Camping!

This past weekend we went camping with Tracy, Darb, Andrew, Jonathan, and Hannah. It was a very, very, very nice diversion from recent craziness at home. We ate, watched the kid's bike ride, hiked, rode horses on a trail ride (which Ruby was looking WAY forward to, but hasn't really talked about since =P), and, well, packed up a day early to avoid packing in the rain. =P It was a lovely, lovely time. I told David that packing to go camping is a lot of work, but I never regret it. Still true. =)

Some funny occurrences from camping:

Andrew taught the kids that they could eat lamb's quarters, so the kids were often gathering this weed from around the tree by the bathroom. Sanitary, 'eh? Anyways, one time, Ruby had gotten some, ate some, and then took it back to Andrew to see if it was really lamb's quarters. Next thing I know, Ruby is screaming, and I mean SCREAMING pitifully while holding her lamb's quarters. She said something to the effect of, "Andrew said this was poisonous and I ATE SOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Poor child thought she was about to keel over. She eventually calmed down once we discovered that Andrew was just telling her not to eat the stem of the plant. =P

Oh, man...I just thought of something else, and then I forgot. Wait. I remember now. While hiking, the 4 younger kids were up on a rock ledge. Some hikers went by and one of the men asked if he could get up there with them. Hannah said "no". The guy wondered out loud why the kids didn't like him and kept on going. After that, Ruby was a bit quiet (NOT NORMAL!) so I asked what was up. She sadly said, "that man said he doesn't like me!" (or something like that). We cleared that up. I think. I hope. I mean, I tried. =P

Since we packed up a day early from camping, our family went to a hotel with a pool and HOT TUB!!! The kids enjoyed jumping into the hot tub. Well, Ruby and Isaac did. Jadelyn hasn't been wanting much to do with large bodies of water. Just the bathtub. In which she holds her breath and gunks her head on the bottom of the tub. I digress. Anyways, on Monday morning, David and the girls were done eating breakfast, so headed back to the room to get ready to go swimming, and I got a mini "date" with my I-see. He chattered away about horses that rock by themselves when you put money in and hit a button (they got what was probably their first ride on a Meijers horse the day before), and about how he wanted one for home that would be small enough to fit kittie-cornered in his little closet. Then, he started talking about how the (real) milk at the hotel tasted different from the (soy)milk at home. Then, he asked, "is this from a cow?" and then wondered if there was hay, straw, or grass in it. Ha. Anyways, he'd chatter on and on and then say something like, "I want to just be quiet now" before cutting off the conversation. Man, that kid is SO like his Grandpa!

Today, Jadelyn was doing some amazing counting: "2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,16". I don't get why she doesn't get the "1" in there...but anyways, I was impressed. =)

I had 3 happy helpers in the garden today, harvesting orange peppers, okra, a few tomatoes, and TONS of jalapenos. It's nice when I'm not so crazy busy like I am in the summertime and can relax when the job isn't going as fast as I'd like. =P

We're playing the waiting game to see what's going on with Ruby's hips. The doctor wants to consult with some MORE doctors and still needs to look at the x-ray and video from last Friday, too. And the geneticist FINALLY go the x-rays from Shriner's, so hopefully his report will be coming in soon, too. We should know by Tuesday afternoon at the LATEST if Ruby is going to have to have surgery or not. At least I hope we find out then. I've been incapacitated the last few weeks - wandering around in circles and not accomplishing much at ALL. I just want to KNOW. We've been trying to get this figured out for oh, a year and 3 months? Just tell me already, people. Just tell me. What I read about the surgery and casting scares me. My skinny little poor-muscle-tone gal could pretty much have no muscle-tone if she's in a cast for 6 months. Ai yai yai. I just want it done and over with so I don't have to worry. Yeah, yeah...I know, and I'm not even the one having surgery done. =P

Hope the kids take LONG naps today. Ruby and Jadelyn, in particular, have been having a NOT REAL HAPPY day. Though at times they're fine. =P

How My Kids' Brains Work

I actually don't know, but find it fascinating. Unless I'm getting frustrated by my lack of understanding. =P

