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Showing posts from January, 2010

Who I Am #2

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I am working on ... Most of those close to me ask pretty frequently whether or not I have been writing (meaning manuscripts). The truth is I haven't. Not because I don't want to, but between diaper changes, lunch time, chores and car-pools I rarely find the time. Blogging has become my source of writing. Blogging is my journaling and my expressive exercise. Other than that, which would be a lame and obvious answer, I am working on improving the self within me. There are several facets of who I am that I would like to improve upon, but I know myself enough to know that if I am not 'ready' to change... I will fail. So I wait until I am ready and then I move forward. Here are some of the things I have decided to move forward on: One. (My photo and computer skills.) I am surprised at the amount of enjoyment I have discovered from my beginning to learn how to read html coding. Not only do I feel a sense of pride at being 'self-taught' but I also like the contro

Schools Out!

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What my afternoons look like (poladroid style) To Do Today: More laundry More dishes Possible trip to the store Vacuum Clean up mail drop spot

Who I Am #1

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(has nothing to do with the post, I just thought it was a fun picture) In the next few weeks I'm going to be doing a series of self-reflective posts each directed by a prompt found online. Feel free to join in. Prompt #1:  My greatest challenge is... A few years ago the end of that sentence would have been an unequivocal 'my temper,' but I seem to have moved past the raging desire to smash things (which is nice). Now-a-days I think my greatest challenge is that of laziness. I find a million excuses to do those daily chores that make a house run efficiently.  What then happens is that Ralexwin is forced to pick up the slack. If I don't do the dishes, he does. If I won't do the laundry, he will. If I decide I don't want to cook dinner, he's forced to find food for the kids. I've teased him that I want a shirt that says, "MOM ON STRIKE." I've grumbled that he's an enabler. The truth is I'm lazy. I would rather s

The Never Ending Month

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The kids have a late start today (10AM). Every weekend this month has been a 4 days long. No one can go outside, or even wants to. The house is in chaos, the kids are grumpy and I only got dressed today because Remewin has a Dr.'s appointment. This month will not end! So in an attempt to help January along, I am making a list of tasks to be accomplished today. (in no particular order) 1. Take Remewin's social security number down to the insurance office. (2 months late) 2. Groceries are a possibility depending on mood of Iyawin. 3. Do some laundry... at leas t take laundry downstairs. 4. Go through pile of magazines on my couch. 5. Clean family room. 6. Brush teeth. 7. Fold the myriad of blankets that have been pulled out of closet. 8. Make dinner. 9. See that the house is properly heated today... ie make a fire. 10. Make sure Iyawin wears some real clothes and not just his pajamas. 11. Breathe in and enjoy the day.

Snow Days... Snow DAZE

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Another snow day for us here in the grand state of South Dakota. I am so sick of snow days. ::head-desk:: ::head-desk:: ::head-desk:: There's nothing like being trapped in the house with four bored children for days on end. I think if you did that sort of thing to a terrorist they'd turn over any information in about a week. Why don't they use those sort of tactics on them? I'm of the mind it would be much more effective than water boarding. Just let them listen to a recording of one of my kids screaming and I promise they won't last 24 hours. Better yet stick the terrorist in a room with them and a game requiring only one player. Today I woke up to the sound of the Mischievite sobbing in the family room. I went to investigate and found him trying with all his two year old might to get the TV to work while his brother and sister played on the computer in the other corner, ignoring him. I was pretty upset. I scolded them for not acknowledging the c

Friday Discussion: That Place We Go To

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When it comes to our opinions about death Ralexwin and I have some significant differences. He is adamant about the use of life support, and has requested that he stay on it until the day he dies naturally (watch he'll now come home and deny ever making that statement). I, on the other hand, most definitely do not want to be kept on life support for any sustained amount of time. I think this difference comes from a split in our most basic of beliefs. Now, don't misunderstand, we both believe that we will be restored to our bodies after death and we both believe in the same Creator. Our religious beliefs are the same, our views on 'enduring to the end' are different. Examples: -What if your entire family were to die? We've known this to happen. My sister-in-laws brother lost his entire family in a car accident. My little sister had a friend whose mother was on her second family. So how would either of us deal with this? Our answers are quick in coming. His is

A Lost Art

What ever happened to Pen-Pals? I like the idea of Pen-Pals, and they seem to have gone the way of the DoDo. I guess it could be argued that technology has advanced and that the paradigm shift did not allow for pen and paper friends. It's sad really. How many of you had a pen pal growing up? Do you remember the excitement of receiving a letter in the mail? Or in your classroom? Did you enjoy talking to someone and learning about their culture and life? This is the sort of thing that's right up my alley. I love discovering new people. So I think to myself, maybe theirs a website devoted to pen-palling. . . and there is, except they are all a bit creepy and full of men (how convenient for them). Then you get the stories where the person turns out to be a mass murderer . Which really makes one hesitate about putting that ink to parchment. And if you really start thinking about it we don't live in the safest time in history. Who knows whats really on the other side of

