of the year.

I love to stroll shops around St. Patrick's day. Bookstores, music, quilts and crafts. The Book of Irish Weirdness is one of my favorite books as well as Irish Fairy and Folk Tales. Loreena McKennitt singing stories of Greensleeves and The English ladye and the knight. Makes me want to dig my bare feet into moss and breath deep.

I was teased growing up that I wouldn't be the only one wearing a skirt at my wedding but as it turns out, I was. I didn't marry Irish but I have my love and he has given me my greatest blessings; Ryan, Robby and Drake.

So enjoy your day and embrace your Irish. Sláinte!

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

Fricka, Fracka!

No packages. No retail therapy gratification. No happy uppers for me. = [

I needed an upper today too, something to get giddy about. Just one of those days that some would ask for a do over but I am asking for it to just end. Drake is having problems in school. Robby's temper is returning. The boys are squabbling again.

New plan. No chores tonight for me. I plan on vegging out on Facebook, reading a book, maybe even snuggling a bobling or two. I see warm pj's, fluffy socks and a cup of coffee in my future. I may even go crazy and have TWO just because I can! (and they are decaf...lol)

Tomorrow is a new day and I am sure that it will be spectacular! It has to be, it is St. Patrick's Day!! Bob is working from home and off of work at 2pm. I am thinking some quilting will be on the agenda. Possibly a trip to JoAnn's for fabric IF THE FRACKIN' MAILMAN BRINGS MY PACKAGE.

Heck, Bob may even forget to wear green. = ] Life is good...

ERIN GO BRAGH!!

Grrrr.............!

Last week I did a little retail therapy; it's good for the soul you know.

I took Drake shopping with me to a brick and mortar store, then I did a little surfing later that night. It was very cathartic!

I ordered yummy coffee. I ordered quilt patterns, tools and gadgets. I even ordered my pillow pet for this summers vacation!

So...I have been anxiously yet patiently awaiting my parcels and packages. Yesterday we got a delivery! It was Legos for the boys. [frown] Today we got 3 packages!! WHOO HOO!!! Wait, for Bob?! [growl] Where are my treasures? I needs the coffee! I needs the quilting supplies and patterns! I needs the Dragon pillow pet! I needs them... [whimper...pout]

I hope for the letter carriers sake I receive at least one tomorrow because I will be hidden and ready to pounce. I would hate to embarrass either of us...

Spring Rain

That just about sums it up...

Didn't get a lot of sleep last night because it was raining so hard. It is nice to hear a storm but that was really loud! At 4am I heard a HORRIBLE yowl outside so I took a count of our cats. Sure enough one was unaccounted for, Melf. I found him on the back deck on top of the grill, pressed against the kitchen window trying to stay dry and failing miserably. He was drenched and eager to get inside to show me his gratitude. This resulted in me having to get dry clothes on to go back to bed.

When I got the boys in the kitchen for breakfast, all 4 cats were at the back door wanting to go outside. I opened the slider and one by one they turned tail and headed back to reclaim their warm and dry spots indoors. Can't say that I blame them, I would if I could.

Murder She Baked

I have been reading these mystery books since last summer. Actually, I stumbled across them at my sister-in-laws when I found myself with nothing to read. I read the first one and I was hooked.

The stories are entertaining, however, the "whodunit" isn't the reason I became hooked. I can usually figure out in the beginning who the villian is but there is light humor in there that provides some good chuckles. The real gold mine in these books is that they are filled with recipes. Ooey, gooey, yummy recipes that you do not even want to think about when you are dieting. This last book I read, I had to literally flip past the recipes so I wouldn't be tempted. The first book I read I couldn't put down. I was too excited about the recipes and looked forward to reaching the next chapter to see what recipe came next. It was so bad that I started whipping up a batch of Cocolatta's at 11pm to surprise Bob with them the next day.