Ruby is really wanting to know if things "rhyme together" recently. The other day, she asked if "cloud and rake" rhyme. Um, no. How about "rake and rakie"? I can understand THAT attempt, but still, no. "Manna and Banana?" YAY!!! But we're still back to not really getting it. =P Isaac's attempts are similar, but he doesn't try it nearly as often as Ruby. "Purse and pursie"? Oh, buddy...don't be thinkin' like your sister! =O Then, he busted out with "chair and share". YAY!!! =) Yeah, it didn't stick. And why in tarnation does this child STILL not know his colors? When he finally gets it, I might just fall off my chair if I'm sitting or just plain fall over if I'm standing, and whack my head and...and well...guess I should teach the kids to call 9-1-1 before that occurs. =P If they could only remember what numbers to call. But on the other hand, they remember things from long ago that don't seem pertinent to me at all. For sure, their memories are more fun than just remembering what "rhymes together". =)

My sweet little fella sure has more self-control than his Mama. The neighbors VERY often give the kids candy when we go to visit, and my Isaac can make his candy L.A.S.T. He has been taking bites out of his current candy that you can hardly see. "Teeth-scratch" is probably a better description than "bite". Ha. I wonder how long it'll last him. I'm so proud of his self-control! =)

The other week, Isaac fell and hit his face on our wood stove. Which was not in use. Whew. Anyways, his jaw appeared swollen, he complained that it hurt, and his cheek turned out a lovely bruise. Isaac commented the other day that he thinks he has a black face because he fell and hit his face on the black stove. Hmmmm.... WAIT!!! He knew "black"!!!! Oh, yeah...he does know that color periodically. Maybe even most the time. Just working on the bright, fun, fancy ones still. =P

Hickory the crazy dog jumps like a kangaroo. If kangaroos jump straight up in the air. Anyways, I was commenting the other day that maybe we should have named him "Kangaroo" instead of Hickory. So, my little Ruby, on a run/walk/whatever by Hickory's cage nonchalantly said, "Hi, Kangaroo". It hasn't come up since, though, so no name-changes-for-the-dog will occur in the near future. =/

I have been known to keep clothes for a long time. A long, long time. I think my oldest pieces of clothing are shorts from when I was in 3rd grade and a t-shirt from when I was in 5th grade. Yes. I am 30 now. =O Anyways, while doing laundry, a string from around the waist of a pair of shorts I now wear for jammies came loose because the waistband is well, shredded. Anyways, I put the nice, long shoestring thing off to the side, briefly wondering what I could do with the thing. It was just a shame to throw it away because it was in good shape. Okay. I'm cheap. ANYWAYS! I went off to put laundry away, and Isaac disappeared off the face of my radar. When I went to check on him, I found him, with my long shoestring thing, threading through a little plastic-horse-threading-toy-thing (that I've had, incidentally, since I think my 5th birthday. Man, I really DO keep things long! =O). The horse had a string in it previously, but it wasn't long enough to do all the holes. This new one was. And not only did my little man thread the whole thing, he made reins for the horse out of the excess string. My little man! Solving the problem of what to do with the long shoestring thingy for me! And adding his own creative twist. Thanks, Buddy!

Jadelyn

My little Jadelyn sure is a character.

I love how she says "hi-lo" instead of "hello".

She is such a creature of habit. There are two "new" (hand-me-downs) jammies in her drawers. She refuses to pick them out to wear. Must wear her tried and true jammies instead.

I love her crazy happy smile. It is CRAZY.

I also love how she will at times talk real low, with lowered eyebrows and squinted eyes to go with her hand motions. Not sure what all she's talking about, but it MUST be serious.

The other morning when David let the chickens out of their chicken house, Jadelyn was at the window, counting the chickens...though her counting probably skipped the "1" and started at "2". She does that. A lot.

When walking by the chickens the other day, she nonchalantly said, "hi chickens" as she continued on her journey. To wherever.

When garage sale-ing one time, a lady offered to hold Jadelyn while I looked around. I asked Jadelyn if she wanted to sit on the lady's lap. Jadelyn's response? A whispered, "no want to". Must be like her Mama.

One night while singing "Goodnight, little Jadelyn", Jadelyn was intent on kissing me. But she was giggling so much she had a hard time completing her mission. Cracked me up, too. I love special moments like that. Most of the time when I'm singing to her, she's talking CONSTANTLY. AHHHHH!!!!!