Kids Funnies Part 278

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A Soldier's Real Motivation Vicbowin: Mom, what's this? Me: It's a spear your grandma brought home from Africa for your dad. Vicbowin: Why did she bring it home for him? Because he likes war? Isn't It Obvious Me: Did you eat the cake? Vicbowin: No. Me (teasing): Your brothers say you did. Vicbowin (serious): Still didn't. Using Their Vocabulary Iyawin: That's a home. Albowin: No, it's a kingdom. Iyawin: No, it's a shortcut! Midnight Queries Albowin: Mom, why do grown-ups have such big beds? Me (sleepily): Because more than one grown up sleeps in them. . . and sometimes a few kids too. Those Short People Albowin: Mom what if the dad was 30 and the mom was 20 and then the mom died!? Me: Well, the dad would need to take care of the kids and would probably get married again. Albowin: So Dad could marry Melissa or Elizabeth--she's pretty little but he could still marry her. Going Against Expectation Vicbowin: Mom when you get m

Awkward

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Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I can't think of anything to blog about. On those days I do a lot of internet surfing. I go to certain sites that I know have prompts. I fish around for something funny. Every once in a while I find a real gem of internet humor. Today was one of those days. Today I found AwkwardFamilyPhotos. Then I got to thinking. . . I wonder if I have any awkward photos floating around on my computer. So I started to look. It was a rather dismal display (I guess I must delete anything to embarrassing) the only thing I could find was the myriad of pictures with Albowin scowling: He hates pictures. A lot. Not exactly awkward... just funny. My hope for something to blog about was growing dim. I clicked through my 2007 files, my 2008's and was in July of 2009 before I found this gem of throat clearing awkwardness. Ah yes... that's about right. Leave it to the Mischievite to find a way to immortalize himself on the internet.

Quick Thoughts

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. One of my favorite quotes that MLK Jr. said is: The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Martin Luther King Jr is one of my all time favorite heroes. Did you know that he was  hand picked by the black

Up For Interpretation

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The Mischievite is at that beautiful stage where you can't quite understand what he's saying. Here's some of his cute words. "Powa u gay-skull!" (By the power of Gray-Skull) "I go sa cool too?" (I go to school too?) "Baby tying." (Baby crying) "Me vawy tareful." (Me very careful) Some of the understandable things he says that are just as adorable: "I swat your bum!" "Mom, those Becca's bottles?" (pointing at me) "Dear Heavenly Father. Amen." "I watch a movie on you 'puter?" (computer) "Go-o-o Joe!" "Me a princess!" Or his newest one- "Me a kingdom!" "Uh! No fair." "Horsie time!" (This is exclaimed just before he throws himself onto your unsuspecting back or leg). It is fun to hear. Albowin had a motor speech delay and at the age of 3 was barely starting to speak (he was behind by a year or more) so we

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

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The Good: I woke up this morning. I spent five minutes cuddled in my husbands arms. I can breath. I can see. I have relatively nice skin. The Bad: We figured out why our toilet won't flush. Albowin confessed to flushing "the thing that holds the toilet paper." Ralexwin is now in the process of taking apart the toilet to get to it, which is NOT pretty. The Ugly: I cannot begin to find words for the tantrum Vicbowin threw last night. To say that she has a temper is an understatement... it's more like she holds the key to Pandora's Box and whenever she gets overly tired she decides to peak inside. It's horrible. It's a nightmare. It is usually directed entirely at me. At approx. 10:30 PM last night she was informed that she would have to go downstairs to use the bathroom because Ralexwin was fixing the other one. She did not like this answer. She decided to start screaming. She decided to go into her room and scream. The room where Remewin was

Strangers In the Night

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Strangers in the night exchanging glances The Mischievite loves to sleep in our bed. I don't mind so much, Ralexwin does. Wond'ring in the night Last night I woke to two sounds. What were the chances. . . The gentle pleading cries of Remewin wanting to eat and the tap, tap, tap of the Mischievite knocking on our bedroom door. Strangers in the night, two lonely people When I opened the door the Mischievite walked past me as if he had all the right in the world to be in our room. I chuckled and went to get Remewin. When we said our first hello. Little did we know Ralexwin decided against having our night-time bed buddy and picked up the Mischievite. We passed each other in the doorway. Ralexwin heading out with one child, me going in with another. Love was just a glance. . . The Mischievite was furious. He screamed and sobbed and wailed for his "MOOOOOMMMMMY!" Strangers in the night, two lonely people We were strangers in the night

Pioneer Me!