If you are a baker, then you will enjoy these books. It gives you a time out to read and you get wonderful recipes to try. I have been checking them out from the library and making sure to enter all the recipes into Mastercook before I return the books. Enjoy!

http://murdershebaked.com/

Cocolattas

Ingredient -- Preparation Method
1 cup butter -- melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar -- firmly packed
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp coconut extract -- *see Note
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup egg beaters® 99% egg substitute -- room temp
2 cups coconut flakes -- finely chopped, use only 1 cup after chopped
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour -- don't sift-pack it down in your measuring cup
IT IS IMPORTANT TO PACK THE FLOUR!
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350*F, rack in the middle position.

Melt butter and mix in the granulated and brown sugar. Add the baking soda, coconut extract, and the salt. Add the eggs and stir.

Chop the coconut flakes in a food processor. Measure the coconut AFTER it is chopped. Pack it down when you measure it, add it to your bowl and stir thoroughly.

Add half the flour and all of the chocolate chips. Stir well to incorporate. Finish by mixing in the rest of the flour.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes on the counter, uncovered. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet, 12 cookies to a standard sized sheet. If the dough is too sticky to handle, chill it slightly and try again. Bake at 350*F for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool for 3 minutes, then remove cookies from the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Note:
"I use almond extract instead of coconut and it is wonderful!"
Source:
"Cherry Cheesecake Murder - Joanne Fluke"
Yield:
"6 dozen"

Preschool Riots

Had to pick Drake up from Montessori early today in order to have time to get Robby and make his dentist appointment. As I am sitting in the hall waiting for him to finish I hear chanting begin in the classroom. I then realize that the chanting isn't anything the teachers are leading. It sounded more like picketing or a prison riot. The slogan alternated between "WE WANT CIRCLE TIME!" and "WE WANT SNACKS!". Needless to say I found this humorous until I realized that Thing 2 was leading the charge. O...M...G...! He was so impassioned in his riot that he couldn't hear me calling his name (loudly, I might add) from a mere 3 feet away.

THANKFULLY it was an early pick up and other than the teachers, there were no witnesses to proclaim "Jeez! Who brought THAT kid?"

Retail Therapy

Today's forecast... grab your floaties! I have mixed emotions about the weather right now. On the one hand I am ecstatic that it is no longer freezing (literally), on the other I am tired of needing a snorkel to pick up the boys from school. I need Spring to SPRING already.

I was torn between hibernating in the house with a cup of coffee or braving the monsoon for a little retail therapy. Decisions, decisions... In the end I chose retail therapy so I bundled up Man-Drake and we headed out. I made sure to hit every department just to prolong strolling without windows. When we were finally finished everyone got something new and I learned that I am no longer able to Easter shop with Drake. = (

We left the store only to discover that the rain was gone, the sun was out and it turned into a beautiful afternoon. Hoping it will hold until we collect Robby from school.

Oral Puzzles

We had our first Orthodontist appointment for Robby this morning and it went great. As you can see in the photo he has a lot going on and no room at the inn. Right now he looks a little like a shark with 2 rows of teeth on the bottom and his dentist didn't want to extract any more teeth until the Orthodontist prepared a treatment plan for him. So far there really isn't much to be done other than extracting 2 more teeth to make room for the perm teeth to move forward. So...back to the dentist we go on Thursday to have 2 bottom teeth extracted.

I was extremely intimidated to be told that my 6 year old needed to see an orthodontist but I found out a few things they may help someone else if they find themselves in a similar situation. Most orthodontists do not charge for evaluations or follow ups unless they actually do work on the mouth. We will be going back every 6 months to keep track of Robby's progress so it is nice to know that it won't cost us a thing until he needs a spacer or braces. I was also surprised to learn that children should be seen by an orthodontist by the time they are 7.

Robby had the 4 center bottom teeth extracted last summer so he isn't too thrilled about having these 2 "wiggled" out but she called in a prescription to help him through it. Between that, the shake he will get after the appointment and a visit from the Tooth Fairy I think it will result in a great day for him.

For Bob and I, we get to keep our money for a few more years.