The other day, Jadelyn had to take a trip or two around the garden for some bad behavior. Off she went, hiding her eyes behind one of her arms. She almost ran into something. Better watch where you're going, "shy" Lynnie! =)

Oh! My little Lynnie came into Ruby and Isaac's room tonight, where I was cleaning, asking where her jammies are. I told her that they were in her drawer. She needed help looking tonight. This is abnormal. I showed her the two new pairs, as that was all that was in there at the time. (Hey! I'm still getting caught up from camping this weekend. =P) Anyways, it appears she didn't know they were jammies - maybe that's why she never picked them out? And she wore them without a problem. So much for my "creature-of-habit" observation, 'eh? =P She DID however, have a complete meltdown in her crib, oh, 20 minutes or so after she went to bed. Why? The other night, it was because she had unsnapped the snap at the top of her jammies. I commented to David that there were no snaps on her jammies today, so I wondered what the problem would be. Any guesses? =P The back of the jammie pants were below her diaper. CRISIS!!! CRISIS!!! =P Oh, Lynnie, how I do love you. So, I had her stand up, and helped her pull up her pants.

I love that little gal. And someday she'll stop screaming, right? =P

Stuffaroni...

At lunch the other day, Ruby said, "now I'm almost done with my peanuts. Incredible, huh?" Must've been a fast-eating-day! =)

The other day, Ruby went to collect the eggs because David didn't get to it and I no longer enter the chicken shed. =P Anyways, in Ruby went, when she stopped short. "What's that?" she asked of the big, BIG dead rat laying by the chicken's water. Ai yai yai. I'm glad I wasn't in there with her. =O I found the skeleton of a rat in the barn, and that grossed me out enough, but here was a rat that had recently been living. Close to my house. Maybe it was the only one? =P Anyways, Ruby skirted around the rat and collected two eggs, and Isaac came to collect the third one. He, too, was quite enthralled with the rat. Jadelyn would've loved it, too, but I kept her out and let her peek through the door at it. Don't want my fearless child picking it up or petting it or hitting it or something. Oye. Anyways, on the way out of the woodshed, Isaac pointed to a rat trap (HUGE mouse-trap-looking-thing) and said we shoulda used it. Ha. Anyways, the kids (well, Ruby and Isaac) have continued to be enthralled with the rat. So has David, who randomly brings it up ("it was HUGE" or "I like that rat" because it looked friendly and was brown instead of black and...see where the kids get it from? =P). I digress. At some point when discussing the rat, Isaac wisely said that it's "probly rat season", and Ruby piped in with some wisdom of her own, "probly started yesterday". Did it end then, too? I can hope, right? =P

David fed the chickens our STINKY, STINKY, STINKY kitchen waste last night. Tossed it over the fence, and then went in and banged more out 'cause it was stuck to the bottom of the bowl. NASTY. Anyways, Ruby left the scene of the stink, saying, "my nose can't handle it". Ha! It was really, really stinky.

We went on a short family bike ride last night to see the neighbor's horses, who apparently weren't out in their pasture as usual. Anyways, we had a lovely time despite seeing no horsies, and once in our yard, I was going quickly toward the barn, and Jadelyn, who was strapped on behind me said "whoah!" about at the point I felt like I might be going too fast. Guess she felt it, too.

This morning, Ruby let Isaac wear the slippers (small homeade ones that Isaac had back in their babyhood) that she's been wearing the last day or two. Ain't she generous? I was SHOCKED, actually. She has hidden them before so Isaac won't know where they are and she can wear them again after she gets up from her nap or whatever. Anyways, she removed the ribbon from around the ankle the other day. Isaac was finally getting his first try in them today, and he noticed that the ribbon was missing. He wanted it back, but I told him I'd thrown it away. =O Anyways, he said that when he has babies (I think that was involved, as it often is), he will have to buy ribbon to put in there and "that wastes all my money for me". True that, child, children can be EXPENSIVE. Or not. We're cheap. =P

Isaac, while wearing the beloved slippers ("flippers") around questionned, "are these called flippers 'cause you flip with them?" Good question, I thought. Don't think I've ever thought about that possibility before.

Jadelyn was sitting on the couch this morning quietly playing with a felt book, when she held up Baby Moses and said something like, "I hold baby Jesus. WHEEE!!!" while waving the felt around in the air. All babies in pictures and such seem to be "Baby Jesus" as of late. And I'm not so sure that she was being gentle enough with "Baby Jesus", either. =O

This morning, Ruby was "Aunt Shelley", Isaac was my baby, and I was "Gram". "Aunt Shelley" also had baby doll Selah, who had just been born the day before she made the long voyage to visit Gram and my baby Isaac. This continued for just under an hour. This means that during that time, Isaac pretty much cuddled on my lap, laid on the floor, wiggled around, and made a few squeaking sounds. "Aunt Shelley" brought a "treat" for my baby - a Mr. Potato Head blue mouth with big buck-teeth sticking out, which is used as a pacifier. Ha. Anyways, at some point, "Aunt Shelley" informed me very grown-up-like while getting a book out of the adult's bookcase, "I can read, and I'm only 60. That's old." Then, she asked how old Aunt Shelley was, and I told her that I think she's 34. So Ruby decided, "I'm 34", and "that's older than Daddy." True, true.