Appliances suck. It's a plain and simple fact that I would like to shout from rooftops. "APPLIANCES SUCK!!!" Every time we seem to get ahead a little in life something has to break, it's almost comical. Last night we watched this movie called 'Ushpizin,' (which was sweet and made me cry) and at one point this Rabbi says to the main character Moshe--people think that when you are blessed with something you are given a rest but that is when God sends even greater tests because there is no rest.--Well something like that, with a lot more power and motivation to it than I just gave. My point is I guess I'm in the 'there is no rest' stage. The other day we paid off the credit card. Woo Hoo! Right? Wrong. Yesterday the vacuum kicked the bucket. It was making this loud whining noise and smelling funny, plus there was something rolling around inside. I figured something had gotten caught up in there so I took it all apart to get it out. Well,

Someone Else's Blood

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                 (me just before the transfusion) I was thinking that today I would write a post about my blood transfusion (you know, for posterity sake and all) and since it's been nearly six months I figured I was past the trauma of it all and could actually open up. No that's a supreme lie. It wasn't traumatizing at all. In fact it was kind of exciting. Of course that's just my genes coming out... every one in my family (siblings and parents) think that being through life threatening events is exciting and we like to take the tiniest threat and blow it WAY out of proportion so that everyone can think we were  in real danger. An example would be when my dad flew home from Mongolia on Sept 10, 2001. We like to mention that he almost went to Afghanistan instead... like that would make us all cool or something. So a blood transfusion ranks up there with the SUPER COOL in my family and as of now I am only surpassed slightly by my older brother who actually was in

Baby It's Cold Outside!

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8:10 AM found me in Ralexwin's bathrobe, my pink furry snow boots, and my fake Tommy Hilfiger coat--try to reverse the Mazda while Ralexwin pushed. The mercury read -13. BRRRRRRR. No School again today. Making it day three. Here's a look at today's weather. I want you to take particular notice of the 'feels like' section.

Two Days

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After spending two weeks on vacation the kids spent a whopping two days in school before the district closed them due to weather. We're on day two together. This is what our house looks like in Summer. (I absolutely love it!) Here's what it looks like NOW. We've been walloped. Most of this snow fell when we were away (about 3ft), but yesterday and last night we got another 3-5 inches. (I'm totally estimating). The kids are loving it of course. What 7 year old wouldn't!? No School. Lots of snow. Sleds a-ready. Hot chocolate waiting. I have to admit I'm pretty excited and I'm the adult who has to deal with it all. Tomorrow Ralexwin is going to climb onto the roof and shovel it off. You know you have a lot of snow when you have to clear the roof.

Kid Funnies

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Overheard: Albowin while playing by himself:  "Are you a bad guy?" "No, my eyes just glow sometimes when I'm mad." ---- Vicbowin after learning why she couldn't read the 4th Harry Potter till she was older. "I wish the fourth one wasn't so heavy." "Where on earth did you learn that word?" "Heavy? I've always known it." "Yes, but in that context!?" ---- Me to Albowin: "What are you doing ?" Albowin: "Sticking my fingers in my nose." ---- Vicbowin to me: "All you ever do is sit on your computer! If you like it so much then why don't you just sleep with it then?" (note: She got in LOTS of trouble for this and is now 'practicing' talking nice by saying every prayer and reading every scripture and being the general family spokesperson for the next week.) ---- Albowin upon coming in the house with a mouth covered in blood: Me: "What

Laundry Out to Dry

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I had the recent pleasure of being informed, by a site I'd approached about advertising space, that my blog wasn't the fit they wanted for theirs... I'm not sure what was meant by that, nor how or if it would be something I want to fix. I blog about my life. I blog about being a mom, a REAL mom with kids who do silly things, but I also try to blog about me. I try to write things that remind me that I am a woman as well as a mother. Sometimes that is hard to find, sometimes it ends up being an entire post complaining about how tired I am. Is that so bad? Isn't a blog a way of showing the world who we are while staying safely behind the screen. Right now I am laying in my husbands bathrobe on the bed with a baby between me and the computer. The Mischievite keeps coming in and licking my face and trying to get my attention and I have yet to bathe. Oh, and my feet are tucked under the mountain of laundry that needs to be folded. This is my life! This is who I am. This

January: Time for Resolve or Time for Expletives?

If you've been around the blogs lately you'll notice a common theme. One of those annoying themes that no one seems to be able to break away from. As if it is some sort of requirement that everyone discuss that particular topic. Yes... I'm talking about New Years Resolutions (NYR). I'm not an NYR sort of person. I figure if I'm going to change myself for the better I should change who I am always and not just at the beginning of the year. I know, I know, that's not exactly the concept but I'm going with it anyway. So as everyone else has been spending the last week making lists and checking them twice (admit it, you won't check a third time), I've been spending my mornings digging through piles of clothes. Piles of clothes? Sounds odd, but it's what happens when you go on vacation for two weeks to the Southwest then return to the Northern-Midwest. We went from 60*F weather to -11*F and seem to have lost some fairly important articles of

Happy New Year!!!

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2010 is here.   Wow. Remember ten years ago when they thought the world was going to end because the computers weren't smart enough. I spent my New Years that year working the desk at a hotel. That was also the year Ralexwin and I got married. Ten years later this is what I can expect for the next 365 days. Ralexwin will turn 33. Iyawin will turn 3. Ralexwin will finish his 2nd year of Law School and 1/2 of his third. Remewin will turn 1. She'll start walking and say her first words. I will turn 30. Ralexwin and I will celebrate our tenth anniversary. Vicbowin will turn 9 and start 3rd grade. Albowin will turn 8 and be baptized. He will also start 2nd grade.  Hmm... Looks like life will move on like normal. I guess that's what happens when you have a young family. Life stays simply complicated. It's definitely worth another year.