Pillow Pets

I am not a big fan of stuffed animals with the boys having respiratory problems, so the pillow pet craze has been lost on me. However, when they were sick, I caved. I just wanted them to feel comforted and snug; they were so miserable. So we added 2 new "family" members. Drake chose a bumble bee and named him "Bumbee". Robby chose a lady bug that remains unnamed. lol

This last weekend we went to Seaside to see Ryan and we let the boys take their blankets and their pillow pets. They were able to fold their pj's up in the pets and take them to Ryan's for their date night with Grandma Marie and Summer.

After Bob and I picked them up and got back to the hotel, we put them both to bed and then crashed as well. Only we crashed into a worthless sleeping arrangement. The bed wasn't horrible but the pillow was only 2" high, the sheets were thread bare and the covers were very light and didn't provide much warmth. Needless to say I was up many times that night trying to mess with the heater so we weren't freezing or boiling. Once I figured that out I still had to contend with Bob claiming the top side of the mattress for his side and that darn pillow. Then I remembered, there were TWO extra pillows in bed with the boys. I successfully snagged the lady bug and I have to say, she was pretty darn comfy.

Later the next day on the way home Bob took over driving so that I could nap. Again, not the best set up for good rest until I spotted "Bumbee" in the back set. Drake was kind enough to share is BFF so Mommy ZONKED!

Upon waking, I declared to Bob that all 5 of us will have our own pillow pets for the vacation to California this summer. He pointed out that we only needed 4 since not all 5 of us would be sleeping at the same time. VETO! Not sharing lovey's with any of my men folk; boys are gross.

I have my eye on the dragon...

Olfactory Jogs

We went to Seaside, OR this weekend to see our oldest son, Ryan. Saturday night the Boblings stayed with Summer and Grandma Marie while Bob and I went out with Ryan and Rhonda to meet his friends and other family. I met a gentleman (my newest long lost son...lol) that was smoking a cigar and while I know that many of you are groaning right now, I was very pleased to be standing down wind of him.

We were in the middle of a conversation when all of a sudden I caught the smell of his cigar and I was immediately transported back to being a kid. Summer mornings in Simi Valley, CA, visiting my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. They all were late sleepers except for my Uncle and, to his great annoyance, myself. = ] To say that he is a man of ritual would be an understatement so having a garrulous 5-year old niece to entertain was very inconvenient.

As I said, he would get up much earlier than the rest of his family, go to the front door to grab his weekend paper, pour himself a large glass of orange juice then take himself out to the poolside patio to begin his day. Can you see him? Cigar lit, paper open? Soft, warm breeze? Quiet? ... Now picture him turning the page of his newspaper only to discover a mite sitting across from him, staring; just staring.

Uncle: "Where is your Mom?"
Mite: "Sleeping"
Uncle: "Is anyone else up?"
Mite: "No."
Uncle: "Are you just going to sit there?"
Mite: (shrugs shoulders)

Uncle goes back to his paper in the hopes that Mite will disappear as quietly as she appeared. Mite doesn't move, just waits.

Uncle: "Do you want some orange juice?"
Mite: "No"
Uncle: (Sigh)

Uncle goes back to his paper but is no longer reading, he now using it as a shield between himself and Mite.

Uncle: "Do you want to swim with me?"
Mite: "Sure"

This is when we would get in the pool and swim. I would like to say that I did laps with my Uncle but he was much too fast and the pool was much too small. Plus, he was using our swim time as a way to distract me so following him would probably have driven him over the edge. After about 10 minutes he would get out of the pool and grab me a towel, wrap me up in it and then send me off in the house to go get dried off. Of course this would lead to my parents waking up, no 5 year old is going to go in from the pool and quietly change. I JUST WENT SWIMMING!!! So Uncle's problem would be inside for quite sometime and the rest of the house would wake up and start to bustle thus buying him more solitude.

I supposed we had our own ritual although "Mite" didn't remain the silent stalker very often. More times than not I would prattle until his eyes crossed which meant that we just swam much sooner. = ]

All this from the mere whiff of a cigar. It really did put an impish smile on my face.