At lunch today, Isaac said something to the effect of, "know what I'm NOT going to do when I'm a grown up?" Well, what he's NOT going to do is "weed the garden." Because his "Mommy" is going to do it. I told him I might be busy weeding my own garden. So, he emphatically stated something like, "no, MY Mommy" is going to weed the garden. I told him that I WAS his Mommy. He said "no, the Mommy I'm going to marry" or something like that. Ah....guess that kid has his eyes out for one lucky (and hard working) Mommy. ;)

When I was putting Jadelyn down for her nap, she noted that there was "poopy" on the window. "Kitty, poopy" to be exact. Nope. Bird. =P

And with that lovely mental picture, I leave you.

Kidisms...

So, I've been keeping notes about things to blog on, but apparently not good enough ones. Looking over my notes, I don't remember all the stories, but I'll do the best I can with the ones I actually remember! =P

Ruby was counting along, and then she got to "29" followed by? "20-10". Good reasoning. Wrong number. =)

Ruby asked me, "Mom, do bugs sometimes get married, or no?" Huh. Something I can't say I ever wondered about. =)

I don't remember why, but there was a time in the past week or so that Ruby was walking around with a spoon in her jammies. I think I was supposed to find it. And Ruby gave me such specific clues that I would have to be completely clueless to not know where it was. Well, between the clues and the strange bump on her shin. Ha.

Isaac was streaking between the hall (I think) and the bathroom (I think). He stopped, looked out the window, and said to himself, "look, no people. Run like the wind!" He just cracks me up.

Some point, Isaac was needing to get dressed (that child can take FOREVER to get dressed - getting distracted by every.little.thing...AHHHHH!!!!! =O), so I asked him where his clothes were. His response? "On the couch." So, I asked him if he was going to put those clothes on his body. To which he responded, "oh, I forgot" before marching off to get them. That boy!!!

At some point, Isaac informed me, "I sprayed a yucky smell out my bottom". We have never taught him the "farfennuggen" word. For which I am very thankful.

I think Jadelyn was in her bed at some point (or maybe I was holding her...see, I told you I don't remember things! I should definitely blog more often. =P), and she said something like..."Jesus loves...Wooby, Isaac (she's saying "Isaac" now instead of "Didic"! =D), Lynnie, Mama, Daddy, boat, drive boat." Oh, boy. I think I have another random one on my hands. Well, that, and she likes to talk but might sometimes run out of things to talk about, and then what she sees somehow gets stuck into her conversations. =P And she can see Daddy's boat from her bedroom window. Ai.

Sometime I mentioned to the kids that I was dizzy. Isaac informed me it was "probly 'cause we made the house turn around" earlier when they were spinning in circles. Ha! What powerful kids I have to turn the house in circles!

David was singing the Sesame Street song...you know, "Sunny days, sweepin' the clouds away". Isaac thought that maybe rain was sweeping the clouds away, and Ruby was sure it was a broom doing the sweeping.

Ruby (I think) was telling me that David will be 34 on his next birthday, and then the birthday after that he'll be 35, and "35 is OLD". Ha!

We went looking for a house when it was raining last week for something to do and 'cause I'm trying to find a way to live cheaper so David can own his trailer park and get out of the rat race of working for "the man" whoever that man may be. Anyways, the kids were questioning us about what we were doing on the trip, and we said we were looking at a house. Ruby said it was a "rule" that we only have one house at a time. I don't remember all the reasons, but they were good ones. =O See...I really do need to write more often. ;P

Ruby got up from her nap before Isaac, and I asked if Isaac was still sleeping. Ruby informed me that "he's sleepin' deep". When questioned about what that meant, Ruby said, "he's sleepin' deep. Like the Ocean. He's sleeping long". Ha! She said he normally wakes up when she leaves the room, but not this time!

Today I haven't been feeling right at the top of my game, and while getting lunch together, Isaac asked me "why are you movin' slow?" Ooops. Guess it's real apparent that I'm not feeling at the top of my game. =P Anyways, I told him that I was feeling tired and weak. To which my random Isaac replied, "Daddy's older than you." Oh. Right. THAT must be why I was feeling weak and tired. Ha!

Ruby had a dream the other day that when she went to hop out of the van at a yard sale (she LOVES those things), there was a "green baby" where Jadelyn should be sitting, because we had had a new baby and didn't even have to go the hospital to get it. Oh, and it's clothes were green, not the actual baby. That dream alone is about to give me a serious dose of anxiety. AHHHH!!!!!

Oh, Ruby also informed me recently that her brain and Isaac's brain work better than mine. Because they remember things. Well, gotta agree with her on that one. Obviously. =P

My twins...

David took the kids to a 50th anniversary bash at the nursing home on Friday evening. They were clapping on and off, and at one point, Isaac was holding a cup of ice when it came time to clap again. He started clapping, dropping his cup of ice on the floor. David said that Isaac seemed a little shocked, like "how did that happen?" Tonight, David was getting Isaac's nighttime diaper on, and after he was done, Isaac asked, "when did you put my diaper on?" And THEN, when it was bedtime, I gave Isaac one or two night-night hugs-and-kiss sessions, and then when I'm leaving the room, he has a COW because he wanted to hug me. Does he notice what is going on around him?!?!?! Ai yai yai. That crazy kid.

Today at church, the children's story was about how the kingdom of God is like a fruit basket. Ms. Hannah was showing the kids fruit and seeing if they knew what they were. The first thing was a watermelon. Ms. Hannah asked what it was. Ruby's response? "You don't know what a watermelon is?" Or something like that. We couldn't hear it, but Mr. Bill, who was up front to preach, told us about it later. That kid.

Seems like there was more, but I wrote no notes on my reminder 3x5 cards, so I'm outta luck. =P

Stuffers....

Yesterday's Geneticist appointment went fine. It was just a LONG day. We left home around 10:30am and got home around 8:45pm. Yikes. So, the news! The geneticist thinks that there is no need to do genetic testing right now. Thinks that there is no genetic condition that would be interfering with Ruby's hip treatment...or whatever. Anyways, he wants to review the x-rays and notes from Shriner's just to make sure. The good news is that now Dr. Chandran at Shriner's can decide what we should do. One step closer to this puzzle being fixed, 'eh? =P Oh, and "Dr. Burrow" (the geneticist) was quite the hit with the kids, apparently, as they talked about him a lot on the drive home. ;)

On the way home, we went to Lowe's and got some metal roofing to use as the cover for the slide that David will build for the kids. Hopefully it doesn't rust. =O After Lowe's, we headed to a park to eat a picnic and play at the playground. Ruby and Isaac did a lot of staring at other people, and Jadelyn kept going down the same big slide over and over and over and over and over and...get the idea? Cracks me up. She used to WANT to go down slides so bad, but she was scared. Now? No longer. She loves slides! And swings. And I love her!

Today was city-wide yard sales in Stanford and Crab Orchard. We only made it to 7. And that was only in one small neighborhood in Stanford. There are a TON of them out there. I would love to keep going, but you know...these kids needed some food and some SLEEP! =P They were quite the hit at yard sales, and had quite a few toys given to them. Jadelyn was wearing the hamster ball that she received as a hat while in her carseat. Cracked me up. Until we got home and I realized that the thing is DIRTY and SMELLS like it. Gross. =P Good thing she'll get a bath tonight, 'eh?

Ruby was having a MELTDOWN before lunch, and was sent to her bed, where she continued to have a MELTDOWN. After she calmed down, I told her she could head out for lunch. I was in the laundry room working on cleaning our yard sale finds. I asked her if she needed more food yet (all she had was half a leftover banana), but she said she was waiting for help praying. I told her she knew how to pray, and I was working in the laundry room right then. Isaac then piped up and asked Ruby if she wanted help praying. She said yes. The prayer went something like this: I: "Dear Jesus," R: "Dear Jesus," I: "Thank you for my food," R: "Thank you for my food,": I: "please help it to strengthen me," R: "Please help it to strengthen me," I: "Amen." R: "Amen. Thank you, Isaac." I: "You should have just asked me for help!" And off they went on their happy lunch time. Awww...moments like this I need to remember. Hence the blog, right? =)